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Feted by metal mags and several of our competitors in cyber-space, for once the fuss is justified, Johnny Foreigner are a Brum base trio who have been branded everything from frantic indie-rockers to turbo charged young guitar-slingers, which may well give you an idea where they're coming from but doesn’t recognise the clever Breeders-esque twists and turns, the Pavement style experi-mentalism or the occasional dose of XTC punk clatter, hell there’s even some Sigur Ros style dynamics in here, whilst still retaining a major sense of fun and an ear for a top pop chorus. If this lot aren’t destined for greatness hats will be eaten.
Ruby Palmer

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Poor old MJ, anytime he tries to log in a little overtime outside of his Rolling Stone day job he meets a positive tidal wave of disinterest and in some cases downright vilification, which is frankly a little unfair. Okay he’s recorded some stinkers (‘Let’s Work’ being a case in point), but then so have the Stones, and any album which can boast belting tunes like ‘God Gave Me Everything’, Don’t Call Me Up’ and the truly mighty ‘Memo From Turner’ (a track Bobby Gillespie has been trying to record his whole life) has a damn sight more going for it than much of the dross we’ve waded through this month.


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With Anton Corbijn’s biopic of Joy Division’s vocalist Ian Curtis currently doing the rounds it’s no surprise to see the bands two classic albums (and less classic odds’n’ sods collection Still) getting the re-release treatment and although others might argue for the 1979 debut Unknown Pleasures, we’d suggest that for the uninitiated the entry point is the, damn near perfect, 1980 release Closer, an album which would go on to influence acts as diverse as U2, The Smashing Pumpkins, Manic Street Preachers, the Editors and Interpol. Long term fans will find all three re-issues come complete with fascinating extra live material.


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Having been introduced to Daniel Johnston here at TM-Towers via the excellent documentary The Devil And Daniel Johnston (see here), we immediately set about tracking down a CD that might do the same job as the film and help introduce a wider audience to this remarkable singer songwriter. Not a new release but a great starting point which will undoubtedly lead many of you (as indeed it did us) to search out more – check out the website – from the positive tidal wave of often naive, regularly insightful, occasionally childlike but always lyrically direct DIY tunes Johnston has released over the years. We’re fans, so should you be.

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The third, and almost certainly the best, Jam album wherein the band finally found both confidence and direction after the rushed and lacklustre This Is The Modern World - although there was still plenty of great material to come after '78 – given the ‘deluxe’ treatment, which in this case means extra singles, b-sides, demos and a Don Letts’ directed DVD built around all three band members being interviewed and some great old footage including TOTP’s appearances, videos and live film (and what a live band they were) plus an exclusive new acoustic version of 'English Rose'. If you don’t own this now is the time to do so.


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Finding themselves - through an accident of timing, management prodding and over-polished production values - part of the hideous 'new romantic' movement (who the hell would willingly cliam aliegence to a scene that included Haysi Fantayzee, or Classix Nouveau?) Japan struggled to distance their infinitely deeper, more subtle, and thoughtful output from their lumpen peers. Do Ultravox, Duran or Spandau have transcendentally beautiful moments like ‘Nightporter’ or ‘Ghosts’ in their back catalogue? They do not, and as the individual band members solo efforts went on to prove those depths would just get deeper and more fascinating.


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Juliette & The Licks
Your Speaking My Language (Hassle Records)

It’s generally a pretty good rule of thumb that when an actor strays in the music world (and indeed visa versa), unpleasantness ensues. There are of course notable exceptions to this rule – who would have thought Cher would be such a good actress? – exceptions to which you can now add actress Juliette Lewis ‘cos a short-on-ideas, long- on-production vanity project this ain’t. Equal parts Patti Smith pose, Iggy Pop swagger and knuckle cracking punk ramalama YSML proves Lewis can both write and hold a decent tune (she even touches on Rickie Lee Jones in This I know). Dontcha just hate people that can do everything?


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Jaga Jazzist
What We Must (Smalltown Supersound/Ninja Tune)

Regardless of how impressive you might have found previous JJ efforts, like the astonishing A Livingroom Hush, there’s no substitute for seeing them all (the current line up hovers around the ten mark), squashed onto a stage creating a pulsing vortex of astounding noise – from Lalo schfrin-esque jazz to scattershot breakbeats and all points in between. No substitute that is until now, with the release of their fifth album, probably the most organic, piece of work they have attempted to date. Imagine jazz-driven post-rock, or big-band prog and you’re still shy of the mark, Jaga Jazzist simply ooze creativity, and this is pure class.


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Carolyn Dawn Johnson
Dress Rehearsal (Arista)

Given that there’s so many drop dead gorgeous female singer songwriters around right now dealing in soaring, soft-rock meets country-esque, balladry – more than at any other point in music history to date in fact – you might be forgiven for wondering what Carolyn Dawn Johnson can offer you that isn’t already out there, and the short answer is nothing. However that’s a bit like saying why bother with Jerry Lee Lewis when you have Elvis and if this is your thing (Norah Jones meets Aimee Mann via Sheryl Crow) then you will find plenty to excite you on Dress Rehearsal as Ms Johnson attempts to replicate her Canadian and US success here.

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Jaga Jazzist
Magazine (Smalltown Supersound)

Reminiscent at times of the Mothers Of Invention in convoluted mode - especially on 'Jaga Ist Zu Hause' and 'Plym' - the giant unwieldy Jaga Jazzist collective finally release their '98 album Magazine in the UK. Oddly enough, given the bands fearsome live rep the flattest moment here comes courtesy of a live squonk through 'Swedish Take Away' and 'Seems To Me' is so slight it could disappear in the face of a minor sneeze, However 'Serafin I Jungelen' and the Henryk Gorecki inspired 'Magazine Part I & II' - written by ex Jazzist Jørgen Munkeby and performed by Shining - round things off in fine old style.

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Back to main page