THE SMITHS - SMITHS STAR MARR GIVES MODEST MOUSE A BIG SQUEAK

Former THE SMITHS star JOHNNY MARR has given his new group, MODEST MOUSE, a boost - he's helped them land their first number one album in the US. The cult indie group's WE WERE DEAD BEFORE THE SHIP EVEN SANK has stunned chart watchers by beating soul singer JOSS STONE's new album, INTRODUCING JOSS STONE, to the top of the new chart with opening-week sales of 129,000. The sales more than double the group's previous best week. Their last album, GOOD NEWS FOR BAD PEOPLE, debuted at number 19 in 2004. Stone's third album debuts at two with impressive sales of 118,000, and AMERICAN IDOL star ELLIOT YAMIN's self-titled first album enters the new Billboard chart at number three. Fellow Idol CHRIS DAUGHTRY stays put at number four with his debut release and R+B star MARQUES HOUSTON debuts VETERAN at five.