Single co-released with Munich's (where the band also resides) Little Teddy Records. Bartlebees sound never changes, but that's not a bad thing: they have a great sound that transcends trends like indiepop. I guess I don't have much to say here because the name "The Bartlebees" says all I need to if you've heard them at all. I still feel lucky to have seen them at TT The Bears here in Cambridge in 1993.

Includes a studio reading crib sheet to catch up on any bands you haven't gotten to hear yet. Many many reviews, and a couple of good articles too, particularly one on The Ladybug Transistor. We also have the last issue at the station. This is the first issue printed on newsprint like Maximum Rock N' Roll. Last issue had a blue cover.

4 song compilation with a song each from The No-No's (the band which includes Heather, the ex-drummer dynamo from Tiger Trap), The Lookers, The Panties, and The Need (who include Rachel of Kicking Giant). The Need are from Olympia, but the others are all from Portland Oregon, where the label also originates. All 4 are female fronted bands with zippy songs that you'll enjoy hearing. I really like The Panties "I Love You" which bounces around in a Mod like way. The Need would be my second faves with the cartoonish voice, and again, a riff that would make The Small Faces proud.

To celebrate Earworm's 50th release, you get a colored vinyl double 12 inch package complete with balloons, stickers, etc. But more importantly there are 8 great exclusives from a number of bands associated with the label. Echoboy contribute a side long, Popol Vuh-like slowburner called 'Newfoundland'. Ma Cherie For Painting also appear with an awesome 12 minute track. Magnetophone contribute the incredible 'The Science Must Continue' under the name Tape Deck. Tank continue their recent success with another up-tempo Neu piece called 'Troll'. And there's two more French bands, Opia and Tekaq (Les Neu More Godspeed); and a debut recording from US band The Slowes, whose electronica features subtle use of Atari toy consoles and PCs within a mix of guitar and real drums. Limited to 750 copies. For my money, The Slowes sound best, along with Tank and one of the songs by Opia. All is interesting though, and the pacakaging is tops as well.

The followup to The Essex Green's wonderful full length on Kindercore. They started with a song on the Mystique compilation on Eric Masunaga's Sealed Fate record label. They now are as big as the band they came from, The Ladybug Transistor, playing pop that "would not sound out of place on a Siesta comp. such as Algebra Spaghetti or Simultaneous Ice Cream" to quote a comment on the sticker of their CD, written by a DJ at WZBC.

Finery Scrawled is a French band which would be part of the Elephant 6 gang if they were from the US. There are 5 songs on this 7". On side 1: "Song For The Radio" is my fave on the EP. It has everything the finest Olivias/Apples/Belulah/Minders have, plus one thing none of those bands have: neat French accents (though they are suppressed in their attempt to sound American). "I Know" continues with the harmonies, strummed Rickenbackers/Telecasters mixed way out front along with the vocals, drums without snare, bassdrum or cymbals, and an occasional tambourine shake. The side pleasantly closes out with "Life Can Be Beautiful", an instrumental which features kazoo, whistling, and sounds from an outside recording (children,dog barking, cars/carnivalsounds/beach) over a guitar & tambourine. On the 2nd side "She Tells" starts off - a song of romantic longing and "I hate her, I love her" confusion. The EP ends with "She", another less than happy song with psychedic buzz guitar counterpointing the tremolo guitar. For my taste, the first side has all the gems, particularly the first 2 songs.

Japanese diva's first release on the always incredible Siesta Records. The title song is a real treat (unless you cannot bear her whispered childlike vocals) written by Momus, the second song is a cover of "Por Que Te Vas" written by J.L. Perales. The EP also has "Still Be Your Girl" and "Mike Alway's Diary", a song which also appeared on her first self-titled US CD.

We have the London and the Glasgow entries in Plastic Cowboy's cities series. The third and latest entry covers Oxford, a college town outside of London. Cody (who also have out 2 singles on Shinkansen Records) give us "Sleepy Park Royal", The Samurai Seven play "What Have I Said Now?", Four Storeys have "Still Waiting", and Whispering Bob sing "Lucky Strike". The Samurai Seven remind me a lot of Sneak Attack Tigers, a Scottish band whose single on Flotsam & Jetsan I added to WZBC back on June 16, 1999. Like that band, the 'Sevens play a harmony vocal pop punk similir to US bands like The Get Up Kids. The other 3 bands on this comp. are all much more mellow. Cody are like a less experienced Trembling Blue Stars, Whispering Bob do not appeal to me much. Their website paints them as timeless music outside of any trends. They sound very 'regular' to me, particularly the vocal and paino - not what I would expect on a label subsidiary of Guided Missile Records. Four Stories song reminds me of the Dogmatics "(It Sure Doesn't Feel Like) X'Mas Time" song from the 1984 compilation "A Midnight Christmas-Mess" which came out on Midnight Records out of NYC. Bringing up the name 'The Dogmatics', a Boston band who ruled from 1981-86 until the untimely death by motorcyle of bassist/co-vocalist (along w/his brother Peter) Paul O'Halloran, reminds me how magic music can be, and how adequate but unmagical the bands on this EP (sadly) are.

Another band from Wales, in this case the town of Newport. Terris are being slated to take over London, with an incredible review of the single in the NME (that compared them to the early Clash!) and a subsequent appearance on the cover of the NME on the January 15, 2000 issue. Upon first hearing this 7" I was very dissapointed after such a buildup, but I can now see what might be magic about them. It is their vocalist. His voice is what I disliked most on first listening. It is from hunger. As anyone who has loved bands such as The Only Ones can tell you, odd vocalists make up the most interesting of rocks sounds. Terris has Gavin Goodwin up front, and his rasp is a extreme as Tom Waits with a Billy Idol twist. It's ultimately the thing that makes them special though. I'll be curious to see if this band takes off. It's early to tell if they will, or it the label they are on, the newly restored Rough Trade will either. This single is the first release on Rough Trade, a label which used to be incredibly crucial in the late 70's and early 80's (no relation to the store of the same name). This time around, Rough Trade is a subsidiary of Warner Music UK, so the big money is behind it. The featured song on this 4 song EP ("Trial By Fire") features dialog from David Lynch's "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me".