Big, longish and... (Uncut)

Member Name: mo79

Product:	Uncut
Date:	18/07/01 (54 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Over 200 alternative reviews on music, movies and books etc. Has some ace prime articles and interviews

Disadvantages: Pretty limited in diversity in each of the areas, and doesn't merit regular buying or subscribing to personally

Though I don't own a subscription to Uncut magazine, or even buy it anywhere near a regular basis. I do admit to owning a number of copies since the last few years. Infact wasn't the first issue out only a few years ago?

Uncut magazine is basically a monthly magazine devoted to all things music, movie and book related. It's packed with articles, interviews, news and reviews, to a considerable degree - and that's basically it. It's got it's ads and some useless parts, as does any mag, but the focus is on the prime stuff. Around 200 reviews to be exact.

The layout is somewhere between glossy and down-to-earth, which also reflects that Uncut caters for a number of tastes; though judging by the accompanying CD with every issue I own so far, there's a big bias on watered down acoustic indie on the music side. Not that that's bad, but 95% of the tracks are bland and boring. I don't want to hear Lambchop and their clones time and time again.

The prime articles, although few in number are very extensive and are a joy to read. It's almost as if buying a disposable informative book on a subject you like for £3.70 (with offers for subscribing). It also includes the latest news on the aforementioned categories and readers letters for input. It's all a sussed package that works.

There's always atleast one prime article per music and film section, and there are reviews for CD's, DVD's, VHS, books, TV, live, albums, and soundtracks. The whole spectrum really.

Uncut does represent good value for money. But it isn't as diverse as it'd like you to think it is. It'll give you the odd namecheck for harder rock and hip-hop etc., but that's just being novel. Uncut loves 80's rooted indie, even though it thinks it's mostly futuristic, but only partly.

The movies section is quite extensive though, covering aspects of both major and independent cinema. I'
m no big cinema buff but it's adequate for me though. The books section could do with some more though as it's given less space than music and movies etc. I wouldn't mind longer articles/interviews with authors.

The articles are always a good long read, and the reviews (many much more scathing unlike other press) are enjoyable to read whether you find them useful or unagreeable just because of wording.

Overall it's a good disposable monthly read, but I wouldn't recommend a subscription as I don't think Uncut can universally cater every issue. I always buy an Uncut when there's a good feature on the cover I'd be interested in, and if possible if there's other good reviews or articles or some glimmer on the accompanying CD. It's a pretty somewhat strained buy for me, personally.

I'm wondering how exactly to rate this - It's not brilliant, yet it's not a no-hoper magazine, and yet on a personal level it's not even very recommended, so a safe average 3/5 is what I'll give Uncut. Okay, but not great.

Summary: