I checked both the A-Z and Kings of Mercia. The A-Z sounded decent buy I didn't make it through the whole thing. The Down to the Wire rip off right off the bat made the laugh.
I thought the Kings of Mercia was quite decent actually. Nothing new or flash but quite easy listening. Overland makes this pretty nice.
You are not wrong about the Down to the Wire, um, tribute
I have to say, I really like the A-Z album...I actually bought it. It's catchy
and musically very interesting, with lots of cool things thrown in. Love Zonder and Alder on it, of course, but I think everyone's performance is great. Tasty keyboards and bass/guitar playing.
I haven't spent enough time with Kings of Mercia, so I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. First impression was pleasant, but it didn't strike me as "especially special". The vocals and the playing are very good, but I didn't find it as intriguing as the A-Z record. I'll revisit for sure, though.