tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52396059435949306932024-03-13T20:19:21.578+00:00Good Stuff.redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-83046989388765514832012-03-19T14:33:00.000+00:002012-03-19T14:33:20.360+00:00Ladies of the Week #2: BroadcastBroadcast were a lady-fronted band from Birmingham, whose sound is absolutely up my street: ghostly vocals over fuzzy guitars and songtitles which mention cats. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://luvanmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/broadcast-band-photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://luvanmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/broadcast-band-photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I don't really know much about them, other than that singer Trish Keenan died last year of pneumonia, which is incredibly sad as the sound and content of her vocals is both intriguing and beautiful.<br />
All you need to know is that the 2005 album 'Tender Buttons' is a perfect lazy Sunday afternoon soundtrack, full of hazy and whimsical electro-pop ditties that back seemingly stream-of-consciousness vocals. It's hard to talk about the songs individually as this is a perfect example of an album that should be listened to as a whole. So, here's one of the shorter songs, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WVVWXcbBJs">'Tears in the Typing Pool'</a>.<br />
PS. Be careful because there's some awful sappy big-haired 80's-looking band called Broadcast too, and they are absolutely NOT GOOD.redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-76679530049793999832012-02-10T17:47:00.001+00:002012-02-10T18:31:45.661+00:00Ladies of the Week #1: ElectrelaneI am by no means a staunch feminist, but it was brought to my attention some days ago that I listen to a LOT of female singers. I hadn't really noticed but it is entirely true, at least at the moment, and so I am going to start writing every week about some totally rad ladies, partly because it'll soothe my writing itch and partly because this blog has been largely neglected since pretty much about 2 months after I started it. So...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static.rhap.com/img/356x237/5/8/2/2/1032285_356x237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://static.rhap.com/img/356x237/5/8/2/2/1032285_356x237.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
<div>Electrelane are an all-lady band from Brighton, who I first heard when I was about 19 when one of the boys in my university halls was listening to No Shouts, No Calls (2007) in his room. There are albums and there are <i>albums</i>, if you know what I mean, and this is one of the latter. From the quiet-tinkle-into-organ-burst of The Greater Times to the mad head-bopping cascade of The Lighthouse, this is a wonderful wonderful piece of work. </div><div>I'm not quite as familiar with the other albums, mainly because they were never the latter '<i>album</i>' for me, so I'll just mention some stand-out songs from the other releases (minus Axes which I have yet to listen to properly).</div><div>One such of these songs is Film Music, from Rock It To The Moon (2001) which has something of a James Bond swag to it and is perfect for daydreaming to, i.e. imagining yourself as the protagonist in a 70's spy flick as you make your way to work. Yeah, it's awesome - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWNdCcKC1uk">listen to it here</a>.</div><div>The next song is altogether entirely different from anything else of their's. The Valleys from The Power Out (2004) always makes me think of Wales (yes, the country) and the Sound of Music and it is both wonderfully bizarre and absolutely awesome. About 3:45mins in it goes incredibly epic and choral and it's breathtaking - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkTBrqU7Mas">listen here</a>.</div><div>I think the main appeal of Electrelane for me is their diversity. I don't think that one album sounds the same and it is a risky business to change your sound so, because the fans might hate it. On the other hand it's incredibly dull when an artist sounds the same the whole time, and even if I weren't to enjoy a new release from them I would still hold them in high esteem because they had the balls and the imagination to create something entirely different from previous work. And in any case, I don't think they've missed the mark yet so Electrelane, I salute you.</div><div><br />
</div></div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-53148770338766592062011-10-19T23:17:00.000+01:002011-10-19T23:17:31.751+01:00GOOD TIT: Keisuke YamadaAnyone who makes sculptures out of bananas is a dude in my eyes. He eats them too. I'm sure I could go on some pretentious drivel about edible art that only exists for about 30 minutes but really, <i>the guy carves bananas</i>. Ace.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mizozo.com/images/item_images/31000/30998_gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.mizozo.com/images/item_images/31000/30998_gallery.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.mizozo.com/images/item_images/31000/30999_gallery.jpg" width="213" /></div>(<a href="http://www.mizozo.com/weird/10/2011/17/keisuke-yamada-japanese-artist-becomes-online-sens....html">the site I stole this from and also more demonstrations of his carvings</a>)redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-83075187679695102862011-10-01T20:37:00.000+01:002011-10-01T20:37:25.471+01:00GOOD TUNE #7: Forest Fire's Fortune Teller<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://beatcrave.frsucrave.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/forestfire1-sl052909.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://beatcrave.frsucrave.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/forestfire1-sl052909.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Tonight, I'm gonna melt some faces with gattling-gun social skills". </i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Flippin' wonderful in a scruffy, slightly unnerving, back-water rock'n'roll kinda way. And the lyrics are pretty rad too.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzQYhZfWMpU">LISTEN ON YOUTUBE</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Just read something on the Guardian comparing them to Fleet Foxes. Well I can't say I've listened to much of their other stuff so I can't comment really, but going on this that is absolute balls: THIS IS WAY BETTER!)</div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-50186070626947019102011-09-30T17:49:00.003+01:002011-09-30T17:55:47.487+01:00GOOD GUY: Don Kenn<a href="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w255/addieannesievers/Picture1-22.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w255/addieannesievers/Picture1-22.png" width="296" /></a><br />
Don Kenn, aka John Kenn Mortenson, from Denmark, was brought to my attention by a lovely friend some months ago, and I was reminded of him upon seeing a guy wearing a t-shirt with a design that had some similarities to his style last week (though by no means as good). His creepy drawings are all done on post-it notes and are the stuff of nightmares, in an absolutely wonderful way. I wish I lived in a world where monsters were real and the landscapes were all decrepit buildings and lakes and bare trees! Sigh. Here's a link to his <a href="http://johnkenn.blogspot.com/">blog. </a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-32584784578501855372011-09-27T15:55:00.000+01:002011-09-27T15:55:53.434+01:00GOOD TUNE #6: Open Rhythms by Bodies of Water<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://donteatheyellowsnow.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/bowbowbowbow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="http://donteatheyellowsnow.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/bowbowbowbow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Entirely hypnotic from the very first note, it makes me feel as though I'm lying in long grass in the late afternoon of a hot day. It's very rare I enjoy anything quite so much as this: lazy riffs, daydreamy vocals, strings et al. If music were food, this would be absolutely delicious.<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp7YkYhncd8">LISTEN ON YOUTUBE</a>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-58911970455352838382011-09-25T20:33:00.004+01:002011-09-30T17:57:26.862+01:00GOOD LADY: Heather Mattoon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.251756197.jpg" width="254" /></div>I think I love her. Her collection of paintings of cats in clothes, all of which are depicted in outfits reflecting their personalities, is totally awesome. And, if you have a spare $500, you can have your own cat painted too (if I could afford it, I definitely would). This cat is Morris, by the way.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.heathermattoon.com/catsinclothes/index.php/original-artworks.html"><b>Heather Mattoon's web & more cats in clothes</b></a></div><br />
(It probably says rather a lot about me that I have just spent the last 2 hours in Madrid's Museo del Prado, and although there was some very impressive stuff there, nothing got me nearly as excited as these did)redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-53027833329080835362010-11-18T13:01:00.001+00:002010-11-18T13:10:20.987+00:00GOOD FUN: Mari Kasurinen's My Little PoniesI just think these are wonderful. And hilarious.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://maxer.hostoi.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/gagaa2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" ox="true" src="http://maxer.hostoi.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/gagaa2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://abhfya.com/fuckingyoung/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/pony16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="http://abhfya.com/fuckingyoung/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/pony16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marikasurinen.com/">http://www.marikasurinen.com/</a></div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-30578432987208462322010-10-26T14:30:00.001+01:002010-10-26T14:31:16.458+01:00GOOD TUNE #5: Grauzone's 'Eisbär''Eisbär' (polar bear) is short-lived Swiss band Grauzone's 1981 single. Apart from the dubious sax burst at the end, every part of this song is Bang On. <br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTuTc_liKS4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTuTc_liKS4</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://jessekaminsky.com/intercontinental/playlists/07-30-08/grau.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://jessekaminsky.com/intercontinental/playlists/07-30-08/grau.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-84485648650972612572010-06-16T13:44:00.001+01:002012-02-10T17:53:02.743+00:00GOOD SMOKE: Cigarettes<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It's almost a shame that tobacco advertising is banned.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.rad-dudes.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/26036_378722964741_151746964741_3469554_4050491_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" qu="true" src="http://www.rad-dudes.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/26036_378722964741_151746964741_3469554_4050491_n.jpg" width="462" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-46645801868693230242010-06-14T11:35:00.000+01:002010-06-14T11:35:25.228+01:00GOOD POSTER: Awesome Dog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.nextround.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/missing-dog-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" qu="true" src="http://cdn.nextround.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/missing-dog-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Also just yesterday I walked past an out-of-use bus stop and someone had scribbled on it "buses are awesome" which amused me a little (although the type of person who would actually go to the effort to do that I'm not sure is quite so awesome - probably describes themselves as wacky or something equally distasteful). This poster is about a gazillion times better anyway.</div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-9318362170771212132010-04-29T00:55:00.002+01:002010-04-29T00:56:22.908+01:00GOOD TUNE #4: The The "This is the Day""well you never got up this morning cos you never went to bed, you've been watching the whites of your eyes turn red" - excellent 80's post-punk. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phWv7l8Lm_A">have a listen</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://nobrasil.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/0519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://nobrasil.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/0519.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-91203230640220705162010-04-22T12:51:00.003+01:002010-04-22T13:07:06.013+01:00VERY GOOD: GY!BE comebackI'm sure that everyone who cares is already well aware that Godspeed You! Black Emperor have ended their lengthy hiatus and are curating All Tomorrow's Parties' december festival, Nightmare Before Christmas. I'm also sure that some people who are aware of this couldn't give two hoots. Indeed, when I initially found out, I was a little surprised but mostly indifferent.<br />
In my teens I completely fell in love with post-rock, but after a Mogwai gig which was, to say the least, Absolutely Fucking Rubbish, my feelings for the genre faded and now all I have to show for it is a few dusty records and a tiny tattoo. But Godspeed are different to other bands. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm224/bulgaroo/gybe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm224/bulgaroo/gybe.jpg" width="258" wt="true" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Upon a recent listen, I remember what I said to a friend when I first heard Lift Your Skinny Fists: it was along the lines of "I can't imagine listening to anything else ever again". Their songs are long and sweeping and beautiful: it is like they know some secret about humanity, but they can't tell us, so give us gut wrenching swathes of music to contend with instead, to fathom it out for ourselves. This, combined with a sense of mystery fostered through a rejection of mainstream culture, means that, to some at least, Godspeed are deities. </div>And this is why their return is so very, very good.redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-78506430469847232442010-04-18T16:54:00.002+01:002010-04-18T18:22:21.228+01:00GOOD LORD: Shrunken HeadsFound this photo from when I was in Ecuador at a museum (or rather pretend traditional 'settlement' on the Equator). Can't remember how many stages there are to preparing a shrunken head, but the first 6 were definitely the most visually arresting.<br />
Click on the photo to see the whole thing. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/124/387903511_55f87643f7_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/124/387903511_55f87643f7_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eeeeeeeyyyuck!</div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-35736687134168258152010-04-17T12:26:00.003+01:002012-02-10T17:54:49.325+00:00GOOD COMMUNICATION: Collection of Telephone Wire ArtI did my A-level art project on "communication", and, although I never completed it (I tried to do it on my year out, but getting drunk and going travelling became far more important), I did do a painting or two inspired by some art that I found on the internet. These aren't mine but I think they're awesome.<br />
Kim Sobat's 'A Perfect Murder': <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://fineartamerica.com/images-medium/a-perfect-murder-kim-sobat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://fineartamerica.com/images-medium/a-perfect-murder-kim-sobat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Jenny Bowers:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://visualingual.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/bowers-green_energy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://visualingual.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/bowers-green_energy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Martin Middleton:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.martinmiddleton.co.uk/USERIMAGES/Telegraph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.martinmiddleton.co.uk/USERIMAGES/Telegraph.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Anyway. I dig telegraph pole art. It's also a massive shame that I've completely forgotten who the first artist was that I saw her paintings and was like "woah", but if I ever dig out my old art project I'll let you know.<br />
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PS. Jenny Bowers' work is amazing, <a href="http://www.jennybowers.co.uk/">WEBWEBWEB</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-41000151903469134932010-04-15T17:55:00.000+01:002010-04-15T17:55:32.848+01:00GOOD TUNE #3: Pantha Du Prince's 'Lay in a Shimmer'There's a twinkly sound on Sigur Ros' 'Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do' that I have often wished there was more of, mainly because it sort of sounds like fairies having a hoe-down up in the trees. Well, folklore analogies aside, Pantha du Prince's 'Lay in a Shimmer' captures a similar sound - parties at dusk, ripped denim shorts, lots of laughter and spilt beer. Mega chilled, mega happy and mega summery.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3434/3380207238_baba5f41ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3434/3380207238_baba5f41ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QL9CbikWNw">Lay in a Shimmer on Youtube - ignore snow, think sun</a>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-66607966564048203852010-03-12T02:18:00.000+00:002010-03-12T02:18:42.397+00:00Good Walk: LondonRecently, in order to save money and bring some sort of healthiness back to my alcohol and late-night addled body (ignore the fact that it is currently 2.30am and yes, I have had a few), I have taken to walking almost everywhere. It's been 6 days and I am thoroughly enjoying it, and it is probably largely down to endorphins but I have also been listening to loads of albums that I haven't in ages, and that is also making me feel f****ng awesome.<br />
There are 3 that have been topping my list.<br />
The first is Lack's Saturate Every Atom. This makes my walk more of a swagger, but I do feel dreadfully embarrassed and like a totally knob every time I walk in front of an oncoming car or trip up on the pavement.<br />
Second in Joanna Newsom's The Milk Eyed Mender which makes the walk more like a curious stroll where each corner I turn is stranger and more interesting than the previous.<br />
And the third is Red Sparowes' At the Soundless Dawn. God knows why I thought I would start walking to this, because I haven't listened to them in approx. 3years and my music taste is completely different to what it was then. But the impending doom and end of the world vibe makes for a super-quick/frantic walk and every stumble over the pavement just adds to the drama.<br />
Basically, London is effing great to walk around with good music. Perhaps I have the right imagination, but those drunken walks from Euston to Old Street, or late afternoon strolls through Farringdon have completely made my week.<br />
Hooray!redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-14443070950706945822010-02-06T14:56:00.006+00:002010-02-06T18:11:47.586+00:00GOOD SONG: Blonde Redhead's ' 23'Blonde Redhead are amazing. I've thought they were amazing for ages, but then one day I came across this and it's like they found out exactly what makes my music taste tick, and then distilled it all into one perfect song. It's one of those wowwww-what-was-that-play-it-again gems.<br />
Here is a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7FqUNlEdwA">link</a> to the video if anyone is interested (which you totally should be after such praise). Overwhelmingly beautiful.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://londonist.com/attachments/Londonist_Laura/10.29.blonde.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://londonist.com/attachments/Londonist_Laura/10.29.blonde.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-91261742289585296392010-01-21T17:50:00.003+00:002010-02-06T18:13:22.024+00:00GOOD CONDIMENT: Green TabascoIn my opinion, this is probably the most underrated condiment in the Western World. Seriously. Last year I flirted with the idea of carrying a bottle with me everywhere, and I recently revisited my Green Tabasco love affair after coming across it in the local corner shop, and used the last few pounds of that week's wages to splash out on it (hohoho).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://countrystore.tabasco.com/images/03080-original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://countrystore.tabasco.com/images/03080-original.jpg" /></a></div>So I thought I'd write a blog, because I'm a massive fan of all things tasty. In my research for this blog, I perused the <a href="http://www.tabasco.com/">Tabasco website</a> and discovered something totally amazing which is probably worthy of an entire post itself, but as I am lazy I'm just tacking it onto this one. This amazing thing is the Scoville Scale, invented in 1912 by Wilbur Scoville to measure the piquancy of peppers. The Green Tabasco is rated at approx. 600-1200 Scoville heat units, Red Tabasco 2500-5000 SHU and the hottest ever was recorded at 1,040,000 SHU which would probably kill you. Streuth.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://product-image.tradeindia.com/00281841/b/0/CHILLIES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://product-image.tradeindia.com/00281841/b/0/CHILLIES.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-86631944969484600862009-12-26T22:41:00.000+00:002009-12-26T22:41:15.865+00:00GOOD MAN: John Godfrey SaxeI came across Saxe whilst investigating 'Flatland' (see earlier blog) on Wikipedia, through a series of rather tedious links. John Godfrey Saxe was a Victorian poet whose use of language amused me enough to Google him and read more of his stuff, but I realised he was an utter legend when, upon reading his rather lovely anthology online, I happened upon his poem 'Early Rising':<br />
<dl style="text-align: center;"><dt><i>Yes; bless the man who first invented sleep </i></dt>
<dt><i> (I really can't avoid the iteration); </i></dt>
<dt><i>But blast the man, with curses loud and deep, </i></dt>
<dt><i> Whate'er the rascal's name, or age, or station, </i></dt>
<dt><i>Who first invented, and went round advising, </i></dt>
<dt><i>That artificial cut-off,--Early Rising! </i></dt>
</dl> Suffice to say he's become one of my favourite people ever.<br />
NB: full poem and others available <a href="http://theotherpages.org/poems/saxe01.html">here</a>.redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-16234624521069621252009-12-22T08:06:00.001+00:002010-02-15T19:08:28.131+00:00GOOD TUNE #1: Strawberry Switchblade's 'Michael Who Walks By Night'Strawberry Switchblade were a short-lived girl band from Glasgow in the '80s. My dad absolutely loves this song and I recently re-discovered it. It's pretty girly but also really lovely.<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zaBVQdxpXA">Have a listen.</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGMlRdGuGYNCgSZ6bQBBYB1Ft4U4v1NA6N7HjW3qHaHczypJueS7khll1_Y9LQgZ7vCyRiyJFliwqqscHAml8sxYgVKR5XTFg7lQ-8g-R8j8CKxHOsAs1UxyeONkG49l_okD4bXPGi7ai/s1600-h/77-q%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGMlRdGuGYNCgSZ6bQBBYB1Ft4U4v1NA6N7HjW3qHaHczypJueS7khll1_Y9LQgZ7vCyRiyJFliwqqscHAml8sxYgVKR5XTFg7lQ-8g-R8j8CKxHOsAs1UxyeONkG49l_okD4bXPGi7ai/s320/77-q%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a></div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-38732228492685762742009-12-22T07:18:00.000+00:002009-12-22T07:18:29.511+00:00GOOD FACT: Marmite changes colourApparently, if you whisk Marmite, after a while it goes white, and resembles something like the froth on a cappuccino (found this out <a href="http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/news_behind/4734603.A_book_you_ll_really_love_or_hate/">here</a>).<br />
Apparently this is because whisking increases surface area, and Marmite's surface is shiny - so more surface means more shine and more shine makes it look white.<br />
Cool.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sports-art-prints.co.uk/PawsMarmite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ps="true" src="http://www.sports-art-prints.co.uk/PawsMarmite.jpg" width="256" /></a><br />
</div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-38843269711517911462009-12-21T18:28:00.001+00:002009-12-21T18:29:00.064+00:00GOOD SELL: Shoes"The Devil wears Prada but the people wear Plimsoles, £5"<br />
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Shop on Brick Lane.redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-61381182373663788582009-12-21T17:06:00.001+00:002009-12-21T17:10:42.110+00:00GOOD BAND: Bear in HeavenThink I came across these whilst reading someone else's blog last week. Sort of like Gang Gang Dance and MGMT's weird little brother, but not really. <br />
Their latest album 'Beast Rest Forth Mouth' (released this year) is absolutely incredible and hasn't been off my speakers for about six days now. <br />
Free downloads of a couple of songs available <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Bear+In+Heaven/Beast+Rest+Forth+Mouth">here</a>, though you might need a last.fm account to get 'em. These tracks are great, but by no means the best on the album: I recommend 'Ultimate Satisfaction' and 'Dust Cloud'.<br />
Also, although this is in no way important, the artwork is effing great.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.saidthegramophone.com/images/bear_in_heaven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ps="true" src="http://www.saidthegramophone.com/images/bear_in_heaven.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
</div>redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239605943594930693.post-78250771570755715302009-12-21T03:50:00.003+00:002009-12-21T03:54:39.710+00:00GOOD READ: Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ig-4OxbsLMz2ywW4dpouXb1r-GJJUM57uqKEyuM_BMk_LVN8uevYRWsECWVnH230T-wrrq7Vtin_jlLBruFG-6gMI2htUYP86aRTaT9fbLiep9ocg05UXBpCPYyhYfhOQVLD-AHZDjkq/s1600/Flat*****.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ig-4OxbsLMz2ywW4dpouXb1r-GJJUM57uqKEyuM_BMk_LVN8uevYRWsECWVnH230T-wrrq7Vtin_jlLBruFG-6gMI2htUYP86aRTaT9fbLiep9ocg05UXBpCPYyhYfhOQVLD-AHZDjkq/s320/Flat*****.jpg" /></a><br />
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I recently was lent this, and, although I was apprehensive at first (it's a favourite amongst math students apparently), now I've read it I can't stop telling people about it.<br />
It's the story of A.Square, who lives in the 2D world of Flatland. The first part of the book consists of him describing life in Flatland, how the triangles are the lowest in the social order (aside from women, who are but straight lines and therefore highly unintelligent), how they recognise each other, how they school their children etc. The rest of the story takes place in three other worlds: one dimensional 'Lineland', three dimensional 'Spaceland' and zero dimensional 'Pointland'.<br />
Aside from being a critique on Victorian society (this was written in the late 1800's), it is also an exploration of mathematics and physics, questioning what a fourth dimension would be as well as going into great depths about angles and geometry.<br />
HOWEVER, if that's not really your cup of tea (as it isn't mine), fear not, as aside from being deep and meaningful it is also written really really well, and in parts it is very funny. In short, this was one of the most refreshing and amazing short stories I've ever read: get on it.redspectacleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279867937689695249noreply@blogger.com0