Apparently...
..and from the best possible source, Nadine haven't signed on the line with anyone just yet, contrary to earlier reports. But, presumably after next album Strange seasons does finally appear, it seems some lucky folks will get to see them tour with Gingersol, no less..
and
...reallyrather is still the only place in the whole country interested in LA indie-pop marvelsRilo Kiley. The execution of all things is released in the UK on May 19 - no reviews in either the new (May) editions of either Q or Uncut, however..
and
...Pedro the Lion are at last getting over to the UK - well, Nottingham's Rescue Rooms are advertising a show on the June 27. Can this be? Here's hoping..
and
..not apparently but actually, Cedarland by Palaxy Tracks crept out last month. Soft, textured Texan indie, the band relocated from Austin to Chicago 'so they could record with guys not wearing cowboys hats, such as members of the Sea & Cake and Archer Prewitt, which is AGAINST THE LAW in Texas' (ha!). Okkervil/Shearwater's Will and Jonathan feature as well. reallyrather is on the case and will report back...

OK, in a detour from this blog's normal preoccupation (ie. music), it's reallyrather's second Eurovision Song Contest betting guide. After going so close last year (blog tip Malta being cruelly denied by the scoring of the final jury), where oh where is our money to go in '03 you cry. Once again reallyrather has gone way beyond the call of duty and heard all 26 entries. Unusually, this year there's a red-hot favourite in the form of Russia's already high-profile t.A.T.u but this may work in our favour. Just as the presence of Tiger Woods in any golf tournament pushes out the odds of all other contenders, so t.A.T.u has scewed this market. Take out them and it's a pretty open affair. And luckily enough we can ignore t.A.T.u as it's hysterical, synthesized dance-floor dross. Oh, it seems we've begun:

Austria - jaw-droppingly crass even by this event's standards! Have they no shame?
Belgium - inoffensive sub-Celt tosh but tosh nevertheless
Croatia - dodgy Balkan Britney - no chance
Cyprus - cringe-making, cliche-ridden bilge
Estonia - Blow Monkeys do theme for feeble teen drama cable TV series
France - absolutely prototypical euro-chanteuse on autopilot
Germany - "Let's get happy, let's be gay!" Kiddies singalong with usual mindnumbing disco track and lyrics. Not without a chance, therefore...
Greece - out-of-time power balladry, Mariah Carey if she'd been around in the Seventies
Iceland - by-numbers shiny pop-rocker but not appalling so chances
Ireland - have lately seemed determined not bring the Contest back to Ireland. Still on course...
Israel - clueless dross
Latvia - not a shocker, but no chance
Malta - 2nd last time, this very thin effort has no chance this year
Netherlands - another 70s pop-disco throwback, easily dismissed
Norway - Norway's David Sneddon? Sappy arm-waver with place potential
Poland - remember those Joe Cocker/Jennifer Warnes power duets? This is worse, so much worse..
Portugal - just lazy, lazy, lazy
Romania - pathetic techno tosh
Russia - if this pair didn't already have a profile this wouldn't stand a chance. Obvious hot favourite but rubbish..
Slovenia - Entitled Nanana, they've obviously done their research; hackneyed Euro-tosh
Spain - ditto; leaves no trace whatsoever
Sweden - from a country with such a pop pedigree, a mind-numbing disgrace
Turkey - unlovable Turkish streetbeats
Ukraine - Hasta la vista, baby?! Yep, it's that original...
UK - vaccuum-packed, blatantly constructed for mass Euro-appeal

So where, apart from up to our necks in lazy, Midi-driven Euro-disco dross, does that leave us? If you're looking for an outright winner outside of the favourite, it might pay to side with Iceland's Birgitta. She's drawn to go first which mightn't be a handicap (3 past winners have been first up). But it's reallyrather's hunch that Norway's wimpy piano ballad with earnest Jostein Hasselgard doing his best David Cassidy might garner enough anti-disco protest votes along the way the push it into the first three. So, their 'Nil points' notoriety notwithstanding, it's Norway each-way, best-priced 20-1 (latest odds). Of course, you can always go and do your own blasted research...