The Afterword

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Is this the End….

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…of the AW Wordle discussion? Fewer folks posting daily now. I still like sharing my successes (and my bitter failure), discussing tactics, ethics, marvelling at Chiz’s audacity etc. If the few of us that are left wish to carry on, here’s the new place. If not, I’ll just sit here and count the tumbleweed.

“And now my blue banisters are green and grey, ah-ah” (aka IT’S RESULTS DAY!!!!!!): Afterword Album of 2021 Results

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Saturday felt like a Sunday, Sunday felt like a Saturday. So today is Monday, right? And what does the first Monday in January mean? It means The AfterWord Album of 2021 results are in!

After a long night’s toil, Little Gary is exhausted. But enough of Little Gary and his sordid adventures, let’s get going, shall we?

(Usual disclaimers – mistakes, mishaps and misspellings may well have occurred (92.37% probability) and the “old but new” debate lumbers on. But, hey, we’re friends, right? Right?)

No less than 565 separate albums were nominated (no wonder Little Gary is tired). One album led from the the first week of voting and was only overhauled in the final furlong between Christmas and New Year.

As is the time-honoured (?) tradition (?) let’s starts with those poor wee albums nominated by just one person giving it one measly vote Alan Vega- Mutator Brian Setzer – Gotta Have The Rumble Ches Smith And All We break – Path of Seven Colours Decemberists – Live Home Library Drinking Boys And Girls Choir – Marriage License Elton John – Regimental Sgt Zippo Gnod – La Mort Du Sens Isaiah Rashad – The House Is Burning John Zorn, » Continue Reading.

Which OAP is going to win this year???

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It’s time for The AfterWord to select its Album Of The Year!

I will spend the next month collating shedloads and bucketfuls of entries into a spreadsheet the size of Antarctica (which even in these Climate Change days is pretty damn big, let me tell you).

92.37% of the nominations will bear names only three people have ever heard of but in the end, and is our way, a motley collection of old blokes and at least two, maybe even three, young (?) women will hand over the trophy to whichever white, ancient rocker has summoned up enough creative energy to release something “new and exciting” this year.

Go on , I dare you all to prove me Wrong!

Usual Rules apply: Albums released in 2021 Re-releases, remasterings etc are not allowed (polled separately, if Dai can be arsed?) Previously undiscovered , unreleased and unheard masterpieces which have never seen the light of day before Jan 1st 2021 are allowed Taylor Swift’s “Red” is definitely allowed You can list as many records as you like but only 20 will actually count. 20 points to your first choice, all the way down to 1 for your last You don’t have to » Continue Reading.

Bow down, ye mortals!

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I simply cannot believe how good Taylor’s re-recording of “Red” is. I wasn’t totally convinced with “Fearless” but here she takes an already blistering album and makes it even better. Genius, genius,. Also including a full ten minute long unexpurgated version of “All Too Well” – venom, regret, poetry. And then this ..Saturday Night Live. Bow down and worship.

Hey AfterWord Hive!

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I think you’ll find I had Sam Fender’s debut album in 2018 as one of my Records of the Year. You lot seem to have been very quiet about him since then. Played the new album twice today and, let’s forget Tigger and his boring old man rules, it’s a belter! Am I right or, far more possibly, am I Wrong ?

Your biggest disappointment

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An interesting article by one of our old “chums” (?) got me remembering. You buy a record cos you love the band/artist. You are beside yourself with excitement. The needle drops onto the shiny new vinyl and thirty five minutes later you cry “What is this shit?”. Of course the record isn’t really shit, it’s just, you know, ok. But it’s by one of your favourite bands and it’s just ok. You play it several, indeed many more, times but the magic has gone, the love affair is over. For me it was Abbey Road. What’s yours? ps I’m not really looking to debate the worth of Abbey Road (many on here apparently adore it) but instead seeking for your own moment when the shark jumped.

First Love/Last Love

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Idea pinched from today’s Sunday Times but hey ho…

First record you really, really loved Last record you really, really loved

My first was Ray Charles “Lucky Old Sun”. Fourteen years old was I with no idea whatsoever who Ray Charles was. Head over heels I fell and bounced off to Bruce Miller’s with my birthday money.

ATM – Leakproof Headphones

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Rarely go to my “Sound Room” these days – it’s a long walk over to the East Wing and once I’m there I usually have forgotten what I was going to listen to. So most of the time it’s Sonos in the living area for me and my music. I, however, share the living area with my dearest. Sometimes there are cries of “You know I hate Bruce Springsteen!” or “That’s eleven times you have played Been Around today!” or even worse “Play Fleetwood Mac!”. I’m not the world’s biggest fan of headphones but when needs must I put on my rather expensive Sennheisers and move into the farthest corner of the room. “I can still hear your stupid music, you know, must you play it so loud?” Well yes, I must play it loud – what’s the point of headphones if you can’t play it loud?

So you lot, I need recommendations for headphones that don’t leak sound. I’m not too keen on sound cancelling and realise I need closed rather than open headphones.

Not to worried about cost – thanks to some pandemic or other we don’t seem to be spending much right now.

Cheers