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Last Updated: 15/01/2008 14:45:04
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Fiction - Kat Out of the Bag Chapter Fourteen By Steve Rudd
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Yogesh, my abandoned guide on all things Nepalese, had said that the small
yak-herding settlement of Langsisa was worth seeing if seeing meant believing,
being as it is so isolated and yet further east of Kyangjin.
Yogesh and I had discussed where I might like to trek on my trip before
we embarked from Kathmandu, and he'd proposed the Langtang trek as being
an ideal one
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Fiction - Another Brick In The Wall, Another Man In The Crowd By Steve Rudd
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'It doesn't look any different on this side,' the disembodied voice yelled over the void.
'I never said that it would look any different. But I bet it feels different,' ventured an old man's voice on the Eastern side of the wall.
'Not really,' the disembodied voice declared. 'At least not from where I'm standing.'
To some people, the momentous fall of the Berlin Wall signified freedom
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Music Reviews - The Landau's - Sweet But True (single/ DAGALOST Records) By Steve Rudd
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Hull's something of a hotbed for cool indie-rock bands, and The Landau's - along with Still Life - are one of the freshest bands forging ahead within such a musical genre.
An exclusively laddish quartet, this is the young band's first major release, and has been recorded at the city's famous Fairview Studios.
The production qualities are fantastic,
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Music Reviews - The Displacements at the Polar Bear By Steve Rudd
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Three bands were on for what was the Polar Bear's first ever Melodic Punk/Grunge/Ska type night.
A fairly large crowd saw all girl band Black Orchid, Green Ginger and headliners Displacements all contributing to an extremely successful night.
So successful that the organiser said that despite it
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Music Reviews-
Electric Eel Shock & Antiproduct at The Kazbah, Scarborough 25th March 04 By Steve Rudd
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Antiproduct is the coolest and most exhilarating punk band since The Sex Pistols.
Stopping at nothing to put on the most entertaining show possible at every gig they play, this wacky quintet might be based in London, but they make it known loud-and-clear that they prefer
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Music Reviews - Jet Plane Landing , Drive Like You Stole It & Delta Volts at Fibbers, York Friday 7th May 04 By Steve Rudd
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Progressive rock 'n' roll is the order of the day where the Delta Volts are concerned, their
intoxicatingly complex and mesmerising music bulldozing the foundations of all rock music that has been
and gone before.
Relying heavily and heartily on epic soundscapes and mighty guitar
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Music Reviews- Bryan Adams, Proud Mary and Sketcher at the KC Stadium, Hull Saturday 26th June 04 By Steve Rudd
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St. Helens-based quartet Sketcher were something of a bizarre choice for the first support act
of the night, playing a damn fine brand of pop-punk music.
Still, they did what they were in a sense expected to do, and warmed-up the crowd to a
fantastic degree, with audience participation paramount (even if the extent of
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Music Reviews- The Levellers at Beverley Leisure Centre, Friday 18th June By Steve Rudd
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Spearheading the 21st celebrations of Beverley's mighty Folk Festival, I'll be honest - it took
me a while to grasp the fact that The Levellers were actually in the centre and
ready to play out their hearts, all-acoustically and in high spirits.
In support, a couple of Australian guys by the names
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Music Reviews- The Levellers, The Mutts & 59 Violets at Hull City Hall - 29th March 04 By Steve Rudd
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The Levellers have to be applauded for consistently inviting some brilliant bands to support them on tour.
Back in December 2003, Brighton rockabilly outfit She Said did the honours brilliantly, and this time around - for their 14-date, Anti-Apathy UK Spring 2004 tour
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Music Reviews - Ian McNabb at Fibbers, York - 4th November 04 By Steve Rudd
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Former Icicle Works frontman, Liverpudlian genius Ian McNabb has long been setting
mid-sized venues
alight with his talents since such band glory days.
Ian is one of the hardest working and genuinely enthralling singer-songwriters in the UK
and has released plenty of truly incredible
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Music Reviews-York 21st April 04
Million Dead, X is Loaded, yourcodenameis:milo at Fibbers By Steve Rudd
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As the April rains raged outside, so did Newcastle quintet yourcodenameis:milo on the inside.
Strange name, you might think.. and they're an even stranger band, proudly presenting the sound of sheer carnage as three guitarists manhandle all manner of destructive and
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Music Band News - This is Your New Home - Superscape (3 track single) By Steve Rudd
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Yet another of the seemingly never-ending line of genuinely brilliant bands emanating from the grand city of Hull, tucked to the East of the mighty proud county of Yorkshire, Superscape are a quintet with much to offer anybody who's sick and tired of rock bands who are obsessed with supporting the more hardcore and Emo slants..
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Music Reviews -
The Alarm at The Kazbah, Scarborough - Friday 6th February 04 By Steve Rudd
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Gigs do not, I repeat, DO NOT get any better than this. Ever.
Even though The Alarm haven't actually stayed together as a band since their inception back when punk-rock gripped the UK in the late 70's, the charismatic singing-&-songwriting Mike Peters has been over-actively involved
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Single Reviews -
Hayley Hutchinson - Independently Blue (album/ R N R Music) By Steve Rudd
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This 12-track, 43-minute album is packed with some of the most beautiful and heart-breaking
songs that I've heard in years, and singer-songwriter Hayley - now living and working
from her base in York after a childhood brought up in Scotland - is only in her early twenties.
Listening to these astonishing tunes, all of which
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Album Reviews - The Alarm - In The Poppyfields (12-track album - Snapper Music - 2004) By Steve Rudd
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25 years down the punk-rock 'n' roll line and The Alarm - assembled around the ever-photogenic mainman Mike Peters - is still going strong.
In fact, the Cardiff-based Alarm's ringing louder than ever on the back of some fabulous media exposure that vaulted right around the world and back because of the fact that Mike craftily decided
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Album Reviews -
Three Movements - Electricity Wiped out Heaven (Calculated Risk) By Steve Rudd
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If you've got half an hour of your life to spare for this 6-track mini-album,
then good for you - it's nigh impossible to be disappointed by the raving beauty
and dynamic musicianship on offer.
The atmospheric, haunting subtlety of instrumental opener Awaken is so
breathtaking that
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Single Reviews - Hoobastank - The Reason (Mercury) By Steve Rudd
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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
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Album Reviews -
Koreisch - The Decaying Schizophrenic Christ Complex (Calculated Risk) By Steve Rudd
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This 14-track album is actually a re-release, although it has been remixed
and remastered and so might still appeal to folk who bought this monster the
first time around in the late nineties.
Such folk would have been of the variety that is obsessed with hardcore rock
to manic
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Single Reviews - Ox - Blood (mini-album/ Co-Pop) By Steve Rudd
Release Date: November 1st 2004.
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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
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Album Reviews -
Ron Sexsmith - Retriever (Parlophone) By Steve Rudd
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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
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Single Reviews Torso Horse - The Invisible Event
(eight-track album/ Native) By Steve Rudd Release Date: Nov 1st 2004
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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
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Album Reviews - X Is Loaded - Raw Nerve (album/ Music For Nations) By Steve Rudd
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This Bath-based band is one of the hottest and most exciting rock bands to really
step-out in the past couple of years, blasting out with sky-scraping Emo-rock guitars,
beguilingly soulful vocals (delivered by photogenic frontman Jake) and plenty of
on-stage energy necessary to enthrall anyone who has ever had
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Album Reviews - The Apostacy - Demo By Steve Rudd
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What to expect from a band that opens up a demo with a song entitled Asparagus?
Well, this slick rock-loving trio are no way as boring as asparagus, with such a tune in
fact having roots in blazing Funk-Metal folds, as front man Shaun Garner sings and plays
guitar as though System Of A Down are his favourite God-damned rock band since time began.
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Single Reviews - Hey Negrita - Old Britannia by Steve Rudd
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Following-up their marvellous Devil In My Shoes single in captivating style, this
is the second single from Hey Negrita, a London quartet that deserves to be huge.
Pushing an intriguing style of music, elements of new-wave 'Country' and 'Pop' music
dominate the lush and simply lovely sound. Old Britannia
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Single Reviews - Five O'Clock Heroes - Run To Her (Glaze) By Steve Rudd
Release Date: 21st March 05
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This is the second single from the band's Bend To The Breaks debut album, and
by the sound of it this quartet is certainly one to watch out for.
Two of the members are British and the other two are native New Yorkers, so there
is an exhilarating melting
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Single Reviews - Ambulance LTD - Stay Where You Are (TVT) By Steve Rudd
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This fame-finding New York outfit could cure all ills, and already they are very well known
over the Atlantic - in the States - where they have appeared on both the Jay Leno
and David Letterman TV shows amongst others.
Slowly but surely the band's profile
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Single Reviews - Athlete - Twenty Four Hours (Parlophone) Reviewed by Steve Rudd |
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Ever since these four guys released their Vehicles And Animals album, they've been an exciting band
to watch, but since the release of their more recent Tourist long-player, this quartet has
rightfully became very well known indeed. This stunning single release follows on from their
hugely popular Wires and Half Light singles, with this mid-paced anthem in
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Single Reviews - Cherry Falls - Winter/Winter (Island) By Steve Rudd
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This album has to be one of the most stunning debut albums ever released by a band.
There is not one dull moment or dud note, and every last snatch of melody sets the spirits soaring.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Cherry Falls,
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Album Reviews - Four Square - Industry At Home (Bad Taste) By Steve Rudd
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A truly magnificent album from start to finish, first impressions don't last as the beautifully
chilled-out 'Intro' (that combines piano, vocals and a lilting string arrangement to subtly
rousing effect) couldn't be any more different from the brand of rock that swiftly follows with a bang.
Ah yes. Please Don't Go immediately hears the band
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Single Reviews - The Kaiser Chiefs - Oh My God (B-Unique) By Steve Rudd
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If you think you've heard this tune somewhere before, don't despair...you'll probably be right.
Yes, this was actually released last Spring as the band's debut single, but since then a lot
has happened and the lads decided it would be worth reworking the
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Album Reviews - Paparazzi Whore - I'd Rather Be Infamous Than Famous (DV8 Productions) Reviewed By Steve Rudd
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There aren't many bands around that allow their sound to be dominated by a bass-driven whirlwind of noise.
Paparazzi Whore are something of a unique band, in that there is no lead guitar melody in the mix, but
just bass guitar and rhythm guitar... both played by Chris Oaten, who is one of the four talented band members.
Fronted by the feisty Micci Oaten (who also plays
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Single Reviews - Patrolman Pete - Ready To Roll (MX3) Reviewed by Steve Rudd |
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Bob the Builder has effectively already been here and done this, but this twee novelty
single release still has its wide-eyed and wholly innocent charms, and - at the time of
writing - seems destined to scale the charts in leaps and bounds, with the odds
on it being 2005's Christmas Number One literally increasing day by day.
The AA-affiliated, two and a half minute song
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Album Reviews - The Peasants - Champagne Lifestyle On A Lemonade Budget (Our True Records) By Steve Rudd
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Whatever you do, don't you dare judge this CD by its cover, that shows the
two young guys who make up this musically gifted duo - Jody McKenna and Dave Saxby.
They both look like mean-spirited rockers, and both were brought up on the biggest
council estate in Britain - Hull's Bransholme estate.
Yet, the style of music that these two make together is in fact sweet harmony.
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Album Reviews - The Raindogs - The Adventures Of The Raindogs (Three Track Demo) By Steve Rudd
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Hull-based quartet The Raindogs are understandably turning ears in their direction with their
uniquely spirited brand of indie-fied rock 'n' roll, that magically manages to be damn
catchy come the choruses of all these three songs.
Stop Smiling is up first, and straight away band front man Martin Clappison stuns the senses with his
extraordinary voice: a voice that is
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Single Reviews - Silversun - Immediate (Invisible Hands) Reviewed by Steve Rudd |
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God, no! The 'Sun front man in James Broad was recently injured whilst making the accompanying video to
Immediate... or so it has been alleged, when Mr. Broad thought that he was James Bond for a
while and went hell for leather to emulate some of the secret agent's stunning stunts for
the aforementioned video.
Long story short, he injured himself. Details are
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Single Reviews - Coldplay - Talk (Parlophone) Reviewed by Steve Rudd |
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First there was Speed Of Sound.
Then these guys returned to literally haunt us and to Fix You.
Now all Coldplay wanna do is Talk.
And if they want to talk, the masses will sure as hell listen.
This is the third single to have thus far been swiped from their
stupendously successful X & Y album, and - as always - it is an anthem
dominated by both frontman Chris Martin
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Single Reviews - The Waking Eyes - Watch Your Money (Coalition) Reviewed by Steve Rudd |
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Wise words indeed from this thrilling Canadian band; a band that has bust out
of Winnipeg with one hell of a mission - and that mission is to rock hard! And loud!!
A ball-breaking rock 'n' roll riff dominates this smile-inducing anthem, as this
quartet indulges in a similar upbeat exuberance to bands like The Black Velvets and Jet,
lightly stained by the wicked fun of The Hives.
Watch Your Money might
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Single Reviews - Rob McCulloch - Planet Of My Own (Gladrag) Reviewed By Steve Rudd
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Following-up his fantastic Thoughts Alone album, this fresh-faced and hugely
talented singer-songwriter from Bolton releases his debut single,
Planet Of My Own - an awesomely catchy slab of chart-hungry indie-rock for the masses.
I can't sleep, confides Rob - This world won't turn with me.
His gruffly soulful voice is a Godsend, and is perhaps heard best on b-side
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Single Reviews - The Somatics - Elemental (Engine Room) Release date: 27th February 2006. Reviewed By Steve Rudd
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After the sad demise of cult heroes Ultrasound, ace guitarist Richard Green wasted
no time in forming the Leeds-based trio The Somatics.
Thus, we have Richard on lead vocals and guitar, backed up by bassist Stephanie
and drummer Bruce.
This single was also recorded and produced by Richard, to further prove just
how talented he is both in front of and
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