Been in China for three weeks, so no blogging I'm afraid - more on that soon. In the meantime, I realised how much I miss the Broken Family Band. Check this out (right-click, 'save as'):
https://www.box.com/s/6f9dfb59561fdb6ccdc3
Monday, 30 April 2012
Saturday, 31 March 2012
Clear Heart Full Eyes - addendum
Just found this on You Tube, Craig Finn and guitar playing one of the unreleased songs - the extraordinary 'Dennis and Billy'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfJBHf426Po&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfJBHf426Po&feature=player_embedded
Clear Heart Full Eyes
Went to see Craig Finn, erstwhile leader of The Hold Steady, playing live with his own band Some Guns, promoting his recently released solo album. Good venue on Brighton seafront - the Coalition club, holds 500 for gigs but Finn only attracted 100+ punters, mostly male and middle-aged fans of THS - like me. Dragged Mrs P along although it's not her thing. Finn played the whole album + some even newer tunes, all of which were rather good except one 'Dude from St Paul' which sounded like a song idea in development, work in progress.
The band were excellent, Finn was his usual committed self, despite the lack of atmosphere, and the strength of the songs came through, there's no half measures with Finn, it's all or nothing. He did a solo acoustic in the middle of the set when he played mostly new songs, it's strange seeing him with just an acoustic guitar, but it worked really well.
I still think the subtlety of the songs, both musically and lyrically, is somewhat lost when played live. They are introspective, narrative songs that deserve close listening. With THS live you don't mind losing some lyrics because of the power and energy of the performance, that doesn't really apply to Finn solo. Still, a really good night out.
The band were excellent, Finn was his usual committed self, despite the lack of atmosphere, and the strength of the songs came through, there's no half measures with Finn, it's all or nothing. He did a solo acoustic in the middle of the set when he played mostly new songs, it's strange seeing him with just an acoustic guitar, but it worked really well.
I still think the subtlety of the songs, both musically and lyrically, is somewhat lost when played live. They are introspective, narrative songs that deserve close listening. With THS live you don't mind losing some lyrics because of the power and energy of the performance, that doesn't really apply to Finn solo. Still, a really good night out.
Thursday, 29 March 2012
Things That Really Annoy Me - Part 2
I live quite close to where the Olympic cycle road race will pass through in July (nine times in fact - Boxhill). In reality what this means is that the route is full of would-be Olympic cyclists (i.e. amateurs) who want to sample the route for themselves.
Good for them I suppose, but trying to drive down these narrow country lanes is becoming a PITA because of these wannabe Mark Cavendish's. If you manage to scrape past one then another one pops up a few yards later. Like most cyclists they don't give a stuff about the rules of the road and have no sense of what's going on behind them. But it was whilst I was stuck behind one of them that I realised what really gets to me.
IT'S THE LYCRA!
Now, Cavendish and Hoy can get away with it and Victoria Pendleton certainly can, but the thing about lycra is that it sticks very closely to the contours of your body. So being middle-aged and overweight, which 99% of these Olympic wannabees are, makes wearing lycra a really shit look. A big bulging arse that flops over the side of the blade that they call a saddle is not a welcome sight. A brightly coloured nylon-look jersey isn't going to make anyone ride any faster - when it's stretched across a rotund fat belly. And figure-hugging shorts that leave nothing to the imagination aren't going to win any admiring female glances.
Even the riding technique these guys employ is rather strange, with knees poking out. Yuck. Hopefully its popularity will quickly fade away after the Olympics is over and we can all drive on our roads in peace.
Good for them I suppose, but trying to drive down these narrow country lanes is becoming a PITA because of these wannabe Mark Cavendish's. If you manage to scrape past one then another one pops up a few yards later. Like most cyclists they don't give a stuff about the rules of the road and have no sense of what's going on behind them. But it was whilst I was stuck behind one of them that I realised what really gets to me.
IT'S THE LYCRA!
Now, Cavendish and Hoy can get away with it and Victoria Pendleton certainly can, but the thing about lycra is that it sticks very closely to the contours of your body. So being middle-aged and overweight, which 99% of these Olympic wannabees are, makes wearing lycra a really shit look. A big bulging arse that flops over the side of the blade that they call a saddle is not a welcome sight. A brightly coloured nylon-look jersey isn't going to make anyone ride any faster - when it's stretched across a rotund fat belly. And figure-hugging shorts that leave nothing to the imagination aren't going to win any admiring female glances.
Even the riding technique these guys employ is rather strange, with knees poking out. Yuck. Hopefully its popularity will quickly fade away after the Olympics is over and we can all drive on our roads in peace.
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Things That Really Annoy Me - Part 1...
...inconsiderate people (usually blokes, but not always) who get on the Tube still wearing their rucksacks on their backs. They have no spacial awareness at all, they swing around hitting people, taking up twice as much room - of which there is very little in the rush hour - as they need to. FFS, just take them off and hold them down by your legs where there is more room. And I've also noticed it's usually blokes in suits. What happened to briefcases? As I say, very inconsiderate.
Monday, 26 March 2012
Sonic Tricks
A new Paul Weller album is usually a cause for celebration, but I am very pleased that I listened to his new one - 'Sonik Kicks' - on Spotify before wasting spending any money on it. It's complete and utter tosh, a one man charter for taking yourself - and your 'art' - a little too seriously.
I should have guessed by the over-the-top PR that has accompanied the launch, the usual "Weller has returned to form" "possibly his best album in years" etc etc. The Times magazine cover shot, the critics fawning over the Modfather. All indications that the album won't stand up on it's own two feet.
Self-indulgent in the extreme, the cod-reggae, dub-lite of 'Study In Blue' feels like a practice jam desperately searching for a tune, and the 20-second instrumental 'Twilight' is frankly embarrassing, sounding like someone who has come back from the pub extremely drunk, and deciding to muck around with a synthesiser. There is no point to it - why include it? In fact I just listened to it again (it is only 20 seconds long) just to make sure I'm not being over harsh, and yes it really is that bad.
Throughout the album his usually strong voice sounds forced and frankly out of tune on a number of tracks. His wife, son and (young) daughter all contribute vocals, can you get more self-indulgent?
I've followed Weller all the way - I saw The Jam in Portsmouth in 1978, the Style Council in Southampton a few years later, and Weller solo a couple of times more recently. I really wanted to like the new album.
But utter tosh is utter tosh, whoever produces it. I'm actually shocked at how such a talented person can produce such nonsense.
Avoid at all costs.
I should have guessed by the over-the-top PR that has accompanied the launch, the usual "Weller has returned to form" "possibly his best album in years" etc etc. The Times magazine cover shot, the critics fawning over the Modfather. All indications that the album won't stand up on it's own two feet.
Self-indulgent in the extreme, the cod-reggae, dub-lite of 'Study In Blue' feels like a practice jam desperately searching for a tune, and the 20-second instrumental 'Twilight' is frankly embarrassing, sounding like someone who has come back from the pub extremely drunk, and deciding to muck around with a synthesiser. There is no point to it - why include it? In fact I just listened to it again (it is only 20 seconds long) just to make sure I'm not being over harsh, and yes it really is that bad.
Throughout the album his usually strong voice sounds forced and frankly out of tune on a number of tracks. His wife, son and (young) daughter all contribute vocals, can you get more self-indulgent?
I've followed Weller all the way - I saw The Jam in Portsmouth in 1978, the Style Council in Southampton a few years later, and Weller solo a couple of times more recently. I really wanted to like the new album.
But utter tosh is utter tosh, whoever produces it. I'm actually shocked at how such a talented person can produce such nonsense.
Avoid at all costs.
Thursday, 22 March 2012
Life is as fragile as duckweed in a storm
Old Chinese proverb.
Just got back from being in China on business, and after several trips there over the last few months I feel I am starting to understand the Chinese way.
Before I started going there I was told of the importance that the Chinese place on relationships and connections. It's usually described as 'guanxi'. But it's more than about relationships - in fact we probabaly don't have a Western word to describe what it is. It's more about a feeling between people, and I think I'm just starting to understand it. See http://en.wikipedia.org/
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