Single Reviews - Hood - The Negatives (Domino) By Steve Rudd

Well, there's nothing quite like being positive - even if they're Hood and they're playing The Negatives. For starters, this band's music is certainly intriguing and thoroughly fascinating, not least because they refuse to conform when it comes to writing conventionally structured songs. The two b-sides that are tagged on the back of this single release, just like the title track, don't have any clearly defined chorus that really stands out from the fray. The Negatives might remind of Athlete's way with words and sultrily sung vocals in rather a chilled-out and sullenly melancholic manner.

There isn't any space for love anymore so sings the front man, with the mid-paced groove of the tune and the general ambience that pervades actually almost convincing us that such a declaration is in fact the God's honest. Such a tune is taken from their Outside Closer album, before the first b-side in Squint In The First Light of Day allows the band's plot to thicken. All that's before The Sad Decline of Home, which to be a subtly affecting wonder. This track, coincidentally, was actually recorded at home in Leeds, and its acoustic lo-fi charm and multi-layered vocals sound to have been influenced in one way or another by the music of Belle & Sebastian. But who really knows? These guys in the Hood, surely to goodness... 6/10

Music News - Leeds Festival - Calling all unsigned bands from the North of England!
	This years' Leeds Festival will be providing a new stage for unsigned bands. The Mean Fiddler, organisers of the festival have teamed up with local BBC Radio show, Raw Talent, Sandman Magazine and The Cockpit in Leeds to select 20 bands who will perform on the new stage this August. It's an incredible opportunity Read more...

Wanted - Bass Player - Urgent!
	For local female singer/songwriter. Influences include Joni Mitchell, Hem, Emiliana Torrini, Kate Bush. Please contact 01482 217080

Single Reviews - Bodyrockers - I Like The Way (Mercury) By Steve Rudd
	The type of tune that you either love or loathe, this latest anthem from this troupe of Dance-dazed musicians is taking the nation by storm regardless, and the Top 40 really cannot resist a tune of this calibre. This release heaves with some epic remixes of the song, but rarely do remixes compare Read more...

Single Reviews - Wherewithal - Sixth Form Poetry (Foolproof) By Steve Rudd
	This fem-fronted quintet sure isn't taking any prisoners, ballsily bursting out of the Farnborough area with gusto. Stacy Hart is the singer, and what a singer she is. Holding the rest of the band in check with her fantastic vocal musings, Stacy possesses a strong and distinctive voice that dominates the music, with such music Read more...

Album Reviews - Rumpus - EP By Michelle Dee
	This offering from Sheffield band Rumpus - features seven varied tracks of atmospheric unusual electro death rock. They have managed to mix up the genres of Indie rock with a shade of electronica and a hefty slab of death metal vocals. This ambitious approach stands up well to scrutiny and has Read more...

Single Reviews - Ryan Adams - Let it Ride (Lost Highway) By Steve Rudd
	American Country-rocker Ryan is back on the scene, and is being backed by a new band of friends called The Cardinals. Let It Ride is their new single, and - true to form for Ryan - lush elements of both Country music and rock 'n' roll are fashionably entwined in the most sublime manner. Read more...

Single Reviews - Razorlight - Somewhere Else (Vertigo) By Steve Rudd
	Face it - Razorlight front man Johnny Borrell is a total star in his own right, even without the other three lads that make up this tantalisingly talented band... especially when he's armed and potentially infamous with his trusted acoustic guitar. Still, the full band sound is hard to beat, and this tune Read more...

CD Reviews - Miss Machete - EP - Wanted For Murder By Steve Rudd
	For a good old all-round intense and wholly invigorating rock experience, then you ought to make friends with Little Miss Machete, because when they cut you with their music, it doesn't so much hurt as it simply stuns. This fresh and frantic quartet is a fast-rising phenomenon in the Yorkshire Read more...

CD/Album Reviews - Blind Frog Ernie - Ver:5.1 By Arse-Nick Photographs by Sarah Edwards
	Adorned with a picture of a blind frog, that looks a lot like a mushroom, Ver 5.1, the new release from Blind Frog Ernie is out for public consumption this week. Featuring a new drummer, in their ever evolving fifth reincarnation, The Frog have gone and done themselves proud with this Read more...

Album Reviews - The Raindogs - The Adventures of The Raindogs By Nick Quantrill Photos of Raindogs and A Certain Type of Person at The Sesh 5th April 05 by Michelle Dee
	Formed in October 2004 The Raindogs comprise of vocalist and guitarist Martin Clappison (ex King Rupert), bass guitarist Phil Ives (ex Circa 75) and drummer Dan Lydon (ex Mr Ed). The Adventures of The Raindogs is the band's first release and having played Read more...

Music, Album Reviews - Lola Ray - I Don't Know Why (DC Flag) By Steve Rudd
	Signed to the same label as Good Charlotte, this quartet is hitting the world's airwaves hard with their sun-kissed brand of highly melodic and supremely fashionable rock music for the masses, with John Balicanta chairing proceedings Read more...

Music News - Vote For Sworn Amongst in The Snickers Unsigned Download Festival
	After months of hard graft, Sworn Amongst have been selected from thousands to compete in this year's Snickers Unsigned Download Festival competition. The final ten bands will appear in this week's issue of Kerrang and will be voted for at Read more...

Album Reviews - Sixty 6 - Crash and Burn By Nick Quantrill
	Sixty6 are an exciting power-pop three-piece from York who are starting to make waves across the country and attract the interest of major label record companies. The band confirms this potential with the release of the CD, Crash and Burn. Read more...

Music News - Showcase Your True Talent with Selador Studios Amazing deal for local bands/artists all for just ten squid.
	Newly opened, fully furnished studio, with a relaxed working atmosphere catering for all musical genres, promise top quality recordings for knock down price. The recording studio is equipped with industry standard microphones inc. Neumann u87 Read more...

Single Reviews - The Departure - Lump In My Throat (Parlophone) By Steve Rudd
	These Northampton boys can't do no wrong since past singles All Mapped Out and Be My Enemy both crashed into the Top 40. Likewise, this single couldn't be cooler and boasts a mesmerising chorus (I've got a bag with no air-holes, a chair with no seat...) Read more...

Single Reviews - The Others - William (Mercury) Release Date: 4th April By Steve Rudd
	These guys have been nothing but a huge inspiration to hordes of people over the past year, not least because of the band's willingness to stage impromptu guerrilla gigs - wherever and whenever they please. Hell, they've even produced a short film Read more...

Album Reviews - The Kaiser Chiefs - Employment (B-Unique) By Steve Rudd
	This Leeds outfit has become very, very famous in what seems like a very, very short period of time. The scale of hype around these guys has come to rival the hype that has surrounded Franz Ferdinand over the past year. In a coincidental parallel Read more...

Band News - The Black Dogs - Headlining at YoYo at The Welly 2nd April
	Chromium Records Band of the Month for March, The Black Dogs: are four hard hitting northern boys from Liverpool. Like their stage presence, their music is as eclectic and electric as it is loud. The lad's music came together due to a shared passion Read more...