Culture Vultures Bible (Uncut)

Member Name: jamworld

Product:	Uncut
Date:	06/08/00 (61 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Free Music!

Disadvantages: ?

As a manic music fan (a particularly keen fan of music that is, rather than a fan of crazed music) , a manic movie fan (ditto), an avid reader, and a complete info junkie, when I dicovered Uncut a couple of years ago, I though it had been specifically designed for me in mind.

Reviews, features and interviews of all the coolest most cutting edge (terrible cliche, I know) and classic artists, films, books and albums around, like Q, and paper versions of Moviedrome and The Late Review rolled into one superb package.

And as the magazine matured, the best got better. Every month features a major, lengthy, in depth article on a worthy artist or subject. Recent examples include U2, The Rolling Stones and Happy Mondays. The reviews are fair, varied and enthusiastic without being sycophantic.

One of the best regular features is the Sacred Cows page where glorified cultural figureheads and their works are reexamined to see if they really live up to the dribbling praise heaped upon them. 'Victims' include Frank Zappa, The Stone Roses, Joy Division and The Beatles 'Revolver' - you may not agree with all the opinions expressed, but it sure makes a change to read a constructive view of those usually revered beyond any hint of critisism. I mean, I like Joy Division, but I don't think I had ever read a so called respectable music mag write anything about Joy Division that even considered the notion that maybe they weren't a bunch of tortured geniuses.

The thing that really puts Uncut head, shoulders and torso above the rest though is the sheer quality and diversity of the cover mounted CD, 'Unconditionally Guaranteed', which is attache every month. Whereas with many free CD's on magazines you get a few decent already released and well known tracks, a half decent live track or two or maybe a not at all decent unreleased track (unreleased for a very good reason in most cases), U.C. 'guides you through
the months essential selection of reissues and new releases.'

By way of example, this months (dated September 2000) brings together Motorhead and Billy Fury, Gang of Four and Gene to name but four. Through Uncut's brilliant CD's I have discovered the brilliance of Gillian Welch, East River Pipe, Knife in the Water and many more....names previously unfamiliar to me, but who's albums now all feature in my CD collection.

Anybody with an interest in discovering new music and movies and revisiting the classics will love Uncut. The mag also reviews books and features the more interesting authors. Highly commended and eagerly recommended.

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