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2008 Review: Top 50 Albums
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Michael Hubbard
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It's the time of year for reflections on the year just gone, the music unleashed during it - and great big lists about it all.
Well, musicOMH's writers have voted on their favourite albums of 2008...
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2008 Review: Tracks Of The Year
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John Murphy
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In 2008, the very phrase 'buying a single' seemed peculiarly anachronistic. Yet as a way of promoting a forthcoming album, or to introduce an act to the wider world, the track still ruled supreme
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Interview: Jóhann Jóhannsson
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Ben Hogwood
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The Fordlandia composer talks about Scott Walker and Sibelius, ahead of discussing his own work with orchestral forces and soundtracks - all in the midst of financial meltdown
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Interview: M83
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Michael Hubbard
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Anthony Gonzalez on youthful Saturdays stargazing in Antibes and why he likes Coldplay as well as Can
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Interview: Joan As Police Woman
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Michael Hubbard
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Joan Wasser on how second album To Survive provided catharsis after her mother's death, America's turning point and collaborating with Antony and Rufus Wainwright
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Interview: Yeasayer
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Michael Hubbard
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Reflections on the Brooklyn foursome's debut album All Hour Cymbals' genesis and execution, and what's planned for the future
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Interview: John Foxx
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Ben Hogwood
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The one-time Ultravox keyboard player and electro pioneer talks about hearing his newly reissued solo work, his influence on today's electronica and why he loves cityscapes and Klaxons
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Interview: Simon Bookish
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Darren Harvey
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Leo Chadburn talks about Everything/Everything (his latest album), working in libraries and why chasing celebrity status will never be for him
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Interview: James Yuill
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Ben Hogwood
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The one-man band talks about his idiosyncratic live approach, why he loves Nick Drake and why he loves a cup of tea in the morning.
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Interview: Alesha Dixon
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Ben Hogwood
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The ex-Misteeq vocalist highlights the pleasures and vulnerability of going solo, whilst talking about how Strictly Come Dancing has broadened her horizons.
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Interview: Kelli Ali
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Ben Hogwood
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Having returned from a road trip through Mexico, the vocalist talks about her first solo album for three years, and why it suits her to have gone all acoustic.
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Interview: The Faint
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Jamil Ahmad
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Sometime skateboard kid and singer Todd Fink renames Omaha, considers the band's DIY position, warehouse renovation and fifth album Fasciinatiion.
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Interview: Armand Van Helden
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Ben Hogwood
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The DJ and remixer responsible for Tori Amos's Professional Widow topping the UK Singles Chart talks fans, ADHD and the origins of house.
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Spotlight: Rough Trade at 30
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John Murphy
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We take a look back at 30 years of the pioneering, iconic indie label, the home of The Smiths, The Libertines and Arcade Fire amongst others...
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Interview: Jason Donovan
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Vik Bansal
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Scott from Neighbours. Kylie's ex. I'm A Celebrity... With his first album in 15 years in the offing and a UK tour to follow, here he discusses all of the above...
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Interview: Soulwax
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Ben Hogwood
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The Brothers Dewaele talk about their new DVD Part of the Weekend Never Dies, a light bulb moment on their first gig in Fabric and why electronic music has risen from the live doldrums.
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Interview: Seasick Steve
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Michael Hubbard
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Steve Wold's time jumpin' freight trains may be (almost) over, but that won't stop him spinning a good yarn. He started out with nothin', he tells us, but now he's got lots of crappy instruments...
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Interview: Metronomy
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Ben Hogwood
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Founder and front man Joseph Mount talks about the isolation of being an electronica fan in Devon, whilst extolling the virtues of playing live.
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Interview: Micah P Hinson
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Ben Hogwood
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The singer/songwriter chats about his new found married bliss, the effect it's had on his songwriting and why he loves home town Austin, Texas.
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Interview: The Wolfmen
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Jenni Cole
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Two former cohorts from Adam And The Ants tell how they linked up again to work with Bollywood legends, score TV shows for Bravo and, of course, make an album.
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Interview: X-Press 2
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Ben Hogwood
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With a Greatest Hits in the bag, it's a good time for Rocky and Ashley Beedle to sit back and take stock - whilst pondering what makes a perfect DJ mix.
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Interview: Noah And The Whale
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Ben Hogwood
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| As their star continues to rise, head honcho Charlie Fink talks forests, music production and what life could be like in one year's time, let alone five
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Interview: The Dandy Warhols
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Alvin Chan
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| Courtney Taylor-Taylor helps musicOMH out with a spot of brand brainstorming, muses on The Brian Jonestown Massacre and explains the band's newly liberated, major-free status in the context of EMI's changing-of-the-guard.
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Interview: Neon Neon
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Ben Hogwood
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Fresh from a Nationwide Mercury Prize nomination, Gruff Rhys talks technology, songwriting and why he likes writing catchy hooks for American voices.
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Interview: Delays
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Ben Hogwood
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Frontman Greg Gilbert gets passionate about the band's reinvention on a new label, perfectionism in songwriting and why he loves Vaughan Williams.
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Interview: Malcolm Middleton
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Ben Hogwood
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From Falkirk to Australia, the ex-Arab Strapper talks about songwriting as one of the people, and why his ideal gig would be somewhat confrontational for the audience.
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Interview: Seth Lakeman
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| Michael Hubbard
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| The fiddle player most likely to be mistaken for Heathcliff on a rain-swept moor on prison gigs, music awards, turning down Gaddafi and how military history inspires his songs.
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Interview: Tricky
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Ben Hogwood
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The Knowle West Boy comes clean on local girls, how America inspired his music and changed him as a person, and why this album's for the fans...
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Spotlight: Nationwide Mercury Prize 2008 Nominees
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Ben Hogwood
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A look at the 12 albums nominated for the Nationwide Mercury Prize, the omissions and a few predictions.
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 | | Interview: Weezer
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Ben Hogwood
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Weezer guitarist Brian Bell subs for Rivers Cuomo to talk about new group dynamics as the band's sixth album is released, and explains why the quartet can never split. Oh, and beards... |
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Podcast: Robert Wyatt
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Claire Colley
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Another five tracks of out-of-the-ordinary music and a chat with the legendary Robert Wyatt about his latest album Comicopera
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Interview: Lykke Li
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| Michael Hubbard
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| The Swedish popstrel explains her admiration for Madonna, why she named her debut album Youth Novels and why the internet is doomed.
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Interview: Johnny Flynn
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| Peter Hayward
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| Coetzee-reading country boy on his debut album A Larum, what Seattle woodlands will do to one's sense of home and why he isn't a folk artist.
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Interview: Silver Jews
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| Camilla Pia
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| Dave Berman talks us through his colour-coordinated approach to writing sixth album Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea and ponders choices for the next generation.
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Interview: Alanis Morissette
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| Talia Soghomonian
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| She's sold 55 million albums, won seven Grammys and her international debut Jagged Little Pill remains the biggest selling debut album by a female artist ever.As she unleashes her latest work, Flavors Of Entanglement, Alanis chats about dealing with emotions, being in the public eye and the possibility of mini-Alanises... |
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Interview: Martha Wainwright
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| Alvin Chan
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| On second album I Know You're Married, But I've Got Feelings Too, her feelings for her father Loudon Wainwright III, what she makes of brother Rufus's career and why she's happy to be the BMFA chick. |
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Interview: Bomb The Bass
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| Ben Hogwood
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Tim Simenon talks about his return from the musical wilderness, with Bomb The Bass preparing for their first gig in twenty years, and how things have changed for him since the dawn of acid house. |
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Interview: Scouting For Girls
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| Ben Hogwood
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Scouting For Girls bassist Greg Churchouse is still blinking in the light of the band's unexpected success, and talks about the sudden realisation of this when playing live...as well as the band's crush on Michaela Strachan. |
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Interview: The Futureheads
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| Ben Hogwood
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From Sunderland to Spain, as Jaff Futurehead talks about the band's rebirth on their home-run label, with album number three the result of an extended stay in Andalucia. |
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Interview: Elbow
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| David McGonigle
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| Ostensibly to discuss their latest opus The Seldom Seen Kid, musicOMH hooked up with lead singer and BBC 6Music DJ Guy Garvey. But somehow the conversation strayed on to James Blunt and the possible extra-terrestrial origins of Richard Hawley... |
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Interview: The Feeling
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| Ben Hogwood
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With his band The Feeling going back to their musical roots in the Swiss Alps, Dan Gillespie Sells comes down hard on the critics - but is thankful for his band's success. |
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Interview: Los Campesinos!
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| Ben Hogwood
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With Los Campesinos! enjoying a successful debut, Aleks Campesinos! talks about her love of playing live, source material for their songwriting and the band's love of diverse instruments. |
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Interview: Justice
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| Ben Hogwood
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As Justice plan an all-out assault on America and consider their second album, Xavier de Rosnay talks about the joys of unexpected musical success and playing live. |
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Q&A: Moby
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| Ian Roullier
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| Renegade Soundwave and Meat Beat Manifesto? You heard it here first. Some short answers to short questions about Last Night from the quite short, but multi-million selling, electrohead.
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Interview: The Orb
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| Ben Hogwood
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The Orb's mastermind Dr Alex Paterson goes through the pain barrier to talk about the band's return to form, the quest for new sounds and antics with Take That on Top Of The Pops.
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Interview: Hercules And Love Affair
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| Michael Hubbard
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| DJ, producer and Hercules lynchpin Andrew Butler on channeling gods through gay disco, why dance music is an art form, working with Antony Hegarty and the vulnerabilities of the world's strongest mythical man. |
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Interview: R.E.M.
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| Talia Soghomonian
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| Michael Stipe is all about focus these days. Rulebooks on how to make R.E.M. records were ripped up and scattered like confetti in the wake of the band's 35-minute-long new release, Accelerate. As the band get ready to celebrate 30 years in the business, what's changed? |
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Interview: Fuck Buttons
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| Justin de la Cruz
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| Street Horrrsing boys Andy Hung and Ben Power on toys and their noise as they tour the USA with their unique mix of drone, pop melodies and prog.
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Interview: Camille
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| Michael Hubbard
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| With the lyrics of her third album Music Hole written mainly in English, the Paris-born body slapping enthusiast explains the language switch, why she references Mariah and Celine and whether Sébastien Tellier is a good thing for France's Eurovision prospects.
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Q&A: autoKratz
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| Alvin Chan
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| A pair of cockney lads on ultra-hip French label Kitsuné? Plus ca change! David Cox and Russell Crank big up Japanese electronica, explain that fashion isn't everything and somehow work Bat Out Of Hell and Menswear into answers. |
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Interview: Gogol Bordello's Eugene Hütz
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| Susan Ford
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| Singer, actor, gypsy punk revolutionary and moustache modeller Eugene Hütz, who we're sure isn't really all that terrifying, sings us answers to questions. And pre-empts some. Just don't ask him about Madonna... |
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Q&A: Speck Mountain
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| Justin de la Cruz
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| As the Chicago-based dream pop foursome release their sleeper debut Summer Above, they explain why record labels are still important and why Bret Easton Ellis has more to do with their music than might initially seem feasible...
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Interview: Guillemots
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| Ben Hogwood
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| Fyfe Dangerfield and MC Lord Magrao talk about second album Red and falling asleep at fashion parties... |
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Interview: The Fall's Mark E Smith
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| David McGonigle
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| The famously infamous The Fall legend, whose autobiography is out soon, on collaborations, hirings and firings and Mouse On Mars collaboration Von Südenfed
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Interview: Nick Cave
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| Talia Soghomonian
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| The Bad Seeds chief heads into his 50s in prolific fashion. Following 2007's Grinderman project and a couple of film soundtracks, 2008 began with a new Bad Seeds album, DIG!!! LAZARUS, DIG!!! - the group's most impressively textured record to date.
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Interview: Alec Empire
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| Alvin Chan
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| The electro terrorist and sometime Atari Teenage Rioter gives the lowdown on new album The Golden Foretaste of Heaven, new label Eat Your Heart Out, working with Patrick Wolf and explains why Berlin, not London, is where it's at these days.
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Interview: Robyn
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| Michael Hubbard
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| Sweden's cartoon-sized DIY pop princess - and hard nosed label CEO - on her comeback, working with The Knife, major labels, building her own company, her gay audience - and her secret weapon...
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Interview: Tiësto
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| Ben Hogwood
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The Dutch superstar DJ takes a brief pause from his hectic schedule to talk about his world tour, production work and playing to the masses.
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Interview: frYars
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| Camilla Pia
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| Ben Garrett, 19, has been likened to Patrick Wolf and is set for a Goldfrapp support tour. Ahead of the release of his second EP, The Perfidy, Garrett talks about working with Luke Smith of Clor, how he comes up with his lyrics and what he's planning for his live shows.
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Q&A: Asobi Seksu
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| Michael Hubbard
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| Singer, songwriter and tamer of big keyboards Yuki Chikudate gives her take on UK audiences, Brooklyn living, musical influences and orders a stop to utterings of "nu-shoo"...
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Q&A: Yoav
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| Michael Hubbard
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| The Israel-born South African nomad explains his method for making dance music with an acoustic guitar, recalls touring with Tori Amos and offers an outsider's eye view of the musical Mecca that is London Town.
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Interview: Simian Mobile Disco
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| Ben Hogwood
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Jas Shaw takes a tea break out from the studio to talk about the duo's ambitions, their performance ethic, past and future projects and the joy of analogue.
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Interview: St Vincent
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| Michael Hubbard
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| Oklahoma native Annie Clark on marriage proposals, holidays amidst electric rainstorms, French literary influences and her debut album.
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Spotlight: Beijing, By Jings!
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Alvin Chan
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Banning rock bands from TV... clandestine gigs to evade tight state controls... You'd be forgiven for thinking that China doesn't 'do' subversive music culture. But, as Alvin Chan discovers, China's capital is full of sonic surprises. And it's one tiny gig venue that's ringing the changes...
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Interview: Sons & Daughters
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| Camilla Pia
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| The other Glaswegian band signed to Domino explain how producer Bernard Butler transformed their sound for new album This Gift.
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Interview: Stephen Fretwell
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| Ben Hogwood
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| On public reactions to solo male singer/songwriters, working with ex-Smashing Pumpkin James Iha and his second album Man On The Roof.
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Interview: British Sea Power
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| Ben Hogwood
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Guitarist Martin Noble talks about the band's third album, Canvey Island and natural phenomena
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Preview: New Acts To Watch 2008
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Michael Hubbard
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Tipster pens ahoy for solo girls, boy-girl duos, all-boy bands and some people from across the pond, including Adele, Duffy, Laura Marling, Santogold, Late Of The Pier, Friendly Fires and Foals
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INTERVIEW:
