Damian

Given who's singing, it basically sounds like Mew. So can't go wrong really. Far better use of Guy Berryman's time than his day job.

Nice piece on attitudes to pop in The Sunday Times today Sean.

I'm old enough to remember that round about the Great Escape era they filmed everything, with the intent of putting a film out around the time. Then it all got a bit much for them and served as an unpleasant reminder. All that stuff would make a pretty interesting historical document now methinks...

I'd prefer a complete live show on DVD. I believe there's an old one you can import, but one of the current tour would be great.

I'll be buying it.

...and Radiohead would appear, rightly, not to give a shit.

before the flood of "I was into them at the beginning and they're crap now" messages...

...and I like it when a good band gets bigger - unfortunately in Bristol that means "playing the Academy". I hate that venue with every fibre of my being.

You'd almost think they were warming to them. EVERYONE seems to hate "Love Is The Answer" though.

Interesting this... different people dislike different tracks.

I reckon Pitchfork will surprise us and give it a semi-decent review. They were nice about the Foo Fighters "best of" today which I hadn't expected.

I've got no beef with this review though. I can see why a lot of people won't like this album, it just happens that I do.

but agree that the two tracks that are an attempt to break the "Weezer template" really don't work.

Like the stuff on the bonus CD too. I'd probably give it a 7 but I'm one of the few people remaining that still seems to like this band.

but still think this is their best record. One of the rare occasions I will be "upgrading" to a special edition.

Have the ticketing agencies gone soft on us?

... then let's not knock him, may as well give it a good hearing. And if, say, only a quarter of it appeals to most of us, we can do the editing ourselves.

that Sufjan is a supremely talented songwriter who appears to love doing just about anything except writing songs. I think that's a fair summation.

Cheer up Sufjan. Then new album please.

but if you drink it in December like Ezra suggests, it is not fresh - you only get it fresh in summer.

The track is rather lovely too.

People should get over it and start buying the stuff.

if their previous mid-afternoon slot (the one ending with him diving into the kit and knacking himself) could also be on there as an extra.

Yes, I know perfectly well they only provide links to torrents rather than actually hosting files. But they actively assist in helping people rip artists off, and they know that full well. And the site was funded by a Nazi sympathiser. What's to like?

:)

as it's at The Worst Venue In The World.

In the 90s, pretty much everything I got into, I got into because of Lamacq but it's been a while since a new recommendation of his did the trick for me. There was a time when this decision would have bothered me but now it occurs to me that each BBC Radio station is what it is. Once Peel died, I think they no longer felt the need to pretend that Radio 1 needed to be for everyone and they're never going to let someone become as long established on the station anymore.

I still think it's a bit of a pity though. I like 6Music but I don't think you'll get a show anywhere that covers all bases anymore. I'm 36 but I still want to hear radio shows with a mixture of quiet AND shouty stuff, and it seems you've either got to be "young" or "mature" in your music tastes these days, not both. It's not like 6Music is Radio 2, but I still want a show where a few curveballs get thrown in...

and if they'd put out just a book with details of the music, that would have been fun to work through. In fact that's a great idea and I wouldn't mind nicking it.

Putting out a blank disc, though, is silly.

how someone that talks a good fight can only back it up with such mediocre music... he MUST know. Does he not play it back after he's recorded it?

...but you couldn't be more right about this bit:

"The awfulness and childishness of people’s behaviour is often in direct relation to how good and enjoyable their jobs are."

I know what hard work is, which is why I have no time for musicians who act like impetuous young kids. I've met some in my time (through the joys of street teaming amongst other things). Happily now though, I work with a number of people in a couple of bands who know it's a privilege and the best job in the world. Which leaves me with even less tolerance for the rest. Put it this way, I didn't shed any tears when The Metros split, to give one example.

and I agree with you, as I've commented below another recent article, about Neil Kulkarni. Still my favourite journalist of my growing-up years. Which were my 20s.

No acknowledgement of a desire to entertain the people in front of them, and (since 1995) no tunes. If that's what floats your boat, good luck. I've caught them at a few festivals in the interim which have borne this out.

"Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back In Anger" were pretty much regarded as ear cancer in the reviews when "What's The Story..." came out, then this was mysteriously forgotten when the album started selling and never stopped. They were, and are, both horrific banal dirges.

"Definitely Maybe" is still a great record, mind.

Brilliant, brilliant writer. Total anti-snob as well. Anyone who likes Public Enemy AND Terrorvision is a genius in my book.

and definitely all about Graham. Especially the opening of "There's No Other Way".

Thanks.

Bit shorter than the last gig then. Can't grumble for free!

...and breathe.

But regarding the music, look at the line-up on the other stages last year... this year... any year.

Snobbery gets no place at Glastonbury. Put Crosby, Stills and Nash on at Reading and watch the bottles fly. And... yeah... maybe they don't "belong" there. But the point is at Glastonbury there's tons of the "new" stuff. But most people - shock - like a variety of stuff, and some of it not by whatever came out that year. And Glastonbury's one of the few festivals where you can see the new and the old. Or if you're not bothered, just the new, or just the old.

The UK's pretty unique in staging "single genre" festivals - and Glastonbury's one of the very few that breaks that rule. The fault is that of the festival goers as much as it is the organisers. We get what we ask for.

Please give Catherine A.D. a writing job. Thank you.

Bristol!

Unfortunately, it's at The Worst Venue In The World (TM). It's almost enough to stop me going. I'll have to think about it.

some bloody amazing photography right there.

and I'm broke. And I'm not downloading it. Spotify for now then and a purchase at the end of June.

...well almost. I can't, ahem, say I was 14 when I heard BH&R.

I'm waiting for my special edition to arrive - the one that costs twice as much as the standard edition, and have just found out that the extra track, "Bag Lady" (only hidden because they wanted it to have 13 tracks on it for whatever reason), is actually not on there.

Not the best way to treat the people paying a high amount for records. I suspect it's the label rather than the band, but ho hum.

I need to hear that sometime.

I like Graham.

I like Bloc Party but their new remix album is TERRIBLE (it's on Spotify).

I love Erlend's stuff generally. May have to try before I buy on this.

New Kings of Convenience album, please.

I think it's great.

This interview reaffirms this fact.

And I'd like to see an end to people having a go at musicians with money making these points, like they're a) not allowed to care about people other than themselves and b) ignoring the fact that these are the people, like it or not, who will at least get their thoughts printed in the "mainstream" media.

you might want to check her profile. Just sayin'.