New Music; Newent

I’m finally off to the fabled city of London tomorrow and shall be seeking out some bargains in the Berwick Street record shops with S and D before heading to Kentish Town and the Teenage Fanclub concert. It should prove a long but worthwhile day. I am especially keen to purchase some of the post-punk records featured in Rip It Up And Start Again and right now I am gunning for early Associates albums, the more obscure Postcard Records stuff and, certainly, Colossal Youth by Young Marble Giants.

I’m actually bombarded with new stuff to play without tomorrow’s antics. On Thursday, A, knowing I enjoy my reggae, kindly presented me with a copy of King Tubby’s Freedom Sound in Dub. I am able to borrow stuff from Oxfam and on Wednesday I took home and ripped three Kate Bush albums, The Kick Inside, Never For Ever, and The Sensual World. From my download site of choice I have purchased the new Thom Yorke album, The Eraser, as well as the David Bowie ‘Berlin Trilogy’, Low, Heroes and Lodger. And today I joined the Emusic download website and banged onto my hard drive and from there onto my MP3 player the almost forgotten early electronic Sufjan Stevens album, Enjoy Your Rabbit, lost folk masterpiece Penguin Eggs by Nic Jones and a bit of space rock, Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada by Godspeed You Black Emperor! It’s a good job it is the summer holidays.

It is Newent week on these pages. I paid homage to the lost son of Newent, Joe Meek, on Wednesday. Tomorrow I shall visit London-based but Newent-raised and Newent-educated, D. This afternoon was actually spent near the quaint market town itself. The Coles (minus scout camp dwelling son) sought out a favourite walk near a little place called Oxenhall. The old canal there has been renovated and it really is a gorgeous spot. A family of swans glided majestically past as we began our stroll and we spent a peaceful time sat by the area of canal that sits near the beautiful old lock keeper’s cottage, soaking up the sun and enjoying the wealth of wildlife that calls this marvellous place home. I’ve posted some photos but they don’t really do the place justice.