The Guardian’s set of British Band Top Trumps is a dud in terms of production values – uneven cards, poor paper stock and you have to photocopy the newspaper in order to make a full pack. They get the mechanics of Top Trumps exactly right[…]

Here Are Some More Links: Somnolence, Simple Pleasures, Rock Critics Daily. They will be added to the sidebar when I’m next on a fast connection (even at high-speed NYLPM’s archives are so colossal updates take about 20 minutes). I will a[…]

On CD:UK this week electroclash was pronounced over by Cat Deeley and Duncan from Blue, which sounds fairly terminal to me. But its after-effects linger: mostly, the resurrection of (honorary) British pop, which is often more convincing when it doesn[…]

Speaking of links…: I’ve finally updated the sidebar links. I’m sure I’m missing some important ones though – if you run a weblog that you think I would like and is partially or mostly to do with music, drop me a line. D[…]

Spizzazz: While we’re on about the sidebar regulars, Spizzazz is back to full posting strength with a new design (won’t load on my slow connection) and at least one new member. I’m really glad, Spizzazz is and remains terrific. Post[…]

The Church Of Me comes to a gratifyingly happy end this week. I’ve not always agreed with it – let’s face it, I’ve not always felt like reading it – but it’s held down a place in my favourite links firstly for the […]

I was really excited when I noticed that the La Casa Azul songs on the Elefant Records compilation I’d pick up were new. They released a triumphant EP a couple of years ago, featuring bombastic indie pop that only Spanish bands can produce.
Th[…]

Making karaoke backing tracks would seem a simple affair: find lyrics, obtain or create instrumental track, away you go. Get the instrumental right and the lyrics as right as you can and you would probably have a winner. But more subtle consideration[…]

“it was great to meet you, i’m sorry it was in a place where one could not really conduct a conversation @ normal talking volume” says duane of the Windmill in Brixton

Which it wasn’t, it’s true: the odd thing is that […]

Land Of A Thousand Dances is doing the even vaster American equivalent of the already brobdignagian Popular – reviews of every No.1 hit single, in this case starting in 1950. Even if you’re not interested in 1950s No.1 hits (and what kind[…]