Garden Transformation

In Rainbows

"How come I end up where I started
How come I end up where I went wrong
Won't take my eyes off the ball again
You reel me out when and you cut the string."

15 Steps



Available at time of writing purely as a download; though a cd, 2 x vinyl record plus extra disc of rarities will be available at start of December (all packaged in a box and retailing at £40.) The download costs as much as you see fit to pay for it.

The music is stylistically in a similar groove to that found on Kid A and Amnesiac. We open with the machine beats of 15 steps sounding like Idioteque Mk 2 and that sense of unease and anxiety shows all is still unwell in Radiohead's world.

"Videotape" has already spawned a rather fine mix available here
and the Roy Budd nods on "All I need" send the mind heading towards train journeys into the heart of something unpalatable.

Top Ten outside UK and Ireland

Young Galaxy - The Alchemy between us
Bjork - Volta
Thurston Moore - Trees outside the Academy
The Changes - Today is Tonight
The Stars - In Our bedroom after the war
Little Dragon -Little Dragon
Asobi Seksu - Citrus
Serena Maneesh - Serena Maneesh
Ulrich Schnauss - Goodbye
Trentemoller - The Last Resort

Anthony H Wilson

Joy Division, The Wendys, Railway Children, Happy Mondays, Cath Carrol, New Order, Revenge, Electronic, Northside, Durutti Column, The Wake, James, Steve Martland


Tony Wilson 1950-2007

My Mercury Prize list

"It's the blandness, pure and simple."


Julian Cope - You gotta problem with me
Johnny Boy - Johnny Boy
Soweto Kinch - A life in the day of B19
Siobhan Donaghy - Ghosts
Long Blondes - Someone to drive you home
The Tuss - The Tuss
Simian Mobile Disco - Attack Decay Sustain Release
Plastic Operator - Different Places
Maps - We can create
The Aliens - Astronomy for dogs
Pop Levi - The return to form Black Magick Party
Fields - Everything last winter


though on the "real" list I have listened to and enjoyed Bat for Lashes, Amy Winehouse, Basquiat Strings - they would not knock out any of the above.

Click here for the real list.

New music

Maps – We can Create

http://www.myspace.com/mapsmusic
Reviews namechecked the likes of Spiritualized, MBV, The Chills – I can see what they meant. Dreamlike bedroom symphonies out of Northampton.

The Tuss

http://www.myspace.com/thetussmusic
Is it the Aphex or is it not? The evidence gathered by the press and the hardcore fans would suggest that it is. Brian Tregaskin or Karen Tregaskin or Richard D James? Squelchiness abounds with pumping bass. I see Brian has his own myspace page now too.

http://www.myspace.com/briantregaskin


Siobhan Donaghy - Ghosts

http://www.myspace.com/siobhandonaghyparlophone

First member of the Suagababes to jump ship. This is her second solo album which has been a critical success and seemingly a commercial flop (number 98 in album charts). Great pop songs displaying a wider pop awareness of the likes of the Cocteaus, Massive and Kate Bush (see Medevac).

Arthur and Yu

http://www.myspace.com/arthurandyu
Only been listening to this lot on their myspace page. Reminds me of the Velvets in the way Mazzy Star used to back in the early 90s. Boy/girl singing gets me every time. Has a bit of a folk thing going on too. I think I am going to really like this lot.

Cycle on Lagan Towpath

Bought new bicycle rack this week.

Started cycle here

Ended up here
Took some photos on the way with camera phone.

Photostream - 52in52

www.flickr.com 52in52photostream's Patrick December 2006 - Feb 2007 photoset

Reading and listening

Just finished:

David Lodge - The Art of Fiction

A collected edition of the articles David Lodge wrote for the Independent and Washington Post in the early 90s focusing on different aspects of the "art of fiction". He examines subjects like the use of magic realism, time shift, point of view and the intrusive author in great depth. Well illustrated with a range of examples from a variety of novels which would be familiar to the average reader. An engaging book that was a treat to read.

Louis MacNeice - Collected Poems

"World is crazier and more of it than we think,
incorrigibly plural. I peel and portion
a tangerine and spit the pips and feel
the drunkenness of things being various."

Snow

When I was at Primary School we used to visit Louis MacNeice's grave and tidy away the older flowers and tufts of grass. Once a meeting place of Seamus Heaney, Derek Mahon and Michael Longley in the 1960s, MacNeice was a prolific poet deserving of an updated edition of his poetry. This edition has been edited by Peter McDonald and over the first few decades it certainly retains the spirit of the collections published in MacNeice's lifetime with a few surprising inclusions. I find MacNeice to be an accessible poet and in this the year of his centenary, a poet that should be celebrated as a true Northern Irish talent.

Aluminium - Aluminium

Developed by Joey Talbot from an idea by Richard Russel based on the Andrew Loog Oldham "Rolling Stone Songbook" (used to great effect on Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve). Their starting point was the songs of The White Strips, a band who I have never been especially fussed about. However the idea of orchestrating these songs offers a cleaner and more interesting dynamic to the sound. The songs sit well within this setting of harps, strings, woodwind and the rest.

Johnny Boy - Johnny Boy

Sounding like a Phil Spector production with their well written and really catchy pop tunes, this is the sound of melodic twists and turns pulling at you. Lifting you up and throwing you about, this is one of the strongest releases of the year so far and is well worth seeking out.

Also mentioned: Good, the bad and the Queen, Fujiya Miyagi - Transparent Things, Tap Tap - Lanzafame

Bruce's top fives of 2006

Albums
Madonna - Confessions
Thom Yorke - Eraser
The Strokes - First Impressions
Morrissey - Ringleader
Crazy Frog - Crazy Frog present more Crazy Hits

Re-issues
I buy tonnes of these!

Books
Didn't buy any books published in 2006

Songs/Singles/Downloads (for those who indulge in that sort of thing)
Or these

Tv Programmes
Arrested Development
Dragons Den
Ryder Cup (if I hadn't been at it in person ;-) )

Films/Dvds
No particular Order
Casino Royale
Inside Man
The Departed
Superman Returns
Borat

Eddie's Top Fives of 2006

Albums

I’ve lost most of my interest in modern music, if people say listen to so and so, its like Nick Drake, I end up thinking why not just listen to Nick Drake? So generally buy stuff from people I have a history of liking although I didn’t bother to buy the new divine comedy or Ben folds as I would have previously done (although now think I’ll get the Ben Folds!)

I’m generally being a pompous fool and getting opera recordings, although I appreciate the fact that my current level of understanding means my taste is plebeian and I probably like the Opera equivalent of Robbie Williams, although this does not mean Il Divo (Byran Adams songs sung it Italian-jeepers!)-rather ‘big’ productions of well known Italian operas


1.Mozza-Ringleader of the Tormentors—I had expected it to be poor, as there were several bad tracks on ‘you are the quarry’ but really enjoy it my 2nd favourite after ‘Vauxhall and I’ Daryn reckons recent single b-side ‘sweetie pie’ is the worst thing he’s every recorded, which actually makes we want to hear it

2.Lloyd Cole---antidepressant Lloyd has remembered the tunes which he left out last time.

3. The Lemonheads The lemonheads-could have been recorded 10 years ago, so no suprises but very good,

4. Bob dylan. Good but not as good as they say


That is all the 2006 stuff I bought, but this has reminded me to go and buy the new Andy White album on amazon tried to get in Belfast but no one had it. Wendy has the muse album in the car, which I quite like.


Reissues


REM the IRS years—brilliant stuff.

That’s the only reissue

Books

Again only a couple of recent books


1. Brideshead Revisited Waugh. I’d read all the Waugh comedies as a teenager but avoided the BR TV series years ago as I thought it would be poncy rubbish, but I loved this, just bought the sword of honour trilogy to read over crimbo.
2. A dance to the music of Time. Powell (12 volume series-similar to Waugh but without the catholic themes)
3. Anna Karenina. Tolstoy. Everyone raves about this being better than War and Peace, and most of it was excellent but the divorce dithering was dull (albeit the point on which the whole book hinges) nearly as dull as the ramblings about predestination in W&P. Well worth time and effort though
4. The Sea. Banville. Slight but excellent.
5. A bag of boiled sweets. Julian Critchley. funny memoir from high living Troy wet MP now dead.
6. The world turned upside down. Christopher Hill. History about religious/societal thought and sects during the 17th century –diggers, muggletonians, ranters, levers etc.
7. The master and Margaria Bulgakov-fablely kind of things not normally not for me but I enjoyed this.
8. Saturday Ian McEwan
9. Lapsed Protestant Glen Patterson
10. I was a teenage catholic Malachi O’Doherty

TV programmes

Don’t watch much proper TV—just shit. But I liked

Ramsay’s kitchen nightmares

I’m a celebrity

Big brother

Monarchy-David Starkey

Coronation street (eek!)

Films

Only went to the cinema three times, saw you me and Dupree which was wonderful and Hills have eyes and the fog (remake) both awful. Enjoyed the following DVDS:

Caddyshack

39 steps

Dodgeball

3rd man



Disappointments/overhyped nonsense

Liverpool—overhyped by the F man I believe
Belfast festival at QUB ---ended up too busy to go to any shows although we had planned a few, but in general it appeared to be a shit programme of lowbrow crap. 15-20 years ago it was very good.
The reopening of the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin . Reproducing Francis Bacon’s studio is still just a crap idea-it is reminiscent of how I used to ‘keep’ Ashmount Park-empty bottles/ fag packets etc. Would the Tate ‘preserve’ the studio of an artist solely because they were born in England ? answer no. Do I sound like a reactionary old buffer?answer Yes
As I read somewhere: lilly allen’ I never thought I’d refer to someone as the poor man’s ‘the streets’
Bob Dylan album good but overhyped
Much of the England cricket team, esp Fletcher-if ever he comes into the Point in Ballyhack he’s in for a kickin’!
Ulster’s probable lack of progress in the Heineken cup

Cultural events of the year

1. Museum of Romanesque murals from small churches in northern spain in Barcelona , sounds dull but best thing I’ve gone to in years. Aware this sounds pretentious nonsense but its excellent.

2. Mozza concerts best of three was the second Dublin show

3. Rigoletto at the Waterfront hall-top stuff

Top Fives of 2006 - Daryn

Albums

1. Morrissey - Ringleader of the Tormentors - the sumptuous follow up to the unfinished sounding You are the Quarry. Not a bad song on it and all sounded great as part of the live set.
   
2. Pet Shop Boys - Fundamental - First Trevor Horn production in my top five. This the ninth Pet Shop Boys albums was political, humourous, full of great orchestral hooks. A joy to listen to repeatedly.
   
3. Espers - Espers II - were the Velvets ever to meet up with Fairport Convention, this is what they might have sounded like. In a year of great folk albums from the likes of Adem, Joanna Newsom, Vetiver, this really stood out.
   
4. Captain - This is Hazelville - produced by Trevor Horn, boy/girl vocals, reminiscent of the might Prefab Sprout, great session on Jonathan Ross show. Brilliant album!!
   
5. C.S.S - Cansei de ser Sexy - Disco beats, anti anthems, fun from Brazil

Nearly made it: The Early Years, Brightback Morning Light, Serena Maneesh - for keeping the shoe gazing flame alive (nu-gazing, apparently)
Bob Dylan, Scritti Polittil, Neil Young, Midlake, Flaming Lips, Yo La Tengo and Sonic Youth.

Re-issues

1. John Philips - The Wolfking of LA - recorded in 1970, sublime country-tinged songs, from one of the key members of the Mamas and Papas
   
2. Pavement - Wowee Zowee - yet another expanded, reissue from the amazing Pavement. I loved this album when it was released in the mid 90s, now I can love even more of it. Extra Peel sessions, b sides, live tracks - more more more!
   
3. Spiritualized - Friendly Fire - demos from the recording of the first Spiritualized album, released by the then bass player Will Carruthers. The incredible Peel session from 1992 thrown in for good measure. More on the way apparently.
   
4. Invictus - Soul Box Set - Holland-Dozier-Holland after they left Motown. 68 tracks of bass heavy soul funk. Unconquered indeed.
   
5. The Triffids - Born Sandy Devotional. 20 years on from the original release, thanks to Franz Ferdinand and the Arctic Monkeys this gets a re-release on the Domino label. An expansive masterpiece from the criminally unheard of Australians.

Nearly made it: Pulp - Different Class, Byrne/Eno - My life...., Denim - Back in Denim

Films

Hard to choose top five films from this year as barely been to cinema - but have been more selective as a result

1. The Prestige - Christopher Nolan directs another dazzling film bursting with slick period details and focusing on the lives of illusionists.
   
2. The Queen - an engaging portrayal of the weeks between Tony Blair's election as Prime Minister and his first meeting with the Queen once parliament has reconvened. Main focus is of course on the events surrounding Diana's funeral, this is a witty and moving attempt to capture what it might have been like to have been involved.
   
3. Road to Guantanamo - Michael Winterbottom directs this story of how three youths from Tipton ended up imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay. The tone of this film ranges from angry to humourous and is a grand improvement on his last film "A cock and bull story"
   
4. Miami Vice - Michael Mann, fast cars/boats, mumbled dialogue, Phil Collins soundtrack (sort of) You shouldn't really like this, but .....
   
5. The Constant Gardener - vivid colours, engaging narrative, brilliant performance from Fiennes. A great thriller.

Books

1. Under the Dam - David Constantine - great collection of short stories from the poet.
   
2. Mothers and Sons - Colm Toibin - another collection of great short stories - Famous Blue Raincoat really stood out for me in this collection.
   
3. That Damn United - David Peace - I love David Peace and this is a great follow up to GB84. Attempting to tell the story of Brian Clough's 44 day reign at the helm of Leed United.
   
4. White Bicycles - Joe Boyd - making music in the 1960s featuring a cast of thousands, Eric Clapton, Fairport Convention, Nick Drake, INcredible String Band and so on. Great anecdotes.
   
5. 1599 - James Shapiro. The year of Henry V, Julius Ceasar and As you like it. This book tells the story of Shakespeare throughout this year and the world which he inhabited. Politics, theatre, friendships, love.