My first encounter with the exotic was on the Magic Mill at Thorpe Park, a South-East England theme park which from appearances had originally been based around a cramped zoo or city-farm set-up. At some point in the late 70s it had seemingly panicke[…]

I’d previously stated that I like three things about “Born To Make You Happy”: its beat-based balladry, Britney’s unusually expressive vocals and that key change. I still like these things, but it’s becoming increasingly[…]

English suburbs and small towns have a hard time of it in pop: their main contribution is as places to leave, bleak regions which the likes of Siouxsie or Brett Anderson must break free of in order to fulfil their pop destiny. English pop shows its A[…]

Anyway, I was lying on a blue sleeping bag at my friend’s big house, whispering, trying to rub the ache out of my eyes and stay awake, get more words out. There were three of us, playing Truth Or Dare. When you’re fifteen years old, inten[…]

Black Box Recorder – Live
The irony was laid on pretty heavy from the start: the band came on stage to Elton’s Goodbye English Rose. They were wearing complementary stage outfits – Sarah in a red satin shift, showing off her new BBR[…]

Kelis – Kaleidoscope
Well, first of all, you should buy it because it’s got the first classic single of the 21st Century on it. “Caught Out There” is perfect – you can get off on the ebullient gimmickry of the hook, you […]

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[…]