A music blog

I am really excited about the new music coming to the market in 2008.

I've not really paid that much attention to music the past few months, being completely wrapped up in my coursework. Music was there to see me through my journey to and from work. On weekends it was invariably just listening to the radio.

But, having gone back to gym more regularly, I've been paying more attention to my music on my mp3 player and realised that I've got a lot of "old" music on there. Not that there is anything wrong with that, per se...but it is good to find new artists that enthuse you. And I have.

I've discovered Adele, her amazing album 19 - which I got just yesterday. Really good - but very much Eliza Wren Payne. Her style reminds me of Eliza's - very similar quirky songs, the style she sings in and her voice...but she is very much her own person. I have no idea the hype about her, but clearly its been played out very well. And it is worthy of the hype, in my opinion.

Another lady whom I can't wait to see live or own the cd of is Duffy. Not only is she gorgeous, killer dimples, and very talented, her music is amazing. She has a rich soulful voice and it reminds me a bit of music from divas in the sixties and seventies. Her album is out very soon so I will place a pre-order for that to come through. They have the official video for her song Mercy on amazon.co.uk and youtube.com.

There is another young lady out called:Colbie Caillat who is another singer/songwriter - yet another good voice hitting the market. This is the video on youtube of her song "Bubble". How incredibly natural and effortless does she make this look? (insert jealous face) I hope she makes it HUGE.

Then I recently bought the Plain White T's album and have been listening to that a lot. Also Newton Faulkner who is very fun and funky...and I think his image - dreadlocked and a bit scruffy - belies completely how hard he's worked to get his music out there. And indeed, his talent seems effortless.

Then - for me - someone who I think I will like even more than I do already - David Jordan. His song: The Sun goes down, is just ... mad. It makes you want to dance and ponce around. The album is incredible. Place in my heart is my next favourite track from the album.

I also heard some good things about a band called Ben's Brother and bought the album. Their music is good, solid. Their album very nice to listen to...but I'm not 100% about it though - FG loves it and listens to it all the time. He lead singer has a bit of Rod Stewart to his voice...which sort of puts me off a bit. But there you go.

We also got Biffy Clyro who are outstanding, as well as The Editors who has been around for a while and I kept hearing their music and then decided to ask for their cd as a xmas present. Amazing stuff. Very talented artists and here's hoping they'll be around a long good while still.

A few weeks ago, in the sales, I bought Amy MacDonald's debut album and I have to say - I really have high hopes for her. Her voice is that little hoarse, totally sexy and her lyrics are fun, or so you think, humming along. Then you listen to them, or you read the inset and realise that it's not all sunshine and roses. They are written by a very clever young lady who has a keen eye.

And of course - there is beautiful Jack Savoretti who I have yet to see perform live, but by all counts, he is really good. He is currently playing in various Caffe Nero venues - so watch out - he might come to one near you!

We've booked tickets to go see his gorgeousness - Seth Lakeman - in August at Regents Park and I cannot wait. We'll be seven rows from front. Squeeing. Including FG. Of course, this will be me coming away desperatingly wanting to finger my guitar until my little dog runs a mile.

Student Daze

It was up at five this morning to get ready in time to get to Paddington to catch a train to Reading for my second Face To Face tutoring session for the DipSurv diploma at CEM. Thankfully this time around I knew a group of girls, so we met up before the time and travelled together. It sort of makes things easier if you hang in a "posse".

We had the introduction to our Legal Studies and Building Technology modules today - incredibly interesting. No, seriously. I can't wait to get stuck into it. I even get to use Latin in the Legal bits and we were encouraged to think plainly and logically about things in the Building Technology module. Did you know there are about ten different parts to the stairs in your house? Yup. Watch this space - will no doubt feel the urge to inflict my line drawings on the world at large.

I feel a lot more confident about this part of the module than I did about either the Technical Communication or the Land Use Planning sections - which is odd. I have absolutely no idea what either of these other two modules will contain but I think that the first part of the course really taught me to think logically, how to plot an assignment in a reasonable and relatively sensible way. Which probably goes a long way to helping in the confidence aspect of it all.

I am however concerned about work. I have not been doing anything relating to my course. I have, in fact, been doing exactly what I have been doing these past few years, with no more being given to me. Part of it is because of the graduates that has been forced onto us - they are basically doing what should in theory be coming my way. Bosses have acknowledged that I should be given more work to do, more reports and such - as opposed to just admin things. And I hope it does come my way. I am loathe to sit there and waste my time.

Right, it's 11pm and I've now been up exactly eighteen hours. I think I deserve some sleep.

Dream a little dream for me...

Lucid Dreaming.

The term conjures images of dreaming in Cinemascope. Technicolour. Amazingly vivid and real, photoreal. Touch and feel real. And it is rare that I remember having these dreams. Or any dreams for that matter.

Now and again I have a few disturbing dreams about work, but it usually results in me bashing Mark in my sleep so that he walks around with a sore face for a few days and can’t figure out why. Sorry, hun.

Last night’s dream though has me stumped. I dreamed that I was en route to our local shopping centre. At the head of a giant army. And not just any old army. Futuristic armies straight out of the Warhammer world, complete with Space Marines, Inquisitors and Sisters of Battle. Including the guns, the weapons, the vehicles, the chatter in my head. All of it. Like some bizarre Saving Private Ryan, only grittier and noisier and me in charge.

Now this would be an understandable dream had I anything to do with Warhammer. I don’t. Admittedly FG has the new Dark Heresy RPG book which he’s been reading through. I’ve not even opened the front covers to look at it. He plays some of it on his computer and PSP and I’ve not played or seen either.

This however did not stop me from taking over the Glades Shopping Centre in Bromley as my army base and shooting the crap out of insurgent aliens in the form of orkz, tyranids and whatever else my fevered imagination could come up with.

I woke up this morning, utterly exhausted. Directing an army is incredibly tiring work. Who knew? Needless to say Bromley town centre does not exist anymore. I’ve shot it to shit and levelled it with so many bombs even bugs would not survive it.

Can anyone please explain to me…why Warhammer and why Bromley? Maybe Croydon, or Birmingham is worthy of levelling, but Bromley?? And why was I this seriously important Space Marine Commander who had the entire army under my command? I know I like being a bossy cow, but this is taking it a bit far.

But I had a really cool gun. A big one. Samaritan sized which would have made Hellboy sob into his cat litter.

Lucid dreaming. Seriously disturbing shyte.

Ancient City Travellers

We're back. We're exhausted. We're really smug. We've lost a mobile phone. We've got some awesome pictures. We've lost weight because of all the walking. We're planning to go back and do the rest of the Louvre and the remaining parts of the City we've not seen.

Here are some of our photos.

Freak Of Nature Club

I attended a babyshower yesterday for our friend Almay. It was a bit of a surprise shower, as she did not suspect a single thing. It was a proud thing when we walked in and everyone called out "Surprise!" - I was terrified though that she would go into labour immediately. I had to sneak her off to the shops so that her hubby could sort out the house and her other friends could arrive and set up for the cake and tea we had arranged. It was a success - she got lovely presents from everyone.

It was however a deeply disturbing time for me. I had nothing, besides the fact that I happened to be female, in common with these other women who were there. I sat there, and I could feel my eyebrows climb and climb higher and higher into my hairline. They occupy a completely and utterly different world to me. To anyone, really. It was surreal, to say the least. I found myself listening to them talking about nursing, breast feeding, attending ante natal classes. And in the end, it totally just became white noise. I did turn to Almay at one stage and said: "All I can hear is blah blah blah", and they all laughed. I was the only one there not pregnant, not hormonal or already had some kids - NOT counting Sparrow of course. I ate a few scones, took some ibuprufen to stave off an onrushing headache and listened to "The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round". And naturally, the age old question came up: "So, Liz, are you going to have kids?" I am so tired of the question and again demured, without losing my patience, too much, not wanting to point out that the question was boring, old hat...and I can go on, but then I will just sound even more angry and bitter than I really feel. So I got bitchy.

I did point out that we are planning a few holidays over to Paris, Rome and defintely a trip to Peru to hike the Inca Trail. Also mentioned the new movies coming out which would be fantastic to go and watch. And a few daytrips we are planning to take over to Whitstable and down to the countryside to the Chilli Festival. All of which we can do without much trouble or hassle, as we don't have kids or pregnant bellies in tow. Silence fell and I could feel the annoyance and resentment. And I felt better. The one woman did turn and say, sotto voice: "Oh, I suppose if the hormones have not kicked in by now, they probably never will."

And I had to bite the inside of my cheeks not to burst out laughing as she sounded so resentful and bitter.

So, join the Freak of Nature Club (or the Footloose and Fancy Free Club). I'm the founding member.