2 new websites? One for FCA and one for the Army of Skanks?? What a controversial week it's been in Cheonan...a good time to send an honest and entirely objective FCA agent to unravel the truth. Or to just stir it up even more.

Let's rock... Famed for his hiking antics and awesome cover drives on Daechon Beach, the original UK1 dominated social events this week with his farewell house party bash. FCA took to the mouse for a solo performance, playing a various set of nonsense with poptastic contributions from Erasure (details of their long awaited comeback single in mp3 grooves below), Chumbawumba, Blur, B52's, Buck's Fizz (a genuine mistake, clicked the wrong line, but wasnt it good? "You gotta speed it up, then you gotta slow it down..awesome), The Velvet Underground and Lauryn Hill..now that's variety. Things got a bit stressful with time limits and demands for beatnik stoner pop (Beck, sorry, was about to play Devil's Haircut but the speeches had to take place) was evident..not surprising with the whiff of North Africa's finest export circulating the airways. Many thanks to the Doneghal FF for holding the fort whilst taking a break from the "Have you got..?" enthusiasts. However, the FCA team hopes everyone got something out of it. The music that is. After a balloon hiking landmark prize game, which was won by that nice American chap who likes Stevie Wonder, it was over to UK 1 and the Webmaster for a farewell speech. However, this was marred by a certain UK female caught watching pornography on FCA's laptop by none other than FCA himself. Shocked and deeply saddened by this discovery, FCA continued to play bravely despite dwelling over the lack of morals displayed by certain Cheonan members. During the Webmaster's speech as well. Shocking. And so it was announced after Webmaster's speech. A new website from the Army of Skanks will be unleashed in the near future. Designed to be a subsidiary to the current Cheonan Station, the curtain will be raised with a Valentine's couples event whereby male and female contestants will compete in pairs in arduous and mysterious tasks for the prize of King and Queen of Cheonan. The nation awaits...FCA would like to say just one thing: it's good to see the girls pitching in and doing something. Best of luck.

The party moved on to a noraebang in town where tempers got slightly frayed by some accounts. Unfortunately the FCA team failed to place an agent at strategic locations, but quite frankly who cares. What happened to the old days when everyone just shagged each other instead? Bring back the Moosejaw Love Machine and the Texas Heartbreaker. Peace and love an all that. Right that's enough of Cheonan. Irish Lovemeister 2, what's the craic? U2? Great band. Queued up for 25 hours to see them play at Earl's Court in 1993 on the ZooTV tour, awesome. Over to you sir...

U2- "How to dismantle an atomic bomb" An album review by Irish Lovemeister 2: "Not being a hardcore music fan, I approached this review with some trepidation so here goes. I suppose I would be fairly typical of the average U2 fan in that respect; like the band we've never been cool or fashionable. U2's long awaited new album HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB was finally released in November 2004; since the THE JOSHUA TREE U2 fans have come to expect the four year cycle of hype, album, tour, rest, so in reality to have to wait four years since ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND is no surprise. No questions there were difficulties however; this album was supposed to see the light of day in Autumn of 2003, but the band weren't happy with some of the cuts so they eventually brought in WAR producer Steve Lillywhite to put the finishing touches on. The dream team of Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois that delivered THE JOSHUA TREE and ACHTUNG BABY amongst others, are also credited on the album along with Flood and Nellee Hooper who were the main influences behind the "unfinished" 1997 POP. Of course, Bono's venture into the world of debt relief may have delayed things further, but even some in the band wouldnt want him in the studio for every minute of the recording process. As with every new U2 album their aim was to start again with a blank sheet notwithstanding the carry over songs from previous sessions. One of these is SOMETIMES YOU CANT MAKE IT ON YOUR OWN, a ballad about the singer's father who died during the Elevation Tour, that with the help of Steve Lillywhite was finally finished off this time. I dont however intend to dissect each song, suffice to say that with each U2 song here, as on most of their songs, there is a great hook that brings the listener back. There are some great riffs from Edge's guitar, the opening of ALL BECAUSE OF YOU being one(the next USA single release); whether these are rehashed efforts from past glories or not, one can speculate. They've never been ashamed, to their credit, of aspiring to a mass audience and this is probably as commercially sounding as U2 will get. VERTIGO is a rocking opener, but isnt really characteristic of the album as a whole and the most surprising track is the catchy R&B sounding A MAN AND A WOMAN. Granted this album rarely reaches the heights of THE JOSHUA TREE or ACHTUNG BABY but let's face it U2, or any other band for that matter are never going to write another masterpiece like those two. Nevertheless, this is their best work since ACHTUNG BABY and presumably the songs will take on a life of their own when the band gets out on the road. With a few notable exceptions, U2 have always sounded better live than in the studio and the songs from this album will be no different. U2 are due to play in Japan next Autumn where they havnt played since the POPMART tour and while there are no firm plans to come to Korea where they're never played, keep an eye out for the tour dates to be announced soon. Paul McGuinness has been locked in negotiations with Cheonan city officials for an open-air gig in Samgeori Park, in Chusok 2005 supported by up and coming local outfit, 88mph. Other bands rumoured to be opening for U2 on the US and European dates include The Thrills and Snow Patrol." IL2, 13/01/2005

Thank you IL2 for that informative review of U2's latest offering. We'll keep our eyes peeled for those tour dates. This week's MP3 groove list is one re-release and an exciting new release from a veteran pop duo. Next week, the FCA should be moving to their new home, for more gossip and scandal. Hopefully, we'll try and grab hold of the Army of Skanks for a brief chat about their new website plans, keep you informed on that one. Keep cool Cheonanites. The heat is rising...

MP2 Grooves: Erasure- Breathe Urban Cookie Collective- The Key, The Secret (2005 remix) fullcheeseahead@gmail.com