Sick of being bored by students returning from their year out in Australia? Can’t stomach any more photos of pretty, tanned people you’ll never meet, who were just "mad"? Miss the thrill of bleach-haired Australian youths getting their mickeys out at every available opportunity? Thinking of shoving some sharp pencils up your nose to escape the living hell of your call-centre Christmas party? DON’T DO IT! until you’ve heard the HOLT album! Then maybe do it. Newly available in Dublin from Tower Records – Wicklow St City Discs – Temple Bar Freebird – O’Connell Bridge Secret Book & Record Store – Wicklow St Road Records – Fade St And also by post from www.desertedvillage.com At a mere €10, 80 MILE BEACH by HOLT is the perfect Christmas present for the Australia bore in your life. Thinking of boring your soon to be forgotten ‘friends’ with how you’re "doing the Australia thing"? Listen to Holt instead! If 80 Mile Beach doesn’t put you off, nothing will! MARVEL as Holt evokes the wonders of the continent’s sweeping deserts! WONDER at more sweeping deserts PUZZLE at the continued sweepingness of yet more deserts! 80 Mile Beach by Holt: an album written by Irish Australia bores for Australia bores of both Irish and Australian extraction. Actually, it’s quite good. Honest: "A subdued and truly lovely debut" – The Sunday Tribune "A warmer Johnny Cash … the music itself is more than enough reason to dive headlong into Holt’s world and possibly never come back" – Hot Press "Unabashedly schmaltzy" – The Irish Times "The find of the year" – John Cavanagh, Radio Six, Glasgow haroldholtmusic@yahoo.co.uk