Uncut is about the best of a bad lot, even if their cover articles revolve around The Stones, The Beatles & Bruce Springsteen. Everything else in it is gold.

Yeah, I've read Uncut before, its definitely very good at times but it tends to take the safe route that Mojo takes a little too often and they're a bit too obsessed with Americana. I also tried Bang! which is the opposite end of the spectrum to Mojo, but they just seem like they are trying too hard to be irreverent, off the wall and so "now". They went as far as claiming that russian band tatu were the future of music, what do they take us for!

Bang! is dead. good riddance. i liked reading the Steven Wells reviews in the first few issues but that was about it. have you tried Careless Talk Costs Lives? that's also gone now but you might pick up the last issue somewhere. completely up it's own arse most of the time but it looked great and i found reading about all these bands i'd never heard of very exciting.

Never even seen Careless Talk Costs Lives in a newsagent, I wasn't even aware of its existence until now! And now its gone.

they used to stock it in Easons near The Fortean Times and Newsweek...anywhere but the music section really. If you're in Dublin City Discs in Temple Bar prolly have 1 or 2 issues left on the counter.

Thanks, but I live in Cork, its a bit far to go

The Wire is a great mag and covers all kinds of music...Tower recs stock it regularly i know!

There isn't a branch of Tower Records in Cork, but I'll keep an eye out for The Wire. Just checked out their website http://www.thewire.co.uk/ and it definitely looks interesting. Just hope my local newsagent doesn't confuse it with US geek journal Wired (http://www.wired.com/)

i really should buy The Wire too at least once...hmmm soon. Just saw another new mag today - Bullit - it's music and some cinema - good little article on British Sea Power anyway but didn't really look at anything else.

foggy notions = load of fanny batter hotpress = c**t juice

have any of you read the observer monthly music mag? if so, what are your opinions?

It's not too bad, at least it's fairly honest writing and you get the odd recent article on a fairly 'underground' band here and there, it's just a bit broad if you know what I mean - there might be an article on Dizzee Rascal, next to something on The Rapture, next to something on Neil Young next to something on WilL Young. I'd rather read something a bit more specific to a genre that I was interested in, I think the content comes across as a bit light weight sometimes. I haven't read any decent music magazine in I don't know how long - I've given up buying them and use the internet instead - I'll read the Observer Music Monthly and the Ticket when it's there, but I wouldn't be running out to buy them in a hurry. Those kind of paper supplements are ok for reviews etc but they rarely have anything groundbreaking.

i know what you mean about newspaper supplements. i actually think they missed a good chance with OMM. given the general poor state of music writing (excluding notable online magazines!!) i think they could have stolen a whole bunch of readers if they produced something of real worth, especially coming from such a reputable source as the Observer. it is extremely lightweight for the most part, and i agree with you in that the scope can be too broad. but then again i consider my music taste to be fairly open and i'd like a music publication to reflect this. the thing they had a few months ago about 100 years of the blues was great, but a six page profile of Beyonce (much as i think that song is great) belongs in the usual review supplements if you ask me. anyways at this stage i might as well be blatant and say check out www.eyeballkid.com for some decent online music writing. and i'm not just saying that cos i run it (well i am) but there is some good stuff there.

Checked eyeballkid.com a few weeks ago, its already in my bookmarks, keep up the good work!

Hey Eyeballkid liked the site...especially as you'd Basement Jaxx as no.1 gig! Also good to see reviews of albums by the likes of Broadcast, Relaxed Muscle, M83 and Stellastarr - Was surprised to see info on what Red Snapper are up to on Lo Recordings, fantastic band that are real elusive and seem to keep very quiet. Will pass on yer website. Good stuff!

By the way Klootfan...there is a full page article with I Am Kloot in today's Ticket, with the Times, if you haven't already seen it!

i missed it actually... but cheers for the heads up