Tag: 90’s bands

winter hope

Snow comes, snow goes, reading “the hardest winter of them all” in a bear cave, drinking hot chocolate with my little boy. I spend the day skating on frozen lakes and rivers. I stumble alone around the frosty paths and woods, dreaming of a better world, and the music in my headphones gives me hope. The world’s gone crazy it seems,  this month we’ve seen a nutty new president in town, and we’re living in a world where lies are now called “alternative facts”. We must stand up and fight for truth, for equality and for justice and for the weak and the helpless who are in real danger in this beautiful planet we share.

Then sometimes it’s just good to escape for a little while. I saw La La Land today , and it’s nominated for a ridiculous amount of oscars. It’s fun, but kind of like going to a  birthday party when you’re 5 and overdosing on ice cream, chocolate, cakes, crisps and pepsi.

A better way to escape is through a great indie pop album. I was lucky enough to be aimlessly walking around a record store yesterday, and I picked up the new(ish) Veruca Salt album “ghost notes” and I’ve been playing it relentlessly. It’s catchy, it’s fun, it’s got great little hooks, and their voices fit together perfectly. Here’s a couple of songs to cheer you up, first a slow one about breaking up with someone after one too many arguments, the second a fun grizzly frizzy pop song. So go for what you feel like, or play both. Enjoy!

 

It’s not the greatest album of all time, but neither is La LA Land the best film of all time. They serve a purpose though, and the world is a better place for it.

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seven films for broken hearts.

I’m back from an intoxicating, somewhat exhausting but very fulfilling trip to Romania for Open Hands and I think I’m not quite ready to talk about music yet. Sure I could go on about Mark Kozelek and his latest diss song about some idiots in a Canadian festival , but I can’t be bothered. I could talk about how excited I am the 90’s indie pop band lush are reforming. If you never heard of them, check this video out, “The boy has such an ego, he loved to talk about himself every day and every night”. I last saw them in Northampton I guess in 1997… Huh, life moves pretty fast.

So I’m going to stop a while here, and talk about films. I’m not going to think too much about it, but here are 7 films to watch this week that are perfect for autumn nights, wrapped up in your blanket sitting by the fire, eating crisps and chocolate. They’re not in any order, not necessary the best or my favourite films just what’s on my mind. You can watch one a day for a whole week, and life will feel pretty good again afterwards I guarantee it.

MONDAY – What If – it’s got the kid from Harry Potter in. Don’t let that put you off. he also somehow played Alen Ginsburg (and was somehow tottaly authentic and belieable). This is, I guess, a grown up love film that’s kind of funny, kind of silly, but kind of believable too. Sorry,  all I watch are love films, don’t know why, don’t know why….

TUESDAY – What Maise Knew – Some rich parents are splitting up, and you see it all from their little girl’s point of view. Sad, true, but it’s not depressing trust me, it’s full of hope and beauty. The ending is perfect too.

WEDNESDAY – Lore – I tend to spend a lot of time watching foreign films, either French or German normally. The French one’s are always great, and most of the German one’s aren’t bad either. This one, being German is of course about the Nazi regime, and ok this one is a tad depressing, but it’s a good story too and it won lots of awards. Don’t worry tomorrow we’ve got a comedy coming up.

THURSDAY – Funny People – ok bare with me, this is an Adam Sandler film. It’s kind of pathetic really, but this one is a little bit different. For once it’s written and directed by good old Judd Apatow. It’s about an older comedian who is a complete idiot, but somehow it’s sweet too. Hey, I never said this was a list of the best films ever made! Ether that or watch “knocked up”….

FRIDAY – Liberal Arts – there are a few films of this type I really like, but this is pretty good. It’s about a guy in his mid thirties who is kind of drifting along feeling empty with his life then he falls in love, kind of, with a college girl. Things get complicated as you expect. It’s like a soundtrack to a song by the wedding present

SATURDAY – Leap Year – I told you I only watch love films like this. Sometimes life is hard, things are stupid and strange, that’s why films like this are perfect.

SUNDAY – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – So many great 80’s films, this is one of them. It’s Sunday, allow yourself to just enjoy this and don’t think too much about it.