What's your favourite song ever?

How did I miss so much House & Garage from the 90's?? Oh wait, yeah no that's right, it was because I was listening to Michael Bolton, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, and most influentially, the Spice Girls.

I would like to thank Mr Collier, from work (and Essex) for this, he continues to amuse and educate me:

Bon Iver / Hammersmith Apollo / 24 October 2011

I'm pretty excited at the moment. My immediate future has some milestone events in store. These, plus some plain good planning, sees some exceptionally good times in the pipeline and one of the first has lived more than pleasurably up to expectations. Bon Iver last night at the Hammersmith Apollo, a venue that already holds some nostalgic sentiment for me, could have done no wrong really, but having had the luck to have seen them previously (twice) when they played Glastonbury in 2009 I can safely say they are only getting better.

Their 2011 European tour sees a stage-full of multi-instrumentalists, an eclectic group of men who are clearly just as passionate about this unique sound as frontman, and resolute face of Bon Iver, Justin Vernon. I have fallen in love with Festivals but I am still to claim myself a prolific gig-goer. Despite this there was something about the atmosphere of the Apollo last night that felt different to other live music events; in the halting pauses between lines of unintelligible words and oft inhumane sounds emitting from the mouth of Justin Vernon the crowd was silent, transfixed, appreciative, slightly swaying. I've never seen anything like it. This, for the first 6 songs at least until a crazed and hypnotic saxophone solo threaded into Blood Bank and a significant portion of the audience went mad, shortly followed by a loud, maniacal and highly satisfying Creature Fear.

After the lyrics of Re:Stacks came to an end, and the band continued Vernon produced a camera and started filming the audience. Then in a familiar tack, before launching into Wolves, he asks the audience to include themselves with the evenings performance and join him for the emotional repetition of "what might have been lost", which, as it had in the middle of a field in Somerset, grew to an impressive crescendo, making it my favourite song.

The pleasure of last nights performance was that it was that, a performance, and it is this that made it better, musically, than their sets of two years ago. More developed material hasn't lost any of the original emotion infused into it by a wounded man during a self-imposed year of isolation, but much loved songs were turned into multi-layered sequences with styles at times of a big Jazz band, reminiscent of 80's music, and at others what could easily be incidental score music.

If you weren't there, live youtube video's will not do it justice, this is something close.

opener, Perth

my favourite, Wolves

en core, Skinny Love

Loved Music Live

I am getting very excited about the impending Bon Iver gig I've had a ticket stuck to my wall for since May. I missed the initial rush and ended up with a sold on ticket for twice the price and I don't even mind. After watching them twice at Glastonbury 2010 I can't wait to hear material from their recent album live.

I've been youtubing unheard material just to reinforce my adoration of the voice and talent of the man behind the lyrics, Justin Vernon. I'm currently on hold to Orange waiting to rant about how I still can't open picture messages people send me and the faltering pop of the hold music only serves to heighten my appreciation of Bon Iver's songs.

In a rare occurrence it is near impossible to pick a song or video that I don't want to share. I've settled on the one below because it was the last one I listened to before decided to write this post. And quite frankly it's loveliness speaks for itself.

song of the day

Feeling Unrefined

"But I might drink a little bit more than I should tonight
And I might take you home with me if I could tonight
And I think you should let me cause I look good tonight
And we might not get tomorrow"

- Pitbull/Matt Howard (18.03.2011)

p.s. It's nearly Friday

untitled

Double page spread [oh yes, that's poster size] of SPACE(!) in today's Independent courtesy of two Antennae Galaxies colliding, captured by a telescope from the not even complete yet Alma conservatory.

Being still in the midst of a sparkle obsession I've got the yearns for some glittery shoes so may have to splurge on a serious seasonal investment.

Fur and The Waterproof Bible came in the post today.

I am really looking forward to Andrew Kaufman's follow up to his unusual and affecting début All My Friends Are Superheroes* and hope it cements my fondness for his style of storytelling. Fur, I watched in full this evening, after binging on parts on youtube and it hit me particularly harder even though I knew what was coming. A really beautiful film and I am so glad it's now mine to own rather than post back to lovefilm, which has just sent me Gainsbourg, that I'll be watching tomorrow after a mid-week dinner date. Spoilt.

Currently listening to the happily Prince-esque tones of Blood Orange a.k.a Devonté Hynes (ex-pat, ex-Test Icicle, ex-Lightspeed Champion) in the form of the DJ Exotica Sage Presents : Blood Orange Home Recordings Mixtape, the Terrible Records Mixtape, and leaks of his forthcoming Coastal Grooves EP. There's a quiet rawness to all of it that leaves you wanting more but similarly accepting Hynes' obvious comfort zone. It's a lot more relaxed than the raucous punk of the Icicles and easier listening than Lightspeed but leaves you wondering if he intends to develop this style further. Because it sounds goooood.

Will be snoozing to the owl sounds from outside my window tonight. Lovely.

*one of mine & some of his

Bestival

Unfortunately Besitval had to compete with The Garden Festival this summer, but despite the weather courtesy of the tail end of hurricane Katia the Isle of Wight gave Croatia a pretty good run for its money with wigs, glitter, amaaaazing tunes, and disgraceful behaviour a plenty!

Going Back To My Roots

Three years after first hearing about this magical place of incessant sunshine, funky beats, and all round goodtimes a ticket was bought, flight purchased, and accommodation found for 2011's instalment of Croatia's The Garden Festival.

Situated on the tip of a peninsula, shaded amongst crowd-weathered pines is a rehabilitated 60's hotel, which was at one time a series of pools and sunbathing terraces and is now dotted with beds and cocktail bars. A Terrace 'stage' juts out towards the sea, it's wooden floorboards withstanding a constant pumping bass and the appreciative stomping of a 2000 strong clientèle over the course of a week. The main stage hosts live funk and disco bands from the afternoon until dj's step in to keep the mood strong throughout the night til the early hours when party moves inside the discotheque Barbarella's in order to keep the peace with the locals who live in the surrounding fishing village of Petrcane.

The intimate atmosphere cannot be praised enough as, in light of growing UK festivals, the friendly, live feel of outdoor, 3-7 day long music events is what makes them so special. I am nevertheless looking forward to returning with glee to Glastonbury come 2013, but this summer has convinced me that Croatia can have my 2012, my body, mind & soul. Take them tan them, infuse them with glorious music, relax them and send them home happy. Again.

This Summer I have been mostly...

Hot Air Ballooning over Surrey

Lounging on London rooftops

People watching over a cold pint on Portobello Road

Finding an unexpected reminder of Falmouth down a road of pastel painted houses in Knightsbridge

Visiting St. Paul's Cathedral for the first time

Pleasantly forgetting I work in the middle of a big city when my clients have gardens like this

October Heat-Fest

Helping me slumber on this too-hot October (just) evening.

The Weeknd / The Morning

Pre-Bestival

Channelling Audrey in the run up to Bestival, because this is what I want to look like!

This years theme being Pop Stars, Rock Stars, and Divas I have run through a multitude of possibles from Ziggy Stardust, one of the 4 Non-Blondes, Adam Ant, Blondie, and most recently Almost Famous' Penny Lane as Rock Star Groupie. But will probably end up mish-mashing the lot in some horrifically uninspired get up complete with Oxfam tent shearling jacket (fingers crossed), shiny leggings, black sequinned hot pants, pink wig aand Red Indian headdress, face splattered with sparkles and layers of ill-fitting tops...neither interesting nor comfortable. At least there's the dreamworld of the festival to lose myself in once again. Oh Festival how I've missed you. Bring on the Trumpets!

Why did't I see this pic earlier?! That's a costume right there!

Mmm, the Dandy Highwayman.

A truly beautiful specimen of a man.

From the dark, into the light

So, after avoiding so much of the Glastonbury 2011 coverage I inadvertently became an innocent bystander of the Beyonce set. And my god! I'm not even a big Beyonce fan but her Prince cover gave me the gooseys!



So now, after staying so resolutely in the dark about the magical goings on of this years Glasto I have finally given in to temptation, reneged my pride & am now frantically searching Google for the rest of the coverage. Baaad idea.

Summer Sales

When I hear that my most beloved retailer has launched into it's annual mass sale it initiates a range of emotions; excitement, anticipation, lust, then on entering the realms of purchasable clothes those evolve into mild panic, frustration, fatigue, disappointment, empty glory, and eventually bitterness, for Zara is a label that never ceases to surprise me. It regularly produces such inspired pieces of quality and tailoring and yet at times churns out complete and utter duds.

The prospect of a sale brings with it the promise of picking up genuine gems at a fraction of their already reasonable price tag. From rummaging through an overflowing accessories box during their last sale I found one beautiful indigo suede leather wallet with gold zip from £75 cut to £15.99. It is one of those items that I am constantly asked where it came from, because not only are many Zara pieces so classic, but I love the way that their clothes and accessories don't lend themselves so unambiguously to advertising. It is always difficult to spot a typically 'Zara' outfit, unlike something from Topshop or New Look, which both have a style and branding akin to a Queen song - unmistakable.

However, I am uninspired. My last physical tour of the Knightsbridge branch opened up a very real world of sequinned blazers/mini-skirts/leggings, lurex bat-wing t-shirts, delicately gold-threaded scarves, chain-mail vests, gilt & silver embroidered waistcoats and boleros, lovingly embroidered lace and silk and chiffon, which, while I was spending my birthday gift card the woman next to me at the counter was buying most of. I'd, by this point, made my bed with my safe work-wardrobe additions, but I thought there was still hope come the exciting news of sale time. The problem I have today is the growing disappointment as I click around the still fresh UK website at their virtual sale with it's lack of sparkly things.

Next Time

Think 'Statement Piece'. Be BOLD or forever stay in the fashion shadows.

NB Matthew Williamson Sample Sale on TODAY

Daddy Cool

One of those things happened to me this morning that really makes me smile. My dad recommended a band to me that I hadn't heard of. And they're good (and, incidentally, if I'd have been at Glastonbury I could've seen them live).

I'm not surprised he likes them though, their sound really is his proverbial cup of tea. Another reason I'd be proud to take him to Bestival with me in September. Although he'd have to leave the fluorescent pink polo shirt & lace up (but undone) boy-band boots at home. You can only be so cool on the inside to pull that off.



Little Dragon - Ritual Union (Live at Glastonbury 2011)

How I have become Twitter obsessed {part one}

As I am in a rush (both in time and in a frenetically inarticulately overcome way) I am just going to quickly post this video and follow it up with my thoughts when I get back to somewhere that is not this oppressively warm room.



Just...so, uh! Amazing.

To be continued...

song of the day

So, yes, the first time I'd heard this song was in the film Lucky Number Slevin, but I didn't quite appreciate how good it was at the time. I've just listened to it again in the midst of a podcast and it's like it struck out of nowhere in one of those "...I KNOW this song" moments. Oh the funkiness has made my day. Now to see if any bars in town tonight will play it for me...

Loved-Up by Korallreven

Has distracted me infinitely from the dreary, drizzly spring-summer borderline weather outside x

if you don't understand butterfly collecting

Thirty one minutes dead space everyday is the best thing about having to commute to work. It is my Bernard's Watch time in which I read. Happily, the titles I've chosen recently have lived up to their reputations, capable of instantly disappearing whole carriagefuls of people so that I am inside the bubble of their worlds like falling into a rare and easy sleep. Lord Of The Flies is reassuringly fresh & relevant still for a first time read, and written so skilfully that when I wasn't gulping down passages of jungle chases I felt happily and physically wounded by the subtler scenes and dialogue. Its incredibly unsettling and makes me thankful I was able to choose to read it when I did rather than age 15 for English GCSE. I'm now half way through On The Road by Jack Kerouac after three or four years of perseverance and finally now, for whatever the reasons, am absolutely devouring it. Wishing I could live such a selfish & vicarious existence without the painstaking loneliness that accompanies the exhilaration of such a journey. Although I suppose that's all part & parcel of it.

Vs.

VS.

Summer as indicated by steel drums

A Fantastic cover of one of my all time top favourite songs of the 90s.

"I don't wanna waste my time"

Sometimes ...when I know it's sunny outside but can't see it from my office I feel like I work here:

I can't actually see the sky

An accidental Lovefilm subscription & their employees wiles for sabotaging any cancellation plans I originally had means I've recently watched -Brazil (see pic), Big Lebowski (I've had a rough night. And I fucking hate the eagles, man.), Despicable Me, Heartbreaker (practising my French mainly by lip-syncing), Royal Tenenbaums (then downloaded the soundtrack), Anchor Man (like a humorous comfort blanket), Shutter Island (unsettling).

News in! Count 'em THREE of my closest friends have left me for pastures exotic & new (4 if you count the one in Tignes, chasing after children in the snow - she's a nanny...) which makes me yearn to travel but also excited at the knowledge that I'll be on the Dalmatian coast in FOUR months time!

Most pressing dilemma... where to go/what to do in order to adequately & appropriately celebrate the official beginning of British Summertime this weekend.

Spring Cleaning Aural Tunnels

A bit early perhaps but Spring is definitely in the air, and as usual I am in love with that feeling. Turning a corner of a street and suddenly being blinded by a higher, happier, healthier sun, the slower sunsets, generally more light leaving looonger days. It's dangling the carrot of things to come this summer, and with more saliva inducing festival line-ups than I can shake a stick at this year I've swiftly aligned myself with two uncompromising choices, one tried & tested, one previously pined for (July=Garden Festival!!!!! September=Bestival!!!!!).

So far 2011 seems to be more promising in terms of my ongoing music education than bygone years. Without ignoring the fact that as my tastes change and mature in time the net widens and the fact I've become ever bolder at trawling the stratosphere of the internet for facts unknown/songs unheard/dishes never cooked before, it is music particularly that is winning.

Ruining it for the rest of us, the BBC

James Blake, Jessie J and Clare McGuire (repress the shudder - can't stand it) have jumped the barrel a bit after their early pip by the BBC et al, and will no doubt be heaved back up again for recognition at the close of the year but have lost me for what is the here & now. It's unfortunate that some are plucked out for overkill because I was, and still am, very pleased to have been introduced to James Blake. The Wilhelm Scream takes the prize so far for - perhaps unintentionally, which is even better - sexiest music video. Easily.

Themes of the moment

- The slow, quiet, building intro's of songs from an increasing influx of Folk branded bands into the mainstream - Beirut (old but loved), Lia Ices (Daphne with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver), Cage The Elephant (Shake Me Down's video brought tears), Lord Huron (see Stranger below), and really new finds Foster The People, Gauntlet Hair, The Chord and The Fawn.

- Crudely sexy r'n'b that manages to strike an unstoppably appealing balance by clashing filthy lyrics & with sentimental backing and smooth as molasses voices - Frank Ocean (but he gets his own paragraph), Kid Kudi's new album, Miguel (girl with the tattoo), Mos Def (still bitter that I slinked off to watch the mess that was Gorillaz instead of him at Glasto last year).

- Songs that remind me that some music was made to have fun with - Disco has bloomed back into my life like a forgotten trinket from childhood (more appreciated now than when it was blasted aloud by mother) but now has an ever exciting bolster in House, which is supplying the soundtrack to my weekends.

And so, to Folk

The Chord And The Fawn having been compared to Coco Rosie, Dent May, and, [by myself] Kate Bush, the American cousins are currently underrated, Sex, Love, and Rock-n-Roll is a great little number. I Was Thinking by Gauntlet Hair is immediately Fleet Foxes-esque and very easy on the ears. A very summer sound. Lord Huron - The Stranger, a lovely live version of a beautifully building song & a Fargo-esque video:

I can't resist....

...Frank Ocean. His mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra with it's Songs For Women, Swim Good, There Will Be Tears, American Wedding, Strawberry Swing and the one that first dragged me in Nature Feels is what you would expect from a mixtape in it's execution and production. Impressive though is the intimacy, tone of voice, and eclectic choices that work so perfectly for me in what I love listening to. Samples of Hotel California, Coldplay, and Mr Hudson reveal an broad appreciation for musical devices and provide interesting platforms for the personal delivery of subjects both graphic and tender, frivolous and wise, sad and sexy. It's a jumbled collection that manages to cover a relatable romantic timeline of adolescence to broken heartedness. The lyrics, especially of Swim Good have this amazing storytelling quality that differentiates Frank Ocean from the masses. Free downloads are floating about, but I shouldn't really tell you that...

Friday Night/Saturday Night Warm Up

He's The Greatest Dancer (Lmd64 re-edit) by Lmd64

Boogie Boogie Boogie. Fantastic stuff.