Tag Archives: me

New adventures in Hi-Fi

So, imagine if the RIAA was lying all along and sales of music were actually improving?
You don’t need to dream.
Yes, all of those RIAA decline in music sales figures would appear to have been based on figures for “sold in” to shops rather than sold from. Naturally, high street stores are generally aiming to stock less and yet sell more (it’s a much more profitable way to operate). There’s also some interest as to how much the RIAA are interested in the sales all along the tail rather than just in the top 200.

You’ll be reassured to note therefore that online music (even the illegal stuff) is not evil after all. It would also appear that Sony like the idea of a itunes for video. Nifty but I’d like to see the Sony wireless movie viewer to watch them on first…

Doctor Who

Hurrah!
doctor who

Yes, at long last, Doctor Who has returned to our screens. There’s been a lot of talk in the media about the unfortunate generation (of which I was almost a member) who were unable to grow up with the show. I, on the other hand had the dubious pleasure of growing up with Sylvester McCoy.

We are at last free of wobbly sets and needless cliffhangers but I was strongly disappointed by the soundtrack. Earlier music has bordered on naff regularly, but it was an air of experimentation and uniqueness that fueled it and indeed helped give berth to the modern electronic music movement. I would by no means argue that they should have dumped the original theme but if they wanted a modern update they should have used The Orbital’s cover.

Other than that note perfect. Ten million viewers and the bulk of the Saturday night audience agreed.
Oh, and top marks for a convincing use of the internet in a BBC drama, and the site exists!, alas poor Clive.

and send him homeward…

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.