Yep, the lurgi has hit Kleptone towers, which is a right bastard. And over a weekend too, so not even any days off to make it seem better...yet. Here's hoping it goes soon... At least it meant I got to watch "Inherent Vice" last night, which I thought was really very good indeed, and deserving of more than the measly two Oscar nominations it got - they never care much for druggy films tho, do they? Still, seeing Wes Anderson and Rich Linklater up for the big'uns makes me very happy indeed. About bloody time.
Next week's #vortex is still being debated on the tweets, so watch there for the decision - I'll update this post when it's decided, for your handy references.
"‘Quirky’ is a loathsome word. It’s so often the laziest journo shorthand to patronise, demean or simply to register lack of understanding (and god help me if I ever meet anyone who describes themselves as ‘quirky.’) And close to ‘quirk’ on my loathing register lies the word ‘whimsical.’ (Someone who, I hope, was trying to be nice about my recent book – available in your nearest independent bookseller right now, folks, for little more than ten quid, ahem – described it as ‘quirky’ and despite what I take to be their good intentions, I would condemn them to the deepest pit of hell.)
And yet, here is a record which lesser critics may choose to adorn with such tawdry epithets. But let us not think of them.
Yes, this record contains toy instruments, piano, electronics and – trigger warning – quite possibly even a f***ing ukulele, but also possesses a strength and rigour that belies its apparent (and delicious) lightness.
I was first alerted to it after hearing a track on Radio 3’s wonderful ‘Late Junction’ show, and got the whole thing, thinking it to be good music for listening to when reading, writing, idling, endlessly checking your twitter feed in the vain hope something interesting might pop up, that kind of thing. But then, one sunny morning, while doing the washing up, this playing loud, I suddenly realised I was not a bloke on his own in the kitchen with a pair of Marigolds on, I was actually in a movie, probably directed by Michel Gondry, involving surreal interludes, a lost cat, a doomed, bittersweet affair with Charlotte Gainsbourg and a tacitly redemptive ending.
So, yeah, you can listen to the new Unthanks or BjÓ§rk record anytime, I figured, and chose to give you this instead. Put it on while you’re watering the plants, and let it steal your soul.
Drink recommendation: one of those cocktails you always think looks a bit too wussy to drink in public."
Yes indeed. Direct download is here (link at top of the page), Mixcloud (who put the c*nt in c*ntent recognition) stream is here.
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