Things i'm looking forward to this year... (part 2)

Going to see the renaissance of English cricket against India in Nottingham (ahem, tell me I haven't just wasted 45 notes, ahem)

Growing sprouts on the allotment.

Knocking down our garage

Seeing the finished Kickstarter Zach Braff film in London

Having another cut-throat razor shave

Rocking the social worker jumper 'look' for as long as is viable

An actual proper cinema in Hereford

An iPad? maybe this is the year. maybe next

An FA cup away day if Saints manage to squeeze past Yeovil

Having a works summer do in addition to the traditional christmas variety.

heat sensitive till receipts and bicycle wanderings

this sounds pleasant, a good way to introduce an album by doing a trailer like this. have a watch..

Things i'm looking forward to this year.. (part 1)

The new series of 'The Trip' with Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan.

Green Man Festival 2014, back to the 'home' festival after a brief affair with latte-tude.

Foals in Birmingham with N.

Elbow in BIrmingham with N, the tall one and his pitotty, gav and wum.

World Cup, natch.

Three Cliffs Bay with the family. 

The new Beck cd.

Building work at Cassa P, a blog special series.

Blog photo vanity project, specifics yet to be confirmed.

Cooking a roast, listening to something from the 'to listen to' pile..

Hoooeee fine and dandy americana pardner.

Keep on truckin, cowboy.

Bella Union. 2013.

Relaxed background sounds. Plenty of space for the songs.

Fanfare by Jonathan Wilson.

Perhaps a likely booking at Green Man?

3am insanity...the....spoons

malvern hills 2nd jan. it was a little blowy.

CHAMPION OF THE CLASSIC......another list.

So the 12 classic cd's offered up by Prycer.... how did they stack up and, with a few months' perspective, which came out on top? (the cream of the crop, they rise to the top, are in green)

[drumroll]

1. Dubnobasswithmyheadman - Underworld

2. Ambient 2 - Brian Eno

3. People's Instinctive.. - A Tribe Called Quest

4. Blue Lines - Massive Attack

5. Music has the Right to Children - Boards of Canada

6. Since I Left You - The Avalanches

7. Paul's Boutique - Beastie Boys

8. HomeWork - Daft Punk

9. The Boatman's Call - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

10. The Optimist LP - Turin Brakes

11. Crocodiles - Echo and The Bunnymen

12. Come From Heaven - Alpha

the december 'classic'

Gave; 'Without you I'm nothing' by Placebo.
Received; 'Music has the right to children' by Boards of Canada.

Dammit, late again. I had high hopes and cunning plans to get a raft of year end posts done by the end of december. Foiled again by the Christmas duties and family visits.

Here is Al's last in the classic series. A cd that i must admit i nudged him into giving me. I have read a fair bit about this cd over the past few years. All the write ups made it sound like something that i would like.

Thoughts? Well, there are some interesting sounds. A wide variety of things to listen for and a lot of attention to detail. Generally falling into the 'listen at home' variety of electronic music rather than the 'only works in a club' genre.

You might say chill out music, but it never quite lets you chill out. And if it does it is in the chilly slightly disturbing way of chilling out not in the comfy slippers, glass of wine thinking of cafe del mar way. The beats are relaxing but the chords and melodies are just slightly off kilter so as you never quite let your guard down. In that sense it is quite an uncomfortable listen. A bit like an experimental channel 4 comedy- good bits mixed with an inclination to change channels due to feeling a bit uneasy. Good beats though. And, in a not intended as patronising way, top marks for effort.

Not something that will be played a lot in the kitchen, but good discordant beaty stuff nonetheless. Royksopp with a migraine?

7 out of 10 to Boards of Canada.