Grinderman

So Nick Cave was sitting around one day and decided it was time for a side project away from the Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds albums, so he grabbed a couple of the very same Seeds to join him in Grinderman - a wonderfully raw record that dispenses with Cave' usual piano balladry and just concentrates on rocking. And boy does it. Blues rock with lots of fuzz and distortion.

Kicking off with the shouting Get it On which moves smoothly into the wonderful No Pussy Blues and the woman who just "didn't want too".

There really isn't a dud track on the whole thing, although Depth Charge Ethel, Honey Bee and When my Love Comes Down are current favourites.

Some cracking lyrics here too, take these from the album's closer Love Bomb "I been listenin' to the Woman's Hour, I been listenin' to Garden Question Time/ But everything I try to grow, I can't even grow a dandelion." Brilliant.

The first essential purchase of 2007.

Todd at the Filmore

Todd is going to be the first person to play the Fillmore Philadelphia, the newly re-named and refubished city music venue, now owned and run by Live Nation.

Hold Steady return to UK

The Hold Steady are coming back to the UK for some more dates this summer including a night at Shepherds Bush Empire on Monday 2nd July. I will be there.