It is the first Friday of a new month. Please accept my apologies for the delay in asking you all – what have you been listening to / reading / watching ? and is there anything else you would like to share?
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niallb says
Good man yourself.
Listen : the new Dawes album. It’s a belter.
Seen : The best Toto gig I’ve seen in 30 odd years of seeing them. Lovely guys, too.
Read: nothing BUT I have Jim Lovell’s book to take away with me tomorrow for a week in Cork & Kerry.
Sitheref2409 says
Get the Mike Collins book. Brill.
Kid Dynamite says
arrrggghhh I just wrote an epic and my router has eaten it. Back in a bit!
niallb says
@sitheref2409 Thanks. It comes highly recommended, even more so now that you’ve given it the nod. It’s on the list. The JL one is next because I’m meeting him in October!
Colin H says
I’ve been reading Ben Watson’s mammoth book on Derek Bailey. Two contrarians, I think. But it’s interesting…
I’ve also been listening to lots of 1968-72 progressive British jazz, around a couple of forthcoming releases I’m involved with – an amazing era.
Also reading several new (to me – they’re from the 30s/40s) Freeman Wills Crofts detective novels.
fitterstoke says
Derek Bailey is a legend…..last time I posted a clip on the old site, the abuse heaped on my musical taste was also legendary….
aging hippy says
Colin, I was sitting in the cafe area of the Barbican Centre last year doing some work. Had my headphones on but I was aware of activity going on around me. It was a Sunday and they often put on some free live music there. Anyway I was into what I was doing and already had a soundtrack so it was about an hour later that I finally paid attention to what was going on. Turned out it was a live Radio 3 jazz broadcast featuring guest John Surman. Caught his final number. Apart from the expanded waistline he hasn’t changed much. Same pudding basin haircut and ‘tache. Surman, along with Mike Westbrook, used to feature heavily in the Melody Maker back in the day.
ganglesprocket says
Hello Folks
Cultural activity is quite low still. Work and childcare is proving somewhat time consuming.
However…
HEARD
I keep playing Belle And Sebastian. I feel grubby, slightly ashamed and afraid someone will steal my dinner money.
SEEN
Saving Mr Banks – Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks in the story of Walt Disney’s efforts to get the rights to make Mary Poppins off of the rather cantankerous PL Travers. I could watch Emma Thompson in any old shit and like it frankly, and Tom Hanks to, so the fact that I liked this an awful lot, got a bit teary etc will come as no surprise
READ
Private Island- James Meek
Brilliant collection of essays explaining how our so called privatised industries are actually now state owned. The states being France and Germany. The chapter on the Post Office is essential reading in the week that George Osborne has announced he’s flogging off the last of the Royal Mail to his hedge fund mates on the cheap… Won the Orwell Prize and quite rightly
Also read Patrick Humphries book on Nick Drake. A brave attempt to try to get under the skin of someone pretty much unknowable.
Lando Cakes says
Heard
The new Dawes album – All Your Favourite Bands – is, indeed, rather good. Sufjan Stevens’ Carrie & Lowell is still getting regular plays. And for the daily commute, Radio 4 has been nudged out by Solo Monk…nice.
Watched
Have now watched the first 3 series of Game of Thrones. There is rather less in the way of clothes than I imagined from the books. The characters are pretty much as I imagined them though. I can see that the plot is beginning to veer slightly though and I’m now curious to see how big the gap becomes
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is just fantastic. The first episode, like the book itself, was a bit of a slow start but I am absolutely captivated. It’s been a while since I’ve looked forward to the next episode of something so much.
Watched The Tin Drum (more whimsical than I remembered) and Pacific Rim. The latter was fantastic monsters versus giant robots – what’s not to like. Made for 3d and surround sound!
Also, a bonkers Polish silent film about a family of mannequins, at Hidden Door (see below).
Read
The Vorrh by B Catling – mad forest as a living thing fantasy with intertwining stories. Ace.
Saw
Chuck Prophet – as brilliant as @robbie1112 ‘s advance billing suggested.
Also went to Edinburgh’s marvelous Hidden Door Festival – a series of artworks, music, cinema, theatre in a derelict building. Some really striking stuff.
Kid Dynamite says
Reading
My Patrick Leigh Fermor reread has bought me to the end of Between The Woods And The Water. Not an original observation, but this time round I was particularly struck by how the rural lives he describes probably hadn’t changed for centuries, but have now been utterly swept away. Richard King’s Original Rockers is a charming memoir of working in an independent record shop that I’m sure would many fans here. Like PLF, it’s an evocation of a vanished world, but with a lot more dub and krautrock. I also reread Weaveworld by Clive Barker. What a fantastic imagination that man has. I’d lost interest after too many shoddy and half finished stories, but now I am very much looking forward to reading The Scarlet Gospels. I hope he pulls it off.
Watching
Mad Max: Fury Road was everything hoped it’d be, the best 2000AD story I never read when I was young. Game of Thrones had been a bit ropy so far this season, but this week’s episode (Hardhome) was spectacular, real cinema-worthy stuff. I gave up waiting for BBC4 and bought seasons four and five of Parks And Recreation on DVD. It is, of course, terrific.
Listening
Mainly the excellent new Sweet Billy Pilgrim album, Motorcade Amnesiacs, which sees them complete the journey from a one man in a shed operation to a full fledged baroque pop prog band (almost the exact reverse of XTC’s career, a band whose fans might well enjoy SBP – I look forward to their spiky punk albums before they split). Also been enjoying Direction Of Travel, the latest from local “gloom pop” artist She Makes War. Agalloch and Panopticon have been hanging on from last month, both lovely slices of atmospheric black metal, and the new Gaz Brookfield album has just popped through my letterbox, so expect that to be in this thread next month.
JustB says
Saw the Manics. They were ace. Review elsewhere.
Watched Daredevil in a massive week-long binge. Hey, it’s good, is that show. Watch it.
That’s yer lot.
Sitheref2409 says
You’ll be in the same venue as my Dad!
“Missed Moon” is good. So too Gene Kranz’s autobiography
Rigid Digit says
Heard
After a barren period , the last month has brought forth
Cathal Smyth – A Comfortable Man
Paul Weller – Saturns Pattern
Blur – Magic Whip
Steven Wilson – Hand.Cannot.Erase
All of the above are candidates to appear in the year-end lists.
In fact, I’d have trouble nominating a duff track from any of ’em at the moment.
Read
What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions (Randall Munroe)
A rich source of material to annoy people with
Seen
Rush
wasn’t expecting much (what do Americans know about Formula 1?) – good film, and told the story pretty much spot on with no Hollywood sensationalism
AOB
New Car on driveway – Jaguar died a death, replaced by Vauxhall Insgnia. The cravat and sports jacket have been retired, and I must now re-align my personality from Cad & Bounder to Sales Rep
walker1 says
Read – have finally finished Robert MacFarlane’s “Landmarks” – a bit of a plod I’m afraid, although with some interesting chapters. Simon Armitage’s “Walking Away” was waiting on my doorstep this evening and I’ really looking forward to that; similarly Patrick Barkham’s “Coastlines”. I do love a good travel/nature book.
I’ve also greatly enjoyed the audio books of Ben Aaronovitch’s “Rivers of London” series of novels, which I’ve discovered rather late – five books in. I’m now eagerly awaiting the sixth. The fifth book – Foxglove Summers – is my favourite to date as it takes the characters out of London to the countryside that I love so much.
Seen – Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, as mentioned above, has been enjoyable so far, although I preferred the way I had imagined some of the set-piece magic when reading the book to seeing it portrayed on screen.
And I also enjoyed “Wild” on DVD. It lacks some of the self-pity that spoiled the book a little for me. Reese Witherspoon is terrific but the real star is the Pacific Crest Trail itself.
Finally. “No Offence” on Channel 4 is the best thing that I’ve seen on TV since Peter Kay’s “Car Share” – both of them brilliantly written and played.
Heard – nothing new this month. I’ll be interested to hear the “new” Thea Gilmore album , with new takes of old songs and am looking forward to Elvis Costello in Stoke on the 17th.
Any other business – If there is a better month of the year than May, please tell me. The climax of the football season, bluebells and cherry blossom and magnolias flowering, the start of the dawn chorus, lengthening evenings, two Bank Holidays and – perhaps best of all (perhaps) – the return of Test cricket to the airwaves. A pity it’s over for another eleven months – but it just brings The Ashes that little bit closer.
Blue Boy says
Heard – if its new stuff you’re after, then am getting more and more impressed by Susanne Sundfor’s Ten Love Songs. And the new Belle and Sebastian. And the Unthanks Mount the Air, the title track of which is high on my list of tracks of the year so far.
And old stuff, I am continuing my very belated jazz self education and, right now, grooving to Blue Train by John Coltrane which is fantastic.
Seen – Belle and Sebastian were supremely entertaining in Manchester.
Enjoyed the superb French film Girlhood, about a gang of Black girls in Paris in Manchester’s new Home venue
Read – not much but just started Colm Toibin’s latest novel Nora Webster and have high hopes.
Wayfarer says
Heard – Still getting to know and loving Olivia Chaney’s “The Longest River”; The new Sam Lee Album “The Fade in Time” and Lau “The Bell That Never Rang” are both completely wonderful. I’m just starting to get into Spiros’ new one and enjoying Beguildy’s album of Mary Webb poetry set to music.
I’ve managed one book, apart from travel & history reading for work; “Killing Bono” – Neil McCormick’s entertaing account of failing to make it in the music biz, while his school chum Bono becomes leader of the free world.
Seen nothing; no gigs, films or telly worth mentioning
Tiggerlion says
HEARD
Besides the ones documented in Nights In:
From Kinshasa – Mbongwana Star, ramshackle, physical and enthralling,
Music In Exile – Songhoy Blues, four blokes, guitar, bass, drums & vocals, play rock music but from Mali,
The Epic – Kawasi Washington, only listened twice as it’s so long, but it is boiling over with energy and verve, the real star being the pianist.
The Up Escalator – Graham Parker & The Rumour, classy stuff sounds just as good as it it did in the seventies.
Poppy is right about Prurient’s Frozen Niagara Falls,
BB King’s Live At The Regal got a revisit, as did Exodus by Bob Marley & The Wailers. Wow!
Spinner – Brain Eno & Jah Wobble is really rather good.
READ
I spotted Tim Easeman’s Godbox in a charity shop. I paid £2 and have been entertained by impressively tight writing through ninety pages so far.
SEEN
I had a rare night out reported in Nights Out. On TV, I’m enjoying No Offence and Penny Dreadful. Brooklyn Nine Nine is getting more funny. And those lady detectives in the sex offender squad are as hard as nails! If you haven’t seen it, catch up.
H.P. Saucecraft says
Godbox falls apart after the first ninety pages, Tig. Quit while you’re ahead.
Tiggerlion says
Good advice from someone who knows. However, I’m not really a reader. Completing a *book* is a major triumph for me. I’m hopeful about this one. The pages are small, the font is large, the sentences are short and there are no fancy words. I reckon I can do it. It’s looking at me now. I have an eye test in three hours, there’s a lawn to mow. Nevertheless, I could squeeze in another chapter. Hmm. I think I’ll make a cup of tea.
SteveT says
Manic month for new sounds.
Really enjoying Dawes, My Morning Jacket, Boz Scaggs,Paul Weller. My favourite though is the new Thee Oh Sees cd Mutilator defeated at last. Driving garage rock with more than a hint of krautriock/motorik riffs. As good as their previous best Floating coffin.
Also Green on Red live radio showSympathy for the Devil – not the best recording but the music is fine – for me they were always more punk than anything that came out of UK in the 70’s but much better musicians. Also been on a Steve Harley binge – got his album Stranger comes to Town which is very fine.
Saw
Costello in Brum as reviewed by DFB – his voice was great and choice of setlist was perfect.
On the screen I have howled with laughter at Car Share, been gripped by American sniper and underwhelmed by the big story lines in Coronation Street. I prefer it when northing much happens and we can just sit back and enjoy the tedium of normal life and the gentle humour.
Read:
Sarah Hall – The Beautiful Indifference – a collection of steely short stories laced with erotica and brutal women. Very well written and I will read more of her work.
Any other business:
The swallows returned in early May – it is a joy to watch them in the early evening in their mesmerising flights around our house. Do they ever tire?
Dodger Lane says
Sarah Hall.
Go for her first, Haweswater next and then would recommend The Electric Michelangelo. I have really enjoyed all her books except The Carhullan Army which I just didn’t get at all.
Locust says
Heard:
May gave me a few unexpected finacial punches, so for the second month in a row I couldn’t buy any new albums – finally things have turned around though, so I’m awaiting a big CD delivery any day now.
But this month I only listened to earlier purchases, plus three charity shop albums.
One given to me by one of my sisters, knowing that I will see Van Morrison play the SM&A festival this summer she got me a very strange CD that turned out to be the horrible “Brown-Eyed Girl” single plus (perhaps?) its B-side and a bunch of awful demos made before his first album – I’m just guessing really, because the CD insert was so cheap and shoddy that it had the liner notes for an Edie Brickell album printed inside it! But Van is heard interrupting the musicians and giving them vague instructions in the beginning of tracks, and clearly improvising lyrics at the end of songs (well I certainly hope so; if they were written that way he’s not much of a poet…) Quite awful really, so whatever he does on stage in August, I’m sure I’ll be pleasantly surprised! 😉
In my ongoing quest to find all the good albums of the 90s that I couldn’t afford to buy at the time, I finally found the much sought after “Laquer” by Popsicle. Hooray! Very good, of course.
ABC’s “The Lexicon of Love” thankfully cost less than £1, because apart from the brilliant singles I found it dull. As was this month, musically!
Read:
I got a wonderful new book called “Om fåglar i Sverige” (“About birds in Sweden” – calm down, not that kind of birds…) with lovely water-colours and two or three pages about each bird; characteristics, statistics, myths and folklore, history, what they say, and lots of other interesting facts. I read a few pages every day, learning (among other things) that crows are one of very few birds that feels empathy, what a “woodpecker’s smithy” is and the latin name for the Tufted Duck (aythya fuligula, meaning soot black diver).
Then I read “Idag ska vi inte dö” (“Today’s not the day we die”) by two Swedish journalists that were kidnapped in Syria. OK, but suffered by comparison with a book that came out last year by two other Swedish journalists that were inprisoned in Ethiopia for a long time, accused of terrorism.
Same kind of story, similar style of writing, but that one was much better written and a had a more complex story.
The charity shops provided me with the rest of my reads in May;
a collection of stories by James Thurber (quite funny), “Hallonbåtsflyktingen” by Mika Nousiainen (comic novel that recently was made into a film I didn’t see, the novel is both funny and annoying in turns), “The Spiderwick Chronicles”, a book about Gröna Lund (amusement park in Stockholm that’s been going strong for a very long time) and another book about another Swedish painter (I read one of those last month as well). And after finishing the P C Jersild novel I was reading last month on my commute I switched to another P C Jersild novel, finished that a couple of days ago and switched to…yet another P C Jersild.
And Sue Townsend for my bathroom reads.
Seen:
A bunch of documentaries, the stand-outs being “The Cross & the Gun” about the Catholic church and the mafia in Italy, and “Going Clear”, about the insanity that is Scientology.
Finally saw “A Single Man”, liked it. Watched last season of “So You Think You Can Dance” (US version of course) on YouTube, along with some “Only Connect” and other TV shows I can’t see on TV.
Mostly, I worked. A lot. Not enough personnel at the moment. But now I’m only one week away from a two week break…it will be heavenly.
Time to finally meet friends and family properly, especially my dad who lives the furthest away from me, not someone you can just “pop in” to see.
So a holiday, new music and books and a social life coming up in June – bliss!
Harold Holt says
Reading : 2/3rds of the way through Neal Stephenson’s new one Seveneves. It is absolutely brilliant (so far), breathtaking, page-turning and intense. Your basic end of the world scenario. It has just calmed down (slightly) from wild chaos set in the very near future, to a quiet buildup in the very far distant future. Amazing (so far).
mikethep says
I’m 25% in, so my Kobo tells me…it’s brilliant, really gripping.
Kid Dynamite says
bought it but haven’t started yet – I need to clear some of my TBR decks before undertaking such a task….
Harold Holt says
I’d put it up there with his best, which for me is Snow Crash, and way better even than the Baroque trilogy and Cryptonomicon. Depends on the last 1/3rd, could easily go top of the pile at this rate.
Baron Harkonnen says
What`s been said so for will do for me, that`s the 3rd book on my wish list along with Kid D`s `Original Rockers and Digit`s `What If`.
I wonder how much this thread`s gonna cost?
Junglejim says
I’m out of step I fear, not feeling it all that much at 40 % in.
I REALLY want to like it & have waited a fair while for it but at the mo’
it feels a bit like an exercise NS has set himself to write.
It is good, no question& I will definitely finish it but I wonder if this type of ‘ IMAX SF’ is not what I enjoy most from Neal.
I keep getting echoes of Kim Stanley Robinson ‘s Mars trilogy ( which I loved til Pt 3) – how do we deal with humanity’s baggage & build a better society in space?
I agree that the third act will determine where it features in the pantheon, but for me it’s nowhere near The Baroque Cycle or Cryptonomicon.
I will persevere & report back.
Sorry if I sound like a buzz kill, always great to get acquainted with any NS fans.
mikethep says
tbh I felt the same way at the beginning, JJ – it all felt a bit generic and un-NSlike, and I suddenly remembered that I don’t actually like SF much. But gradually it started to grip and now I can’t wait to get back to it.
Harold Holt says
Chacun a son perversion, as Willie Rushton so memorably put it. It’s easy to understand why it wouldn’t suit everyone. I’ve been breathlessly trying to make time to read the new one, where the Baroque cycle sometimes dragged a bit. It felt it could have done with some decent editing down to 3 punchy books, or 2 as long as the actual ones were. One of the things I appreciate in his work is the plausibility of the technology extrapolations, a least to a scientific numpty like me.
Junglejim says
I’ll always be prepared to cut NS slack as he’s entertained & illuminated me so much before now & he’d have to deliver a succession of real stinkers before I went off him.
I think what I dig about his stuff mostly is his ability to make me consider a topic or angle I’d not thought about before – not being a gamer, Reamde was how I realised that online gaming is a ‘ real’ economy generating real money.
Perhaps my current feeling is merely due to the fact that an ‘ark’ as an idea as been covered by others previously. Onward & upward!
Harold Holt says
Forgot to mention another AW-interesting piece, saw the “The Other One” biographical doco about Bob Weir (turned up on Netflix who I think produced it). Very interesting, and I’m nowhere near being a dead-head. I can barely name 2 albums or hum Touch of Grey, but this was a good fillum. Sort of jealous of the quality of life he’s had, and he seems like a really nice guy.
el hombre malo says
Heard
I have nearly reached the end of my massive iTunes backlog – less than a day left. The ones that jumped out were the Mississippi Sheiks – intense early blues – J.D. McPherson – Let The Good Times Roll – joyful rocking – ans a number of crackers from the Rockabilly Dynamite collection, including this from Peanuts Wilson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AYyBrD2uI8
Read
Mason Cross – The Killing Season – very good, a tense thriller. And, in contrast, the wonderfully daft Hullawrer China, the Francie & Josie scripts.
Like this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k45uSUi8AI0
Seen
Enjoying Game of Thrones.
AOB
One of the formative discs of my teenage years was The Saints – (I’m) Stranded. I have met Chris Bailey a few times through mutual friends, and he has sung with us at friends’ birthday parties in last few years. The Primevals supported The Saints in Glasgow in May. Chris borrowed my guitar to play the encore – a solo version of Photograph. A special moment.
Rock and roll – still a wonderful journey.
H.P. Saucecraft says
Watched: Ex Machina. Smart movie. So smart, in fact, that the reviewers at IMBD are clearly out of their depth with it. Every one of their “plot loopholes” or whatever has an answer, but you have to work it out for yourself. It’s one of the most visually perfect movies I’ve ever seen, too. Engrossing, thought provoking, refreshingly slow-paced, weirdly sexy. And startlingly well acted.
Reading: The “Prey” series by John Sandford. If you’ve read all the Michael Connollys and are jonesing for a good procedural, you could do worse than this. Lively, sick, violent, sexy, funny, the books are a nice change from the gritty seriousness of Harry Bosch. Start at the beginning, though, with “Rules Of Prey”, because the books are chronological and there is no point in leaping ahead.
RubyBlue says
Quickie, top of my head:
READ
Slow, slow month: read ‘Creation Stories’ by Alan McGee which is fun and full of gossip; he’s an arse but knows it. Entertaining although takes a strange turn towards the end, rather appropriately.
‘Women in Clothes’: Women. Clothes. Women talking about their clothes and how they feel about them. Wonderful, and a treat.
Just bought the very well-reviewed Ann Enright new one: ‘ The Green Road’, which I’m very much looking forward to. Genuinely great writer.
There was something else, but I forget. Oh I had an exam so lots of work stuff, revision etc.
HEARD
So much, some great stuff, mainly due to great recommendations from people here (thank you). All varying degrees of good but no time to say more than that. Standouts: Luluc and Torres.
-Luluc
-Torres
-Calexico
-The National
-Laura Nyro
-Roisin Murphy
-Gavin Glass
-Cold War Kids
-The Weather Station
….and still, still lots of new stuff to get through.
…and some Spotify playlists; thank you, you know who you are!
SEEN
‘The Affair’, which I am hooked on; I like the conceit of showing the same relationship from the different perspectives of the people concerned. Dominic West is pleasingly unpleasant. Also, random thought- amazing how much explicit sex is allowed on TV now, and how blase I am about it…’Oh, more heaving buttocks. Here we go again’. Also- men perform oral sex shocka! Well done on catching up, telly.
The last ‘Made Men’- so spoilers, but a very well-done ending; ties up loose ends cleverly and movingly. I will miss it hugely. Box set soon, please.
Just about finished work until September. I am slowly recovering a social life after being buried in childcare for six years. 🙂 This has to be a good summer, after the disaster that was 2014.
pencilsqueezer says
I’m really looking forward to watching ‘Maid Men’. An adult drama about the cut throat world of transvestite house husbands.
RubyBlue says
Haha! I spotted that and was trying to work out a play on the ‘Made Men’ spin-off: Sopranos meets the world of advertising, but I didn’t quite get there. 😀
JustB says
Unrelatedly, I’m always amused by the verb “perform” when, er, coupled with a sex act. Makes me imagine a chap mugging at the audience and occasionally doing jazz hands. Ideally accompanied by an old cinema Wurlitzer.
RubyBlue says
Jazz hands, you say?
Wurlitzer, audience….this is growing on me.
Slightly more seriously, I’m trying to think of an alternative phrase, word, verb….I’m tired and all I can think of is ‘does’. At least ‘perform’ has an element of, I dunno, er, event, about it.
fitterstoke says
Reading – The Complete David Bowie by Nicholas Pegg ……sorta song by song arrangement, then put in album context in the second half….this has directly led on to…
Listening – lots of obscure Bowie tracks, as I read about them and think “haven’t heard that for a while!”…….also, a set of late piano music by Busoni, wonderful playing by Marc-Andre Hamelin
……er…….that’s it……lots of work, so relatively little spare time this month……
Bargepole says
Reissue of ELP’s classic 1972 album Trilogy – full review to come next week…….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOIaCe9ycqU&list=PLqMraAddy1gqHhdwncCYf21zUVAKDH4w0&index=2
fitterstoke says
Huzzah! Looking forward to an informed viewpoint, Mr Bargepole….
Bargepole says
Read Irvine Welsh’s ‘A Decent Ride’ – a decent read, if veering too much into ‘Confessions of a Window Cleaner’ territory on occasion.
Poppy Succeeds says
Read: Lee, Myself & I by Wyndham Wallace, a brilliantly told tale of being friends with a true one-off.
Seen: Game of Thrones, The Veep. I live for these two
Heard: The Pre New, Prurient, James Lavelle’s Living In My Headphones mix (the latter sparking a bit of an UNKLE binge).
pencilsqueezer says
Heard.
Predominately The Epic by Kamasi Washington. There is a lot of it. Clocking in around three hours.
It’s not all tip-top but unfailingly interesting and when it hits a groove very good indeed.
Apart from that I’ve flirted quite heavily with Loyalty from The Weather Station, Sprinter by Torres and finally at long last I’ve been getting reacquainted with Common One by The Grump.
My long term project of trying to get back in touch with my youthful enthusiasm for all things Prog has meant early morning headphone sessions of Big Big Train much of which I’ve greatly enjoyed.
The month’s painting has been accompanied by a lot of Mahler lieders and in the past week Kathryn Williams.
I am in the happy position of having so much new to me music to listen to at the moment my head swims at the thought of it all.
The joyful tyranny of choice.
Read.
I started the month a few chapters into C.J. Sansom’s Dissolution. I enjoyed it once I was able to stop thinking ‘Name of the Rose’. I’m looking forward to reading more.
Next up was The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund De Waal. Interesting but slightly self indulgent biographical family history of formally stinking rich folk.
I’m currently reading Prague Fatale by Philip Kerr. Started it right at the end of May. So far so predictably good.
Seen.
Finally reached the end of our bargain box set of the first five series of The Good Wife. Loved it. Completely undemanding entertainment and none the worse for that.
All three series of Borgen were also devoured. We had missed them when they were shown on BBC4, glad we finally caught up with them. Marvellous television.
We finished the month and began June watching the latest series of The Walking Dead, the third series of House of Cards and Daredevil. All top notch.
A.O.B.
I spent much of May in a deep depression. The Black Dog snapping at my heels. This past week it has finally started to lift. Praise be.
I’ve painted and drawn despite feeling like that was the last thing I’ve wanted to do. I learned a long time ago to stay disciplined and keep working no matter what state everything else in life is in.
My wife and good friends have as always been steadfast and love bombed me back from the void.
Thank you.
Graham T says
Very much a reading month. Two great music books. Stuart David’s All Night Cafe about Belle and Sebastian is superb in capturing the mood and the story of what was happening. Very nicely written in a simple, unassuming style.
Much longer, but very rewarding is Chris O’Leary’s book on Bowie. He has used, but revised much of his blog. To mind my the book creates more narrative than through the blog post, simply by being able to consume whole albums (say) in one sitting. It ‘only’ goes to Station to Station, so roll on future volumes.
Went to see Belle and Sebastian and Bryan Ferry. Don’t think either were at their best.
Carl says
Saw – Chris Smither for the first time, despite being a fan for more than 20 years. He was more than worth the wait.
Chuck Prophet and The Mission Express delivered a belter at the Garage, making up for last year’s lacklustre Bush Hall show.
Jackson Browne in Aviles in Spain. My brother lives there so we had a long weekend. JB was in excellent form though bizarrely although he played for 2 hours 10 minutes we felt short-changed after his 3 hour marathon at the Albert Hall last year.
I also saw my niece perform three parts of Bach’s Cello Suite in G as part of her school end of term recital. I felt very moved but also quite on edge as I feared her making a mistake. She was fine to my ears, though was very self critical afterwards.
On TV The Good Wife continues to deliver to an exceptionally high standard. It’s a series that has grown stronger over the years, rather than finding itself hoeing the same row. Julianna Margulies is excellent in episode after episode.
The Game. BBC2’s Cold War spy thriller has proved to be pretty good at delivering a Le Carre type of tale. Were the 70s really that brown & beige though? Tom Hughes, previously only known to me from a role as a pupil barrister is Silk, has proved himself to be far better than I expected him to be. The same goes for Victoria Hamilton who is an even bigger surprise, having always seemed to play rather wet characters in costume dramas, now has a backbone of steel and a seriously ruthless edge, which she carries off with total conviction.
Read – ISIS and the new Sunni Uprising by Patrick Cockburn. A look at the rise of ISIS and the failure to meet that rise with any sort of coherent response.
The Son by Phillip Meyer. A multi-generational novel chronicling the lives of characters from a Texas family from the early 19th century up to the present. It takes us back and forth in time. An awful lot of cruelty on an individual and ethnic level. Flawed characters are redeemed by love only to relapse into former habits. The awful story of the demise of the Comanche tribes is intertwined within.
Heard – Danny and The Champions Of The World – What Kind Of Love. Danny and the boys produce an album imbued with the sound of Memphis rather than Nashville and is all the better for it.
Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell – Any suggestion that The Traveling Kind is markedly inferior to Old Yellow Moon is a demonstration of the listener possessing cloth ears.
Liz Longley – Eponymous album by a someone previously to me. I came across an interview and video on No Depression website and was captivated. The album doesn’t disappoint either, especially Memphis (something about that town this month).
Boz Scaggs – A Fool To Care. Mr Scaggs of coure named his last album Memphis. This one is a grower. First listen was profoundly disappointing and I thought I’d wasted my money. But repeated listening reveals the soulful heart, which includes two Curtis Mayfield covers: I’m So Proud and Gypsy Woman. Lucinda Williams and Bonnie Raitt guest.
Paul Brady – The Vicar St. Sessions Vol 1. Paul invites lots of guests , including Bonnie Raitt, Van Morrison, Sinead O’Connor and Mark Knopfler to join him and it is a mostly very enjoyable set. He does Irish Heartbeat with Van (what else could they do, really?) and it is a stonkingly good version.
Carl says
Damn the lack of edit function.
It should read above “Liz Longley – Eponymous album by a someone previously unknown to me. “
aging hippy says
Saw Chris Smither a couple of times well over 20 years ago. Bet he’s still wearing the same waistcoat.
Morrison says
Seen:
Very little – though there’s a pile of DVDs sitting there – mainly British “kitchen sink” stuff from the 40s/50s/60s – “Spring and port wine”/”Kind of Loving” and one I haven’t seen for years “London belongs to me.” DVDs are now 50p at the car boots – some very nice stuff in amongst the “Die hards”.
Read:
Mainly Tintin books. Picked up “Tintin – the complete companion” also at a car boot and then “Herge and the treasures of Tintin” which is a lovely thing with all kinds of pullout artwork facsimiles and bits. Just finished “The red sea sharks” – now to find where all the others are in the hoard.
Heard:
Like others been working my way through The Epic by Kamasi Washington. Safe to say no one’s doing stuff like this these days – two drummers, two bass players, heavenly choirs, sweeping strings, kitchen sink – and all with a sort of mid-60s Impulse spiritual vibe type thing with a nod to the occasional Stevie-type groover. Think it’s wonderful. This month’s limpid ECM jazz trio is Giovanni Guidi – his “This is the day” is a nice step on from his excellent previous ECM album – all very dainty in places but he has a keen eye for melody – “Where they’d lived” is 10 minutes of loveliness – and there’s the odd “chuck the piano down the stairwell” noisiness to keep you awake. I think he’s very special.
It’s been a good few months for “lost” soul albums re-appearing. Sandra Phillips “Too many people in one bed” emerged in the New Year and now Sandra Wright’s wonderful “Wounded Woman” has just come out – a great slice of 70s Stax soul that somehow was never released at the time but emerged in the late 80s only to disappear again. It’s worth it for the magnificent “I come running back”. That period when Stax was falling apart Is a little bit overlooked, there were some decent albums and singles that crept out at the time.
And then there’s Asleep at the Wheel’s “Still the king” – their third guest artistes’ tribute to the music of Bob Wills. There’s nothing like Western Swing to cheer you up and like the previous albums in the series this is a great companion on long journeys. There’s also a bonkers Brad Paisley guitar solo on “My window faces the south” that’s worth hearing. It’s all relentlessly cheerful – fiddles…aah!
Pound box pick was an album by Russian miserablist Valentin Silvestrov – deeply felt slow and then slower still classical meditations. Picked up a couple more – ECM again…it’s a compulsion – but ideal to while the hours away at work on the headphones.
bungliemutt says
Listening –
Not a great deal of new stuff that I’ve wanted this month, though the new Dawes album All Your Favorite Bands is great. Listened to a lot of Max Bruch, including his violin concertos and symphonies which are just sublime. Also reminded myself just how good Crowded House were by listening to all their albums.
Watching –
Testament Of Youth is a pretty good film, though purists will argue that it takes liberties with the facts in the interests of compression, and despite having read Vera Brittain’s memoir earlier this year I enjoyed the film as well. I’m interested in gardens and gardening and caught up with Monty Don’s French & Italian Gardens on DVD. Don is one of those people who are television naturals, and I could watch him for hours; his amiable and slightly shambling presentational style hides a thoughtful and fiercely intelligent man, and both these series are excellent.
Reading –
Just started Mark Mazower’s examination of Europe’s 20th century in Dark Continent, a book which explores the rise of communism, fascism, the concept of the nation state and the fragile nature of democracy. It’s a sobering and enlightening read.
ip33 says
WATCHED
Game of Thrones has been the main thing this month. Some have said that it has been it bit slow this time around (except for the last episode WTF!!!) but it has been perfect in my book. Also watched Foxcatcher, three wonderful performances from Carell, Ruffalo and Tatum.
HEARD
Yet again Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone sent me off to explore some unheard music, this time some obscure Glam mainly Jobriath and the collected works of Brett Smiley (one album!). Also new stuff from Grasscut, The Pre-New, William Basinski, The Fall and Wire and best of all The Eccentronic Research Council’s new album ‘Johnny Rocket, Narcissist And Music Machine…I’m Your Biggest Fan’ with added Fat White Family, the best thing I’ve heard so far this year.
Also some new (to me) old from The National Heath, Black Uhuru and ELP
READ
Only The Story of Film by Mark Cousins, Which has been great.
Clive says
I abide in the wake of The Massive, always a few months (at least) behind…
Reading – Waging Heavy Peace by Neil Young
Listening – What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World by The Decemberists
Watching – Big Eyes, Tim Burtons film about Margaret Keane
The best by far is the Decemberists album… a wonderful mix of first rate song writing.
moseleymoles says
seen – No Offence is the low-concept slow burn TV cop show that British writers do so well. Paul Abbott writes beautifully paced situations and witty, warm characters. Immaculate casting but be warned if you dip in half-way through it will take you some time to get up to speed as Wire-style it’s one long episode really.
Heard
All about the Jamie XX album Colours. Minimal masterpiece.
Read
prompted by friends rereading very slowly Jane Eyre and much against my prejudices enjoying it immensely. But have to ration it out at a chapter at a time as the temptation to skim is sooooo tempting. Then going onto read Wide Sargasso Sea – which this time I’m hoping will make more sense than when I first read it.
Carolina says
Heard
Great month for listening to new music. Like RubyBlue I have been greatly impressed with Australian band Luluc. Their album of last year Passerby has been on my playlist a lot this month. What sold it to me was an album review calling it “hushed reveries” and I’ve found it soothing and beautiful. A new discovery for me, helped by an album review I read in a 2006 Word mag, and by DogFaced Boy’s glowing Amazon review of Crown Electric was Kathryn Williams. On hearing it I immediately wanted to get her entire back catalogue, including her duet album with Neil McColl and luckily it was pretty cheap on Amazon marketplace. Wonderful stuff.
Also bought the fab Looking for a Day In the Night by Lilac Time and Stephen Duffy solo stuff. Greatly enjoyed new releases by Milk Carton Kids, a sort of Simon and Garfunkel for our time, and Jimmy LaFave. Also discovered, thanks to another review in an old Word Mag, singer/songwriter Denison Witmer. His album Are You a Dreamer? contains both meditative and moving songs. Still listening to Olivia ChaneyThe Longest River and The Weather Station Loyalty that have been huge hits in my book this year.
The new album by Leeds 23 year old singer/songwriter, Joseph Lyons, known as Eaves What Green Sounds Like is also terrific, and has some great piano-led songs.
Watched
The latest series of George Gently was pretty good. Decided to look out for old films on TV so have seen Hobsons Choice, 8 Rue Madeleine, Went The Day Well? and Bell Book and Candle. I also saw Martha Marcie May Marlene which was absolutely compelling but so upsetting I’ve had to put myself on an anodyne diet of Chelsea Flower Show programmes and Antiques Road Show since. I got through the first ep and half the second of Norrell/Strange and can see how good it is but have ditched as it was getting a bit too dark and scary for me.
Wayfarer says
Thanks to you and Ruby Blue for reminding about Luluc. I’ve got one track on a compilation and meant’ to investigate further but forgot.
Dodger Lane says
Reading: Been a good month for new fiction. All of the following were recommended by my lovely local bookshop and all are excellent.
– Hunters in the dark by Lawrence Osborne, sent in Cambodia. He’s very good in catching the feel and atmosphere of the place, characterisation less so, but still a fine book. I really enjoyed his Bangkok book; the authors seems like quite a character.
– Paradise city by Elizabeth Day. It’s a London novel, the kind of thing which would normally send me scuttling for the hills, but this really is rather good and better than John Lanchester’s Capital. It’s based around 4 characters whose lives all inyter-connect by the end of the book. It’s written with great warmth, she does the characters very well and it’s very satisfying.
– Memoirs of a dipper by Nell Leyshon. I had never previously come across her work before, and it’s about a thief, drug addict written in his own voice. It’s written in a very spare way and she conveys more in a sentence than most authors can manage in pages.
Listened: Have been trying to re-organise my existing music into some order and have come across old stuff which I hadn’t listened to in years and which really hit the spot.
– Mcalmont and Butler’s Sound of and Bring it back, with thanks to DFB’s thread on the same.
– Orchestre National des Barbes – Live in concert.
– Big Night soundtrack album; lots of cheesy Italian stuff.
– Curtis Mayfield, There’s no place like America today. My, he could sing.
Watched: Picked up Mad Men series 6 at a charity shop. Never liked it first time round, but warmed it watching it again, and am looking forward to watching the last 6/7 episodes of the final series. Have steered clear of the reviews.
AOB: Went to another triumphant Retrosonic gig at the Half Moon Putney the day after the election. Enormous and raucous fun provided by Galileo 7, Len Price 3 and Graham Day.
RubyBlue says
@wayfarer I must thank Carolina who introduced me to Luluc! Can’t claim any previous knowledge.
Wayfarer says
Well, @rubyblue, it was reading this post that jogged my memory so it’s down to both of you.
Mike Hull says
My cultural consumption has taken a hit these past two months, as we’ve lost a member of staff (who despite our efforts we have not yet been able to replace) and another colleague has had a family crisis which has necessitated a long period off work. The perfect storm and I’ve practically been doing three jobs instead of one.
Having said that, I have been reading and listening to music just to de-stress and am very grateful to three individuals from this site who have sent me some marvellous music, which I must listen to more closely.
Anyway, I heartily recommend The Weather Station (Loyalty, All of it was Mine and What am I Going to Do…), Torres (Sprinter and Torres), 9Bach, Gavin Glass (Sunday Songs). There are numerous albums I’ve been sent that I haven’t even begun to listen to yet, but I will when time allows.
Also, last month, I got hold of two concert recordings issued by Nick Cave on his website of his Hammersmith Apollo and Royal Albert Hall gigs. There is a lot of overlap in the set lists, but the two gigs are totally different. I wish I could have got tickets.
In terms of reading, one novel which was A Murderous Affair by Jonathan Digby, set in Elikzabethan London and a kind of whodunnit, detective novel with a twist. Quite undemanding and good fun.
Watched Nowhere Boy the film about John Lennon’s upbringing. I found it quite moving, especially the scene where the truth comes out about why he was adopted by Aunt Mimi (brilliantly played by the fantastic Kristin Scott Thomas). Have also enjoyed The Game, and thought that ITV’s Safe House was ultimately a load of pants.
Any other business. Last weekend was spent in the village of Bassoues in Gascony, south west France. A friend of ours has been going there for 38 years ever since a school arranged exchange trip. He has kept in touch and visited regularly ever since. He was invited to put on a photographic exhibition in the Donjon (a 13th century fortified tower which is now a museum) and invited us to accompany him. Our visit coincided with the village fête, so much of our visit was spent eating and drinking copiously. We met some wonderful, open-hearted people and were made to feel most welcome. The village has a population of 400 and is a former bastide, so the village is effectively within fortifications and on an 800 year old street plan. It has a 17th century market hall and the road through the village goes right through it! I think we will return.
Beezer says
Seen: Not very much at all lately. It seems that for the past few weeks our telly has been resolutely off most of the time. I had a go at ‘The Game’ on BBC 1 for the first two and a half episodes. What initially started as a decent Le Carre’ish premise soon descended into clap-trap. I’ve been cruising youtube mostly, watching black and white footage of hepcat jazzers. I’m not sure why. Wes Montgomery was good wanne? One of those fascinating musicians who can play without, seemingly, doing anything with his fingers.
Heard: ‘Last Of Our Kind’ by The Darkness. Oh my goodness yes. Tres jolie. Less of ‘Queen’ and much more AC/DC on this one. ‘Barbarian’, ‘Open Fire’ and ‘Mudslide’ are highly recommended. But mainly I’ve let my iPod lead the listening. All three albums by ‘The Egg’ have been played a lot. Rich Robinson. Nothing new, just revisiting the good old.
Read: WS Maugham, ‘The Razor’s Edge’, ‘In Europe’ by Geert Mak, again. A truly great book about hubris, folly and murder. ‘The Letters of PG Wodehouse’, ‘Joy In The Morning’, by same. He wrote the same plot over and over but was able to narrate each time in such a way that it has never mattered. Leith’s ‘How To Cook’. One of the better guides. No faff or hyperbole or celebrity theme. Just ‘ do it this way. It’s the right way.’
AOB. I’m tired. Work is busy, dull and at the moment a long commute away. Books, Music and family should be made available on the NHS. I’m pleased I have ready access to all three.
Blue Boy says
‘Books music and family’. The t-shirt’s on order.
Wheldrake says
Watching:
Game of Thrones continues to be outstanding television. 13 episodes is just right. Caught up with Ex Machina too, which was quite chillingly brilliant. Well worth a watch. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell on the Beeb is excellent with Eddie Marsan and Marc Warren superb.
Listening:
Hairless Toys by Roisin Murphy is excellent. I’m underwhelmed by the new Weller album though. Weller-by-numbers which is a shame after his last three superb outings.
Reading:
Just finished Funeral In Berlin by Len Deighton, which is great. I love a good spy novel. Now reading The Committed Men by M John Harrison. It’s his first novel from 1971 and betrays a heavy Moorcock/Ballard influence with its tale of a post-apocalypse Britain, and yet foreshadows the Viriconium stories with some of the imagery.
Simonl says
Seen: No Offence, the new Channel 4 police ‘comedy drama’ series from the Shameless man. Really really good, strong writing, funny when it needs it, heavy otherwise. One criticism, which is sort of a plus in it’s favour too, is that the men are cardboard cutouts, the women really well written and well defined.
Black Angel – it’s on Youtube. It was the short that went out with The Empire Strikes Back, at least in UK cinemas, in 1980. The negative was lost not long after and the film became a ‘lost’ thing. Negative reappeared, was cleaned up and it’s been posted on Youtube. There are plans to make a proper full length version of it’s story, but to be honest I’m not interested. The short made a huge impact on me and for years elements of it turned up in stories I wrote. I thought about it a lot over the years. I saw it last week. It’s not quite what I remembered, but I can see why it stuck. I can also see it’s influence on other things, including the early 80s Excalibur. Worth a look.
Heard: Still fixated on Allison Moorer’s Down To Believing. Even a new Shelby Lynne album hasn’t pushed aside her sister. Although I have also had a complete reggae head on for the start of June. Wishful thinking that we might have a good summer….
Oh and the new Paul Weller. I’m not too impressed to be honest. There’s a couple of tracks that remind me of XTC/Super Furry Animals, which I like, a good Stooges/Velvets rip. But the rest sounds ploddy. Style Council rehashes on a couple of tracks, and then the puzzling bits that remind me of Supertramp and Sad Cafe. I think the run of great stuff Weller has been having since 2005 has come to stop for me. Had to happen sooner or later.
Read: No books. I’m a bit worried actually. I’ve gone right off reading. I read quite literally hundreds of books in the last 5 years via the kindle app on my phone. Meant on my commutes I was never without a book, instead of carrying around a book that had been finished at 830am for the rest of the day.
But now, not interested in any. Start them, don’t finish them. The last book I finished was the last Reacher book. Which must have been September?
Am still writing though. So something in my brain is happening correctly in one direction. Just not the other.
davidks says
Read: I;m working through Christopher Brookmyre’s Dead Girl Walking. Very good so far, as usual with his books. Just need more time to be able to devote to it.
Heard: Mainly podcasts. Listening to the Desert Island Discs Archive. Great episodes with Morrissey, Whoopi Goldberg and David Walliams. After listening to the Piers Morgan one, it made me hate him even more.
Seen: Catching up on Veep. It was wonderful.
AOB: Just back from a marvellous weekend away, to Memphis, with my wife. I would highly recommend the Civil Rights Museum (I got quite choked up listening to MLK’s last speech knowing what was going to happen the next day) and the Stax Museum (excellent look at a powerhouse record label). We also visited Graceland, I was in 2 minds about it, but I thoroughly enjoyed the extravagance of it all. Fascinating look around the mansion and the museum displaying his outfits and his many, many gold records. Memphis was a laid back city with plenty to do…we didn’t have time to go to Sun City Studio or the Rock n Soul Museum. Go if you get the chance.
SteveT says
Shame you missed Sun Studio – it gave me goosebumps in a nice way but I agree re the Civil Rights Museum. When you stand on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel it is a chilling reminder of how easy it is to cut short someones life from a distance.
Great city.
retropath2 says
O cripes, is this what happens when I get left on my own: the squeeze has gone to Turkey and I’ve had a bit of a frenzy, to the extent to box of CDs in the car is as big as the pile of books by the bed, to say nothing of lukewarmly gallivanting off in my tent.
Books: Thank christ I finally finished Owen Jones ‘The Establishment etc’, able to get my teeth into Iain Banks dark swan song, ‘The Quarry’ and excellent it was too. Now into Neil Young’s ‘Waging Heavy Peace’, which is a jolly ride, tho’ a bit disconcerting that, upon extolling his everlasting with and for Pegi, the minute it’s a bestseller, off he trots with Daryl Hannah.
TV: Not a lot, having paused ‘The Affair” and the grand guignol tosh of ‘Penny Dreadful’ until herself is back. Likewise ‘Hannibal’ and ‘True Detective’ when they crank up into their new series over the next week or 2. O, and I spot, speaking of Iain Banks, that ‘Stonemouth’ starts a 2-parter this week. Lots of cherry picking catch-up from BBC music channels and Sky Arts. Enjoyed a Who documentary much more than I like the band, along with live jeff Beck, Peter Gabriel and all sorts.
Live: Ukrainians and Lunar Festival, with the link of jocular accordionist of the former, Steff, attending the latter as an audience, with a hefty dose of sinus, but being a decent cove. The sign of a decent festival is the mingle of stage with punters, also able to shake the hand of Phil May and various less celebrated.
Listened: Hqave had a fixation on odd compilations, so have snaffled up the ‘Strange’ series of Folk, Country, Soul and Jazz, the folk, oddly, being the weakest. Next it was time to find, for pennies on amazon marketplace, Beyond Nashville, Further beyond Nashville and Way Beyond Nashville, and an equivalent Blues one, Beyond Memphis (or similar). E-music revealed Hannah Sanders, Katzenjammer, Merry Hell, Portico, Spiro and Lau, all their latest ones, with only the Merry Hell being a letdown of derivative drivel. Lau’ s 17 minute chamber piece, the title track, ‘The Bell that Never Rang” is phenomenal, and I heartily endorse the “new direction” of Portico, no longer the Quartet. Obviously I got the new Ukrainians ‘History of Rock Music in Ukrainian’, as well as the latest from ‘My Brightest Diamond” and the droll Matthew Edwards and the Unfortunates release,’The Fates.’ I have also fallen heavily into a wormhole, a, shall we say, “well hard” wormhole, where I am sure I spotted fellow massif Walter Rego, and I have been hoovering up a cornucopia of out of print goodies. I recall the sauce previously known as Burt first drew my mouse to this source.
Ate: Sauages and cheese. It’s been too long, guys, welcome back…….
thecheshirecat says
May was a terrible month for me personally – work, ailing family members, my own attendant sleep loss and other stress symptoms. In those circumstances, I often struggle to attend gigs and lose myself to the music.
But along came the cavalry in the form of two Lau gigs on the same weekend. The Bell that Never Rang as an album has now come alive (though they haven’t yet risked the title track with a live audience). OK, so I am their target audience, but I took my mate who is more of a thrash metal fan; he loved it and wants more. They aren’t universal appeal, but can appeal to so many niches.
For the reasons above, it took a couple of days to unwind at Chester Folk Festival, but once there, the riches were revealed particularly with time-seasoned troubadour Bob Fox and the best ceilidh I have been to in years, care of Cropredy favourite Simon Care and his four man trio. He is tireless on the melodeon, punching away to a dancers’ beat for hour after hour, while the rest of the band muck about with whatever noises they can get out of the wood and string at their disposal.
Finally, felt the love swelling all around Union Chapel for a rare Gryphon gig. No elaboration available – I have a train to catch …..
RubyBlue says
@disappointmentbob Bunting. Needs more bunting.
This is very random indeed, out of context at the bottom of the page.
Rosbif says
READ
I’m about a third of the way through The Ten Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer. It’s the third of her novels I’ve read, and her ability to turn a phrase never palls. Such as: “the long spiral freefall of middle-aged resignation.” So much conveyed in so few words. I’ve also taken delivery of The World Of Ice And Fire, the handsomely appointed companion guide to George RR Martin’s novels, on which Game Of Thrones is based.
SEEN
I have become a stranger to the cinema of late. I’ve been loving Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, as have others here. I just can’t praise it highly enough. The casting is spot-on, with Bertie Carvel uncannily perfect as Jonathan Strange, and Enzo Cilenti radiating charisma as Childermass. The script is a superb adaptation of a novel that presents a LOT of challenges. It all looks spectacular. It’s made me want to re-read the book. I’ve been watchingGame Of Thrones too, and while the Hardhome sequence was breathtaking, this season has overall been very disappointing. The Dorne sections have been frankly rubbish in almost every way, and some of the shocking scenes have seemed utterly gratuitous.
One other thing I’ve started watching is the first season of Girls, which plays more or less as I’d expected: a hipper, younger and funnier variant on Sex & The City, set in far more realistic and less rarefied circles. I’m enjoying it very much; Lena Dunham manages to balance being funny, touching and infuriating very adroitly.
HEARD
The new Sufjan Stevens album Carrie and Lowell is beautiful, may even be his best yet. I like the sound of Torres from what I’ve heard so far, though I haven’t shelled out yet. Sleater-Kinney are still getting a lot of airplay, in part buoyed by their appearance on a truly excellent edition of Later, which also featured Melody Gardot being ace, Seasick Steve showing he can do a welcome change of pace, and a *stunning* performance by a new London singer called Ala.Ni. The song is Darkness At Noon and I shall be looking out for her.
AOB
I have in the last month passed my driving test and reached the age of 50, one of which I never imagined would happen. I’m nearing the end of a couple counselling qualification, which I hope will lead to more work in that area. And I’m limbering up for my sixth Dunwich Dynamo.
chiz says
May was a bit of a write-off culturally because of election stuff so I’ve been catching up in the last couple of weeks.
SEEN
Several dates on David Ford’s One Man Full Band tour, The Church (a religious experience for the faithful) and Waiting for Godot at The Barbican (Nothing happens. No one comes, no one leaves. It’s awful). Still working my way through the collected works of Aaron Sorkin, now onto season II of The Newsroom. Not perhaps as fine as The West Wing but it has some superb Sorkiny moments.
HEARD
I really don’t listen to much new music – not sure I should admit to that here. I have occasional forays into bands from the past I think I ought to know more about. This month it’s been Fairport Convention. It’s not my kind of thing but I like it.
READ
Nothing. Well I have Last Chance to See in the bathroom at the moment, does that count?
bobness says
READING
I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hawes.
Like a Dan Brown but way better. Well, I think so anyway.
It’s a bit thick though; 250 pages in, not a third of the way have I passed.