NME IN VOTE-RIGGING SHOCK!

The NME Albums of The Year Poll has been massaged by higher powers? You don’t say.

For bonus points, the article also features Conor McNicholas having a whine, making lots of mentions of "Britain's biggest selling music magazine" (only to have Q figures thrown back at him).

I am assured that the upcoming poll of Static Multmedia writers will be free of such taint, but if anybody else has votes for Annie, Robyn and Rachel Stevens, I will be surprised (I suspect a slight US bias in the results).

But, for you lucky people! From tomorrow, a round-up of my favourite tracks of the year, one for each day of Advent. You've never had it so good. Honest.

currently playing: Orange Juice – Texas Fever

Faith Engines To Eleven! We're Heading For The LinkPlex of Minon-9!

"It’s simple. The Daleks Do Not Do Porn.“ You say that now, but when HBO comes a-calling, I’m sure the Nation estate will accommodate full-frontal Davros nudity.

An interim celebration.

The reason for the existence of consoles, wifi, and the Internet itself.

Oooh, BIG LETTERS!

A FruityLoops/GarageBand clone for Linux.

ARRRRRRRRR!

Scientists discover regeneration gene. Gallifrey reportedly not amused…

currently playing: Sleater-Kinney – Night Light

Girls Aloud 3: But Turns Red At The Touch of A Button.

So, that’s Madonna, Betty Boo, Mel & Kim-era S/A/W, Primal Scream, The Prodigy, George Moroder, The White Stripes, ELO, Christmas carols, countless J-Pop bands, AND the KLF.

Oh yes.

currently playing: Girls Aloud – Swinging London Town

This Week's cd:uk

Ooh, the producers are an evil sort re: The Stereophonics, aren’t they?

I'm certain that Oasis didn't use to be this dismal. Honest.

Bonnie is going to be hogging all the phone lines in the country next Friday. She's a girl on a mission. A mission for Take That tickets.

"the urban myth that Louis Walsh is made of potassium"

Once again, I think The Style Council revival should be big in 2006. Anyway, Girls Aloud's cover of See The Day loses a lot without vast quantities of fake snow (incidentally, it turns out that if you want something to leak, you should just complain bitterly; the web will take care of you in about a day).

So, the Pussycat Dolls - going the Westlife route already? Poor.

Mr. Miyagi! :(

currently playing: The Other Two – The Greatest Thing

Awwww.

It’s a festive time machine!

I know it's been said many times before, but I do think it's charming that Britain's most famous spaceship is a police box. None of these newfangled lasers, curves, or warp nacelles here, oh no. Just good-old fashioned wood and a Time Vortex, that's all you need.

Secondly, will the Girls Aloud album just LEAK, dammit? At this rate, I'll actually have to wait until the release date to hear it…grr…

(Bonnie's apposite review of See The Day: "A cynical stab at the Christmas market!" Ah, Mark. Lard. How we miss you…)

currently playing: The Art of Noise – Moments In Love

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHH!

WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE! AT ONE MINUTE PAST MIDNIGHT, THE COUNTRY IS GOING TO BE ENGULFED IN A FLOOD OF ALCOHOL! RUN! SAVE YOURSELF! MINE’S A VODKA AND COKE!

currently playing: The National – Mr. November

Blah.

Post-holiday blog malaise, I’m afraid. I could write about how, even after corrupting Simon Popworld and turning him to a life of mobile-phone theft, Lady Sovereign’s “Save The Hoodie” campaign is stalling somewhere in the Top 60 this week. Or perhaps about the Xbox 360, which apparently comes with a power supply the size of a bungalow and yet another version of FIFA to show off those NEXT-GEN! graphics abilities.

Or maybe about how, just like The Arcade Fire before them, I just don't get the appeal of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! I could mention how much I've enjoyed watching the first four episodes of Veronica Mars, and how different it is to watch a TV show via a box set rather than, say, broadcasts.

Instead, I'll leave you with a Soviet map of Manchester, and be on my way, I think.

currently playing: Paddy McAloon – I'm 49

Break Out The Sweaters!

The campaign to get My Ever-Changing Moods performed at the Brit Awards starts here!

currently playing: The Sundays – More

Reason To Hate Britain, Part 123

You what? No, seriously, when did Norman Tebbit replicate himself?

currently playing: Propaganda – Dream Within a Dream