Right - that’s enough hiding…I’m back
Won’t go into the reasons for my silence…but in the meantime I’ve been listening to all sorts of stuff. This is a vague catch up. Please excuse the slight rambling style.
First - I’ve stopped buying CDs. Just given up. Can’t be bothered with the things. Have gone completely over to iTunes (with a bit of archiving help, from ahem, Jhymn, ahem). Saves me all that effort ripping stuff, and waiting for Amazon deliveries etc etc. I might waver for the odd exception…but other than that, it’s me
Oh, and I bought a Nano. I am now completely Steve Jobs’s bitch - but that is the topic for a later date. While I was in Korea, I bought an iRiver H10 - and it’s quite remarkable how unfavourably it compared to an iPod, despite having better features. I lost it in a tragic incident on the beach at Poole and had to get a lovely little Nano while in Terminal 3 (Duty Free etc) recently.
Unfortunately, this has encouraged something of a dadrock relapse. I really did findmyself listening to Neil Young’s After The Goldrush repeatedly over the weekend, and The Band’s Music from the Big Pink. I blame Uncut’s 100th edition, which had all these people going on about stuff like that…how could I resist. I still think St Etienne’s Love Will Break Your Heart is better…but there you go.
Talking of Uncut - I normally find their ‘music inspired by an old rocker’ or ‘recommended by xxxx’ utterly missable. However, their new Songs Inspired by Springsteen is really rather good. Much better in fact than listening to an hour of Springsteen.
That said - Steve Wynn’s version of State Trooper isn’t a patch on Halloween Alaska’s version. They, incidentally have a new album coming out…aren’t you excited? They featured on Word’s latest CD [sidebar: 50quid tip for musical happiness - collect and rip all of Word’s CDs, then put them all together in one playlist….brilliant listening].
On Music stuff - I was surpised to find myself enjoying Supergrass’s Road To Rouen (yes, I have been away for a while, haven’t I?), and really quite bored by Laura Veirs. I’m sure she’s lovely and all..but enough about the mermaids, already…
I know it’s late to be getting into them, but I like totally digged Death Cab For Cutie’s Plans - and I’m glad they’ve re-released The Photo Album - because I’m now backfilling so that I can pretend I’ve always been into them. Expect to see their name painted on my rucksack soon [yes, I had Transatlanticism - but didn’t everyone?].
Richard Hawley really delivered with Coles Corner didnt’ he? I think Steve over at Reallyrather can feel very vindicated there - it’s a much more polished album than Lowedges…and while we’re on Mellow stuff, yes, yes and yes again to King Creosote’s Kc Rules Ok.
My mate Steve steered me onto Jamie Liddell’s Multiply - who I found to be a slightly more abrasive version of Jamiroquai, I really wanted to like it, I found it quite impressive, but even after repeated listening it’s just not a very loveable album. He also told me to get into Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings’ Naturally, which I initially thought was a bit too straight-up-and-down staxx…but on relistening is really pretty good, if a little lacking in surprises. Steve, incidentally is still banging on about The Go Team’s Thunder, Lightning, Strike - but I’m getting a bit tired of sample-a-holics. Get out the studio, into a field and play a guitar, I say.
I’m currently ploughing through a load of other stuff…to be discussed later. but I have to say I quite like Damian Marley’s Welcome to Jamrock . I don’t quite know how to put this..but I think he’s managed to make the whole ragga thing quite, errr…white-friendly.