WIN!

One LP copy of Jessica Pratt’s Here In The Pitch

IN THREE MINDS

Thanks indeed for alerting me to The Third Mind, Dave Alvin’s new project with Jesse Sykes and others [Take 323]. Listened to both albums today and they’re phenomenal! I’ll be telling everyone to listen. Iwas fortunate to see Jesse Sykes &The Sweet Hereafter many years in apub down on the Newcastle quayside. She’s got acouple of really good albums out too. Both these Third Mind albums are great and remind me of the Dead –in agood way –at times. Keep up the good work. Greg Johnson, Newcastle

OUR LIVES IN MUSIC

Ibought the latest issue of your fine magazine today [Take 322]. In Italy, we find it in the newsstands some 15 days later than in the UK. The first page I usually read is My Life In Music and Ifound Allison Russell’s choices really moving. Thank you. Massimo Mileti, via email

…So pleased to see J Mascis in March Uncut’s My Life In Music [Take 323] including one of my all-time favourite albums –On The Boards by Taste. It’s abrilliant record with Rory Gallagher on fire with hints of jazz, surprisingly, peeking through. It is timeless. Been playing it in the car since reading the feature. Mike Ritchie, via email

’CHAIN LETTER

Thank you for giving the East Kilbride band The Jesus And The Mary Chain ameticulous interview, one chornicling their stormy yet bright careers. Although Jim and William Reid have had their differences, this blast of energy still refreshes the memory today.

Like many others, I listened to Psychocandy with amazement. The LP, with it’s cacophonous feedback and sugar-sweet harmonies, was bound to be awinner in the end, outlasting the paper-thin synthpop and pretentious indie of the middle of the ’80s. For me, the Scottish outfit were achemical reaction to this, especially in their live shows.

So, beyond this definitive sound, William and Jim Reid, whose outbursts and punch-ups added to their legacy, created the drizzle-cool “April Skies” and the chord-striking “Reverence”, hitting the high notes. Also worth noting are “Sometimes Always”, ashort but sharp song, and “I Hate Rock’n’Roll”, the adrenalinefuelled rowdy number notable for its attitude and white-hot anger. They are, by all accounts, an excellent but undervalued pair of performers. Yours sincerely,

Mr PTurberville, via email

HOW TO ENTER

The letters in the shaded squares form an anagram of asong by David Bowie. When you’ve worked out what it is, email your answer to: competitions@uncut.co.uk. The first correct entry picked at random will win aprize. Closing date: Thursday, April 25, 2024. This competition is only open to European residents.

CLUES ACROSS

1+23DNo, I’m sorry.Ican’t really doaBruce Springsteen number. He’s the hardest one of the lot to cover (7-4-3-4)

9 “She stole my _____, oh no/Sold it to the farmer, oh no”, from The Kings Of Leon’s “Charmer” (5)

10 Their debut single in 1992 was really just “All In The Mind”(5)

11 “The _____ again, nobody understands / Walking through the long grass on your hands”, from Elbow’s “NotAJob” (5)

12 Against all possible odds, it’s Culture Club (3-1-7)

13 This wasn’t certain to beaNo 1album for Jesus Jones (5)

15 (See 37 across) 17 (See 5down) 20+21A (See 18 down)

22 Just half a song completed on Peter Gabriel album (2)

24 Someone who enjoyedagood book in Fairground Attraction (6)

25 (See 19down)

26 Glaswegian band _____ And Sebastian (5)

29 Queen album The _____ that just has to be played (4)

30 “Marco, Merrick, Terry Lee, Gary Tibbs and yours truly”, 1981 (3-3)

33 Got US remix for performer of ’90s hit “Disco’s Revenge” (5)

34+28D “Your pretty, pretty petticoat”, 2006 (3-2)

35 “Businessmen, they drink my ____, plowmen dig my earth”, from Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower” (4)

36+27D Drop Nineteens’ first album in 30 years. It’s not soft or heavy rock music (4-5)

CLUES DOWN

1+8D“So put me onahighway, show mea sign”, 1975 (4-2-2-3-5)

2 Revolting sound from Muse (8)

3I made suchamess of Suede album (4-5)

4“I was born by the _____ inalittle tent”, from Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” (5)

5+17A “It’s funny how they look so good together/Wonder what is wrong with me”, 1965 (4-5-3-5)

6 “Just WhatI______”, Top 20 hit for The Cars (6)

7 They were “Pretty On The Inside” with “Celebrity Skin” (4)

8(See 1down)

14 The Courteeners used a more superior person for this 2019 performance (6-3)

16 “Gonna use my arms, gonna use my legs/Gonna use my _____, gonna use my sidestep”, from The Pretenders’ “Brass In Pocket” (5)

18+20A+21A Eric Clapton album that certainly didn’t include “Tears In Heaven” (2-6-2-3)

  19+25A Look! The Jesus And Mary Chain have movedashort distance from East Kilbride (7-4)

  23 (See 1across) 

27 (See 36 across)

  28 (See 34 across) 

30 Band fronted by Tim Wheeler (3)

 31A crimson type album from King Crimson (3) 

32 Breeders album recorded in the Hippodrome (3)

 ANSWERS: TAKE 323

ACROSS 1+7A Heart-Shaped Box 9 Reality 10 Music 11

Tramp 12 Cherish 14 Elenore 16 Melcher 17 Egan 19 Ship 20 Hands 23 Earl 24 Face 26 No

MoreILove You’s, 28 Choke 29 Art 30 Magic

DOWN 

1 Here Come The Nice,

  2 Arabella 3+31A Twilight Sad 4 Hey There Delilah, 5 Please 6 Dimples 7 Bush 8 XTC 13Temple 15Ooh La

37+15A What was the name of “That’s Not My Name”’ group? (4-5)

18 Airports 

21 Nimrod

 22 Street 

24 Fay

 25 Cousin 

27 EPMD

HIDDEN ANSWER “Life During Wartime”

XWORD COMPILED BY: Trevor Hungerford