What’s the weight of the world worth?

I think its customary, after a long break, to apologise to readers. But seriously, what for? My concept for this blog wasn’t to entertain you, if it was going to do anything to you it would be one of three things: Inform you of something good you previously weren’t aware of; Make you feel like a dickhead for sleeping on stuff that you shouldn’t have been sleeping on, or; Allowing me to vent my fangirlism across the world without having to bombard my best friends, housemate and family with sociopathic rantings that they just dont seem to want to even try and get anymore.

If you have been missing me, then hopefully you have had time to track down that Gravenhurst album, and dig it. Whilst not my favourite effort by Nick Talbot + co, its still better than everything else out there, and when he gets his whistful remorse on, nothing makes me melt more.

I have been experiencing a whole bunch of music that, I’m not overly fond of, but its interesting enough to talk about. Some p2p person hooked me up with I Hate This Place’s new album “Never go” which is a wonderful example of pretty much carbon copying the Postal Service, but doing it way more quickly than the wait for a new Postal Service album suggests about the difficulty of making this stuff. And its lovely… kind of fitting in somewhere between the afformentioned Postal Service, and later day Hellogoodbye, its sweet (often syrupy thick sweetness) with a slight attitude that takes the edge off, and a naive innocence to the style of lyrics that fit with me way better than they should. And sure, I liked it initially for the name of the band, I Hate This Place are really worth checking out.

It came into a pigeon hole a little while ago, but I have become really quite enamoured with Neon Neon’s “Stainless Style”. Basically, Lex records whiz kid turned electro boy Boom Bip has teamed up with Gruff Rhys from the Super Furry Animals, and made this wonderful concept album about Richard Delorean, the guy that made that ultra eighties sports car that was used as the car in Back To The Future. Steeped in wonderful eighties reverie, there are songs about Raquel Welch, Michael Douglas and love songs set on Alderraan, as well as some really wonderful hip hop tracks that kind of serve as the naration to the more esoteric eighties space-pop ditties. I cant get enough of it. I put my sunglasses on, wind down the windows of my car, crank it up, and cooly smoke cigarettes at pedestrians and other drivers when stopped at lights, listening to this album. And you should too. That, or you will realise how much of a dork Darcy Wigram really is.

My bestie took my broke behind along to see the best DJ set I have ever experienced – the Hard Sell tour by DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist. It was truley amazing and if its coming to a town near you, dont miss it. For days afterwards I was waking up, inspired that there is some creativity left in DJing, and awed that I had the chance and privelege to witness a set ‘by music lovers, for music lovers’. Much love to friends that love their realness as much as you do…

Anyway, thats enough for now. I hope you see me again soon, but I have a feeling I will have some nagging reminders to keep this up. Its kinda important, in the way that its not at all.

And when the next wave is the last wave

A girlfriend and I were having a quiet Sunday in. Well, as quiet as can be expected around this part of the world, in this stage of our lives. We were both fairly fragile from the night before, so we had settled on getting DVD’s and eating pizza, smoking far too many cigarettes and having a giggle. Anyway, you need to know that, because it will give you an indication of why we hired This Is England, a critically acclaimed movie, produced (at least in part) by Warp Records. Because there is very few things as enjoyable as a remakably confrontational, disturbing or messed up film to make one feel far less fagile.

Shane Meadows directs this beautifully shot look inside the Thatcher-era small town rise of the National Front white power movement, with the central charachter being a little boy who’s father had died in the Falklands War. Its cute, rough, ugly and bright all at the same time but the bit that made me melt into a warm, gooey mess was a scene at the beginning of the film, where the little boy was getting montaged about bullying or something like that, and the guitar from Gravenhurst’s “Nicole” slide in. And as we get emotioned away by the fantastic collection of shots of the English towns of the 80’s, I start breathing the words ” Oh, Nicole! From the moment we met we let it get out of control”

Gravenhurst is really special. His first album on Warp was a tweaked collection of gorgeous accoustic songs – well, gorgeous until you actually hear what he has to say. And then it hits you – this man has the most amazing sense of impending doom! A spine and heart shattering finality to his psyche. But sung in such a lullaby way that you just cant help but drift happily to sleep. Adding band members, and amplifiers, for Fire In Distant Buildings, the sprawling, addictive morbidity and loathing gets swept along by truimphant guitars, rolicking drums and really driving passionate music. So it was great pleasure to find out that a new Gravenhurst album has come out. I’d suggest you go and listen to it right now (and buy it if you want). As that is what I will be doing all week.