Ripples

A gentle and polite ripple of applause in a cricket stylee would be welcome for this site’s 150th posting of the year. Last year I managed a mere 133 postings by way of comparison so the curve is up. A target for next year needs to be considered. I think the double hundred is a tad ambitious especially as I traditionally tend to have a month or two of self-doubt and ennui when my muse departs and I can’t think of anything decent to write about. I’ll go for 183 posts I reckon; this would represent one every other day. We’ll see.

The Sufjan Stevens Christmas Album had another airing tonight. It’s an understated recording, quite lo-fi and a nice little indicator of how the songwriting prowess of the talented American has developed over the years. However, I’m mainly playing the Bjork album Vespertine and the Eg and Alice long player at the moment. Vespertine is a lovely set of songs packed with imagination and rather sensual undertones. It may be the enigmatic Icelandic maid’s finest work although Debut and Homogenic are mighty fine and splendidly challenging also.

D texted me to agree with my recent appraisal of The Royal Tenenbaums. I’m not alone then, and am glad that someone else doesn’t rate this ghastly film. It appears that D blew hot and cold about last weekend’s All Tomorrows Parties festival at Minehead’s Butlins. I await further detail but I sense it was a case of ‘great music, shame about the venue’. The affable Newent-bred Londoner used the word ‘shambles’. Heck.