Think of music from Bristol, and I dare you – I double dare you – to not think of Massive Attack. I certainly can’t help it. The reaction is totally involuntary – the place and the band being as deeply connected in my mind as Radiohead to Oxford, The Boss with New Jersey, and, er, [...]

My recent posts have been pretty much Manchester-dominated. I was just about to add to this, by writing about The Fall. But, I don’t think that I’m living true to the freethinking philosophy. It’s about blurring boundaries, and not letting one theme dominate. So, let’s turn to Detroit. Let’s turn to pop music. Let’s talk [...]

Even the most casual reader of these pages will know that I’m a bit of an Elbow fan. I feel that I need to put that out there straight from the off, so you know what you’re dealing with, here. That said, I’ve largely held back on commentary around ‘Build A Rocket Boys!’, save for [...]

My last post was about The Stone Roses: a Manchester band which left a mark so deep on our cultural landscape that you can probably see it from space. At the other end of the scale, a band which made barely a dent, but one from the same time and same place as The Stone [...]

You remember where you were when you heard about Princess Diana’s unfortunate demise. Or, where you were as tragedy unfolded on 9/11. Or, if you’re a certain age, where you were when you heard that JFK had been shot. For me, I add another to the list: I remember where I was when The Stone [...]

Strap yourself in for this. Here’s your new favourite track, by your new favourite band. When a band comes out of nowhere with a tune of this calibre, it makes you realise that there was a void in the musical landscape. I’m talking about perfect, infectious pop – completely nailed with polish and a swagger [...]

I’ll just come out and say it: I hope PJ Harvey wins the 2011 Mercury Prize. Yes, even though she’s up against Elbow, and even though I’ve already waxed lyrical about my huge admiration for fellow nominees Anna Calvi and Everything Everything, I hope Polly walks away with the award. (And, yes, I can’t help [...]

My daily commute takes me from Manhattan out to deepest, darkest New Jersey, taking in the industrial wasteland bordering Newark airport, before finally landing in the greenery of ‘The Garden State’. The journey takes me through East Orange. And so, as I sat in my car last week, surrounded by SUVs, pick-up trucks, and knackered [...]

You’re All I Need To Get By Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing The Onion Song Bourgie, Bourgie Reach Out And Touch (Somebody’s Hand) Street Corner California Soul I’m Every Woman Ain’t No Mountain High Enough Nickolas Ashford: he made the world a better place.

When I fall for a band, I sometimes fall hard. A case in point: Warpaint. I’ve mentioned them to a few people recently – and their name receives a nod of recognition. I hear good words of their live reputation, and a general acceptance that ‘The Fool’ is a fine album. For me, it’s an [...]

I’ve got a difficult relationship with Coldplay. Actually, let me correct that: I was clear on Coldplay, then it became difficult, but now it’s gone back to being crystal clear. The turn of events is as follows: First album: brilliant. Properly brilliant. Second album: ‘iffy’. Difficult relationship begins and continues in a straight line through [...]

I don’t know when it happened. People started to play 80s music – in a deeply un-ironic way. A case in point: Roxy Music. I am serious here – I can barely move in the shops of NYC without hearing the strains of Brian Ferry. I’m not saying that this is a bad thing at [...]