Single Reviews - Yellowcard - Ocean Avenue (Parlophone) By Steve Rudd Release Date: September 6th 2004.

It's been one hell of a couple of years for this American pop-punk-rock quintet, and deservedly so. This is the title track from their ever-so-popular Ocean Avenue album that was released to instant acclaim earlier this year, and - somewhat logically - this is one of the strongest tunes on the LP. While pop-punk-rock bands are still around everywhere, Yellowcard's place within this genre of music is a refreshing revelation. Not least because one of the band members plays violin, to stunning effect.

Fronted charismatically by Ryan Key, these guys successfully introduced themselves to the British public largely via playing high profile support shows with Less Than Jake and New Found Glory, and while many pop-punk bands wallow in angst-anchored songs, nearly all of Yellowcard's songs are euphorically anthemic and of a genuinely inspirational and positively fiery nature. Ocean Avenue zestfully charts the first serious throes of the whole young love-&-lust explosion of emotion with infectious energy, with Ryan - come the chorus - gushing We could leave this town and run forever. They might be far better known, at least for the moment, over in the States (where their album has gone platinum) but surely having played three sold-out London shows in the space of just six months over here is testament enough to the hardcore nature of the British fans that they have so far reeled into their rocket-fuelled world. Yellowcard, in every sense, have got the green light and are going to be huge. It's a shame then that they can't keep their dates at this summer's Leeds and Reading festival weekends, but they have been invited to perform at the MTV VMA's. So fair's fair. And money talks. 5/5 www.yellowcardrock.com

Single Reviews - Sam Roberts Band - Brother Down By Steve Rudd
	Release Date: August 30th 2004. This guy - and his band - has long been big business in Canada from where they hail, going so far as to be awarded with Best Artist and Best Album awards at this year's Juno Awards. Now it's time for the UK to see and hear what all the amassed fuss Read more...

Single Reviews - Ricky - That Extra Mile/Beat The Best Out Of Me By Nick Quantrill
	Release date - 6th September, 2004. Following hot on the heels of acclaimed debut album, The Summer Sun Still Echoes, Portsmouth's finest, Ricky return with a double A-side that will (hopefully) accompany some long awaited summer sun. The single picks up Read more...

Single Reviews - The Hot Puppies - Green Eyeliner (single/ PURR) By Steve Rudd
	Release Date: September 27th 2004. I've got a funny feeling that this Aberystwyth quintet is about to become very well known indeed over here in England, following a prolonged spell of relative fame in Wales, courtesy of their last Dawn Of Man release Read more...

Single Reviews - The Beastie Boys, Death Cab For Cutie and The Departure By Steve Rudd
	After all these years, The Beastie Boys are still making amazing music, here presenting the second single of 2004 from their To The 5 Boroughs album. These Manhattan-obsessed guys have long been respected for their refreshing fusion of rap, hip-hop and dance elements, and if Read more...

Single Reviews - Single of Week - Cornershop Presents: Bubbley Kaur Topknot By Lee Cassanell
	Only in a world of George Bush and Sudanese Genocide could Busted be riding high in the Charts with the theme from Thunderbirds so in the spirit of such rampant insanity I've decided to make a little deal with you the good people of Kingston upon Hull. Every Saturday I'm going Read more...

CD Reviews - What Ya Cryin' For by The Landau's - By Tony Bates, Jim Hines and Leigh Lee-Roy Stancliffe (Aussie Radio)
	Every now and then a new band comes along, complete with biography promising a new sound and telling one and all that to miss this band and their release will be at their peril. I've heard it all before; haven't you?. Well this time I have to say that I have received a couple of releases from The Landau's, but without the usual hype. Read more...

Album Reviews - Michelle's CD choice of the moment CRUSH double CD by Polygram T.V.
	Where did all the good stuff go, those great bands of the nineties with cool sounding one-word names like Dodgy, Lush and Pulp etc. The t-shirts were tight fitting, brightly coloured with trims on neck and sleeves. The band logos were unobtrusive in trendy oval shaped designs. Read more...

Single Reviews - Agent Blue, Cherry Falls and Elena By Steve Rudd
	Brazenly busting out of Stoke-on-Trent, this punk-spirited rock 'n' roll bunch of boys means business. This is their second single, and although it is only 2 minutes 20 seconds in length, the quality of the music more than outweighs the accompanying quantity. Armed with Read more...

Single Reviews - Ryan Adams, The Divine Comedy and The Beta Band By Steve Rudd
	Something of a bizarre choice of song for this North Carolina-hailing genius to cover, but Ryan sings and plays this Oasis classic anthem wonderfully.. and, in doing so, stamps an astonishingly original seal of style on the tune. This cover version also actually features on his heart-attackingly Read more...

Album Reviews - The harriWattsband - Comin' Out By Elsie Creek
	The harriWattsband, purveyors of fine melodies, have finally decided to take the momentous step for which we have waited so long. Comin' out. I have been honoured with the task of communicating to you the important knowledge: has it been Read more...

Album Reviews - The Landau's - What Ya Crying For Pre-release CD Single. By Darren Bunting
	The Landau's second CD single What Ya Cryin For shows quite a step forward in production, song writing abilities and out and out confidence from their first release Sweet But True. it is very easy to forget this band are still only teenagers on the evidence of their recordings. CD opener What Ya Crying For Read more...

Album Reviews - Marlowe - Popularity Gel (single/ Probe Plus) By Steve Rudd
	With no fewer than eight band members involved, Marlowe songwriter and assumed ringleader is a brave man by the name of Simon Bradshaw, who shares the vocal duties with Chloe Mullett's sensual voice. John Peel is alleged to be a big fan of the band, and their third album is already on the way, so why Read more...