The recent post on the Radiohead "Best Of" and the comments on Amazon got me thinking about where we get our recommendations on what we spend our hard earned cash on.

There's always albums from artists that i will buy without ever hearing or reading a review, there are those that are bought based on a song heard on the radio, TV etc etc and then those bought on the strength of the review. Traditionally, I have relied on the "professionals" - i.e the good folks at Word, Q, Mojo etc. Nowadays I find that I have been using the voice of the common man - i.e. the reviews on Amazon.

I still love and use the magazine reviews - you can't "browse" the reviews on Amazon as you do in a magazine and come across something totally unknown that simply sounds worth investigating. I find Amazon is good when I am not sure about a particular album and to get a good cross section of reviews.

My personal favourite Amazon review.....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whole-World-Katie-Price-Peter/dp/B000JU8FXK/ref=...

to quote...
"As I placed the CD into my player & the first notes bloomed out of the speakers, & slapped me like.... well like some kind of big slapping machine. The title track had just kicked in! The beautiful strings knocked me over like a ton of bricks, & the dulcet tones of Peter harmonizing with the magnificent lung powered voice of Katie pinned me down. I just couldnt move from the ecstacy that was rushing around my body. I could only just see in my reflection that I was smiling widely, almost unnaturally, my eyes were wide open & my ears were bright red from the quality of the heavenly music entering them. But my favourite track was easily the funky & much improved 'Just the Two of Us'. I was never aware that Mr Andre could rap. And so well! Move over Busta Rhymes, MC A'dre is kicking it up old school! My entire body quivered the most violently on this song with pleasure.

Disapointingly the album came to an end & I could move again. I pulled myself to my feet & I realised that my hard bitten, cynical demeanour had disapeared along with my bitter outlook! My ears were bright purple now from the astonishing music that had just ambushed it for the past 30 mins. In fact Im getting them amputated next week, but I dont care. Normally I would be bitter & drink myself silly in a downtown bar, but after hearing that INCREDIBLE album I instead decided to write this review, & apply for a job saving seals & rescuing puppies. Thank you Katie & Peter, you saved me from a life of bitterness & anger. You rocked my 'Whole World'.

And that's only on the first page....