OK - so now I can type... This is odd. Anyhow - apologies for not many updates recently. There is something odd with Blogger and I can't seem to edit some of my existing entries. VERY annoying! But then it lets me...
Sigh
Friday, August 24, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Getting lost while walking
This seems to be a current theme of mine at the moment and I'm getting fed up with it! I've done two walks in two weeks and managed to get lost on both of them.
One of them was my own fault - I've started walking The Thames Path, and I was too busy chatting away to Jackie and I neglected to pay attention to where we should have been going. Fortunately (and completely coincidentally) we were in an area that Jackie's friend lives in and so she navigated us back to the Thames ( you would not believe how hard it can be to find the Thames sometimes!).
The second incident was this Saturday, walking one of the Time Out walks. The first time we got lost, I think I should have been more assertive, but the second time was just down to appalling instructions. Interestingly though, it is in the same area as another time I got lost walking with Julia (see that blog post here), so I think I have decided I'm going to give the Chilterns a miss from now on. Nice walking they may be, but I can't be doing with getting lost all the time. Oh - and a correction from that 2008 post - the Chilterns are not north London! AT ALL!
Anyhow - next up is a week in the Lake District so I'm going to try really hard to NOT GET LOST! Watch this space...
Photos from both walks on Flickr as well for anyone who hasn't spotted them on fb...
One of them was my own fault - I've started walking The Thames Path, and I was too busy chatting away to Jackie and I neglected to pay attention to where we should have been going. Fortunately (and completely coincidentally) we were in an area that Jackie's friend lives in and so she navigated us back to the Thames ( you would not believe how hard it can be to find the Thames sometimes!).
The second incident was this Saturday, walking one of the Time Out walks. The first time we got lost, I think I should have been more assertive, but the second time was just down to appalling instructions. Interestingly though, it is in the same area as another time I got lost walking with Julia (see that blog post here), so I think I have decided I'm going to give the Chilterns a miss from now on. Nice walking they may be, but I can't be doing with getting lost all the time. Oh - and a correction from that 2008 post - the Chilterns are not north London! AT ALL!
Anyhow - next up is a week in the Lake District so I'm going to try really hard to NOT GET LOST! Watch this space...
Photos from both walks on Flickr as well for anyone who hasn't spotted them on fb...
Monday, May 07, 2012
Cracking exhibitions!
So today, in an effort to do more with my Bank Holiday than sit around and try to make a BIG decision, I decided to go into town and go and see something. I ended up going to two that weren't on my list of ones I wanted to see, but I'm so pleased I went - they were both great!
I chose 'Joy in People' as I just loved the name, and the banner image for it. That was also twinned with 'I am Dead' which I'd also noticed the adverts for - hard not to :-).
I thought 'Joy in People' was just great. Jeremy Deller's approach (certainly early on) was to create art that people wouldn't necessarily see as art, or things which wouldn't last. He staged an 'installation' in his bedroom while still living at home - he charged people to go in when his parents were away... There was a great short film where he talked about his work, and different projects he had done, and I could have watched all of the film 'The Battle of Orgreave' - but I was starving and my blood sugar was getting low. Hard to describe this exhibition, but I did come away with an idea of the 'Joy of People'. Loved it.
Fortunately 'I'm Dead' was a lot smaller than JIP. And David Shrigley's work sat very well as a combined ticket with Jeremy Deller's. Very funny, very clever.
They both finish next weekend, and when I left the gallery (about 3pm having got there about midday) the queue for tickets was out the door and around the corner - so I'm pleased I got in early!
I chose 'Joy in People' as I just loved the name, and the banner image for it. That was also twinned with 'I am Dead' which I'd also noticed the adverts for - hard not to :-).
I thought 'Joy in People' was just great. Jeremy Deller's approach (certainly early on) was to create art that people wouldn't necessarily see as art, or things which wouldn't last. He staged an 'installation' in his bedroom while still living at home - he charged people to go in when his parents were away... There was a great short film where he talked about his work, and different projects he had done, and I could have watched all of the film 'The Battle of Orgreave' - but I was starving and my blood sugar was getting low. Hard to describe this exhibition, but I did come away with an idea of the 'Joy of People'. Loved it.
Fortunately 'I'm Dead' was a lot smaller than JIP. And David Shrigley's work sat very well as a combined ticket with Jeremy Deller's. Very funny, very clever.
They both finish next weekend, and when I left the gallery (about 3pm having got there about midday) the queue for tickets was out the door and around the corner - so I'm pleased I got in early!
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Pre-marathon planning
So tomorrow is the London 2012 Marathon and I've got two good friends running it. Both fortuitiously running for the same charity so that is good! So I'll be up and out early to try and get a good spot to see them - I'm really looking forward to it. I've not been to the marathon for a couple of years, and I've never been when close friends are running it, so I think that will make a difference.
Both Sarah and Julia are running for Sense - the colour is unfortunately bright orange... so I'll be sporting a beaut of a neon orange t-shirt tomorrow in my role as 'official supporter' :-). And in my walking trousers as well - it is likely to rain so I want trou on that will dry quickly if I get wet! So many things to consider :-)
I'm hoping for a great day out tho!!
Both Sarah and Julia are running for Sense - the colour is unfortunately bright orange... so I'll be sporting a beaut of a neon orange t-shirt tomorrow in my role as 'official supporter' :-). And in my walking trousers as well - it is likely to rain so I want trou on that will dry quickly if I get wet! So many things to consider :-)
I'm hoping for a great day out tho!!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
A rare trip for work
For only the 3rd time in my career at my current employer, I got to hop on a plane this weekend and fly to another country.
I had a meeting to go to in Munich so decided to go out at the crack of dawn on Sunday and spend the day looking around the city. A slight risk given it was January... and it was cold, and a bit sleety, but not too bad that I couldn't bear to be outside. Certainly a different temperature from London though!
I considered doing a walking tour on the Sunday afternoon, but it was going to be 3 hours, and I just couldn't bear the thought of being outside for that long in those temps, so I decided not to. Wandered around for a while, went to the Stadtmuseum to get out of the cold and wandered around a bit more. There was an exhibition of puppetry at the museum - scary stuff!! The motion triggered laughing clown was particularly freaky...
Munich looked like a nice weekend break town though. I probably won't go back again, and I imagine its best just before Christmas when they have the Christmas markets, but I was pleased I made the effort to go out a bit earlier. Some pics on fb, and more on Flickr.
I had a meeting to go to in Munich so decided to go out at the crack of dawn on Sunday and spend the day looking around the city. A slight risk given it was January... and it was cold, and a bit sleety, but not too bad that I couldn't bear to be outside. Certainly a different temperature from London though!
I considered doing a walking tour on the Sunday afternoon, but it was going to be 3 hours, and I just couldn't bear the thought of being outside for that long in those temps, so I decided not to. Wandered around for a while, went to the Stadtmuseum to get out of the cold and wandered around a bit more. There was an exhibition of puppetry at the museum - scary stuff!! The motion triggered laughing clown was particularly freaky...
Munich looked like a nice weekend break town though. I probably won't go back again, and I imagine its best just before Christmas when they have the Christmas markets, but I was pleased I made the effort to go out a bit earlier. Some pics on fb, and more on Flickr.
Sunday, January 01, 2012
Even numbered years....
Are apparently better than odd numbered years - well that's according to my friend Simon, and who I am to quibble with such logic??
2012 was seen in, in a pub in Wimbledon - first time I'd been out for NYE for a long time, and it was quite good fun. Nice to do something different, the pub wasn't overly heaving, and the crowd was good. Bit of a scary disco to get through to go to the loo though!
I have big plans for 2012 - and I've already started to action them today. So overall I feel quite optimistic about this year :-).
And it is starting well - I'm watching the final of 'World's Strongest Man' on the TV and next up is the new Sherlock BBC drama - very exciting!
Welcome to 2012!!
2012 was seen in, in a pub in Wimbledon - first time I'd been out for NYE for a long time, and it was quite good fun. Nice to do something different, the pub wasn't overly heaving, and the crowd was good. Bit of a scary disco to get through to go to the loo though!
I have big plans for 2012 - and I've already started to action them today. So overall I feel quite optimistic about this year :-).
And it is starting well - I'm watching the final of 'World's Strongest Man' on the TV and next up is the new Sherlock BBC drama - very exciting!
Welcome to 2012!!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Movies what I saw in 2011...
- The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest
- The Big Sleep
- 127 Hours
- The Way Back
- The King's Speech
- Black Swan
- The Fighter
- True Grit
- Never Let Me Go
- Source Code
- Boy
- Bridesmaids
- Sarah's Key
- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
- The Ides of March
- The Help
- Wuthering Heights
- Hugo 3D
- Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
And so Christmas rolls around again...
Christmas was a slightly different affair this year with no Maya to spend it with. Fortunately for me (although not for Maya and Chris), Chris was still waiting for his visa, so he came to mine and we hung out together. Double bonus for me, as it meant I had a resident cook :-). It was a very quiet, laid back affair - lots of eating and watching rubbish TV - just a usual Christmas for me! Particularly enjoyed the back-to-back episodes of 'The World's Strongest Man' that we watched on Christmas Day! Oh - and Top Gear... and Dr Who....
And the books...
December 2011
The Good, The Bad and the Multi-plex - Mark Kermode
As a complete change to vampires, I went to the good Dr's second book. I'm a huge fan of Mark Kermode/Simon Mayo's film podcast from 5Live (and would recommend it to anyone who doesn't listen to it!) and when Tracey was over in London in September we went to see Mark K do a reading from his book. I think Tracey was quite a convert to him :-). This book was as good as his first one (It's Only A Movie) - and is somewhat akin to reading his 'rants' from the radio. And in a nice bit of continuity, there are a few references to Kim Newman in it - he's a horror movie expert and a friend of Mark K's :-). My only criticism of it would be that it had very long chapters with no natural breaks in them - not conducive to book reading on a train!
Anno Dracula - Kim Newman
Well this was a different sort of book to 'A Farewell to Arms'... The starting premise is that Dracula doesn't die in Bram Stoker's book but goes on to marry Queen Victoria. At the same time, Jack the Ripper is slaughtering new vampires in Whitechapel... I wasn't sure about it at the start - I could decide if I just thought it was derivative or not, but I ended up enjoying it. There were several character names that I recognised (eg Jekyll/Hyde, Mycroft etc) and I thought they were introduced very cleverly. At the end I was suprised to discover that this was published originally in 1992 and had just been reprinted. Obviously cashing in on the current vampire craze (he's written further books in the series as well), and I think in the future will no doubt pen one which references Twiglight, Buffy and True Blood - well he seemed to suggest that in the afterword. I'm not sure if I'll read the others - I can't quite decide how much I liked it - they could be good, or they could just be very samey. Well I certainly wouldn't buy them - maybe take them out from a library tho!
November 2011
A Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemingway
No I'm not doing a trawl through the classics... it just reads like that at the moment! I read this as Stresa (where I went with Tracey on holiday) features in it and we walked past the hotel the protagonist stays in every time we went to town so I thought it would be good to read it. Can't say I enjoyed it very much - very 'I did this. Then I did this. Then I went here.' style. I was talking to a (male) friend about it yesterday who loved it which sparked a bit of a discussion about female views vs male views, as he really can't get Jane Austen. So I know its a classic and all that, but I was a bit 'meh' about it all. There were some sections where the Italians were talking about the war which were great, but on the whole I was fairly underwhelmed... Not what you're meant to say about a classic I know!
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
For some reason I had never read this - I really don't understand why. But I bought it recently in Waterstone's final "3 for 2" offer - more out of desperation (needed a third book) and I thought it would be good to get a classic. I absolutely loved it - of course that is why it is a classic... but I did think it was brilliant. Although not a 'big' book it seemed to take a lot of reading. There was so much detail in the story telling and the characterisation, that I felt like I'd been reading it for ages, but was still barely into it. All of the characters were so well drawn - and the story felt very true as well. Assuming I'm not the last person to have read it - if you haven't I would really recommend that you do. Next up will be watching the film adaptation of it - amazingly it doesn't seem to have been remade since the 1962 version.
October 2011
Transition - Iain BanksIt took me a while to read this one as Tracey's visit coincided with the starting of it. I don't think I read another one in between. This was another birthday book - from this year, and from Lindsey. First time I've read Iain Banks for years and I LOVED it. A definite keeper, and a definite re-read as well. Not one of his sci-fi ones, but so clever, and despite taking a long time to read it I could still follow the story easily enough. Very clever twisty turny plot involving many different worlds, travellers between worlds, megalomania, right vs wrong. Really really enjoyed it - a great book to be given as it isn't one I would have picked up and read myself.
August 2011
Towards Another Summer - Janet FrameI think this is another birthday book as well - not from this year though - possibly from Fone? I have to admit I've not read much (possibly any) Janet Frame before. I liked this but found it quite tough going - for a couple of reasons. The book, although small, is quite heavy, with a stiff card cover and thick pages - obviously a lot of money went into its production. So despite being carried to and fro work in my bag it didn't look battered at all by the end, and in fact still looks quite untouched! It was written in 1963 but was not allowed to be published while JF was still alive - it is an autobiographical novel about a NZ writer living in London, how she is struggling to fit in, and tells the tale of her going up North for a weekend. Some of her descriptions of growing up in NZ really resonated with me - even though it was set long before I was born, there were aspects of it that I felt could have been describing my childhood. Captures NZ so well - a brilliant passage describing children singing the national anthem had me laughing out loud :-). A hard read, but definitely worth it, and definitely a keeper.
The Cookbook Collector - Allegra Goodman
This is one of my birthday books - a gift from Jackie. I enjoyed this - the story of two sisters and their journey to find love. It is set in the time of the dotcom boom, just before 9/11. The characters are well developed and she has a nice way of introducing a character, and you then get an alternative view of them further on in the book. A subplot about Hasidic jews is also cleverly done and I didn't see the twist coming with that one at all. This felt a bit like intelligent 'chick lit' but it is one I'll re-read, and would recommend it. Great holiday reading!
The Prince of Mist - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Another one borrowed from Kevin. This is by the author of 'The Shadow of the Wind' which has one of the best opening lines ever I think - “I still remember the day my father took me to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books for the first time.” However I'm not writing about that book... This was written a few years ago, and is aimed at the Young Adult market (one for my sister Leigh then!). Its good - not great, but good. A nice supernatural story (which I always like), but it just felt a bit undeveloped for me - maybe thats because its a translation. Its a nice,quick easy read however, so is worth a look.
July 2011The Night Book - Charlotte Grimshaw
I'm not quite sure who I got this one from - possibly Tracey? Anyhow - a book by a NZ author, looking at relationships between the characters and what links them. Questions the nature of love - between a father and his adopted daughter, the marriage of the next Prime Minister and the secrets within it, all the while mocking the National Party bigwigs. I really enjoyed it - didn't know what to expect as I hadn't read any of her stuff before. Evoked NZ very clearly for me, and the story had me hooked. Slightly ambiguous ending which I wasn't sure about, but on the whole it was really very good.
Cold Skin - Albert Sanchez PinolThis is one that Kevin lent me. Didn't enjoy it very much - the story was good, but I just didn't like the characters. Which for me is quite an important piece of whether I enjoy a book or not. But it was quite short, and very different from Wolf Hall so I persevered. It tells the story of two men on an uninhabited island at the edge of the Antarctic Circle. Or is it...?? Review from The Observer here. Next up will be one of my birthday books I think.
June 2011
Wolf Hall - Hilary MantelAbsolutely LOVED this book - so far it is definitely the best book of the year for me. So cleverly written - so funny and so interesting. Although I do have to admit thinking I was reading about Oliver Cromwell for a bit of it... :-). Definitely my recommendation of the year (to date)
May 2011
Trespass - Rose TremainNormally I like Rose Tremain's books, but this one just didn't work for me. Couldn't relate to the characters at all, and didn't like the story particularly either. I may have been slightly influenced by a friend telling me before I read it that she didn't like it, but this just didn't gel with me at all. One for the charity shops I think...
April 2011
The Passage - Justin Cronin
This is weird - I thought I'd updated this list since March... anyhow - so at some point in April I finished 'The Passage'. A well read book this one - came to me via Philippa, then went to Maya and then back to me. Big fat vampire read - I really enjoyed it. An easy read, but a good one. A book of two halves, but I'm looking forward to reading his next one. Bizarrely, it is only just being released here in the UK so there are lots of billboards advertising it at the mo - I got excited as I thought they were advertising the sequel...
March 2011
The Hand That First Held Mine - Maggie O'FarrellI've read all of MoF's books - she's one of my repeat authors. I really enjoyed this one - she has a way of writing great characters, and her stories really pull you in. This was both sad and uplifting at the same time - definitely recommend it (and her!).
The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ - Philip PullmanVery good retelling of the story... Really quite thought provoking - good old PP puts the Christian story under the spotlight again. And who is 'The Stranger'???
The Season of the Witch - Natasha MostertBorrowed this off Kevin. For those who like supernatural type books it is worth a read. Gripping, good characters, good plot etc, but a nice light read at the same time.
Jan - Feb 2011
The Year of the Flood - Margaret AtwoodThis is actually Mhairi's copy - which I will return one day! Really enjoyed this - sort of a prequel/sequel to Oryx & Crake. Well worth a read.
The Lacuna - Barbara KingsolverStruggled with this one. Some of hers I like, but it took me ages to 'like' the character and I'm not good with books when I don't like anyone in it.
Fatherland - Robert HarrisXmas pressie from Maya. Sort of a detective novel, but set in a world where Germany won the second world war. That made it much more interesting, and it was done very cleverly.
The Good, The Bad and the Multi-plex - Mark Kermode
As a complete change to vampires, I went to the good Dr's second book. I'm a huge fan of Mark Kermode/Simon Mayo's film podcast from 5Live (and would recommend it to anyone who doesn't listen to it!) and when Tracey was over in London in September we went to see Mark K do a reading from his book. I think Tracey was quite a convert to him :-). This book was as good as his first one (It's Only A Movie) - and is somewhat akin to reading his 'rants' from the radio. And in a nice bit of continuity, there are a few references to Kim Newman in it - he's a horror movie expert and a friend of Mark K's :-). My only criticism of it would be that it had very long chapters with no natural breaks in them - not conducive to book reading on a train!
Anno Dracula - Kim Newman
Well this was a different sort of book to 'A Farewell to Arms'... The starting premise is that Dracula doesn't die in Bram Stoker's book but goes on to marry Queen Victoria. At the same time, Jack the Ripper is slaughtering new vampires in Whitechapel... I wasn't sure about it at the start - I could decide if I just thought it was derivative or not, but I ended up enjoying it. There were several character names that I recognised (eg Jekyll/Hyde, Mycroft etc) and I thought they were introduced very cleverly. At the end I was suprised to discover that this was published originally in 1992 and had just been reprinted. Obviously cashing in on the current vampire craze (he's written further books in the series as well), and I think in the future will no doubt pen one which references Twiglight, Buffy and True Blood - well he seemed to suggest that in the afterword. I'm not sure if I'll read the others - I can't quite decide how much I liked it - they could be good, or they could just be very samey. Well I certainly wouldn't buy them - maybe take them out from a library tho!
November 2011
A Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemingway
No I'm not doing a trawl through the classics... it just reads like that at the moment! I read this as Stresa (where I went with Tracey on holiday) features in it and we walked past the hotel the protagonist stays in every time we went to town so I thought it would be good to read it. Can't say I enjoyed it very much - very 'I did this. Then I did this. Then I went here.' style. I was talking to a (male) friend about it yesterday who loved it which sparked a bit of a discussion about female views vs male views, as he really can't get Jane Austen. So I know its a classic and all that, but I was a bit 'meh' about it all. There were some sections where the Italians were talking about the war which were great, but on the whole I was fairly underwhelmed... Not what you're meant to say about a classic I know!
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
For some reason I had never read this - I really don't understand why. But I bought it recently in Waterstone's final "3 for 2" offer - more out of desperation (needed a third book) and I thought it would be good to get a classic. I absolutely loved it - of course that is why it is a classic... but I did think it was brilliant. Although not a 'big' book it seemed to take a lot of reading. There was so much detail in the story telling and the characterisation, that I felt like I'd been reading it for ages, but was still barely into it. All of the characters were so well drawn - and the story felt very true as well. Assuming I'm not the last person to have read it - if you haven't I would really recommend that you do. Next up will be watching the film adaptation of it - amazingly it doesn't seem to have been remade since the 1962 version.
October 2011
Transition - Iain BanksIt took me a while to read this one as Tracey's visit coincided with the starting of it. I don't think I read another one in between. This was another birthday book - from this year, and from Lindsey. First time I've read Iain Banks for years and I LOVED it. A definite keeper, and a definite re-read as well. Not one of his sci-fi ones, but so clever, and despite taking a long time to read it I could still follow the story easily enough. Very clever twisty turny plot involving many different worlds, travellers between worlds, megalomania, right vs wrong. Really really enjoyed it - a great book to be given as it isn't one I would have picked up and read myself.
August 2011
Towards Another Summer - Janet FrameI think this is another birthday book as well - not from this year though - possibly from Fone? I have to admit I've not read much (possibly any) Janet Frame before. I liked this but found it quite tough going - for a couple of reasons. The book, although small, is quite heavy, with a stiff card cover and thick pages - obviously a lot of money went into its production. So despite being carried to and fro work in my bag it didn't look battered at all by the end, and in fact still looks quite untouched! It was written in 1963 but was not allowed to be published while JF was still alive - it is an autobiographical novel about a NZ writer living in London, how she is struggling to fit in, and tells the tale of her going up North for a weekend. Some of her descriptions of growing up in NZ really resonated with me - even though it was set long before I was born, there were aspects of it that I felt could have been describing my childhood. Captures NZ so well - a brilliant passage describing children singing the national anthem had me laughing out loud :-). A hard read, but definitely worth it, and definitely a keeper.
The Cookbook Collector - Allegra Goodman
This is one of my birthday books - a gift from Jackie. I enjoyed this - the story of two sisters and their journey to find love. It is set in the time of the dotcom boom, just before 9/11. The characters are well developed and she has a nice way of introducing a character, and you then get an alternative view of them further on in the book. A subplot about Hasidic jews is also cleverly done and I didn't see the twist coming with that one at all. This felt a bit like intelligent 'chick lit' but it is one I'll re-read, and would recommend it. Great holiday reading!
The Prince of Mist - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Another one borrowed from Kevin. This is by the author of 'The Shadow of the Wind' which has one of the best opening lines ever I think - “I still remember the day my father took me to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books for the first time.” However I'm not writing about that book... This was written a few years ago, and is aimed at the Young Adult market (one for my sister Leigh then!). Its good - not great, but good. A nice supernatural story (which I always like), but it just felt a bit undeveloped for me - maybe thats because its a translation. Its a nice,quick easy read however, so is worth a look.
July 2011The Night Book - Charlotte Grimshaw
I'm not quite sure who I got this one from - possibly Tracey? Anyhow - a book by a NZ author, looking at relationships between the characters and what links them. Questions the nature of love - between a father and his adopted daughter, the marriage of the next Prime Minister and the secrets within it, all the while mocking the National Party bigwigs. I really enjoyed it - didn't know what to expect as I hadn't read any of her stuff before. Evoked NZ very clearly for me, and the story had me hooked. Slightly ambiguous ending which I wasn't sure about, but on the whole it was really very good.
Cold Skin - Albert Sanchez PinolThis is one that Kevin lent me. Didn't enjoy it very much - the story was good, but I just didn't like the characters. Which for me is quite an important piece of whether I enjoy a book or not. But it was quite short, and very different from Wolf Hall so I persevered. It tells the story of two men on an uninhabited island at the edge of the Antarctic Circle. Or is it...?? Review from The Observer here. Next up will be one of my birthday books I think.
June 2011
Wolf Hall - Hilary MantelAbsolutely LOVED this book - so far it is definitely the best book of the year for me. So cleverly written - so funny and so interesting. Although I do have to admit thinking I was reading about Oliver Cromwell for a bit of it... :-). Definitely my recommendation of the year (to date)
May 2011
Trespass - Rose TremainNormally I like Rose Tremain's books, but this one just didn't work for me. Couldn't relate to the characters at all, and didn't like the story particularly either. I may have been slightly influenced by a friend telling me before I read it that she didn't like it, but this just didn't gel with me at all. One for the charity shops I think...
April 2011
The Passage - Justin Cronin
This is weird - I thought I'd updated this list since March... anyhow - so at some point in April I finished 'The Passage'. A well read book this one - came to me via Philippa, then went to Maya and then back to me. Big fat vampire read - I really enjoyed it. An easy read, but a good one. A book of two halves, but I'm looking forward to reading his next one. Bizarrely, it is only just being released here in the UK so there are lots of billboards advertising it at the mo - I got excited as I thought they were advertising the sequel...
March 2011
The Hand That First Held Mine - Maggie O'FarrellI've read all of MoF's books - she's one of my repeat authors. I really enjoyed this one - she has a way of writing great characters, and her stories really pull you in. This was both sad and uplifting at the same time - definitely recommend it (and her!).
The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ - Philip PullmanVery good retelling of the story... Really quite thought provoking - good old PP puts the Christian story under the spotlight again. And who is 'The Stranger'???
The Season of the Witch - Natasha MostertBorrowed this off Kevin. For those who like supernatural type books it is worth a read. Gripping, good characters, good plot etc, but a nice light read at the same time.
Jan - Feb 2011
The Year of the Flood - Margaret AtwoodThis is actually Mhairi's copy - which I will return one day! Really enjoyed this - sort of a prequel/sequel to Oryx & Crake. Well worth a read.
The Lacuna - Barbara KingsolverStruggled with this one. Some of hers I like, but it took me ages to 'like' the character and I'm not good with books when I don't like anyone in it.
Fatherland - Robert HarrisXmas pressie from Maya. Sort of a detective novel, but set in a world where Germany won the second world war. That made it much more interesting, and it was done very cleverly.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
The truly wonderful 'Hugo'
Today I went to see Hugo - which I absolutely loved. It is based on the book 'The Invention of Hugo Cabret' which I borrowed off Kevin last year. The book itself is a graphic novel - although most of it is pictures rather than words. And graphic novel does it an injustice, or paints it as something that it isn't.
It is a wonderful story, and the film absolutely does it justice. It was 'very 3D' - most of the other 3D movies I've seen have had bits of it in 3D, but this one really is almost entirely 3D. It makes it quite tiring to watch, but it was so beautifully done, and it really does add to the film.
Just loved it :-). One you could rewatch and rewatch - although at home with no 3D that might be quite difficult!
It is a wonderful story, and the film absolutely does it justice. It was 'very 3D' - most of the other 3D movies I've seen have had bits of it in 3D, but this one really is almost entirely 3D. It makes it quite tiring to watch, but it was so beautifully done, and it really does add to the film.
Just loved it :-). One you could rewatch and rewatch - although at home with no 3D that might be quite difficult!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Talking about heroes...
I went to see Sir Ranulph Fiennes talk about his new book 'My Heroes' - I'd seen the tickets advertised ages ago and for £10 they seemed like a bargain.
He was such a great speaker. Based on his life I'd expected someone who was loud, overbearing and very sort of 'Bear Grylls' ish. Not like that all - very funny - very dry sense of humour, and a wonderful storyteller. The time just flew by, and I certainly left wanting to know more about him and some of the adventures he's been on. He was very clear that technology has improved exploring, and illustrated that with some very funny examples.
I also like how his heroes are not necessarily who you would expect from a man with a military and exploration background. I think the book would be a very interesting read.
He was such a great speaker. Based on his life I'd expected someone who was loud, overbearing and very sort of 'Bear Grylls' ish. Not like that all - very funny - very dry sense of humour, and a wonderful storyteller. The time just flew by, and I certainly left wanting to know more about him and some of the adventures he's been on. He was very clear that technology has improved exploring, and illustrated that with some very funny examples.
I also like how his heroes are not necessarily who you would expect from a man with a military and exploration background. I think the book would be a very interesting read.
Sunday, December 04, 2011
Out on the wiley windy moors...
So today I went to see the new adaptation of Wuthering Heights - I knew it had had mixed reviews but Mark Kermode made it his film of the week a couple of weeks back, and I had wanted to see it.
Rather wished I hadn't bothered now. Didn't do it for me at all. I didn't get much feeling out of any of the characters at all - either when they were young, or when they were older. It wasn't the shortening of the story that I didn't like - I just didn't warm to any of the actors. The Observer review is interesting - I just didn't see them bonding as children particularly. Maybe I'm too literal - but it bugged me tht the actor who played Hindley didn't change (and appeared to be almost an adult when Heathcliff is first brought to the house) but Cathy and Heathcliff are played by different actors as adults. The ages just didn't seem to work/gel for me. Personally - I wouldn't recommend it. Has made me want to re-read the book though!
Rather wished I hadn't bothered now. Didn't do it for me at all. I didn't get much feeling out of any of the characters at all - either when they were young, or when they were older. It wasn't the shortening of the story that I didn't like - I just didn't warm to any of the actors. The Observer review is interesting - I just didn't see them bonding as children particularly. Maybe I'm too literal - but it bugged me tht the actor who played Hindley didn't change (and appeared to be almost an adult when Heathcliff is first brought to the house) but Cathy and Heathcliff are played by different actors as adults. The ages just didn't seem to work/gel for me. Personally - I wouldn't recommend it. Has made me want to re-read the book though!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Because I obviously need a musical focus...
I've been a bit lost since finishing my trip through my ipod. I have got so used to knowing what I 'had' to listen to that having complete freedom to pick and choose is a bit overwhelming for me! So I've just gone through my notes and am going to go back and revisit the albums/bands I made specific mention of.
Interesting to see the same names crop up more than once - so I'll be starting with Gaslight Anthem, Deer Tick, Richmond Fontaine, Future Clouds & Radar, and Built to Spill - they all got more than one mention over the A-Z. But loads of others to revisit as well - now I can relax again - I have another focus!
Interesting to see the same names crop up more than once - so I'll be starting with Gaslight Anthem, Deer Tick, Richmond Fontaine, Future Clouds & Radar, and Built to Spill - they all got more than one mention over the A-Z. But loads of others to revisit as well - now I can relax again - I have another focus!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
I'm 'All Ears'
I went to a fantastic evening this week - this 'Storythyme' event run by All Ears events. I absolutely loved it!
My friend pulled out at the last minute as she had a cold and I couldn't find anyone else to go at short notice. I was a bit worried about going by myself, but it turned out fine. And it was such a great evening. I'm a big fan of The Moth podcasts and this was very similar to it.
I really enjoyed the first and last speakers - for very different reasons. Harry's story was just interesting (and makes you realise how lucky you are) and Danny's talk was interesting as what he is trying to do is such a good thing - and so challenging. The middle speaker was good too - but much more polished than the first two and so I didn't enjoy him quite as much.
Food was fantastic, and there is just something really cool about listening to real people tell real stories - at the risk of sounding twee (and given I'm blogging it is a bit sillly!) it was so lovely to hear people talking their stories as opposed to just reading or watching about it.
Can't wait for their 2012 line up!!
My friend pulled out at the last minute as she had a cold and I couldn't find anyone else to go at short notice. I was a bit worried about going by myself, but it turned out fine. And it was such a great evening. I'm a big fan of The Moth podcasts and this was very similar to it.
I really enjoyed the first and last speakers - for very different reasons. Harry's story was just interesting (and makes you realise how lucky you are) and Danny's talk was interesting as what he is trying to do is such a good thing - and so challenging. The middle speaker was good too - but much more polished than the first two and so I didn't enjoy him quite as much.
Food was fantastic, and there is just something really cool about listening to real people tell real stories - at the risk of sounding twee (and given I'm blogging it is a bit sillly!) it was so lovely to hear people talking their stories as opposed to just reading or watching about it.
Can't wait for their 2012 line up!!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
The Help
I went to see The Help this afternoon - it was a very foggy dank Sunday afternoon so it just seemed to call out for a trip to the cinema.
I really enjoyed it - although I've read a few reviews which are vaguely critical of it in that it is a white person 'to the rescue' again, and a lot of the political history of the time is mentioned at a very high level in the background, but doesn't form much of the story.
However having just read 'To Kill a Mockingbird' I was fascinated by the depiction of the maids bringing up the children of their employers - this is a key theme throughout TKAM as well. And even with the caveats above, it is still an easily watchable piece of social history - that I sat through and thought 'really?' while knowing that it was probably much worse than what was being depicted on screen...
I really enjoyed it - although I've read a few reviews which are vaguely critical of it in that it is a white person 'to the rescue' again, and a lot of the political history of the time is mentioned at a very high level in the background, but doesn't form much of the story.
However having just read 'To Kill a Mockingbird' I was fascinated by the depiction of the maids bringing up the children of their employers - this is a key theme throughout TKAM as well. And even with the caveats above, it is still an easily watchable piece of social history - that I sat through and thought 'really?' while knowing that it was probably much worse than what was being depicted on screen...
Saturday, November 19, 2011
And so it ends...
So it has taken from June 2009 to November 2011 but I have now finally finished my odyssey through my ipod. I've finished listening to all the late additions and a couple of random misses - either songs from albums, or occasionally the whole album, and I can now confirm that almost everything that is on my ipod has been listened to (just finishing off 'Mr Love & Justice' by Billy Bragg as I type.
You'll notice they're all mainly in the first half of the alphabet - acquired after I'd started obviously and I just never went back to listen to them...
So the last lot were:
Admiral Fell Promises - Sun Kil Moon
The Age of Adz - Sufjan Stevens
American Slang - The Gaslight Anthem
American IV: Ain't No Grave - Johnny Cash
Ancient Melodies of the Future - Built to Spill
Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo
Band of Joy - Robert Plant
Beachcomber's Windowsill - Stornoway
Beneath this Burning Shoreline - Cherry Ghost
Black Dirt Sessions - Deer Tick
Brief History of Love - The Big Pink
Buffalo - The Phoenix Foundation
Contra - Vampire Weekend
Courage of Others - Midlake
Dark Night of the Soul - Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse
Dark Was the Night - Various Artists
Destroyer of the Void - Blitzen Trapper
Drown Your Heart Again - The Strange Death of Liberal England
Emotionalism - The Avett Brothers
End Times - Eels
Erland & The Carnival - Erland and the Carnival
Fools Gold - Fools Gold
Forward March - The Strange Death of Liberal England
Four Thieves Gone - The Avett Brothers
The Gleam - The Avett Brothers
Go - Jonsi
Here's Tom With The Weather - Shack
Interpol - Interpol
Into Your Lungs - Hey Rosetta!
Kiss Each Other Clean - Iron & Wine
Live, Vol 3 - The Avett Brothers
The Midnight Organ Fight - Frightened Rabbit
Mr Love & Justice (Disc 1&2) - Billy Bragg
The Whole Love - Wilco
The Winter of Mixed Drinks - Frightened Rabbit
Sun Kil Moon I liked. Sort of a bit 60s folkish - nice and balladic. I do like a good ballad! Gaslight Anthem I really enjoyed - the music almost seemed to 'age' over the album. Really rated it. Stornaway was another hit from this list and I liked Deer Tick as well. The Midlake album was a bit depressing for me - but I was listening to it on a Monday morning! Big Pink I loved too. Especially the song Dominos. The Avett Brothers remain firm faves, and I liked TSDOLE as well. No idea how I missed the Billy Bragg and Johnny Cash albums the first time round!
What will I do now I've finished!!??
You'll notice they're all mainly in the first half of the alphabet - acquired after I'd started obviously and I just never went back to listen to them...
So the last lot were:
Admiral Fell Promises - Sun Kil Moon
The Age of Adz - Sufjan Stevens
American Slang - The Gaslight Anthem
American IV: Ain't No Grave - Johnny Cash
Ancient Melodies of the Future - Built to Spill
Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo
Band of Joy - Robert Plant
Beachcomber's Windowsill - Stornoway
Beneath this Burning Shoreline - Cherry Ghost
Black Dirt Sessions - Deer Tick
Brief History of Love - The Big Pink
Buffalo - The Phoenix Foundation
Contra - Vampire Weekend
Courage of Others - Midlake
Dark Night of the Soul - Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse
Dark Was the Night - Various Artists
Destroyer of the Void - Blitzen Trapper
Drown Your Heart Again - The Strange Death of Liberal England
Emotionalism - The Avett Brothers
End Times - Eels
Erland & The Carnival - Erland and the Carnival
Fools Gold - Fools Gold
Forward March - The Strange Death of Liberal England
Four Thieves Gone - The Avett Brothers
The Gleam - The Avett Brothers
Go - Jonsi
Here's Tom With The Weather - Shack
Interpol - Interpol
Into Your Lungs - Hey Rosetta!
Kiss Each Other Clean - Iron & Wine
Live, Vol 3 - The Avett Brothers
The Midnight Organ Fight - Frightened Rabbit
Mr Love & Justice (Disc 1&2) - Billy Bragg
The Whole Love - Wilco
The Winter of Mixed Drinks - Frightened Rabbit
Sun Kil Moon I liked. Sort of a bit 60s folkish - nice and balladic. I do like a good ballad! Gaslight Anthem I really enjoyed - the music almost seemed to 'age' over the album. Really rated it. Stornaway was another hit from this list and I liked Deer Tick as well. The Midlake album was a bit depressing for me - but I was listening to it on a Monday morning! Big Pink I loved too. Especially the song Dominos. The Avett Brothers remain firm faves, and I liked TSDOLE as well. No idea how I missed the Billy Bragg and Johnny Cash albums the first time round!
What will I do now I've finished!!??
Thursday, October 27, 2011
On the nature of being ill and memories
Or to be honest - a bit poorly...
I've had a low-level cold this week - took one day off work to try and shake it, and since then have just been generally bunged up and sneezing a lot. Weirdly it feels more like hayfever than a cold, but it is October and the leaves are dropping off the trees and nothing is flowering so I think it is just a cold limping its way out of me.
But this got me thinking about when I am ill. Which (touch wood) I very rarely am. I can't remember the last time I had a full on grotty head cold, let alone the flu (thereby now opening myself up to a winter of lurgies no doubt) and I don't really know what to attribute that to. I'm not uber healthy, nor do I live a clean and pure lifestyle which would build up my resistance to all the bugs floating around. But somehow I tend to manage to avoid the worst of them - the most I do is quaff echinacea and fortified vitamin c when I feel something coming on. Maybe thats it!
But the one thing I do always have is lemon & honey with disprin. I can't bring myself to buy Lemsip - and don't really see the point. And there is something comforting and homely about my lemon & honey drinks. Memories of hearing Mum walk up the passage way when I was ill at home as a child, and knowing she was bringing me my drink. Always before bedtime to help us sleep. Although I think I put a tad more honey in than she did as sometimes they were a bit tart! And even feeling just a little bit poorly, I go straight back there, and still want to be looked after. I'll never forget my 21st family celebration - feeling full of cold, and I just wanted to be at home. I was going home anyhow (I think I bused back with Eryn) and it was a journey from hell - cold, hot, sweating and shivering. But we got back to Taupo, I crawled into bed and Mum bought 'the drink' in. I was so happy to be home - even though I felt like I was dying!
I've had a low-level cold this week - took one day off work to try and shake it, and since then have just been generally bunged up and sneezing a lot. Weirdly it feels more like hayfever than a cold, but it is October and the leaves are dropping off the trees and nothing is flowering so I think it is just a cold limping its way out of me.
But this got me thinking about when I am ill. Which (touch wood) I very rarely am. I can't remember the last time I had a full on grotty head cold, let alone the flu (thereby now opening myself up to a winter of lurgies no doubt) and I don't really know what to attribute that to. I'm not uber healthy, nor do I live a clean and pure lifestyle which would build up my resistance to all the bugs floating around. But somehow I tend to manage to avoid the worst of them - the most I do is quaff echinacea and fortified vitamin c when I feel something coming on. Maybe thats it!
But the one thing I do always have is lemon & honey with disprin. I can't bring myself to buy Lemsip - and don't really see the point. And there is something comforting and homely about my lemon & honey drinks. Memories of hearing Mum walk up the passage way when I was ill at home as a child, and knowing she was bringing me my drink. Always before bedtime to help us sleep. Although I think I put a tad more honey in than she did as sometimes they were a bit tart! And even feeling just a little bit poorly, I go straight back there, and still want to be looked after. I'll never forget my 21st family celebration - feeling full of cold, and I just wanted to be at home. I was going home anyhow (I think I bused back with Eryn) and it was a journey from hell - cold, hot, sweating and shivering. But we got back to Taupo, I crawled into bed and Mum bought 'the drink' in. I was so happy to be home - even though I felt like I was dying!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
From 0 to 100 in...
Ok - not quite. But I've done my 'numbers' albums - so I'm very much reaching the end of my odyssey through my ipod... But I still do have quite a few new ones to listen to, so I'm not quite done yet.
Mhairi asked if I haven't been listening/buying to anything new since I've been doing this. I have been buying the odd new album and listening to new stuff - just as well as this has taken me a couple of years! But it is probably fair to say I have slowed in that regard. But then again, I've discovered some of the great music I already own :-). So the albums are:
004: Hope - The Green Room (Loop)
12 Songs - Neil Diamond
12 Tales from Winter City - The Young Republic
16 Lovers Lane - The Go-Betweens
18 - Moby
19 - Adele
The '59 Sound - The Gaslight Anthem
'64-'95 - Lemon Jelly
69 Love Songs - Vols 1, 2 and 3 - The Magnetic Fields
$87 and a Guilty Conscience that gets Worse the Longer I go - Richmond Fontaine
1972 (Bonus dvd) - Josh Rouse
The ones I really enjoyed in this (short) list were The Gaslight Anthem and Young Republic. Neil Diamond is obviously always brilliant, Moby gets very boring, Lemon Jelly just sounds like background filler music to me, and Richmond Fontaine was also very good.
Mhairi asked if I haven't been listening/buying to anything new since I've been doing this. I have been buying the odd new album and listening to new stuff - just as well as this has taken me a couple of years! But it is probably fair to say I have slowed in that regard. But then again, I've discovered some of the great music I already own :-). So the albums are:
004: Hope - The Green Room (Loop)
12 Songs - Neil Diamond
12 Tales from Winter City - The Young Republic
16 Lovers Lane - The Go-Betweens
18 - Moby
19 - Adele
The '59 Sound - The Gaslight Anthem
'64-'95 - Lemon Jelly
69 Love Songs - Vols 1, 2 and 3 - The Magnetic Fields
$87 and a Guilty Conscience that gets Worse the Longer I go - Richmond Fontaine
1972 (Bonus dvd) - Josh Rouse
The ones I really enjoyed in this (short) list were The Gaslight Anthem and Young Republic. Neil Diamond is obviously always brilliant, Moby gets very boring, Lemon Jelly just sounds like background filler music to me, and Richmond Fontaine was also very good.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Tracey comes to town...
I'm not even going to try and do a catch up in terms of Tracey's visit - she's been gone almost two weeks now :-( . But some of the fun bits below - and loads of photos are now on Flickr. More than my facebook album!
- Day out at the seaside in Brighton
- Beautiful Stresa/Lake Maggiore
- The heat in Bologna and Milan
- The weather during Tracey's last week
- Leeds Castle
- Buckingham Palace - no Queen but we did see 'The Dress'!!
- London Zoo - always a good day out :-)
- The Lost Gardens of Heligan - stunning
- Eden Project - great to go back to
- Having someone to drink G&Ts with!
W, X, Y and Z...
Visiting sister means I've not updated this recently... so lots of music I've got through in the last couple of months! Still not done tho - am now doing the "numbers" and then I've got lots of new music to listen to. This mission ain't done yet...
W
Wait for Me - The Pigeon Detectives
Wake Up! - The Boo Radleys
Want One - Rufus Wainwright
Want Two - Rufus Wainwright
War Elephant - Deer Tick
Warnings/Promises - Idlewild
Washington Square Serenade - Steve Earle
Water is Life, Aman Iman - Tinariwen
Watershed - Grant McLennan
Watina - Andy Palacio & The Garifuna Collective
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank - Modest Mouse
A Weekend in the City - Bloc Party
What Are You Going to do With Your Life? - Echo & The Bunnymen
What the Crow Brings - The Low Anthem
(What's the Story) Morning Glory? - Oasis
Whatever People Say I Am Thats What I Am - Arctic Monkeys
When Its Over We All Have to Clear Up - Snow Patrol
Whiplash - James
Whiskey Tango Ghosts - Tanya Donnelly
White Ladder - David Grey
Who You Are - Cary Brothers
Wilco (The Album) - Wilco
Wildwood - Chatham County Line
Wingspan (Hits & History 1 & 2) - Wings
Winnemuca - Richmond Fontaine
The Wire ' "And all the pieces matter" - Various Artists
Woman King - Iron & Wine
Wooden Shjips - Wooden Shjips
Words & Music: Greatest Hits Disc 1&2 - John Mellencamp
Workbook - Bob Mould
So the Ws....? Pigeon Detectives were good - bit Arctic Monkey-ish, Deer Tick was great - sort of alt country. Great voice! Modest Mouse have a couple of songs that I've added to my faves, but overall didn't grab me a lot. Cary Brothers I liked - sort of Snow Patrol/Mumford & Sons style. Quite into that at the moment. Richmond Fontaine also great - really like his stuff. Two albums of Wings is a bit too much though!
X&Y - Coldplay
XX - The XX
I quite like this Coldplay album. XX got loads of press when they hit the scene, and its a good album. Didn't really really love it though.
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco
Yellow Moon - The Neville Brothers
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips
You Are Not Alone - Mavis Staples
You Can Have it So Much Better - Franz Ferdinand
You Gotta Go There To Come Back - Stereophonics
Yours Truly, Angry Mob - Kaiser Chiefs
Youth and Young Manhood - Kings of Leon
Enjoyed the Kaiser Chiefs again - some good songs on that album. Kings of Leon were a bit 'meh' on this album. Not one of my faves of theirs. Wilco - always good, and the Neville Brothers were a bit of history! The Flaming Lips was great - I saw them sing songs from this album at the Big Day Out back in 2004 so I have a real softspot for it!
"Z" - My Morning Jacket
Zeus - British Sea Power
MMJ - always good! The British Sea Power ep was ok. Good at the start but gets a bit too full on for me towards the end.
W
Wait for Me - The Pigeon Detectives
Wake Up! - The Boo Radleys
Want One - Rufus Wainwright
Want Two - Rufus Wainwright
War Elephant - Deer Tick
Warnings/Promises - Idlewild
Washington Square Serenade - Steve Earle
Water is Life, Aman Iman - Tinariwen
Watershed - Grant McLennan
Watina - Andy Palacio & The Garifuna Collective
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank - Modest Mouse
A Weekend in the City - Bloc Party
What Are You Going to do With Your Life? - Echo & The Bunnymen
What the Crow Brings - The Low Anthem
(What's the Story) Morning Glory? - Oasis
Whatever People Say I Am Thats What I Am - Arctic Monkeys
When Its Over We All Have to Clear Up - Snow Patrol
Whiplash - James
Whiskey Tango Ghosts - Tanya Donnelly
White Ladder - David Grey
Who You Are - Cary Brothers
Wilco (The Album) - Wilco
Wildwood - Chatham County Line
Wingspan (Hits & History 1 & 2) - Wings
Winnemuca - Richmond Fontaine
The Wire ' "And all the pieces matter" - Various Artists
Woman King - Iron & Wine
Wooden Shjips - Wooden Shjips
Words & Music: Greatest Hits Disc 1&2 - John Mellencamp
Workbook - Bob Mould
So the Ws....? Pigeon Detectives were good - bit Arctic Monkey-ish, Deer Tick was great - sort of alt country. Great voice! Modest Mouse have a couple of songs that I've added to my faves, but overall didn't grab me a lot. Cary Brothers I liked - sort of Snow Patrol/Mumford & Sons style. Quite into that at the moment. Richmond Fontaine also great - really like his stuff. Two albums of Wings is a bit too much though!
X&Y - Coldplay
XX - The XX
I quite like this Coldplay album. XX got loads of press when they hit the scene, and its a good album. Didn't really really love it though.
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco
Yellow Moon - The Neville Brothers
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips
You Are Not Alone - Mavis Staples
You Can Have it So Much Better - Franz Ferdinand
You Gotta Go There To Come Back - Stereophonics
Yours Truly, Angry Mob - Kaiser Chiefs
Youth and Young Manhood - Kings of Leon
Enjoyed the Kaiser Chiefs again - some good songs on that album. Kings of Leon were a bit 'meh' on this album. Not one of my faves of theirs. Wilco - always good, and the Neville Brothers were a bit of history! The Flaming Lips was great - I saw them sing songs from this album at the Big Day Out back in 2004 so I have a real softspot for it!
"Z" - My Morning Jacket
Zeus - British Sea Power
MMJ - always good! The British Sea Power ep was ok. Good at the start but gets a bit too full on for me towards the end.
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