All My Friends

Friday, and a long weekend in Italy to look forward to.

My wife managed to corrupt my 250 Gb external disk during transfer of music from my 80 Gb drive, by turning the PC off mid-way, so I had to spend an hour last night reformatting and re-loading overnight.

The train on the platform had broken doors, so was 'removed from service'. This meant a 15 minute wait before the next one turned up.

My posting of a link to the Marillion Forum resulted in many more 'hits' as usual - almost up to 100. One person suggested I give the SR solo in Marillion's 'The Other Half' another go, so I did. It's pleasant, as most of SR's solos are, but it's simple, repetitive and doesn't make my heart leap as say 'Easter' or 'This Strange Engine' do (among many others). Sorry, but I don't get it... it's nice, but not special.

More recent stuff:

Alien Afternoon - Genesis,
Calling All Stations - Genesis. I didn't expect to like this album, but I think I do (though see below),
Congo - Genesis. Not good, perhaps better as an instrumental rather than with these ridiculous lyrics,
No Such Thing - Marillion, still my second or third favourite from 'Somewhere Else',
Hug Air A' Bhonaid Mhoir - Julie Fowlis, from a Mark Radcliffe Session last week. There are a bunch of accents to go with some of those letters, but I can't find them on my keyboard,
She's Not Dead - Suede,
All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem,
Soon - Yes,
Everybody Knows - Leonard Cohen,
Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell. There's a new 'Tribute To...' CD out on Monday. From the 'Where's the Skill In That' airtime, it sounds like a good one (although the Independent review is tepid). On the back of a more recent WtSiT playlist, I might also invest in the new Papa Bear as well,
Intervention - The Arcade Fire,
Turn It On Again (live) - Genesis,
Master of the Universe - Hawkwind,
Create and Melt - Dali's Car. I can't believe I've found a copy of this album in digital form. I still give my LP the occasional spin,
Judgement of the Moon and Stars - Joni Mitchell,
then Marching Into A Bottle, Giddy and Everybody, from the solo Alan White album 'Ramshackled'. I must have passed up buying this LP a dozen times over the years, but it's suprisingly different from his 'Yes' stuff - quite funky, althought the singing's a bit dodgy.

Waiting for the new Porcupine Tree album 'Fear of a Blank Planet'. I hope CD-WOW don't screw this one up, too. There'll be a BBC Radio 6Music session next weekend, which I'll try and record somehow. I haven't heard any of the forthcoming album, and I was forced to miss the recent in-store show in Camden Town 'Fopp', but I expect somthing along the lines of 'In Absentia' and 'Deadwing'. The days of 'The Sky Moves Sideways' and even 'Lightbulb Sun' are gone. Not entirely a good thing, IMO, but I think I see what they're doing.

T - 3; M - 4; D - 3. Train too full for comfort...