News International, the parent company of News of the World and The Sun yesterday accused the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, who are investigating the NOTW phone tapping scandal of "innuendo, unwanted inference and exaggeration". Oh, the irony!
It's worrying that Andy Coulson ("I don't know"), the editor of NOTW when all this was happening, is now the Director of Communications & Planning for the Tories. Cameron's obviously not too bothered by invasions of privacy then.
25.2.10
23.2.10
A whole load of stuff II
So, I was planning on reviewing the new Massive Attack record 'Heligoland', but after listening to it over and over again,Ii think the review would of consisted of one, not even a word really 'meh' it's alright, a few good songs on there but...well...meh...it's a bit dull. I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed.
Further music related stuff...off to see the Grizz at the Sage in Gateshead on 8th March, which will be nothing short of spectacular, then Idlewild at Fibbers on 16th April (12 years since their last gig there!) which I'm rather excited about, then the day after is Record Store Day which I'm also rather looking forward to, a number of yet unconfirmed acts are recording/releasing limited edition singles and/or ep's, which are only available in certain indie record shops, so...we're off to Leeds to visit Crash and Jumbo, and well, have a jolly nice day really. The following Sunday will no doubt have me indulging my burgeoning love for Vinyl further, as the Duchess is holding a record fair, and then, to top it all off, a week later, Minus The Bear's new album 'OMNI' is released, excited doesn't even come close! A new Deftones album two weeks later and judging from yesterdays free download 'Rocket Skates' we're in for a treat.
2010 has been a pretty good year so far, TV wise, new, improved Heroes, the second, much darker series of Being Human, which, unfortunately, comes to an end next week. And Glee. Hmmm...Glee, the name's a bit misleading, well, a lot misleading, there's very little a cappella stuff, (and that 'very little' amounts entirely to the programs score, not the actually songs being performed) which is what glee clubs do, the production on the vast majority of the songs is so overdone it makes the new Biffy Clyro album sound like a Moldy Peaches record, the lip syncing, oh, christ the lip syncing....
And Matthew Morrison, is there a whiter man on the planet? Every time he performs one of those modern hipperty-hop numbers, i find myself hiding behind my hands, occasionally fanning out my fingers to see if it's finished, much like an England game which has gone to penalties. But I don't seem to be able to stop watching it, thanks, almost entirely to Jane Lynch, who plays coach Sue Sylvester. Evil to her very core, she softened a little in the last episode, thankfully though, by the end of the episode normal service was resumed, as she threatened to buy Morrison's character a kitten, and then punch him in the face. Nice.
And that's that. For now.
Further music related stuff...off to see the Grizz at the Sage in Gateshead on 8th March, which will be nothing short of spectacular, then Idlewild at Fibbers on 16th April (12 years since their last gig there!) which I'm rather excited about, then the day after is Record Store Day which I'm also rather looking forward to, a number of yet unconfirmed acts are recording/releasing limited edition singles and/or ep's, which are only available in certain indie record shops, so...we're off to Leeds to visit Crash and Jumbo, and well, have a jolly nice day really. The following Sunday will no doubt have me indulging my burgeoning love for Vinyl further, as the Duchess is holding a record fair, and then, to top it all off, a week later, Minus The Bear's new album 'OMNI' is released, excited doesn't even come close! A new Deftones album two weeks later and judging from yesterdays free download 'Rocket Skates' we're in for a treat.
2010 has been a pretty good year so far, TV wise, new, improved Heroes, the second, much darker series of Being Human, which, unfortunately, comes to an end next week. And Glee. Hmmm...Glee, the name's a bit misleading, well, a lot misleading, there's very little a cappella stuff, (and that 'very little' amounts entirely to the programs score, not the actually songs being performed) which is what glee clubs do, the production on the vast majority of the songs is so overdone it makes the new Biffy Clyro album sound like a Moldy Peaches record, the lip syncing, oh, christ the lip syncing....
And Matthew Morrison, is there a whiter man on the planet? Every time he performs one of those modern hipperty-hop numbers, i find myself hiding behind my hands, occasionally fanning out my fingers to see if it's finished, much like an England game which has gone to penalties. But I don't seem to be able to stop watching it, thanks, almost entirely to Jane Lynch, who plays coach Sue Sylvester. Evil to her very core, she softened a little in the last episode, thankfully though, by the end of the episode normal service was resumed, as she threatened to buy Morrison's character a kitten, and then punch him in the face. Nice.
And that's that. For now.
22.2.10
Can you get drunk by eating waffles?
MICMACS is a strange little film, but then what else would you expect from the director of Amélie, and uh, Alien Resurrection (understandable that they left that off the posters).
Bazil (played by French comic Dany Boon) is a young boy when his father is killed by a landmine in the Sahara. 20 or so years later working in a video store, a stray bullet from a gun fight outside the shop lodges itself in his brain. Doctors decide (with the aid of a coin toss) not to operate, as this would have left him in a vegetative state. Doing so however, means that Bazil could drop dead at any moment. After leaving the hospital, Bazil finds himself both homeless and jobless.
He eventually falls in with a group of scrap-merchants, who include a human-cannonball, a contortionist and a man who rarely talks in anything but clichés. When collecting scrap metal, Bazil happens across the offices of two arms manufacturers, one of whom made the landmine that killed his father, and the other, the bullet lodged in his brain. With the help of his new family, he decides to take them both down.
It’s rare that I find myself out of bed, let alone out of the house at 10am on a Sunday, but the preview screening of this managed to get me out of both, despite the rather inclement weather and a stonking headache. It’s an immensely enjoyable, inventive and beautifully shot film, not quite as good as Amélie, but then Jean-Pierre Jeunet set the bar pretty high with that film. I think I may well be casting my eye over his previous work again soon.
Bazil (played by French comic Dany Boon) is a young boy when his father is killed by a landmine in the Sahara. 20 or so years later working in a video store, a stray bullet from a gun fight outside the shop lodges itself in his brain. Doctors decide (with the aid of a coin toss) not to operate, as this would have left him in a vegetative state. Doing so however, means that Bazil could drop dead at any moment. After leaving the hospital, Bazil finds himself both homeless and jobless.
He eventually falls in with a group of scrap-merchants, who include a human-cannonball, a contortionist and a man who rarely talks in anything but clichés. When collecting scrap metal, Bazil happens across the offices of two arms manufacturers, one of whom made the landmine that killed his father, and the other, the bullet lodged in his brain. With the help of his new family, he decides to take them both down.
It’s rare that I find myself out of bed, let alone out of the house at 10am on a Sunday, but the preview screening of this managed to get me out of both, despite the rather inclement weather and a stonking headache. It’s an immensely enjoyable, inventive and beautifully shot film, not quite as good as Amélie, but then Jean-Pierre Jeunet set the bar pretty high with that film. I think I may well be casting my eye over his previous work again soon.
9.2.10
Midlake – The Courage of Others
Four years and an albums worth of scrapped material after ‘The Trials of Van Occupanther’, Midlake return with their third album ‘The Courage of Others’.
After hearing that the band had been brushing up on British folk during the intervening years I approached this record with some trepidation, as I have somewhat of an aversion to traditional British folk, and after all, would another album of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young/Fleetwood Mac informed rock have been such a bad thing?
As it turns out, such trepidation was misplaced, rather than traditional folk, ‘The Courage of Others’ recalls bands such as Fairport Convention, and at times Jethro Tull. A kind of transatlantic cousin to its predecessor.
After hearing that the band had been brushing up on British folk during the intervening years I approached this record with some trepidation, as I have somewhat of an aversion to traditional British folk, and after all, would another album of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young/Fleetwood Mac informed rock have been such a bad thing?
As it turns out, such trepidation was misplaced, rather than traditional folk, ‘The Courage of Others’ recalls bands such as Fairport Convention, and at times Jethro Tull. A kind of transatlantic cousin to its predecessor.
The first thing that struck me about this record, was how utterly morose it is, almost exclusively a minor key affair, it’s a grey cloud that never lifts, to quote guitarist Eric Pulido; “If someone thought that Van Occupanther was melancholy, than they’re gonna think this is the saddest record ever”.
There’s something about that sadness that brings to mind Radiohead, front man Tim Smith’s vocals play no small part in this, and without exception, when I hear ‘Bring Down’ I cannot help but think of ‘Exit Music (For a Film)’ from ‘Ok Computer’.
It’s only after a few listens that this record really begins to reveal itself, ‘…Van Occupanther’ was far from instantly accessible, ‘The Courage of Others’ even less so. It’s an album that begs to be listened to as just that, an album. When listened to individually, the majority of tracks here seem to lack some substance, but when put in context, they flow in and out of each other perfectly.
‘The Courage of Others’ is certainly a grower, I’ve been listening to it incessantly since it’s release, and am still discovering it, a sign of an excellent record if ever there was one.
There’s something about that sadness that brings to mind Radiohead, front man Tim Smith’s vocals play no small part in this, and without exception, when I hear ‘Bring Down’ I cannot help but think of ‘Exit Music (For a Film)’ from ‘Ok Computer’.
It’s only after a few listens that this record really begins to reveal itself, ‘…Van Occupanther’ was far from instantly accessible, ‘The Courage of Others’ even less so. It’s an album that begs to be listened to as just that, an album. When listened to individually, the majority of tracks here seem to lack some substance, but when put in context, they flow in and out of each other perfectly.
‘The Courage of Others’ is certainly a grower, I’ve been listening to it incessantly since it’s release, and am still discovering it, a sign of an excellent record if ever there was one.
3.2.10
Eels - End Times
“I’ve been through some stuff” (an early contender for understatement of the year?) sings Mark Oliver Everett, perhaps better and certainly more succinctly known as ‘E’, on ‘In My Younger Days’ and he’s not kidding.
The death of both of his parents, and his sister were well chronicled on ‘Electro-Shock Blues’ considered by many to be Eels defining record. Both musically and lyrically, ‘End Times’ is closer to this record than any other their others. This, Eels eighth studio album, follows a mere six months after ‘Hombre Lobo’ and is centered on Everett’s divorce.
This record was largely recorded by ‘E’, alone in his basement, and it shows. Not just in terms of production, but also the disarming honesty and fragility in his voice throughout.
‘In My Younger Days’ is one of the most open and revealing songs Eels have recorded;
“I’m not going to be ruled by hate, but it’s strong, and it’s filling up my days”
“I don’t need anymore misery to teach me what I should be, I just need you back.”
Conversely, on ‘Paradise Blues’, ‘E’ muses “at least I’m not dead”, well, that’s something to hold onto I suppose. ‘Paradise Blues’ is one of the less morose songs here, during which Mr Everett takes it upon himself to give…himself a good talking to;
“Your contempt and your sarcasm, it’s all so transparent, why don’t you give up the act now kid, and let some love in”.
The few moments of humour on ‘End Times’ are typically wry, and as you’d expect, tinged with sadness;
“She’s locked herself in the bathroom again” sings ‘E’ on ‘Line in the Dirt’ “so I am pissing in the yard”
During the title track there’s something of a disagreement with a feline neighbour;
“Outside my window there’s a cat in heat, shut up cat, and leave me alone, there ain’t no heat ‘round here”
Musically, ‘End Times’ is rather a simple affair, and to a certain extent, that’s what makes it such a devastating listen, at least first time round (listening to it fairly heavily since it came out has somewhat diminished this, I think it’s an album that is best listened to fairly occasionally). There is little to detract from the sound of a man bearing his soul for all to see (or hear, more accurately).
‘Little Bird’, the album’s first single has already become one of my favourite Eels songs, unmistakably Eels, more so than anything else here, and just as sad;
“Little bird…right now you’re the only friend I have in the world, and…goddamn I miss that girl.”
‘On My Feet’ ends things neither on a positive note nor a negative one, but with a thought that things might just get better;
“I’m pretty sure I’ve been through worse…I’ve Just got to get back on my feet”.
Here’s hoping he does.
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