I'm not a man, I am a machine.

Hey gang!

Let's rush this post through before the Man United V Middlesborough FA Cup quarter-final replay, shall we? First up, it's single of the week time. Bit of a dry week for singles (good one for albums though, with newies from Modest Mouse, Ted Leo, The Aliens and Panda Bear) and it was a toss-up between the new Bebel Gilberto remix 12" - with two re-works each from Prins Thomas and Mungolian Jet Set - and the winner. Which is...

SINGLE OF THE WEEK

Maximo Park - Our Velocity (Warp)

It's the return of everyone's second favourite geordie rockers (after Lindisfarne), Maximo Park, and what a return it is. Refreshingly energised, but without feeling anywhere near as artificially artful as anything off the first album, it's a good taster for the surprisingly excellent Our Earthly Pleasures album. It's not the best though, just wait until you hear 'By The Monument' and 'Karaoke Plays'. About as good as commercially-skewed britrock gets these days.

Elsewhere, Fran Donnelly has written an intriguing live review of Friendly Fires for The Console. Haven't really heard much about them before this, but the embedded video of their cover of 'Your Love' is fantastic. Not as good as the original though...

Frankie Knuckles & Jamie Principle - Your Love (mp3)

Talking In Stereo have an excellent Beppe Loda video for all the beardies out there and The Ledge from The Indie Credential doesn't like R.E.M.'s New Adventures In Hi-Fi and he's not afraid to tell everyone about it.

And, um, that's about it for now.

Laters,

JMx