Robert Christgau’s Consumer Guide: Also in the Voice this week is Da Dean’s verdict on bootlegs. He likes them! He gives the a new bootleg compilation that’s appeared in certain lovely record stores a big fat A! Can you dig it?
But […]

sunday corny sunday: another week, another voice piece, this time written by ilx contributor and all-around fine figure of a fellow, michaelangelo matos. play on!…or play-ed out? you’ll just have to find out for yourself what matos thinks[…]

Happy-uh Birthday-uh
The Fall are 25 years old this month. So, in honor, ten reasons why the white crap who talk back are still my favorite band.
10. Ian Penman’s initial characterization of them as callow, rote bandwagon jumpers. If so, so wha[…]

Tom’s Top Ten!
PITMAN — ‘Phone Pitman’
LOWELL BLANCHARD WITH THE VALLEY TRIO — ‘Jesus Hits Like An Atom Bomb’
EMINEM — ‘Without Me’
ELEPHANT MAN — ‘The Bombing’
CAPLETON &#[…]

EMINEM — ‘Without Me’
Granted, he’s not doing himself any favours with this ‘controversy’ nonsense. The c-word is best left to the tabloids and press packs; it always sounds mealy-mouthed coming from singers, thoug[…]

The Sixth Freaky Trigger Pop Music Focus Group – here’s the ballot! Open to all comers (almost) – closing date for responses 9th June.[…]

It must have seemed such a good idea: “I know! How about a TV show in which we get bands on to play one of their own songs and then a cover version of their choice!” You see — their choice, BBC choice — it all makes a horrible[…]

HOLDING ON FOR TOMORROW
If you want to point the finger of blame at someone, Ronan Keating’s as good a target as any. To be crude about it, pop successes in the 90s have appealed to some combo of the four Gs – girls, gays, grannies and ge[…]

POP-EYE 5/5/02
Well, in retrospect the earth didn’t quake, civilization did not fall and the Sugababes were only number one for a week. Now I know this all seems terribly unfair when G-G-Gareth Gates and Will Young can sew the charts up for aro[…]

What I’ve been doing today: downloading tracks for the sixth Freaky Trigger Focus Group. A slimmed-down affair this time, with only 29 songs, but still the usual struggles to find half the tracks – and then to find the correct mixes of ha[…]