What does it sound like?: The fourth release in Cherry Red's retooling of the Be Bop Deluxe back catalogue. This time it's the debut album from 1974. It follows the format of the … [Read More...]
The Afterword
Musings on the byways of popular culture
Nights In
Kraftwerk Core Albums available for Streaming or Download in both English and German
What does it sound like?: After the recent sad loss of Kraftwerk founder, Florian Schneider, it's an opportune time to re-evaluate their catalogue. It's helpful that Kraftwerk, … [Read More...]
Charles Paris Mysteries
What does it sound like?: This is series of about 20 books but I’m singing the praises here of the superb Radio 4 dramatisations that I discovered about 18 months ago and have … [Read More...]
A Girl Called Eddy – Been Around
What does it sound like?: New Jersey’s Erin Moran (A Girl Called Eddy) released her first recordings in 2001. A couple of intriguing EP's led to her eponymous album, in 2004. It … [Read More...]
Nights Out
Chester Folk Festival Online!
Venue: Nowhere, yet everywhere Date: 29/05/2020 Nights Out? Are you serious? In the tradition of Russian election results, this is part announcement and part review in that we … [Read More...]
Womad NZ -was this the last music festival of the year?
Venue: New Plymouth Botanical Gardens, North Island, New Zealand Date: 13/03/2020 New Zealand is the first country of size to herald in the new year.This year it may have been … [Read More...]
Pat Metheny , Auckland Town Hall
Venue: Auckland Town Hall, New Zealand Date: 10/03/2020 I've never been a fan of Pat Metheny. In fact, I have never been a fan of jazz guitar though there are notable exceptions. … [Read More...]
Stewart Lee on tour 2020
Venue: Oxford Playhouse Date: 24/02/2020 This was the first time I have seen Stewart Lee live despite being a long time fan of his previous work on TV and on stage. The show … [Read More...]
Films
A beautiful day in the neighbourhood
Year: 2019 Director: Mariel Weller I was thinking about seeing the film 1917 then I read a tweet where the poster said they felt like they had had the shit kicked out of them by … [Read More...]
Uncut Gems
Year: 2019 Director: The Safdie Brothers This is latest film from the Safdie Brothers about whom I have to say I knew nothing before this. It’s in the cinemas but also … [Read More...]
1917
Year: 2019 Director: Sam Mendes “From the director of Skyfall” yells the poster and the trailer, which is true but not the point. The story is simple enough, though I won’t go … [Read More...]
Parasite
Year: 2019 Director: Bong Joon-Ho Well now. Is it a black comedy? Is it a thriller? Is it a modern parable? All of these, and none of these. If there is one criticism - and it's … [Read More...]
Reads
The Mirror & the Light
Author:Hilary Mantel Here we have the long anticipated culmination of Hilary Mantel’s Tudor trilogy and it was certainly worth the extended wait. Most will probably be aware of … [Read More...]
Paradise Rot
Author:Jenny Hval The list of novels written by musicians is not long, perhaps because writing one seems like quite hard work. Nick Cave, Louise Wener, Laughing Len on the credit … [Read More...]
The Long, Long Road To Wembley
Author:Dave Roberts I picked this book up because a mate of mine hovered around the edges of Bromley’s first team many years ago (as a player that is. Not a stalker). I wasn’t … [Read More...]
Equal
Author:Carrie Gracie Few people battle their employer and force them into a highly embarrassing admission that they had paid them unfairly for years. Even fewer then continue to … [Read More...]
Games
Game help!
Platform:XBox, PC/Mac Age Rating:3+ Year of Release:2019 Review:I'm in need of a new game or two. This year I have played - 1 PUBG - I like it generally but I feel that I'm up … [Read More...]
Nier 2: Automata
Platform:Playstation Age Rating:16+ Year of Release:1949 Review:This batshit crazy Japanese manga-esque RPG explore-and-destroyer has been a game that’s broken through into the … [Read More...]
Noticeboard
At last, the “Greatest Irish Album of the 1990s” is finally available…
The mighty Stonefish recorded three EPs in Belfast in 1995-96, two of which escaped at that time, one of which didn't before the cauldronesque trio of pur molten rock imploded into … [Read More...]
British Jazz Acts in Live-Streamed Concert Tonight 8pm UK Time.
22/06/2020 A live-streamed concert from The Vortex Jazz Club in Dalston, tonight at 8pm. A link on the page should take you to the stream for when it starts. A link to a … [Read More...]
My Darling Clementine Claxon
https://youtu.be/xGo16UOI4Ws Fans of this estimable duo, the Mr and Mrs of country duets, Michael Weston King and Lou Dalgleish, will be eager to catch this second instalment of … [Read More...]
1979
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZYpCZ46FTE In 1979, I was the bass player and singer in a new wave band called ‘Impulse’. (40 years ago. Yikes!!) I got back in touch with the … [Read More...]
‘The St Buryan Sessions’ – Sarah McQuaid asks for help
I won't say much about this (because Sarah says lots within), save that I'm a huge admirer of Sarah McQuaid as an artist and as a person. Like a lot of cottage industry musical … [Read More...]
Quarantunes Volume 2
Hi everyone - hope you are all bearing up under lockdown. I've been doing some more home recording - a couple of people had suggested they would like to hear the more reflective … [Read More...]
