Tapewyrm Records Compilation - Segments Volume 1 (12-track album) By Steve Rudd Release Date: September 25th 2004.

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 known (YET), but as with all good compilations Segments Volume 1 does make you wonder why when the quality of music is so high - and so overwhelmingly diverse.

Perhaps the best known band present is the quirky indie pop-loving, fem-fronted Brand Violet. Here presenting their Sororicide video, they never fail to entertain, especially when the vid here teems with both bloody vampires and a few of The Suicide Girls for erotic measure - and, er.. pleasure. Their fab Gata Blanca tune is also featured.

The other five acts on offer are Thumpermonkey, The Milburns, Telford Mining Disaster, The Henderson Shatners and - last but not least - the weird Finnish-Swedish outfit So Long, Post Office. As if such band names aren't coolly original enough, just wait for the music, with each act having two of their tracks included. Thumpermonkey might well have the coolest tune present with the tongue-in-cheek I Am Han Solo, Frozen In Carbonite, before The Milburns deliver a likeable slap of Country-pop.

The Telford Mining Disaster is perhaps the most interesting band of all, as Hills Belles hears a beautiful banjo-based instrumental bring whimsical bluegrass music to the fore. If only more record labels diversified in this manner and took wildly different types of bands on their books. It certainly sounds to have done Tapewyrm no harm. 8/10 www.tapewyrm.com

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 - Silence Kit - Pieonear By Michelle Dee
	Imagine my surprise when I received a disc from Moscow to review. It was attractively packaged with what I think may be a crude representation of a pangolin; possibly a polar bear but I favour the pangolin idea, constructed from snow and ice. The cover folds out to reveal Read more...

Single Reviews - Sum 41 - We're All To Blame (Mercury) By Steve Rudd
	After almost a year of keeping well away from the spotlight, these four Canadian boys are back - and with a truly almighty bang. Just because there hasn't been any Sum 41 releases for a while, though, doesn't mean they've been living the easy life. In fact, Read more...