No Rock And Roll Fun

WHAT THE POP PAPERS SAY: About time too, there's only 353 days left
We're not sure, but surely the gap between the 2004 Review and the 2005 Preview issues of the NME has to be the longest ever? Anyway, having paused for a pre-Christmas, Christmas, The New Year and the Franz special, we're finally down to the 2005 crystal-meth gazing. Compared with last year, when it was proudly proclaimed to be the year of the Oasis Return, this year is looking much better: Bloc Party are on the front. There is a pokey Chris Martin tucked in the corner, but we can pretend that's not happening. It is, of course: there's a report from the studio, where the Play are using the riff from Computer Love on one of their new songs (which is like taking the engine from a Bentley to use as a doorstop); and writing exciting new lyrics: "You and me are floating on a tidal wave together/ You and me are drifting into outer space." Thanks for that, Chris.

News reports that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are planning a "total change of style for 2005" - the main change being they're going to actually stick a record out towards the end of this year, something they've not done since 2002.

Peter Robinson takes on Liela Moss from Duke Spirit: She claims she never watched Z-Cars, but she does like hill-walking. That's the problem with outdoors, like Smog said: you risk missing something good on the TV.

Cat Goodwin, NME picture assistant, gets an oped slot to suggest that in the light of the Tsunami deaths, watching popstars kill themselves might be a little more sick. She also suggests that William Blake was talking bullshit when he said "the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom." She should be writing more, trying to find an interesting picture of Chris Martin less, although frankly, she describes Coldplay as "the best British band, which suggests that maybe she shouldn't.

So, who are the NME pinning their 2005 hopes on? Kaiser Chiefs - "grouting" says Peanut, "is very similar to indie music"; Kano, who provided 16 Bars for Fit But You Know It; The Bravery, whose Sam uses the medium of the film Twins to explain themselves: "The bands we're compared to are Danny DeVito; The Bravery are Arnold Schwarzenegger." (Which is actually the wrong way round - The Bravery are the funny, inspired, energetic one); The Game, apparently about to piss over 50 Cent's sales records (say his record company); Nine Black Alps, the indiest indie band ever; The Longcut, the first Manc band to sign to Deltasonic; The Arcade Fire, with Win admitting that he wanted Regine in the band because he fancied her; The Subways, beaten in a Welwyn Garden City best band contest by a now defunct reggae act; The Magic Numbers, who are either so good or so rubbish Noel Gallagher bought them a pint. And, of course, Bloc Party.

This year, then, is looking pretty good - not only does there not seem to be any bands who've been included because otherwise there'd be an empty page or two, but there feels like a genuine sense of excitement in the way the paper covers them. While some of the previous years "Here comes..." issues have read like The New Republic previewing another four years of Bush, this feels like hearts are really coming back into it.

And then there's Bloc Party. A band who are proud of having library cards. It could be a great year.

reviews
live
pete doherty - news year eve dates - "it was like Beatlemania" says reader Jane, who would have been all of minus 23 when Beatlemania was happening.
guided by voices - chicago metro - the final gig is reviewed by Carl Dalemo from Razorlight: "The whole venue is begging for the band to go on... just one more song..."
the tears - london heaven - the first gig: "the tears have picked up from the moment they left off a decade ago... the chemistry remains"

albums
the chemical brothers - push the button - "some moments worth salvaging", 4
kissogram - the secret life of captain ferber - "weary, witty pop songs", 7
entrance - wandering stranger - "the international son of cosmic blues", 8

tracks
totw - the others - lackey - "a corkscrew in the head of Keane fans"
park attack - tongue n groove - "the kind of [thing] popular in New York in 1983"
little barrie - free salute - "the Toploader its okay to like"

Next week, it's going to be The Killers.You can almost forgive the bastards for slapping Bono's gob on the newsagent's stand for two weeks, can't you?