On December 7th last year I blogged about my apparent inability to stick at things. Well, if anything I have continued to think about that blog a lot, and try to improve, so in one way at least I am gradually getting better at pushing through. I have started a lot of new things this year already. I wouldn't say they're new years resolutions but...well, I don't know what else they could be...
I bought a book from TESCO about study skills. It was actually a book for people still at school / college to help them study for their exams but nonetheless I found it an extremely interesting read and it spurred me on to buy some more books that were referenced throughout. The main development book is a book on how to read faster.
Whilst I love reading I find it frustrating that my reading speeds seem to have tailed off in the last 5 or 6 years, a trait which is apparently common when you leave full time education. The book I'm working through has self-assessment exercises throughout to help you measure your progress. The first one, which helps you work out your benchmark, encouraged me a bit but also showed me I've got a long way to go! I read at 189wpm, which is about average, although I have a comprehension of 80%, which is above average. The book reckons you can achieve reading speeds of 400 + with really extreme cases where people can read 1,000 + wpm! Can you believe that? Apparently it's all true. That must be pretty weird... I wonder if it takes all the fun out of reading?
I've also joined the gym. I'm currently going as much as I can. I took up an offer highlighted by the Money Saving Expert which I still heartily recommend. The site has a link to a Pruhealth promo scheme where you sign up for Private Healthcare and get free Cannons or JJB gym membership for 6 months! Pruhealth costs around £19 a month so it's quite a deal when most Cannons health clubs are £50 + (I think the Chelmsford one is £60+). I'm trying to get swimming and exercising as much as I can - this year I am determined to surpass the sit up farce of 2006.
Cannons also have an Osteopath, so I might even be able to get my back fixed at last!
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Still alive...
Hi, just a quicky to say I'm still alive...
I'll blog something good soon but I feel like my album review in the previous post was a bit of a flop; both personally and in terms of blog-visitors. I think that perhaps my confidence has been knocked by the lack of interest in it.
Anyhow, back soon...
I'll blog something good soon but I feel like my album review in the previous post was a bit of a flop; both personally and in terms of blog-visitors. I think that perhaps my confidence has been knocked by the lack of interest in it.
Anyhow, back soon...
Monday, January 08, 2007
Strangelove - Strangelove
Strangelove's self titled 1997 album is one of the jewels of my record collection - unfortunately not many people knew about them then (nor today really) so it never did as well as it should have. In fact I've got it mind to do a few of these blogs on my favourite albums - and most of them that come to mind never really achieved much commercial success. Maybe that's just the way I'm wired?
I first discovered Strangelove after rooting around my brother Michael's music collection back in 1995. He had a copy of their first album 'Time For The Rest Of Your Life' (another blinding set of songs) and I fell in love with it on my first listen. The band only released two more full length studio recordings, the second being 'Love and Other Demons' (thought by some to be their best) and this one, 'Strangelove'. The third and final was the most pop sounding of the lot and I think that might be why it's become my favourite...especially in my old age. I hope you won't mind me taking you on whistle stop tour?
Superstar, the first track of 11 opens with a mournful, cascading guitar chord. The outlook seems bleak - and from this point onwards it has to be said that the band tread a fine line between sad reflection and bleak self-loathing. Doesn't sound like a recipe for success? Well, no, it wasn't... but it's brilliant! Perfect pop melacholy. I love it.
Other highlights... Freak gives a glam tinged angry rock song with a well crafted bridge. Someday Soon, whilst not the strongest song on the album, has one of the best outros I can remember. The whining slide guitar gives way to the pounding rhythm section pushing and punching its way unstoppable and relentless to the end of the song. Awesome! I really love the sentiment of The Runaway Brothers "...both threwing up round the back" - Patrick Duff lyricism at its best.
The pub piano cleverness of Another Night In heralds the arrival of one of the most poppy tracks on the album; it was one of the singles but again, it didn't do too well. It's a really prime example of the Stranglove guitarists' ability to intertwine 2 or 3 melodic lines into a greater whole (when I was fortunate enough to see them live there were times in the set when 4 out of the 6 band members were playing guitar - we're talking full on wall of sound) - something they were brilliant at and something I've tried and failed to emulate loads of times!
The Greatest Show on Earth is a song writing highlight of the album and it's intricate arrangement makes it a good listen. You know you're back in '97 when the horns start up at the start of She's on Fire, a track which at times sounds like Suede (comparisons to Beautiful Ones wouldn't be unfair). It's a slower paced track which is might well be placed at this point in the album to slow things down a bit before the finale. Mona Lisa has an element of 90s dance music to it - it again highlights the ability of the rhythm section, especially the super tight drummer.
Looking back at how much I've written I think that'll do. Strangelove were not any worse than their contemporaries. In fact in some ways they were better. But they probably found their feet about 2 years too late to jump on the band wagon. They are at times disturbed, momentarily unhinged yet always very, very good. I wholeheartedly recommend you check them out and enjoy. Let me know what you think if you do.
I first discovered Strangelove after rooting around my brother Michael's music collection back in 1995. He had a copy of their first album 'Time For The Rest Of Your Life' (another blinding set of songs) and I fell in love with it on my first listen. The band only released two more full length studio recordings, the second being 'Love and Other Demons' (thought by some to be their best) and this one, 'Strangelove'. The third and final was the most pop sounding of the lot and I think that might be why it's become my favourite...especially in my old age. I hope you won't mind me taking you on whistle stop tour?
Superstar, the first track of 11 opens with a mournful, cascading guitar chord. The outlook seems bleak - and from this point onwards it has to be said that the band tread a fine line between sad reflection and bleak self-loathing. Doesn't sound like a recipe for success? Well, no, it wasn't... but it's brilliant! Perfect pop melacholy. I love it.
Other highlights... Freak gives a glam tinged angry rock song with a well crafted bridge. Someday Soon, whilst not the strongest song on the album, has one of the best outros I can remember. The whining slide guitar gives way to the pounding rhythm section pushing and punching its way unstoppable and relentless to the end of the song. Awesome! I really love the sentiment of The Runaway Brothers "...both threwing up round the back" - Patrick Duff lyricism at its best.
The pub piano cleverness of Another Night In heralds the arrival of one of the most poppy tracks on the album; it was one of the singles but again, it didn't do too well. It's a really prime example of the Stranglove guitarists' ability to intertwine 2 or 3 melodic lines into a greater whole (when I was fortunate enough to see them live there were times in the set when 4 out of the 6 band members were playing guitar - we're talking full on wall of sound) - something they were brilliant at and something I've tried and failed to emulate loads of times!
The Greatest Show on Earth is a song writing highlight of the album and it's intricate arrangement makes it a good listen. You know you're back in '97 when the horns start up at the start of She's on Fire, a track which at times sounds like Suede (comparisons to Beautiful Ones wouldn't be unfair). It's a slower paced track which is might well be placed at this point in the album to slow things down a bit before the finale. Mona Lisa has an element of 90s dance music to it - it again highlights the ability of the rhythm section, especially the super tight drummer.
Looking back at how much I've written I think that'll do. Strangelove were not any worse than their contemporaries. In fact in some ways they were better. But they probably found their feet about 2 years too late to jump on the band wagon. They are at times disturbed, momentarily unhinged yet always very, very good. I wholeheartedly recommend you check them out and enjoy. Let me know what you think if you do.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
I'm getting married this year
2007 brings with it many things but one of those things will be the year I get married to the mighty fine Michelle!
Up unto this point I've not really thought too much about the wedding - it was a conscious decision I suppose. It made sense to me to wait until the new year so then I could really get to grips with what I need to prepare and organise.
My jobs for the wedding are as follows:
- to organise what music we will have
- to book the cars
- to book the honeymoon
...and I think that is it... do you think I've got a good deal there? I mean obviously there is lots of stuff to do together...such as guest lists and booking venues and stuff, but my personal list of things to do is pleasantly short methinks.
Anyway, there's wedding blog number 1.
Up unto this point I've not really thought too much about the wedding - it was a conscious decision I suppose. It made sense to me to wait until the new year so then I could really get to grips with what I need to prepare and organise.
My jobs for the wedding are as follows:
- to organise what music we will have
- to book the cars
- to book the honeymoon
...and I think that is it... do you think I've got a good deal there? I mean obviously there is lots of stuff to do together...such as guest lists and booking venues and stuff, but my personal list of things to do is pleasantly short methinks.
Anyway, there's wedding blog number 1.
Monday, January 01, 2007
*E*l*e*c*t*r*a*l*y*t*e* on iTunes
This is a cheeky little plug - if you didn't know already the band has made it onto iTunes...but even better than that we're currently being featured on the iTunes uk store homepage - something we're uber proud about.
I'm sure it'll only be on there for a few days (it's been advertised on the homepage since the 29th Dec!) so go check it out while it's there! We are there...right at the bottom of the page under the title 'Exclusively on iTunes'.
Oh, and if you don't own a copy of our album Breakout then go ahead and buy the thing off iTunes. It's only £7.99 and comes with two tracks which don't appear on the cd version of the album. They're really good too...honest! If you do own a copy then you can just buy those two tracks on their own. Super.
(Sorry for blatant plug - I try not to plug on here too often as I realise it's not my place to do so...I'm just pleased that's all!)
I'm sure it'll only be on there for a few days (it's been advertised on the homepage since the 29th Dec!) so go check it out while it's there! We are there...right at the bottom of the page under the title 'Exclusively on iTunes'.
Oh, and if you don't own a copy of our album Breakout then go ahead and buy the thing off iTunes. It's only £7.99 and comes with two tracks which don't appear on the cd version of the album. They're really good too...honest! If you do own a copy then you can just buy those two tracks on their own. Super.
(Sorry for blatant plug - I try not to plug on here too often as I realise it's not my place to do so...I'm just pleased that's all!)
Speeding into 2007
Happy New Year! But... hang on, what's this envelope I just came home to? Surely nothing bad yet? Wha...? A speeding ticket? 41 in a 30? Pesky rotten speed trap!
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