Gomez - Sweet Virginia (single/ Virgin) By Steve Rudd

The Gomez guys have long impressed the nation with their inspired ability to effectively fuse all manners of different musical genres together to form one thoroughly satisfying whole. Whether they're incorporating elements of heart-breaking blues, crafty jazz or soul-baring/ sharing rock, a highly distinctive pop factor always pervades, ensuring that Gomez tunes are always extremely catchy affairs. Here in Sweet Virginia there is a pronounced element of good old Country music going up against a downbeat Folk feel, as an acoustic guitar crisply strums in the foreground and an electric guitar larks around in the background, while the pop waits patiently for the lovely chorus.

Sweet Virginia is somehow subtle yet epic. It's neither loud nor aggressive, but still demands your undivided attention, and it really is one of the sweetest little lullaby-like ditties that Gomez have ever produced. It's too late to feel sorrow on borrowed time. So say they. 4/5 www.gomez.co.uk

Album Reviews - The Supatones - Unity Ave (Do The Dog) By Steve Rudd
	Living up to their name in the most impeccable manner imaginable, this Hull-based band releases its astonishing debut album with an accompanying, nationwide tour to promote the beauty. For the best part of November and the first half of December these Read more...

Single Reviews Camera - Hurt (single/ My Kung Fu) By Steve Rudd Release Date: 22nd November 2004.
	Think of all the anthemic rock bands that Wales has loudly and proudly produced over the years such as The Manics, The Stereophonics and The Alarm (to name just a few), and then think again, for here is a new quartet in the form of Camera that are hacking out a truly Read more...

Album Reviews - Tapewyrm Records Compilation - Segments Volume 1 (12-track album) By Steve Rudd
	Far from being just another compilation album of half-rate tracks by bands most people have never heard of, this Tapewyrm release provides the best opportunity imaginable for the listener to get to know the label's six acts a whole lot better. OK, so the bands aren't that well Read more...

Album Reviews - - The Alarm Live in the Poppyfields (DVD/CD Dual Release/Snapper Music) By Steve Rudd
	In all honesty, I am totally addicted to - and utterly enthralled by - the music of Mike Peters. Mike, for those who might not know, is now - and has always been - the frontman and singing-songwriting genius for Welsh band The Alarm... a band set-up that Mike recently re-formed, with a Read more...

Album Reviews - The Clauberg Opera - The Death of This City By Steve Rudd
	Yet another fantastically original Hull-based band to get hugely excited about, this young and thoroughly refreshing trio is not to be ignored... especially not with the type of manifesto that they are proudly presenting. In this invigorating instance they come armed Read more...

Album Reviews - The 59 Violets - Prime Numbers By Steve Rudd
	First things first, a bit of vital number crunching: the debut album from North Lincolnshire's va-va-vooming 59 Violets four-piece is 40 minutes long and spread over 11 fantastic songs. Each and every track is moulded around some superb melodies, as these boys wield both the pop Read more...

Single Reviews Torso Horse - The Invisible Event (eight-track album/ Native) By Steve Rudd Release Date: Nov 1st 2004
	Over the past four years, Bridlington band Torso Horse has truly - and deservedly - dominated the Goth-Metal scene in East Yorkshire in style. This uncompromising eight-track release is their second album, and the eagerly anticipated follow-up to their rapturously Read more...

Single Reviews - Ox - Blood (mini-album/ Co-Pop) By Steve Rudd Release Date: November 1st 2004.
	Oh I do like to be beside the seaside when super-talented acoustic-based duos in the shape of Ox materialise from towns such as Brighton, as Ox band members in multi-instrumentalists Jim Oxborrow and John Etkin-Bell have. Jim sings, with his sensitive voice being Read more...

Single Reviews - Hoobastank - The Reason (Mercury) By Steve Rudd
	It's been almost impossible to avoid this radio-friendly tune over the past few weeks, as it has literally taken the world by storm. Over in the US it was the Number One airplay record for five weeks, before basking in the glory of being the Number Three most played track in Read more...

Album Reviews - Joesolo - An Exile In Suburbia By Nick Quantrill
	History lesson - Lithium Joe were much more than graffiti on the Hull train station wall. Whilst the majority of Hull bands are happy to settle for receiving meaningless platitudes from their mates and being great in the local clubs, Lithium Joe was different. Read more...

CD Reviews - Khi (6-track Demo) By Steve Rudd
	This quartet's high-octane How Would I Know anthem might thematically speak of all the time that people tend to waste in life, during non-productive days that serve nobody and nothing. To the contrary, this hugely exciting Hull band (that has been on the go for some years now) most Read more...

Single Reviews - Mansun - Slipping Away (EMI) By Steve Rudd
	Brace yourselves, for this is the last-ever single release from those loveable Chester-based boys. Sadly, they decided to call it a day whilst recording their fourth, as-yet-unreleased album. On the upside though, and to help die-hard fans get over the initial loss, Mansun are Read more...

Album Reviews - The Composers - Evacuate London (8-track demo) By Steve Rudd
	Compose yourself, for the music on offer here from this East London-rooted band is most excellent. Opening track Evacuate London is a jingle-jangling shot of down-to-earth, lovelorn pop music of the highest caliber, with Dan Edelstyn leading the quintet Read more...

Album Reviews - Ron Sexsmith - Retriever (Parlophone) By Steve Rudd
	Ever since the early 90's, and the 1991 release of Grand Opera Lane, Ron has been making sublime music - and has even had some of his songs covered by the superstar likes of Rod Stewart and Elton John. This 12-track album is a beautifully conceived affair, and a mixture of upbeat Read more...