STEREOPHONICS - DAKOTA
new single 28 February

Interesting, this is not Word Gets Around and Jo Whiley had the exclusive first play. There is an airy feel to Dakota and a rather different vocal style - more laid back, easy on the ear until Kelly's trademark vocals seer through on the chorus. Dakota is a grower but rather like Have A Nice Day was a second single I feel this may not be the strongest track on their 'Language Sex Violence Other' album. XXXx www.languagesexviolenceother.com www.stereophonics.com

THE FUTUREHEADS - HOUNDS OF LOVE new single 28 February

Yep this is a cover of Kate Bush's 1985 Album Track and we've started getting requests for it as far back as November, this is a massive hit in waiting, Top Ten possibly. Wow hang on, that's an underestimation, this should be number one, it is a quite different interpretation of Kate Bush's original with an 05 indie sense of urgency that should be number one! XXXXX www.thefutureheads.tk

GREEN DAY - HOLIDAY
new single 21 February

Awesome!
How fantastic that Green Day's brilliant 'American Idiot' Album in reaching number one put the Simon Cowell-esque manufactured pop nonsense where it should be - secondary. XXXXx www.greenday.com

THE KILLS - THE GOOD ONES
new single 7 February

The Kills played for us in 2003 and were talked about for weeks after - I still get requests for Pull A 4 U and F**k The People. The Good Ones is the first taste of their second album, picture late 70's New York, Disco excess and punk at a creative high. Dirty guitar with a Bontempi style beatbox, and a stronger more commercially minded song and production means this is far more likely to hit the Top Ten. XXXX www.thekills.tv

CHARLOTTE HATHERLY - BASTARDO
new single 21 February

Charlotte's one night stand eh? That'll teach you 'Good lookin Spanidsh Type' stole her guitar. But he did leave some money. Bastardo is quite pacy, not quite as powerful as her group Ash's Girl From Mars, and the lyrics are a little indecipherable on times. This is a shame because I'd really like to know specifically what happened during this liaison dangereuse. XXXXx www.charlottehatherley.com

XZIBIT - HEY NOW (MEAN MUGGIN)
new single 24 January

Xzibit is heading for the mainstream with this catchy and 'cool' new single 'Hey Now (Mean Muggin)'. Not sure what the Mean Muggin bit is specifically about but as host of MTV's Pimp My Ride, (???) and The European MTV Awards in Rome next step would be to appear some screen work with either Ice Cube or Jennifer Aniston - oh job done and in the can for the new year. Look out for this young man not only in CSI Miami but also in the Top Ten in February. XXXX www.xzibit.net

FEEDER - TUMBLE & FALL
new single 17 January

This is nice Feeder as opposed to raucous, kinda similar to their brilliant 1997 single High which seemed to superbly capture the sombre mood of Britain following the death of Princess Diana. High was their first hit, Tumble & Fall will be yet another but even if it takes the US by storm I suspect it won't be as memorable for them or us. XXX www.feederweb.com

TRAIL OF DEAD - WORLDS APART
new album 24 January

The Texan troop recently played their first UK tour dates in two years, trailing songs from their new album. Recorded in the bands own studio in Austin, Texas produced by long time friend Mike McCarthy and featuring a guest appearance by Classical Violinist Hilary Hahn. Title track 'Worlds Apart' is a blistering critique of the lacklustre merit of the current music scene - short, sharp and pretty well awesome! XXXX www.trailofdead.org

HAL - WHAT A LOVELY DANCE
new single 24 January

Brothers Dave & Paul plus Steve & Stephen from Kiliney, South of Dublin played a successful introductory tour in 2004 and guested at Cardiff Barfly. They release their debut album in January. Well crafted pop, the next Westlife maybe? Well unlike Westlife there's an unassuming edginess to Hal's tunes which is rather endearing. Their new album sounds ambitious if these five songs are anything to go by, intricate harmonies and unusual storylines are the order of this sampler. Maybe it's the DJ in me that likes Play The Hits, I'm not sure what they're alluding to but that's the fun of it - in places Hal are almost Beach Boy like and after a few 'spins' you'd like to hear more. XXXx www.halmusic.com

ADAM GREEN - GEMSTONES
new album 24 January

We managed to get The Moldy Peaches to play at Cardiff Barfly a couple of years back. Now freed from band constraints, Adam Green is developing a quite accessible mainstream bizarre sound and lyrical content or 'cock eyed wit!'. Jessica was an intriguing, beguiling single from earlier this year and judging by the five tracks on this sampler it's quite easy to imagine Adam in the upper reaches of the pop chart. Emily is another Jessica-esque not what it appears to be, and the whole thing is precisely that - not what it appears to be. Brilliant XXXX www.adamgreen.net

THE USED - TAKE IT AWAY
new single 24 January

On UK tour in January - Manchester, London, Sheffield, Glasgow, Newcastle, B'ham, Notts and Kaardiff, this is a storming taster for their current album 'In Love & Death' a current US Top Ten album. Top Twenty single XXXx www.theused.net

FIERCE GIRL - WHAT MAKES A FIERCE GIRL new single 31 January

Uh Oh, tese guys Scott and Greg could be Chas N Dave for the naughties. Distinctly un-horny, this is the follow-up to 'Double Drop', which was an NME single of the week, like Silibil this is a bit of a novelty chune - it could catch on like Streets 'Fit & You Know It', but I think there's probably room for only one of those, still stranger things have happened. XX www.fiercegirl.co.uk

KAISER CHIEFS - OH MY GOD
new single 21 February

I Predict A Riot fills the dancefloor and that's a great sign for this re-recording of their first single, "Oh my God I can't believe it I've never been this far away from home". You can expect this to do much better second time around, there's something of a special dirtiness to their sound and the production on this version is smoother, just as you'd expect from Stephen Street of Morrissey fame. Limited signed 7" and two CD's will be unleashed - Top Twenty maybe? XXXx www.kaiserchiefs.co.uk

MUDVAYNE - DETERMINED promo only

Lost and Found, the third studio album from Mudvayne is scheduled for release at the end of March 2005 - they've already achieved sales of 2million CD's and DVD's around the world, 45,000 in the UK andf this is ... heavy. Think Slipknot and you'll get the idea - an aquired taste or addiction that could be No.1 just like the Knotties!!! XXX www.mudvayne.com

THE LITTLE FLAMES - GOODBYE LITTLE ROSE new single 31 January

This is a fine debut from this Liverpool five piece, mainstream's not so far away with a little trick ending rounding up at 2 mins. and possibly heading for the Top Ten. XXXX www.deltasonic.co.uk

SILIBIL 'n' BRAINS - LOSERS release tbc

MTV faves and hits on the US Van Warp Tour. No UK release scheduled yet as SnB are hoping to get some UK pilot shows sorted first. This is kind of taking the mickey out of Eminem if that's possible, put it this way it may make Michael Jackson smile and that would be 'Dangerous'. Novelty hit maybe? XX www.silibilnbrains.com