Before I saw 'Love Actually', I had already seen a few music videos from various artists which included snippets of the film, so I had a fair idea of the music which would be included on the soundtrack. If I love a film, I tend to love the music from the film too, and the soundtrack becomes an automatic addition to my collection, not always cherished though I might add. I bought my copy from CD-WOW when it was released, and I paid £8.99 at the time.

From one girl band to another, but don't confuse the two, because 'Lost In You' from The Sugababes is one of the best songs they have released in my opinion. It is a ballad which I never tire of listening to, and shows just what lovely soulful voices these three girls have (before Mutya was replaced with Amelle). It is a slightly different version from the one they released as a single, and this version is purer with less strings, and a strong competitor for best song on the soundtrack.

'Here With Me' by Dido is a track I struggle to remember whereabouts it featured in the film, but it is a good track nonetheless. Note to self: "Must watch film again and take note where this song appears". Again, it is a slow tempo ballad, and fits well with the rest of the songs around it. Whilst many people thought that Bill Nighy aka Billy Mack's cover of The Troggs 'Love Is All Around' was hilarious, it really grinds on me, and whilst I loved his character in the film, I think this song is terrible, especially where the lyrics have been replaced with seasonal Christmas lyrics. Even the novelty joke factor of the song passes me by, and it is very rare that I don't skip past this track.

If you think that song is great, then you will love 'Songbird' by Eva Cassidy. I agree that her voice is gorgeous, but for some reason I missed out on all of the hype surrounding the initial release of her music after her death, but I absolutely adore this song. It is a song which evokes a lot of emotion in me, and rather than making me think about my husband, I think about my children, and it always sets me off, as the lyrics are beautifully written and sung.

Texas are a band I have a love hate relationship with as I find their music so inconsistent and their jumping from one style to another can really irritate me at times. 'I'll See It Through' reminds me of another song, but I can't for the life of me name it. Sharleen's voice is nice, and the song is a nice ballad, but nothing special, and in the company of the other tracks, it is easily forgotten.

A real Christmas classic song from Otis Redding with 'White Christmas'. I like Otis Redding, but I don't like Otis Redding singing this song, as he changed it too much from the original which was just fine as it was. It is songs like this which really limit the shelf life of the CD, as it would sound very peculiar if you had this playing with your car windows down in the middle of summer!

It is as if the makers of the CD know that our attention is waning, so they include an old favourite in 'God Only Knows' from The Beach Boys. A nice addition, and I start to get interested again, and even more so when the soulful voice of Lynden David Hall sings the opening bars of 'All You Need Is Love'. Why is this so far down the track listing? Him singing this is one of the most memorable parts of the film, and it is an excellent version of a truly cherished song. I think he is a British singer who never really managed to hit on the lucky big break which is a shame because he is excellent.

The cover of the album includes small pictures of the main characters from the film, and is made to look as if it is wrapped in a Christmas present style bow, so it is very easy to spot. Would I recommend it? Well, I would because I love soundtracks, and they are always going to be hitty missy in terms of liking all of the songs, and with some songs proving more popular than others. It is certainly more suited to the festive period, so treat yourself at Christmas! You have a while to save up!