Buxton to Manchester (New Poem)

(Picture borrowed from
www.isvr.soton.ac.uk/IWRN8/)

Buxton to Manchester

First he pawed
the two litre bottle of diet coke
like a cat
toying with a saucer
of milk.

Once he had got
the bottle open
he took a sip
then after a slight pause
he took another
like he was an
Olympic swimmer.

He closed his eyes
after his 6^th sip
and then
in rapid succession
took a 7^th
and a 8^th sip
with such speed
I thought he was going
to throw it all back up.

Big Mac tried telling him
after he sipped
it for the 10^th time
he didn’t have
to drink it
and suggested he
instead just pour it
down a local drain
but Pete didn’t listen
and just carrying
on pouring
it down his throat.

By the time
he got to the end
of the bottle
his face
had turned green
and he threw
his last mouthful
straight back up.

Big Mac said again
when he had finished
blushing slightly
‘You really didn’t
have to do that’
and to which Pete
looking as green
as the bottle
responded
‘Just go and get
the bottle
filled up with water
before your bloody engine
blows up’

Big Mac came back out
two minutes later
with a large jug of water
from the pub
instead
of the bottle filled up.

It took us an extra
hour to get back
home
because off Pete’s
stomach.

More thoughts about writing & writing groups

Dear all;

Have being putting a bit more thought into my previous
posting about write Out Loud.

Certainly working as a writer now for the past few years
within a few writing groups, it is quite worrying when you
look at some writing groups that have being going for a few
years and the way they start looking at other groups with a
feeling of elitism.

When I was working with 24 Hour Arty People,

(this group http://www.myspace.com/24hourartypeople

NOT this group

http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17229507415

who I hope to work with soon on a project), The person
who I won’t name who used to run it used to do nothing
but slag Write Out Loud off in particular towards the end off
it when it became little more than a sour joke.

Speaking from a personal perspective, certainly back
then it came close to clouding my judgement even
though I had never had any direct dealings with them
personally.

After I left 24 Hour Arty People at the end off 2007 /
start off 2008, I decided to look at things from a different
angle with the replacement group for 24 Hour arty people,
Trio Writers (which didn’t include that name-less person)
and to broaden my own social horizons, so out of interest
I decided to set up a page on Write Out Loud under my
pen name and I did some really interesting networking
there.

In 2008, although the membership for Trio Writers has
not being large, all members at Trio Writers have expanded
their horizons appearing at other nights, for example
Freed Up Poets which is a monthly poet event in Manchester

That itself I think is a important lesson when you are
A writer – you have to keep networking – something
some writing groups tend not to do and after a while
being elitist and for me that is not the point behind
writing groups. For me a good writing group has to
be prepared to network and keep expanding it’s horizons
with it’s members and it’s work cause if you don’t
you’ll hit the problems that 24 Hour Arty People hit
where at the beginning off 2007, the group had about
eight regular members and another few that were in
and out, and because of bad management and judgement
by the person I ain't going to name, the group was
allowed to fizzle away.

I learnt a lesson from that.

Any reasonable writer should too.

Keep networking!

Andy N

(Photograph taken off me a long time ago doing a
poetry reading)

At Write Out Loud, Middleton Sunday 24th August 2008

As some of you know, certainly over this year, I have
being a busy bee managing to make a number of appearances
at open mike nights in Manchester and associated areas and even
on the internet (Hi Coll!) over 2008.

I must admit it has proved a major learning curve certainly
doing all of this and despite the fact some of my earlier ones
showed a awful lot of nerves, the more I have done off this the
more and more my own confidence has grown.

Generally this has more being at Freed Up Poets in Manchester
(http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=15031719009&ref=ts)
where I have performed at nearly every event this year since
Feb 2008 and also at a number of other places.

For whatever reason, i have not performed at any of the Write Out
Loud events which if you look around the local writing scene in
Manchester, England are very frequent.

Write Out Loud is a North West organisation which describes
themselves as 'everyone from who writes poetry to share their words
with others in friendly welcoming open floor read around and open
mic events.' They also say they support indivdual poets, and
organizations and groups across the country'

I first came across myself towards the beginning off
2007 if my memory is correct when the person who used
to run the writing group I used to go to
'24 Hour Arty People'

(this group http://www.myspace.com/24hourartypeople

NOT this group

http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17229507415

who I hope to work with soon on a project),

who slagged them off a fair bit,
shall we say for reasons I won't go into here.

If I am honest, as I try to be, I decided at the time I
would keep a open mind on things and perhaps someday
perform there and see what I thought for myself but true
to the way my life goes, it didn't happen.

Fast forward 18 or so months passed, 24 Hour Arty People have
now split and I helped form another group from it's ashes 'Trio Writers'
(http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=15947196131&ref=ts)
and my buddy Antonionioni talked me into going to one on
the Sunday Night.

I was a bit uncertain to start with, partly because off the
s**t that was said previously, but I agreed to go since it
was a bank holiday and I wouldn't have to worry about getting up
in the morning, so I said yes..

And my thoughts....?

Well, I must admit I quite enjoyed it.. It was a pretty relaxed night
to start with certainly.. I got gassing to a few people who I had
met briefly on the Write Out Loud website and saw somebody
I used to university with whom I hadn't seen in the better part
off 7 odd years which was nice...

The only thing I didn't like was the room we were in,
but I was advised that wasn't the normal room they
normally read out in as it was getting used for some
function.

I did see that function room and it was a lovely room
without doubt! I would have loved to seen what that
would have being like! It would have being my bet, it
would have being lovely..

Either way, the next one is a month's time at the end
off September which I reckon I will be sadly away at,
but they will be starting a regular open mike night
up my way at Waterside Arts Centre, Sale Town
Centre M33 7ZF - 7.30pm on Wednesday
October 15th 2008.

I think I will certainly be at that one, and who
knows at what others in the meantime! (I currently
have two in September, two in October already
excluding this one and at least two in November
and that is stuff excluding Write Out Loud)

Write Out Loud can be found at http://www.writeoutloud.net

The photograph at the top of this gallery can be seen
here with loads off others from the night..

http://www.writeoutloud.net/public/galleryview.php?galleryID=196

another free download (LIGHT UNDER WATER)

My pal, Misha has referred me over to this act for a free download also
the other act, it's a act he knows called Light Under Water..

Light Under Water describe themselves as a '
Moscow-based collaborative project by guitarists Dima T. Pilot and
A.B. (both are the core members of BOSCH'S WITH YOU) and keyboardist
Nick Zavriev (of AMBIDEXTROUS). Since 2006, the trio (or sometimes
LUW appears as a guitar-duo) has been exploring areas of melodic
electro-acoustic ambient, emotive organic drone, sonic minimalism,
and eschatological psychodelia. By building and layering substantial
resonant abstractions, LUW’s delusive imagery transcends the reality
in a truly beautiful and unpredictable way.'

I'm currently listening to their album 'Reflective landscapes of nowhere
' and really enjoying it. I certainly recommend you do also.

For a FREE download - go to:

http://www.raig.ru/AT_lightunderwater.asp#AT004

Free downloads off music for people who like experimental electronica

Got a really nice email from my pal Misha in Pootosh
the other day which I thought I would share with you
all..

Misha is a great bloke and is a very talented and varied
musician. I would recommend you without doubt
check these albums out..

**

Dear friends!

I'm happy to announce that some of my latest albums are available for FREE DOWNLOADING.

MOX_Delphinov "Brave Old Wave" - 2084

Rhythm n' poetry with elements of noise-reggae, post-dub, huge-beat, punk-house, klezmer-R&B and brave old wave. Russian/German poet, the founder of psychedelic realism in Russian poetry Alexander Delphinov is philosophizing ironically while MOX (Mikhail Salnikov) gives him bolstering groove.

СКАЧАТЬ stands for DOWNLOAD:

http://moxmusik.com/mox_delphinov.html

FREAKING BOOK - the debut album of a joint project of Mikhail Salnikov and Sergey Lobakhin (Bronxit). Genres: sturdy electronica, industrial dub. Apocalyptic rhythms induce goosebumps on the bones. Enjoy! :

www.monstaar.com

Tooth Kink - the joint project with a legendary experimental composer Alexei Borisov. There are two albums -

The debut album - Noise, Processed Feedback, Musique Concrete, Glitch, Montage, Lo-fi, Industrial, Post-industrial, Spontaneous. Here:

www.monstaar.com

Tooth Kink vs Kenji Siratori

Kenji Siratori: a Japanese cyberpunk writer. He has a writing style that not only breaks with tradition, it severs all cords, and can only really be compared to the kind of experimental writing techniques employed by the Surrealists, William Burroughs and Antonin Artaud. Embracing the image mayhem of the digital age, his relentless prose is nonsensical and extreme, avant-garde and confused, with precedence given to twisted imagery, pace and experimentation over linear narrative and character development. With unparalleled stylistic terrorism, he unleashes his literary attack. An unprovoked assault on the senses. Blood Electric (Creation Books) was acclaimed by David Bowie.

So album is here – dark, provocative and brooding, comprising pre-industrial, noise-hop and hi-infidelity:

http://www.archive.org/download/ca154_tkks/ca154_tkks_vbr_mp3.zip

................................................................................................................................................
If somebody is interested in less experimental, more romantic, mellow and ambient stuff - take a look at the new site of Poostosh -

www.virb.com/poostosh
................................................................................................................................................
If you have friends who are into experimental electronica - please forward this email to them as a present.

ALL THE BEST!!!

Misha

New Releases / List of words never to be used in Poems

Dear all;

Couple of new FREE downloads on my net label Setting Sun

More details here

http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo/settingsun.htm

Also my pal, Richard at Quit this Pampered Town posted this (a link to another blogspot)
over words another poet says you should never use in a poem

http://larissashmailo.blogspot.com/2008/08/list-of-words-never-to-be-used-in-poems.html

I don't personally agree with a lot off this but thought you all may enjoy a look!

Another Nine Inch Nails Remix

Would you believe I went and did it
again! (To quote Britney Spears)

In this case, I went and did a second
remix from Nine Inch Nails's 'Ghosts'
album.

Well, this one actually got done
yesterday but it has took me tonight
to get it uploaded for you to listen to..

http://remix.nin.com/play/mix?id=10567

The one first isn't doing bad
with a average rating off 79 out off 100
so far, which I am delighted with.

Later in the week, there may be a third
remix as I do have a idea for another
but I'll surprise you when that happens.

Otherwise, I have just booked myself
a trip to Ireland which nows sets a deadline
for proper Distance recordings which
should be fun, and work on my novel
'The End' is progressing slowly but
surely.

(Photograph from http://www.flickr.com/photos/nineinchnails/)

Nine Inch Nails Remix and appearance on LSPC Reviews

Would you believe it? .. I went and signed
myself up a bit back at http://remix.nin.com/
to go and remix Trent Reznor aka Nine Inch
Nails and never actually got round to doing
anything.

In a afternoon off peace today, I decided to take a
break from writing and do some experimental
music remix work using one of my bands
'Distance' as a focus point for it and would you
believe it I went and did two.

I have to upload the second but the first is
available for listening to and downloading
I believe from here...

http://remix.nin.com/play/mix?id=10549

Let me know what you think if you want to..

Otherwise, on a more writing front I am also
helping out tonight on a internet radio station
doing a radio interview for a pal, Antonionioni
(http://www.antonionioni.com/) for

LSPC Reviews at 9pm British time

The interview can be heard at

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lspcreviews

(Photograph of Trent was borrowed
from http://www.flickr.com/photos/nineinchnails/2348368204

The X Files - I want to Believe

So I had told a few people I wasn't going to go
out and see this tonight, but I ended up doing
it and I must admit I quite enjoyed it.

I am not going to go along and start repeating
past history of the programme to people like
me who grew up loving it as teenagers or young
people like I did, but of course the core of the
X files always resolved around two people:
Fox Mulder and Dana Scully who investigated
cases which couldn't be explained.

The film itself takes people after the end of
the 9th series which was around about 2002
or so if my rotten memory is correct, and see
the pair of them encounter a new mystery
involving missing women and frozen bodies
and limbs.

It also features Billy Connelly in a strange
role which I had read one or two reviews
thinking he was mis-cast, but without giving
too much away I thought was quite good.

The film I think is not without it's faults,
it was perhaps a bit too low key for a
major film release like this in particular
with films like Batman : The DarkKnight
at the moment breaking all kinds of records,
but for me that was always the point
behind the X Files, when did you ever see
Fox Mulder doing a Jack Baur in 24?

I actually was glad to see this approach
and think it worked pretty well and
was particularly delighted to see it
shot in Canada which I know the first
five series of the X Files were shot, and I
reckon caused it to go slightly downhill
once they stopped shooting it there.

The shots alone from a film studies
perspective (Degree covered it) were
moody with constant darker skies
for a fair chunk of the movie and
also lots off snow which I felt
was nicely shot.

The performances by Gillian Anderson
and David Duchovny were strong
although I didn't like David's beard
a great deal and felt some confusion
on the reason why he shaved it
off during the film. I know Jack Baur
in 24 did it at the start off season
5 off '24' and that I could understand
there as it gave him a hint of he meant
business but this was different and
did confuse me a bit here.

The rest of the supporting cast I feel
had a lot less to do, Amanda Peet
and Alvin 'Xzibit' Joiner were both
underwritten in particular Joiner
but I know from reading interviews,
this always was the plan as the film was
meant to focus somewhat on the leads,
which I had no problems with.

It would be easy to carry on
and give away lots of spoilers,
but that is not the point off this
small review by this writer, all
I wanted to say was I did enjoy it
and it certainly made me want to
believe again.

Go and see it!

Poetry Society in Manchester / couple of new poems

Tony last night conned me into trying out a new writing
workshop last night at the Lowry Centre, Salford Quays.

For those who know me, you would know I am in the middle of
taking a summer’s break from writing poetry after frankly it was
starting to leave me a bit burnt out and I thought a total break
would have refresh me for when I started again proper in September.

Anyway, Tony conned me into coming down for this group and while
I think the group has a lot off work to do to keep improving in perhaps
with the discussion stage of the work, the group itself was small
enough to have some good fun with it in particular with the writing
workshop that followed where we did something like 3 different
writing exercises in 45 minutes.

The work I did is varied as tends to be with work shop stuff I think
but just for fun I would share them all with you…

The ‘Sometimes’ poem is un-finished and perhaps I will return to it, but not yet anyhow..

Sometimes

Sometimes in winter
It makes perfect sense.

Sometimes when the skies
Litters the ground
With snow
It makes perfect sense.

The temp nose dives
Like a pissed off hawk
And the thickest gloves
Don’t protect your hands
It makes perfect sense.

But what if the weather
Wasn’t so cold?

**

Computer Love

Oh computer, oh computer
Shall I compare thee
To a summer’s day?

Shall I compare our
Relationship like tender lovers
Where I stroke your
Keyboard
Like it was a hand.

Oh computer, oh computer
Shall I recall the first
Time we met
And I sat down
On my chair
And looked at you playfully.

Or should I just tell
You what I really
Think of you?

**

Advantage upon Advantage

The advantage in writing
Poems where you don’t
know where you are going
is UNKNOWN

The advantage in writing
Poems where you don’t
Know what the next stanza
Or indeed line
Is UNKNOWN

The advantage, the advantage
In writing poems
Is UNKNOWN
If you don’t know where
You are going.

If this happens
Why not write a
Short story indeed?

(Picture borrowed from here - http://flickr.com/photos/irashid007/954591589/in/set-72157602243225502/)

Writing and stuff...

Certainly I have found as I have older, writing has certainly come easier –
whether this is something to do with age and experience or simply the fact
I am writing now as I may now be around for many years to come, I don’t know.

Either way, certainly over this year and last year too – I have found my
writing has flown an awful lot more easier and looser in style and territory.
Certainly over this year, with poetry for example I have wrote something
like about 50 to 60 poems already which is more than I have done over the full
of the past year ontop of the usual music and stuff.

However, as a summer break which I reckon now is going to be a change of
focus for the next few months I am now writing a series of short stories.

One of these is a series of short stories simply called ‘Doom’. All I will say
about this currently is it will be a series of loosely inter-connected short stories
which focus about a man called Mandrake and a group off people who are
his enemies called ‘Doom’. Currently there are plans for about 10 or 11
short stories here at least, all stand-alone but also can read together in
a sequence.

Second, there is going to be a few short stories about a werewolf who becomes
a porn star. These I think am going to much harder (I noticed the pun!)
to get published as they will be very blue but oh well!

Lastly, there has also being a few short short stories wrote which has
the working title off ‘No Where Near Famous’ which is about a un-successful
experimental band who like some of the stuff still plod along no matter what
ife throws at them! These will be sad but carry a good amount of pathos
and humor!

If anybody has any ideas where to send these, ping over your
suggestions..

You know where I am (http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo)

Latest News from 'Setting Sun'

Dear all;

I know, I know, I know.. I seem to get so little time nowadays for blogs and
stuff - however after discussing several people I know have them nowadays,
has made think to myself I need to get off my backside and type a little bit
up on them when I can, so to start with I guess I should fill you all in a bit
what is going on currently in my life writing and music wise which will be
linked to my website (Setting Sun - http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo)

As can be seen first of all, with the music projects page on my page (http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo) I have hotlinked them so they
go somewhere else which are easier to update (Believe me!) but certainly
at the moment I am certainly active with D.I.H, M.A.N. and Distance
(with an album also forthcoming by Grey Ear, White Noise)..

D.I.H. itself is working slowly on it's new EP (Title yet to be revealed)
and an forthcoming album ('Metropolis').. The EP itself has about five
or six tracks done, and I think there will be another 2 or 3 done with
a aim for a late summer release / early autumn release.. The album
itself will probably appear late Spring 2009 with something like four
or five tracks done...

M.A.N. after a long period of inactivity with Andy (vocals) being
teaching in South Korea for the past few years has almost being
a standstill with sessions grinding to a halt on our third album
'From a Boy to a... ' which if I am honest I didn't think we were
going to complete ever picked up into life with 11 tracks now
being done! Me and Andy have enough vocals left spare for another
5 or 6 tracks yet to appear on the album I reckon along with loads
of material that will start appearing on various comp. CD's over the
next few months also..

Distance is currently demoing for a indie record label following
on from two EP's 'Voices in the Mix' (which is pending release on
eardose) and 'Music without words') recorded at the start off
January 2008. So far, Distance has recorded seven tracks for them.
Am aiming to pass these over to the label in question in September -
with a bit of luck - Distance should have 10 or 11 tracks by that
which will give us more of a idea where we are heading next then.

Grey Ear, White Noise which is a spin off project from Distance
with Distance noise and breakbeats vs Tony (my bass player in
Distance)'s vocals in this case do have a EP pending on
Halo Excentrico and will be releasing their debut album 'The Lift'
later in the year on our own HICC records.

Watch this space for further details. I will try to next update
my writing projects!

Dear all;

A little update of what acts I have interviewed recently for my webzine 'Setting Sun' - http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo

Happy Reading

Andy N

Quiet time recently as in updates for the interviews section for for my webszine 'Setting Sun' – http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo which features interviews with all kinds of acts although it can be seen there has being a number of new interviews conducted since I last updated a few months back..

Anyway, here are the latest interviews conducted over the past few months:

' Katherine Crowe '

Katherine is from the Isle of Man (A little island just off the coast of the United Kingdom) but has a style that comes across as a cross between Tori Amos and KateBush minus the over the top hystics but has a honesty in her music which I think is refreshing.

'NOA BELL'

Noa is from Israel, according to my notes introducting the interview Noa herself describes " her influences as varied as 'The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Smog, The Velvet Underground, Bert Jansch and Tim Hardin' but certainly from listening to these songs, there is a timeless beauty in her songs that may display the pop element of The Beatles or even Joni Mitchell, possibly because of her upbringing in Israel there is a beauty and delicateness here that is otherworldly but distantly familiar. "

'M.GRIFFIN'

Quoting myself from the introduction 'M.Griffin in his own words is 'M. Griffin is the founder of Hypnos Recordings,a important outlet for ambient music for almost a decade.' In addition to thatGriffin is also a recording artist in a minimal ambient style, and according to His own page on yspace.com as of 2006 having created 4 solo albumsAnd another 5 albums besides that in collaboration with acts such as Dave Fulton, David Tollefson (as Viridian Sun), and A Produce.


'SoPhIe'S pIgEoNs'

'SoPhIe'S pIgEoNs' are a four piece group from Moss Side, Manchester and according to the notes on my website are a collection of musicians who have ' created a sound that's toe tapping, fingerclicking, erratic rocking – wearing down the rocking chair. Hands clapping, feet a stomping, new voices filling up the smoky air. '

Perhaps in simpiler terms, they are akin to a more lo fi, throw everything in the kitchen sink experiments that while vocally recall Tori Amos meets Regina Spector – musically go somewhere else altogether.


'THE WORLD ON HIGHER DOWNS'

'The World on Higher Downs' according to my notes from Madison /Stevens Point, Green Bay, Wisconsin (That's the United States).

The band themselves list their influences as 'list their influences as'Steve Reich, Slowdive, Stars of the Lid, Cocteau Twins, Labradford, Tortoise, Tarentel, Eluvium, Matmos, Mirror, Larsen, Encre, Fridge, Loscil'Which gives a slight impression of their dreamy,Droney far-out atompsheres post rock (ish) based music, Expect it doesn't really….
'Emperor'

In contrast to most interviews I do, I don't actually know a great deal about 'Emperor' expect they are from England and their musical influences are certainly for those kind of people who perhaps like their music as a cross between Stars of the Lid meets Brian Eno. The music here is rough but has a innocent quality that is well worth checking out.


'RENA JONES'

'Rena Jones' is from Portland (USA) and repeating my notes on the interview, 'Rena's music is certainly 'Down-tempo / Ambient / IDM As described on her myspace.com it is certainly music for fans For 'The Aphex Twin' (in his more listenable mood), Boards of Canada, Brian Eno, Tortoise, Sigur Ros but if I'm honest goes completely beyond electronical / post rock music – giving it a vibe that I feel is rarely seen in music.'


'CATYA MARE'


'Catya Maré' is from Denmark and plays a looping classical music that is described as in the introduction to her interview ''Beautiful melodies...weaved into an ambient/ electronica backing, evocative music, chill out, sensual, spiritual, funky, emotional and soulful.... The violin is her Stroking Voice... She uses it in a completely different way than other violinists do... producing breathing and vibrating sound which resemblesmore the female voice than a usual violin...You can feel and smell the sound... '


'SAMARAH'


'Samarah' is from Madison, WI – she describes herself on her myspace.com page which I will borrow her also 'Samarah began playing piano at the tender age of seven and experimented with various orchestral instruments and choir during her childhood. By thirteen she was composing her own songs and played her first gig at fifteen in a local bar. In the late 90's she discovered electronic music through the rave scene and was infatuated with the new sounds. Inspired, she bought her first computer and got her hands on production software, synthesizers, samplers and drum machines. The end result was elegant compositions of minimal trip hop and experimental idm with vocals.'


'DATA RAPIST'


Ben aka 'Data Rapist's is from 'Pattaya, Thailand but also lives in London, UK and quoting myself from the interview ' crosses all over the boundaries of music From ' Experimental to Dub to Electro to DM Breakbeat and Back Electro' sometimes within the same song in the course of a few minutes as the full emotional core of the music is totally different'

Andy N now has a poetry / writing page on myspace.com

Dear all;

Now have a poetry page on myspace.com - it will include lots of stuff to come - it can be found here:

http://www.myspace.com/andynpoetry

Cheers

Andy N x

New Poetry Reading Mp3 for Free Download

Dear all;

My writing performance group recently did a poetry reading - be it a very short reading at a place called Leigh Library on 14th April 2007.

For your interest or maybe not, here is the link for the reading:

http://www.archive.org/details/24hourartyleigh

It is a FREE download

Regards

Andy N

music for one album review for 'mobile disco roadshow'

Regular readers of my webzine
'Setting Sun' (http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo)
will know I have a very varied in taste in music
varying from metal to bossanova jazz to folk, switching
from Astrud Gilberto to Nine Inch Nails last night alone
without batting a eyelid sometimes.

Reviewing albums is often a different game altogether
however where instead of often just listening to albums,
I will pay more attention to the structure and listen to the
background ambience as much as the music itself.

A good case in point is Sherry aka Music for One's
incredibally limited new album 'Mobile Disco Roadshow'
which fuses a haunting mixture of experimental rock
and country instrumental music which is played
according to the sleeve notes by ' Sherry, a
couple of guitars, a bunch of effects pedals,
the odd screwdriver and sometimes the audience'

The mention of the word screwdriver in the previous
pargraph gives a good hint to how noisy some of these
tracks can be for example 'Beyonce' which is as
noisy and freeform a track I have heard in the
past few years, but this is counter balanced by
'The Sea Swallowed Me' which is a haunting example
of Post Rock and made me shiver for a good five to
ten minutes after I finished listening to it.

Comparisons are difficult in particular when listening
to the album as a whole, but some of the track such as
a ' a short winter' are excellent mood pieces which when
I closed my eyes took me back to a bad winter in Manchester
back in the late 1970's when I was growing up and 'Flies covered
my lips' brings to thought the last sounds you may hear just befroe
you die or a moment when you may feel pretty uncomfortable
with something like when a fly jumps all over you.

Sherry's music I guess goes much more than just mood
and memories. It's music that taps away at the root of your
conscious mind and if you give it enough time, it will
reap huge rewards. After all, anybody who calls their
album 'Mobile Disco Roadshow' deserves a pay on the
back for the title if nothing else.

Excellent.

Please go to http://www.musicforone.com/ for more details
and if the album is sold out - nag her to get it reissued (It's worth it!)

Caroline Martin - Broken EP Review

I first heard off Bristol born Caroline Martin through a session
she did with the late John Peel's Radion Show and was haunted
by his whispered, fragile beauty she shone with on her songs
to such a degree it took me a few years but eventually through
Caroline herself I tracked down her debut EP 'YOUNG TENDER
RABBIT MEAT' EP and was instantly a fan.

I met Caroline in person a few years later and live, her quiet,
powerful Cat Power meets Nina Nastasia songs made even
more sense which shone through on her second ep - 'MONN'
which shown to me a very Leonard Cohen lyrical influence in
places before being left speechless by her 16 track debut album
'I HAD A HUNDRED MORE REASONS TO STAY BY THE FIRE'
which had some of the most errie story telling you would ever
hear in music.

A few years passed and now Caroline has re-surfaced with a 7 track
EP 'Broken' (which actually is a 8 track EP as it includes as a hidden
track a ace Piano Version of 'My Daddy's Shotgun' from 'I HAD A
HUNDRED....' ) which I note from the notes that came with the
album this is a collection of demo songs that I decided not to take
any further, they are thoughts and feelings and they do their job
as they are... There's some distortion, a few gliches and mistakes
... this is a release I have long wanted to make'

I certainly agree there is certainly the odd glitche in the recording,
but the more you listen to this release the more these mistakes
add to the charm on even cover versions like 'How much I lied'
(which I think orginally was a Gram Parsons song) which she really
makes the song her own and on her own compositions such
as 'Before I die' and 'Last Fight' which are tracks that really sent
a shiver down my back the first time I heard but then on a second
listen meant something else altogether.

Recommended

For previews of some of the tracks please go to Caroline's
page on myspace.com

http://www.myspace.com/carolinemartinsmalldog

Hot Roddy - One Liners Album Review

Hot Roddy is one of the names Chris Cook remains music

under, the other being Same Actor.

I have known Chris for a few years and have ceased to be surprised

how different his stuff can vary constantly from the other.

His previous album under the name of Same Actor called Sharp

Edges which was released on the Bip Hop label was a brilliant mixture

of live sitar and other mostly live acoustic instrumentation remodelled

through his laptop so it sounds like something completely different with

beauitful affect.

This new album is a good deal harsher and somewhat more menacing

throughout with tracks like the opening 'Half Life Paritial Suicide'

starting off with some great live instrumentation before it starts

changing into something very different altogether, which leaves

you sat there by the end of the track shocked as he has shown

more ideas in that track than some bands /acts manage in a full career.

The second track 'Crust Mantle Hell' is even more intense, certainly

reminding correctly as another review I read while thinking about this

album as part early Aphex Twin, part Gabba certainly in the first half

of the track before then morphing off into a muscial territory which

is pretty well hard to put into any kind of genre and on tracks like

the third track 'Know your Deficiencies' and on the finale track 'Desolation'

demand repeated listens to let the track and indeed the full of the album

develop in his head.

This is certainly not a album for fans of pop music, rather people who

like their music to challenge and in some cases downright scare them

into a sense they do not know what is going to happen next from one

minute to the next.

Recommended.

To read further on Chris - please visit him on his website

(http://www.hotroddy.com/)

He has several (mostly unreleased tracks) for download on his

myspace.com page (http://www.myspace.com/sameactor) and

you can hear snips of a few tracks on this album on this website (http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=32025)

New Setting Sun Interviews

Dear all;

Two more new interviews on my webzine 'Setting Sun' - http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo

First up, is a artist called 'Beth McKinney' who is from Austin, Texas

Copying from my own notes which lead as a introduction to the interview I noted ' I first got into Beth’s excellent Ambient / Experimental textures and sounds capes after one of my regular treks around Myspace.com in search of some good and interesting
New music which kind of reminded of ‘Stars of the Lid’
Certainly with acts she has named herself in her interview
Such influences such as ‘Takagi Masakatsu and Stephan Mathieu’,

Second up, is 'West Midlands based (UK) Kinora Viewer' who I noted in the interview came across as ' ‘of Early P.J. Harvey, Labradford, Young Marble Giants, Stereolab, A.C. Marias, Cowboy Junkies, Magazine, Yo La Tengo, Thee Moths, Bowery Electric.’ While managing to sound totally original. '

Both acts are certainly worth checking out and both acts's interviews can be read in the interviews section of my webzine 'Setting Sun' - http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo

Cheers

AEN

latest interviews on setting sun

Dear all;

Being waiting for permissions back from these bands before proceduring with this interviews and also health has got in the way (being ill for a few weeks with a chest infection) but at long last here are the latest few interviews from my webzine ‘Setting Sun’ for your enjoyment.

First up, is French singer songwriter Adeline Moreau who I compared to a mixture of a French Kate Bush and Bjork with a touch of fellow French singer Camille thrown in.

Her interview can be found here

http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo/adeline.htm

Next up is a interview from a band centred around, Lisa and Dave from Natick, Massachusetts who are better known as ‘Sweet Wednesday’ who are certainly for people if you like alternative country music perhaps mixed Gillian Welch with Gram Parsons.

Their interview can be found here

http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo/sweet.htm

Also included is a interview with a brazillian alternative metal / rock band called ‘Diafanes’ which certainly stood out for me because of their unusual instrumentation in places.

Their interview can be found here

http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo/diafanes.htm

Other recent interviews dating back to January 2007 include the alternative metal band from Birmingham ‘Submerged’ (who are certainly are for fans of Evanscance and Launca Coil) which can be found here (http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo/sub.html) and the whispering beauty of Hamburg born Lina Paul (http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo/lina.html) and Olof Arnalds (http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo/olof.html)

More interviews are being lined up as we speak.. Going to be a busy next month or two I think.