Catching up..

I've been completely silent for a little while....and there's a long list of reviews I'd like to have written, but haven't got around to. For this reason (and that I'm lazy) I've decided to do several little'uns.

Arcade Fire: Neon Bible - I first listened to this, their most recent album, when I was on a bus on an island in the Inner Hebrides. I was alone, except for a couple of wizened oldies, and the odd solitary teenager. I was able to immerse myself in some of the greatest music I've heard all year, with instant favourites, like "No Cars Go" and "Keep the Car Running" and others, which grew on me slowly, like "Ocean of Noise/Bad Vibrations". The music suited my journey through dramatic countryside perfectly, and I can't recommend more....though if you don't have any countryside in which to listen to it, you might have to close your eyes, and drift away on a cloud of Canadian epicness.

Newton Faulkner: Hand Built By Robots - I bought this mostly due to the amazingness of "Dream Catch Me", which I first heard in the departures lounge of Glasgow Airport..again, whilst I was alone - I suppose I should let you know that I have to travel as often as Michael Bay seems to bring out a terrible film...seemingly all the time. The album is great, and nicely upbeat throughout; with enough tracks to make it worth my while...Artists who put less than 10 songs on an album should be sent back to the recording studio and told off. Rambling aside, I do rather like this album...it would have been the soundtrack to the summer of 2007, had the weather not been so rubbish.

Flight of the Conchords - This is officially my new favourite comedy (Thanks Kayleigh!). It hits BBC4 at some point in October - around the same time that the DVD is released; and I can't urge you enough to either watch or buy it. The plot revolves around two New Zealanders who want to make it big in the New York music scene, aided by their imbecilic manager, Murray. New Zealand is almost a character - and always refered to as a backward nation: "This isn't New Zealand, you can't give out pencils at a gig." It's underplayed, underacted, and amazing comedy.

Ratatouille - I'm bored of this post now...but safe to say, this is the best animated film I've seen since the first Shrek film. It's innovative, fun, charming, and visually amazing. It's also about a rat who knows his comis-chef from his sioux chef...that's just awesome.