side a
By all accounts Bon Iver delivered in their 3 Glastonbury performances but this one seems to have people talking. It's about half of the set from the Sunday afternoon (I think) and culminates in a great version of "Wolves".
Inspired by a blog I read the other day here's a mixtape of songs from my favourite albums released so far this year.
Things that are known about jj:
side a
side a
Jay Z will release Blueprint 3 in September and I didn't think that, after his total destruction of Glastonbury and then hearing "Jockin' Jay Z (Dope Boy Fresh)" (an instant classic!), I could be more excited. I was wrong. It's not 'vintage' Jay Z in terms of hooks but in terms of subject and lyrics - it's great. You gotta love anyone who's gonna attack the way that, like, 80% of today's records are made.
Although I'd never encountered this piece, 'Desiderata', until last night my understanding is that it is really quite famous. I do know that, despite what it says, it wasn't discovered in a Baltimore church (though that would've been impressive!) but it is, to my mind, very good. Very simple. Very positive. Very soothing. 
Although I've read Dylan's "Chronicles, Volume 1" and Karen Dalton is mentioned in it I'd never encountered her until very recently (meaning yesterday!). All I can say is that, apart from my daily Grizzly Bear/Department of Eagles listening, I've been listening to her debut album "It's So hard To You Who's Gonna Love You The Best" almost non-stop and it's, frankly, astonishing.
Call it busy or call it lazy but whatever you call it - it's a new video.
Now, I would argue that this post does not come from a place of bias but I will acknowledge a soft spot for New Jersey's Holler, Wild Rose! (the punctuation can be a deal-breaker for some).
Whilst their debut album never really did capture how good a live band they are (you should still get it though - it's worth it for 'Captive Train' alone!) this video goes some way to indicating what, for me, they're all about.
side a
The music washed over her as she stepped into the place. Outside was cold and filled with car horns, screeching breaks and steam rising from the roadside: but inside was a cocoon; an enclosure filled (too full?) with people chattering, drinking, laughing and dancing. She could hear that the music was coming from the far end of the long bar, in the back room, but had no idea how she was going to get there through the throngs of people. She also needed a drink.
There are few people more annoying than fat James Cordon. Yeah, I used fat. If that offends you then call me a "fatist", fatty. However, I'm loathe to totally categorize anyone in such 2D terms as an egotistical hype machine so, at times, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, Gavin & Stacy can be funny (Ruth Jones?). It is with this in mind that I post this video - from Comic Relief - as it's pretty funny: Cordon giving a team talk to the England football team.
side a
"If God exists then the pop music he makes sounds like Jon Brion"
Gabe dropped to the floor, hard, clutching his head as the attack took hold. What felt like a slice of his brain was burning and scorching and searing with a pain that seemed impossible for him to bear. Sweating and writhing on the kitchen floor of his apartment he kicked out; looking for anything to alleviate this terror or deflect his attention away from the fact that he thought the inner workings of his skull were about to combust. He struck the leg of his cheap wooden kitchen table; it immediately buckled and fell, seemingly in slow motion, bringing with it the cup, plate and New York Times that he'd been using only moments before. Although his vision was dimming he managed to dodge the debris by thrashing and rolling to the corner of the room where he curled up against the old brown refrigerator that guarded the door to the living room. He was weakening now and felt like he was going to pass out from the pain. This would be welcome and he inwardly begged for it. His legs were still moving as his vision finally gave out. There was only darkness and white-hot pain now. Sleep would surely come now he thought. Then it happened. Images invaded his head, piling themselves on one another.
side a
