Stolen Songs

Part of being in a relationship is the sharing of beliefs, ideals, likes and dislikes. With that comes the sharing of music, art and films etc. But once that relationship ends I find that those things shared are now co-owned and have extra, personal, meanings which is why I haven't listened to "Out of Sight" by Spiritualized from their Let It Come Down album for 5 months; a song I adore and shared with my ex, which she loved, and that we danced to, cuddled to and loved to.

It's a song I'd love to reclaim as my own but time has not allowed that to happen....maybe one day.

Out of sight is always out of mind
I think out of mind is out of sight
I was just looking for some peace of mind
I just couldn't find a peace of mine

They say that pride comes just before a fall
I have fallen and I wasn't sure
You know that I have fallen further before
I just cannot stand falling no more

If I am good I could add years to my life
I would rather add some life to my years
Life is really what you make it they say
I can't even make my mind up today

The world keeps turning it keeps me in my place
Where I stand is only three miles from space
Standing space is all the space I can stand
Gravity just keeps on keeping me down

A Series of Lines - Worcester City Art Gallery

It's not often that Worcester City Art Gallery does modern but their current exhibition of works and ongoing collaborations of Esther Appleyard and Craig Kerrecoe is worth visiting - especially as it's free!

I'm not much of an art critic so I won't offer a critique of their work but I found their interest in DNA, data storage and human beings relationship with predetermination and free will challenging and interesting. What makes Esther Appleyard's work especially relevant is that she looks at DNA and genetic manimpulation from the point of view of being a wheelchair user with a genetically inherited condition.

There's a new cafe as well on the first floor that's worth visiting.

In Praise Of #3: Dear Catastrophe Waitress - Belle and Sebastian

I've posted lots of praises in the last two weeks but hey - here's another! Belle and Sebastian must get bored of being described as whimisical but i'm going to do it anyway - the albums preceeding this release were whimsical and somewhat lightweight. Having signed to Rough Trade they obviously got a much bigger recording budget and employed the legendary Trevor Horn as producer - and what a job he did. Horn is, of course, famous for his bombastic productions of ABS, Frankie Goes to Hollywood etc but he's a changed man now. It has horns, it has strings, it has beautiful arrangements - in fact the closet comparison I can make it that it is, soundwise if not lyrically, the noughties version of Love's Forever Changes, itself a classic album.

A must buy.

In Praise Of #2: Lakeland's Customer Service

Nowadays I think we accept poor customer service too easily so I think good customer service should be highlighted. I was in Lakeland in Worcester at the beginning of the week (not my usual haunt I might add) with a friend. We were greeted as we walked in and we had a look around trying to find what he wanted - not finding it we asked a member of staff who led the way to the ground floor and straight to product he was after. Perfect customer service.



So if you're looking for kitchenware you know where to go!

In Praise Of #1: Emusic.com's 75 Tracks for 99p

I like emusic. Being one of the first legal music sites to offer DRM-free mp3 they have no major label artists but they have enough on offer to make it a decent site to buy from. Their current offer of 75 tracks for 99p is excellent value for money (you have to sign up, download your tracks and close your account within a month).

The great music I've bought with this offer;

Finisterre - Saint Etienne
Dear Catastrophe Waitress - Belle & Sebastian
From The Hip - Section 25
Complete Organ Music, Vol. 1 - Olivier Messiaen
Eight Parabolic Studies - Henri Pousseur
Persepolis Remixes Edition 1 - Iannis Xenakis
Krannerg - Iannis Xenakis
Dox-Ork - Iannis Xenakis
Coro - Luciano Berio
Das Atmende Klarsein - Luigi Nono
The Confession of Isobel Gowdie - James McMillan

Secret Vices #3: Time - Electric Light Orchestra

I was brought up on Beethoven and the Rolling Stones with a bit of ELO thrown in for good measure. I'm not really sure why I like this album - it's a concept album (a good 10 years after concept albums were in vogue) and according to wiki it "tells the story of a man, circa 1981, who is taken away by time travelers to the late 21st Century. Once there, he marvels at the wonders that the future offers, but is also increasingly amazed to find that he longs for his own time (the past) and the woman he left behind because of his journey forward". Sounds great eh? Why anyone would hanker for 1981 is beyond me - all I can remember was race riots, a huge economic recession, having my teeth knocked out in a car crash and Manchester City losing the FA Cup Final to Spurs (an event that has caused significant psychological trauma since). Anyway Time has some cool computerised vocals, Jeff Lynne momentarily forgetting he was trying to be The Beatles circa Sgt Pepper and a couple of horrendous tracks.