SITE REVIEW
SPACE-O-JUKE
Granted It's my own site, but this shows how it's done both as a site review and as a topical website. Since you're here already, look on this as a kind of explanation

When a site does it like it oughta be, that says a lot, but when it's a (small) part of a larger entity (hence the name SPACE-O-JUKE) That speaks volumes. I like reviewing sites like this because I can make it short and sweet without having to stipulate, mitigate or discombobulate.

SPACE-O-JUKE is all that an OBG* site should be. it.

  1. Lets you know right off the bat what you're getting: "Let's Twist Again" and '57 Chevy Radio" put it right up front for you. You don't have to try and figure it out "... It's July, 1961 [and deja vu] all over again" says it all: A+
  2. has a clever "hook": "Satellite Era" is original, clever and evocative. you know pretty much your timeframe of operation: A
  3. has a large and growing number of songs: B (room for growth; no doubt on its way)
  4. explains itself and lets you track growth and changes: B+/A-
  5. navigates ok, but you must check every image for a link which is part of the overall Graphic User Interface design of the larger domain that might get by newbies to the domain and the text-bound. B+ for look and feel, C/B+ for ease and convenience which both organization: B+, and the use of Alt text: A, help greatly.
  6. offers the material in download form: A+
  7. gives you access to sites with more of the same material: A+
  8. gives a look at the culture of the time as it grew from about 1959 to mid-'63. You can see what the folks were like: A+
  9. MOST IMPORTANTLY!!! you can actually get hold of the site owner. That's a huge plus: A+
This is because the site owner is doing it himself from design, creation and upload and is really into this stuff so he takes pride and responsibility. You not only get the above but for each listed group/artist you get access to "INFO" about, pix, lyrincs, discography and fan activity: A+ as well as other research material B+. As an added bonus, it pretty much stays within timeframe which means that it has more of the material from the timeframe. A (personal taste here).

This is not just a play site, You do other activities here mostly research on the music and the temper of the times with a "RETRO" page that is to die for. The owner has offered to set up a Yahoo group for interactivity or use one that he already has: A (A+ if there are takers). This lends itself well to persons who need or want, for reasons other than listening pleasure, such as being in a band, looking for a "theme" for an event (with musical background and hopefully images) or historical studies, greater detail, wider scope and more depth than otherwise available. To this degree, this is not found on other sites: A+

the only thing lacking is an actual "jukebox" that lets you play the material in bunches on the site: C. No doubt that this will be remedied ASAP since there appear to be provisions for it. This is a free play site: A, with download so the person must really want to spread the material around. I understand that the goal is to have a whole day's worth of material here which would be around 650 songs. Three 700 MB disks. It's a young site so many things are possible.

SPACE-O-JUKE is a site that does it all and even at this young age, to a degree not found in one place anywhere else.

*****!

*Oldies But Goodies