You’ll hear talk of national treasures, and there’s no denying that erstwhile singer Paul Heaton is as quintessentially English as they come. Given his service to pop over the past 20 years, he’s fairly valuable too.

But he’s certainly not the shiny sort, "bling" was just the sound a football made when it rebounded off rusting goalposts in the park when he started making records--his value is more akin to a warm mug of tea and a custard cream from the corner shop on a rainy afternoon. For a newer generation perhaps only familiar with the likes of The Beautiful South’s "Perfect 10" it’s worthwhile going back to the beginning to see why.

The Housemartins (also the all-singing--if not all dancing--apprenticeship for superstar DJ Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim) were a very fine singles band indeed, rushes of acoustic pop and Humberside barbershop harmonies with all the keenness that youth can afford. A virulent "Five Get Over Excited" and "Happy Hour", alongside peerless a capella cover "Caravan of Love", stand testament to an all too brief career.

This is where the Beautiful South took up the reigns with a more mature, but no less catchy or vocally impressive, output, spinning timeless comforts like "You Keep It All In", "A Little Time" and "Old Red Eyes Is Back". Soup is the first time the work of the two bands has been collected onto one disc and while 22 tracks are never going to do justice to such an expansive back catalog, it’s a splendid starting point. --James Berry