Review: The Kennedys - Closer Than You Know

 I am going to review Closer Than You Know by US folk/rock duo The Kennedys, first released in late 2012. Being a Kennedys fan, I had high expectations for this album, and it didn't disappoint. I'm going to take you through the album track by track, and then give my final verdict. Enjoy!

1) Winter - This song struck me immediately as quite different to other Kennedys songs; it has a dark, haunting feel to it and sounds more heavily produced than their other songs.

 Maura's voice sounds as though it has been put through a synthesiser which normally I would object to as it is beautiful without; however here it adds to the the mysterious feel of the song, creating a very powerful overall effect.

 It's intense; a song you can get lost in. A good opening track that takes you by surprise and makes you wonder what is still to come in this album.

2) Rhyme and Reason - I heard somewhere that this album had some jazz influence; I feel that in this song it is most apparent. Certainly has a jazzy feel to it, a nice melody and some particularly nice vocals from Maura.

 Something about it reminds me of Tumble and Fall by Nanci Griffith, a song I love. Rhyme and Reason is not my favourite track on the album personally, but nonetheless a good, well-crafted song.

3) I'll Come Over - This was the first song from this album that I heard - way back in early 2012 when I saw The Kennedys in concert for the first time. I liked it then and it has really grown on me.

 Hearing the story behind it; that Maura wrote the lyrics for friends who were going through a tough time, makes it even more poignant. Beautiful lyrics, beautifully sung, with real emotion.

4) Cradle to a Boat - Not one of my stand-out tracks on the album, but a good song with some interesting lyrics, nice Spanish-style guitar work; certainly has its own ambiance. It seemed to finish very suddenly for me; I could have listened to another verse and chorus to try to better understand this unusual song.

5) Sigh - One of my favourite songs on the album. This could very easily have been a kitsch ballad, but Pete and Maura have managed to avoid that, and have instead produced a sophisticated, moving song that does exactly what I imagine it was intended to do - make you feel a bit better when you are feeling sad. Every bit of this song is gorgeous.

6) Home - I wasn't keen on this song at first, but it has grown on me somewhat; it has the same mysterious, haunting feeling as Winter and Cradle to a Boat.

 It's a song I'd have to listen to in the right frame of mind; if I were feeling down then the sadness of the song probably wouldn't help! But it's an interesting song; one I'll have to listen to again to try to understand the meaning behind the lyrics.

7) Marina Dream - This isn't the song I was expecting; Marina Dream sounds - well, dreamy and relaxing. Instead, this is fast, urgent; like an epic from the middle ages. I like it.

8) Made of Sand - Certainly the most rock-orientated track on the album, this song of Maura's has nice lyrics, and her voice goes incredibly well with the beat... I'm very jealous of her ability to sing equally wonderfully on folk and rock tracks.

9) Big Star Song - I really like this. I listened to a few Big Star songs in preparation for reviewing this track, as I wondered if it was meant to sound like one. My conclusion is that it sounds more like a Kennedys song, which can never be a bad thing!

 I could go on and on about Maura's vocals on any song and have tried to avoid doing so as it would become very repetitive. However, I feel this song deserves special mention. When she sings, "... the days are longer, maybe he'd have held on," and then on "lost in time," her voice is particularly gorgeous.

 Whether this song is a straight tribute to Alex Chilton or a love song combined with an Alex Chilton tribute I'm not sure, but it is certainly very beautiful and is probably one of the two songs on this album I've listened to most, the other being the next track I am about to discuss: Wild Honey.

 10) Wild Honey - This is The Kennedys' take on the U2 song; having U2 fan parents I probably heard the original once but had forgotten it when I heard the Kennedys' version, and it blew me away.

 I subsequently listened to the U2 version, and I probably prefer the Kennedys' one. However, I'm not going to launch into comparisons; I'm simply going to talk from now on about the Kennedys version as a song in its own right.

 I love the guitar work; the intro is lovely, as are the vocals, especially on "wild, wild, wild..." I think this song suits Maura's voice and the Kennedys have done a great job of making the song their own despite not straying that far from the original. Lovely song and perhaps my favourite on the album.

11) Happy Again - Like I'll Come Over and Sigh, this song seeks to comfort those in pain or sadness, and includes the album title, "closer than you know." It's a good song, perhaps not one of my favourites, but it's clear that the lyrics come straight from the heart.

12) Winter Lies - The album began with a song about winter and ends with one. Winter Lies is slow, almost like a poem, full of wintry imagery. It'a very different from the rest of the tracks, but provides a peaceful finish to the album.

 Overall, I really enjoyed this album; it follows a number of different directions, from the jazzy Rhyme and Reason to the rocky Made of Sand to the folksy Wild Honey. Sigh is the high point for me musically; I think it is one of the Kennedys' best songs.

 According to the album cover Maura wrote all of the lyrics for this album (besides Wild Honey) and I applaud her, as there are some very nice ones, particularly in Cradle for a Boat, Made of Sand and the aforementioned Sigh.

 As always, Pete's guitar playing and arrangements are superb, and Maura's voice is stunning. This album has all you would expect from the Kennedys, which added to the diversity of musical styles makes Closer Than You Know a very strong release.

 Rating: 8/10

Here and now

 Hello, my dear readers!

 I have discovered that one of my favourite artists and one of my favourite bands, both of whom were perhaps better known for their music in the 1980s/90s, have recently released new songs. They are, more specifically, Alison Moyet and Deacon Blue.

♪♫♪

 Firstly, I discovered "When I Was Your Girl" by Alison Moyet.

 What I have always loved most about Alison in her older hits such as "Is This Love?" and  "Invisible" is her amazing voice, the emotion she puts into her songs, which really feels genuine, and the good production - her records tend to be very pleasant on the ear with regards to the music as well as her voice.

 I came to this song half-expecting a belt-y ballad, and whilst it proved to be exactly that, it still quite surprised me. I think I had expected it to be looser and simpler, primarily a means of showcasing her voice, while in fact it is quite a complicated arrangement, which showcases her voice yet is also a really beautiful song with interesting lyrics and a catchy tune.

 At first listening I quite liked it, at second listening I liked it a bit more - basically it's grown on me very quickly. It's the first single from her new album "the minutes," which is set to be released in May, and from which I am looking forward to hearing more material.

 I like the video - the coastal theme provides a link back to her 1986 hit "Is This Love?" - one of my favourite songs - and they did a good job of finding a look-a-like who is also a good actress and presents the song well. 

 I was getting worried that we might not actually see the real Alison in the video, when happily she appeared. I love that unlike some artists who see a come-back as a chance to completely change their image, Alison is completely recognisable as the young woman who sang and danced about on the beach in "Is This Love?".

 And of course, her voice is amazing, as always. The emotion is clear and raw. The production is also good; I really like the instrumental particularly; it sounds like it could have come from a Cure song, which is high praise from me because I love The Cure's arrangements.

 All in all, I really love this new song; I had been doubtful as to whether it could match the sheer brilliance of some of Alison's older songs, but it is certainly one of the nicest songs I have heard in a long time. Welcome back, Alison ♥

♪♫♪

 The next song I want to share with you is Turn by Deacon Blue, from their late-2012 album, "The Hipsters."

 I heard this song on the radio a couple of days ago and quite liked it and wondered who it was by, then when the DJ announced that it was by Deacon Blue I was surprised and pleased.

 At first I liked it but thought it sounded like a lot of other songs. Having heard it a few more times, it's really growing on me and I now think it sounds quite distinctive. The video is slightly bizarre but I like it. 

 Also, assuming the backing vocals are by Lorraine McIntosh as usual, I like them on this song more than on some of Deacon Blue's older songs. I think they add more to this song, maybe as she is just singing rather than doing fancy things with her voice as in some other songs; perhaps the simplicity is what works particularly well here.

 I like the quieter, more lyric-based feel of this song, as opposed to some of the louder, faster material of Deacon Blue such as "Wages Day" and "Queen of the New Year" - although I still love these songs! I just think it's nice to have something more raw and stripped-back for a change, in addition to their brilliant back-catalogue.

 I like the reference to "Dignity" in the video! I predicted that the third card would say "work" and was quite pleased with myself when it turned out I was right. I also think the first guy on the bus looks like Marcus Bridgestocke... Is he Marcus Bridgestocke?

 I really like this song; it isn't my favourite Deacon Blue song - that would probably be "Your Swaying Arms" or "When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)," but I do really like "Turn."

♪♫♪

 So, two really good new songs from an artist and a group who have been about for years; let's hope they continue producing fantastic new material for many years to come.

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

Songs:

When I Was Your Girl - Alison Moyet - 2013

Turn - Deacon Blue - 2012

We've come a long way...

 Hello my readers!

 Today is Thursday, and I wanted to continue my fiftieth blog post celebrations by reflecting on what I have learnt by keeping this blog.

♥

 I can't believe this is my fifty-second blog post. It's amazing. And I can't believe it's been nearly a year and a half since I started this blog. Some of the posts I did last summer seem like yesterday. Time really does fly.

 Looking at my posts, it's easy to see the evolution from quite basic, usually gushing about a song I loved, to more structured, more critical - still praising songs I love, but in a more constructive way, I feel.

 That's not to say that my first posts aren't worth reading - I think they still make good reads, especially if you're looking for something short and focussed on one particular song. But I feel that my blogging is more sophisticated now.

 My presentation has evolved - I would now very rarely, if at all, use multiple exclamation marks, nor do I use smilies like this :) Instead I use the proper alt code to get this☺Generally, though, I don't use smilies that much. I use hearts ♥ because I think they look nice and because I am the emotional kind of person who sees the need to use hearts a lot.

 I've also discovered quite recently how to get music notes from alt codes ♪♫ so you may be seeing some music notes on this blog in the future!

♥

 I've started putting links in posts; I learnt how to do this at Cornerhouse, for which I am very grateful. I also now put tags on all my posts; I didn't originally and have now gone back and made sure all my posts are tagged.

 I started putting the year the song came out at the bottom of each post along with the name of the song and the artist. I know it can be a nightmare finding the details on a song you really like via the Internet, so hopefully my song listings at the end of posts may make that a little easier. Plus I think it makes the blog look that bit more professional.

 I have my "recommended posts," at the end of blog entries; an idea I came up with to help people find entries on the music and artists that they personally like, and also to draw attention to some of my older posts that newer readers may not have seen.

 I now lay out all my entries in the "align left" format, whereas I used to use "align centre" on occasion, and I now think that can look a bit tacky. So, align left it is, and align centre for quoted lyrics. Altogether nicer, I feel.

♥

 I think my titles have evolved as well - it was always, "Gorgeous song!," "Lovely song! : ) ," etcetera - then they became more sensible because they started telling you what the post was actually about - "R.E.M. and Paul Young," for example.

 Then there was the Eurovision block, then after that I got into the habit of making titles a list of everything mentioned in the blog, for example, "Ireland, the Olympics, Snowdonia and Nanci Griffith." More recently on the title front I've been alternating between humorous and sentimental -and sometimes managed to achieve both.

 I think the first priority with titles must be to give some idea of what the post is about. I'll still use people's names alone for posts that are more biographical; whilst for posts that talk about my life as well as musicians, or which deal with a range of subjects, I try to be more imaginative.

♥

 I can't believe I've found so much to say about the evolution of my blog - it has changed more than I ever realised. I have changed too - I've become more mature, more sensible, I feel.

 I also write on here regularly, not just when I feel like it as was once the case. I feel like I have entries that need to be written; inspirational songs and amazing songwriters that deserve a place on this blog, and I 'll never be able to cover them all if I only write once in a blue moon.

 This blog isn't just a collection of songs I like, but a record of my life, and sometimes an important moment doesn't get recorded here because I don't get round to writing it up and then I feel that the moment has passed. And I think that's a terrible waste. So I will try not to let that happen any more.

♥

 Have my musical tastes changed since starting this blog? I don't think so. However, I feel I have discovered music that I never would have if I hadn't been keeping this blog; music that, it turned out, I really liked. So thank you, blog!

 And thank you, for reading my blog.

 Liz x

Four songs and a dragon

 Hello my dear readers!

 Today is a Sunday, and I have some things to report. Firstly, I have a writing dragon! Called Griff!

 This may not make a lot of sense to some, so I will explain. In Chris d'Lacey's amazing book The Fire Within, the protagonist, David, becomes a lodger in a house which is full of clay dragons which come to life in the eyes of those who really believe that dragons are real.

 As a present for getting good A-Level results and getting a place in Manchester University, my parents got me a Pennykettle Dragon - one of the real clay dragons that the ones in the book were inspired by.

 My Griff is a writing dragon, which means he has a notepad and pencil and should inspire me when I'm writing! In The Fire Within, Gadzooks, David's writing dragon, inspires him by writing words on his notepad which give David ideas for his stories.

 I am hoping that Griff can inspire me as well. I love writing and dragons, so a writing dragon is perfect for me!

 I named him Griff because I feel it suits him, and because it is Welsh-sounding and starts with G. All dragon names in Chris d'Lacey's books begin with G for some reason, and a lot of them are either Welsh-, German- or Anglo-Saxon-sounding. I think it is because England and Wales have a lot of stories about dragons in their histories, and I'm sure that Germany, with its mountains and forests, has dragon legends as well.

 I would recommend The Fire Within to anybody. It is a wonderful book. It is the first in a series of seven, of which I have read four - and I must say that the first two books are by far the best. However, I feel that the second novel, Icefire, is a lot darker than The Fire Within, so I would bear that in mind if you decide to read it.

 I am very happy with Griff and will never be able to thank my parents enough for finding the lady who makes the Pennykettle Dragons, and for having one made for me... I will be forever grateful. And thank you too to Val Chivers, the "Dragon Lady" who made Griff. She is amazing.

 Second piece of news is that I have found out where I will be staying during my first year of university, which is exciting. I got one of the places I wanted, which is great ♥

 Now for some music - I really wanted to share "Isn't it Midnight?" by Fleetwood Mac, which I discovered just after writing my blog post about Christine McVie a while ago.

 It is so pretty, yet also slightly dark and very mysterious-sounding. Here it is:

 The melody sounds quite familiar to me; I have heard similar in other songs. I don't know who came up with it first but I must say that the familiarity for me adds to the general haunted feeling of the song... It is beautiful and goes perfectly with the magical, mystical-looking album cover that is its YouTube thumbnail above. 

 The painting on the cover, in case you were interested, is Hommage à Henri Rousseau, by Brett-Livingstone Strong. The original painting was hanging in Lindsey Buckingham's house when the album was being recorded. I wish it were hanging in my house! It's beautiful.

 From the album Tango in the Night came several Fleetwood Mac songs I adore: Seven Wonders, Little Lies and Everywhere. I intend to start doing album reviews on this blog, and Tango in the Night may be one of the first albums I turn my attention to!

 Another song I have discovered recently and that I really like is "Days Are Numbers (the Traveller)" by the Alan Parsons Project. 

 Amazingly enough, I discovered this through somebody on YouTube claiming that one of my favourite French songs, Juste Après by Jean-Jacques Goldman, was a rip-off from it. I gave it a listen to see what I thought, and I can honestly say that apart from a vague similarity in the first few chords, there is no resemblance that I can hear. 

 I love Juste Après, and I am really warming to Days Are Numbers as well! It is really gorgeous, especially the harmonies in the chorus. If I ever have a band I want us to record this song, and I want us to do the very best job at it that we possibly can, to try and do justice to this amazing song. It is simply sublime.

 So thank you, YouTube person, for helping me discover this song! Even if it was through making a claim that I don't really agree with. But we all hear what we want to in any piece of music.

 I was shopping recently and heard "Maria" by Blondie on the radio - and I was very happy because I love this song. I think it sounds a bit like a speeded-up version of Someone Like You by Adele - obviously, Maria was out first. But I think I may be the only person who can hear the likeness! And I believe songs can sound very similar without any ripping-off being done.

 I first heard Maria at a friend's birthday party not that long ago, and I couldn't believe I had been missing out on it for so long, when I listen to as much Blondie as I do. On the other hand, it's sort of reassuring to think that there may be loads more great old music out there that I've never heard and have yet to discover.

 I will always associate this song with the film, "The Mirror Crack'd" - the 1980 one with Elizabeth Taylor in it. I find that film rather terrifying, and I also think the answer to the mystery is obvious from very early on - though that might be because the first time I saw the film I saw only the second half... I don't know. 

 I thought it was really easy to put two and two together, and I think that was the fault of the way it was filmed, not the plot. I intend to read the book - I have a copy of it in French, Le Miroir se Brisa. I have read parts of it; I may read it properly soon.

 Anyway, getting back on topic, I associate this song with that film because just after I first discovered the song, I watched the film on telly and listened to the song in the ad breaks, and now there seems to be a link between the two in my subconscious that I fear will never go away. I do like the film, I just find it scary and don't want to be reminded of it when I listen to a song I really love.

 Luckily, Maria also reminds me of the lovely party at which I first heard it, which is a really nice memory to cherish. I love the rhythm and melody of the song, and I love the lyrics, except for the line, "Don't you want to break her." I think - I sincerely hope - it doesn't mean physically breaking her, perhaps it is more in the sense of breaking her spirit; breaking her in because she is like a wild horse. Whichever is true I'm not keen on it. 

 Otherwise, the song is great and I love Debbie Harry's voice. It is, in my opinion, one of the finest songs of the 1990s (it was released in 1999).

 I have been following The X Factor this year; however my real love when it comes to winter television is Strictly Come Dancing, and I can't wait for this year's series to begin. For readers overseas, Strictly Come Dancing is the original UK version of Dancing With the Stars. 

 I really love seeing all the dances but I also love discovering new music which I always seem to do through this show. I love Strictly! It always makes me yearn to be a ballroom and Latin dancer, but I've always had trouble finding local classes. 

 However, all that may change when I move to Manchester in September - I'm sure in a city that size there must be some ballroom and Latin classes available! Maybe even as part as the Uni enrichment. That would really be wonderful.

 I've also been watching Celebrity Big Brother, and I must say that some of the things I have seen this series are truly pathetic. Certain individuals really need to grow up! But Julian Clary is amazing as always. I hope he wins.

 One last song I wanted to share with you is "You Win Again" by the Bee Gees.

 I had heard it before but recently I found out through hearing it on the radio what it was and who sings it. It sounds different to other Bee Gee songs I know, and I really like it. It is, in my opinion, their best song, which is high praise because I really love How Deep is Your Love as well. 

 I can't believe that Barry is the only Bee Gee left now. Rest in peace, Maurice and Robin. Your talent shines on and your music will be appreciated for many years to come.

 The Bee Gees were such a slick, smooth outfit - they always looked good, and their music moved with the times, from disco to pop, whilst remaining timeless. A few days ago I was at a 60s and 70s-themed zumba class, which featured a seven-minute-long Bee Gees medley. It was brilliant and reminded me why I love their music so much.

 You Win Again tends to remind me of my amazing trip to Paris in February 2012; I think this is because it was just after we got back that I discovered this song. I love the beat and the lyrics - mainly. Again, there is stuff about attacking the (I assume) woman the song is aimed at that is obviously a metaphor but that I kind of don't like. 

 Still, You Win Again is, on the whole, a great song. Well done, Bee Gees! You really are amazing. 

 Amazing does seem to be my favourite word, and in the past I've abstained from using it all of the time, trying to alternate with words like wonderful and brilliant, but to be honest I feel that I should be true to myself and if I feel that amazing is the best word for something, I shall call it amazing! So there! Okay, I probably sound a bit childish. But it is very liberating thinking, this is my blog and I can do what I like on it, within reason.

 So, I hope you have enjoyed my long, long blog post, and the songs I have shared with you.

 Thanks for reading!

 ¡Hasta luego!

 Hrrrrr! (That is what the dragons say in The Fire Within.)

 Liz x

Songs: Isn't it Midnight? - Fleetwood Mac - 1988

Days Are Numbers - The Alan Parsons Project - 1985

Maria - Blondie - 1999

You Win Again - Bee Gees - 1987

The best of British!

 Hello people!

 Today is Tuesday - in my part of the world anyway.

 The Olympic Closing Ceremony was on Sunday night, as you may well already know, and I found it very enjoyable. For me, it was definitely as good as the Opening Ceremony, if not slightly better because it was more music-based and, as you may have guessed from this blog, I love music!

 The emphasis was on British music and I was very glad to see Queen, John Lennon (I'm not a massive Beatles fan, but I have to admit that they are icons of British music) and George Michael (Freedom '90 is stuck in my head now! And his second song seems to have attracted controversy, but I liked it).

 I also enjoyed the performances by Emeli Sandé (how much coverage did she get these Olympics?! But she deserves the attention because she is amazing! ♥ ), Elbow and Madness.

 I even liked the music by Blur and Muse, neither of whom I'm usually a fan of, because I just felt that they fitted into the ballot of music so well. Overall, it was a great show.

 I was pleased that Annie Lennox featured in the show, but I wish she had sung Why, which I love. However, I understand that it's a bit too sad to have at a Ceremony which was billed as having a "party" vibe. Still, I have always loved this song.

"I may be mad, I may be blind, I may be viciously unkind, but I can still read what you're thinking.

And I fear I've said too many times that you'd be better off; besides, why can't you see this boat is sinking?"

 It is a very sad, beautiful song that I was lucky enough to know from quite a young age as it was on one of the compilation tapes we used to play in our car. These tapes were also how I discovered the great band Niagara, who were supposedly often compared to Eurythmics, Annie Lennox's band. 

 However, I really can't see much similarity except that both groups consisted of a man and a woman, and that the woman in both groups has a distinctive, strong voice and that they both produced quite adventurous music videos. But otherwise I don't think the groups are alike at all - they each have their own unique style of music and of performing. And I like them both!

 Here is one of my favourite songs from Niagara, "La vie est peut-être belle," and you can decide for yourself if they and Eurythmics are a bit alike.

 I will probably do a blog entry all about the brilliant Niagara, but for now I will get back to British bands (Niagara being French) for this "Best of British" blog entry. The Closing Ceremony was a celebration of British music, and I want to celebrate British music too, in my blog.

 In my opinion, you can't talk about British music without mentioning David Bowie. He has given so much to the music world over his long and wonderful career. Life on Mars was always my favourite of his songs, although I came to really like Let's Dance as well, as my family seems to possess a lot a of 80s compilation CDs that involve Let's Dance and we usually end up listening to it in the car!

 I'd never seen this video, and I must say there is rather a lot of David Bowie in it, and not a lot else! It may seem a tad self-indulgent, but I don't mind because he's gorgeous as ever! But I do think that with such interesting lyrics he could have created a more elaborate video; however, maybe the point is to leave the lyrics open to the listener's interpretation. Hmm.

"Let's sway, under the moonlight, the serious moonlight..."

 This makes me want to go and visit Australia ♥ It really does seem like a magical place. And I would love to experience the Aboriginal culture - at high school we did a lot of Aboriginal art and I really enjoyed it. I love discovering new ways of life and new ways of seeing the world. I've never been to Australia, but I'd love to go some day. There are many places I'd love to go and people I'd like to meet... One day I will travel the world! One day.

 I am also quite fond of Modern Love by David Bowie, but now it has got stuck firmly in my head and won't go away! Still, it's a good song so I don't really mind.

 Next, we have to have Rod Stewart - I was quite surprised and disappointed that he wasn't a performer at the Olympic Closing Ceremony. I would have loved for him to have sung Baby Jane - that would have got the crowd on their feet!

 

 This is one of those songs I have loved for a long, long time and I never seem to get tired of. It is just so good! And I feel this is perhaps the best of his songs for showcasing his unique and fantastic voice. I love Rod!

 Also, a bit of Dire Straits would have been great at the Closing Ceremony - my favourite songs by them have to be Brothers in Arms and Romeo and Juliet. Maybe not completely suitable for the Closing Ceremony, but amazing songs nonetheless. 

 I did my last blog post on Christine McVie, another wonderful British musician... She seems to have stepped out of the public eye a bit in recent years but I wish she could have been at at the Closing Ceremony... she is truly amazing and inspirational.

 We have so much talent here in Britain! I am becoming quite proud to be British; seeing all the amazing musicians this country has produced (and some of the great Olympians as well, although I would rather be a musician than an athlete any day). 

 I have mentioned this next song on my blog already, but I have to say I think it would have been great for the Closing Ceremony: Shake it Out by Florence + the Machine.

 This song would just fill that stadium so easily, and sweep everybody up in its power and emotion. It is one of those songs that means something to everyone. And perhaps she and Dizzee Rascal could have performed their version of You've Got the Love - two great British artists merging their talents, and a sure-fire crowd pleaser. 

 Finally, of course, I would have loved to have seen The Cure - I love The Cure, as any of my regular blog readers will know. Friday I'm in Love would have been amazing, if only the Ceremony had been on a Friday! In Between Days, Just Like Heaven, Love Cats and Close to Me would all have been good. Oh, I wish there had been a bit of Cure in that Ceremony!

 But still, I can't complain, because it was brilliant and I really enjoyed it. It was a lovely night and one I will remember for a long time. The London 2012 Olympics have been sensational and I have enjoyed every minute. 

 I'm sad that they're over, but who knows what the next big excitement will be... Hopefully something amazing.

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

 If you enjoyed this post I recommend: My top songs lyrics-wise, Strictly good music, Alison Moyet, "Shake It Out" and the final week of college, Pictures of You, Sign of the Times and The Songbird from Bouth. 

Songs: Why - Annie Lennox - 1992

La vie est peut-être belle - Niagara - 1991

Life on Mars? - David Bowie - 1971/3

Let's Dance - David Bowie - 1983
Modern Love - David Bowie - 1983

Baby Jane - Rod Stewart - 1983

Shake it Out - Florence + the Machine - 2011

Ireland, the Olympics, Snowdonia and Nanci Griffith

 Fáilte! Hello dear blog readers! I love you all!

 I apologise for not having blogged in quite a while, but I have been on holiday in Ireland and since then have been busy with a few things, such as a new project at Cornerhouse cinema/art gallery, about which I am very excited! More about that later.

 Firstly I will tell you about my trip to Ireland. It was lovely. I love Ireland; I have a lot of family who live there and have visited many times. It is a truly beautiful country and I really feel at home there. 

 We stayed in County Wexford, in the south-east of Ireland, where we spent time in the pretty little town of Wexford itself, at the beach, walking in the hills, and at Hook Head with its lighthouse - the oldest intact operational lighthouse in Ireland - and its spectacular coast with crashing blue waves, seals bobbing up and down and hundreds of tiny fossils all over the rocks.

 We then drove across Ireland to County Limerick, to the city of Limerick which is one of the largest cities in Ireland. We met up with family there and had a really nice time. Limerick is a lovely city - and it has the River Shannon running through it! I love cities with a river or a coastline. I just love being near water. 

 I also want to proudly point out that in one day we crossed the two longest rivers in Ireland - the Shannon and the Barrow. I think that's quite a cool achievement, especially when we didn't set out to do it; it just happened that they were both on our route from Wexford to Limerick.

 We watched the Olympic Opening Ceremony when we were in Ireland, and I was quite impressed. More than I had expected to be! I didn't have any prejudices, I just thought it would be impossible to match Beijing. But it was actually really good. I especially liked the beginning section with the choirs and then the industrial revolution and Kenneth Branagh. 

 I also liked the part with James Bond and the Queen, the Abide With Me section - Emeli Sandé is amazing - and the lighting of the cauldron. I think the petal idea was really good.

 I wasn't keen on Paul McCartney's appearance - I like his music but am a bit tired of him being treated like some kind of national treasure and featuring at every event like this. And the same for David Beckham! I think he's very overrated as a footballer. However, I understand he played a big part in bringing the Games to London, so I respect him for that. 

 I loved the fact that they had Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of the World Wide Web, in the ceremony. The Web really does shape the way we live in the western world in this day and age. I hadn't known he was British. Now he is a national treasure!

 On the way back from Ireland I spent some time with a good friend of mine in Wales, which was lovely. We also got to explore some of the Welsh countryside and Snowdonia. I had never been there before and it was very beautiful and striking; I would love to go back there some day. It was brilliant to see Mount Snowdon, even if most of it was shrouded in mist!

 Since getting back I have been working on a new project at Cornerhouse; I am one of a team of young curators who are curating our very own exhibition of artists' work. I did something similar in January when I was on the curation team for the exhibition Lost is Found, and I really enjoyed that, so it's lovely to have the chance to do it again.

 I have been listening to a great deal of music from the amazing Nanci Griffith. I will do a full post on her very soon, but for now here is a selection of some of her very best songs.

 I Knew Love, which is a simply stunning love song - and very sad too. I learnt the lyrics to this when I was little and used to sing it all the time.

 More than a Whisper; this is a live version which I only recently discovered and which I love. I have listened to the album version all of my life on the Last of the True Believers album (pictured below as the thumbnail for the next two songs which are also both from that album). All the images of the winter and the snow and needing to be woken up always made me think of a badger curled up asleep for the winter.

 Goin' Gone; this was one of my favourite Nanci songs, and probably my favourite from this album, when I was younger. I then went though a stage of not liking it very much, and then I started liking it again! Ah well, there's no accounting for tastes! The lighthouse imagery is a bit top-heavy, but the sentiment is very real and beautiful.

 Fly by Night is a Nanci song I didn't used to really appreciate because it is the second-last song on its album, and I used to listen to Nanci albums going to sleep, and so I'd usually be half asleep by the time this was on, and although I liked it, it never really stood out for me as a favourite. 

 I then rediscovered it years later on YouTube and realised I really love it; it is a really strong, gutsy song about someone who is not taking any nonsense any more, and I love that. The musicality is gorgeous too, as in all Nanci songs. The woman is nothing short of a genius.

 She is so fantastic; she has a beautiful, unique voice, and is a simply stunning songwriter. She is one of the best musicians I have ever known. 

 In other news, I have found out that In Your Eyes by Niamh Kavanagh was the reigning Eurovision winner when I was born, and I am very chuffed about that because I love that song.

 I'll sign off for now.

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

 If you enjoyed this post I recommend: My top songs lyrics-wise, Mountains and memories: Nanci Griffith and Tina Turner, The Songbird from Bouth and Amazing news and the Kennedys ♥.

Songs: I Knew Love - Nanci Griffith - 1988

More Than A Whisper - Nanci Griffith - album version released 1986, this live version released 1988

Goin' Gone - Nanci Griffith - 1986

Fly by Night - Nanci Griffith - 1986

D of E, birthdays and Lio and Jacky

 Hello, my dear blog readers!

 I have just completed my final Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award expedition! It was an amazing experience. I was in a lovely group of four, and we became very close over the four days of walking and camping.

 We were in the Lake District and we saw some beautiful scenery, stunning views, quaint little towns and all sorts of wildlife and livestock, including llamas!

 It was such a challenge, and I felt such a sense of achievement when we had got through the four days - never had I been so pleased to see the Keswick Pencil Museum (our finishing point)!

 It was very hard work, but so enjoyable, especially in the evenings on the campsites when we would sit around as a group eating, chatting and getting to know one another.

 It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I almost wish I could do it all over again! Hopefully I can do more camping expeditions in the future.

 This week has been a week of birthdays for me - about seven people I know have had birthdays in the last three days. If you're reading this and it's been your birthday recently, or it will be soon, then I wish you a very happy birthday! I hope you have a wonderful year ahead of you, full of joy and love and happiness ♥

 Now that I have finished my D of E expeditions, I feel as though the summer holidays have started for me, and I can now relax and enjoy myself for the next few weeks! I will try to update this blog as often as possible.

 I've been listening to some French 80s music, and one of my favourites has to be Tétéou by Lio and Jacky.

 This was one of many brilliant French 80s songs I discovered through the Platine 45 compilation CD which my brother and I have been listening to for years.

 Jacky was the presenter of the 80s French music show Platine 45, which gives its name to the CD. Lio was a huge star of French 80s music - I am a fan of hers, and will probably do a full post about her soon. 

 The unlikely pair teamed up for this bit of 80s madness, which I just love - the dancing especially! The video was supposedly filmed in someone's loft! I just love this song and video. It defines what 80s music was all about.

 Au revoir pour le moment

 Thanks for reading

 Liz x

 If you enjoyed this post I recommend: Bonjour!, ♥ Martika ♥, Eurovision 2012 Countdown: The "Divine" France, Sign of the Times, ♥ I've Been in Love Before ♥ and Zumba and Stooshe.

Song: Tétéou - Lio and Jacky - Sometime in the 80s! Can't find the actual year anywhere.

Zumba and Stooshe

 Hello!

 Today I thought I would share a current song that I really like: Black Heart by the British girl group Stooshe.

 I discovered this song at zumba, where at the minute we are using it as the song we do our cool-down and stretches to after the main zumba session. I've discovered some brilliant music through zumba, and this is no exception.

 At first I thought it must be a really old song; from the sixties or seventies. It certainly has that "old-school" vibe about it, and I just really love the whole song. It is quite unconventional; the way the tune is quite upbeat but the lyrics tell a very bleak story. Their voices are really good, especially the girl who sings first in the song.

 Stooshe's songs tend to be somewhat loud and pop-y, and this is so different... it must have been a bit of a risk releasing it. However, the risk seems to have paid off because they got to number four on the UK Singles Chart, which surprised me because there is usually so much rubbish at the top of the charts (and here still is) but somehow this lovely little song made it up there. People must appreciate its individuality and the way it harks back to the Sixties, both in the song and the video.

 I was a bit disappointed to find out that they didn't write the song; I like it when singers write their own material. But the fact that this song got written at all is something I am very happy about, and I think Stooshe are just the right band to do justice to it, so I'm glad that it was they who recorded it.

 I hope you enjoy this song too.

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

 If you enjoyed this post I recommend: I am in love with this song : ), Probably my all-time favourite song!, One of my other favourite songs!, Hope and Céline Dion and The best of British!.

Song: Black Heart - Stooshe - 2012

Pictures of You

 ¡Hola!

 Today I got a lot of work done on one of the video projects I have going, which is good. I've also been to zumba, which was very enjoyable as always, although somewhat tiring! But I do love it.

 I have been listening a lot to Pictures of You by The Cure.

 I discovered this song the other day when I was listening to A Letter To Elise on YouTube and someone said on the comments that it sounded like Pictures of You. I had been meaning to listen to the latter anyway as it tended to come up on the related videos section on YouTube and I was keen to see what it sounded like.

 I listened and decided it sounds a little bit like A Letter To Elise, but not a great deal, and it is by all means a song completely in its own right. I have definitely heard it before, probably on one of our old family car cassette tapes which are full of Cure songs. However, I had sort of forgotten about this song until I rediscovered it the other day. And I'm glad I did rediscover it!

 It is very beautiful, as are a lot of Cure songs such as A Letter To Elise which I mentioned in a previous blog post. The musicality is brilliant; the pacing flawless. The full version of the song has a very long intro (during which, be warned, there is some flashing, psychedelic imagery in the video), and normally I don't like long, self-indulgent intros, but this one is actually gorgeous and adds so much to the song. It lifts the song from being a very nice song to almost a work of art; a story with a prologue, beginning, middle and end. And the video is bizarre but I like it!

 I have to go now because it is raining very, very heavily and we may end up with lightning in which case I will have to turn off the computer. So, I will sign off now.

 Happy Monday! I hope that whoever you are, wherever you are, you're having a nice day ♥

 Liz x

Song: Pictures of You - The Cure - 1990

D of E and the Cranberries

 Hello! 

 Well, today is the first of July, and I have had a very busy day training for my Duke of Edinburgh's Award expedition which I will be going on this month. In training we learnt first aid, navigation techniques and how to pack a rucksack properly - although I did remember the rucksack bit from the last expedition I went on!

 I've been on many Duke of Edinburgh's Award (D of E) expeditions - I have achieved the Silver Award and am now working towards my Gold Award. For readers overseas who may not be familiar with this award, it involves doing, on a regular basis across a period of time: voluntary work, a sport or physical activity and a skill. 

 We also have to go on a series of camping expeditions in places like the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales (both very beautiful parts of the world). For the Gold Award we also have to go on a residential course in which we do some sort of volunteering. 

 I really enjoy working towards my D of E, because I get to learn new skills and I have made lots of great friends in the process. And if I achieve my Gold Award it will be presented to me at one of the royal Palaces by either the Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Philip, the Queen's husband) or the Earl of Wessex (Prince Edward, the Queen's youngest son). Which would be absolutely amazing!

 There are many songs which I associate with D of E expeditions for various reasons; usually because I hear them on the minibus on the way there and they become stuck in my head for the whole trip! But sometimes, they are just songs that felt particularly relevant and which I just keep playing again and again in my head to keep me going on the harder days when it rains on us or I'm homesick or everyone's exhausted.

 Days like that can be so hard. But for every moment when you think you are going to give up, there is a moment of magic; reaching the top of a mountain and gazing down at the view below; seeing the sun break through the clouds after the rain; seeing gorgeous baby lambs frolicking; chatting and laughing as a group; wandering through long, waving grass with the wind in your hair; those moments that make it all worthwhile and make you say to yourself; "I am so happy I chose to do this."

 One D of E song for me was Linger by the Cranberries. 

I feel I should tell you that although the full video is worth watching properly when you have time; if you are in a rush you can skip to about thirty five seconds in, which is when the song actually begins.

 I had known this song before, but was reminded of it when it came on the radio in the minibus before what was, if I remember rightly, my very first Silver expedition to the Yorkshire Dales. I love this song - it was on a cassette tape that my family used to play in our car (yes, along with the Cure, for those who read my last blog entry!) when my brother and I were younger.

 The song on the cassette was a live version and Dolores O'Riordan did a lot of working the crowd, shouting, "I wanna hear you!" and whatnot towards the end of the song; something that always amused my brother and me.

 Hearing the song again on the minibus on the way to D of E put a smile on my face, and I was chuffed that I could remember it as it had been ages since I'd last heard it.

 It is a beautiful song, and Dolores O'Riordan has a unique and very lovely voice. This song is also quite unique, I think - unique and haunting and a pleasure to listen to. It is nearly twenty years old; something I cannot believe. It has not lost any of its beauty - I believe that it will always be perfect and precious and quite simply a stunning song.

 I will probably end up writing more about D of E songs over this month - as well as just about songs I love generally. For those of you who don't know, I have challenged myself to blog every day that it is possible to (ie whenever I am at home with Internet access) in July. 

 It will keep the blog full of new content for you to read, and will also be writing practice for me - I love writing and would love to be a full-time writer or author one day in the future.

 Thanks for reading,

 Have a great July,

 Liz x

Song: Linger - The Cranberries - 1993

The Joys of June

 Hello!

 This is my final blog entry of June 2012, and I have to say; this has been an amazing month for me, and I only really realised when I was writing yesterday's blog entry and looking back on all that has happened in my life in the last thirty days.

 I have Domino by Jessie J stuck in my head at the minute - not the best song in the world but quite catchy and upbeat. I heard it on the radio at work today, which is probably why it is in my head! Also My Kind of Love by Emeli Sande - I really like this song and her voice is so incredible.

 I also discovered another song today; well, I say discovered but I think I had already heard snatches of it because parts of it sounded familiar. But today was the first time I heard the song through - in fact it was on the radio twice while I was at work - and I really like it. It turned out to be Brokenhearted by Karmin.

 I must admit that, while the name rang a distant bell, I knew practically nothing about this band (or, rather, duo). However, I now fully intend to listen to more of their music and see what other material they have, and then I can decide how far I think they can make it in the charts. Judging from this song, I have high hopes for them! It has such a good beat. 

 When I first heard it I was wracking my brains trying to think who it could be - Jessie J, Pixie Lott, Lady Gaga and even X-Factor winners Little Mix came to mind, but it didn't sound quite like any of them. I was pleased to see that it was a band I didn't know; I love discovering new talent.

 I realise that I have been blogging a lot recently about newer music that is currently in the charts. However, I still spend just as much time listening to the older stuff - music that never ages. One of my all-time favourites has to be A Letter to Elise by the Cure. 

 It is twenty years old this October; I never realised until I researched it for this blog entry. Happy birthday, song!

 When I was younger, my parents used to play the Cure a lot in the car when we were travelling. I liked this song, but I preferred the flashier, louder, more upbeat songs like In Between Days and Love Cats. While I still love both those songs, I have come to really appreciate the simple beauty and poignancy and sheer emotion in A Letter to Elise, and it is now among my favourite Cure songs. 

 It is certainly, for me, the most mood-versatile Cure song - many of their other songs I have to be in a certain mood to listen to, but A Letter to Elise I will happily listen to any time. It is so perfect as a song. Four-and-a-bit minutes of sheer beauty and emotion and sincerity.

 From when I first listened to this as a child, my favourite lyrics have always been;

"Oh, Elise, it doesn't matter what you do, I know I'll never really get inside of you,

To make your eyes catch fire the way they should."

 There is so much love in that second line. I love this song. And, listening to the song more recently, I have come to really like the stanzas he speaks at the end, almost like a poem;

"Every time I try to pick it up like falling sand, 

As fast as I pick it up, it runs away from my clutching hands."

 It is such a strong image, and the narrator's sense of defeat at the end, "There's nothing else I can really do at all," is heartbreaking. 

 I love this song and I am so glad that I rediscovered it in all its beauty and brilliance. The Cure are amazing! And not remotely dreary and Gothic as some people seem to believe! Listen to some of their songs and you will see how varied their material is - they can do bouncy pop songs (Friday I'm in Love); arty, slightly bittersweet numbers like Boys Don't Cry and Close To Me; and beautiful, poetic love songs such as A Letter to Elise, Catch and Pictures of You.

 So, I will sign off for now, but I am challenging myself to write on this blog every day as is humanly possible during the month of July. There are some days where it just won't be possible because I will be away without Internet access, but whenever I can blog, I will! 

 Let July - and a very musical summer - begin!

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

Songs: Brokenhearted - Karmin - 2012

A Letter to Elise - The Cure - 1992