Todd is God

It's time for part two of my round up of some of the things that I have been listening to over the past months, and those records that are trying to break into my yearly top 10. The Lemonheads - The Lemonheads Evan Dando is back doing what he does best - pleasing power pop - and back doing it under the name of The Lemonheads. This album is liking meeting a old friend who you have not seen for a while, and thankfully, you still like them. I would stop short of calling this classic, but when this record is good it is very good - Become the Enemy is pound for pound as good as anything dando has written; No Backbone; In Passing; Black Gown and many more hit the spot nicely. A welcome return. Union of Knives - Violence and Birdsong One of the true surprises of 2006, this Glasgow band are well worth checking out. Described by NME as "Quivering Big Rock songs being circled by tribal electro-drums with guitars of solid glacier" there is a lot going on. Operated On i...

I promised a review of the new album so here it is. First off, I have to say that I was surprised to find myself enjoying this record more than I expected. It is - in my mind at least - better than Bat Part II. Having said that, the pseudo new metal opening of Monster's Loose is rather ropey (with Meat sounding a bit crap), and that's before we get near anything like In the land of the pig ... which is frankly just fucking dreadful. So what do I like? Well, some of the cheesy badness works very well with me, so I have found myself won over by the likes of Blind as a Bat (the title alone is just so bloody stupid, it is impossible not to love it), What about the Love, and Bad for Good (with Brian May noodling away on guitar) . Cry to Me, If God could talk, and The future ain't what it used to be are also passable in a naff kind of way. What about It's all coming back to me now you say? Dig out the Pandora's Box version and hear how this song should sound in fu...

I promised a review of the new album so here it is. First off, I have to say that I was surprised to find myself enjoying this record more than I expected. It is - in my mind at least - better than Bat Part II. Having said that, the pseudo new metal opening of Monster's Loose is rather ropey (with Meat sounding a bit crap), and that's before we get near anything like In the land of the pig ... which is frankly just fucking dreadful. So what do I like? Well, some of the cheesy badness works very well with me, so I have found myself won over by the likes of Blind as a Bat (the title alone is just so bloody stupid, it is impossible not to love it), What about the Love, and Bad for Good (with Brian May noodling away on guitar) . Cry to Me, If God could talk, and The future ain't what it used to be are also passable in a naff kind of way. What about It's all coming back to me now you say? Dig out the Pandora's Box version and hear how this song should sound in fu...

Two interviews with Ric Ocasek touch on his feelings about the New Cars. In a interview with AV Club he says on the question of - Any lingering hard feelings over the Rundgren affair? "I don't know, you know? Why make trouble? That will stand or fall on its own. People can decide for themselves". While over at the Rocky Mountain News when asked - Approve of the New Cars? Disapprove?, says "It's somewhere in the middle." But honestly, wouldn't you have liked to tour? "I have this reputation for not liking to tour, and I can't say I do love it. I certainly didn't want to do a reunion tour. There were different factors why I didn't want to do that. I don't feel like I need to be revived. I've got things to do."

Fuck the rock and roll circus, this is the punk cabaret ... is how the Dresden Dolls were selling their two night stint at the Roundhouse in Camden. And, they were not kidding. Doors opened at 7pm and the entertainment started immediately. From the moment you walked in the door and up the stairs to the main hall, bubbles were falling down on you - being blown from people on stilts at the top of the stairs, women were dressed as harlots, men looking like outcasts from Moulin Rouge and music coming at you from the main hall - a guy on the accordion as I arrived at 7.25. I must add that many of the audience had also dressed up for the show too, and very fine many of them looked too. Yes, when the Dolls hit town they do so with a cast of thousands (well, about 30 anyway) including weird musical turns, comedians, and performance artists. The shows in london were lead by their mistress of ceremonies, Margaret Cho . The lay out of the venue suited the performance with a main stage and then a...