this week's post ...

Amy Winehouse
Frank Deluxe Edition new album 7 July
Amy played at our venue just as the circus was beginning when Radio 2 did a week of shows in Cardiff and featured Ms Winehouse at Cardiff Barfly. A sell out gig to promote her then debut album 'Frank'. Amy as is now and was then lyrically on the edge - the biting ire of 'Fuck Me Pumps' and the ill at ease strangeness of 'Stronger Than Me' are good lyrical examples of someone who appears to be right in it. This deluxe two CD set with complimentary live and demo offerings is an essential purchase - documenting her live performance on Later and featured in a TV biog recently. Excellent

Annie
I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me new single 7 July
Eight mixes here, the most vivacious is the Soulseekers Radio and the Soulseekers Club.. very sexy video & at 128bpm's easy to dance too ... another hit for Annie but, Annie don't get your gun

Ladyhawke
Paris Is Burning new single 30 June
What a stunning single. Pip Brown Londoner via New Zealand and Sydney now known as Ladyhawke has come up with a swirling, heady 123bpm summer anthem which could soon dominate the airwaves. Remixes from Peaches, Alex Gopher and Kid Gloves remove the song which is not a call to revolution but rather a love song to Paree. Brilliant

Lykke Li
Youth Novels new single 9 June
Mentor Bjorn Ytting of Peter, Bjorn & John fame has guided 22 year old Lykke Li into the spotlight. New album Youth Novels is brimming with edgy Swedish ideas "You're the one I keep my legs open for...." recent single 'Little Bit', 'I'm Good, I'm Gone', 'Breaking It Up' and 'Hanging High' highlight a very strong set. One to watch

The Feeling
Turn It Up new single 7 July
The Feeling are in a bit of a tangle here, the third single from their No.1 album 'Join With Us' is again an accompolished and polished slab of jaunty, radio friendly 08 pop. However, if their fans already have it, with downloading replacing the physical single it's difficult to imagine how this, excellent as it is will fare any better than their last single, which missed out on the Top 40. Perhaps the inclusion of a cover of Velvet Underground & Nico's 'Femme Fatale' will help although there can only ever be one worthy version of that song.

Kid Sister & Kanye West
Pro Nails Remixes new single 23 Jun
"Brass balls in my face" ... yep this is the biz, the TEPR remix is a poounding 128bpm, Gantman's Jackin remix also - this should be a top fiver

Johnny Flynn
A Larum new album 26 May
Well this is a bit of a grower, I do like the atmosphere of the record and I like Johnny Flynn's accosutic bent. I'm not sure about the 'Brown Trout Blues', 'All The Dogs Are Lying Down' is another quite long strange one but the single 'Tickle Me Pink' , 'Cold Bread' and the excellent 'Leftovers' should find receptive ears

The Cure
The Only One new single 13 May
It's classic good quality Cure, unfortunately my local Zavvi and HMV haven't shifted many copies of this single which has remained on prime view since the 13th. I'm afraid it doesn't bode well for the future single the 13th releases, influential as they undoubtedly have been perhaps as Eminiem said to Mabo - it's over ... Eminem wasn't entirely 100% correct so who knows

Spiritualized
Songs In A & E new single 26 May
Great title, following main man Jason Pierce's serious illness and intensive care hospitalisation, an inspiration for this new album. Very mellow, not really a dancer but cool to play to set a certain mood and Spiritualised do have a loyal following. 'Soul On Fire' is a good single