Notebook Letters 8.

It's good to see that Adam Ant is better, and that Earls enjoyed meeting him. Stand And Deliver, Deutscher Girls, Prince Charming, Puss'N'Boots: he's worthy of praise and, besides, he went out with Heather. Wow! Ridicule is nothing to be scared of. Rob Hunt

Steve Carter shouldn't be put off at the lack of characterful female singers. Check out Heartless B******ds singer-guitarist Erika Wennerstom. Mackie

The Void; Teletext page 827; 11th of October, 2008; 2/7.

I enjoyed the list of uncool but great albums. Make It Big by Wham! is right up there, with four classic singles including an extended Careless Whisper. The single-worthy Heartbeat leads a clutch of above-average albums. Go West's eponymous debut also deserves a mention. Not a duff track on an '80stastic fusion of blue-eyed soul and pop. Shane Damien

Could The Incredible Flight of Birdman please e-mail The Void? Ta. The Void

The Void; Teletext page 827; 11th of October, 2008; 3/7.

I agree with mondo about Teddy Thompson causing goosebumps. Go and get his A Piece of What You Need album, an amazing voice. Ruth Weir

I agree with Earls that Annie's lack of success is a mystery. Chewing Gum and I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me are two of the best songs this decade and it can't hurt that she's easy on the eye. Any guesses why she isn't as big as Kylie? Pete Ure

The Void; Teletext page 827; 11th of October, 2008; 4/7.

Anyone looking for an R & B album from a new talent should check out Fearless by Jazmine Sullivan. ID

Hackney Rob may call Marc Bolan a genius, but I believe the only personm who thought Bolan a lyrical genius was Bolan himself. I loved his music but, when I bought My People Were Fair in 1968, I didn't understand the lyrics. 40 years on, I think they're still enjoyable, infantile gobbledygook. As for Metal Guru's lyrics! Roger Gibbard

The Void; Teletext page 827; 11th of October, 2008; 5/7.

I love The killers, but haven't heard the new Human single yet. But I like the idea of the misheard "Are we human or are we dancer?" as the lyrics, rather than the correct "denser". Gazzoir

I like a diverse array of metal, but some of it is beyond satire. One of my friends was listening to a song called Swords of Doom by a band caled Doomsword. I cringed. On the other hand, Opeth's Wonderland is a landmark in prog-metal. MA Goulden

The Void; Teletext page 827; 11th of October, 2008; 6/7.

When I attacked Kaiser Chiefs lyrics, some Voiders told me to listen to them properly, which I found patronising. I bought Employment when it came out and enjoyed it, but it sounds cheap and childish now. Angry Mob's songs were dull and uninspiring, particularly Ruby. Not liking lyrics doesn't mean I'm not listening: it's an opinion.

If you want catchy, uplifting choruses, The Shins, Rooney, Fountains of Wayne and Ash are all superior. Ramsay

The Void; Teletext page 827; 13th of October, 2008; 1/7.

Don't believe the hype. The Shock of The Lightning only entered at No 3 so, if Pink hadn't beaten Oasis, they'd have still lost out to Kings of Leon. Oasis are no longer good enough for the discerning punter. mondo

Many years ago, Johnny Rotten said that he used to smear butter into his skin to make his acne look worse. Maybe the Country Life adverts are thanking the butter all these years later. Sean Lawler

The Void; Teletext page 827; 13th of October, 2008; 2/7.

Jon Lawler may have been joking when he said that The Fratellis were about to charge £50 for a T-shirt as merchandise was the only way for bands to make money in these download days.

But I think that even the recent boom time for gigs is over. REM had to downsize from the Millennium Stadium to the CIA in Cardiff, and there are fewer and fewer "Sold out!" notices in adverts for tours in music mags. Credit crunch, or are people bored of gigs? Kanye's Vest

The Void; Teletext page 827; 13th of October, 2008; 3/7.

Jon McClure seems nice, but using pop to hurl political views at people is heinous. Not even Bananarama would get away with it.

Most people I know see McClure as a tedious moraliser; a less successful Bono. Having someone seen as Alex Turner's friend telling you to raise your awareness by logging on to a sloganeering website isn't welcome. I don't doubt he's an ardent humanitarian but he's got no cred. Kirkland Ciccone

The Void; Teletext page 827; 13th of October, 2008; 4/7.

To correct Disco Stu, when Be Here Now came out, Noel Gallagher said the album would either propel them to the level of U2 or send them back to dole queue. Neither was true, as it's taken them 12 years to come up with a worthy successor to Morning Glory. Pat Palloon

With all the big new albums out in the next few weeks, who's going to have the biggest flop? After hearing their single, I say Razorlight. Rory Kelpner

The Void; Teletext page 827; 13th of October, 2008; 5/7.

Kaiser Chiefs "the new Madness," according to Adam? Hmm. They're barely the new Bad Manners. They're OK, but are a long way from doing anything as good as Our House, Michael Caine or Grey Day. Equally, contrary to anti-Kaisers, they aren't the pol pot Players. Maurice Micklewhite

Just a quick warning to other Voiders: Magic FM has declared that it's about to have a Dido Day. Deafness has never seemed more appealing. Mojotheclown

The Void; Teletext page 827; 13th of October, 2008; 6/7.

New singles by John Earls

SNOW PATROL Take Back The Day 8/10

Yomping back to the Polar Bears' pre-fame days, their guitars are plugged back in and you wonder just what the new album will sound if this is any judge. Intriguing.

THE YELL Let's Go Automatic 6/10

The vocals are like Fred Schneider, the dub recalls The Dead '60s. The song itself is more routine, but if they can find a melody as distinct as their style they'll be worth watching.

1/6.

New singles out this week

THE DECEMBERISTS Valerie Plane 8/10

First of three monthly 7"s before next year's new album, it's a more straight-up love song than usual. Think a Fountains of Wayne character study, only with a banjo solo and an equally unlikely accordion in the mix.

GEMMA RAY Rise of The Runts 7/10

Charming acoustic pop like Neko Case, it's timeless and ticklish, meriting better than to be lumped in with any identikit current female singers wave.

2/6.

New singles out this week

MGMT Kids 8/10

Their other surefire great pop moment along with Time To Pretend, for a duo who try to paint themselves as hippy wasters, they know how to craft wondrous modern melodies when they want. Mammoth Soulwax remix too.

FOOT VILLAGE Clubtrax 1-3 5/10

Forget the ironic song title, this is routine post-punk that aims for At The Drive In's ferocity, but is too studied in its mania.

3/6.

New singles out this week

THE MUSIC Drugs 7/10

More of an atmospheric album track than a sparkling single like Strength In Numbers, its brooding synths and Adam Nutter's excrutiating guitars mean it still sounds great in concert for the band to cut loose to.

THE LOOSE SALUTE Why'd We Fight? 5/10

Ho-hum harmony ballad from Londoners who seem to be too much in thrall to Stevie Nicks and Gram Parsons to create anything with their own style.

4/6.

New singles out this week

SIA Soon We'll Be Found 8/10

How on earth SIA isn't as huge as Adele and Duffy is a mystery, especially when this aching ballad would fit on the same Radio 2 playlist, while having a heart as big as a mountain. Really, check her Some People album.

WILD BEASTS Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants 8/10

Typically extreme high-faluting high-pitched operatic pop that jars on first listen and is the music of the spheres by the fifth play.

5/6.

New singles out this week

JAPE Strike Me Down 7/10

Knocking around for a while now a Friendly Fires remix may get Richie Egan the notice he deserves for this insistent hedonism that recalls The Whip's lysergic groove.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCERS Money Blind 8/10

Fabulous infectious that, like Attic Lights, may be too classic to get current attention but will sound superb for decades to come. Hints of The Feeling too, which is OK with us.

6/6.

Teletext page 823; 13th of October, 2008.

Land of Talk/ Some Are Lakes

Reviews b

Bon Iver's Justin Vernon produces the follow-up to the overlooked Applause Cheer Boo Hiss.

It's not hard to see why they aren't championed: these are old-fashioned, grea pop songs.

There's nothing "just" about such well-crafted songs, though. Like fellow Canadians New P*rnographers, they lodge in the brain instantly and sit there happily humming at you. Bliss. 8/10

1/6.

Antony & The Johnsons/ Another World

Three years on from his Mercury win, Antony Hegarty returns with a taster of next year's new album.

A disappointment, these sketches are hopefully little indication of what's to come. The voice remains a thing of beauty, but it's coasting.

Bar the sharp majesty of Sing For Me, the songs are so minimal they barely exist, the lyrics for Shake That devil are cringeworthy. Poor. 5/10

2/6.

Max Tundra/ Parallax Error Beneath You

First album in six years by electronica singer Ben Jacobs, who seems to have faffed around since 2002.

Redolent of student prankery and too much time watching TV in one's underwear while monged, this is feeble japery, sub-Momus cartoon pop.

Of Montreal do these speeded-up dayglo tunes better, and Jacobs uses a butterfly mind approach to try to mark the lack of a single valid idea. 4/10

3/6.

Imperial Leisure/ The Art of Saying Nothing

Having gained a live following, the 10-piece Londoners do a grand job of marshalling their funk in the studio.

Better than the legions of lumpen ska-punk bands out there, it works because they don't stick to specific genres. Instead, brass and keyboards are used for whatever beery happiness came into their head at the time.

A splendid racket. 8/10

4/6.

Shelleyan Orphan/ We Have Everything We Need

First album in 16 years from the none-more-fey '80s band, who made Everything But The Girl look like Megadeth.

If their lyrical concerns are still just as gauche in the 21st century, musically they've matured to makiing fine jazzy piano ballads.

Full-on and only occasionally over-egged, the lush orchestration and diverse instrumentation adds up to superior genteel melodies. 7/10

5/6.

Melvins/ leeds Stylus

Void View by Stu Hennigan

Sharing a stage with Big Business gives Melvins a slightly more melodic twist, but it's still one unholy racket.

Buzz Osbourne's guitar is filthier than an explosion in a sewage plant, and the twin drum assault is an astonishing spectacle to behold as both men play in perfect synch.

It's a rare British show from one of rock's great cult concerns, and a crowd of old grungers love it. 8/10

6/6.

Teletext page 824; 13th of October, 2008.

Roses recommended

Col, Cumbria: for a film which will leave your head spinning, try Funeral Parade of Roses (Bara no soretsu). The most out there film I have ever seen, with one of the most disturbing sequences. Ed, Newcastle

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 13th of October, 2008; 1/6.

Best sequel plea

To Vortex viewers: what is the best film sequel you have ever seen? I know there are not many around but for me it has to be Spider-Man 2. I would love to hear yours. PS: fan of the page. Keep up the good work. Anon, Newcastle College

Does the new Bond theme have any fans? I'm waiting for someone to announce it was a joke and reveal the real track. Noodle, Stockport

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 13th of October, 2008; 2/6.

Anyone for bogeyman?

Sad to read a poor review of Alexandre Aja's Mirrors. I had high hopes after his psycho romance Haute Tension, and wince-inducing remake of The Hills Have Eyes.

Has anyone ever seen a low budget horror film from 1980 entitled The bogeyman? Mirrors of all shapes and fragments combine with an atmospheric synthesiser soundtrack to convey evil image possession and death on a shoestring budget. t rivers, suss*x

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 13th of October, 2008; 3/6.

Gervais gets education

What an ignorant g*t Ricky Gervais is. Now he's made it big in America he feels he has to knock anything British to inflate his already huge ego.

No decent British film since the 1950s indeed. As if he never heard of great films like Kes, The Commitments, In The Name of The Father, Get Carter, The Long Good Friday, Mona Lisa, Rita, Sue & Bob Too, Eat The Rich, Shirley Valentine, The Full Monty, 007 and the Carry On legacy. MWR, Thornaby On Tees

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 13th of October, 2008; 4/6.

The Avengers is worst

In reply to John-Paul's request for worst film ever made, may I offer The Avengers? Mind you, I only managed 20 minutes of it before the torture of it had to be stopped.

This after the impossibly stylish Diana Rigg/ Linda Thorson era TV masterpiece was beyond the pale. It's now indeliby ingrained but for all the wrong reasons. Phillipe-Jerome Neuhuse, Yorkshire

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 13th of October, 2008; 5/6.

Two good mirror scenes

Two other films with good mirror scenes? Taxi Driver and Enter The Dragon. Anon

Could Vortex or any readers please tell me other than Halloween and The devil's Rejects, what else has Rob Zombie directed? Jess Clark

Vortex: Grindhouse, House of 1000 Corpses. Then there's Tyrannosaurus Rex due out in 2009, currently in pre-production, categorised as horror.

Vortex; Teletext page 817; 13th of October, 2008; 6/6.