Year: 2014
-
Review
Back in the ’80s when The Smiths were a going concern I was going through my heavy metal phase, and they completely passed me by, dismissed as “something for the cool kids” (one of which I most certainly was not). Many years later, in college (and quite possibly thanks to the girl I was dating) I finally ‘got’ The Smiths, and set about devouring their back catalog with a vengeance. I also picked up a fair bit of Morrissey’s solo output, although that has proven to be much patchier. Still, even with some occasional lapses in the music quality control… Read more
-
(G)rant me the serenity…
This year I’m trying to be a better person. Part of this is becoming less intolerant of others. This is going to be really hard, as apparently I have a lot of pent-up frustration and a bit of a temper. So let me try to purge it all in one go, and then I can move on. David Guetta: No amount of dry ice and lasers will detract from the fact that you’re just a disc jockey, and only one step away from someone’s leery uncle with a ‘mobile disco’ in his van who does weddings and birthday parties. You’re… Read more
-
I like small speakers, I like tall speakers
I’m not usually one to tout products, but I got myself a pair of JayBird BlueBuds X Sport for the gym, and they’re pretty damn good, so I thought I’d pass on a good word. Whenever I’m on the treadmill, I like to listen to music. Not that it is necessarily in time with my running (you try sprinting along to True Widow…), but it drowns out the sound of my huffing and puffing and gasping for air, which is really off-putting (for me, and I guess it would be for others if anyone ever used the machine next to… Read more
-
Not just a bunch of boring production deadlines
So, another year, another 52 CDs. After this ‘experiment’ in 2012, I didn’t think I’d repeat it again in 2013, but then there were so many great releases this year that I had to put some kind of a limit on myself again. And again, although I planned on balancing new purchases against back-catalog stuff on my ‘whenever’ list, there’s been so much good new stuff that I’ve barely picked up any old stuff. Out of the 52 albums, 31 of them were released in 2013, and a further 11 are from 2012 (mainly bought during the beginning of 2013… Read more