Radio 1's Live Lounge, Vol. 4

With its combination of acoustic originals and intriguing cover versions, the Radio 1 Live Lounge albums have cleverly filled a gap in the market to become one of the most successful compilation series in recent years. Volume Four, which as always, consists of tracks recorded live for Jo Whiley's mid-morning show, is as eclectic as its predecessors, with acts as diverse as Lily Allen, Fleet Foxes, and Kelly Clarkson all stepping into the now-famous studio. Without the comfort of multiple takes and glossy production, the Live Lounge can expose artists in a way no other compilation does, and where some can surprisingly thrive, others even more surprisingly falter. Florence and the Machine, one of the most critically acclaimed artists of 2009, caterwauls through a quite painful rendition of Beyoncé's "Halo," Lady Gaga unnecessarily turns her electro-pop juggernaut "Poker Face" into a rather ropey and overblown vaudeville-style number, while Black Eyed Peas don't seem to have entirely gras