Filed under: Arts, music | Tags: bella union, fleet foxes, folk, indy folk, metacritic, us indy music
I’ve been under some peer pressure to love this album. Both K and K have slavvered over it and it comes with an 88 rating on Metacritic.com. Essentially it is the cognescenti’s album of the year so far. Add the fact that it is on the sublime Bella Union Record label and it can’t fail. Can it?
Yes, actually it can.
It’s a wee bit Midlakey (Even Mrs G spotted that) and a big bit My Morning Jacket.
The trouble is, despite its beautiful angst and moody reflectiveness, taught playing and good melodies something just isn’t clicking. Is it trying too hard I wonder? Is the lead singer’s oft falsetto voice too irritating? Is the overuse of echo by the production team trying to make it too ‘important’?
I think it’s the latter.
It suffers from kinda pompous production. Rather than making it a cosy, fireside, modern-day folk record it turns it into some sort of bombastic minimalism. (I know, that’s paradoxical but it’s true.)
The production, for me, sucks.
It’s a good enough record.
But album of the year?
No way Jose.
Filed under: football, sports, tv | Tags: arshavin, EURO 2008, holland v russia, spain v italy
Well, I’m quite glad I backed the Russians to win Euro 2008 at 22/1. They’ve been spectacular in their last two matches and Arshavin has been the revelation of the tournament. Here’s hoping there’s more to come from him. It was a splendid game and a great performance all round (51 shots on goal) and was what footie should all be about.
Then there was the Italians.
Utter cynicism.
Toni finished the tournament without even looking like scoring.
A terrible game ‘dominated’ by Spain but ruined by Italy. Oh how we cheered when they lost on penalties. But it begs the question; are the Spanish good enough to win the tournament? I don’t think so.
In terms of my predictions; well I thought Russia and Germany would be in the semis, and they are; and that Italy would beat Spain in the other quarter final. Well, I got the teams right but not the result.
I honestly think Russia can do it. My bank manager hopes so to.
