As you can see, the site is now back to something resembling normality. I suppose I should give it a new look for 2004, but I think it looks fine as it is for the moment (This is obviously a flimsy attempt to cover up the fact that I have no new layout ideas at the moment).

And now for an instrumental-heavy Friday…

• Jim O'Rourke — Not Sport, Martial Art
  
  Instrumental No.1. When I bought this single back in 1999, the nice people at Piccadilly Records in Manchester decided to put the album in the case as well. I returned it after the weekend, in a very quick I'm-rather-embarrassed-and-I-hope-you-don't-think-I-stole-it
  -so-I'll-give-it-back-and-leave-the-shop-swiftly fashion.


• Courtney Love — Mono
  
  Um, yes. I have something of an irrational soft spot concerning Courtney Love, so even though I know that this is little more than an updated version of 'Violet', I like it. Feel free to hurl abuse in the comments…


• Manitoba — Happy Ending
  
  Instrumental No. 2. This song reminds me of the General Election back in 2001. I was away in London on a course, and Lauren Laverne played this record many times on Xfm during that week.. By a sheer coincidence, Lauren's radio show begins on Monday, and I encourage you all to tune in. That's Monday, 5 January, 1600 GMT / 1100 EST, and for everyone outside London, you can go to the Xfm website, and listen to their Internet stream.
  
  What?