"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.