Two months and a day later, the blog resumed.

Sorry for the extended intermission. Suffice it to say that suddenly arriving in a large city can make you strangely busy sometimes. I’m sure you’ll all be glad to know that I have learned much in the interim, including:

Steamboy

Otomo will never equal Akira, so get over that expectation, and just enjoy the coolness of anime set in the UK with steam coming out of every machine possible. It’s not perfect by any means but then neither is Akira (heresy!). Seriously though, when it does come here it’s a must see action film, pure and simple.

The Emperor Machine

Quite why this hasn’t been reviewed in any of the usual hipster muso places escapes me, indeed I’ve not even seen it on any mp3 blogs. Imagine really fundamentally decent sci-fi electronica with a C64 edge, then go to the link above and get to grips with the genius

The new Daft Punk Album (no link deserved)

Oh well, maybe we’ll get something new from Stardust to sort themselves out again. It’s not awful, but I am very disappointed.

Fog

The MC of misery has laid down another downtempto slice of his life. It’s neither more of the same nor entirely unsurprising. It is very sweet and nicely political however.

The Government Inspector

Accutely observed, relevant and inspiringly timely Kosminsky’s drama of David Kelly showed all that docudrama can and should be. So why did Channel 4 bury it on a Thursday evening? This should have been a major feature on at the weekend. I can only hope more will see it by the usual methods, or even heaven forbid they repeat it!.

Nathan Barley

More disappointing than Daft Punk. At least there is something funny to come out of it

Help

BBC’s latest undersold comedy gem, Paul Whitehouse and Chris Langham in the perfect vehicle. No need for a sequel this looks set to run to six episodes with the kind of vigour, panache and style that Barley thought it had.

Book Fairs, Launches and Parties

As ever, a few less people and a bit more decent beer and it’d be the life fantastic. Perhaps when I have something worth a party… For now I can always drink a bottle of proper real ale before I leave the house.