BABY SHAMBLES
KILLAMANGIRO new single 8 Novembe2004
Hey everybody Pete Doherty's back, wait a minute we can't find him. I wish he'd sort himself out - The Libs and now The Baby Shambles have all the hallmarks of greatness ... unpredictability, great atmosphere, catchy hooks, unusually loose, and more than anything genuinely exciting! XXXXX www.babyshambles.com

THE DATSUNS
GIRLS BEST FRIEND new single 11 October 2004
Best Yet - the most commercial offering from The Datsuns so far. They really deserve greater success maybe this track produced by ex-Led Zeppelin bass man John Paul-Jones and lifted from their recent 'Outta Sight Outta Mind' Album will be the release to gain The Datsuns more main stream popularity. XXXx www.thedatsuns.com

HIDING PLACE
CRUELKINDNESS new single out 1 November 2004
Hiding Place from Glasgow are another band competing for greater honours. Twin Brothers Del & JJ, Paul Dougie & Jason got off to a good start with their first two singles, appearances at Download & T In The Park and landed support on The Rasmus tour. See them at Hammersmith Apollo on 4th November Included on this single is an interesting cover of Blue Oyster Cult's Don't Fear The Reaper, what a great record that was and this rather more accoustically mellow version is a fine recording too! XXXXx www.hidingplace.tv

THE VANITIES
BUZZ EP new EP out now
Chuck in a bit of OMD, Gary Numan, Depeche Mode maybe a little Duran Duran and you'll have a good idea what to expect with The Vanities. I really like The Vanities for taking the trouble to make their shows such a visual meltdown and 'Buzz' is a fine song. As II've listened to it driving along the lovely M4 - I've found myself wishing I could edit a bit out here and join a bit there to get it's length down to three and a half minutes, but what do you do? Duran's Save A Prayer was a very worthy 5 minute long No.2 hit and radio stations frequently play only three minutes of it. Anyway good luck Guys XXXx www.thevanitiesmusic.com

FATBOY SLIM
PALOOKAVILLE new album
Norm's at his catchiest with a new Album packed full of Dance Beats. A rather different version of Slash Dot Dash, and a great opening track 'Don't Let The Man Get You Down' set the tone for Spot The Sample. Listen out for Shel Silversteen (Dr. Hook), Damon Albarn, John Martyn to name a few XXXXx www.fatboyslim.net Go on, play the game
See Norm this week :-
Wednesday 20th October, Nottingham Trent SU
Friday 22nd October, The Refectory, Leeds University
Saturday 23rd October, The Great Hall, Cardiff University Union

ELLIOTT SMITH
FROM A BASEMENT ON THE HILL
new album 18 October 2004
Elliott Smith was the force behind Heatmiser and sadly passed away in September 2003 aged 34. This is the long awaited release of his final album, intended as follow-up to Figure 8 & XO. Comparisons have been made with Nick Drake and it's easy to see why, this is thoughtful melodic and edgy. In fact these three songs are very beautiful and it can make you not a little sad to hear them. XXXXx www.elliottsmith.com

KASABIAN
PROCESSED BEATS new Single
Old Trafford or the City Of Manchester Stadium is calling, this is the best record Oasis never made. Kasabian gigs are renowned for being great fun, I find myself wondering what they will be like when they finally crack the stadium barrier, this is a great record - a relentless bass riff gets your feet tapping into that dancefloor hood or no hood! XXXXx www.kasabian.co.uk

SPARTA
BREAKING THE BROKEN new single PORCELAIN new single out 6 September 2004
This is fairly standard stuff from a band who are touring right now and just releasing their second album. A quality sound as you'd expect from Geffen, and even though they're getting some airplay in 'The States', I'm not sure this material is strong enough to break through XXx www.spartamusic.com

SILO ZANE
THE BASIC MOTOR FUNCTIONS
new single out now
Hi Jed, thanks for the CD. Silo Zane just played at Cardiff Barfly and Jed passed me a copy of their three track single to pass to Zane Lowe, which I did. This is not bad stuff, tight arrangement and some neat guitarwork could gain the guys some recognition and airplay. XXX www.silozane.com

THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES (TSOOL)
BIG TIME single re-released November 2004
From the land of Sven and Abba and ... The Final Countdown! This is pretty good - a pacey number with a good hook, like so many. However quite atmospheric and that's a good sign for thing's to come, and come they will with the new album 'Origin' to be released soon too. XXX

SNAP ANT - YOU MAKE ME BASIC new single out 8 November

No relation to Adam, although in his own words "You Make Me Basic" is about "getting in touch with the Amoeba inside you!". It's a bit gruesome and non-pop for me, but Track 2 "Turning Ugly" has a little more pop sensibility to it and it should be the A-Track. Born in Cornwall, brought up in Bahrain, lived in Liverpool since 1997 - more than a little weird?? XXXx www.invictahifi.co.uk/snapant.htm

FAULTLINE & THE FLAMING LIPS - THE COLUSSAL GRAY SUNSHINE (REMIX) new single out 25 October

Faultline is David Kosten, "a ramshackle mix of clanky beats, vintage synths and strummy guitars - melancholic lost love". Get the picture? Combined with vocals by Flaming Lips Wayne Coyne this is a rather eclectric and beautiful tune, maybe even a hit. XXX www.faultline.co.uk

THE RESEARCH - SHE'S NOT LEAVING new single out 1 November

On the other hand one minute 47 seconds is a bit too short. The Research have got a pretty good song here and it's the same length as Earth The Californian Love Dreams 'Porn Star' which did nothing. In fact it's about the same length as the useful part of The Darkness 'Friday Night'. Sarah may play the drums and live in the Wakefield Countryside with Russel The Disaster but I think there needs to be a bit more to it than this, nice idea on paper but over just a tad prematurely! XXx

CHRISTINA AGUILERA & MISSY ELLIOT CAR WASH new single out 25 October
So the conversation must have gone something like this - "Do you fancy making some easy money?", "How long will it take?", "Well everyone in the world knows the song, all we have to do is do our thang", "Why not!".
"Oh just one thing, we don't get to take our clothes off?". "Oh no, whyever not?", "It's a cartoon", "Oh well that's alright then." XX www.sharktale.com

MARTINI HENRY RIFLES - SUPERBASTARD new album 1 November 2004
Put this on your DVD and you'll see an awesome video of the brilliant single 'Infomercial'. A 2 minute masterpiece now with a mesmerizing video to match. Another innovation utilized here is "the secret track at the end trick", Just when you've forgotten the CD player is on - like a bolt from hell, in comes 'Run Jimmy Run (Rude Words Here)' and hey it's a pretty good... instrumental. The Martinis most commercial to date, but still in the main absolutely uncompromising. XXXX www.themartinihenryrifles.com