I hope he turns up
In a shonky car, driven
By a bunch of clowns
Thursday, 31 December 2009
Inspiration for day 31
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8435197.stm
There is a first ever honour for a circus ringmaster, with 73-year-old
Norman Barrett of Zippo's Circus becoming an MBE.
"This is a real boost for circus and in my view gives the art form the
recognition it truly deserves and, sadly in modern times, so rarely
gets," he said.
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
Day 29: tribute to Scott Walker
It's raining today
And I'm about to forget
The train window girl
And I'm about to forget
The train window girl
That wonderful day
We met. She smiles through the smoke
From my cigarette
Monday, 28 December 2009
Sunday, 27 December 2009
Saturday, 26 December 2009
Day 26: correction
Not a haiku, but I actually might have a bit of the old hair of the
dog. Just thought I'd keep you informed.
dog. Just thought I'd keep you informed.
Friday, 25 December 2009
Thursday, 24 December 2009
Day twenty four: I wasn't expecting that
Last night I saw my
Childhood sweetheart. Turns out she's
A lesbian now.
Childhood sweetheart. Turns out she's
A lesbian now.
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
Day twenty three: no more presents to buy
Starting the wrapping.
I don't want anything back,
Except a nice day.
I don't want anything back,
Except a nice day.
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
Day twenty two: this is the worst trip I've ever been on
Carpets of white dung;
Snow causes travel chaos!
I want to be home.
Snow causes travel chaos!
I want to be home.
Monday, 21 December 2009
By the way
I didn't appreciate quite how regularly I blasphemed until I spent the
weekend with my religious father. I lost count of the amount of times
I stopped myself from saying "Jesus Christ!" by changing it to "Jeeez-".
weekend with my religious father. I lost count of the amount of times
I stopped myself from saying "Jesus Christ!" by changing it to "Jeeez-".
Then again, he just did a massive fart in the bathroom, so he's no
saint.
Day twenty one: band names from the weekend at my Dad's
Dad's massive loofah;
A photograph from Brazil;
Too many cheeses.
A photograph from Brazil;
Too many cheeses.
Sunday, 20 December 2009
Saturday, 19 December 2009
Day nineteen: on the climate deal
It's okay, but it's
Not good enough. Call yourselves
Leaders? Grow a pair.
Not good enough. Call yourselves
Leaders? Grow a pair.
Albums of the decade - the complete rundown
1 Nick Cave - No More Shall We Part
2 Smog - A River Ain't Too Much To Love
3 Joanna Newsom - Ys
4 The Kingsbury Manx - The Fast Rise and Fall of the South
5 Panda Bear - Person Pitch
6 Radiohead - Kid A
7 Delgados - Hate
8 King Creosote - Rocket DIY
9 Sufjan Stevens - Greetings From Michigan
10 Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
11 James Yorkston - Just Beyond the River
12 Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - How I Long To Feel That Summer In My Heart
13 White Stripes - White Blood Cells
14 Alasdair Roberts - Spoils
15 Stephen Malkmus - Real Emotional Trash
16 Mogwai - the Hawk is Howling
17 Mount Eerie - Lost Wisdom
18 Spiritualized - Let it Come Down
19 Super Furry Animals - Mwng
20 Low - Things We Lost in the Fire
21 Beck - Sea Change
22 Bonnie Prince Billy - Master and Everyone
23 Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
24 PG Six - The Well of Memory
25 PJ Harvey - Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea
26 Air - 10000Hz Legend
27 Stereolab - Sound Dust
28 Arcade Fire - Funeral
29 Spoon - Kill The Moonlight
30 Edan - Beauty and the Beat
31 Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
32 Telepathe - Dance Mother
2 Smog - A River Ain't Too Much To Love
3 Joanna Newsom - Ys
4 The Kingsbury Manx - The Fast Rise and Fall of the South
5 Panda Bear - Person Pitch
6 Radiohead - Kid A
7 Delgados - Hate
8 King Creosote - Rocket DIY
9 Sufjan Stevens - Greetings From Michigan
10 Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
11 James Yorkston - Just Beyond the River
12 Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - How I Long To Feel That Summer In My Heart
13 White Stripes - White Blood Cells
14 Alasdair Roberts - Spoils
15 Stephen Malkmus - Real Emotional Trash
16 Mogwai - the Hawk is Howling
17 Mount Eerie - Lost Wisdom
18 Spiritualized - Let it Come Down
19 Super Furry Animals - Mwng
20 Low - Things We Lost in the Fire
21 Beck - Sea Change
22 Bonnie Prince Billy - Master and Everyone
23 Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
24 PG Six - The Well of Memory
25 PJ Harvey - Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea
26 Air - 10000Hz Legend
27 Stereolab - Sound Dust
28 Arcade Fire - Funeral
29 Spoon - Kill The Moonlight
30 Edan - Beauty and the Beat
31 Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
32 Telepathe - Dance Mother
Friday, 18 December 2009
My albums of the decade: 8-1
So here it is...I'm not going to gush about any of these, just post the songs which sum up why I love them so much.
8. King Creosote - Rocket DIY
Though I can't for this, as youtube seems sadly devoid of songs from this wonderful album. King Creosote is amazing, he can take you through every emotion in the space of one song. And that voice! Plus he's a lovely fella to boot. The song to look for most from this is The Someone Else. It's simply stunning.
7. Delgados - Hate
6. Radiohead - Kid A
5. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
4. The Kingsbury Manx - The Fast Rise and Fall of the South
3. Joanna Newsom - Ys
2. Smog - A River Ain't Too Much To Love
1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - No More Shall We Part
So there you have it. I wasn't necessarily expecting that to be number one (I thought it'd be Smog or Joanna Newsom) but as soon as I thought about it and listened to it again it was unmoveable.
8. King Creosote - Rocket DIY
Though I can't for this, as youtube seems sadly devoid of songs from this wonderful album. King Creosote is amazing, he can take you through every emotion in the space of one song. And that voice! Plus he's a lovely fella to boot. The song to look for most from this is The Someone Else. It's simply stunning.
7. Delgados - Hate
6. Radiohead - Kid A
5. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
4. The Kingsbury Manx - The Fast Rise and Fall of the South
3. Joanna Newsom - Ys
2. Smog - A River Ain't Too Much To Love
1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - No More Shall We Part
So there you have it. I wasn't necessarily expecting that to be number one (I thought it'd be Smog or Joanna Newsom) but as soon as I thought about it and listened to it again it was unmoveable.
Day eighteen: brr
Inspired by The Marble Index by Nico:
Frozen warnings close
To mine, close to the frozen,
Snowy borderline.
My albums of the decade: 16-9
Oooh, it's getting closer. I appreciate that this endeavour is of interest to few, but I'm enjoying it anyway!
16. Mogwai - The Hawk is Howling
While other Mogwai albums this decade contained the odd song that was an absolute belter, I think this is their most coherent album since 'Young Team'. The highs are breathtaking and exhilarating, and there aren't any lows.
Scotland's Shame
15. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Real Emotional Trash
Much as I love Pavement, I'm a little bit disappointed that they're reforming now, given that this is pretty much my favourite album as a whole that Stephen Malkmus has done. There's so much power to it, so many hooks, and his guitar playing is better than ever. It's full of moments that make you want to punch the air. Also, recruiting Janet Weiss on drums was a masterstroke.
14. Alasdair Roberts - Spoils
There were a number of Ali Roberts albums that could have made it on to this list, but I thought I'd go with his most recent, simply because it's his most complete album to date. I really can't wait to see how his future albums develop.
13. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
Not much you can say about this that hasn't been said, but it still sounds fucking amazing today.
12. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - How I Long To Feel That Summer in My Heart
A beautiful, beautiful album. Gorkys' songwriting had been maturing for a few albums prior to this (not that that's always a good thing), but this saw a real peak, and Euros Childs' voice never sounded so sweet.
How I Long
11. James Yorkston & The Athletes - Just Beyond The River
James Yorkston is one of my favourite songwriters in the world. If I were any good at writing songs (and I do try), I'd want them to sound like his.
Surf Song
10. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
Earlier in the year I thought that the latest AC album, Merriweather Post Pavilion, might usurp this as my favourite, but I kept coming back to Strawberry Jam. Like the Malkmus album, it's just full of hooks and punch the air moments, yet still with that sense of wonder you always get with them. It's their best album.
9. Sufjan Stevens - Greetings From Michigan...
Ah, lovely Sufjan. While the 50 States idea was probably an ill advised project to embark on, this is worth all the trouble. He's an incredible songwriter and musician, with a voice that just makes you want to cry. If he doesn't make any more albums (which he has hinted at) he has left us with some works of absolute beauty. Such as...
Holland
16. Mogwai - The Hawk is Howling
While other Mogwai albums this decade contained the odd song that was an absolute belter, I think this is their most coherent album since 'Young Team'. The highs are breathtaking and exhilarating, and there aren't any lows.
Scotland's Shame
15. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Real Emotional Trash
Much as I love Pavement, I'm a little bit disappointed that they're reforming now, given that this is pretty much my favourite album as a whole that Stephen Malkmus has done. There's so much power to it, so many hooks, and his guitar playing is better than ever. It's full of moments that make you want to punch the air. Also, recruiting Janet Weiss on drums was a masterstroke.
14. Alasdair Roberts - Spoils
There were a number of Ali Roberts albums that could have made it on to this list, but I thought I'd go with his most recent, simply because it's his most complete album to date. I really can't wait to see how his future albums develop.
13. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
Not much you can say about this that hasn't been said, but it still sounds fucking amazing today.
12. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - How I Long To Feel That Summer in My Heart
A beautiful, beautiful album. Gorkys' songwriting had been maturing for a few albums prior to this (not that that's always a good thing), but this saw a real peak, and Euros Childs' voice never sounded so sweet.
How I Long
11. James Yorkston & The Athletes - Just Beyond The River
James Yorkston is one of my favourite songwriters in the world. If I were any good at writing songs (and I do try), I'd want them to sound like his.
Surf Song
10. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
Earlier in the year I thought that the latest AC album, Merriweather Post Pavilion, might usurp this as my favourite, but I kept coming back to Strawberry Jam. Like the Malkmus album, it's just full of hooks and punch the air moments, yet still with that sense of wonder you always get with them. It's their best album.
9. Sufjan Stevens - Greetings From Michigan...
Ah, lovely Sufjan. While the 50 States idea was probably an ill advised project to embark on, this is worth all the trouble. He's an incredible songwriter and musician, with a voice that just makes you want to cry. If he doesn't make any more albums (which he has hinted at) he has left us with some works of absolute beauty. Such as...
Holland
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)