"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.