DR. DRE feat. SNOOP DOGGY DOGG – “Still D.R.E.” (CD Single)
We learn a total of two things from “Still DRE”. 1) Eminem sells a lot of records. 2) Dr. DRE hasn’t changed his name in the last eight years. We learn th[…]

PRIMAL SCREAM – “Kill All Hippies” (7″)
After filleting “Swastika Eyes” in the Singles Bar I ended up really liking it. I doubt I’ll say the same of this footling effort, where Mani does his best to give the […]

BUZZCOCKS – “Spiral Scratch” (Reissued 7″/CD)
I know when to complain about the canon, and I know when to shut up. If that seems a cop-out, too bad: if it wasn’t for Buzzcocks’ status as a Great Band we’d not[…]

BLACK BOX RECORDER – “Weekend” (Free with Uncut, March 2000)
1998’s “Child Psychology” was an indie gimmick-hit, due to a sharp chorus and Sarah Nixey’s deadly pristine vocals (Hannibal Lecter as Roedean head[…]

How Exotica Conquered The ’90s
1. What is Exotica, anyway? (more…)[…]

This is a reply by Paul Pasquerella to the original “Smile Special” series of articles.
The current “hipness” of the Beach Boys, a total reversal from the time from about 1967 to 1985 (or so) when it was the kiss of death to b[…]

Richard Ashcroft used to be in a band called Verve, as you possibly know. The thing about Verve was that the word – with its connotations of lightness, cheek and speed – was the last thing you’d have flashed on when you heard the bandâ€[…]

“Love will get you like a case of anthrax”: the Gang of Four’s cheery advice sets the tone for twenty-plus years of on-off punky alternative disdain for love songs. Andy Gill and company took a hardline leftist tone – songs ab[…]

I. 

The cod-philosophical question at the centre of pop fandom is this: is pop a genre or a state? Not all records designed to be ‘great pop’ – in the sense of being good for the feet, the heart and the bank balance – […]

For a while – maybe even a week – after New Year’s, I could still glance at the top of newspapers and feel a quiet, thrilling jolt at the date. Of course I hadn’t thought anything would change when the year did, but even so there was briefly […]