Calvin Harris - Acceptable In The 80’s

Acceptable In The 80’s’ lacks the sense of urgency found in dance peers Bodyrox and Fedde Le grand, instead sounding like LCD Soundsystem fronted by Jake Shears with the transvestites from ‘The Ones’ watching from the sidelines. It’s sickly, sugar coated pop. Infectious for the first few listens, too much over indulgence leaves you wishing you had listened to something a bit less rich in bouncing synth lines and falsettos. Read more

Fear Of Music - First To Go

A good rule of thumb as to whether a person is worth talking to is whether they openly admit to having a myspace, as opposed to keeping it a dirty little secret like everyone else. Read more

Madam - Calling For Love

There is something of a renaissance going on with female singer-songwriters at the moment. Feist, Bat For Lashes and to a certain degree Regina Spektor have all tasted success of the back of their albums from this year. Read more

Everyone Must Win - Everyone Must Win

“Everyone Must Win is the 11th commandment” - so say this Cardiff based five-piece. It might be an oddly optimistic name, certainly in the cut-and-thrust world that is the music industry, however, their brand of upbeat indie-pop makes it more than justified. They may not be the most original music-makers out there (something they freely admit), but what they do, they do remarkably well. Read more

British Sea Power @ Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh

That British Sea Power (pictured) aim to do things differently is confirmed from the outset, with their beautifully arranged merch stand reminiscent of a jumble sale circa 1949. Read more

Kid Carpet @ Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh

Dressed in a Darth Vader- meets-Red Indian cape, James III and the Puritan played loops and samples suggestive of early Nine Inch Nails, but with a more up-to-date feel. I suspect his element would normally be in a late-night club setting, but even in the first-up teatime slot at the Cabaret Voltaire it’s impossible not to dance like a loon as his beats chop and change. Read more

The Stills - Without Feathers

‘Changes Are No Good’ they claimed in 2003, this complete regeneration proves otherwise. It�s been nearly four years since their fantastic debut Logic Will Break Your Heart, which, although containing a Top 40 single, remained largely over looked. The Stills return with a shuffled line-up and an overhauled sound in the shape of Without Feathers. Read more

The Maccabees/Derek Mains/The Envy Corpse/The New Vinyls @ Leeds Metropolitan University

The Maccabees boys were due to play one of their final ‘Colour It In’ tour dates after recently finding themselves as freshly appointed and sadly understated members of the ‘new wave’ class of 2007. Impressively tonight, there was not one, not two, but three support acts performing (bonus), although only one of the above really wooed the crowd of West Yorkshire. Read more