Album of the year so far.......

Is this: "Twenty Three" by Sukpatch. (Follow links for Myspace page, videos etc)
There's a gorgeous lazy psychedelic feel to it, a warm, buzzing melancholia.....parts remind me of The Heliosequence (who I raved about on this blog a long, long time ago) or a spectaclularly stoned Meat Puppets. If you like what you hear on the myspace page, the album is on itunes. It's the sound of summer 2006, enjoy.

I love this........ 

This has also been making my day :)

Hamster vs. The Laws of Physics.

Full of food........

Of Eton mess, to be absolutely precise.
A nice Sunday today...As ever, full of sound ("Some Justice" by Urban Shakedown), taste (Roast Chicken and the above pudding) and that Sunday siesta that means so much to me. I'm sure I was a sloth in a previous life;or at the very least, some sort of dormouse. The rain is now tapping gently on the roof of the conservatory (a few hours ago it was a deluge) and the TV is bibbling to itself in the background. The Pinot Noir is empty, the fire is down to its embers, the rose incense cones are dust in the hearth, the cat is sound asleep on it's blanket. I have a glass of Strega to soothe my soul and a copy of this upstairs to lull me to sleep. I hope your weekend brought similar joys. I'll bid you goodnight.
x

Life goes on....

But i've got to say, that news about Martin has made me so very very miserable. I'll miss his smile, his honesty and his presence in so many ways.
*sighs*
Anyway.....Zutons last night at KCLSU, great venue (if a little smoky) and a great night out.
You know, i've been doing this blog for AGES now and i've never ever posted any tunes up, so I thought I should rectify things. So, here's Bonjay covering "Maps" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs over the South Rakkas Crew's "Bionic Ras" riddim. Wonderful. Enjoy.

Bonjay "Maps"

Goodbye Martin.

God bless you, mate.
x

Kooks last night...

Great gig, nice guys...and an audience full of friends. Maximum thanks to Luke and John at Marmalade for hooking me up with a new deck, it's totally sweet, nice concave, 9" wide (so it's got that crucial old-school flavour I crave) about 32" long, squared-off tail.....nice one! I'll be loading it up over the next couple of weeks, pics as soon as I do.
Been listening to this lot almost constantly over the last few days...check the video for "Fraud in the 80's" GENIUS.
Oh, here's some childishness :)
And someone who is obviously menkle. (Help! what if it is TRUE?)
Right, off to work.......

Self portrait in the back of the giant rear-view mirror of the new pickup.... 

It's a blessing and a curse....here's the pile of CD's in my "got to listen to" section....if you look carefully you can see: The Fratellis, Levy, Stephen Stills ("Manassas"), Broken Social Scene, Wolf Parade....and bizzarely, a signed Simply Red CD (eeeeeeep) 

And my ears have been glued to....

The Rheostatics. Like a more quirky Smog, they're a strange mix of the reflective, psychedelic pop genius of Brian Wilson and the more febrile imaginative pastures of alt-rock. I had the album "Whale Music" on my walkman when I toured Canada back in 1992 as part of the "Peverse" world tour, it's been a welcome rediscovery.

Bloody hell, it's now SNOWING :(

Listening to Wim this morning, always a good idea when the weather is that crisp and cold: "No Plans No Projects" from "Educes Me", which is one of the most cathartic records I own-listening to it at high volume feels like you're being purged of your sins.
Also have spent a couple of days plugged in to "Krisp Biscuit" by The Rufige Kru. It's a real cut-up tune, bit's of everything thrown into the mix, including the riff from "Club Class" by Newton, which was the forgotten release from the Rhythm Section's label (maybe more about that another day) Anyway, it's got a chunk of "The Finest" by the SOS Band in there, no doubt influenced by the Illegal mix of Foul Play's "Finest Illusion" All that remains of the SOS Band on Goldie's re-lick is the "Time flies when you're with me" refrain, but it's utterly haunting, like the ghost of a song, the memory of an embrace, the last breath of life.

About to leave Brighton and come back to London...

The Seagulls are screeching overhead, the sky is a heavy opalescent white: i'm feeling pensive and slightly sad.
More when i'm at my desk.

Pictorial proof of last weeks boat shenanigans :)

Can be found Here.

Afternoon all..........

This has been making me smile today....
How was your weekend? Mine? Well, lots of cooking (as ever) testing out the stereo in the new pickup (nice'n'loud), playing The Chalets CD, listening also to whacked-out Psychedelia from The Meat Puppets and pure sonic honey in the shape of Sonny Rollins live at the Montreux Jazz Festival. ("To A Wild Rose")
It's cold, and winter is still clinging on by the tips of its frozen fingers. I want spring, and I want it NOW.

This is just WONDERFUL...

London, at night.