Mug Life

kudos to (B)ill Freeman for this

The BQE

The BQE is surprisingly good, especially when things could have been primed for a Sufjan backlash. Definitely wears its influences on its sleeve, but meets my mental pre-conception of New York perfectly (i.e. frantic, romanticised, almost absurdly optimistic, beauty in the seemingly unprepossessing). Asthmatic Kitty say there's Gerswin, Wagner, Terry Riley, and Charles Ives in there, which I can certainly hear, but I'm not sure where they get the Autechre from . . . perfect to instill some similar hopefulness in winter journeys in the occasionally oppressive big smoke as well.

Somehow brings Style Wars into my head (the records cover helps) maybe its the optimism or just the NY transport authorities . . .

 

 

St James' Heresy

With Newcastle Broon off to Yorkshire (the traitorous bastards!) and Northern Rock now on a Stalinist 5 year plan by the state or some shit, there is surely only one real contender for the naming rights to St James' Park (that saint Mike Ashley has so generously offered up). . . Greggs the Bakers.

That's right, pride of the north; everyone loves a good pastie, sausage roll or stotty (especially since cheese savoury is a concept that doesn't seem to exist down south). There's hope yet . . .