The new Björk track has just been released & I think it is a good un.

That drum sound is second to none & sounds great through headphones. Hopefully a good indicator of the upcoming 10th album

Spotifys Discover Weekly threw up the Matt Berry track ‘Take My Hand’ this morning. I find the studio version a bit dull & forgettable if I am honest. However, the live version of this track is absolutely storming & has an energy to it that is lacking in the former.

Are there any other tracks where this is the case?

The shortlist has been announced & nothing of great surprise on there by the looks of it.

*This year’s Mercury prize nominees* Jessie Buckley and Bernard Butler – For All Our Days That Tear the Heart Joy Crookes – Skin Sam Fender – Seventeen Going Under Gwenno – Tresor Kojey Radical – Reason to Smile Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert Fergus McCreadie – Forest Floor Nova Twins – Supernova Self Esteem – Prioritise Pleasure Harry Styles – Harry’s House Wet Leg – Wet Leg Yard Act – The Overload

Of those listed I very much enjoyed the Yard Act & Self Esteem ones, but I’ve not got to one or two of them yet (although i have heard some good things about the Harry Styles one). I will address this over the coming days.

Are there any glaring omissions? For me the album of the year has been SOAK with ‘If I Never Know You Like This Again’ & I doubt it will be surpassed. I have listened to it at least once a day for a couple of months now & it gets better each time. Would love to see them get some deserved recognition.

» Continue Reading.

The thread on Bono reminded me of something in Brian Bilstons book (Diary of a Somebody) that I read earlier this month. In it he lists his ‘Dessert Island Discs’ as below

1 – Sundae Bloody Sundae 2 – Fool If You Think It’s Over 3 – Key Lime Every Mountain 4 – Champagne Supavlova 5 – It’s a Family Eclair 6 – Don’t It Make Your Brownies Blue 7 – In the Gateaux 8 – Brulee-vous

I am sure that the Afterword can do better than this & I have seen some glorious (or godawful depending on your stance) puns on this site in previous years

Waterstones are selling the lyrics book at 50% off today

on the Tom Waits thread, @salwarpe came out with this corker;

Back in the seventies, he was briefly considered as the lead singer for a revitalised Herman’s Hermits. Tom Waits for Noone?

This made me think of another gag I like;

I saw Gilbert O’Sullivan in the bank at lunchtime & when I asked what what he was there for he replied with ‘A loan again, naturally”

Any others ?

Really sad to hear the news about Sarah Harding yesterday, 39 is no age & it’s always heart breaking to hear of someone succumbing to that horrid disease.

I saw Girls Aloud a couple of times & was always impressed. Sure the vocals could be a bit ropey at times, but that is live music for you. (Bear in mind I’ve seen Dylan a few times & spent an entire Oasis gig wincing at how bad Liams voice was!) One thing that I will always preach is that GA were pretty much a perfect pop group. They had some truly brilliant songs & were interesting to watch with each of them worthy of the spotlight with some good chemistry between them. Ultimately this was the key to their demise and the battle of ego overcame them in the end, but if you take a step back & take stock of their catalogue there are some absolute gems in there.

Here is my absolute favourite written by Messrs Tennant & Lowe

I saw this on my latest e-mail from Waterstones & have duly pre-ordered a copy. Just leaving it here as I know there are a lot of MES fans on here;

_This is a book about Mark. E Smith and The Fall – or more precisely, their ever-influential world. The Fall were so many things, so many worlds; if you got it (and not everyone did), they represented everything. ‘To 50,000 Fall Fans: please buy this inspired & inspiring, profound & provocative, beautiful & bonkers Book of Revelations, choc-stock-full of loving Acts by true Apostles, simultaneously both the scrapbook you wished you’d kept and a portal to futures & pasts, known & unknown, & a Fantastic Celebration of this Nation’s Saving Grace.’ DAVID PEACE ‘Mind blowing… brilliant.’ TIM BURGESS ‘A container sized treasure trove bursting at the hinges with strangeness and wonder . . . I strongly advise you to buy it.’ MAXINE PEAKE This is not a book about a rock band. This is not even a book about Mark E Smith. This is a book about The Fall group – or more precisely, their world. Over a prolific forty-year career, the Fall created a world that was influential, » Continue Reading.

I have just noticed that the fine Stuart Cosgrove book ‘Detroit 67’is £2.48 on the kindle via the tax dodgers site. I then noticed this ‘Memphis 68’ is also there for £1.49! I have not read the latter as yet but if it is one iota as good as the former then it will be a cracker.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_3_15?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=stuart+cosgrove&sprefix=Stuart+Cosgrove%2Caps%2C1270&crid=1ZGKIFEFM17Q3

I have seen a lot of love for this on the blogs so wanted to see what everyone thought of the final episode last night?

I never thought I would say this (I was hoping for another Christmas special!), but I really hope that this is it for Lance & Andy now – I thought last night was the most perfect way to end it for good, Those final scenes were fantastic & I can not think of a better way to leave it. I love that we didn’t witness the reaction to the find & instead saw it from afar. The proposal scene was brilliantly done too & I feel that everything tied up nicely.

Bravo to Mackenzie Crook for writing & directing what IMHO has been the best comedy we have had on our screen in years.

Has anyone else been watching this?

For those that do not know it is a TV adaptation of the Margaret Atwood novel of the same name & it is marvelous.Set in a chilling dystopian future (which seems a little bit too close for comfort), the Handmaids are a class of women kept for reproductive purposes by the ruling class in an era of declining births due to sterility from pollution and sexually transmitted diseases. (lifted straight from Wiki)

It stars Elisabeth Moss (Peggy from Mad Men) & so far Channel 4 have shown 5 of the 10 episodes. For me it is fitting that there is a Mad Men link as it is the most excited about a TV show I have been since that got me hooked.

Although it veers from the books quite a bit, it has been done very very well indeed & has just added some weight to what is already a great story. The acting is also pretty much perfect & its been a good one to watch from the end of my sofa.

Any other fans or critics of it on here? If you have not watched it yet then » Continue Reading.

Just wow! This track is absolutely stunning with gorgeous lyrics & has completely knocked me for six! Don’t you just love it when something catches you like this?

Anyone else care to share the latest track to do this to you?

As per the title. The Johnny Marr book is 1.99 on Amazon at the moment.

I have not read it as yet but have it on good authority it’s a good read. I have just downloaded it & will get cracking on the bus after work. (it’s a very glamorous life I lead)

Amazon who flogging Mobys book ‘Porcelain’ for £1.19 at the moment. I have just ordered it as I have it on good authority it is a very entertaining read & you don’t have to be his biggest fan to like it (which is handy for me!).

I saw a Spotify playlist someone did of all the tracks he mentions in the book & it was an absolute stormer so it bodes well.

I’m not sure if there are any fellow DM fans that post here, but the new single ‘Where’s The Revolution’ is cracking. It really captures the current political mood & if its a taster for the new album then they will be certainly continuing their good run.

As suggested by Junglijim on the Sam Cooke thread.

What are the AWers favourite recorded tracks of all time. 3 songs only please.

Off the top of my head (& at this minute) mine are;

1. Sonny Till – Tears & Misery. How is this not a hit?! For me the arrangement & feeling in the voice are just incredible. I recently tracked this down on record & it is just breathtaking.

2. The Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter This is timeless. When you hear Merry Clayton hit THAT note & her voice cracks. It sends a shiver down my spine every time

3. Sam Cooke – Bring It On Home To Me Hard to believe that this was a B-Side. The simplicity of the instrumentation just allows the voice to take centre stage.

Has anyone else watched this 10 part series on Netflix?

Me & my partner finished it at the weekend & found it compelling viewing. I would heartily recommend to anyone who is looking for something to watch.

Below is the description from IMDB; ‘Filmed over a 10-year period, Making a Murderer is an unprecedented real-life thriller about Steven Avery, a DNA exoneree who, while in the midst of exposing corruption in local law enforcement, finds himself the prime suspect in a grisly new crime. Set in America’s heartland, the series takes viewers inside a high-stakes criminal case where reputation is everything and things are never as they appear.’

Warning. It will make you scream at the TV in frustration & put you off ever going to Wisconsin

An announcement due at 11:00ish but will be going live before Friday according to the article.

Cracking news.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35166985

What good books have you read recently?

I thought for those of us in need of some inspiration a blog post may be in order so here we are. Please comment below with your recommendations.