Wait until next year

May 27, 2014

Jenny Lewis trails The Voyager

I could do with more than 16 seconds of this – a very brief teaser of the new Jenny Lewis album The Voyager. Her first solo album Rabbit Fur Coat is up there as one of my favourite albums ever. It is rare to have such great lyrics, such a great voice and so many great songs all working so well together, yet time and again Lewis manages it. This new album sees her working with my all-time favourite Ryan Adams. So, I’m rather excited about this release. Probably too excited. Anyway, enjoy the 16 seconds.

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May 22, 2014

Neither here nor there – The ‘Nearly Places’

Valérie Anex, Ghost Estates, Ireland

A ‘ghost estate’ refers to an unoccupied housing estate. The term has been used, and seen, widely in Ireland. The ‘Celtic Tiger’ years from 1995 to 2008 saw a huge amount of economic growth in Ireland. This led to a housing surplus, made much worse with the global economic downturn from 2008 on. There were a lot of houses, and nobody willing or able to buy them. Read the rest of this entry »

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Video | May 17, 2014

Saturday Night Movie: The South Bank Show – J.G. Ballard

I’ve finally got around to reading some J.G. Ballard – I’m starting with Vermillion Sands but any recommendations on what to read next or guidance on books to avoid would be very welcome. This documentary was a decent primer, plus I have something of a man crush on presenter Melvyn Bragg, not least for his masterful work on the In Our Time radio programme.

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May 14, 2014

Some Afternoon Spring Rain

Heading home yesterday afternoon it began raining. Read the rest of this entry »

May 13, 2014

You Like Potato – Matters of taste from Woody Allen to Céline Dion

In Woody Allen’s Manhattan the protagonist Issac Davis talks into a tape recorder, listing what he believes makes life worth living. It is a key scene and a clever device. The list gives us an insight into Davis’ personality, his motivations, his desires:

“Why is life worth living? It’s a very good question. There are certain things I guess that make it worthwhile. Like what…okay…For me, I would say… what, Groucho Marx, to name one thing…and Willie Mays…and the second movement of the Jupiter Symphony…and Louis Armstrong, recording of Potato Head Blues…Swedish movies, naturally… Sentimental Education by Flaubert…Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra…those incredible Apples and Pears by Cezanne…the crabs at Sam Wo’s…Tracy’s face…” Read the rest of this entry »

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