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what’s your superpower?

by 61 Comments

A colleague has just asked me what my superpower is.

We’ve all heard the old trope that blind people can hear better. Sickle cell anaemia makes you immune to malaria. Cystic fibrosis gives you immune to tuberculosis.

I have Crohn’s and can clear a room by talking about music. Mrs F is a shortarse and can swear fluently in five languages, including Japanese. I’m not sure that’s what he was after.

What’s yours?

Field Music – Open Here

by 7 Comments

What does it sound like?:

Sixth album proper from Sunderland’s (whisper it) prog/poppers.

They seem to be settling nicely into their niche. Album opener ‘Time In Joy’ rattles with polyrhythms and flutes and stretches out to over 6 minutes. ‘Count It Up’ riffs on a synth over a steady 4/4 beat and decries first-world whingers. ‘Front Of House’ sounds like a cousin of Prince’s ‘Christopher Tracey’s Parade’. ‘Share A Pillow’ is almost glam-rock. ‘Open Here’ is string-heavy ‘Eleanor Rigby’ alike. ‘Goodbye To The Country’ pokes a stick at little-Englanders over a Prince-style funk workout. ‘Checking on a Message’ goes full-on pastoral XTC. The final four tracks spread out, closer ‘Find A Way To Keep Me’ almost whispered over a simple piano refrain before wigging out into string & flute-driven mini-ELO symphony.

At under 40 minutes, the perfect length for a pop album.

What does it all *mean*?

On their last album, Commontime, Field Music let a chink of light into their private lives with lead track ‘The Noisy Days Are Over’ (about having kids). ‘Open Here’ nails their colours to the anti-Brexit mast but doesn’t batter you over the head with it.

Goes well with…

40 minutes of proper » Continue Reading.

ATM: choose me a music documentary

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I’m stuck at home with bronchitis this week and don’t feel like listening to music (or watching daytime telly). A kind soul sent me the recent Sky Arts documentary on Hansa studios, which was great. I have the XTC doc to watch today. All education is good education, after all.

I ask the massive to suggest a good music documentary to pass the time between coughing fits.

My telly does YouTube and iPlayer, 4OD etc but I don’t do Prime, Sky or Netflix or any of those subs jobbies.

Did someone mention one on Billy Mackenzie?

Bowie ANCIANT replacement “Heroes” discs

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I’ve just posted this in another thread and I’ll post it here for those who missed. The tape dropout during the English version of “Heroes” in the most recent Bowie box has been addressed and replacement discs are available free of charge from Warners.

I won’t link to the SDE site as it breaks the AW, so here’s the text.

The record label have issued the following statement:

We can now confirm that the “Heroes” audio has been updated via all digital download and streaming partners. CD and LP discs (in a plain sleeve) will be ready to ship week commencing 11th December.

Those who have bought the ANCIANT box set and would like an updated disc of “Heroes” should send an email to heroes@wmgcustomerservice.com. Your email should contain the following info:

• NAME • SHIPPING ADDRESS (and any delivery instructions) • EMAIL ADDRESS • PHONE NUMBER (required by some delivery providers) • FORMAT PURCHASED (CD or LP) • PROOF OF PURCHASE (email attachment / photo / scan / screen grab / etc.)

Please ensure that you limit the content of your email to these details only so that the Warner Music Customer Services team can process your order as » Continue Reading.

ATM – Prime, Netflix or something else?

by 34 Comments

We like, as a family – me, Mrs F, Offspirng the Elder (14), Offspring the Younger (12) – to sit down on a Saturday night and watch a fillum together.

We’ve watched all the DVDs we can agree on from the cupboard next to the telly.

The GLW/my better half/’er indoors has suggested Netflix. I refuse to get Sky because Murdoch. I’d quite like Dodgers Prime if it means free next-day deliveries. Yes, I am a hypocrite.

We are connected to the outside world by BT Infinity 2 at “up to 76Mbps” (usually 30) which is (just about) enough to stream iPlayer in HD.

We like family films – we’re off to see Paddington 2 at the flicks. I like music documentaries and concert films. None of us watches any sport, except Olympics on the BBC.

Any advice appreciated. Ta.

Half-speed masters klaxon

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A couple of the Miles Showell half-speed mastered LPs (cut at Abbey Road) are discounted to £15 at the moment.

Simple Minds – New Gold Dream (sounds amazing, probably my joint-favourite in the series, along with Solid Air). Paging Moosey.

James Brown – Live at the Apollo volume II (triple vinyl) less so, given the limiations of the source material. Still, 3 LPs for 15 quid.

Both come with download cards (for 128kbps mp3, which is a bit tight-arsed)

Highly recommended. Needless to say, I paid a lot more for my copies…

https://shop.abbeyroad.com/Half-Speed/

Classic album cafe ideas

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I’ve been asked by my local community cafe to curate regular vinyl playback events. I have been promised the loan of a turntable by a local hifi shop, which is nice – my Linn deck is not the portable kind. I can use the more mobile elements of my PA system for the rest of the playback system.

The idea is for people to experience listening to records without the distractions of telly/phones/etc, with a glass of something nice in their hands.

I thought I’d go for two albums (or one double) per evening, a headline platter plus an outsider; for instance, Parallel Lines + Marquee Moon.

I’m no expert when it comes to ‘classics’ – I made it to 47 before I listened to Dark Side of the Moon.

Headline of event #1 will be Sgt Pepper.

What pairings do you suggest?

The Fall klaxon – Singles 1978-2016

by 13 Comments

November’s Cherry Red box is the 7CD deluxe complete Fall single A-sides & all their B-sides. 3CD set featuring just the A-sides is also available. All remastered by Andy Pearce.

“Dear Cherry Red, please stop releasing these lovely boxes. Regards, Steve’s bank manager.”

https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/the-fall-singles-1978-2016-deluxe-7cd-box/

Manchester, North of England: A story of independent music, Greater Manchester 1977-1993

by 20 Comments

What does it sound like?:

Manchester, North of England: A story of independent music, Greater Manchester 1977-1993 is a 7-CD box set from Cherry Red records, compiled by John Reed with a foreword by Mark Radcliffe and sleeve notes (half a page per track) by Mick Middles. Each CD is a themed, roughly chronological, chapter in the story from early punk to the post-Hacienda beginnings of Britpop. Everyone you might initially think of features here although, in common with these Cherry Red boxes, it’s quite often not the obvious track. Everyone, that is, except The Smiths. Mastering quality is good, given the wide variety of sources (and ages). Each of the seven CDs is packed with 79 minutes of music (one is ‘only’ 77 minutes). Disc 1 (‘Cranked Up Really High’) covers the years of DIY punk. Buzzcocks kick things off, as you would expect, with most of the rest of the disc featuring minimal production. Only Joy Division, Magazine and John Cooper Clarke really break out of the murky sonics. The most notable thing about the remainder being what happened next to the performers – amongst them Vini Reilly, Billy Duffy, Graham Fellows, Mick Hucknall, Chris Sievey and » Continue Reading.