2016: A year in music

2016 may go down as a year of political upsets and celebrity deaths, but closer to home it was a year of celebration. Not all the time, of course. But we did have a couple of biggies to celebrate. July marked our 25th wedding anniversary and August my 50th birthday. 

Sarah and I enjoyed great holidays in Rome/Venice in May/June and Portugal in August. We also attended a number of music concerts and performances during the year. Quite a few, in fact now I think about it. 

We saw The Beatles show, Let It Be, which was fab. Caught some other tribute bands, playing homage to Madness and The Who. Pretty good, but nothing beats the real thing. 

I was a teenage mod, into The Jam, Secret Affair and other 'mod revival'  bands of the 1970s and 80s. We saw Secret Affair at The Fleece, Bristol and caught From The Jam at Frome and Salisbury. Nice to hear the old songs, but it's a bit of a pity that they haven't moved on much since their heyday. Bruce Foxton procued a new album this year, Smash the Clocks. Pretty good, but the bassist evidently didn't have the confidence to include more than one new song in the set of either gig. At lest with Weller there's always something fresh and new at his concerts. 

We saw Coldplay at Wembley Stadium in June. They were off the scale in terms of creating a stadium filling live event. Flashing wrist bands, confetti showers, oversized bouncing balls, huge screens projecting fantastic visuals. It was all there. Chris Martin was a bundle of energy, bouncing up and down the runway that dissected the stadium. Great accompaniment provided by the band. People don't like to admit to liking Coldplay, but you've got to love the effort they put in to making a gig such a special event. They played a good mix of songs old and new. From their early Indie sound to the more recent poppy stuff. An unforgettable way to celebrate our 25th.

For the last few years Westbury has played host to the Village Pump Folk Festival, a folk music weekender. We hadn't attended until this summer, although the venue is just up the road from us. Partly because I thought folk music was a bit hairy beardy, double denimy. Not my scene, really. But, then again, I quite like some of Billy Bragg's stuff and  a number of Paul Weller's albums have a folk vibe; Wild Wood and 22 Dreams, for instance. Anyway, the organisers were offering discounted evening tickets for locals. The Proclaimers were on the bill Saturday evening, so we got some cheapo tickets and headed for the White Horse Country Park. Really enjoyed it. Keston Cobblers Club were great fun, fine musicianship from Scottish folkies Breabach. The Proclaimers performed a set of songs old and new, culminating in the inevitable 500 Miles. 

We saw Madness at their House of Common one day festival in August. That was a good day out. A band that's been going for ages, but is still producing songs that stand up well against their back catalogue. Old favorites It Must Be Love, Baggy Trousers, and Our House had the crowd bouncing. 

Feeder played the Bristol O2 Academy in support of their new album,  All Bright Electric. I've long had a soft spot for their brand of melodic rock. Not just because they are Welsh.  We enjoyed their show back in October. 

What else? 

We caught local Northern Soul act, The Allnighters a couple of times, including their Christmas party at Frome. Fast paced, upbeat sweet soul music. Pity I can't dance, otherwise I'd have given my bowling shoes a good workout. 

Saw a couple of classical music concerts at Colston Hall with friends. As I recall, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra performed Brahms' Violin Concerto and Mahler's 1st Symphony. The Tchaikovsky Orchestra played Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis by Vaughan Williams, Sibelius' Violin Concerto and Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony. 

For 2017 we've bagged tickets to see Paul Weller at the Royal Albert Hall in March and Radiohead at Manchester Arena in July. 

On listening to Mendelssohn's Elijah

Augustine once said, "I want to know God, my soul and nothing else." When asked what music I like, I often reply, "I listen to William Williams, Radiohead and nothing else." Admittedly that's a bit of an exaggeration, but what I mean is that I don't much like what passes for contemporary Christian music. By that I don't mean hymns by modern writers like Stuart Townend, you understand, but Phatfish and stuff like that. Not that I've listened to a lot of Phatfish. In fact I can't remember ever doing so. But that's beside the point. I don't like their music in the same way I don't like custard and that's that. 

I enjoy listening to hymns, whether old or new, Radiohead, Coldplay etc and nothing much in between. But even that isn't an especially accurate reflection of my musical tastes, because I'm also partial to a bit of classical music; Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Bruch, Elgar, Mahler, Shostakovich, the usual stuff. 

Anyway, on Sunday I preached away at Cheltenham Evangelical Free Church. I went on my own and fancied listening to some music while driving. Being a it of a Sabbatarian I don't play Coldplay on the Lord's day, or even Radiohead, so I dug out my copy of Mehdelssohn's Elijah. Welsh bass baritone, Bryn Terfel sings the part of the eponymous prophet, accompanied by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under the baton of Paul Daniel. Being on my own I could turn up the car stereo really massive loud, which I can't usually do because it gives my wife 'a headache'. 

I had played the CD many times before, but the effect of listening to Elijah on full blast really blew me away. Mendelssohn's oratorio brilliantly captures the highs and lows of the Elijah's ministry, from his triumph at Mount Carmel to his despair at Horeb, the mountain of God. Terfel is amazing in the lead part, singing with great skill and a deep emotional empathy for the prophet. You  sometimes feel that he is almost sing-preaching, as he thunders against the prophets of Baal. 

It all ends by directing the listener to a new Elijah, in the form of John the Baptist with an allusion to Malachi 4:5-6 cf. Luke 1:17. Of course, John the Baptist's role was to point people to Christ. The libretto picks this up, having the chorus sing a catena of biblical quotations, including Isaiah 41:25, 42:1 & 11:2. A quartet exhorts the listener to come to the Lord, Isaiah 55:1, 3, before the chorus concludes the piece with a rousing doxology, "Thou fillest heaven with thy glory. Amen."

Mehdelssohn's Elijah ends where Handel's Messiah begins, with John the Baptist as a new Elijah, preparing the way for the Lord. Mehdelssohn's tremendous Elijah serves as a forerunner for Handel's more excellent Messiah.

I know that the Latin for "take and read" is toll lege. I don't know what the Latin is for "take and listen" so I'll just have to say it in English. Take and listen to Mendelssohn's Elijah. If you've never done so before, what are you waiting for? If you have do so before, do it again. Soon. You can catch the Terfel version on Spotify. 

Some thoughts on the life and death of Michael Jackson

I was never really a great fan of Jackson's music, but his passing last Thursday calls for some reflection on the emptiness of modern day celebrity culture. His untimely death has sent his music rocketing back to the top of the charts. He has joined the immortals of rock and pop who died before their time, Buddy Holly, Elvis, Hendrix, Morrison etc. On one level, Jackson had it all, adoring fans, huge album sales and vast wealth. But his life was characterised by self-loathing, disfigurement, and scandal. He paid surgeons to refashion his face, but what he needed was the transformation of his soul. We can only really accept ourselves for who we are when we find acceptance with God. We are his broken image bearers. He accepts us for what we are in Christ, offers us forgiveness and promises us renewal. The Christian is being transformed into the image of the perfect Man, Jesus Christ. This includes not only the restoration of our spiritual lives in true righteousness and holiness, but also the hope of resurrection glory. Our lowly bodies, marked by age, disfigured by sin and bound for the grave will be raised up and made like the glorious body of the Lord Jesus Christ. No amount of plastic surgery can do for us what our mighty Saviour will do when he comes to summon the dead to life. Then those who believe in him will be raised incorruptible and immortal (1 Corinthians 15:50-58). Is that your hope?

Justin Taylor has gathered together some more reflections on Jackson's death here.

Ska revival

I don't know whether it has anything to to with the credit crunch, but I notice that there has been something of a revival of ska music of late. The Specials have reformed and Madness have a new album out. I was a mod rather than a rude boy back in the 80's, but I still had a liking for ska. There is something eerily contemporary about 'Ghost Town' by The Specials, a 1981 track released during the Thatcher recession years. 'Baggy Trousers' by Madness is just for fun.

No Line On The Horizon - U2

I know U2's latest has been out for a few weeks now and this is a bit late in the day for me to share my thoughts, but there we are. I suppose the delay as I've made some jottings for this post and then put it on the back burner has given me time to give the album a proper listen. Of one thing I'm sure, making Get On Your Boots was the album's first single was a bit of a gaffe. The song has a good riff and unexpected twists and turns, but some of the words are a bit embarrassing for a "senior" band like U2. "Bossy boots" please. Thankfully the opening three tracks, are much better, No Line One The Horizon is a great start to the album. Magnificent is up there with Gloria as a spiritual anthem. Moment of Surrender is a thoughtful slow burner which climaxes in a molten Edge guitar solo.

Despite some nice sonic touches, Unknown Caller doesn't quite work. Rife with computer terminology, like, "reboot yourself" and "force quit and move to trash", the song would make good hold music on PC World's helpline. I suppose it's better than having to listen to Vivaldi's Four Seasons on an endless loop, but that's not saying much. On the plus side, what with all the technical support from Bono it would save callers having to hang on for three and a half hours before getting connected to an advisor. Even when they are not at their best U2 still have their uses.

As we've come to expect from U2, the album explores some big ideas. Faith, hope and love feature strongly, especially love. Magnificent proclaims, "Only love can leave such a mark, but only love can heal such a scar." Love marks and wounds us. Jacob was left limping after he wrestled with the Lord. But only love, the love of God can heal and restore broken human beings. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight asks, "Is it true that perfect love casts out fear?", reflecting on 1 John 4:18. In a nice twist on the familiar refrain, "Stand up for your rights", Stand Up Comedy urges listeners to "Stand up for your love." The same song, with its talk of "getting over certainty" also reveals why U2 are the band of choice for the postevangelical set. But there is also a plea to let God be God, which may give the trendy Open Theists pause for thought, "Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady". Quite.

White As Snow is sung from the perspective of a soldier in Afghanistan and is full of biblical imagery. It is a meditation on the theme of forgiveness and cleansing from the defilement of sin in a war-torn world. How is forgiveness possible? Only through the "lamb as white as snow" Isaiah 1:18, 1 Peter 1:18 & 19.

Fez-Being Born captures something of the Turkish location of the early recording sessions. It begins with a Arab-influenced ambiance, complete with Turkish sounding noises-off. The slightly disorientating intro is suggestive of Radiohead's subversive classic, Kid A. But before too long the Edge's signature guitar chimes kick in to remind the listener that this is a U2 song after all. With a little more adventure the experimental flavour of the opening bars this could sustained throughout the track. Or was it the case that an Eno-inspired intro was simply tacked onto the beginning of what turns out to be a rather standard U2 track?

One or two criticisms aside, I have to say that the album is steadily growing on me. It has all the marks of the group's mature sound. New directions are hinted at, while the band remain true to themselves. No Line On The Horizon is a more coherent collection of songs than their last offering, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, which has some great tunes like Vertigo, Miracle Drug and Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own, but didn't really exceed the sum of its parts.

U2 haven't lost their sense of irony and NLOTH doesn't take itself too seriously. In Stand Up Comedy, Bono knowingly warns his Josephine to beware of Napoleonic "small men with big ideas". A touch of autobiography in there somewhere perhaps? But it's U2's very determination to explore big ideas that sets the band apart from their peers and wannabe rivals. You don't have to go down the road of having so-called U2charists in church to see that the band's use of biblical allusions and scriptural imagery can offer us an opportunity to reflect further on the message of love and forgiveness through the lamb as white as snow.

Also, see Byron's thoughtful posts here and here and Michael's majestic rant here.

And they shall bring the glory and the honour of the nations

In my review of Paul Hem's Calvin: A Guide for the Perplexed (here), I touched on the writer's speculation that the products of God's common grace such a music and literature might be carried forward into the new creation. I suggested that there might be something in that suggestion, making reference to Revelation 21:24-26. Cornelis Venema has some interesting things to say about those verses in his excellent work on eschatology, The Promise of the Future, Banner of Truth Trust, 2000, p. 480-482. He writes,

"Every legitimate and excellent fruit of human culture will be carried into and contribute to the splendour of life in the new creation. Rather than the new creation being a radically new beginning, in which the excellent and noble fruits of humankind's fulfilment of the cultural mandate are wholly discarded - the new creation will benefit from, and be immensely enriched by, its receiving of these fruits. Far from being an empty and desolate place, the new creation will be enriched with the sanctified fruits of human culture. Nothing of the diversity of the nations and peoples, their cultural products, languages, arts, sciences, literature and technology - so far as these are good and excellent - will be lost upon life in the new creation. Life in the new creation will not be starting over, but a perfected continuation of the new humanity's stewardship of all life in the service of God.

Though some have argued that this reading of John's vision is speculative and unwarranted, the language of Revelation 21:24 can scarcely be read otherwise. The alternative - denying that life in the new creation will be enriched by the presence of these fruits of human culture - seems unlikely and problematic. Life in the crew creation will not be a repristination of all things - a going back to the way things were at the beginning. Rather, life in the new creation will be a restoration of all things - involving the removal of every sinful impurity and the retaining of all that is holy and good. Were the new creation to exclude the diversity of the nations and the glory of the kings of the earth, it would be impoverished rather than progressive. To express the point in the form of a question: is it likely that the music of Bach and Mozart, the painting of Rembrandt, the writing of Shakespeare, the discoveries of science, etc., will be altogether lost upon life in the new creation?"

It seems to me that Venema's position is exegetically warranted. He is also making a highly valuable theological point. The new creation will not be a rejection and annulment of the old but the renewal of all things by the transforming power of the risen Christ (Philippians 3:20-21). This is profoundly life affirming and is a firm denial of all Platonic views of the glory that see heaven in almost wholly spiritual terms. The future will be no less physical than the present. Our Lord's glorified humanity is the guarantee of that. Knowing all this, we understand that life in this present world is not a waste of time and energy. The best of what we achieve for the glory of God will remain. Our labours are not in vain in the Lord - 1 Corinthians 15:58.

What aspects of human culture would you like to see carried forward into the new creation? Venema mentions examples of classical music. But will we get to hear not only Chopin, but also Coldplay, not only Rachmaninoff, but also Radiohead? I suppose we'll have to wait and see.

Prospekt's March by Coldplay

On their celebrated B-side track, "Gravity", Chris Martin lamented that 'gravity pushes on everyone'. But now it seems that Coldplay are trying to break free from that fundamental force of nature. The Proskekt's March EP, which carries 5 new tracks and 3 fresh versions of songs from Viva La Vida, begins with a sense of airy weightlessness. The opening track "Life In Technicolour ii", climaxes with Martin singing, 'Gravity release me/ don't ever let me down/and my feet won't touch the ground'. Nice to have some words to Viva La Vida's opener, which was originally an instrumental piece with the singer contributing some "oooohhs" at the end. The constraints of gravity are well and truly broken by the final track on the EP, which is entitled appropriately enough, "Now My Feet Won't Touch The Ground".

But what of the rest of the songs on this free floating CD? The remix of "Lost" contains a rather incongruous rap by Jay-Z. What was the point in that? "Lovers In Japan" doesn't sound too different from the version on Viva La Vida. But the new songs make the EP a worthwhile investment. "Postcards From Far Away" is an entrancing, yet all too brief 47 second fragment of piano sonata. "Glass of Water" and "Rainy Day" are worth a listen. But for me the best track is "Prospekt's March/Poppyfields", a song about a soldier dying on the battlefield. Is this the same man who was torn between devotion and duty in "Violet Hill" on Viva La Vida, saying to his sweetheart, "if you love me, won't you let me go"? If it is, then the track is made all the more poignant as now we hear him sing, 'I don't want to die'. I wonder if she did let him know that she loved him?

The themes of love, death and loss that ran through Coldplay's latest album also flow through the new EP. Where can we find hope in this 'violent world', where the stern gravity of human waywardness seems to keep on pulling us down? I'm looking forward to the time when my feet won't touch the ground, when Jesus Christ comes to raise the dead from their graves, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.

Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends by Coldplay

Much has been made of Coldplay's attempt to branch out in new directions on their latest offering. Having long term U2 collaborator Brian Eno on board as certainly added sonic depth to Coldplay's sound. This is apparent from the rich soundscapes of the opening track, 'Life in Technicolor'. This song without words beings gently, switches tempo with some jaunty strings and builds up to a satisfying finale, with Chris Martin adding to the mix at the end with some "wo-o-o-oh's". This album is different from their previous offerings. If you don't believe me, just try playing Parachutes and Viva La Vida back to back. But this is definitely still Coldplay. They haven't gone all Kid A on us and wilfully subverted their own sound. But not even the wayward genius that is Radiohead could keep that up for more than two albums. Their latest offering, In Rainbows saw them return to order and melody over the dystopian glories of Kid A and Amnesiac.

Viva La Vida is full of surprises with hidden tracks and abrupt gear changes within songs. It is difficult to single out individual songs for special praise, but Viva La Vida and Violet Hill are just amazing. The latter is about a soldier saying goodbye to his sweetheart. He craves both reassurance, "if you love me, won't you let me know" and release, "if you love me won't you let me go". But to really appreciate this album you need to listen to it as a whole. The coda at the end of the final track brings us back to where we began. This adds to the record's underlying coherence.

The second track, Cemeteries of London introduces the two key themes of God and death that seem to pervade the album. In this track, God is a rather elusive being. In the dark streets of London people seek him in their own way. He is present everywhere,

God is in the houses and God is in my head… and all the cemeteries in London…

Yet Martin sings,

I see God come in my garden, but I don’t know what he said,
For my heart it wasn’t open… Not open…'

The idea that God is near, but somehow communication with him is blocked gives the album a sense of foreboding in the face of death. This is eloquently expressed in 42,

Those who are dead are not dead
They’re just living in my head
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well
Oh..

Time is so short and I’m sure
There must be something more

In the final track Martin sings, "I don't want to follow death and all his friends". Worldly power does not give us the answer. The deposed monarch of the title track has lost everything and knows St. Peter won't call his name. With all this reflection on God, death and heaven, the band seem to be on a spiritual quest. There must be something more in the face of death and the fading glory of this world. But what is it? The yearning for meaning and hope in life and death is satisfied in knowing Jesus Christ. He has conquered death by his death and resurrection. Believing in him, we don't have to follow death and all his friends. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. In the Lord Jesus God draws near and speaks to us words of hope and grace. Is your heart open to him?

22 Dreams by Paul Weller

I have followed Paul Weller's career since I was in my teens. The Jam were my favorite band at that time in my life. Going Underground and Town Called Malice epitomised my sense of disillusionment with Thatcher's Britain. But there was always more to The Jam than agitpop. There was a tender romanticism too, expressed in songs like English Rose and Dreaming of Monday. When The Jam split up, I stuck around for Weller's next phase as leader of the Style Council. Although the band was slated by many Jam fans, some really good songs were produced in that period, such as Long hot summer, Speak like a child and Shout to the top. But for one reason or another I lost interest in what Weller was doing at the end of the Style Council years, as it seems did almost everybody else. Until that is the launch of his solo career, which coincided with the advent of Britopop in the 1990's. The man who inspired the likes of Blur and Oasis was back on form. His third solo album Stanley Road is full of classic Weller songs notably, Changing Man, Porcelain gods, and You do something to me. Thereafter the "modfather" has produced a series of so-so albums with some good songs, but nothing much to write home about.

So, what of 22 Dreams, a double album that takes listeners on a musical journey through the seasons? With 21 tracks and a deluxe edition that comes with a hardback book and an extra CD of "Demos & the Like", it certainly bucks the trend of throwaway downloadable pop. Musically, this is an ambitious piece of work. The thought of hitting 50 must have rejuvenated Weller's longsuffering muse. Each song is quite different. Styles vary from the folk influenced opener Light Nights to the impressionistic piano-led instrumental, Lullaby Fur Kinder. Weller returns to his soul roots in Have you made up your mind? The more rocked-up numbers buzz with energy and life, notably title track, 22 Dreams, Push it along and Noel Gallagher collaboration, Echoes round the sun. The famously grumpy Weller even manages to sound rather joyous when leading the chorus of "Ba da ba da bampa" on The dark pages of September lead.

Weller has been derided as a purveyor of "dad rock" for sad old 30 and 40 somethings (what's wrong with that exactly?). Invisible, one of the slower songs, sees him reflecting on the ageing process. With greying hair, he senses the colour draining from him, making him feel increasingly invisible. At least you've kept your hair, mate! Why walk when you can run? is a touching piece, inspired by the singer seeing his son run along the beach towards the sea while on holiday. As far as this dad is concerned, it is one of the best songs on the album. But not all tracks are to my taste. The foray into electronica on the instrumental 111 does not really work. Weller is no Thom Yorke. Where're Ye Go has a nice interplay of piano and violin but the vocal melody is repetitive and underdeveloped. The spoken word poem, God makes some good points about people only calling on the Almighty when they need him. But Weller's attempt to bargain with God belies the fact that his "God" is not the gracious and loving God of the Gospel. The Christian God freely offers us salvation and forgiveness in Jesus Christ, who died and rose again to give us new life and hope. Interestingly, God gets the final credit for "rain, thunder and elements" on the atmospheric closing track Night Lights. This is appropriate enough, given the CD's fixation with the rhythm of the seasons (Genesis 8:22). In all this is an intriguing and enjoyable album from Paul Weller, a mature but still restless changing man. 22 Dreams deserves its current place at the top of the UK album charts.

Some new tunes for Vernon Higham's hymns

Vernon Higham

A friend of mine, Paul Rossiter has compsed some new tunes for some of Vernon Higham's hymns. You can listen online here.

Interesting stuff

Here's are some things that have caught my eye (or ear as the case may be) in the last few days,

Blogging:

Paul Helm offers a "modest Calvinfest" for his April blogs. Check out John Calvin - What's the Big Idea? The Prof should know having written the excellent John Calvin's Ideas (see my review).

Gary Brady offers his thoughts on the Banner of Truth Conference.

Music:

I'm listening to Welsh diva Duffy's Rockferry. Great voice and some nice retro soul numbers with a modern edge. Radiohead recently performed a concert at the BBC's Radio Theatre. Check it out here.

Reading:

Christanity's Dangerous Idea by Alister McGrath, SPCK, 2007. Only 6 chapters in so far. But a very illuminating and entertaining read. Sample:

"It is easy to find much to criticise among the senior clergy of that age [pre-Reformation], whose appointment often rested on the influence of family, fortune and power rather than any merit on their own part. In 1451, Duke Amadeus VIII of Savoy secured the appointment of his son to the senior position of bishop of the city of Geneva, later to be noted for its association with John Calvin. The appointment was not a great success. But what can you expect from an eight-year old?" (p. 23).

I've also been given Banner's handsome new reprint of Surgeon's Lectures to my students to review for the Protestant Truth Magazine. A May deadline is looming and the book is over 800 pages long. It's a difficult job, but someone's got to do it.

My Top Ten Radiohead Songs

I got into Radiohead by downloading their "pay what you like" album, In Rainbows. I enjoyed that offering so much that I invested in most of their back catalogue. Here's a list of my favorite songs at the moment:

1. Paranoid Android (OK Computer)
2. Fake Plastic Trees (The Bends)
3. Idioteque (Kid A)
4. Pyramid Song (Amnesiac)
5. Reckoner (In Rainbows)
6. Street Spirit (The Bends)
7. Nude (In Rainbows)
8. No Surprises (OK Computer)
9. How To Disappear Completely (Kid A)
10. Lucky (OK Computer)

My 2007 Top Ten

2007 marked the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade

Here's a list of stuff that I've especially enjoyed over the last twelve months:

1. Album: In Rainbows by Radiohead here

2. Biblical Doctrine: The Gospel of Free Acceptance in Christ, An Assessment of the Reformation and the New Perspective on Paul, by Cornelis P. Venema, Banner of Truth Trust, 2006 here

3. Biography: The Man Who Went Into the West, The Life of R. S. Thomas, by Byron Rogers, Aurum, 2006 here

4. Christian Life: Free of Charge, giving and forgiving in a culture stripped of grace, by Miroslav Volf, Zondervan, 2005 here

5. Church History: 2000 Years of Christ's Power, Part One: The Age of the Early Church Fathers, by N. R. Needham, Grace Publications, 2002 revised edition here

6. Film: Amazing Grace here

7. Historical Theology: John Calvin's Ideas, by Paul Helm, Oxford, 2006 here

8. Popular Theology: The Hand of God, The Comfort of Having a Sovereign God, by Frederick S. Leahy, Banner of Truth Trust, 2006 here

9. Systematic Theology: Always Reforming, Explorations in Systematic Theology, edited by A. T. B. McGowan, IVP, 2006 here

10. TV: Spooks, Series 6, BBC here

My Top Ten Songs (for now)

1. PARANOID ANDROID- Radiohead
2. YOUR LOVE ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH - The Manic Street Preachers
3. SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T MAKE IT ON YOUR OWN - U2
4. GOING UNDERGROUND - The Jam
5. ALL OR NOTHING- The Small Faces
6. CHASING CARS - Snow Patrol
7. STILL ILL- The Smiths
8. HAMBURG SONG - Keane
9. FIX YOU - Coldplay
10. OVER MY HEAD (CABLECAR) - The Fray

Radiohead: In Rainbows

I've never really been into Radiohead. It's not that I actively disliked their music, they just seemed to have passed me by. I don't know why. But when I saw that they were operating an innovative "pay-what-you-like" policy for downloading their new album, I thought that this might be a good time to give them a hearing. For the record, I found that you have to play at least £1.00, and I was charged a 0.45p "handling fee". I suppose £1.45 isn't too much to pay for a top band's latest offering.

My impressions? I didn't know what to expect from Radiohead apart from the fact that they have a reputation for being a bit experimental and left-field. At first play I didn't quite know what to make of it and I was glad that I'd paid so little for the album. The techno-ambient sound and drum machine driven beat featured on many of the tracks, together with Thom Yorke's high-pitched, whiny vocals left me feeling a little bewildered. On second listen, I found myself being drawn in to the richly textured songs. I liked the gentle guitar parts and the satisfyingly heavy bass that comes to the fore in songs like 15 Step and Nude. The distorted, rocked-up style of Bodystachers appealed to my indy sensibility. I enjoyed the quirkiness of Weird Fishes-Arpeggi. But I only really began to appreciate In Rainbows when driving to Devon last Friday evening. The subtle atmospherics of the songs made them an ideal soundtrack for night-time driving. To my surprise I found that I like Radiohead, even at their most adventurous. One thing I still don't get is the overuse of drum machines on several tracks. This makes for a rather monotonous rhythm that lacks the variation and humanity of "proper drumming". But with ten brilliantly unusual songs for £1.45, I can't really complain too much. The album closes with the entrancingly haunting beauty of Videotape.

Maybe Radiohead's "pay-what-you-like" policy is really a cunning ploy to get penny-pinching Johnny-come-latelys like me to invest in their back catalogue? If so, it worked. OK Computer is on its way. In Rainbows is a sonically engaging, high-tech "sprat to catch a mackerel".

The Fray: How to save a life

I've just taken delivery of How to Save a Life by The Fray. Haven't had time to give it a proper listen yet, but here is the latest single from the album, Over My Head (Cable Car).

My Top Ten Classical Music

Anne-Sophie Mutter

1. Brahms Violin Concerto
2. Sibelius Symphony No. 5
3. Elgar Cello Concerto
4. Beethoven Symphony No. 3
5. Shostakovitch Symphony No. 5
6. Bruckner Symphony No. 7
7. Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2
8. Mahler Symphony No. 4
9. Nielsen Symphony No. 4
10. Haydn Cello Concerto No. 1

The Jam to reform (minus Paul Weller)

After splitting in 1982, original Jam members Rick Buckler (drums) and Bruce Foxton (bass guitar) are to reform for a series of "intimate" gigs followed by the release of a new album. Paul Weller (lead singer, guitarist & song writer), who has had a successful post-Jam career with The Style Council and as a solo artist won't be joining them.

This is a bit like restaging Hamlet without the prince. Weller was the driving force of the band, without him The Jam isn't really The Jam. I believe that Weller regards such reunions as a "sad" exercise in nostalgia and I think he's right. See here for a news report. Do you welcome this reunion? Who would you like to see reform, or not?

My top ten recent British songs (1990's-now)

I've limited myself to one song per band and exluded bands who've already had their own top 10 ie Coldplay & Paul Weller (here).

10. Monster, Automatic
9. Take me out, Franz Ferdinand
8. North hanging rock, British Sea Power
7. Tumble and fall, Feeder
6. Local boy in a photograph, Stereophonics
5. Let there be love, Oasis
4. Bad dream, Keane
3. Sweet song, Blur
2. Run, Snow Patrol
1. Design for life, The Manic Street Preachers

My top ten Jam/Style Council/Paul Weller songs

10. From the floorboards up, Paul Weller
9. Strange town, The Jam
8. You're the best thing, The Style Council
7. Porcelain gods, Paul Weller
6. Long hot summer, The Style Council
5. Down in the tube station at midnight, The Jam
4. Changing man, Paul Weller
3. English rose, The Jam
2. Going underground, The Jam
1. You do something to me, Paul Weller