This is a blog by Yancey Strickler, long time ILM head – he alerted me to this a while ago but I’ve been idle with the inbox. Good stuff for the indie modernists among you.[…]

2004 Hurrah!
aka The NYLPM New Year Quiz
Doing my ‘tracks of the year’ presented me with a dilemma. I’ve heard little and paid attention to less, attempting a ’round-up’ would just be pompous (so go and read Jess’ […]

2004 Begone!
In 2004 I disliked more music than ever before. In 2004 I started listening to the radio everyday at work. These things are not unrelated. These were the records I hated most, based on far, far too many listens (thanks XFM!). And yes, so[…]

Human After All
For many of you out there, there may be none more seismic a newsflash over the festive season. The prospect of a new Daft Punk album has excited me for some time, but hang on, it’s not been mentioned on The Raft, only NME from w[…]

“console yrself with the new bleep pop”
this wz the headline in metro – so i don’t actually know what the “new bleep pop” is exactly, as i couldn’t read over the fellow bus traveller’s shoulder w/o mak[…]

I’m Dreaming Of An Office Christmas Vol. 2
This CD is significantly less likely to be played as it pushes the boat of quality somewhat further out. It will still get a spin round my place, though.
1. EDDY ARNOLD – “I’m Your Pr[…]

Grinch Alert
Last year, following the travesty of Gary Jules, there was much in-pub joshery about how miserable piano-led covers would be the HOT NEW THING. Ha ha, we smugly thought, it will never ACTUALLY happen. But here on Radio 1 is Chris Martin […]

Dave S decided to fill that empty void by starting Breaking Ranks.[…]

They are the eggmen, we are the victims — Anthony M found this and we trembled in fear/laughed uproariously in untrammelled glee/both (choose as appropriate): a modern day version of Styx covering “I Am the Walrus”. It’s not t[…]

I’m Dreaming Of An Office Christmas
Volume I of the background CDs for the work do, with thanks to everyone who gave me suggestions.
1. THE DRIFTERS – “White Christmas”(1)
2. JACK SCOTT – “Jingle Bell Slide”([…]