While hardcore pop fans should certainly check out Newell's earliest home recordings with The Cleaners from Venus, those seeking higher fidelity should be quite satisfied with the professionally recorded tracks of Newell's solo career. He never varies much beyond his '60s-influenced British pop—but there's no real reason to wander beyond such confines. Newell is a natural melody maker, and tunes like "Call Me Michael Moonlight" and "The World of Dandy Leigh" sound 100% complete with their guitar/bass/drums approach. Though Newell's been regularly compared to Robyn Hitchcock, XTC, and Ray Davies, he could also be considered a major influence on Guided by Voices' Robert Pollard, who sings in an affected accent that comes naturally to Newell. "Arcadian Boys" plops Newell in front of a string quartet for a chamber-pop tune that Elvis Costello wouldn't mind swiping. The jangly, snarling guitar riffs of "Ursula in the Waiting Room" make Newell's upgrade to pro-fi completely worth it. Even the harmonies are better defined.