Sunday night, and a chance to skip 'Songs of Praise' and catch up with psycho grunge reprobates Effluence. It's the hometown launch party for their 'Catch Rag' single; scores of us have hastily scraped off the leftovers of the...

A question: how many readers find that one album that seemingly defines their feelings for the year in terms of music? Well, for me, all contenders to that most prestigious title have been blown out of the water, thrown into outer space and melted...