London.

Great times in London town.

Getting the hang of the underground system.

Coffee with Mr Whitfield in the Monocle cafe. Thanks for the warm welcome Mark - we had a great time. Buckweeds is still in joyful shock after the Japanese heated toilet seat extravaganza.

Mexican street food with Jolly and Foz. (Still upset by that mushroom wrap thing that got past me though. (Sneaky, evil creations). Gratitude is due to Foz for making the effort to come a long way to meet us. Still not sure what that chap in the Chandos pub said to you mind…

An evening at the Barbican with the mellow sounds of Tindersticks. Wonderful. Didn’t play 'My Sister' but a stunning version of 'My oblivion' made up for it.

Partaking of the Grey Goose.

London Walls hotel. Bellinis and chocolates on our arrival and a free rubber duck on our arrival (not rhyming slang).

White dressing gowns, slippers (too small) and cable TV. 

Moo pie and a couple of beers at The 'Perseverance'

Lambs Conduit street; excellent for a wander.

Full Turkish shave and a haircut at Ted's. Watching Gavin really get into it : especially as one of the chaps massaged his eye brows. Hmmmm.

Being asked if we worked in menswear in 'Universal Works'. Turns out the guy knew someone we knew in Hereford. We are everywhere…

Early morning fry up in the Conduit Cafe.

Nick Cave giving it the beans at the Apollo. Shouting at people using camera phones in the audience. Heaven.

Stagger Lee, Jubilee street, God is in the house and Deanna being amazing set high points.

Wandering around the backstreets of Holborn and Camden.

Never seems to be enough time and I have a long list of more things I need to see and do.

To sum it up I came home and felt like Barry Egan:

Thanks London. 

You're not too bad at all really.

Behind.

My mother is 85 years old.

She loved Liberace.

She doesn't now.

Her concise two word review of 'Behind The Candelabra'?

"Filthy Beast"

Pia and I are now looking forward to watching this even more tonight.

Wes.

The New Wes Anderson film trailer...

...and a new book.

August.

The August 'classic' review (Sorry again for delay - very slack)

I gave Tim - A Tribe Called Quest -  'People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths Of Rhythm'

(Link to Tim's review)

I received - Bright Eyes - 'Cassadaga'

Now this is much, much better. 

The previous Bright Eyes C.D Tim sent was good. 

I knew how much he loved it so i was intrigued about this.  

A solid, ambitious and complex album. 

The first track set out his stall and is a great mission statement. The whole album has become a firm favourite. To my ears it is much more cohesive and well thought out. This chap ober sounds like he has relaxed into his song writing and is not trying too hard to hammer in his point. 

He still has that wobbly voice thing going on here and there but I can get past that. I especially enjoyed the slide steel geetars and strings. The whole band projected an air of fun and enjoyment. 

I'd like to hear him sing these songs when he is older. At times his voice sounds almost too young for the lyrics. Reminds me of the Waterboys in a lot of ways. This is a very good thing by the way.

A most enjoyable album and one I will continue to play. Thanks Tim.

8 out of 10. 

July.

The July 'classic' review (sorry for delay)

I gave Tim - Alpha : 'Comes From Heaven'

(Link to Tim's review)

I received The 'Garden State' Soundtrack

Tim clearly likes a good soundtrack. 

This is...OK. 

Worked quite well whilst sat by a lava lamp in my gin and tonic chair. 

A little bit MOR but manageable. 

Remy Zero? There are a far too many of these worthy, angst ridden heavy-breathy singers for my liking. he should count himself lucky to be in such good company as Simon and Garfunkel and Nick Drake. My foot tapped for a few minutes but I found my attention wandering very easily.

So... dull in places rescued by a couple of established great tunes. 

Sadly the most forgettable disc so far in this 'classic' series.  

Didn't particularly like the film and this has done nothing to inspire me to watch it again. 

4 out of 10. 

Sausages.

I love the format known as GIF. 

Finally found one of one of my favourite scenes in Seinfeld.

Now who wouldn't want to see Kramer and Newman making sausages?

Genius.

Bargain.

Found in a local newsagents.

I'm sure in Hereford you can get higher quality but you certainly won't find it cheaper.