The fact that I found many of Roxy Music’s album covers curiously satisfying when coming into my teens, now seems little more than a wet sheet in a universe of used tissues. And however mildly misogynistic they now appear – woman on bed in lingerie grimacing at camera (1972’s Roxy Music), woman in heels with Jaguar on a leash (1973’s For Your Pleasure), woman marooned and looking submissive on beach with tits hanging out (Stranded), women with barely concealed beavers Continue Reading

It’s already been lamented by other able bodied commentators that whilst the likes of Robbie Williams, Coldplay and S Club 7 have grown fat on the milk of undue human kindness and curious market hysteria, true pop-visionaries like the Cardigans and the Wannadies have had to make do with the dregs of past and temporary triumphs; the Cardigans with ‘Love Fool’ and the Wannadies with the splenglorious ‘You and Me Song’. Brit-Pop was kind to our Scandinavian cousins. The present Continue Reading

This album would be aided immensely had we not ‘experienced’ any of their increasingly rigid and stylised live spurtings over the past couple of years, nor been subjected to the disappointing, blindfolded shooting of their flat debut ‘See Through This And Leave’. But oh, we have. That we approach this follow up with such abysmally low expectations though is its absolute saving grace. And surprisingly, grace there is on this occasion. Swells of it, actually. As ‘The Same Mistakes’ wisps Continue Reading

In amongst the trademark rock‘n’roll clutter (and it’s a trademark they have ownership over, or a bloody grip of at least, against popular misconception) there seems to be somewhat of a defence going on here. Not defence like having to justify themselves or their actions, that would go against the grain of everything this second album seems to want to stand for, or probably more acutely where they continue and will continue to stand as a band. No, defence as Continue Reading

It’s largely been down to the shuffling lo-fi imaginations of the US that have provided us with the more alternative and diverse guitar bands of the last 10 years or so: Pavement, the Pixies, Nirvana, the Flaming Lips – the list goes on. We in the UK had the passing phenomenon that was ‘Brit Pop’, of course – but contrary to expectations, it didn’t ‘Live Forever’. And what do we have to show for it? The Albarn ego-mobile that is Continue Reading

You have to admit, it’s a fair old pedigree, even if it does lack something in the way of continuity: Andy Chase – member of the band Ivy, co-founder of Stratosphere Sound recording studio, score provider and arranger for movies like Shallow Hal (featuring Jack Black) and There’s Something About Mary, producer to the likes of the Smashing Pumpkins, Divine Comedy and Juliana Hatfield. Unusual? You betcha. And you’ll be pleased to know Mr Chase continues to wrong foot us Continue Reading

Whether you like it because it’s swatched in big glittery clouds of kitsch nostalgia and post-modernized up to the nines by actually being on Norman Cook’s increasingly vital Southern Fried Records – or whether you like it simply becasue it’s simply a very good song, Elton’s Johns 1977 ‘Are You Ready For Love?’ looks set to be a stunning hit for the old git regardless. Originally recorded with Thom Bell at the legendary Philadelphia International Studios (famous for the OJs Continue Reading