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I’ll admit it, there’s always at least one book about British pop culture on my bedside table, whether it’s a tell-all Beatles bio or some esoteric volume of Kinks arcana. We navel-gazing boomers love to read about our own pop past, which is probably why the normally sober Oxford University Press has seen fit to publish these two critical histories on what I (totally dating myself) still call the British Invasion.

(More about Book Review: Please Please Me by Gordon Thompson and Dusty! - Queen of the Postmods by Annie J. Randall…)

In 2002, Michelle Williams decided to make her own spotlight by going solo from Destiny's Child with her first album, Heart To Yours. She got some success from it with one of the album cuts, "Heard A Word." After that song was released, her presence on her own seemed to diminish in the media.

(More about Music Review: Michelle Williams - Unexpected…)

Ground-breaking jazz musician Freddie Hubbard died today (December 29) at the age of 70. The renowned trumpet player passed away at a Los Angeles-area hospital. He had been hospitalised there since suffering a heart attack in November. During his lengthy career, Hubbard collaborated with jazz greats including John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. He is credited with having influenced countless trumpet players with his unique style.
(More about Jazz pioneer Freddie Hubbard dies aged 70…)

From Arctic Monkeys Alex Turner covering The Strokes with Lightspeed Champion in January, through Noel Gallagher and Jay-Z’s feud over Glastonbury in the summer to the recent ‘Hallelujah’ battle between ‘X Factor’, Jeff Buckley and Leonard Cohen 2008 has been a busy year for music news. Now with just a few days of the year left, we present the most popular NME.COM stories of 2008 - as read by you. Onstage attacks, big band reunions and even a bottle of bleach have made the Top Ten.
(More about Oasis, Kurt Cobain, Blur, Winehouse - NME.COM’s biggest stories of 2008…)

As soon as a promising white, blues-tinged, female soul singer arrives on the scene, it tends to ignite the inevitable comparisons to the likes of the legendary Dusty Springfield, amongst others. That, of course, is a huge legacy for any aspiring young singer to carry around. One of those who, along with Dusty – and Amy Winehouse, for example – has attracted such comparison is Beth Rowley.
(More about Music Review: Beth Rowley - Little Dreamer…)

As a follow-up to the CD Edition of my favorite 2008 reissues, here are my Vinyl LP choices: 

1. The Kinks - Muswell Hillbillies
Limited Edition, 180 Gram Vinyl.

Ray Davies is certainly not like everybody else here, nor is he a dedicated follower of fashion: “I’m a 20th Century Man but I don’t want to be here,” he angrily seethes.

(More about Best Album Reissues of 2008 (Vinyl Version)…)

Owners of the London Astoria insist its location has has a future as a venue, despite confirming its final night, hosted by Ibiza’s Manumission club, will take place on January 15. The concert hall in central London will be demolished to make way for a new railway station as part of the Crossrail project that will install a new line linking the capital’s east and west. However speaking to NME.COM, Melvin Benn managing director of the Astoria’s owners Festival Republic insisted the iconic venue will be replaced.
(More about London Astoria to be ‘replaced’ after demolition…)

Some dudes just want to rock, and that’s exactly what a couple of guys that make up The Black Keys do. In support of their fifth full-length LP Attack & Release, The Black Keys recorded their April 4, 2008 concert performance at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon. Produced and directed by Lance Bangs (R.E.M.’s Road Movie, Nirvana: With The Lights Out), Live At The Crystal Ballroom captures the gritty blues flavor the band (Dan Auerbach - vocals, guitar; Patrick Carney - drums) is known for.
(More about Music DVD Review: The Black Keys - Live At The Crystal Ballroom…)

Cheap Trick, an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, officially formed in 1974 with Rick Nielson on guitar, Tom Petersson on Bass, Bun E. Carlos on Drums, and Robin Zander on Vocals. They spent the next few years primarily touring the Wisconsin and Northern Illinois/Chicago areas and recording a pair of well reviewed, but low selling albums.

In 1978 the band released their third album; Heaven Tonight, which contained the song “Surrender.” This was the band’s first song to make the Billboard singles chart, peaking at #62.

(More about Music Review: Cheap Trick - BUDOKAN!: 30th Anniversary Edition (1 DVD/3 CDs)…)

I’m opening myself to criticism here, but since I dole out criticism, it’s only fair that I should take it. But I'm not sweating it. Very few will honestly disagree.

Joe Bonamassa is the best young guitarist in music today.

Damn the rotten tomatoes! Full speed ahead! [Apologies to Admiral Farragut.]

Joe’s abilities aren’t just a screaming guitar, although he certainly is capable of it.

(More about Music Review: Joe Bonamassa - Live From Nowhere In Particular…)