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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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...).
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
