Daddy Bought It All For You

My review of Johnny Boy’s eponymous album is now up at Static. Now, in my defence, I drank quite a bit of vodka before sitting down to write the review; I was finding it rather difficult to get started. Hopefully, that will explain the bits that are blatantly stolen from Morley and Gillen, the parts where I turn CD ripping into something equivalent to developing an atom bomb, and for writing “Karl Marx produced by Trevor Horn” towards the end.

It's also hamstrung by a terrible use of Review Structure Version A: Go Through The Tracks In Sequence And Get The Review Out The Door As Soon As Possible. Given my anxiety towards whether the album could live up to my expectations, I wanted to try and get across the rush I felt as I first heard each track - being so nervous as You Are The Generation... ended, to the moments of joy in 15 Minutes and "what the HELL was that?" in Bonnie Parker's 115th Dream. I'm not sure that comes across, but I think you can tell from my gushing praise that I liked it somewhat.

This Week's New Arrivals!

Neko Case — Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
The Dresden Dolls — Yes, Virginia

currently playing: Kenickie – Rough Boys & Modern Girls

Filmed In Front Of A Live Studio Audience

And thank goodness for that.

Yes, I quite liked The IT Crowd. The first episode, well, perhaps not so great (although I got the sense that some of the jokes, like the multiple cups of tea, would have worked well in Father Ted or Black Books), but the second episode was much better. Comedy swearing buzzers — always funny. Without exception.

Plus! A Commodore PET and a ZX81!

DEATH TO REALISM!

currently playing: The Dresden Dolls — Sing

cd:uk Update!

Brian Harvey sounded quite desperate during that interview, didn’t he?

I am also enjoying the continued adventures of Lauren & Myleene on the subject of 50 Cent (Myleene seems to dig a little deeper every single time).

On a slightly different subject, I watched Jubilee last night. Can somebody explain just what the process was to get a film commissioned in the 1970s? Because I can't imagine "oh sure! We'll have Richard O'Brien attempting a serious role, the Queen being mugged and killed in the first ten minutes, the Soviet Republic of Dorset, a flame-haired Toyah spouting obscenities, and a media mogul who seems to have channelled the laugh of Lionel Blair" going over well today…

currently playing: The Go! Team — Ladyflash

Bless Popjustice

I feel as if we need to make a spangly armband for mourning purposes.

currently playing: Low — Immune

Spook!

A moment of silence, if you please, for Ver Hits is no more.

(thanks to Simon for the depressing news. I think I'm going off to blub)

— Chesney Hawkes's Mole, Oxfordshire

currently playing: Taja Seville — Love Is Contagious

Coin-Operated Concert

So, while we’re planning concerts for the year (I already have Sleater-Kinney and Neko Case booked, with more to come in Oxford soon), does anybody fancy The Dresden Dolls at the London Astoria sometime in May?

currently playing: Neko Case – The Needle Has Landed

Also, while I'm here…

Bunch of wusses.

currently playing: Johnny Boy – 15 Minutes

Hmm...

You know, anybody who irritates Tebbit this much can’t be completely bad…

currently playing: junior senior – dance chance romance

This Week's New Arrivals

Johnny Boy — Johnny Boy
Patti Smith — Horses (Legacy edition)
The Gossip — Standing In The Way of Control
Cat Power — The Greatest
Mono Taxi — MTU

currently playing: Black Box Recorder – England Made Me