Normal

Pretty much back to normal today. Sleep seems to have worked its wonders.

But, enough of this chit-chat and on with the other stuff...

Album #6:
Beirut - The Rip Tide

I dont think I've ever got through a whole Beirut album before this one, it's all just been a bit too much for me. There's always someone coming in with a trumpet or accordian or xylophone or zither or summat or other, and I swear there's at least a couple of tracks where you can hear some beardy travelling folk-minstrel type attempting to get a tune out of the bleedin' kitchen sink. But, this album is instantly loveable, it's all a bit reigned in, and the same Zach Condon's vocals that have grated a wee bit in the past now sound just fine to these ears. The whole album is a bit of a tribute to his home town of Santa Fe. When he grew up there Zach hated it and couldn't wait to leave, now he's back later on in life and realises that it's a pretty nice place to live. I doubt I will ever have the same thoughts about Hull should I ever return south but you never know. Sample track: East Harlem

Film #6:
True Grit

I used to be an absolute devotee of the Coen Brothers, in fact the first film I ever went to see by myself was 'Raising Arizona' at the old Cecil when I was aged 17. I think my dad was quite happy to drop me off in the car even though he thought going to see a film by yourself was a bit weird (and I don't think he realised it was an 18 either, otherwise that lift into town might not have been so forthcoming). But in recent years I've been a bit less of a fan, after all, for every 'No Country For Old Men' there has been a 'Burn After Reading', so the 'Coens' brand seems no longer to be a guarantee of quality. And remakes of old movies are quite often a bit pointless and you wonder why they bothered so I approached this with a little trepidation. Only to be pretty knocked out by it. Especially by the performance of the young Hailee Steinfeld, and I can't remember if she didn't get Oscar-nominated at all or if it was only in the supporting category, but this girl was awesome, academy hang your heads in shame.