scaryblog

Continuing my trip up #album-of-the-day... 20.10.02  : World Psychedelic Classics 5: Who is William Onyeabor? - William Onyeabor (2013) Well, this looked intriguing enough even before I read his Wikipedia entry to try and find out the answer to the album's title - and it turns out Wikipedia don't really know either.  I can't say I was entirely au fait with Nigerian psychedelic funk, although I'd have to say it actually sounded quite like I expected it to.  I didn't mind the overall sound and it's certainly got rhythm, but I did find the tracks too long for my liking and I must admit I didn't listen to the extended deluxe version - I decided that 72 minutes was enough and I really didn't need the extra 31 minutes, thank you very much.  I can't say I'll be rushing back to it, but it definitely has a certain vibe to it and was interesting to listen to. The channel had four thumbs up and a (not entirely serious) complaint about MORE Nigerian psychede

Continuing my trip up #album-of-the-day... 20.09.29  : Slide -  George Clanton  (2018) I was a bit worried when I initially saw this because I didn't really like the stuff George Clinton did with Parliament or Funkadelic (with the exception of the track "Maggot Brain", of course, which is impressive even if you don't like it - the rest of the album  isn't too bad either).  But then I realised I can't read and he's got nothing to do with this album - even if I was still expecting some old school funk (whilst knowing it wouldn't be!). And it actually is a bit funky in places but it's definitely not old school funk - Nao's description of her music as "wonky funk" springing to mind.  It also reminded me of Tom Vek, but with slightly smoother vocals.  I can't say any one track jumped out at me, but I didn't mind this at all. The channel gave this 5 thumbs up and a couple of positive comments.  Wikipedia has a bit on the album but

Continuing my trip up The Guardian's  Top 50 Movies of 2020... #32 :   County Lines This hard-hitting British drama takes its cue from the grim news stories of cross-country drug courier gangs. Conrad Khan stars as the 14-year-old who becomes entangled in crime after a dysfunctional childhood and unhappy schooling. Well, it's fair to say I wasn't expecting this to be a barrel of laughs - I think "hard-hitting" was probably the adjective I was most expecting to be using to describe it. It basically follows Tyler through a series of generally pretty brief scenes as his life doesn't exactly go swimmingly well - you might possibly be able to guess what happens to him.  And to be honest, that's pretty much all I can tell you about it - you watch the film hoping for some hope at the end but knowing perfectly well that a hopeless outcome is probably more realistic. So yeah, "hard-hitting" wouldn't be an inaccurate description.  It's also quite b

Continuing my trip up #album-of-the-day... 20.09.24  : In Our Heads -  Hot Chip  (2012) I like a spot of Hot Chip - "One Life Stand" obviously being their high point, but I've listened to this album as well and seem to recall enjoying it, but I've not heard in many a long year so was pleased to revisit it.  And yeah, I enjoyed catching up with it - they always remind me of a geeky New Order, but where i find I get very bored very quickly with New Order, Hot Chip manage to keep me engaged.   "Flutes" stood out for me as the top track (despite being over 7 minutes long), but I thought it was all very listenable.  I also love the album cover. The channel was quietly positive on this, but it spent more time talking about their video directed by Peter Serafinowicz, which is indeed definitely "something".  Wikipedia doesn't have a lot on the album other than noting that the critics loved it.  It did OK commercially - #14 in the UK, which feels a bit

Continuing my trip up #album-of-the-day... 20.09.21  : For All We Know -  Nao  (2016) Not something I was aware of - and whilst it's not really my thing, it's done well enough and I can see there would be occasions it would be called for.  No particular track really jumped out at me, but it was all perfectly pleasant.  And it's very unlikely I'll ever listen to it again. The channel was pretty quiet on this one - one ok hand, one thumbs up and one positive comment.   Wikipedia has more on the album than you might expect, saying it was named after a 1934 jazz song partly with a nod to her roots but mostly just because she really liked the title (and you can't really argue with "liking it" as a reason).  The album was well received critically, featuring on quite a few "best of 2016" and did OK commercially getting to #17 in the UK charts.  I also particularly liked the fact that she describes her music style as "wonky funk" which suggests

Continuing my trip up #album-of-the-day... 20.09.16  : Our Earthly Pleasures -  Maximo Park  (2007) I liked this album back in the day, but hadn't listened to it in ages so was pleased to be reminded of it.  And yeah, I still like it - "A Fortnight's Time" is my fave track, but they all barrel along nicely and are well played and sung.  I never checked anything of theirs out after this album - I really should!  I also like the album cover - you want to know what's going on.  The channel gave this 6 thumbs up and a few positive comments.  Wikipedia has a few random sentences on the album but notes that it was well received both critically and commercially, reaching #2 in the UK - kept off the top by Kings Of Leon's Because Of The Times (which I remember being pretty popular, but I was amazed to see it spent 2 years in the charts!).  I was also pleased to see they're still hanging in there and they released an album earlier this year (which also peaked at #2

Continuing my trip up The Guardian's  Top 50 Movies of 2020... #33 :   Possessor This sci-fi thriller from Brandon Cronenberg is just as creepy as his father David’s work. It stars Andrea Riseborough as a future assassin who invades hapless victims’ minds and uses them to assassinate targets. One I'd heard of at least, and I'd also heard that son-of-David's film making style didn't fall far from the tree, so I was expecting a stylish horror/sci-fi with either a fully formed plot which works well or a paper-thin concept which barely hangs together. And it certainly has an arresting beginning - if I didn't have some concept of the plot, I'd have been like "woah!".  It's definitely an interesting concept - although I was intrigued to see whether there was more to the film than just an interesting concept.  And there both is and there isn't - it's an interesting concept to invade someone's mind to use them for your own ends, but it'

Continuing my trip up #album-of-the-day... 20.09.11  : Outlaws And Dreamers -  Dick Gaughan  (2001) Another album and artist I didn't know - but it turns out I really should have, because this is right up my street.  I love a traditional English/Scottish/Irish folk song (I'm sure I'd like a Welsh one as well, but I can't claim I've have the pleasure so far) - I generally prefer a female voice singing them, but still enjoy a guy giving them a good go.  And that's pretty much what we've got here - I bet he's great live.  Just to demonstrate my preference for the female voice, "Dowie Dens O' Yarrow" and "When I'm Gone" jumped out at me because I knew Karine Polwart's and Thea Gilmore's versions respectively (my plan is to have Thea's version played at my funeral - but hopefully not too soon) but I enjoyed the rest of the songs as well.  A fine discovery. The channel was pretty quiet on this one - which didn't su

Continuing my trip up #album-of-the-day... 20.09.08  : DDMN -  Saint PHNX  (2020) 10 songs?  32 minutes?  I like this already!  No idea of anything else about it though - and I couldn't even decide on what I was expecting from their name either.  And having listened to it, I'm not entirely sure how I'd describe it.  It's a combination of rock, hip-hop and R&B, but quite singalong at the same time - I didn't mind it at all and imagine it sounds particularly fine live. The channel limited itself to one positive comment balanced by one "not for me, thanks".   Wikipedia has nothing on the band or the album - all I can tell you is they're brothers from Wishaw.   "Customers also listened to" a load of people I've never heard of, but I liked this more than I expected to (even if I can't describe it!).  And I don't really feel this "write-up" has told you anything about it at all! 20.09.09  : Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liq

Continuing my trip up The Guardian's  Top 50 Movies of 2020... #34 :   The Good Girls (Las Niñas Bien) Ilse Salas is outstanding in an 1980s-set study of Mexico’s financial meltdown, playing a rich, status-obsessed woman whose privileged life starts to collapse I couldn't find this at first, but finally managed to track it down.  I can't say I'm overly looking forward to it, but I'm intrigued to watch it because it got some terrible reviews on IMDB!  So here goes... And it starts at a party which obviously has lots of rich people at it.  But - oh no!  There's a big (and I mean big!) black moth on the wall - apparently it's bad luck to remove them.  Could that be an omen, by any chance?!?   And well, would you believe it - it is!  Basically, the whole film is one woman's life having a meltdown - but seeing as how the whole country is having a meltdown, it's not all that surprising.  And basically, that's it - I guess you could consider it a bit of