The last few days has involved a lot of cooling down as the temperature has really soared. Let’s call it what it is: a heat wave. Although this morning it seems to be a lot cooler so I guess I’ll be out doing the gardening later.
Tonight I’m going to take part in a pub quiz with my girlfriend and a couple of her friends. We met up with them on Saturday and had a good time. Since it was a lunch date I drank alcohol responsibly but I think the quiz tonight will remain “dry”. I know what I get like during night time drinking sessions… not good.
We had a bbq yesterday which was nice, although some undercooked sausages may have given us tender tummies today. I received a call from our old housemate threatening to turn up later on in the evening but they never did. I’m keeping my ears open today as, well, you never know. The phone call made us all very tense in the house and provided a reminder to my girlfriend that she needs to figure out what she wants to do in life. I do too, of course, but her situation is more volatile at the moment.
Because my girlfriend’s been off for the past five days I’ve not had a chance to do any music recording. Not that I would have in this heat, but it’d be nice to have the option. I’ll try and get two demos done before I head back to college next week.
I’ve bought some new clothes that are more befitting the summer months. They look quite nice and hopefully make me look a little less out of place. I also bought some new trainers which I’m getting used to… I received a nasty blister the other day during an evening walk around the block, ouch!!!
I’m meant to research work experience placements while I’m off but I’m not sure where to look or how far down the line I’m meant to go in terms of contacting people. I might look into the local universities and colleges to see if they have music departments I could work in. That would be cool.
There’s some leftover special fried rice in the fridge from the takeaway we had last night (yes, after the bbq, eek) which I quite fancy for breakfast. Naughty boy!!
I’m really getting into the Band of Brothers dvd box set while I’m off. It’s a proper period-drama-for-boys and is as good as I’d hoped it would be. I might even buy it in the shops as it’s only about £20 at the moment.
Well, I best start putting the day into motion…
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Thursday, 21 April 2011
Home for the hols
I came back to Sheffield last Friday for the Easter break. It’s nice being at home but I have come down with a rather severe case of hay fever so I’ve spent this week feeling quite, quite rotten.
I want to record some music demos while I’m off to take back to college so I can start learning to use the recording gear there properly. Fingers crossed I’ll feel better next week so I can crack on with that.
When I return to college I might try and get another move as I’m getting fed up with the collection of dullards in my section of the dorm. I thought I was pretty straight laced but these guys seem to provide a new definition for the phrase. I think they’re just self serving control freaks who find it hard to be honest about themselves, so perhaps my own brand of insular self deprecation doesn’t mix well (or maybe it mixes too well and gives them something to abuse).
My old house has finally been sold by the mortgage lender and the shortfall isn’t as bad as I’d feared. Nevertheless I’m going to see about applying for a Debt Relief Order in the hope that I can start focusing on my future. I hope that I can keep my remaining musical equipment as losing that will mean a real set-back.
I must stay in contact with friends while I’m off on holiday. There are a couple of nice people at college that I’d like to stay in touch with, but being the uncertain and under confident person that I am, I’m not 100% sure they want to stay in touch with me. I am a silly sod sometimes, but what can you do?
My end of term reports at college were generally ok, but there was one from my least favourite tutor that required explaining. It was at that stage that I raised my concerns about the lack of continuity, focus and organisation in the training being provided. If we’re meant to teach ourselves then why are we paying for specialist tuition at a residential college?
My girlfriend has got a few things planned for the period that I’m off. Let’s hope we’re both in the mood when it comes round to it. We’re terrible for cancelling plans at the last minute. Just a mini-pub crawl would be nice, however I’m not too fussed about drinking when I’m at home… it’s surreal enough here, alcohol only seems to sober me up, lol.
We’re looking after a friend’s two guinea pigs while they are away on holiday and we’re quite enjoying the extra company. Our own guinea pig doesn’t seem to care about the new arrivals however the rabbit has been extra playful when we take her out of the hutch so I’m wondering if she’s making an extra effort in the fear that she’s going to be replaced. She won’t, of course, and the new arrivals will be off home soon.
The sun’s finally hit this fine land and I still haven’t got much summer wear that fits me. I bought some shorts the other week but I still need a pair of trainers and some lighter shirts. I look daft in smart shoes and dark colours. Oh well, I hardly ever fit in anyway.
Right, must dash, I have a runny nose to wipe, yuk!!
I want to record some music demos while I’m off to take back to college so I can start learning to use the recording gear there properly. Fingers crossed I’ll feel better next week so I can crack on with that.
When I return to college I might try and get another move as I’m getting fed up with the collection of dullards in my section of the dorm. I thought I was pretty straight laced but these guys seem to provide a new definition for the phrase. I think they’re just self serving control freaks who find it hard to be honest about themselves, so perhaps my own brand of insular self deprecation doesn’t mix well (or maybe it mixes too well and gives them something to abuse).
My old house has finally been sold by the mortgage lender and the shortfall isn’t as bad as I’d feared. Nevertheless I’m going to see about applying for a Debt Relief Order in the hope that I can start focusing on my future. I hope that I can keep my remaining musical equipment as losing that will mean a real set-back.
I must stay in contact with friends while I’m off on holiday. There are a couple of nice people at college that I’d like to stay in touch with, but being the uncertain and under confident person that I am, I’m not 100% sure they want to stay in touch with me. I am a silly sod sometimes, but what can you do?
My end of term reports at college were generally ok, but there was one from my least favourite tutor that required explaining. It was at that stage that I raised my concerns about the lack of continuity, focus and organisation in the training being provided. If we’re meant to teach ourselves then why are we paying for specialist tuition at a residential college?
My girlfriend has got a few things planned for the period that I’m off. Let’s hope we’re both in the mood when it comes round to it. We’re terrible for cancelling plans at the last minute. Just a mini-pub crawl would be nice, however I’m not too fussed about drinking when I’m at home… it’s surreal enough here, alcohol only seems to sober me up, lol.
We’re looking after a friend’s two guinea pigs while they are away on holiday and we’re quite enjoying the extra company. Our own guinea pig doesn’t seem to care about the new arrivals however the rabbit has been extra playful when we take her out of the hutch so I’m wondering if she’s making an extra effort in the fear that she’s going to be replaced. She won’t, of course, and the new arrivals will be off home soon.
The sun’s finally hit this fine land and I still haven’t got much summer wear that fits me. I bought some shorts the other week but I still need a pair of trainers and some lighter shirts. I look daft in smart shoes and dark colours. Oh well, I hardly ever fit in anyway.
Right, must dash, I have a runny nose to wipe, yuk!!
Sunday, 17 April 2011
"Angles" - The Strokes (album review)
It’s always nice when a song comes along that hits so many giddy nerves in your body that it makes you whistle and skip from the breakfast table right through to your midnight cereal raid… and it just so happens that “Under Cover Of Darkness” on The Strokes’ fourth album Angles is one of those tunes. In fact it’s so riff-tastic and catchy that you almost curse yourself for not coming up with the idea first.
Thankfully though this isn’t the only gem on the band’s long awaited (and much feared by this reviewer) follow-up to the deeply flawed First Impressions Of Earth which frontman Julian Casablancas managed to spoil almost single-handedly with a collection of vocal melodies which plunged to the very nadir of songwriting craft. Angles, predictably much like it’s title, has a few new angles to it, but the resulting record is neither confused nor rambling… it’s also mercifully shorter than it’s overlong predecessor.
From the colourful opener Machu Picchu onwards it’s clear that The Strokes have finally remembered how to infuse a bit of sunlight and fun into their garage rock groove and have brushed away the cobwebs of the past to march ahead to a more promising, productive and artistically valid future.
There are some lovely 80s flavours to the album, so much so in fact that on tracks like “Two Kinds Of Happiness” and “Games” you half expect Cyndi Lauper to make a guest appearance and wink cheekily through your speakers with a mouth full of bubblegum.
Elsewhere there are more earnest experiments into Radiohead-style alt-rock that thankfully aren’t left field enough to spoil the flow of the record and end up being entertaining in their own right. For those yearning for a reminder of their first two albums then “Taken For A Fool” comes with a lush chorus that must’ve been picked straight up off the cutting room (on fire) floor.
Angles is certainly one of the better albums to appear during this guitar-rock lull and the shoulder pad inducing synths are mixed well with the band’s familiar retro sound.
Give it a go… it’s a very rewarding “grower”.
4/5
Thankfully though this isn’t the only gem on the band’s long awaited (and much feared by this reviewer) follow-up to the deeply flawed First Impressions Of Earth which frontman Julian Casablancas managed to spoil almost single-handedly with a collection of vocal melodies which plunged to the very nadir of songwriting craft. Angles, predictably much like it’s title, has a few new angles to it, but the resulting record is neither confused nor rambling… it’s also mercifully shorter than it’s overlong predecessor.
From the colourful opener Machu Picchu onwards it’s clear that The Strokes have finally remembered how to infuse a bit of sunlight and fun into their garage rock groove and have brushed away the cobwebs of the past to march ahead to a more promising, productive and artistically valid future.
There are some lovely 80s flavours to the album, so much so in fact that on tracks like “Two Kinds Of Happiness” and “Games” you half expect Cyndi Lauper to make a guest appearance and wink cheekily through your speakers with a mouth full of bubblegum.
Elsewhere there are more earnest experiments into Radiohead-style alt-rock that thankfully aren’t left field enough to spoil the flow of the record and end up being entertaining in their own right. For those yearning for a reminder of their first two albums then “Taken For A Fool” comes with a lush chorus that must’ve been picked straight up off the cutting room (on fire) floor.
Angles is certainly one of the better albums to appear during this guitar-rock lull and the shoulder pad inducing synths are mixed well with the band’s familiar retro sound.
Give it a go… it’s a very rewarding “grower”.
4/5
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