scaryblog

Continuing my trip down The Guardian's  Top 50 TV Shows of 2022 .   #4 :  Hacks We didn’t just get one excellent season of this tale of two comics pushed into an unlikely writing partnership this year, thanks to a delay in a UK broadcaster bringing it across the Atlantic, we got two. The first season took young, bratty, wise-ass quip merchant Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) and successful but out-of-touch comedian/QVC presenter Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and told an unfailingly cackle-worthy story that grew into an unexpectedly moving tale of companionship. Season two picked up with the pair falling out over Ava leaking embarrassing stories about Deborah to a TV show, only to make amends, cram into a bus and head off on tour together. They went on a lesbian cruise trip, dealt with the aftermath of a suicide and came dangerously close to junking their working relationship. Luckily, we know a third season is on its way, so hopefully there’s plenty of life left in the duo’s adventures

Continuing my trip up the list of the most streamed songs for each year.   1973 :  Jolene - Dolly Parton A fine song, but again I'm surprised it's the most streamed track of the year over here - I guess things may become clearer when I see the competition. I suspect I don't need to hum if for you but I was surprised at how short and sweet it is, coming in at a very brief 2:42.  It was a big country hit in the US but only reached #80 in the main chart and it wasn't released as a single here in '73 - we had to wait until '76 for it, when it reached #7 and it also charted again in '11 (no idea why) and '14 (when she did that fabulous Glasto set).  It's been nominated for a Grammy three times - first for the original, then for a live version a year later but she had to wait until '16 to win one thanks to a version she did with Pentatonix (and here's an excellent version featuring Miley Cyrus as well). Apparently, it's her most covered song -

Continuing my trip back through the 2006 album charts. 09/07/06 :  Under The Iron Sea - Keane This is an album I bought, listened to at least twice, filed under "perfectly fine" and went back to listening to Hopes And Fears, their debut album.  My suspicion is that my opinion of "perfectly fine" is unlikely to change on one more listen. But, do you know, I think my opinion has changed.  I'm no longer of the opinion that it's "perfectly fine" and now believe it to be "remarkably average".  Whereas Hopes And Fears has some well-constructed tracks which show some variety, this just all sounds like lazy mush - they just threw together some swirly piano sounds and laid some weak vocals very lightly over the top.  And I really didn't need 50 minutes of it either.  But, as I previously said, it was lazy mush that we owned which takes us up to seven for the year (can we make double figures?). We're at #4 in the charts this week on their 4

Continuing my trip back through the 2006 album charts. 16/07/06 :  The Eraser - Thom Yorke Hold on - is this the one where Thom ditches the experimental whining and bleeping and goes full-on pop?   No - because that's just never going to happen is it?  If you like Radiohead (particularly their later stuff) then I can't see you're going to mind this, but I'd struggle to say it pushes the envelope in any direction - part of me feels like I wanted him to do something that I could properly hate, but this just makes me shake my head ruefully and think "Oh Thom, what are you like?". We're at #3 with a new entry this week, starting a ten week run which feels particularly generous from the 2006 record buying public.  The rest of the top five were Muse , The Kooks , The Zutons and Rihanna and the next highest new entry was Guillemots (#16) who I seem to recall I didn't mind, but I can't remember anything more about them. Wikipedia has way more on the album

Continuing my trip forward in time through the album charts 27/01/23 :  What's Rock And Roll? - The Reytons Never heard of them, but if they're not indie kids, I'll be amazed. Yup, they're indie kids alright and they grew up listening to The Arctic Monkeys.  If you like the Arctics debut album , then you're probably going to like this, although you might think it's a little too similar for your liking - personally, I think they just about get away with it, but it's a close run thing at times.  If they play Glasto (which feels like it's definitely gonna happen) I will pop along and see them - "Little Bastards" has an enjoyably sing-along chorus and I liked "Monthly Subscription" as well. Plenty of people like it though because we're at #1 this week, although I suspect it won't be hanging around for ages.  The rest of the top five are  Taylor ,  SZA , The Weeknd and Maneskin (a new entry) and we have another new entry at #6 for

The latest in an occasional series of theatre reviews... The Lehman Trilogy : Gillian Lynne Theatre I know this got great write-ups last time it was in London, which was back in 2018 - directed by Sam Mendes and starring Simon Russell Beale, Adam Godley and Ben Miles, all of whom were nominated for Olivier Awards.  So when I saw this was coming back, I booked early (even before the cast was announced, which I think was about 6 months ago now) and waited patiently for the time to come around (little knowing that I'd booked to see a 3.5 hour play the night after I was going to spend 3 hours in the theatre watching Derren Brown ). And it was a first time visit to this theatre as well - and very nice it is too (if in a slightly strange location).  And very wide, as I'd guessed beforehand because I was sitting in seat E65!  My seat gave me some concerns about visibility, but these completely disappeared when the curtain went up because everything was perfectly in sight. The curtain

Continuing my trip back through the 2006 album charts. 23/07/06 :  Black Holes And Revelations - Muse Is this peak Muse?  I suspect it might be... I know and like this album - and I'm quite surprised I've not previously met it.  But, at fourth time of asking the band, we've finally met it and I'm perfectly pleased to revisit their particular blend of bombast. And yeah, it was nice to listen to it again - the volume was probably a little low, but I can't really blame them for that.  "Starlight" and "Supermassive Black Hole" are probably my favourites, but it all swirls past you preposterously in a way that's very much of its time, but also quite timeless.  If you're not a Muse fan, then there's absolutely nothing here to convert you, but if you're not aware of their output then this is a probably as good as place as any to start.  It's a fine album cover as well - another Storm Thurgerson effort.  And it's another one we ow

The latest in an occasional series of theatre reviews... Derren Brown - Showman : The Apollo Theatre "Some of you out there will review this - which is great and I really appreciate it.  But I must ask that your review of this show doesn't mention anything that actually happens in the show" Errr - OK, Derren.  Let's see how I get on with that.  I've liked the stuff that he's done on the telly, but never been to see him live, so I was really looking forward to this.  But first I had to get to my seat - this  was my third trip to the Apollo, but my first trip up to the balcony which I can only assume must be closed for most shows because it's a LONG way up. The view to the rear of the stage is obscured but it wasn't a problem for this show because most of it was towards the front of the stage and they'd arranged screens which provided visibility of anything else.  And when we entered the theatre, this is what they displayed. So, did Derren let me dow

Continuing my trip back through the 2006 album charts. 30/07/06 :  These Streets - Paolo Nutini Our third visit with Paolo and we're still yet to get to the album I know and like (Caustic Love) - with the previous visits being both similar and different.  So I'm expecting something similar and different again. Actually, this is the closest to Caustic Love so far.   I actually knew and liked "Last Request" - I'd just forgotten about it.  I also liked "New Shoes", which bops along nicely and "Autumn", which is a nice languid change of pace.  It manages to be both retro and contemporary but o verall, it's maybe not quite as immediate as I'd like - I suspect multiple relistens would reward the effort, but that's just not going to happen I'm afraid. We're at #5 in the charts this week on his second week of a 72 week run (really?), having peaked at #3 in its debut week.  It's managed eight more runs (including 20 and 46 week s

Continuing my trip back through the 2006 album charts. 06/08/06 :  Trouble - Ray LaMontagne I remember the title track - he's got a nice enough voice but it consists almost entirely of him singing "Woah trouble" over a pretty simple backing track, but was somehow ridiculously popular (I blame dinner parties).  So I think it's fair to say my expectations are not high for a whole album of that... And yeah, that's pretty much what we've got.  I'm sure I'll be told I'm missing subtle variation and nuance, but for me it all sounds exactly the same.  It's not hateful - just utterly, utterly pointless.  Who would want to listen to this? And yet, we're at #5 in the charts (its peak position) on the seventh week of a 23 week run - and then it came back for another 12 week run in the new year.  What do I know, eh?  (very little, as I prove on a daily basis).  The rest of the top five are  James Morrison  (a new entry),  Razorlight ,  Snow Patrol  (wh

Continuing my trip back through the 2006 album charts. 13/08/06 :  Inside In/Inside Out - The Kooks I liked this a lot back in the day - I can't say I've revisited it regularly in the days since so it will be a pleasure to see how it holds up. Hmmm - it feels harsh to describe it as inconsistent, but the good bits are an awful lot memorable than the other bits.  "Naive", "Ooh La" and "She Moves In Her Own Way" are my favourites and whilst the rest of it bounced along quite nicely, I can't say it came back to me across the years and it does feel like they were running out of ideas by the end of the album.  It's fair to say your man isn't the best singer in the world but it doesn't really seem to matter - I can imagine seeing them at a festival on a sunny Sunday afternoon would feel pretty perfect.  And, it's another one we own somewhere in the house, taking the total for the year to five (which is already more than I was expectin

Continuing my trip back through the 2006 album charts. 20/08/06 :  Bright Idea - Orson I remember Orson being cheeky chappies who maybe took themselves slightly too seriously - I don't think I hated them, but didn't have a lot of time for them either. Yeah, they're like slightly rockier US versions of Busted or McFly - t here were also parts that reminded me of Men At Work.  T hey're not aimed at me but I can't say I minded them at all - I'd actually go as far as to say I remember quite liking the title track and "So Ahead Of Me", but I have to admit I don't remember the slightest thing about them already.  I can see it would be a great album to put on in the summer in the car with the roof down (if our super cool Zafira rocked such a look) We're at #4 in the charts on their twelfth week of a 23 week run.  It debuted at #1, but dropped down pretty quickly, getting as low as #39 in its seventh week before it turned things around and climbed back

Continuing my trip forward in time through the album charts 20/01/23 :  St. Jude - Courteeners I made a bit of a schoolboy error here - I told she-whose-name-must-not-be-spoken to "play Courteeners latest album" because, like, that would be the one riding high in the charts, right?  Well, no - this is actually their first album.  More on that after I've listened to the thing... It's an Arctic Monkeys/The Libertines like sound with a pinch of Oasis attitude - yes, it's pretty rough and ready but that's what people liked back then (2008, if you can remember that far back!).  I recognised and liked "Not Nineteen Forever", which is their most successful single so far - the rest of it was fair to middling, I'd say but none of it was hateful. So, amazingly, we're at #1 with a re-entry this week - it had a 6 week run upon in its initial release in 2008 (peaking at #4), it had one week at #59 in 2018 and now has one week at #1 in 2023 (it might get o

Continuing my trip back through the 2006 album charts. 27/08/06 :  Back To Basics - Christina Aguilera I've liked the Xtina singles I've come across in my time - "Genie In A Bottle" is a fantastically saucy number, "Beautiful" is a most excellent power ballad, "Thank You" has a fine strong message and "Dirrty" is just nice clean filth.  But, have I ever listened to a whole album of hers?  Go on, guess... So, here we are and I didn't mind this at all in places.  To start with, it felt to me like it was kinda what both Justin Timberlake and Beyoncé were going for - a retro sound updated to sound contemporary.  Christina holds on to her roots more obviously than either of them do and I think it helps - for a bit.  But, on the second half of the double album, she gives up on the contemporary and goes way back to the first half of the 20th century - she does it well, but I'm not sure it's what anyone was asking for.  All in all, it

Continuing my trip down The Guardian's  Top 50 TV Shows of 2022 .   #3 :  Severance Right as workers started shuffling back into the office at the end of the Omicron surge, Apple TV+ released a show that captured all those heightened tensions over our relationship with work, and condense them into one highly bingeable product. The result was Severance, a paranoid-thriller puzzle-box mystery. with a bewilderingly high-concept premise. Employees at shady biotechnology company, Lumon Industries, opt into a process where they are split into two selves: an “innie” and an “outie”. The innie has no memory of life outside the workplace, the outie remembers nothing outside their leisure hours. A tantalising prospect, you might think – but only if you’re an outie. The innie is essentially trapped in 24/7 servitude. For all its curious qualities, Severance never feels less than engrossing. That’s down to the performances by big-name stars including Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, John Turturro