Blogwatch

No competition for the most affecting blog post to have caught my eye this week: Sarsparilla writes about her nervous breakdown whilst immersing herself in the Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds album - "If I'd had the nerve to be open, to tell the truth about everything that was happening to me back then, I might have gotten a little more support than my so-called friends were able to give me. And, you never know, when I beat the fucking thing, and came out of the drugged up zombie zone that my fuckwit doctor's pills put me in, and damn well cured myself in five months flat, someone, somewhere, might have said well done."

Mopping up the last remaining end-of-year lists...
Deviated Septum: Rod's Albums And Songs Of The Year, Kevin's 2004 Cuts Sampler and Marnie's Albums and Songs Of The Year
Somedisco: Some Of My '04 Faves

Elsewhere:

Kenny reviews a selection of books, including ex Sleeper vocalist Louise Wener's latest novel, and enthusiastically recommends the Dylan autobiography I got for Christmas - must press ahead with it soon;

Inspector Sands monitors the gathering storm over the BBC2 screening of 'Jerry Springer: The Opera' tomorrow night - I didn't even know it was on, but will most definitely be tuning in and no doubt laughing my fucking head off;

Backroads is astounded by the mutation of his local garden centre into a "lifestyle emporium" with nary a plant in sight;

Sarah divulges her New Year's Resolutions - "8. Lick someone's trousers while humming the A-Team theme";

and Jonny B finds himself uncomfortably backed into a corner at a New Year's Eve party - "There's a critical point - let's call it 'Blunkett's Cascade' - in any situation. That's the mortifying moment of realisation when you find that a situation which you were previously totally, utterly, one-hundred-percent in charge of has suddenly gripped you by the scruff of the neck and is pulling you screaming towards the chaotic abyss of horror. Blunkett's Cascade occurred as I was backed towards the cooker.".

PS If you've been enjoying Mike's annotated countdown of his favourite singles of last year, then get over to Troubled Diva and encourage him to keep going regardless of the mutterings of disgruntled non-music-loving readers...