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Books of 2017?

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List time! Hooray/boo. Here’s my favourite books of the year. They’re fiction and nonfiction , and all released in 2017. I might even do an AW poll unless there is tumbleweed. 🙂

Please list yours, released this year- I am always looking for new books. My top two are absolutely top; the others are in any old order (I don’t think it’s been a great year for books).

I’m sure they’re not the ‘best’ books, but they are the ones I most enjoyed.

‘The Sparsholt Affair’ : Alan Hollingsworth ‘The Book of Dust Vol. 1: La Belle Sauvage’:Philip Pullman ‘The Walworth Beauty’: Michele Roberts ‘How Not to be a Boy’: Robert Webb ‘How to be Champion’: Sarah Millican ‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine’: Gail Honeyman ‘I am, I am, I am: Seventeen Brushes With Death’: Maggie O’Farrell ‘Days Without End’: Sebastian Barry ‘What Happened’: Hillary Clinton ‘Greatest Hits’: Laura Barnett ‘The Power’: Naomi Alderman ‘The Keeper of Lost Things’: Ruth Hogan ‘Swimming Lessons’: Claire Fuller ‘The Boy on the Bridge’: M.R. Carey ‘Help’: Simon Amstell

To read from 2017 – too many to list, but include ‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness’ (Arundhati Roy); ‘Elmet’ (Fiona Mozley); and music biogs such » Continue Reading.

Lambchop: ‘FLOTUS’

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What does it sound like?:

[Disclaimer: this was sent to be by @bargepole to review.]

I am not a huge fan of Lambchop; I have three of their albums, including the acclaimed ’Nixon’, which I like but I don’t find it to be essential listening. Given those caveats, I was still curious about this, given their heavily –signalled recent musical influences.

In this context ‘FLOTUS’ means ‘For Love Often Turns Us Still’, and the album focuses on reflections on a long marriage. Kurt Wagner has said that he partly intended the album to contain songs his wife would like. ‘FLOTUS’ is full of hypnotic, loopy beats, with a definite hip-hop and R&B feel. It begins with a lengthy track, the mid-paced ‘In Care of 8675309’ featuring Auto-Tuned vocals (as does most of the album).It’s a really lovely track, and has a more traditional hazy, Americana texture. The lyrics are hard to interpret but are seemingly contemplative, and there is a sweetness and warmth here.

‘The Hustle’ is the last track and the most interesting, being all of 18 minutes long. There is an instrumental intro for about 5 minutes and it ends with an electronic, » Continue Reading.

XTC ‘Oranges & Lemons’ (The Surround Sound Series: CD + Blue Ray)

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What does it sound like?:

This is a CD/Blue ray edition of ‘Oranges and Lemons’, in stereo and 5. 1 editions mixed by, of course, Steven Wilson, with input from Andy Parsons. The additional materials are on Blue Ray and consist of demos, rehearsals, non-album songs in demo and mixed form, videos and a home-made promo filmed as an introduction/brief history of the band for their then US record label. The set is presented in special packaging and has an expanded booklet and sleeve-notes by Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding and Dave Gregory. Disclaimer- before this I only really knew the singles, and I haven’t heard the original so I will comment on the current production but I don’t really know how it compares to the first version. (Others please comment below.) I’m also very grateful to @dogfacedboy, @skylarkingmatt, @drvolume and @softdog for the ‘Skylarking’ podcast which filled in a few gaps for me. From what I’ve read, the digital processing and reverbs in the original mix have been described as harsh and brash, and it is all a bit shiny and jangly and glossy, still. (This isn’t » Continue Reading.

Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink

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Author:Elvis Costello

‘…the line between present and past never seemed clear to me as a child.’

Background: I know Elvis Costello’s early work well: ‘Imperial Bedroom’ is one of my favourite albums. I gave up after ‘Blood and Chocolate’. I have a lot of interest in him and respect for him as a writer but I wouldn’t call myself a huge fan, not am I particularly knowledgeable about his work. [Dons flame-proof hat.]

The short version:

This is an autobiography of a difficult and complex man who was heavily influenced by his father’s musical background (and perhaps his father’s habitual adultery). His largely traumatic relationships with women are documented (after all, it’s all there in the lyrics). The book demonstrates his passion for music and willingness to experiment and learn from others who he would admit are more talented in certain respects. The book meanders a bit at the end and becomes less engaging, but the material on his parents and grandparents is fascinating and he comprehensively documents his life in London and Liverpool via his Irish heritage and how this influenced his life and songs. He also demonstrates the power and significance of music within families; how musical talent, » Continue Reading.

Free ticket available for ‘Remembering John Peel and Exploring the ’27 Club’ at Word In Your Ear’

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13/10/2015

For reasons too tedious to relate, I can’t make this tonight. If you’d like the e-ticket, drop me a message with your email address and I’ll forward it to you. It has my name on it but I don’t suppose that matters regarding entry?

I think a few AW-ers will be there so a good opportunity for a mini-mingle. Annoyed to have to miss this, looks good.

New art work from Mr. Pencilsqueezer

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I was lucky enough to receive my second painting from @pencilsqueezer. Here it is: ‘Coral Wreath’ .

More here:

http://pencilsqueezerartwork.weebly.com/

Thought the beautiful colours might brighten this grey and rainy day. I’d really recommend a commission if you can afford it; they look wonderful reproduced on screen but it’s even better when you see them on canvas.

Thanks, Peter.

View post on imgur.com

The Essential Van Morrison

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What does it sound like?:

Background and listening context: I really didn’t know where to start, and I was somewhat daunted. On the back of the several impressive and enlightening threads about Van recently I have been investigating his work more, with the encouragement of several AW-ers (thanks.) I only really know ‘Astral Weeks’ and ‘Moondance’ and a smattering of other well-known tracks.

In my head, I distinguish between the more jaunty and Northern Soul-ish tracks (‘Jackie Wilson Said’, ‘Brown Eyed Girl’, ‘Moondance’, ‘Spanish Rose’) and the more spiritual songs of ‘Astral Weeks’ which is probably a false distinction. Van seems to have three phases. The discs are not strictly chronological (and each disc ends with live tracks), but the album broadly splits into: work with Them; earlier work beginning with ‘Spanish Rose’ up until ‘Fair Play’ in 1974 plus some live tracks; then Disc 2 starts with ‘Bright Side of the Road’ (1979) ending with ‘Playhouse’ (2006) and a live version of ‘Sweet Thing’ (2009). Disjointed and random observations:

It struck me as I listened to one of my favourites (‘And it Stoned Me’) that the presence of water and water imagery throughout is very strong: rain, » Continue Reading.

Music to cheer you up?

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I have the glums today and need cheering up, please.

Please suggest bouncy, happy, cheering music that makes you glad to be alive.

I will subsequently Spotify it right up for you as a reward. 🙂

Thank you! *smiles through gritted teeth*

I love Simon and Garfunkel and I don’t care who knows it

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I was thinking about the great ‘songs of quiet reflection’ thread and listening to the associated playlist. ‘Song for the Asking’ was mentioned by the OP and it reminded me of how great S&G are.

I get the sense that people are generally quite sniffy about them? (not here, particularly).

Anyway, as well as ‘Song for the Asking’, I love:

‘Old Friends/Bookends’ ‘For Emily, whenever I may find her’ ‘America’ ‘Hazy Shade of Winter’

Some of these may be PS solo; I am easily confused.

Your favourites?