Single Releases 20/03/06

Nature's Law (Embrace) - Well I don't know how they keep getting away with it. I truly am lost for words? Is it terrible? No. Is it in any way memorable? No. I just can't get worked up about this at all either way.

Heart In A Cage (The Strokes) - Ok so they were destined to never really live up to the hype surrounding "This Is It" but this isn't too bad. It's not going to save rock music or anything like this, but it is good.

Bounce, Move, Shake, Stop (MPV) - Do Reel 2 Real (or was it Real 2 Reel) and the Mad Stuntman know about this one? Are they getting any royalties? If not, they should be. Anyway, this is a nice little dancy bop ditty, but its far too unoriginal to really hit the mark.

To And Fro (Mattafix) - As you might suspect from these boys, this is dull beyond belief.

Stupid Girls (Pink) - So let me get this straight. It's ok to parade your flesh in a music video despite criticising people who do that kind of thing as long as you are being "ironic". But just remember, whatever you do, don't call her POP. I'm sorry, but this is the kind of piss-take that Eminem could do in his sleep and he'd do a much better job of it. Still I dare say that won't stop it being a mega-hit.

Ms. New Booty (Bubba Sparxxx) - A song about the delight of ladies' arses. And really, after the travesty that was Black Eyed Peas and "My Humps" we need this kind of cleasning song. As bad as it may be....

Our Truth (Lacuna Coil) - This is another one of those that if you've heard of them and you like them...well you'll like this. If you haven't, or you don't like them, then this won't change your mind.

Gold Lion (The Yeah Yeah Yeahs) - Finally they do something which justifies the hype. It starts off all mellow and descends into noisy chaos...and it's also rather brilliant.

Temperature (Sean Paul) - Please. Can people stop buying his records. Thanks.

So Sick (Ne-Yo) - Firmly from the R-Kelly side of R'n'B, this at least has the distinction in being far less naueseous than the piss-lovin' RK ever is.

Grillz (Nelly ft. Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp) - They certainly share the workload don't they these rappers? I have to say though that this is the right side of funky and is actually quite funny. So it's one to listen to, if not actually buy.

Mothers Day EP (G4) - As if the runaway train known as G4 couldn't get any worse, they go and record "Barcelona"...with Lesley Garrett. Don't you dare buy this for your mother. Buy her something good instead.

Love 80's (Lupen Crook) - Well the picture on his Myspace page is enough to put me off, but the tune itself isn't too bad. But really, this isn't going to be huge. Worth checking out if you have a spare 5 minutes though.

Sugababes LIVE

Well the day starts off well. Everton beat Villa. Tottenham beat Birmingham (and drop Stalteri - which proves that Martin Jol takes notice of me) and I drink five pints of the Guinness. Throw in another all you can eat Chinese buffet (although where were the Deep Fried Crab Sticks I ask you?) and England losing in the Six Nations (unpatriotic that may be, but it was funny) and even the fact of me being, shall we say, "ill" outside the palatial Philharmonic hall cannot ruin the build up.

We missed the support act, one Shawn Emmanuel or something, but I dare say that was no great loss. As usual there was the slight embarassment that you're sat in the middle of a load of 10 year olds (although there were a smattering of non-parent oldies like ourselves dotted about) but hey, I've done this enough times now to let all that wash over me.

So it was onto the concert itself.

The good news is that the new girl Amelle fitted in very nicely and the 'Babes were as professional and competent as you would expect them to be.

The bad news, for me anyway, was the fact that other than a raised platform bit and three slightly bizarre boxes later on in the evening, there was very little going on AND the concert only lasted just over an hour.

These bad things were made worse by the fact that last time I saw the Sugababes, there was a hell of a lot more going on onstage (the bit with the bed, the pole dancing etc.) and they did a lot more songs. I know that the fact that the new girl has joined probably meant that they didn't have the time to either learn more of the songs or put on a more elaborate show but really when you are paying £21.50 (plus booking) for a ticket it's not really my problem.

Don't get me wrong; what they did was great, and they have some classic pop tunes in the cannon. Amelle proved to be a great addition to the band and all three looked like they were having a good time. But really I couldn't help feeling short-changed. And the fact that they made no real effort to inform us that Red Dress and Push The Button were the encore seems to me to suggest that they knew they weren't exactly putting their best foot forward.

And also, I have to mention that it is slightly surreal seeing the 'Babes do Overload and Run For Cover when there is only one of the people who actually sung on that left. It's like seeing Gerry Marsden on one of those 60's reunion tours without the Pacemakers :-)

The Best Of...THE SUGABABES

Ages since I've done a best of, but I'm sat at home bored, and as I'm going watching the 'Babes tomorrow, here is the top 10 list of their best songs, IN MY OPINION :-D

10) Round Round - Ok, so it sounds like three completely different songs thrown together but in their defence it sounds like three completely different GOOD songs.
9) Shape - Loses a few places due to the Sting thing, but this is a nice soothing ballad.
8) Virgin Sexy - The one non-single track to make the list (which in itself tells you a great deal about the Sugabaes weaknesses in my opinion) and I'm fully aware it is maybe the rememberence of the poll dancing they did to this one on their last tour that makes it stick in my mind.
7) New Year - Sometimes the Great British record buying public just get it so wrong. Why this wasn't Christmas number one or something I will never know.
6) In The Middle - Again, is it the memory of Heidi in the video that pushes this one so high up the list? Quite possibly.
5) Stronger - It's nice. It's lovely. I love it.
4) Push The Button - What can I say? One of the best pop tunes of 2005.
3) Run For Cover - Moody without being souless, this is another one that was criminally ignored at the time.
2) Overload - What a debut single. In fact it was probably TOO good. I only wish in hindsight that the Sugababes had carried on along this trajectory...
1) Hole In The Head - ...although that would have probably meant that we would have missed this beauty. Pop perfection.

The New Pet Shop Boys Single

Well, I've just heard the long awaited I'm With Stupid and I have to say....

I'm quite impressed!

It took a couple of listens (as it usually does with these kind of things) but it's good. It's not quite the out and out stomper that I had been kind of hoping for, but hey, it's a new Pet Shop Boys single, so you know I'm going to be happy! :-D

It's more akin to their late 80's stuff than the out and out "poptacular" that was Very and certainly whets my appetite for the album Fundamental. Whether it's going to be quite the song that plants them firmly back in the top 10...well I don't know about that.

Single Releases 13/03/06

Whole Lotta History (Girls Aloud)- Ok. You all know my feelings about this one. For a start its a ballad, and the only decent ballad they've ever done was See The Day...and even that wasn't very good. Heaven knows why they had to release another ballad as a single straight after that one. I can see what they are tyring to do, but really you need a better song than this to do it.

Another Place To Fall (KT Tunstall)- Now this is a good song...but come on peeps, it's the FIFTH from the album. If you ask me, they should never have bothered releasing Under The Weather, because this is a great track...but it's overkill.

Walk Away (Kelly Clarkson) - She seems a game lass and she's done quite well for herself although I still, of course, fail to see how she's made it quite so big. Having said that, I quite like this one, but I have to say...she's looks bloody awful in the video. Oh and it sounds a bit like Word Up by Cameo!!!

Fly (Hilary Duff)- I quite like this one, but I have one small problem with it...it was in my top 60 singles of 2004. This is now 2006. So no matter how they repackage her stuff in the UK, this to me is still an old, old song and therefore I must lament it's release.

Pump It (Black Eyed Peas)- Yet another BEP tune that I quite like but that wouldn't tempt me into buying their album. The Pulp Fiction "miserlou" tune in the background is a stroke of genius though.

No Way Back (Foo Fighters) - Come on Dave, put a bit of effort into it mate. This is your "by the numbers" rock tune that the Foos can churn out in their sleep. I want more from them.

Wisemen (James Blunt)- Another completely non-offensive track from the Chicken lover. The sort of thing I'd listen to on the radio if it came on, but not something I would buy for myself.

Beautiful World (Sara Jorge) - Ooh, me likey this. The sort of song that would be a HUGE hit if Kylie did it (and would probably fail to get Rachel Stevens in the charts :-D) but that will sadly probably sink without trace. Top quality pop.

There It Go (Jules Santana) - Erm quite. Not my cup of tea at all really. Another one of those "rap" things with no discernable tune.

Make A Move On Me (Joey Negro) - One of those "retro" dance tunes I shouldn't really like but I actually do. This is the kind of cracking tune that seemed to be out every week in the mid 90's that we sadly don't see much of these days. I defy anyone not to be caught up with the dancing groove upon hearing this one.

Just (Mark Ronson ft Alex Greenwald)- Well Radiohead have never sounded better have they? ;-) Ok, in all seriousness, this is quite funky but is still nothing more than a novelty record wrapped up in pretensious clothes. It's good, but is there any real need for it?

Advenutre (Be Your Own Pet) - They have the front woman to melt a thousand indie hearts, and finally they have the tune to back it up. A little bit Pixies, a little bit Garbage and a whole lot of fun. It won't be a hit, but why should I care about little things like that when the tune is so good?

Suffer Well (Depeche Mode) - This is a bit like the Editors would sound if they were a little bit more electronic. It's quite good and harks back to some of their mid-career classics, although sadly it doesn't match up to anything from, say, Violator.

Piece Of My Heart (Beverley Knight) - Why bother sticking the boot into poor Bev when Popjustice has just done it better than I could ever hope to. And I quote "it does not matter whether you are 'the voice' or 'the greatest singer of your generation' if you are boring and useless as a popstar."

The Like - What I Say And What I Mean

Yes, I've reviewed this before (check out the November 2005 archives) but its finally got its UK release, complete with new foxy looking cover and bonus track.

So yes, the package looks more "marketable" than the US version. The extra track, Split Enz cover version One Step Ahead is also a stormer (and is actually one of the best things they've done in my opinion) so really a winning package has just got that slightly bit better than it already was.

Buy it now! :-D

New Concert List

The ones in RED have been and gone

11th Feburary - Jenny Lewis - Manchester Academy 3
27th February - Editors - Manchester Academy
1st March - Fun Lovin' Criminals - Liverpool Academy
2nd March - Gemma Hayes - Liverpool Academy 3
9th March - The Like - Manchester Academy 3
18th March - Sugababes - Liverpool Philarmonic Hall
30th March - Depeche Mode - MEN Areaa, Manchester
20th April - Giant Drag - Night & Day Cafe, Manchester
23rd April - Jenny Lewis - The Lowry, Salford
25th April - Flaming Lips - Apollo, Manchester
28th April - Buddy (the musical)- The Lowry, Salford
27th May - Girls Aloud - MEN Arena, Manchester
30th May - Nerina Pallot - The Lowry, Salford

The Like LIVE

I love Poolstock Lane. An hour's journey to Manchester is all well and good, but when it takes you the first half of that hour to get the first three or four miles, its pretty bloody annoying.

Anyway. As usual the proper festivities kicked off in the Oxford. Bottles of Magners quickly moved onto Corky's (in my defence, they had the Creme Egg flavour in). Then came what I shall refer to as an unfortunate incident in the Kebab shop. All I will say is that the man really could have let us have the seats we'd been waiting for and saved a whole lot of shenanigans.

So we made it to the venue, avoiding being lynched on the way there, just in time to see the support act Dirty Circus finishing their set. Sadly, a little trouble with exactly what time it was meant that we'd arrived in time to see the first of THREE support acts, with the headliners still 2 hours away...

Thankfully not only did this early arrival mean we could get to the front without having to push anyone out of the way, it also meant that we caught two rather decent support acts. The Adventures of Loki were a power-punk-pop trio with shades of Ash and The Subways about them. They also had a very cute drummer. Which can't be bad. Then it was the turn of Bright Space, who have the pretty boy look to be a hit on CD-UK, plus the tunes to back it up. They're a hell of a lot better than the likes of Orson anyway.

And with that, the time had flown by and it was time for the main event. And what a main event it was. Maybe it was the copious amount of alcohol, maybe it was being closer to the front of a standing only gig than I've ever been for years or maybe it really was the most enjoyable night of my concert going life.

As soon as some guy shouted out "get naked" and Z replied "no, you get naked. If somebody doesn't get naked, I'm not playing" you realised you were in for a fun night. And credit to that curly haired guy in front of me for taking his shirt off and throwing it onto the stage.

The crowd were really into it (the girls seemed genuinely surprised and touched at the resounding reception they received) and it's not every concert night where you see the band asking their bouncers not to hit the guy who stole three tee-shirts from them too hard.

Highlights of the night included the two singles, What I Say And What I Mean and June Gloom, as well as the Split Enz cover One Step Ahead and, my personal favourite, Too Late. And yeah, I am fully aware I kinda lost it during that last one, and probably acted akin to the numpty at the Gemma Hayes concert (although I didn't bash into anyone) but by that point I was completely enthralled.

It got better though when, after the set, the lovely ladies came out to mingle with the fans. Whilst Gee was too drunk to really know what was going on, at least he kept his hands steady enough to do the honours behind the camera for me so I could procure the neccessary shots for the Dean Hall Of Fame.



Tennessee was very sweet, and she's as cute as a button. Sorry Nadine, but I think you're going to have to find someone else now. Charlotte was also very sweet, as was Z (and as is the tradition made a comment about my nice, (red), marker pen). As I was drunk I was being awfully polite in a kind of foppish Hugh Grant manner, but it went down well.



Prior to the concert I liked The Like, but now i REALLY like The Like. They are, quite simply, bloody fantastic.



Oh, and by the way Gee...sorry about that "tattoo" on your hand mate ;-)

Shakira - Oral Fixation Vol. 2

The woman is quite barmy. Endearingly so. But what people tend to dismiss, or ignore altogether, is that fact that in a world filled with by-the-numbers pop by pretty faces Shakira is not content to follow the path well-trodden. No, she wants to come up with something unique. Until now, this attitude has been watered down for her "English" releases, but now, with Oral Fixation Vol. 2, Shakira has finally let loose for the English speaking world.

Take the opening track How Do You Do; what other pop artist would dream of starting their album with a souped up version of the Lord's prayer sung by some form of Gergorian choir? I think you know the answer is no-one. But the madness doesn't stop there. Stacatto guitars, and a chorus seemingly embellished with backing vocals from a baby...and yes, we're still only on the first track!

Things don't calm down either. Lead single Don't Bother is pretty much a "Whenever Wherever 2006" lyrically, although with added bile (and really love, you don't need to move to a communist country to please me, Wigan will do). Album-ender Timor sees a childrens choir pitted against synth drums that were already out of fashion in the 1980's whilst Your Embrace isn't a million miles away from the modern Nashville sound.

When it works, Animal City or Hey You, Shakira's bold attempts to defy catergorisation lead to some perfect pop monents. However it would be fair to say that she doesn't always hit the mark. Illegal, featuring the smooth guitar skills of Carlos Santana, is one such example and Something is just a trifle dull.

So whilst this is a little hit and miss, such a scatter-gun approach is always likely to be. But considering just how safe most pop stars play it these days such an approach should be welcomed (especially as you wonder just how the record company let her get away with it). There's nothing else quite like a Shakira record, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Single Releases - 06/03/06

June Gloom (The Like) - They've been on the Dean-dar for a good while now thanks to my good buddy Gee, but it has to be said that this isn't one of their best. Of course Tennessee looks unbelievably cute in the video (a fact I may just have to mention to her on Thursday if I get the chance) and it's not a bad tune, I just fail to see how it can be a hit when the superior What I Say And What I Mean failed to trouble the top 250. Still, people should buy it anyway just for the Leonard Cohen cover...oh and because it's three hot chicks playing rock music; what's not to like people?

Touch The Sky (Kanye West) - I still maintain the guy is not a very good rapper. But when he produces a sound like this, even if it is courtesy of the Curtis Mayfield sample/riff/whatever the technical term is these days for plaugurism, who really cares that we'd be better off if he produced this kind of stuff for a guy who could really rap instead of doing it himself.

Red Dress (Sugababes) - The "debut" single for the 3,243th line up of the band and thankfully although it is a bit "all over the place" it's one hundred times better than the turgid album version. It once again goes to prove that whilst the Sugababes might have an upsetting knack for bad albums on the whole, the day when their greatest hits CD emerges will see an all time classic pop collection within our midst (but the Girls Aloud Greatest Hits - due in November 2006 ;-) - will still be better).

Industry (The Modern) - With its synthy 80's style vibe, this is the kind of thing I really like and the male verse/female chorus brings to mind the Human League. This is the kind of thing Girls Aloud could do quite well, and that's quite a compliament from me. It's also a bit "Bis" esque, which is another reason for me to love it.

Waste A Moment (Fightstar) - Charlie from Busted, you can keep doing songs like this till the cows come home, but people will never love you like they did when they were in Busted. Although really, is this any worse than Son Of Dork?

Photograph (Jamie Cullum) - You know what, I'll come clean. I couldn't even be arsed trying to listen to this. So I'll guess. If you like Cullum, you'll probably love this. If you think he's, well, a bit rubbish, I doubt this will change your mind.

One Wish (Ray-J) - Just for the fact that he called his album Raydiation, I'm going to reccommend this. (Even though really it's not very good).

Unbelievable (Craig David) - Unbelievable that you were ever seriously considered as a bright musical hope who would be having hit after hit for years to come Craig? The sound of an artist treading water, or the sound of an artist who doesn't really know how to do anything else...you decide. Still, at least he's not as bad as Daniel Bedingfield is he? I wonder if in 40 years time they'll have a "Solid Silver 2000 Show" (you know like the 60's ones they do with Gerry And The Pacemakers now) with the likes of Craig David and Daniel Bedingfield? And perhaps more pertinantly...would anyone bother turning up?

Because I Want To (Placebo) - Well its definately Placebo. You can tell that straight away. Whether it's of any relevance to the music fan today who doesn't already like Placebo is another question, but this is track that will surely please their fans.

Billie Jean (Michael Jackson) - Take your bets on whether the whole "Elvis" thing will be quietly pensioned off due to poor sales, but don't deny that this is one of THE all-time top pop singles, EVER! And as such, it's better than anything else released this week singles wise.

Rise Up With Fists (Jenny Lewis) - ...well I'll take that back. Billie Jean is still the best pop single of the week, but this is THE best single of the week. Is it gospel, is it country, is it pop....or is it a compellingly unique mixture of everything and more? I know this probably won't chart in the top 40, but it should. It really should.

Undercover (Gemma Hayes) - This is a lovely track from the much underrated The Roads Don't Love You album. Hopefully the Radio 2 support will ensure a modest hit, and lots of success for the album as a result.

Incredible (Shapeshifters) - Remember Lola's Theme? Well that was quite good. This, on the other hand, isn't.

Like You (Bow Wow feat Ciara) - Does anyone else remember the days when he was Lil Bow Wow? Anyway, this is a cracking chorus surrounded by a dull song.

Geek In The Pink (Jason Mraz) - This is the kind of thing you just know the Americans will lap up. Sadly for Jason, I don't think us Brits really need another Maroon 5 style act to love, despite the fact I think this is quite a catchy little number.

Gemma Hayes LIVE

A much easier drive into Liverpool this time, although seeing the gritting lorries on the road at 4 in the afternoon doesn't fill you with confidence for the drive home. Few bottles of Magners (isn't that becoming a new tradition) down the throat, nice £8.50 all you can eat Chinese buffet (loving the deep-fried crab sticks) and then it was once again a mighty difficult task to find a car-parking space anywhere near the Liverpool Academy venue.

Still at least on this occasion we were closer than we were for FLC. Got to the venue in plenty of time and so for the second time in a week we managed to catch the support act. Now if that had been a mistake on Monday night, it was a huge stroke of luck on this occasion. Not that Duke Special looked up to much as he wandered on stage, but it didn't take long for me to rememeber that old adage "never judge a book by it's cover." I shall definately be checking them out when their headline tour hits the North West.



And so then it was onto Gemma herself...or at least it was once a multitude of technical problems were sorted (of a fashion mind you; the problems seemed to resurface throughout the night). She also apologised for having a bad cold, but to be honest, it's not something you would have noticed as she performed with the vim and vigour of someone 100% healthy.



There really wasn't a duff track in the set. Whether it was the slightly more edgy, rockier tracks from her first album or the more introspective cuts from her latest album, everything was done with aplomb. Highlights included Back Of My Hand (my favourite Gemma Track), forthcoming single Undercover or the Reckless Eric cover Whole Wild Word. However it's not just rocking out with the band where Gemma excels. Her solo rendition of Evening Sun (even with the "I'm going to kill that fucking snare" incident) was proof that Gemma really is a talent.



Other British/Irish female singer-songwriters may sell more records but, and whisper this quietly, Gemma may be the best of the bunch. Nights like this certainly make you think so.

Concert 2006 List - Update

11th Feburary - Jenny Lewis - Manchester Academy 3
27th February - Editors - Manchester Academy
1st March - Fun Lovin' Criminals - Liverpool Academy
2nd March - Gemma Hayes - Liverpool Academy 3
9th March - The Like - Manchester Academy 3
18th March - Sugababes - Liverpool Philarmonic Hall
30th March - Depeche Mode - MEN Areaa, Manchester
20th April - Giant Drag - Night & Day Cafe, Manchester
25th April - Flaming Lips - Apollo, Manchester
28th April - Buddy (the musical)- The Lowry, Salford
27th May - Girls Aloud - MEN Arena, Manchester
30th May - Nerina Pallot - The Lowry, Salford

Giant Drag - Hearts And Unicorns

Giant Drag are essentially Annie Hardy (singer/guitarist) and Micha Calbrase (drummer/keyboardist) and success, of a kind, came as far back as 2004 in the UK with their well received EP, Lemona, three tracks of which are contained on this really rather good debut album, including the stand out from that EP This Isn't It.

It's clear now, as it was then, that Hardy is the group's trump card. Mixing Liz Phair, PJ Harvey and Kim Deal into one intriguing package, Hardy is every bit the star, even if some live performances have suggested she's the reluctant star. Calbrase seems pretty much an after-thought but is every bit as important to Giant Drag as, say, Meg White is to the White Stripes.

The tunes themselves bring a hundred and one different artists to mind. My Bloody Valentine seem to be the critics favourite reference post, but there are touches of the Breeders, the Pixies, the Beach Boys and Nirvana at times. The latter comparison particularly fits given some of the dark and twisted lyrics espoused by Hardy, especially prevalent in tunes such as YFLMD....which actually stands for "you fuck like my dad".

The album is a bit of mish-mash at times, but there is more than enough quality to keep anybody satisfied and despite some low-brow song titles, the afforementioned YFLMD, My Dick Sucks and Kevin Is Gay, the whole thing is quite a wonderful experience. Hell even the cover of Chris Isaak's Wicked Game works well!

They have the tunes, they have the lyrics and they have the frontwoman with oodles star-quality to spare...they should be huge in 2006.

Fun Lovin Criminals LIVE

Once again it was time for the Huey roadshow to hit the town. An hellacious drive to Liverpool (thanks to the football international) momentarily dampened spirits, but then a pub with a supply of Magners was found and it is a well known fact that that is a drink that cures all known ills.

Onto the venue, which had rather confusingly changed it's point of entry, and the immediate shock was that the previously roomy Liverpool Academy 1 was half cordoned off, no doubt down to poor advance ticket slaes one must suspect. But little things like that make no difference once the FLC get on the stage.

As ever Huey was coolness personified as FLC rattled through most of their big hits. The highlights of the set included Mi Corazon (a "romantic" song about a woman, Huey admitted, who couldn't stand the sight of him), Loco and, of course the classic songs from the FLC cannon Scooby Snacks and, for the finale, The Fun Lovin' Criminal. Unexpected bonuses came from Ben E.King and Led Zepplin covers which were better than you might expect.

As ever Huey was on top form inbetween the songs and as ever, anything he does is watchable. Like the Editors concert, this was pretty much the same songs I'd alread seen FLC do live, but in a marked contrast to that experience, the extended FLC back-catalogue and Huey's all-round showmanship made this yet another unforgettable FLC experience.

Single Releases 27/02/06

After a few barren weeks for singles, FINALLY the UK is getting some good tunes this week, although as you might expect, there is some pretty bloody awful stuff out there as well. Hold onto the rails at all times folks.

All Too Human (The Rakes) - Cheeky disco tinged pop...well almost. It's a cracking little tune though.

Don't Bother (Shakira) - The return of the English-speaking Shakira at last. It's been YEARS since Laundry Service, but this is a welcome return. Yes she's still as nutty as ever, but she can come up with a catchy pop tune every day of the week. Its also got its fair share of wacky lyrics, although none that quite match up with the majesty of the small and humble breasts kind.

Beep (Pussycat Dolls) - Wow. What a comeback from the turgid Stick Wit U. This is top quality pop heaven. Cheeky, sassy and catchy. Everything a modern pop tune should be.

Moodswings (Charlotte Church) - This on the other hand isn't. Why oh why haven't the people in charge of Charlotte's pop career given her some better tunes? Apart from Crazy Chick, her output has been pretty dire, and I don't see this tune helping her out very much either.

Standing On My Own Again (Graham Coxon) - This proves that despite all those lo-fi tendencies and the like which often seem to overshadow the tunes on a Graham Coxon record, he can pull out a classic when he wants to. Of course, it's not going to sell in huge quantities I suppose, but this is too good to ignore.

Move Along (All American Rejects) - Move along indeed. Nothing to see, or hear, here. It's one of those that will probably go down a storm with people who like this kind of thing, but the rest of us will just look on unconvinced.

Better Together (Jack Johnson) - What can I say? Does absolutely nothing for me. I just don't get how this guy is so popular. This isn't a "bad" track per se, but its a completely forgettable one.

Over And Over (Hot Chip) - Single of the week by a bloody mile. In fact it's probably the best single of the year so far by a bloody mile. It's the sort of thing you hear once and then it just lodges in your brain forever and a day. Bouncy breezy electro pop with an indie sensibility, check this out now or hold your head in shame. Seriously, this is awesome.

He's Fit (The Lovebites) - In the tradition of 21st Century Girls and Hepburn here comes another bunch of girls who play their own instruments and everything. They couldn't be trying harder to be the female Busted or McFly and whilst this doesn't quite match up to the best that those two could come up with (I don't care what you think of me, Busted and McFly have done some pretty catchy tunes) it drives along pleasantly enough, but I doubt they've a long career ahead of them on the basis of this.

Alone With The TV (The Mitchell Brothers) - Not Grant and Phil sadly. This does nothing for me, and goes to prove that however much Mike Skinner may want to expand his empire Eminem style, he's still got someway to go.

The Boy Who Ran Away (Mystery Jets) - Oh I bet the NME love this one don't they? Average stuff for me. Neither particularily good, nor particularily bad. It just exists.

No Tommorrow (Orson) - I'm sorry, but the video for this just puts me right off. The bloke looks like a right prick. But having said that, the tune is enough to put me off on its own. It's alright taking bits of Madness, Ordinary Boys and No Doubt, but at least have the deceny to rob the good bits in future mate.

Watchin' (Freemasons feat. Amanda Wilson) - *YAWN*. More dance music for people with short attention spans. Next!

Rock With You (Michael Jackson) - Well his attempt to do an Elvis is failing spectacularily. But I supose they're on the release lists now, so we're going to get them all anyway. You probably already know this, so make up your own damn mind on it :)

Chico Time (Chico) - Good god. Let us all pray he never marries one (or both) of the Cheeky Girls.

Editors LIVE

Well the usual Poolstock Lane dash on a weeknight wasn't too bad, and despite the annoying pain in my ankle, which soon progressed to slightly more than an annoyance, things were looking good.

The trip to the Oxford ended in tears though as, despite the fact that I could blatantly see that they had at least six bottles of Magners left, the barmaid insisted that they'd sold out of it. Yes love, we really couldn't see that you were saving it for Billy Connolly at the end of the bar...but I digress.

We got to the venue shockingly early (that is the support act had yet to start) and from the off this was a terrible move. Not only did it leave us with nearly an hour and a half until the main event, it meant that I had to listen to the abomination that are Brakes. I'm sure they thought that 20-second "songs" were funny, but I just thought they were abysmal. Once or twice they even treated us to proper songs....they were only marginally less abysmal. Seriously, if I never hear them again it will still be too soon.

Still the Editors would save the day for sure, and they did. Much like the last time I saw them headline they rattled through the album, although this time we were treated to some b-sides, some new tracks and something they'd written with Elbow. Sadly, it was only the new track Blood that really lived up to the highlights of the Back Room album.

And in reality, therein lied the problem of the night. As good as it was, the sense of deja vu, in that this was the third time I've seen them, meant that there was nothing to really make it stand out. It was a good night, and featured some great performances, but it was all something I'd seen before. But for anyone who hasn't seen them, they still remain an act worth catching.

Dolly Parton - Those Were The Days

Dolly Parton...doing cover versions of her favourite 60's and 70's songs...and joined by a plethora of special guests such as Norah Jones and Keith Urban...it hardly fills one with feelings of joy does it? Especially when you add in the reports that this is Dolly's "anti-war" album, a move which is particularily brave for a country and western act. Indeed I still don't think the Dixie Chicks have quite recovered from their anti-war backlash.

Fear not though, as the result is not as unimaginably bad as you might fear. Quietly Dolly has undergone a renaissance recently, ever since 2000's Grass Is Blue, and whilst this is not the bluegrass we have come to expect from Dolly recently the emphasis is still very much on the acoustic. And therein lies the problem. Some of the tracks are perfectly pleasant but few show any real spark or imagination. Exceptions though are to be found. Me & Bobby McGee (a song perfect for the Parton treatment) and If I Were A Carpenter, which almost outranks the Johnny Cash version, which give old classics a vivid, if again a not entirely fresh, update.

For the most part the tunes are handled respectfully and for those who like this sort of thing, you probably won't be disappointed. The anti-war doctrine will probably pass most casual listeners by as well which probably proves that for all her bluster, Parton knows where her bed lies. And hey, at least her version of Imagine is a hell of a lot better than Madonna's...

Ray Davies - Other People's Lives

About 10 years ago, Ray Davies was playing at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, and me and my mate decided to hang around the venue from mid-day in the hope of meeting the man himself. Three hours, and a five pack of Hamlet cigars, later Ray finally arrived at the venue and seemed genuinely surprised that two teenagers would be so keen to meet him. A couple of signed records, and a nice little perv over his dolly bird (who must have only been a couple of years older than me), later and the meeting was over, but my impression of Davies as one of Britain's greats had been confirmed. Quite what this has to do with a review I don't know, although cleverly the long wait to meet the man himself can equate with the even longer wait for a solo album!

It's 13 years since the last Kinks studio album...in fact it's over 40 years since You Really Got Me (a tune I once rather foolishly attempted at Karaoke in Ibiza) hit the top of the UK Charts. But in all that time Ray Davies has never released a "proper" solo album. There was Storytellers (covered with Kinks songs) but as for a brand new collection of new songs...nothing (unless you are counting the TC soundtrack to Return To Waterloo-which I'm not). Which is all the more surprising when you consider that Davies is legitimately one of Britain's greatest songwriters, but is perhaps not surprising at all when one considers the wealth of The Kink's back catalogue.

In an ideal world a listener could arrive at this blissfully unaware of Davies' history and judge it on its own merits, but before you've even got the CD out of it's case you are raedy to compare the result to the Kinks, and the comparison can never be a good one for his 2006 release.

The immediate thing to notice is that for all intents and purposes, musically this is as if the last 30 years have never happened, but its not a bad thing, especially when the lyrics are as strong as ever in some cases. It seems almost fitting that this album is released in the slipstream of the Arctic Monkeys success, sharing that wonderfully eccentric, thoroughly English vernacular that makes the Monkeys stand out so much.

Next Door Neighbours is a Davies' classic, serving up a wry slice of suburban life in a way that no other songwriter could possibly match up to, whilst Is There Life After Breakfast is just as good. The Tourist, with its vaguely flamenco backbeat, is another entertaining set piece as well. All this proves that, in places, Davies is still peerless lyrically, although sadly he doesn't always hit such heights. Stand Up Comic is crude and somewhat heavy handed, which is a disappointment to say the least; the old (or should I say younger) Davies would have rustled up something with a bit more subtlty and class for sure.

Ironically, the same critiscims that can be tossed towards the Arctic Monkeys can be levelled here. The lyrics are (mostly) superb, but the music is less so. But whilst in some respects this is a patchy album, there are plenty of touches that remind us just what a national treasure Ray Davies really is. And in the end, whilst this is certainly no The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, you can't help but feel glad that Davies is finally back amongst us, even if it will still be the Kinks songs that I think I'll still be listening to 40 years from now.

Sugababes Cover The Arctic Monkeys

That's right, the Sugababes have marked the advent of their 431st line-up with a cover of the Artic Monkeys "classic" I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor.

And ladies and gentlemen, I'm telling you now it's a "classic." I can only hope that much like Travis doing "Hit Me Baby One More Time" led to numerous rock bands proving their "humour" by covering pop classics that pop bands will now return the favour.

I eagerly await Girls Aloud's take on Kaiser Chief's Everyday I Love You Less and Less and Rachel Stevens tackling something by Coldplay....actually, disregard that last one.

Singles Releases 20/02/06

Is It Just Me? (The Darkness) - No Justin it isn't. We've ALL realised that the joke has worn sorely thin. Still, remember the good times. Like when you got invited to the Brits instead of having to watch them on TV. This is the final nail in the coffin I fear.

Ultimatum (Shaggy) - Well surprise surpise but this isn't that bad for a Shaggy tune. In fact the only bit that spoils it is Shaggy himself. Other than the fact he's rubbish at rapping and has an annoying delivery this is quite a good tune.

I Want You To Stay (Maximo Park) - Well I thought I didn't "get" Maximo Park when I heard their other stuff, but things seem to be going slightly downhill here. I just don't get what the fuss is all about and this does nothing to enlighten me. At least their other tunes had a bit of fun about them, this is just boring.

It's A Hit (We Are Scientists)- Another decent WAS single, completely outshone by the funny video. But I do get the feeling that this "wacky for wackiness' sake" shtick may well get tiresome before long.

Valentine (The Delays) - I can't work out whether this is entirely serious or not. Are they really serious? I mean MTV2 are playing the video so I suppose this really must be serious. But to me it's like a boyband trying to get credibility with a bit of an indie-disco romp...and failing miserably.

Put Your Records On (Corrine Bailey Rae) - Ah the curse of being hyped so much means that you really are stuggling to live up to the hype from day one. I can sense those that see this kind of thing as making a stand for "real" music will be lapping this one up, but I for one think there is a lot of work to do if Rae is really to stand out.

Sorry (Madonna) - Now Hung Up was good for a while but gradually got annoying, but not to worry becuase Madonna has some other crackers up her sleeve, including this wonderful slice of dance pop. Starting off like It's A Sin, before cascading off into further brilliance. This is the kind of modern pop song that should be held up as an example to all. And of course the wonderful Pet Shop Boys maxi-mix is just the icing on the cake.

In The Key Of C (Jim Noir) - Well if the Super Furry Animals were doing a children's television theme tune it might turn out a little something like this...which is pretty damn good. The cheerful tune makes a nice contrast to Noir's morose voice, and whilst I wouldn't neccesarily want to listen to this one over and over, I would recommend that you check it out.

Crazy (Simple Plan) - Well, this just isn't my thing at all. Those Blink 182 fans needing their fix could do worse than check this out, but the rest of us can steer well clear.

Amazing (Westlife) - Yes, it IS an up-tempo one from the boys. No, it's NOT amazing and in fact doesn't even approach passable. Although lets face it, it's still a million times better than You Raise Me Up.

After All This Time (Simon Webbe) - Seriously, what have we done to deserve this. Still none of the Blue soloists will be troubling us for long, and I think Simon's 15 minutes is just about up.

Rapture Riders (Blondie Vs The Doors) - Well as these novelty things go, this is entertaining enough and will probably be a smash cult hit (if it isn't already) but really it is a pretty pointless exercise all around. Still, any one who likes either song will be able to while away four or so minutes quite pleasantly.

Dont Stop Till You Get Enough/Thriller (Michael Jackson) - Ok, so we may not all be convinced about his personal activities, but forget about that for a moment and think back to the days when MJ was purely the most exciting music act in the charts. Don't Stop Till You Get Enough is the sound of MJ breaking through, Thriller is the sound of a man on the top of his game. You can argue all you want about the man himself, but you can't question his musical talent (at least for the first part of his solo career anyway).

There are a few more singles out this week as well I think, but I can't really be bothered trudging the bottom of the barrel anymore! :D

Singles Releases 13/02/06

First Word Is The Hardest (Four Day Hombre) - It starts off sounding a little like Coldplay, but don't worry....it gets better. It does also build into a bit of a creschendo, but frankly is a bit too dull for my tastes.

Long Time Coming (Humanzi) - It really is considering that I didn't stay around to watch them at that Club NME night The Like were playing at. It's not bad, but doesn't really do anything for me. The trendy indies will probably love it though.

Back Again (Dilated Peoples) - There seems to be an awful lot going on in this one, to remarkably little effect. Completely indistinguishable from all this kind of thing.

I See You, You See Me (The Magic Numbers) - Truth be told, I've never really "got" the Magic Numbers. Pleasant enough but hardly brilliant. Which to me sums up this single, one of their quieter moments. It's alright, but my Magic Numbers album will still be staying untouched on the shelf.

One More Night Alone (Friday Hill) - Good god. Come back Blazing Squad all is forgiven. Well almost...

Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis Presley) - Now this is more like it. One of my favourite EP tracks, and an absolute genuine Grade A Classic.

Stay (Beulah) - Well if Katie Melua can be successful, there certainly has to be hope for Beulah. This is a soft and mellow song which is probably all over Radio 2 as I type. Put it this way, worse songs of this ilk have been huge.

Ride A White Horse (Goldfrapp) - Come on guys, what's the fuss? It's alright, like most of the recent Goldfrapp output, but its hardly earth-shatteringly brilliant is it? Must do better.

Back Again (Boy Kill Boy) - I've tried to give this a listen, but I just don't like it. I cannot for the life of me see the reason why this is so highly regarded.

Walk The Line (MOVIE REVIEW)

See, we have a little departure here. But only a little one. I won't be reviewing movies on a regular basis, but where they have a strong musical connection I shall be imparting my thoughts to you (which means that at some point I will get around to passing on my thoughts on Dig!).

I'm a big Johnny Cash fan, and was impressed with the soundtrack album greatly. Of course nothing on the silver-screen could ever possibly quite live up to the Icon that was Johhnny Cash, but this is a film that for the most part does a damn fine job.

It's a bit slow to get going though; sure the loss of his brother was important and needs addressing, but the section after that, leading up to his audition at Sun Records does drag a bit. From there however the pace picks up and rarely lets go.

Pheonix is a surprisingly authentic Johnny Cash (as much as anyone but the man himself could be) but it is Witherspoon that steals the show, and it's probably Witherspoon who will find herself with a Best Actress Oscar. Phenoix may suffer because of the Jamie Foxx success of last year.

Even if you are not a big fan of Johnny Cash, this is still a great film. For all the music, at heart this is a love story. And its one which is impeccably acted and will drag you in every step of the way.

Jenny Lewis LIVE

Well it's been a bit of a wait, but the first concert of 2006 finally came around. Anticipation was high, what with Jenny's Rabbit Fur Coat album being rather fantastic, but what would it be like live, in the comfy Manchester Academy 3?

Stocking up on Magners and Corky's meant we only caught the last few songs of the support act, Jonathan Rice. He was, frankly, a bit dull, although singing along to that "we are all in the desert and gonig to die" or whatever the hell it was did liven up the proceedings a litte.

Having been handed a "song sheet" for Jenny Lewis, (and The Watson Twins - I should be fair here), upon our entry to the building I was at a loss as to know quite what to expect. As it turned out the song sheets seemed little more than an excuse to collect e-mail addresses for Jenny's mailing list, but they did give a hint at the eerie and dark tones that would pervade the rest of the evening.

Lewis and the twins made their entrance through the crowd (as I bemoaned the fact that they were on the side where EVERY other time I've been to the venue I've stood, but not tonight oh no....) singing the album opener Run Devil Run. From that moment on, I was captivated.

Most of the album was recreated (minus Handle With Care sadly) to a positively spine-tingling effect and there was a genuine dark and eerie tone throughout with only Jenny's funny banter in between some of the songs lightening the mood in any way. But this is not to say it was a depressing evening; far from it. This was uplifting and vaguely spiritual evening which brought to life an already brilliant album and made for one of the best concerts I have ever been to.

By the time Jonathan Rice shared the mic for the closing song, Cold Jordan, there was little else to do but bask in the glory of a spellbinding night out. Rilo Kiley fans better watch out, because if she's this good on her own, she might never need to go back.

Ashlee Simpson - I Am Me

Poor Ashlee. She has a dipsy sister who is more "famous" than she is, she was "caught out" when a backing tape went wrong on Saturday Night Live and is generally thought to be something of a, well, madam. She's also not classified as "real"...not even in the sense of an Avril Lavigne or Kelly Clarkson. Which is daft; Clarkson's "rockier" edge was marketing rather than musically led, and whilst Lavigne might be able to strum out a tune, virtually all her songs have a plethora of "co-writers".

So before listening to the album, three quarters of the world has already made their mind up about it. And indeed, another percentage of those people who would give it a chance would only ever admit to the "package" being respectable, with the insinuation that Ashlee had either very little to do with it, or is the weak link in the production.

But of course, you know I am not going to be like that; I'm going to give it a chance.

Right from the start, the package screams out that Ashlee has gone "dark". The vivid colours of the Autobiography album are gone, replaced with forboding black (although really, Ashlee must be the only person in history to have signified a "darker image" by dyeing her hair blonde) and "moody" portraits. But what about the music?

Lead single Boyfriend is the kind of catchy pop-rock tune that's seemingly in vogue right now and if the Lohan-bating reports are true, it represents something just as "real" as anything James Blunt or KT Tunstall could come up with. Title Track I Am Me is in a similar vein, and should see the kids pogo-ing up and down with glee and Eyes Wide Open folows suit.

But as is often the case with albums like this, it's the more poppier moments that stand out. L.O.V.E. is a spunky, reggae tingged feminist manefesto which is certain to reach out to all the ladies dancing around their handbags. It's also a little too much "Stefani" esqe to gain any real critical favour. The same could be said of Burning Up which again could be a hidden track from Love Angel Music Baby. That's not to say both songs aren't good, but they perhaps lack the originality to really stand out from the pack.

And then there is the ballads, some of which aren't as bad as you might fear. Beautifully Broken could be Oasis gone pop, whilst Catch Me When I Fall, inspired by the SNL disaster, is actually quite touching in the final analysis.

The problem with the album is pretty much outlined above; Ashlee may proclaim "I Am Me" loudly, but does she actually know which "me" she is? Taking inspiration from many places, but never quite finding her own distinct style, Ashlee has seemingly tried to please everyone, but may end up pleasing very few. Which is a shame. There are worse records out there, and certain tracks would be met with widespread critical acclaim if someone more "in" had done them. Looked at in isolation, this is a good "pop" album but sadly for Ashlee, few will look at it that way.

But Ashlee, if you ever read this, I still love you ;-)

Single Releases 06/02/06

Sugar We're Going Down (Fall Out Boy) - Well I suppose the void left by Blink-182 has to be filled somehow and this fills it rather, erm, respectably. I can see this being a huge hit with its demographic, but that doesn't mean its anything special.

Woman In Love (Liz McClarnon) - Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for pop music. But really, coming back with this as your big "solo" debut doesn't bode well at all does it. "Well Liz, we'd love to have a new song as your debut, but to be honest, nobody really likes you. And unless we do a cover you're going to go the same way as Rachel Stevens." That said the song isn't as completely dreadful as the concept would make you fear

Flame (Bell XI) - On first listen I thought that this was trying to be a little too clever for its own good, but repeat listens really led me to like this one very much. Very funky and offers something a little different; it also has an insanely catchy chorus about marshmallows and has hand-claps. Now can you ask for anything better than that?

Do You Ever Think Of Me (Antony Costa) - Antony, no I don't. No worse than Lee Ryan or that other bloke, but you've kinda missed the boat son.

You Got The Love (The Source Ft Candi Staton) - Much like Knight Rider or The A-Team I have fond memories of this tune. Like watching either of those programmes today, this makes you wonder what you ever saw in it in the first place. Maybe it's just the completely pointless remix, but this just doesn't cut the mustard in 2006.

Turn This Thing Around (El Presidente) - Now here is a band I can't make my mind up about; they're not bad, but I always hear them and think some record industry think-tank has seen the success of Scissor Sisters and Franz Ferdinand and decided that an amalgamation of the two would be a great idea. I know they've been around for years and worked really hard and all that, but I can't help the impression they give me. And anyways, its "pop" music for people who don't want to admit to liking "pop".

Grow (Kubb) - Erm, I'm sure this is what "real" music should sound like fellas, but it's just a tad too dull for my liking.

The Other Side Of My Heart Attack (The Liars) - This has got a kind of Phil Spector vibe going on here, which is about the only point of interest I can come up with. It's "worthy" perhaps, but that doesn't stop it being another dull one.

All These Things I Hate (Bullet For My Valentine) - Once again there's a demographic that will love this, and you have to say that as far as these things go it's not too bad at all. It's a million times better than Limp Bizkit, and for these small mercies we should be thankful.

Friend Or Foe (tATu) - Dave Stewart wrote it; Sting plays bass on it; Bryan Adams shot the photographs for the single cover...AND STILL THE SONG IS QUITE GOOD! Of course that won't be good enough for some, and admittedly the song isn't a patch on some that tATu have given us before. Still this is not too bad at all.

Eyes On You (Jessica Moon) - The one with Amir Khan in the video. That was released in September and did very little. So go figure out whether this one is good or not for youself.

Relight My Fire (Take That) - Why, oh why? It's not a bad song of course, but have you heard the remix? Steer clear and remember the good old days folks.

The Weakness In Me (Keisha White) - It's slow and mellow time and whilst this is perfectly respectable it lacks that little spark that would set it apart from the chasing pack. This is unlikely to be her breakthrough.

Thunder In My Heart Again (Meck feat. Leo Sayer) - Please, someone...anyone. Stop this dreadful craze for this kind of "remix". Where will it end? I can't take anymore.

Singles Releases 30/01//06

Boyfriend (Ashlee Simpson) - Ok, lets get this one out of the way straight from the off. It's brilliant. No, really it is. You can keep your Avril Lavigne, you can keep your Kelly Clarkson, hell you can keep whomever you want. I'll keep Ashlee. From the opening guitar riff to the last note, this is catchy rock-pop at it's finest. It's not got whinging lyrics, it doesn't attempt to be "deep", it's just a rollocking rip-roaring ride. Plus I can listen to it and imagine that Ashlee's singing it to Nadine, although obviously I want her to steal me. So this is the kind of "honest, nothing's going on" stage of the relationship :D

Hustler's Ambition (50 Cent) - Eminem does a shockingly decent film and backs it up with perhaps his career best song (Lose Yourself). Curtis Jackson, on the other hand, comes up with a poorly received film and this turgid song. Whatever the sample is, well that is cool...the rest is the kind of macho rubbish you'd expect from Fiddy.

Ladyflash (The Go! Team)- This would be a nice tune to be chilling out to in the back garden in the middle of summer with a few nice ice-cold Bud's by your side. Consequently it feels a little out of place in Ice-cold February. Having said that, I like it...I like it a lot. But it never quite lives up to the song that it could be.

Beast & The Harlot (Avenged Sevenfold) - I tried to listen this on their website, but frankly the set up scared me witless. So basically if this is your kind of thing, you'll love it. I didn't.

When I Think Of You (Lee Ryan) - We all know the young lad is a bit of an idiot. Although let's be fair, this is a perfectly pleasant little ditty, albeit one that shows no originality whatsoever. Still, I don't suppose his Blue fans will care about that.

Run It (Chris Brown ft. Juelz Santana) - This starts off a little like Usher's "Yeah" which is one of his least annoying songs. I have to say that this sort of tune is not really my thing at all, but as the genre goes it's quite good and I do love that 1980's throwback bit somewhere in the middle.

Beautiful Soul (Jesse McCartney) - This lad annoys me, purely from his "this is an advertisment" promo on the Box. Ok, so you really love meeting all the underage girls who want to stick their hands down your pants...? Well done son. I'll make a bet with you Jesse. If you keep releasing crap like this even the impressionable little girls will see through you.

Welcome To Wherever You Are (Bon Jovi) - Well at a push I suppose it's not bad. I mean its the same "slow" song they've been doing for the last 20 years, but I dont suppose that's about to put their legions of fans off is it?

Conceived (Beth Orton) - I have three Beth Orton albums, and I don't really know why. She's not bad at all but I never really listen to any of her songs. But this is definately one of her best songs to date. A nice piano driven melody which the cynics may say is a play for the James Blunt/KT Tunstall wedge of the market but personally I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. A welcome return.

Perfume (Sparks) - I've always had a soft spot for the Mael's. I wasn't actually sure whether this is the single or not as I thought it was scheduled to be the wonderfully titled "Dick Around" but all the sites seem to confirm it's this one although none can seem to agree on the release date. Still the spiel on Gut Records website says it all..."Thirty girls’ names, thirty brands of perfume. Only on a Sparks record." Utter brilliance.

Yard Of Blonde Girls (Micah P Hinson)- A Jeff Buckley cover I believe. It's got a kind of quirky charm I suppose, but to be honest I won't be listening to it again.

Walk The Line - Original Soundtrack

The first problem to overcome with this CD is quite simple. The majority of the songs may be Johnny Cash classics, but are they in any way relevant when Johnny Cash himself is not singing them?

The answer, whilst leaning towards no, is actually more of a maybe. For a start, Joaquin Phoenix is certainly no Johnny Cash but that is not to say that he is without merits as a gravelled country singer. Although he can't hope to bring the gravitas to the songs that Cash did, he does make a pretty decent stab at things and if you can ignore, or push to oneside, the spectre of Johnny himself there is much to enjoy. In particular the versions of Cry Cry Cry, Folsom Prison Blues and Ring Of Fire have a modern charm which is hard to resist.

So then it's onto Reese Witherspoon. Some claim she has an impossible task in attempting to emulate June Carter-Cash...well I wouldn't neccesarily agree. I've never been a fan of Carter-Cash and feel without the Carter and Cash legacies to keep her going she'd have been long-forgotten. So Wildwood Flower and Jukebox Blues are pretty good efforts which don't prove embarassing at all by any standards.

The other cast recordings are a hotch potch. The version of Lewis Boogie is dreadful, souding every inch the performance parody that probably wasn't the idea, whilst That's Allright Mama and You're My Baby are the kind of tunes to really set your foot tapping, respectfully carried out with the minimum of fuss.

The album closes with the Pheonix/Witherspoon duet Jackson which fizzles with chemistry and tension and proves that for the singing element of the movie alone, both deserve their oscar nominations.

So all in all, whilst struggling to find a "need" to have this CD, I cannot deny that it is a success on many levels. Credit to Pheonix and Witherspoon for rising to the challenge, and credit to prodcuer T Bone Burnett for fashioning a modern, but more importanly respectful, take on some Cash classics.

If you're a Cash fan then give this a try, you might find yourself pleasantly surprised. If you're not a Cash fan but want to check him out on the strength of the film, there are worse places to start, but really your attention should be focussed towards discovering his Sun Recordings, or the American recordings, which became his final legacy.

Pet Shop Boys Ultimate Megamix

All I know is that the fella is called Renton F and he's from Belgium, but he's done a PSB megamix which extends to nearly 2 hours and includes snippets of nearly every song they've done! :D

Pet Shop Boys - renton f. Pet Shop Boys Ultimate Megamix (114 min,
allmost all PSB songs)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=S1AQ9193

It can be uploaded from the link above, but obviously it's gonna take a while to get it all :D Well worth it if you're a PSB fan (and have a spare two hours to listen to it).

Lindsay Lohan - A Little More Personal (Raw)

Well if I'm correct the, pretty abysmal, Herbie:Fully Loaded marked the end of Miss Lohan's tenure as Disney's leading lady. And let's face it, even if it didn't, the drugs and bulemia confessions may well have taken care of that.

It's immediately noticeable upon the start of this album that Lohan, or someone behind the project, wants to make it totally clear that this isn't the Disney version of Lohan presented to us on her last (rather surprisingly good all things considered) album. Indeed "Confessions Of A Broken Heart (Daughter To Father)" makes a pretty brave stab at a confessional torch song with just one problem...it's ever so slightly dull. This is the kind of song that Evanessence could do and sell millions, but whatever the real sentiments behind the song, this listener was never totally convinced. And co-icidentally, or maybe not, Ben Moody is one of the pro's roped in to bring this whole album together

The trick is repeated to similar effect elswhere. "My Innocence", for instance, is in some ways a stirring piano-driven ballad with a rousing chorus, but again in the final analysis it fails to convince.

Much like many a band with serious pretensions, Lohan is actually better suited to the tracks where she bypasses her angst and troubles and just concentrates on belting out a great pop-rock tune. "A Little More Personal" cranks up the fun and is the kind of song that deserves to be a huge hit. The likes of "Fastlane" (which reminds me of the fantastic and much over-looked Katy Rose) and "Who Loves You" (which somehow manages like Goldfrapp producing the Nine Inch Nails) have their angst-driven lyrics, but these are somewhat hidden by their catchy pop tunes.

There is also the surprise of two rather good covers. The Cheap Tricks "I Want You To Want Me" literally had me dancing around my room when I heard it and even a stab at Stevie Nicks' "Edge Of Seventeen" isn't the unmitigated disaster you might fear and is probably the higlight of the album as far as I am concerned.

The problem is of course is that Lohan's previous audience may well have matured in the past few years, but will they appreciate the change of direction? There is also the slight problem that Kelly Clarkson may well have cornered the market already for this kind of thing (although a Billboard Top 20 entry for the album suggests that Lohan may carry it off).

Much like "Speak" this is a surprisingly good album, although how much input Lohan had into it in terms of everything but singing in open to question. And of course, because it's Lindsay Lohan, it won't get the accolades that it deserves. This is a brave stab at a "proper" music career, and I for one hope it pays off.

Ashlee Simpson

Not a review, no doubt that will come, but this is just to inform you that I think I love Ashlee Simpson.

So bear in mind when I get around to reviewing her album you'll probably find that I review the album in a disproportionate level to her actual talent but don't worry. It's because I love her, not because I've suddenly lost all musical taste.

Cat Power - The Greatest

Ok, so I've already imparted to you the fact that the single The Greatest was, well, great, but now I'm here to tell you just how great the album is. It takes a certain amount of nerve to call an album "The Greatest" but in terms of Chan Marshall's fantastic catalogue, she's just about got it right with the title.

"The Greatest" is every bit as good as I said it was but it's by no means the only highlight on this brilliant album. "Could We" sparkles and shimmies, whilst "Willie" starts off sounding like a Ben Folds song but transforms itself into something else entirely over the course of a listen. "Hate" is earthy and raw and whilst somewhat out of place in some senses on this album, does hark back to some of her previous work.

My personal pick of the bunch is "Love And Communication." Right at the end of the album (ignoring the bonus 'unadvertised' track) I was already enthralled by the album, but this track quickly was stuck on repeat play with its blaze of guitars and strings.

You don't look to a Cat Power album for a cheery, laugh a minute, session and whist on the surface the tunes, such as "After It All" may make this seem like some kind of departure, but before you get too carried away lyrics such as "I hate myself and I want to die" remind you just who you are listening to.

It's perhaps not the leap that Marshall may have made, but this is still a fantastic collection of songs, which certainly does live up their with her greatest work and certainly defies any easy catergorisation. It's a liitle bit country, it's a little bit soul, but it's a whole lot Cat Power. She's pulled it off again.

Single Releases - 23/01/06

Analogue (A-Ha) - Just what you needed huh? Another return from A-Ha...well fear not, this actually isn't too bad at all. The chorus lets it down, the moody verses stealing the show, but it's not a bad effort by any stretch of the imagination.

Boys Will Be Boys (Ordinary Boys) - So if you needed any clue as to why young Preston would want to go on Celebrity Big Brother, then you will get your answer here. I am reliably informed that this is their "hit"...well if that is the case, I don't want to hear their lesser tracks. Ok, so to be fair its not bad, but it's not very good either. To put it into context, Madness were doing this kind of thing, but better, 25 years ago.

Honesty (Alex Parks) - Well at least she's lasted longer than David Sneddon and One True Voice. I have to say though that this is a cracking slice of up-tempo pop to an extent, albeit one that really doesn't stand out from the crowd. Put it this way...I'd listen to it but I wouldn't buy it.

Angel (Pharrell) - She's got an ass like a loaf of bread you want to slice! Excuse me? See I really don't know how Pharrell keeps getting away with it. Yes, he's done some cracking tunes under various guises, but then it's always sandwiched between stuff like this, which is a good idea gone wrong. Still, the ladies will go wild over it.

Where's The Pleasure (Protocol) - Despite what you think from the first 10 seconds, this is NOT Blondie. I do like this one though. It's got a kind of 80's pop rock feel to it, which results in a much better song than you might think. It's the sort of song that the Bravery would do if the Bravery had more than one half decent song.

Going Nowhere (Cut Copy) - This also sounds like Blondie. And it's very good. So, two of this week's best singles sound like Blondie...go figure. But get this, this track is also very Pet Shop Boys-esque in my warped little mind, so this is quite literally bloody brilliant.

This Time (Starsailor) - Good god, these guys don't cheer up much do they? If you like them, you like this. If you don't, then don't bother.

Ramblin' Man (Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan)- Sometimes something completely unexpected that should be completly rubbish actually turns out to be bloody good indeed. So it is with this. You can almost see the wizened old man picking on his guitar in the corner of the saloon when you listen to this one. Will it sell many copies? No. But it's a quality tune.

Slipping Away (Moby) - Oh if only you were slipping away instead of torturing us with this rubbish.

Just Like The Rain (Richard Hawley) - There has been ungodly blanket praise for his latest album, from which this is taken, but really I just don't get it. I'm sorry, but to me he's just a gravelly version of the Beautiful South. I'm sure my dad would love this, but for me its just a nothing tune.

Far Away (Nickleback) - Well finally the 'Back lads have astounded us with their Russian Folk comeback album. Ok, so they haven't. And yes, this sounds exactly like every other song you've ever heard by them ever. Avoid like the plague.

Dance Me In/La Lune (Sons & Daughters) - Ok so Dance Me In was released last year, and this release is only 1 12" vinyl, but it's a bloody fantastic record. So if you haven't heard it, GO AND CHECK IT OUT!

I Love Your Smile (Javine) - Sorry...i'm losing the will to live.

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Well if one thing is certain, this should win the award for the most hyped album of 2006 by quite some way. You can criticise your Mariah's and your Justin's all you want, but when it comes to over-blown hype, the indie crowd can ruckus with the best of them.

Indeed the barrage of "the future of British music" hype that has surrounded the Monkeys in a way kept me away from them for quite some time. In fact, I'd completely ignored "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" apart from the occasional MTV video watching spree, and it was only upon hearing latest single "When The Sun Goes Down", on Soccer AM of all places, that I really started to think that there may be something to them after all.

The pleasing news is that this indeed is a corking debut album, if not quite the corking debut album the "10 out of 10" NME review made it out to be. (Don't worry, I haven't resorted to buying the NME, my "hip" mate had a copy). The two singles are quality indeed, and are only amongst the highlights on the album. "Mardy Bum" lives up to the promise of it's classic title, and the album kicks off on a stormer with "The View From The Afternoon". The pleasant surprise on the album is the slow-burning "Riot Van" which suggests there might be even better things to come from the band.

Lyrically the album is up there with Pulp for its quirky and unique look at British life (there must be something in the water in Sheffield) but the tunes don't always quite manage to live up to the words. Still it's an instant crowd-pleasing album and whilst it never quite totally lives up to the hype, there is enough here for you to see why the hype was forthcoming from certain circles.

And let's face it, anything which shows up the Kaiser Cheifs for the posturing show-ponies they undoubtedly are is worth a recommendation in my book!

We Are Scentists - With Love & Squalor

Ok so when I saw WAS support Editors my thoughts were along the lines of "perfectly plesant but unlikley to buy one of their records." Which may well have remained my thoughts for ever if I hadn't seen the video to "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" on MTV2. And to be quite frank, that video is awesome.

And the more you watch the video, the more the catchy tune sticks in your brain...until you are walking down a busy street and find yourself humming it, to very bemused looks from passers by.

The rest of the album isn't half bad either. Clocking in at 3 minutes shy of the magic 40 (40 minutes is the optimum length of an album for me) there isn't much of it that you would want to skip. Neither however is there the out and out standout track that would set them off to the big time. The afforementioned Nobody Move gets close, and other tracks such as "In Action" are bang up there, but their "Take Me Out" remains tantilisingly out of reach.

Speaking of the Franz, there is definately an element of the Franz Ferdinand sound to this, but they also reminded me of the much under-valued XTC with their wit and quirky style.

If you've heard the singles and liked them, then buy this album, you won't be disappointed. But if the singles left you cold then don't come looking here for a good time. If they sound your kind of thing then you'll probably love them, but they won't convert any doubters.

2006 Concert List

11th Feburary - Jenny Lewis - Manchester Academy 3
27th February - Editors - Manchester Academy
1st March - Fun Lovin' Criminals - Liverpool Academy
2nd March - Gemma Hayes - Liverpool Academy 3
9th March - The Like - Manchester Academy 3
18th March - Sugababes - Liverpool Philarmonic Hall
30th March - Depeche Mode - MEN Areaa, Manchester
25th April - Flaming Lips - Apollo, Manchester
27th May - Girls Aloud - MEN Arena, Manchester
30th May - Nerina Pallot - The Lowry, Salford

Jenny Lewis - Rabbit Fur Coat

Jenny Lewis is a fox. There, I've got that out of the way from the start. Also, I love Rilo Kiley. So as you can see, I'm not exactly approaching this from a neutral standpoint. Prior to listening to it, I want to love it. In fact, even if I didn't I'd be tempted to lie on here anyway and say it was brilliant safe in the knowledge that most people in the world will never listen to it anyway. But thankfully I don't have to lie, because the album is bloody fantastic.

For want of a better term, this could almost be described as Jenny's "country" album, although its completely unlike any country album you might have ever heard in quite a long while. Whilst the music may have headed to Nashville country, the lyrics, often a strong point of Rilo Kiley's albums, remain as thoughtful, acerbic and whilstful as ever. Connor Oberst (who's record label released this effort and who guests on a couple of tracks) is often lauded as the preminent songwriter in Modern America (the new Bob Dylan if you will), but for my money he's not a patch on Lewis, as evidenced on the likes of "Rise Up With Fists", "You Are What You Love" and the title track.

At times it gets a little too miserable for its own good, and is hardly a mainstream album (and as such won't represent something of a break-through that certain critics have suggested) but that doesn't change the fact that it is a bloody good album and certainly one that deserves the almost unanimous praise that its been getting.

Hell, even the Travelling Wilbury's cover, which could have been awful, is good. All in all this is a triumph. And who cares if it won't sell in it's millions, because at the end of the day, it's the millions who will be missing out.

Single Releases 16/01/06

A new development this is, but I've decided that once a week, time permitting of course, I will cast my eye over the big (and sometimes not so big) single releases of the week and pass my judgement. And also bear in mind that sometimes I'm crap, so may actually review singles that aren't out on that particular week :D

Anyways, on with the show.

All Time Love (Will Young) - Ok, look past the unremittingly dull and boring video (yes there is a lot going on, but it's all bloody miserable) and this isn't actually that bad a tune. It's certainly better than Will trying to be funky, which is just a route that he is so totally not suited to at all. The sooner he forgets about trying to be a pop star and sticks to what he's good at, the better off we'll all be.

Check On It (Beyonce) - Ah yes. The curse of an R'n'B artist. Look love, its not big and its certainly not clever to release singles without any discernable tune for us mere mortals to sing along to. If this is the kind of stuff we can expect from the next phase of her solo career, I don't think Beyonce can conut on Destiny's Child level of success. It'll chart well I'm sure, but it doesn't deserve to.

Nasty Girl (Notorious BIG and every other rapper, EVER) - If there is one thing worse than a "live" album, its a "dead" one. The modus operandi in this one seems to have been to round up every rapper who's still alive to sing a line or two. Thus the only fun in this one is watching the video (in a "Perfect Day" style) and seeing how many rappers you can spot. And on the plus side, there is the off-chance that you'll be concentrating so hard on the quest that you'll forget to listen to the abysmal song.

The Greatest (Cat Power) - Mournful, sorrowful and absolutely brilliant. Which of course means it will fail to chart in the top 500 or so, but still, who cares? A great prelude to what will hopefully be a great album.

Sawy (Little Derek) - Against all the odds I can say that this isn't too bad. Sonically from the R-Kelly range of R'n'B slowies, but lyrically nothing to do with pissing on 13 year old girls. Tell your friends about it now, just in case he happens to make it big in 2006.

Changes (Chris Lake)- A dance tune, but one that has been described as a "piano monster" (well, ok it was his own website that described it as such). It's a million miles away from the crap likes of that recent dance version of "You Only Get What You Give" which is a good thing, believe me! It makes me want to dance, and these days very little makes me want to dance. So check it out.

Warm Sand (Tina Deco) - This starts off with Piano as well, but don't worry I'm not going off on a dance trip here, this is a Delta Goodrem/Lucie Silvas style ballad, without ever threatening to be as good as anything they could do. This is bound to get lost in the shuffle.

Twelve (Forward, Russia) - This is the kind of thing which sends all the trendies wild, but leaves me utterly cold. It's not bad, but there are a hundred and one better songs released that never get anywhere near the hype that this gets.

Funny Little Frog (Belle And Sebastian) - Thankfully this is not one of their miserable efforts and is actually is wonderfully poppy tune which doesn't take long to lodge in your brain.

Eddie's Song (Son Of Dork) - Yes its rubbish...but it's better than Fightstar, which has to count for something does it not? Having said that, if they were American this would no doubt be at number one for weeks or something.

When The Sun Goes Down (Arctic Monkeys) - Ok, so the whole Arctic Monkey's thing is getting terribly over-hyped but this song proves that they are, to some extent, the real thing. Still don't get me started on the Love Machine cover... Still, for once a song that deserves to get to number one probably will :D.

Haley Hutchinson - Independantly Blue

Oh, all hail Terry Wogan, he who loves Nerina Pallot's "All Good People." Well actually he might have been told to play Hayley's "Deadman" single on his radio show for all I know, and he most certainly didn't make me change my CD's over in my car at the very moment the song came on his show, but that my friends is fate at work.

At first I was convinced I was hearing either A) A new Liz Phair single I hadn't known of of B) A Sheryl Crow single that I'd missed of Wildflower on account of that being a pretty rubbish album. Actually it was neither, and as it goes, the above descriptions won't really give you much of a clue as to the overall impression of the album.

Whilst "Deadman" can be described in such terms, the rest of the album is a much more mellow affair and is akin to what Katie Melua might come up with if she wasn't ever so slightly piss poor. "Here's The Love" is a wonderful opener and the title track is a wonderful slice of folk-esqe pop which, if there is any luck, will send the Radio 2 pop lovers into a frenzy when they hear it.

The album is mixed between acoustic, stripped down songs and those with a bit more of an electric, and dare I say it, lively feel. For my money, the latter tracks work better as some of the more basic tracks have little to distinguish themselves from any other similar tracks you might hear anywhere else. Still this is a great little discovery and I certainly would reccommend it and I look forward to hearing more from Haley in the future.

I'm Broke

Dudes, at the moment I am broke, so January became a "don't buy any CD's" month. But fear not, new reviews are on their way, including a couple that I got at the back end of last year but didn't get aroudn to reviewing.

Top 20 Concerts 2005

20. Franz Ferdinand (26th November) – Ok so perhaps the hype has gone a little out of control, but there is no denying that an evening with Franz Ferdinand promises style and swagger, and this delivered plenty of both. They also had the absolute BEST video screens I’ve ever seen at a concert and they paced the show very well (meaning that they spread out their best songs). HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Take Me Out (much like it was last year).

19. Natasha Bedingfield (1st March) – Oh no, we don’t want to see her supporting Sheryl Crow. Erm, wait a minute, she’s not that bad, lets go and watch her. Yes, and that was ALL my fault I would admit. She is very underrated for sure, and this was a good night of sing-a-long fun. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Probably her version of This Love. Maroon 5 have never sounded so good.

18. REM etc. (17th June) – The big event of the summer, being as it was something of an all-dayer. Idlewild stole the show for me. Feeder were a bit subdued and The Zutons were, well, a bit rubbish. As for Michael Stipe and the boys, they were good and rattled through most of the hits and did it with aplomb. Although really, having now seen them once I don’t really think I’ll ever feel the need to do the experience again. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Losing My Religion

17. Lucie Silvas (6th November) – Oh Lucie. You’re not all that bad are you? Can’t say I was, or indeed am, over-enamoured with her stuff, but you can’t deny that she can belt a tune or two out. As certain people have pointed out as well, she didn’t look half bad up there on stage. Still, I could have done without the Coldplay cover. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Nothing Else Matters

16. Supergrass (9th October) – Having been so cruelly, and painfully, denied the opportunity to see them do an acoustic set earlier in the year, it was nice to be able to see the ‘Grass in all their plugged in glory. Support act Son Of Dave was one of the worst of the year, but the main event was worth enduring that. They didn’t play a couple of classics, probably because they don’t like them now or something, but that didn’t overly hurt the overall impression. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Richard III

15. Fun Lovin Criminals (17th September) – You know what you’re getting with an FLC show, and this didn’t disappoint. Ok, so there were a few too many songs of the latest album, and they all seemed to be lumped together, but once you’re bouncing along to the likes of Scooby Snacks, The Fun Lovin’ Criminal and Love Unlimited who cares? And Huey is STILL the coolest man on the planet. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Scooby Snacks

14. Shakin Stevens (27th November) – In the words of that dull metal group, it’s been a while, but the Shaky bandwagon was back in town. And as the great man might say himself, Rock ‘N’ Roll never goes out of fashion and this was a top-notch night. Granted, Shaky was a little bit croaky in the first half (but still belted out one hell of a show) but after some half-time interval herbal tea (or something) Shaky was in full voice for the second half, which saw many ladies who should know a lot better whoop themselves into a frenzy! Shaky’s still got it. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; With My Heart.

13. Editors (28th September) – Finally Gee gets something right!!! I still don’t think the Editors are the best things since sliced bread, but they are very good…especially when you catch them live. This was basically the album done live, but even the weaker album tracks were pumped up with a sense of clarity that the Dean enjoyed. And I am going watching them again in 2006, so that says it all doesn’t it? HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Sparks.

12. The Like (12th November)– Confession time. I nearly forgot to put this is, so apologies to Nine Black Alps (who were down at 20 until I realised my error) but this concert had to go in the list somewhere. To be honest, I can’t remember all that much about it as a concert, but I can remember that it was quality, and that I recognised a fair few of the tunes. AND I met the three lovely ladies afterwards. Which was nice…no, actually, it was bloody lovely. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Erm, What I Say And What I Mean is pretty good isn’t it? Or maybe the highlight was Tennessee “maybe knowing” where Wigan was/is! :D

11. Aimee Mann (15th July) – She’s not toured for ages, and certainly not when I could go to it, so it was with great excitement that I trundled up to this concert. And I was not disappointed. Even though the set-list was heavily favoured towards her latest (somewhat average) album, there were enough of her old classics to make this a night to remember. And perhaps it’s a testimony to her continued brilliance that songs from right across her impressive back catalogue were all met with warm audience applause. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Driving Sideways

10. Ben Folds (15th December) – In some ways it may be a bit of a surprise that this is not higher up. After all it was a top quality night all round (Gee getting the come on from the ladies in the restaurant, getting to meet more of the Tunstallation Nation) and it was a great concert (as you would expect). And anything in the top 10 this year was excellent, but when it comes down to it I cannot justify it going any higher. I suppose its my slight disappointment that he didn’t do more Ben Folds Five stuff. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Bizarre Christmas Incident.
9. Jem (4th December) – See this is an example of letting other people’s feelings put you off something slightly. I’d heard some bad reports about Jem’s supposed lack of “live” singing voice, and it had slightly dampened my expectations about the concert. But, once she kicked off it was full on happy, happy, joy, joy all the way. She sure knows how to write a catchy tune, and she’d assembled a great band to play them. Forget the doubters, this girl is here for the long-haul, trust me! HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; They

8. Girls Aloud (27th May) – Now you see this is a perfect example of how many intangibles go into making a ranking list like this. If this was done purely on “musical worthiness” this would be lower down the list, but if it was done on pure enjoyment it could probably be top 5 material no doubt. Quite frankly, if you were looking for an all-out pop extravaganza in 2005, then you didn’t need to look any further than Girls Aloud. All their hits were belted out in great style and there was just enough costume changes to keep me entertained. Throw in the front row seats in Liverpool and you have one hell of a night to remember. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Girls Allowed (funnily enough, considering the album version is a bit pants).

7. The Subways (2nd November) – We saw them before the album release earlier in the year, and then they cancelled on us in the mid-summer. But The Subways made up for any earlier disappointments with this absolutely cracking concert. They’re hardly pushing back the musical boundaries, but they do what they do with an energy and youthfulness that all too easily seduces you. This was a full-tempo, loud noise shebang all the way and was one of those concert nights that just flew by. And it didn’t hurt that Charlotte is a “little firecracker” either did it? HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Mary.

6. The Donnas (7th March) – Oh they broke my heart last year (or may it even have been 2003…in fact I think it probably must have been) when they cancelled their UK tour, but they finally came back to make it up to me. Scary rumours about more band ill-health left me fearing the worst, but when the time came, the shackles of flu were thrown off by the lovely Brett. This was another rockin’ night, and whilst some of my favourite tracks by the girls were missing, there was such a varied choice from their back catalogue that there wasn’t a duff song in the set. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Take It Off

5. Weezer (25th August) – I still harbour a small grudge over the ticket prices for this (not the most expensive ever on the whole, but still by far the most I’ve ever had to spend in Manchester Academy) but really, when a concert is as good as this one there really is little point in complaining. Quite frankly this was a brilliant concert from start to finish, and, as any of the top 5 could have done this year, could have come out on top in this list. Virtually ignoring their latest album (only 4 tracks from it) Rivers and the boys proceeded to belt out classic after classic from their extensive back catalogue, which gave the night a feeling of a “greatest hits” concert. Add in the fact that I’d had a few and was dancing like a loon all night with Xavi and you have a truly memorable night out. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; El Scorchio

4. KT Tunstall (18th February) – Oh back in the days when really I’d only bought her album on a whim and not having many concerts lined up I decided to grab a pair of tickets to this. I am so glad I did. Whilst subsequent Tunstall concerts (and there were three more in the year) suffered mildly from repetition and having too much of a good thing, nothing could sully this first night. A small, intimate venue. Me and Gee being very drunk. And a concert which just blew me away. Before this night I’d feared KT might have been another one of those great artists I discover who then disappear, but after this night I knew I was safe and that KT was going to go places. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Black Horse & The Cherry Tree

3. Laura Veirs (11th October) – See this is the kind of concert I probably wouldn’t have gone to this time last year, but the concert bug well and truly got me and I began to actively seek out strange and wonderful acts to go and watch. Her Year Of Meteors album blew me away and despite the fact that this concert probably had THE worst support act of the year (and that terrible moment of horror when you realise that he’s also part of her band), what followed was nothing short of brilliant. Of course she’ll never make it “big” but who cares? HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Spelunking, which was pretty “atmospheric”.

2. Suzanne Vega/Nerina Pallot (22nd June) – Whilst I suppose any of the top 5 could have sat happily at the top of the list, when it REALLY came down to it, it was only between this one and the next one for the ultimate honour. Vega’s decision to completely by-pass the North West of England actually worked out rather well as we decamped to Coventry (a trip that effectively became my “holiday” for 2005) and the rather delightful Warwick Arts Centre. I did think about splitting this concert into two in terms of this list, but in the end went for the joint thing. First up was Nerina, and I don’t think she’s ever been in better form (at least when I have seen her) than she was that night. It was the only time I’ve seen her when there wasn’t a load of people jibber-jabbering away during her set. And I really don’t think there was a person in the audience who didn’t like what they heard. Throw in the photo opportunity during the interval (complete with the now legendary “you miss Suzanne Vega if you don’t hurry up” conversation), me using my “celebrity contacts” to get Gee a special birthday message and me feeling like a proud parent when all her CD’s sold out then you already have a special night. But then it (almost) got better…despite Nerina’s prediction that I’d miss the start proving true and me missing half my favourite Vega song “Marlene On The Wall.” Still, she’s another funny woman and put on a great show, including singing songs so new that she had to have the lyric sheets in front of her. At the time I thought I couldn’t possibly leave a concert in 2005 as happy again, but I was just about wrong…. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; For Nerina it was Damascus, for Suzanne it was probably Tom’s Diner, because Greg Rusedski got quite animated during that.

1. Martha Wainwright (18th November) – Ultimately, when it was all said and done, I couldn’t look any further than this for the best concert of the year. This was the perfect example of not having a clue what to expect when walking in, and walking out convinced you’d just seen something of rare splendour. She’s nuts, make no bones about it, but she also put on not only one of the most musically exciting shows I’ve ever seen…she was funny and smart to boot. She also got the crowd warbling like Native Indians, got a woman out of the crowd to sing backing, and cut songs off in the middle of a verse because she had some wisdom to impart. She also was having so much fun during her “solo” section that the concert over-ran by about 15 minutes when all was said and done. This was the sort of great evening that concert-going was invented for. This wasn’t only the best concert of 2005, this was also one of the best concerts I’ve EVER been to. And you don’t get a much better recommendation than that do you. Well maybe other than the fact I met her afterwards and she was a real sweetheart. Ready Steady Cook awaits!!! HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Me being chatted up by Alison Goldfr…no, wait. It was Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole.