y va pas partout y marche pas au soda

I'm a well known sucker for Gallic pop, so without further ado, here's the best track from Vanessa Paradis' new album, which has dominated the French charts for the last couple of months:



It's not a bad album, not up there with Variations Sur Le Meme T'Aime, and certainly no contest with Charlotte Gainsbourg's 5:55 for my favourite French album in recent years, but worth a listen.

there is only feeling in this world of love and death

Erol Alkan has been behind much that I have enjoyed over the last couple of years; his Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve Monkees remix was my track of 2005; I also liked his Franz Ferdinand remix on the 2006 Rough Trade compilation, and his own Bugged In selection, which introduced me to Passing Through by Rare Bird as well as the Concretes' version of the Stones' Miss You (and which was possibly playing in the background if you've drank coffee chez Tan Ward in the last two years).
He did a 6 Mix for BBC 6 Music last month, which is now available as a podcast at www.erolalkan.co.uk and on itunes. I love the Broadcast track; I will have to look out more of their stuff. From the obscure - Holger Czukay, Wobble, Liebezeit to the better known - Madness and Glen Campbell - this works really well.

our three weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope..

Just when I found something nice to say about the Roman Catholic church, Mad Priest tells me this.
I love the quote from lapinbizarre

"He wasn't a Nazi, he was just a Bavarian Catholic"

it's that look in your eyes, telling me lies

Recent purchases include: Comicopera - Robert Wyatt has certainly been one of my artists of the year. This is a beautiful album - Just As You Are is just as honest a love song as Sea Song, and very likely to sit alongside Becky Unthank on my end of year pick.
Late Night Tales - Fat Boy Slim. One of the best compilations you will hear in a while - some great funk, dub, and general freakiness (including Kenny Roger's stoner track from the Big Lebowski, and Kraftwerk in a Northern Soul style - inspired). Even some Charlie Brown Music. And mentioning Kraftwerk, both the Hot Chip remixes of a couple of the Tour de France tracks, and the soundtrack to Control (which includes Autobahn) are worth a listen.
The Very Best of Ethiopiques - worth it for the Mulatu Astatke tracks alone. I've wanted to get hold of his stuff since watching Broken Flowers.
Lots of Alabama 3 - MOR is growing on me, especially since seeing them live yet again (and the Astoria have just emailed me to let me know that they found the wallet I lost at the gig), but I'm also enjoying the gig only Drive Time remix, and a bootleg of the Cambridge acoustic set (here's another sad song...).
I'm looking forward to the Robert Plant and Alison Krauss album released next week, and I should also get hold of the new Teddy Thompson, which Tom is raving about.
And here's Bill Bailey restored:

To provide meaningful architecture is not to parody history but to articulate it

I've just come back from three days in Berlin, where I was able to find time before coming home to visit the Jüdisches Museum. Having seen an excellent documentary about the architect Daniel Libeskind on BBC Four last week (still available for download) and with the museum itself featured in the Guardian's Great Modern Buildings series, it was a building and a museum that I very much wanted to visit. It didn't disappoint - whilst the design is deliberately disorienting, particularly with the entrance through the intersecting axes of Holocaust, Exile and Continuity, the wonderful use of space and light means this complements rather than detracts from the museum's main collection. Highly recommended.


I've also noted that the Vatican is tomorrow, at the behest of a German Pope, beatifying Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian peasant who refused to fight for the Third Reich in an unjust war. He knew that the penalty was death. An inspiring story.


Finally, a quick plug for Of Course, I Could Be Wrong. The Mad Priest is one of the more entertaining bloggers I've read in recent months (and the man does have a very good taste in music). I just wonder, given the frequency with which he posts, how much his parishioners actually see him.

I never felt so wicked as when I wished our love to die

Thanks to a mislaid driving license, I did not as planned spend my Saturday evening in Milwaukee watching baseball, but instead saw Rilo Kiley on the Chicago leg of their current US tour. Despite many trips to the US over the last 5 years, this was the first time I've seen a gig in the US since...erm...Sting...a long time ago.
The venue was the Riviera Theater in Uptown; not a neighbourhood I'd been to before, and I liked it. Having picked up my ticket for $23.50 on the door, I knew I had a couple of hours to kill before Rilo Kiley came on stage. So rather than listen to a support act I'd never heard of and drink over-priced Miller, I headed to the nearest sports bar. Now maybe I was tired, but I swear it was a good 10-15 minutes before I realised I was in a gay sports bar (the I Love Tight Ends t-shirt being worn by one of the barmen should have been a dead giveaway). The beer was good, the food was fine, and it was one of the friendliest places I've drunk in for a while.
As for the gig itself; I was in a pretty good spot, towards the back of the lower level of the main floor, but in the middle. I did feel old - most of the crowd were early-mid 20's, and loud - it really was an adoring crowd. I realised that in spite of More Adventurous being one of my favourite albums of the last few years, I was surrounded by people who knew way more of the lyrics - and from the moment the band opened with It's a Hit, they sang them loudly. The set was a very good mix of old and new; whilst the real crowd pleasers came from the last album, Under the Blacklight is a real grower, and some of the new songs worked really well live. They were a lot louder, a lot less acoustic, than I'd expected - and maybe did justify the Fleetwood Mac comparisons made in Spin magazine this month. Jenny Lewis is a really charismatic (and gorgeous) front woman, but it was very apparant that - in spite of the geeky waistcoat and bow-tie - Blake Sennett is at least as much the creative force in the band.

The highlight for me was inevitably Portions for Foxes - which they sensibly got out of the way very early in the set - although Silver Lining came very close, and is very much one of my tracks of the year.

Setlist (thanks to Sound on the Sound - strictly speaking this is the set list from Seattle last week, but it looks identical):

It’s A Hit
Close Call
Portions for Foxes
Paint’s Peeling
Breaking Up
Dreamworld
Money Maker
Wires and Waves
Rip Chord
With Arms Outstretched
Silver Lining
I Never
Smoke Detector
15
Rise Up with Fists
Spectacular Views

Encore:
Give A Little Love
Does He Love You?

we're on the verge of becoming Kathleen Turner Overdrive

Obviously, High Fidelity is one of my favourite films; it's also one of my favourite books. It's remarkable not just because the film is just as touching and thought provoking as the book, but also because the story translates so well from North London to Chicago. Despite only being 7 years old, it seems a period piece in many ways - perhaps because the only record shops which specialise in vinyl in 2007 tend to be selling dance music. But it still speaks to the heart of masculine obsessive behaviour in a way which I would guess most blokes of a certain age would identify with (even blokes who haven't been dumped by 5 women - and certainly not by Catherine Zeta Jones).
So in honour of the BBC keeping me up way after midnight last night, here are my 10 all time favourite quotes from High Fidelity (leaving aside the obvious one).

Barry: Holy shite. What the fuck is that?
Dick: It's the new Belle and Sebastian...
Rob: It's a record we've been listening to and enjoying, Barry.
Barry: Well, that's unfortunate, because it sucks ass.

Rob: Liking both Marvin Gaye and Art Garfunkel is like supporting both the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Laura: No, it's really not, Rob. You know why? Because Marvin Gaye and Art Garfunkel make pop records.
Rob: Made. Made. Marvin Gaye is dead. His father shot him.

Barry's Customer: Hi, do you have the song "I Just Called To Say I Love You?" It's for my daughter's birthday.
Barry: Yea we have it.
Barry's Customer: Great, Great, can I have it?
Barry: No, no, you can't.
Barry's Customer: Why not?
Barry: Well, it's sentimental tacky crap. Do we look like the kind of store that sells I Just Called to Say I Love You? Go to the mall.

Barry: Rob, I'm telling you this for your own good, that's the worst fuckin' sweater I've ever seen, that's a Cosby sweater. A Cosssssssby sweater. Did Laura let you leave the house like that?

Barry: Rob, top five musical crimes perpetuated by Stevie Wonder in the 80s and 90s? Go... sub-question... is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, is it better to burn out or fade away?

Rob: Where's Ian? Or Ray, or... what is his fucking name, anyway? What do you call him, Ian or Ray?
Laura: Ray. I hate Ian.
Rob: I hate him too.
Laura: Yeah... I'm sure.

Dick: I guess it looks as if you're reorganizing your records. What is this though? Chronological?
Rob: No...
Dick: Not alphabetical...
Rob: Nope...
Dick: What?
Rob: Autobiographical.
Dick: No fucking way.

Dick: Marie de Salle's playing. You remember I told you about her. I like her. She's kind of Sheryl Crow-ish crossed with a post-Partridge Family pre-L.A. Law Susan Dey kind of thing, but, you know, uh, black.

Rob: Should I bolt every time I get that feeling in my gut when I meet someone new? Well, I've been listening to my gut since I was 14 years old, and frankly speaking, I've come to the conclusion that my guts have shit for brains.

Barry: How about the Jesus and Mary Chain?
Barry's Customer: They always seemed...
Barry: They always seemed what? They always seemed really great is what they always seemed. They picked up where your precious Echo left off, and you're sitting around complaining about no more Echo albums. I can't believe you don't own this fucking record. (tosses the record to the customer and walks away) That's insane. Jesus.

...and I've got Personal Services on the Sky box for later.

friend of the stars

First I'm exchanging emails with Alabama 3's Devlin on Facebook, next Stuart Braithwaite is personally responding to my trivia question on the Mogwai unofficial message board (and even having the good grace not to point out that I named the wrong track). OK, maybe not household names - but personal contact with members of arguably my two favourite bands of the moment in the same week? I'm happy.
I'm enjoying the 1975 Richard & Linda Thompson live album, and the unofficial Mogwai Government Commissions vol 2 (i.e. the Peel Sessions that didn't make the official Government Commissions release).

partly fish, partly porpoise, partly baby sperm whale

I know that I'll stop obsessing over the Winterset at some point over the next few days. But until then, here's Robert Wyatt.

you come home late and you come home early

What a weekend; probably the best festival I've been to. It was a really good atmosphere; very friendly vibe - smoke-free stages were pleasant - and there seemed to be fewer turf wars than usual between the sitters and the standers as the larger pieces of camping furniture stayed outside. Very good weather too. A bit muddy underfoot yesterday after a downpour on Saturday night, but very little rain during the music.

Friday: Under One Sky (John McCusker and Friends. "These aren't my real friends. My real friends sell toasters and play football. Which makes for a crap gig."), Show of Hands, Steve Earle, Waterboys. A great night. Especilly when you consider that, between a broken bass string, a flat guitar, a self-unplugging mandolin ("the son-of-a-bitch wasn't plugged into the mother-fucker"), and a forgotten lyric (I'm sure that Yeats' The Stolen Child doesn't start with the word "Shit"), something went wrong for every artist. As it turned out, the broken bass - and the run-around to replace it, allowed McCusker time to include an impromptu accapella interlude from John Tams and Julie Fowlis. Under One Sky was breath-taking in it's ambition - which it just about reached. Highlight of the night was undoubtedly the Waterboys. As brilliant as they were disappointing the last time I saw them. I had to wipe away a tear during The Whole of the Moon. Wonderful.

Saturday: First Rachel Unthank set of the weekend. I'd bought the new album on Friday night - even better than their debut - so I knew it would be good. But not quite how good. The best folk album I've bought this year, a certainty for my best of 2007 (it's s toss-up between Blue Bleezing Blind Drunk and their version of Robert Wyatt's Sea Song for my favourite track); they are a superb live act. The between-song humour gives their set a real folk club feel, but the musicianship - especially the sisters' harmonies, but also the piano and fiddle arrangements - set this act apart. And I never thought that I would find clog dancing sexy...
The rest of the day didn't quite hit the heights of Friday - plus I was knackered and voiceless. Like many around the field, I was sat back reading Harry Potter whilst listening to Show of Hands and Kate Rusby (there are worse ways to spend a Saturday afternoon). The spirits were lifted no end by Bellowhead - the first time I've seen them live, every bit as good as I'd hoped. Still, I got signed copies of Kate's and the Winterset's new albums.
Saturday evening was eclectic - Kate was followed on stage by Fanfare Ciocarlia - the Romanian band best known for their version of Wild Thing in Borat. I enjoyed them more than I did Taraf de Haidouks a few years back. Then Joan Baez - stateswomanlike - but not the most likely warmup act in the world for Toots and the Maytals. Who blew the roof off. A really exciting set to end the night.

Sunday: Martin Simpson with Andy Cutting and Danny Thompson. Great guitar work, a lovely cover of Thommo's Strange Affair, and a gorgeous duet with Kate Rusby. Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain, Rachel Unthank in the club tent, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder - lightning speed bluegrass, Lau, Rachel Unthank again, Toumani Diabate - a great show, Nanci Griffith and finally Bellowhead on stage 2 before heading for home.

So good I saw them twice: Bellowhead, Show of Hands, Rachel Unthank and the Winterset (who I saw three times).

Lowlights: I just don't get the Oysterband, I'm sorry. Dull. Joan Baez ruining a good set by ending with the interminable Imagine.

Unexpected Treats: Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain. Especially Anarchy in the UK in the style of Simon and Garfunkel and Life on Mars, Lau.

Sorry I Missed: Not much really. There was so much good stuff on the main stages that I didn't go to any of the showcase artists in the club tent - which I will probably regret if they become famous. Shooglenifty (clashes with Toots and the Maytals and Bellowhead); C J Chenier (same time as Waterboys); only saw half of Ruthie Foster's set, ditto Bruce Cockburn (though I did see Wondering Where the Lions Are); missed Sharon Shannon on main stage with Steve Earle guesting on Galway Girl. In fact, main stage Friday was pretty incestuous, with Steve and Alison Moorer guesting in each others sets, Sharon Shannon with the Waterboys, and John McCusker, Steve, Mike McGoldrick and Sharon all joining the Waterboys in a rousing This Land is Your Land to close out one of the best nights of music I will ever see.

The weekend seemed to go on forever; hearing Ruthie Foster singing Up Above My Head and Nanci Griffith singing Speed of the Sound of Loneliness, it seemed an age since I'd heard the Alabamas sing them on Thursday.

And maybe I wimped out by not camping - especially since the weather was remarkably well behaved - but it was nice to sleep in a warm bed, wear clean clothes, have a hot bath and stock up on better than average picnic grub, and bottle conditioned City of Cambridge Brewery beers from Waitrose each morning.

The only regret is the feeling that next year's festival can't come close to this. Not much does.

it's been so damned long since we sung this song

Back from the first night of the Cambridge Folk Festival. That's the first time I've done the Thursday night - the low-key night before the festival proper. But, as part of what is a very strong lineup this year, there were couple of acts playing tonight who I really wanted to see.
I was a bit late getting there - though a beautiful rainbow over Shelford told of a weekend of sunshine and showers to come - so missed the start of "the brilliant, the unique" Seasick Steve. And even though I was stuck outside the tent in the mud and the drizzle, I knew I was listening to a great blues guitarist. Foregoing the chance to pick up a signed copy of his album, I pushed down to the front for Kris Drever; another from the Rusby/McCusker stable - a good guitarist, but not where I needed to be tonight. I needed to get back to church, and the Alabama 3 Acoustic set didn't disappoint. I was up front and in centre as Larry, Devlin, Rock Freebase and Harpo Strangelove took the stage. A very different set from St Albans - and perfect for a festival crowd. A lot of Exile - Converted, Woke Up, Tekno, Speed and ending with a great version of Peace - together with Johnny Cash, Two Heads, Folsom Prison Blues and Up Above My Head. It was nice to be part of the crowd down the front singing along; there's something special about being in a festival crowd listening to one of your favourite bands. A great start to the weekend; looking forward to Steve Earle and Sharon Shannon tomorrow. I'll probably try to catch Bruce Cockburn too. Not sure about the Waterboys; Mike Scott was so disappointing last time he was at Cambridge. And there's Zydeco on stage two at the same time.
Now to get some sleep in a nice warm bed.

your biggest blunder's that you all look the fucking same

Everyone seems to be falling over themselves to be amongst the first to discover Poppy and the Jezebels. So I'll confess to the middle-aged, middle-class route buying the mini-album (with a free signed print no less) after the rave review in the Guardian last week. Alex Petridis is wrong when he says "it doesn't really sound like anything else" - because it does. It all sounds brilliantly trashy and naive, and could have been on the CD86 compilation that I copied for Tom last week. Basic drumming, fuzzy guitars, and vocals straight off an early Creation release; kudos to Reveal Records for discovering them, and to Kramer for his production. The Lips of Cleopatra is on repeat at this very moment.

when you love someone but the thrill is gone

The Mercury Music Awards shortlist announced this week showed an all-time low score of two in albums I own; Arctic Monkeys - OK, but does nothing their debut failed to achieve (and I was tired of that by this time last year), and Amy Winehouse - a really enjoyable album - but not as enjoyable as the Lily Allen album the Arctics beat last year. Much of the rest, I'd either never heard of or wasn't interested by. The exception was Bat for Lashes - I'd at least heard a track of theirs (or, more correctly, hers) on a Mojo freebie a couple of months back. I thought she was an OK female singer song-writer; nothing remarkable, and recording under a really bad name - so looked no further. But since the critics say Ms. Khan (related to the Pakistani squash-playing dynasty) is the artist most likely to "do an Anthony", and having heard comparisons with Bjork and Kate Bush, I gave her another listen. And I have to say, I like it. Trophy, The Wizard, and Horse & I are all good tracks, but I'm particularly enjoying What's A Girl To Do?, with it's spoken lyric, reminiscent of Black Box Recorder, and it's totally insane video. Could be a winner.

"ever feel like you've been cheated?"

I've cautiously welcomed the return of the Jesus and Mary Chain - although I find it hard to think if there is any difference between me going to watch Pixies, the Pogues etc and blokes in their 40's heading off to watch the Shadows and Marty Wilde during the 1980's - and I know how tragic I thought that was.
The picture in this month's OMM of Jarvis Cocker alone on the front row of the Festival Hall during Meltdown, watching the Mary Chain whilst his wife takes photos of the band, is just a great fan image. But having missed the boat for Meltdown, and being in the wrong country for Connect, I've been looking out for any more dates this autumn. And now they're playing Brixton Academy - one of my favourite venues - in September.
So far so good. But I'm left resenting the use of an Agency who charge a £2.75 booking fee for a £25 ticket - and a further fiver to post it to me - a 31% mark up. Yes, I'll probably end up paying up. Reviews of their shows this year have been universally strong. But it's still a rip-off.
And on the subject of being cheated, is there any difference between Things Change "the long awaited debut album from soul duo Fried" - and Fried the 2004 "eponymous debut...a rare gem of an album"? I liked the first album; When You Get Out of Jail was one of my songs of the year in 2004 (although the rest of the album struggled to match it). But why does it seem that no reviewer has even heard of the earlier release?

it's been a while since I saw your ultra-violet smile

I'm still on a buzz from Alabama 3 at the Alban Arena last week. A really good night. It was far from a full house - and the crowd had a large proportion of 40-ish blokes (well that described the six of us pretty well). The crowd seemed to take a little while to get going; the mix at the back of the hall was very bass-heavy, making a lot of what D Wayne was saying indecipherable. And I think a lot of us were just astounded that a band this good was playing a half empty hall in our home town. It got a lot better when Jon and I followed Tom & Jim (who took the pictures) and got down to the front. But the band looked great and sounded even better.

Some great versions of old songs, and I really liked the new stuff they played in the encore. Larry Love and Devlin have a great stage presence together; I really enjoyed the version of Up Above My Head from Outlaw with Devlin on vocals (closer to The Last Train to Mashville Vol 1 version I purchased on the night). The St Albans Chapter of The First Presleyterian Church Of Elvis The Divine (UK) will testify again in October - although I'm seeing the acoustic lineup in Cambridge at the end of the month.

miserere mei, Deus: secundum magnam misericordiam tuam

We got hold of the Tallis Scholars' new recording of Allegri's Miserere last week, after seeing a local choral society performing it in the chapel of All Saints Pastoral Centre at London Colney (see the photo on the website, and you'll realise what a great setting it is). Miserere is very possibly my favourite piece of music, sacred or secular. The mythology and mystery which surround it, the beauty of the music, the feelings evoked as the soloist repeatedly hits top C (remarkably not part of the original setting). It is also one of the few pieces of music that could be claimed to have changed my life - or at least my perspective of music. A friend of my father gave me an original copy of the - arguably definitive - Kings College Cambridge recording from 1963 when I passed the voice trial to get into the Minster Choir when I was 10 (unfortunately, if you give a potential collectors item to a 10 year old, it may not retain it's value. I still own it, but it's been fairly well trashed). I recall the shiver down my spine as I listened to it - I came close to tears as I often have done since. This is the point at which I fell in love with sacred music and began to understand the feelings of transcendence which it can induce. No wonder the Pope tried to keep it for himself. The Devil doesn't always have the best tunes.

our house was filled with many birds. she said to me "I understand their words".

It was a frustrating week last week; I was out of the country all week with a dead ipod. 55gb of songs on the hard drive, but the pod couldn't see any of them. Later in the week, it seemed to have died completely. I've had an extra 6 months out of it since it first started playing up, so maybe I should be pleased for small mercies.
I'm thinking of using this as an excuse to buy a Nano, just to keep me going until I fork out on a new one. I'm flying through Hong Kong next month; I need to check if they're cheaper there.
So I haven't yet listened to the new Art Brut album which I added last Monday. If it's as good as the first one, it's going to be good.
I am enjoying the new Frank Black compilation 93-03. I already had a lot of it, but the additional live disc was worth buying, and it's a good overview of his post-Pixies career. I've also downloaded a superb live recording of Jeff Tweedy playing a solo acoustic set in Chicago a couple of months back. Lots of stuff from the new album, but also some older Wilco, Uncle Tupelo and Golden Smog songs. Some great audience banter too. Read more about it here.

I worship and adore the true and living God, who created all things

Yesterday was the feast day of St Alban, and today the Albantide pilgrimage. St Albans has been a site of pilgrimage since at least the sixth century, but despite having lived here for 13 years, today was the first time that we've joined the pilgrimage. It was led by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who celebrated the Solemn Eucharist at lunchtime (which we missed), and then preached at Evensong. It was a humbling occasion. The Abbey was overflowing (literally) with pilgrims from St Albans, Hertfordshire, and far, far, further afield. We arrived fairly late (5 minutes later, and, like friends of ours, we would not have had a seat). This meant that, although we were in a part of the church where the service was relayed to us by video, we were sat behind the shrine - which naturally lead us to consider all those who have worshipped God in this place for the past 15 centuries. And Archbishop Tutu's sermon was wonderful. Of course the numbers this year were swelled by those of us who wanted to hear, and for our children to hear, one of the true prophetic voices of our age. I hope the sermon will be put on the web - it deserves a wide audience. But in a week when the Anglican church (which has always been my spiritual home) seems closer to the brink of schism than ever, his call for tolerance, and his acknowledgment of the power of goodness in the face of evil seemed very timely. And we both recognised that we are in the right place, and that this is home. Whatever may happen in the coming months, this city is our home, and it would be painful to leave it behind.

in the midst of death we are in life

Now I know that at least one of this blog's readership has seen the last two episodes of The Sopranos, I feel free to talk about it (I've been holding this in for the last fortnight). If you don't want to know the score, look away now.

The further I get from the final episode, the more inspired the ending seems. Of course the ending took me by surprise – but then a final episode written and directed by David Chase was never going to be predictable. But I did have a moment when I thought the torrent must have failed right at the end. After the previous week's episode, being continually on edge as to who was going to die, and how (Phil's death was great, brutal and funny). The fact that it didn't all end neatly. What did Agent Harris mean - "Damn, we're gonna win this thing!" - were the Feds behind everything that has happened in this season? Or had he just become to closely involved? The scene at Satriales with Paulie sunbathing while the cat watched him, the dinner at Bobby's funeral straight out of the Godfather, the look on Carmella's face when Tony started talking to Anthony Jr's therapist, the sight of Uncle Junior at the end. All classic Sopranos.
Some great one liners:

JANICE "I'm afraid I have bad news. Bobby's dead"
UNCLE JUNIOR "Ambassador Hotel."

I love the subtle hint that the mafia shot Bobby Kennedy.

PAULIE "In the midst of death, we are in life. Heh? Or is it the other way around?"
MEADOW "I think it's the other way around."
PAULIE "Either version, you're halfway up the ass."

Anyone who thinks this isn't the end is very much deluded. Chase wants us to remain thinking through all the possibilities - and believe me, I've read some pretty wild theories in the last fortnight (doesn't the fact that I'm still obsessing over it, two weeks on, just say how perfect it is?). And besides, with Bobby, Chris and Phil dead, and Silvio in a coma, who's going to be in a film?

It may have struggled - particularly during seasons 4-5 - and the first half of season 6 was just weird. But it's still the best thing to have been on TV in the 21st century. Great article on the final episode here.



It seems somehow appropriate that we're off to see Alabama 3 in a fortnight. Tom, Jim and I were big fans of A3 long before they became synonymous with the Sopranos. Now is the time that we get right and repent.

you never knew the teenage me and you wouldn't believe the things you didn't see

Continuing my Everything But The Girl obsession. Robert Elms' "What's All The Fuss About" slot this lunchtime featured an hour long interview with Ben Watt, and some great music. Ended with the gorgeous DJ Jazzy Jeff remix of Mirrorball from the Adapt or Die remixes album. Worth catching on listen again; here's the link on the BBC London site.

kick those white mice and baboons out

Getting to the middle of the year; time to take stock and think what sort of year its' been so far. A quick squint at itunes suggests that I've added about 30 albums released in 2007 to my collection. And not many duff ones to be honest.

Top 3 to date
Grinderman: One of my favourite Nick Cave albums. Raucous, urgent - the sound of a man raging against his own mortality. And I disagree with Tom; I think the cover is great - as was the discussion on the AV club review as to what the monkey is doing.

LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver I find it very hard to think this will be topped as my album of the year. James Murphy is on top of his game - very much like Bright Eyes or Sufjan Stevens over the last couple of years. It will surely feature highly in many of the Sherwood OCC end of year compilations; there's not a weak song on the album. The Franz Ferdinand/Erol Alkan version of All My Friends on the single is well worth a listen. Also try the unofficial sounds like silver remix.

Malcolm Middleton: A Brighter Beat. In a year when I've been listening to a lot of Scots miserablism (Mogwai, Arab Strap, Sister Vanilla), this is the pick. A pop album for people who hate pop music? Maybe. It's dour stuff - maybe a little less dark than Into the Woods - but any album with song titles like We're All Going To Die, Death Love Depression Love Death and Fuck It I Love You isn't going to be a barrel of laughs.

Also enjoyed: The Good, The Bad & The Queen, Bright Eyes: Cassadaga, Tracey Thorn: Out of the Woods

Two recent purchases I'm not yet sure about - Digitalism: Idealism. I like the Digitalism in Cairo re-edit of The Cure's Fire in Cairo, although it's taking a while for the album to grow on me. The White Stripes: Icky Thump. The title track and Little Cream Soda are classic White Stripes, but as a whole the album hasn't yet grabbed me in the same way White Blood Cells and Elephant did.

Biggest Disappointments:
Fairport's Sense of Occasion. With the exception of a good cover of XTC's Love on a Farmboy's Wages, this is Fairport doing it by numbers. A far better momento of their 40 years is the Live at the BBC boxed set, which, whilst not universally strong, reminds you what a great band they were at their Swarbrick, Denny, Thompson et al peak.

Royksopp: Back to Mine. I've bought some good compilations this year - Hot Chip' s DJ Kicks, In the Mind of Nitin Sawhney, Nouvelle Vague's Late Night Tales, Mark Ronson's Version. But this is cheesy and badly mixed.

Best Live Downloads:
Spiritualized Acoustic Mainlines at Manchester - here and here
Mogwai at Grunspan

The "how did I not get into this band before" discovery:
Stereolab. They're influenced by Kraftwerk, Krautrock and Bacharach. They've got Moog synths and female vocals often in French. Honestly, how has this band passed me by?

ladies and gentlemen, Mogwai

Ah, the beauty of the internet. Tom's comment about seeing the Delgados last week led me to thinking about which current bands I really should try to see live or else regret it. Mogwai and the White Stripes were the two that came to mind. After reflecting that it was unfortunate Mogwai's gig at Somerset House had already sold out, and having seen how much the tickets were going for on ebay, I put the thought to one side. Still, Somerset House - great venue - so I decided to see what other acts I could see in their Summer series. And happy, happy, joy, joy - there were still Mogwai tickets available. So I'm off with Tom - who has promised to drown in their back catalogue over the next month - and Jim. I'm really looking forward to it. Malcolm Middleton supporting, and the gig will be in surround sound. So I expect the loud bit in Like Herod to blow my socks off. I might have to invest in some earplugs (spot the old bugger whose hearing is beginning to go...).

turn it up! bring tha noize!

I picked up some smart speakers for my iPod in Tesco of all places yesterday - JBL OnStage 2 - for less than £50 (50% off rrp). Good sound and they take up very little space on my desk. They have a mini jack connection too, so I've got the PC plugged into them as well. It might seem trivial, but since I switched to a 2 monitor setup at work last month, I've been bugged by all the sound coming from the right side of my desk. Now I've got stereo right in front of me. If I have to make a criticism, it would be that they only run on mains power. But since I bought them for my desk, I'm not going to complain. Now I'll shut my door and put on some Mogwai.

for the self assured I have no cure

I'm looking forward to Emma Pollock's first solo album - though I'm hoping that the combination of a quirky driving video and repetitive piano line in the single doesn't signal a tribute to Coldplay.

The other track avalable on her website - Limbs - is more reminiscent of the criminally underrated Delgados.

in my imagination there is no complication

A few days off last week, and in the abscence of decent weather, we headed down to the V&A for the Kylie exhibition, on loan from the Arts Centre in Melbourne (highly recommended website, but not Firefox friendly).
We all enjoyed it a lot. I've had a thing about Kylie since her Neighbours days (I still remember her first episode), not just during her Deconstruction period - though Confide in Me and her collaboration with Nick Cave are obvious highlights.
The exhibition was really well put together; the main room held most of the costumes - from the white dress of I Should Be So Lucky, through the gold lame hot pants and white denim shorts of Spinning Around, to the white hooded dress and purple dress of Can't Get You Out Of My Head - arguably the first iconic single of the 21st Century. This also had a timeline along one wall - made up of cd covers and photographs. Cara was entranced by the other wall - incorporating a floor to ceiling video screen. Raya's thing is live performance, so she was more fascinated by the stage costumes from last years' tour which were in a seperate room.
A good exhibition from the fashion perspective, an interesting study into the development of an icon. And - hurrah for publically funded arts (and sponsorship from Evian) - a free day out in London.

dark is normal and pop is trivial

Looking for videos for this morning's post, I came across this, which I'd not seen before. I'm not sure if folk is as cool as some critics make out, but I think there is a new appreciation of the influence folk has had on popular music. Thommo says himself "I'm not a folkie. I'm a singer-songwriter with traditional roots" - maybe that's as good a definition as any other of the music I like (says the man who is happily supping from his new Spiritualized coffee mug - a replacement for my late lamented Pogues one).

Part One:


Part Two:

I see young girls with old faces. I see good girls in bad places.

I'm through the last few weeks of travelling. Early morning drives or taxis to airports, trying to catch up on sleep on nasty cheap flights, up late drinking beer and pontificating about work. In short, not listened to much or read much.
Cara's third birthday party last weekend, I put together a play list which I thought would appeal to 3 year olds - Yakety Yak, Hey Good Lookin', Green Onions, Hey Ya, Wipeout, Everybody Wants to be a Cat, Charlie Brown etc. Which Lorna thought was a self indulgent middle aged male thing, but I thought added to the party.
(Unsurprisingly, almost expectedly) dodgy cover aside, I am enjoying Sweet Warrior, the new Richard Thompson album (which the record man on the market - who is pretty good on all things Folk Rock - was flogging on Saturday, as I knew he would, 2 days before the release). And there seem to be plenty of Thommo fans in St Albans judging by its' prominance on the stall. I do lose superlatives for Thommo, and owning so much by him, it's easy to forget the good albums, and the great songs on average albums. First couple of listens are favourable. His Iraq war song Dad's Gonna Kill Me was pretty widely promoted ahead of the album. Genuinely scary, but I don't think it will reach the pantheon of great RT songs. Take Care The Road You Choose might though. A great anti-love ballad. This man can do bitter. When you follow that with Mr Stupid, and you're into the well-worn tracks of Shoot Out The Lights and Razor Dance.
I'm reading Bad Men by Clive Stafford Smith, about his experiences acting as a lawyer in Guantanomo Bay. I guess it won't be read by too many people who might change their minds about torture and detention without trial as a result. But his account of the torture (or "Human Resource Exploitation") experienced by one of his clients in Morocco after a CIA rendition flight did not help me sleep last night. I know that I would confess to anything in the face of torture. But if your thoughts about torture extend no further than a 30 second segment in 24, to even imagine 18 months of systematic abuse out of the eye of the media in a Rabat prison is horrifying enough. To think that the "confessions" extracted by such methods have been used to attack civil liberties at home, both in Europe and in North America, and certainly contributed to the decision to go to war in Iraq only increases the horror. Not to say the disgust when you read Tony Blair's comments in the Sunday Times that, as a society, we are "misguided and wrong" to have chosen to put the civil liberties of the suspect, even if a foreign national, first.
A different type of horror in Shane Meadows latest - This is England - on Sunday night. A really impressive film. Most of the reviews I had read had rightly praised Thomas Turgoose's performance as Shaun. But Stephen Graham's performance as Combo is central.

take a look at the lawman beating up the wrong guy

In Borders last night, buying the first two albums from The Hold Steady, and they were playing a great cover version of Life on Mars? in Portuguese. It was taken from the Life Aquatic Studio Sessions by Seu Jorge, an album from a couple of years ago, but which I'd never heard. Now, not only am I a sucker for a good cover version, but he was also in City of God, which I have regularly referred to as my favourite film of all time. And, of course, that song has been running through my mind thanks to the time traveling cop show, which was the best thing I saw on TV last year, and survived it's move to BBC1 for its' second season. I know that I should make an effort with Bowie - I've allowed his 80's radio friendly crap to overshadow his good stuff.
This really is pretty cool.

all I want in life's a little bit of love to take the pain away

I got a text on Sunday morning from Tom, who was enjoying the sun the sea and the sand at the ATP festival at Minehead Butlins.
"acoustic spiritualized just incredible" (slow website; maybe it just doesn't like Firefox). I've downloaded their live sets from Edinburgh and Manchester last November which, in spite of the audience noise (of course he's going to play "Oh Happy Day" - you don't have to start shouting for it after the first song), would seem to confirm that impression.
Still remember the first time I heard Spiritualized; listening to the Abbey Road EP over a cup of instant coffee which Tom had managed to rustle up from the back of a cupboard at his old house in Sherwood. One of those moments which gets you straight out of the house and down to a record shop. In this case, Selectadisc. Bought Abbey Road and Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (in the pill box packaging; I wish I'd bought two).
I'm on the train to Paris tomorrow; I think I know what I'll be listening to. I'll also be burning the next couple of episodes of The Sopranos to watch (since my hotel only has CNN in English); the first couple of episodes have suggested that we're building up to a very unpleasant conclusion.
I'm between books at the moment. Not sure whether to dive into Claire Massud's The Emperors Children (though comparisons with the massively overrated The Corrections concern me) or I’ll Take You There; Pop Music and the Urge for Transcendence, both of which have been sat on the shelf for a few months. That said, as I'm travelling a fair bit in May, I might just settle for Mojo, Word, Wired and a few 33 1/3 books.

"A moment of quiet reflection amongst the turmoil of politics"

Thought for the Day is a fixed part of my morning agenda. Over the years I have welcomed those two minutes during the Today programme when the political mud-slinging stops, and time is briefly given to consider the ethical, moral and spiritual aspect of an item of current affairs. Of the regular contributors, I have my favourites. Lionel Blue - of course, Tom Butler, Giles Fraser - who's anthology of writing in the Guardian, Church Times and Thought for the Day, "Christianity with Attitude" I am currently enjoying - and would heartily recommend to anyone - Christian or not - who cares about ethical issues. If you wonder or despair at how the term "Christian" seems to have become almost synonymous with a poisonous, narrow, right wing fundamentalism in a very short period of time, Fraser is a welcome antidote (you can download a pretty representative chapter for free here).
The one commentator who never ceases to annoy is Anne Atkins- scourge of gay people (especially Christian ones), wooly liberals and anyone else who doesn't subscribe to her definition of "family values" - almost to the point that I'm switching to Five Live as soon as I hear the words "from our Oxford studio, writer and broadcaster...". I know that at some point in the next 120 seconds I will be shouting and swearing at the radio as she puts forward some right-wing evangelical claptrap in her oh-so-reasonable but incredibly patronising manner. As another blogger put it "Why not play a recording of a pneumatic drill for two minutes? It would be more relaxing". Yesterday's Thought on abortion was disgraceful - as she started by stating that "No civilised person wants...to force a woman to give birth to a baby she dreads" but then goes on to equate abortion with the slave trade and the holocaust.
On today's programme I was glad to hear that the Today mailbox had been overwhelmed with critical responses to the item.
On a related topic, I was also glad to hear the discussion has reopened as to whether thought for the day should be opened up to representatives of non-faith groups - humanists, secularists etc. I see no reason why not. The faith groups do not have a monopoly on ethics. I'd welcome the thoughts of secular philosophers more than those of right wing tub thumpers like Atkins.

I'll come back stronger than a powered up Pac-Man

Never one to shy away from a good cover version, but I'm yet to make up my mind about Mark Ronson's Version album. At it's best - a souled out full on horns version of Coldplay's God Put a Smile on My Face, almost unrecognisable from the original, and Amy Winehouse's version of the Zuton's Valerie, I wonder if this might be the album you hear everywhere this year. But some tracks just miss the mark. I really don't like Stop Me, although I appreciate what he's trying to do with the song, and Robbie does the Charlatans doesn't do it for me either. A good cover version takes a song you already know and shines a different light on it. In Lily Allen's take on the Kaiser Chief's Oh My God, Ronson does exactly that. One of my songs of 2007 so far, and with the weather we had over the weekend, I was convinced that this could be as big a part of the soundtrack to the summer as LDN and Smile were last year.

where can I get a skeely skipper?

Bought the Fairport Convention Live at the BBC boxed set at lunchtime, and have been enjoying a blissed out afternoon and evening. Particularly the second disc, from 1969-70 - mainly tracks from Unhalfbricking and Liege & Lief, but also an extraordinary cover version of The Lady is a Tramp, featuring a great Richard Thompson vocal, which I'd never heard before. Much of their last couple of albums has left me cold - I don't particularly like Chris Leslie's songwriting or vocals - but I am nonetheless looking forward to Cropedy. The chance to see the surviving members of the 1969 lineup playing Liege & Lief is not to be missed. Since they're followed on stage by Thommo, it's likely to be wet.

get your revolution at a lower price

I've just seen the lineup for the Cambridge Folk Festival, and I'm really excited. I was flicking through the festival froots this earlier this month, trying to work out a dream lineup from all the artists playing at various other festivals this summer, and a few of my dreams have come true, not least the return of Steve Earle to Cambridge. I'm also looking forward to Sharon Shannon - one of the best acts I've seen at Cambridge, and Bellowhead and Bruce Cockburn, neither of whom I have seen before. Shooglenifty should also be good. The highlight will almost certainly be Toumani Diabaté's Symmetric Orchestra. His Boulevard de L'Independance was one of my favourite albums of last year. On a hot summers night, that will be just about perfect. Only problem is - not for the first time - I will probably be at Cambridge alone. Tom is at the Trent Bridge Test on the Saturday, though he's talking about coming down to Cambridge for the Sunday, and the family will be on the other side of the world.

Recent acquisitions include: Back to Mine - Röyksopp - which has done little to overcome my recent disappointments with either the Back to Mine franchise, or, indeed with Röyksopp and Bright Eyes' Cassadaga - another excellent CD from Conor Oberst, closer to I'm Wide Awake It's Morning than to Digital ash in a Digital Urn - with a lot of guest appearances from alt country's finest. AV Club alerted me to the fact that the Four Winds EP is probably better than the album - which I tend to agree with. Given the eternal curse of the overlong album, I have a great deal of affection for a well crafted 5 or 6 song EP.

you're still in love with Hayley Mills

Listening to the newly re-released Steve McQueen, an album I've known virtually word-for-word for over 20 years. I loved it the first time I heard it, at Mike's house, probably over a boardgame, or when he was trouncing me at armchair cricket (why a man who understood probability as he did at 16 never ended up making a career as a poker player is beyond me), very shortly after it was released.
Always a great album - I'm going to avoid the perfect pop cliche - wonderful songwriting, gorgeous harmonies, lush production. It's aged very well indeed.
I was reluctant to fork out for this a third time - but the reviews, particularly of the second disc, persuaded me. And the new acoustic versions of 8 of the album's original 11 tracks (a further argument against this being the "perfect" album - it was never universally strong) are certainly worth it. Shorn of Thomas Dolby's production, the songs - particularly Appetite and Bonny - reveal a different beauty (and some lines I never picked up in the original - "save your speeches, flowers are for funerals"). And to hear Faron Young - probably as McAloon originally intended it - with a driving country rhythm, though also something of a Mexican/Spanish guitar line, is a highlight.

random rules

Lazy idea for a post. But one I'll probably rely on. Ipod on shuffle. 10k tracks, the vast majority released since 2000.

With Me In Mind: Cody ChesnuTT
From the Rough Trade Counter Culture 2003 compilation. Don't remember this track. It's great. Very lofi, spoken lyric, simple synth & guitar line.
Never As Tired As When I'm Waking Up: LCD Soundsystem
From the first album. Sounds like a Lennon track from about 1969. I don't mean that in a bad way. Ipod's feeling mellow. LCD Soundsystem high on all my playlists at the moment.
Four Leaf Clover: Badly Drawn Boy
Another quiet one. Haven't really played this album much. Difficult to get excited about to be honest. And it seems long.
Rise (12" Mix): PiL
Now this is long. And it's loud. I think I like PiL as much as a dislike the Pistols. Even this, which isn't their best. Hmmm. The curse of the 80's 12" single. Doesn't really do much after the first 4 minutes
This House Is On Fire: Natalie Merchant
Don't remember getting this. Bit of a reggae beat, with arabesque strings. I should listen to this album (Motherland from 2001).
Capturing Moods: Rilo Kiley
I was looking at my lastfm charts yesterday, and realise that I must listen to Jenny Lewis's solo album more than either of the Rilo Kiley albums, which is surprising, as I played them to death in 2005. I think they've a new one due soon, which is something to look forward to.
Him: Collective Soul
I remember borrowing this. But not really in the mood for it today. Was this one of their "Christian Rock" songs? Don't remember. I hate that tag. I've nothing against people expressing or exploring their faith through their music. But I hate to see attempts by evangelicals to hijack any artist who releases a song where they perceive the lyric to be "Christian" - be it U2 or Sufjan Stevens - almost as much as I cringe when an overtly fundamentalist group tries to use the charts to get their "message" across.
Minds Eye: Wolfmother
Even the loud albums are throwing up fairly mellow songs.
Something Against You: Pixies
Live in Amherst in 2004 - the hometown show on the reunion tour. That's better.
Song for Sunshine: Belle & Sebastian
One of the weaker tracks on the album. 70's soul - maybe a spot too much 10CC. But still their best album.

What did that achieve. Well, I didn't skip any tracks, and there was nothing unlistenable. Not bad really. Followed up with a couple of Matisyahu tracks while I was editing the format. So we'll add dub to mellow.

I get ahead on my motorbike, I feel quick in my leather boots

The Jesus & Mary Chain were a band who excited me and scared me. I still recall the thrill of their early John Peel sessions - the buzz of the feedback, the ever so slightly offensive name (at least for a good Christian boy like me - it helped that it didn't actually mean anything), combined with press reports of 30 minute sets of white noise and rioting.
I'm not going to say they changed the way I saw music - I probably went to see Chris Rea live about the time Psychocandy was released, I certainly looked forward to the two Cocteau Twins EP's released that month more, and my other purchase in November 1985 - Suzanne Vega's eponymous first album - was arguably more influential on my musical tastes.
But I drink my coffee from a Psychocandy coffee mug, and - along with Rattlesnakes, Doolittle, Treasure and If I Should Fall From Grace With God - rate it as one of my favourite albums from the 1980's.
I don't go along with Gary Mulholland's opinion that it hasn't dated well (though I agree with him that Barbed Wire Kisses is probably a better listen). Sure, it's surprisingly tuneful, the feedback isn't as overpowering as you remember, and maybe there's nothing there that the Ramones hadn't done 10 years earlier. Doesn't stop it being brilliant.
I've also enjoyed my share of 80's reunion gigs - especially the Pogues & Pixies.
So it was with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty that I heard they were reforming to play at Coachella. I'd actually gone as far as buying the Sister Vanilla single with Jim Reid accompanying their little sister last year. But now with the Sister Vanilla album weeks away from officially being available, with both Reid boys in attendance, and maybe the possibility of the reunion lasting more than one gig (they've already announced one UK date - in the West of Scotland, in the town where I spent most of my childhood holidays, on the day I get back from holiday), I have to admit excitement. The B side of the Sister Vanilla single has been re-released (re-recorded? I'm not sure), and I'm realising that Can't Stop the Rock is one track I should not have dropped from my best-of compilation last year. "an unplugged JAMC on a Sunday morning with a girl singer that's a bit stoned" (Guardian), “What would a Jesus and Mary Chain album sung by their kid sister sound like?”(Times). Have to agree with them. This is classic Mary Chain - though the female vocal also reminds me of the C86 sound of The Pastels and the Shop Assistants.

a pop album for people who hate pop music

Other things I'm listening to:
Arcade Fire. Not sure I like it as much as Funeral, but it's clearly going to be in most people's best of 2007 lists.
Malcolm Middleton. Been listening to both Malcolm Middleton albums, as well as Arab Strap's farewell compilation.
Ballads of the Book. I need to give this one a few more listens. Some tracks work a lot better than others; I know that I'm really looking forward to Emma Pollock's solo album.
Tracey Thorn. I was a latecomer to ebtg; I loved the Todd Terry remix of Missing, and Tracey's vocal on Massive Attack's Protection. I think the first thing I bought from them was Walking Wounded - heavily influenced by trip hop. But I still go back to Amplified Heart and Idlewild, as well as the Acoustic album of covers and live tracks (including a cover of Tom Waits' Downtown Train). I'd strongly recommend the Like The Deserts Miss The Rain compilation; not a best of since there are a lot of obscure b-sides, album tracks and covers. But it works really well; it's not chronological, and it's surprising to hear how seamlessly a very early song like Each and Every One from the first album moves into a remix of Before Today from Walking Wounded. The new album is Tracey's first solo project in 25 years. It's not groundbreaking, but the combination of soft acoustic folky tracks, with others with a stronger dance/electronic influence reminds me of ebtg at their finest. It's a mature album - she's taken time out to have children, and apparantly didn't sing a note for 5 years. Nowhere Near and Hands up to the Ceiling are particularly strong tracks. Unfortunately there's no plan to tour, which is a pity.
Reading: Jesus for the Non-Religious. I've read a lot of Jack Spong's books. Always thought provoking and challenging. I don't agree with everything he says, and I think he sometimes seems to take too much pleasure in destroying the arguments of those who would claim to take the bible literally. But as someone who struggles to cling on to what is essentially good and true about Christianity within the context of the early 21st century, and without compromising rationality, his writing is always refreshing.

I'm still mad as hell

Just back from a week in Chicago, where the timetable was roughly work, eat, sleep - so really didn't read much or listen to much, and about the only TV I watched was college basketball (although I did watch Fox News for an hour one night, just to see how angry I got). Probably the first trip there where I've not bought any music at all, in spite of a strong pound and a Virgin megastore next to the hotel. Not much that enthused me to be honest. The new Son Volt had a so-so review in the A.V. Club - though maybe I should have picked up Neil Young Live at Massey Hall.
Watched a couple of really good films on the way home overnight. Emilio Estevez's take on the last day of Bobby Kennedy was very enjoyable. There seemed to be a tangible hope for change in 1968 that was blown away with the assasinations of RFK and Martin Luther King, which I find all the more fascinating given that it was the year I was born. Maybe the world would have been a better place with a second Kennedy in the White House, who knows. I tend to think that their assasinations have sanctified the Kennedys - JFK was President for the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis - the closest we have come to all out nuclear war. But the film has some excellent performances from a very strong cast. Maybe it was the victim of too many biopics, too many ensemble films. But Sharon Stone would have been worthy of at least a best supporting actress oscar nomination.
Possibly even better though was Shut Up And Sing - the Dixie Chicks documentary. Now Dixie Chicks aren't my sort of country - always way too mainstream country music radio for me - although I'd already picked up on Travelin' Soldier being a great anti war song - in the tradition of Penny Evans - before all the controversy. But this was a fascinating documentary. I'm convinced that they weren't looking for notoriety as a cynical career move; if they did it went pretty dramatically wrong. And you really have to question what sort of new republic is being desired where free speech deserves the death sentence in some people's eyes. Probably the best music documentary I've seen since No Direction Home.

You're my favorite waste of time

A quick plug for Foxy Tunes Planet; the latest way to make a few minutes sat in front of the Computer stretch into the early hours. Type in a band, and a page links you into lastfm, youtube, pandora, flickr, google, hype machine, official and unofficial websites. Simple, uncluttered, dangerously addictive.

With you in that dress my thoughts I confess

Listening to the new Late Night Tales, selected by Nouvelle Vague. I think it's gradually taking over from Back to Mine as my favourite of the mix tape compilations. BTM went very quiet last year, and after very strong sets from Pet Shop Boys and Adam Freedland in 2005, followed up with fairly dull selections from Liam from Prodigy - including a totally pointless new Prodigy track, and a 10 month wait for a disappointing disc from Mercury Rev.
Late Night Tales, whilst having pretty much the same brief, has now put out three excellent selections in a row, from Belle and Sebastian and Air, before this new one. Equal parts New Wave, French, Latin and Country, it hangs together well, although it does seem a bit samey towards the end. Late Night Tales' USP is a new cover track from the artist making the selection. In this case, with the artists concerned being a covers band, it's easy, and the Nouvelle Vagues have gone for a cast off from the Bande a Part release, with a very different take on Come on Eileen (which made me realise that I've never really heard the lyrics before). So I've also listened to a lot of Dexys this weekend too, including the recently released Projected Passion Review - a lot of previusly unreleased immediately post Young Soul Rebels stuff. Too-Rye-Ay may have been the big commercial breakthrough, but the first album is a classic.
Also listening to: Grinderman - one of those times when a spin-off band seems to reach the heights of the main event very quickly indeed. Songs for the Young at Heart - a strange mixture of dark nostalgia and tweeness. The girls really enjoyed it. Kurt Wagner's take on Inch Worm is one of the highlights for me, but there are other dimmer memories of childhood here too - Uncle Sigmund's Clockwork Storybook, which I first heard on a Spinners album, and the themes to White Horses and Mary, Mungo & Midge. New LCD Soundsystem is also very strong.
Reading: The Damned Utd
Watching: Heroes (very silly, but enjoyable), Ugly Betty Had a bit of a Betty fest last night, watched episodes 13-15. I got bored towards the middle of the series, but the twists in the tale have been good. Gentle feel good comedy. Bit annoyed to find that Life on Mars took a weird break due to the football when I was away last week. And they re-ran S02E01 on BBC 4. Then instead of showing S02E04 on BBC4 tomorrow, they're going to re-run the 2nd episode. By next week it will be three weeks since S02E03 was first shown. Irritating.