Acid

Errands, jobs, chores and that, preparing the house to receive the visitors.

Plus first swim after several days off. Was expecting a bit of a slog but it was remarkably straightforward. Nowt out of the ordinary performance-wise, took it easy. Don't want a repeat of last weekend's wipeout in the next few days, that's for sure.

Right, where were we up to? Oh yes, we were up to here...

Album #3:
Peaking Lights - 936

I reckon that a few people who know me might have predicted this as my number one album, I've been banging on about it enough on thses pages and elsewhere since its release way back in February. The first sentence I ever read about them described this as a "Properly immersive album of lambent kraut-dub groovers and fuggy psyche". That certainly was a sentence that made me sit up and take notice. It's a wonderfully easy album to get into, being a real combination of all sorts of genres that have come together to make something pretty unique. It's neither one thing nor another but a little bit of everything at the same time. The pairing of Aaaron Coyes and Indra Dunis have come up with a very special sound indeed. Apparently, there's a new album out next year and their baby son even makes an appearance on it too. Doing quite what I've no idea, but I know I'm hooked on this pair and I'll certainly be buying to find out. Sample track: All The Sun That Shines

Note: That first sentence I ever read was on the Boomkat website where I buy a lot of my music from. They've got their own end of year charts up at the moment, some fascinating choices in there.

Film #3:
Blue Valentine

Features the Ryan Gosling performance of the year. Sure, he was excellent in Drive and Ides Of March, but here he's even better, paying alongside the terrific Michelle Williams. It's the study of a marriage that's on the brink of falling apart completely and there's plenty of brutal and uncomfortable verbal sparring on show. And, of course this is all contrasted with the start of their relationship when life was simpler and they were a couple of young adults in love with each other and actually having fun. Compared to the present when there's a lot of guilt-slinging, accusations-flying and general spitefulness knocking around. It's a terrible, terrible date movie. If you go and see it with someone you're curently in a relationship with the cinema should be vetting you beforehand for compatibility and the probability of still being a couple when the final credits roll.