Losing it[1]

Music: Malcolm Middleton, of course   

I first noticed Malcolm Middleton when I heard Loneliness Shines on 6Music a while back. It was one of those songs I had to hear a few times before managing to get a note of the artist’s name[1]. I looked around for a CD, but didn’t find it

Then I found this album on Napster , and downloaded it straight away. I’ve listened to it a few times on the way to and from work on my Zen Micro, and I’m growing to love it. Middleton is half of Scottish band Arab Strap, who I’ve only been vaguely aware of up till now. Thanks to the risk-free, no incremental cost ability to download any unfamiliar album from Napster, I’ve got some of their work to listen to, and I may report on that later. But for now, let’s get onto what I now know is Middleton’s second solo album.

The overall mood (though not the actual sound) reminds me of nothing so much as the Smiths, in the way that dark, almost depressing lyrics are laid over some quite perky tunes, but Middleton isn’t Morrissey. He isn’t Johnny Marr either, but then, who is?[2]

Opening track Break My Heart is irresistible. Like all the songs, it’s sung in an uncompromising Scottish accent[3], and perfectly expresses the idea that creativity and happiness are often incompatible

You’re gonna break my heart I know it
But if you don’t
You’re gonna break my run of unhappiness and destroy my career
I’d rather feel full than sing these shit songs
I’ll sell my guitar and never look back

Then there’s Devastation, another twisted love song, dripping with self-loathing, as if he can’t believe that he could be loved

And you’re the only person that can make me feel alone
Just withdraw your eyes and you’ll hear me start to moan
..
And how can you like me
With this head and these arms
How can this shallow freak be accused of having charm
The way the earthquakes land when I blow my nose
How long can I be myself before you get up and go

Next up is the single Loneliness Shines, which passes through darkness into a kind of enlightenment

I think I’ve cracked it
We are what we do
We’re made up of actions and there are no rules
But don’t stand on heads to get higher, listen to your angels,
And spread through life like a fire

before ending on the perhaps inevitable sour note

Spill my guts tell you everything
Like how I’ve got it all but appreciate nothing

The album proceeds in a variety of musical styles - from mostly acoustic through synth-pop and more, but the lyrical style is consistent throughout, best summarised by the first lines from A Happy Medium

Woke up again today
Realised I hate myself
My face is a disease

which has the jauntiest tune on the album, of course.

The album is liberally sprinkled with the kind of language that upsets the kind of people who get upset about that kind of thing, which all seems quite appropriate in the context. Of course, he knows exactly what he’s doing, and how people might react. The closing track, A New Heart, opens with these words:

I’ve been asked to write a song without a swear word or a slight
At myself or another, for my mother for my bride

and he just about manages it. Almost.

As you might have gathered, I love this album.

[1] Partly due to me doing other things with the radio in the background, and partly due to DJs being rather poor at actually telling listeners what they’ve just played, mutter
[2] Not even Johnny Marr seems to be Johnny Marr these days
[3] Some furriners might be glad of the lyrics page

Music: Ian McNabb - People Don't Stop Believin'   

What’s this? You wait ages for an Ian McNabb CD, then two come along in the same year? Back in May, I reviewed Before All of This[1], and now there’s a strictly limited special release, People Don’t Stop Believin’. You’ll need to order this one from those nice people at Townsend Records, rather than any of the larger suppliers, but don’t let that put you off.

This is a companion piece to the earlier album, containing a mixture of alternative versions, B-Sides[2] and some previously unreleased songs, with comments from Ian on all of them, which are almost worth the price on their own.

There’s a heavier guitar version of Picture of the Moon, a cover of the Racing Cars classic They Shoot Horses Don’t They, and a version of The Lonely Ones[1][3] with a “clean” vocal. There was a lot of discussion about that one on the Ian McNabb Yahoogroup, with comparisons being drawn with Cher’s vocal on whatever song it was she did with a weird vocal effect[4]. Ian’s comment on this one is a gem:

The autotone vocal split the voters. Hope this version pleases some of you. Why did I use the ‘Cher’ effect? Because I can do whatever I want to!

And that is just one of the reasons why Ian McNabb is a national treasure: like his idol Neil Young, you never know what he’s going to do next, and that makes him altogether more interesting. And fun.

But the main items of interest are the new songs. Some were left off Before All of This because they just didn’t fit in. The title track is a McNabb classic. Nearly eight minutes of story telling, allusion[5], unlikely rhyming, and some nifty guitar work and an overall message of hope. Then there’s The Absentee

he carries something with him something from which he cannot break free
and he’s always going to be the absentee

This is another classic McNabb song - in his own words

I’m in Dylan/Neil Young territory again here. My favoured pasture.

That’s Neil Young in Crazy Horse mode, I should add. Which is always a Good Thing.

All good stuff. And remember, it’s a limited edition - the last time Ian produced a limited release it sold out. And now goes for silly prices on eBay, or so I hear.

[1] See that review for background information on Ian
[2] CD singles have one side. But the extra tracks are still called B-Sides. Quite silly, but there you go…
[3] That being the one with the treated vocal on the original CD
[4] Like I’d remember…
[5] References to earlier Ian and Icicle Works songs dotted here and there. Nice.

As I mentioned previously, I’ve been having fun with Napster. It’s really cool, being able to download new music[1] and listen to it on my PC. Especially with my nifty new speakers. But that wasn’t enough. I do a lot of my music listening on my walks to and from work, and I really want to be able to enjoy all this new stuff when I’m out and about.

In an ideal world, I’d have been able to transfer all my downloaded tracks to my Archos GMini, which I bought last year. But the Gmini doesn’t support all this digital rights management (DRM) stuff. That wasn’t an issue for me when I bought it, but times change. The GMini still works as well as ever. Well, one line of the LCD display seems to have died, but that’s not really a problem. But the inability to transfer Napster tracks was. So it was time for a new toy.[3] While there are now quite a lot of MP3 players that work with the DRM stuff for tracks that are paid for, there aren’t very many that support the subscription model of Napster to Go[4]. But as luck would have it, one of the devices that does support NTG[5] is also one of the coolest .

The Creative Zen Micro 5GB is, for a start, small. Not as small as the newer Archos model that replaced my old GMini, but significantly smaller than most similar toys. It’s available in a wide range of colours for those who like that kind of thing, and most unusually, the battery is removable and replaceable[6]. Most MP3 players make it very hard to replace the rechargeable battery - it’s either a case of returning the player to the maker, or performing delicate surgery requiring nimble fingers and steady nerves. And the replacement batteries are widely available[7], which is even better. While the capacity of 5GB is a lot smaller than the 20GB of my old GMini, it should be plenty. In well over a year, I’ve filled only about half the capacity of the GMini, and much of that doesn’t get listened to for months at a time.

The Zen Micro doesn’t come with a mains charger. You can buy one if you’re so inclined[8], but normally, charging is done via the USB2 connector, taking power from your PC. And as that uses a widely-available standard cable, life is made much easier. Oh yes, and the player gives off a cool blue glow which gently flashes as it’s charging. Nice.

To work with NTG, it’s necessary to update the firmware[9] on the Zen - this is a painless operation, but it does remove any content already on the player, so handle with care. If you don’t need to use NTG or a similar service, keep the standard firmware - it leaves more free space. Once the firmware is installed, the Micro reboots and Windows XP recognises it as a new device. It’s then a very simple matter to transfer music from Napster. Transfer individual tracks, whole albums, playlists, whatever you like. As there’s an intermediate application involved, transfer time is a little slower than when dragging and dropping files from the PC to an external hard disk, but it’s quick enough.

The controls seem a little odd at first - it has a touch-sensitive control pad, which you slide a finger up and down on to adjust the volume and select items from menus. I’m told that it takes some getting used to, and I can believe that. But most of the time, I hardly touch the controls on any player - I generally set up a playlist, or select an album, press play and put the little beastie in my pocket. The on/off switch is a slider - move it to one side to make it start up, then release. Moving the switch the other way engages the lock switch, preventing the player doing anything strange if it gets knocked in a pocket or bag.

The only drawback so far is that the dongle for my cordless headphones doesn’t quite fit into the socket due to the shape of the player. But the supplied connector cable solved that problem, so I’m happy.

I’d originally ordered the Zen Micro from Napster themselves, but they had a bit of a supply problem, so I ended up buying one from amazon.co.uk instead. And I was quite impressed with the service - order placed on Friday evening, goods waiting for me when I got to work on Monday.[10]

Nice toy.

[1] Legally. We don’t do illegal downloads at Losing it[1][2]
[2] Having some strange idea that if nobody pays for music, people might stop making it. And as I like new music, that would be a Bad Thing.
[3] And I have to admit that I don’t need much encouragement to buy toys
[4] Other services are available, etc, etc
[5] If you’ll excuse the abbreviation
[6] The back of the Micro is much like a mobile phone. In fact, all it lacks is a SIM card….
[7] I got one at the same time I bought the player
[8] I have heard that the charger from my phone will do the job. It certainly has the right connector…
[9] The latest version should be downloaded from Creative’s support site.
[10] Much easier than having things delivered at home when I’m at work, and then having all the fun of arranging redelivery or collection…

I first noticed Death Cab for Cutie when I heard The New Year and The Sound of Settling from their previous CD, Transatlanticism[1]. Loved the songs, eventually got the CD.

And here they are with a new one. I’m going to have to give this a few more listens[2][4], but my first impressions are good. There’s a general tone of sadness and loss in a lot of the music here, but with a strangely positive spin. So far, my favourite track is I will follow you into the dark, which is about not being prepared to be separated from a loved one:

You and me have seen everything to see
From Bangkok to Calgary
And the soles of your shoes are all worn down
The time for sleep is now
It’s nothing to cry about
Cause we’ll hold each other soon
The blackest of rooms

If heaven and hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no’s on their vacancy signs

If there’s no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I’ll follow you into the dark

Then there’s You will be loved, a note left for a girl the singer once deserted:

You’ll be loved, you’ll be loved
Like you never have known
And the memories of me will seem more like bad dreams
Just a series of blurs like I never occurred
Someday you will be loved

All of this conveyed with lovely melodies. Deep and dark, just the way I like my music.

[1]


[2] Once I get an MP3 player that works with Napster to Go[3], I’ll be listening on my walks to and from work
[3] Stay tuned for an update on that
[4] Yes, this is an album I’ve got on download only, making the most of my Napster subscription…

Music: Death Cab for Cutie - The New Year   

I mentioned recently that I’ve been getting more music from Napster lately. Well, this involves listening to music through my PC rather than my main sound system. That’s not so bad, as I do have a fairly beastie sound card, and the PC is otherwise well up to the job[1]. But there was a problem. The speakers were a very basic set I bought for the previous PC, and while they did have a subwoofer, the actual quality wasn’t all that good. So, I decided to look around for something better. I didn’t want to spend a huge amount, but I wanted something that had the power and quality to do the music justice.

I had a look in a few shops, and some websites, and eventually settled on the Logitech X-230. They’re a typical 2.1 speaker system - stereo speakers and a chunky subwoofer for more bass. I found some generally positive reviews here and there, it’s a brand I’m generally inclined to trust, and the specification looked to be good for the price[2]. Unlike my old speakers, the power and master volume switches are on one of the satellite speakers rather than on the subwoofer, making it unnecessary to dive under the desk unless I want to adjust the bass setting. There’s also a headphone socket on the speaker, but I don’t think I’ll be using that - apparently the volume control on the speaker doesn’t affect the headphone output, which seems a bit odd, but there you go.

So, what do you get for your money? Some damn fine sound, basically. The subwoofer is powerful enough to give clear bass at moderate to quite high[3] levels, and the satellite speakers are clear and crisp. Much more detail is clear than with the old speakers.

And for those who care about what their toys look like, these are nicely presented in black with chrome-effect speaker cones. The satellites are angled to project the sound to ear level[4], and the subwoofer isn’t so big that it’ll get in the way under your desk. There are loads of these systems on the market, ranging from cheap and nasty through to seriously good (and seriously wallet-unfriendly). These are at the moderate end of the price range, and serious audiophiles would probably want something better, but overall, I like them.

[1] It was slightly over-specified when I got it early last year
[2] Typically £40 in actual shops, better deals online
[3] I haven’t cranked the sound up all the way. Don’t want to cause property damage
[4] Or thereabouts, depending on how big your desk is, how tall you are, and so on

I mentioned last week that I was having fun on Napster. I’ve been downloading and listening to lots of new music[1], but this evening I found something I really wasn’t expecting: Max Boyce Live at Treorchy.

You probably have to be Welsh to appreciate that.

[1] Reviews may follow at some point

Now this is something I’ve been waiting to see. I love portable music players - I’ve had many over the years. But I really hate headphone leads. They get tangled. The thin wires inside them tend to crack, leading to crackles or total failure of the phones. Or they just get in the way, and force you to put the player in an outside pocket, or whatever.

Now cordless headphones for home use have been around for ages. Usually bulky things that use infra-red or radio, making them slightly unsuitable for portable use. Now at last, Bluetooth headphones are becoming available. These have small rechargable batteries in the headset and a dongle that plugs into a standard 3.5mm headphone socket. There are a few around, but I opted for the Logitech Wireless headphones for MP3. Apart from being slightly cheaper than some others, the dongle has the headphone plug built in rather than being on a fragile dangling cable.

I ordered them from Computerlink on Sunday night, and they were delivered to the office this morning. The package includes the headphones, the dongle, a mains charger with two connectors, allowing you to charge the headphones and dongle at the same time, a spare pair of foam pads for the headphones and a extender cable if you can’t get the dongle to connect direct to your device.

I charged them up, which only took about an hour or so, then set them up. This is the usual Bluetooth pairing operation stripped to the bone. Just press the button on the headphones then the button on the dongle and wait for the lights to go blue. Then a quick test. Woo hoo. Very clear sound, and I could wander away from the player while wearing the headphones.

I wore them on the walk home[1]. My player was in my bag, the headphones were on my ears, and the sound was rather good.

First impressions: excellent.

[1] Well, the semi-walk home. I had to get the bus from Gateshead, as there was a wee thunderstorm going on with loads of rain..

Music: Kirsty MacColl - From Croydon to Cuba   

After years of avoiding downloading, I’ve finally joined up with Napster. I signed up for a free trial, decided I liked what I saw (and heard :cool , so decided to jump in with both feet. I’ve ordered a new MP3 player[1] that will work with the Napster to Go service, and I’ve already downloaded some albums.

The Napster deal is an interesting one for someone like me who likes to listen to a lot of new music. For a monthly fee, I can download and listen to as much music as I like. I can play that on up to three PCs, and as I’ve gone for the “to go” option, on the new MP3 player when it arrives. I can only continue to play the tracks while I maintain my subscription, and I can’t share them or burn them to CD. If I do want to keep tracks, I can buy them at usual download rates. In practice, I’d be more likely to buy the CDs from play.com or another such supplier, as the difference in price between a download album and an actual CD is minimal.

But what this means is that I can now listen to whole albums without actually buying them. This is really nice - I can read a review in the NME or Q, then give the music a listen, before spending money on a CD that I might only listen to a couple of times. Woo and indeed hoo. The other side of that is that if I sample more music, I’ll probably end up buying more of it!

And another Good Thing is that some tracks are available weeks before the CD singles are in the shops. I’ve got the new Franz Ferdinand[2] single on my PC, which is great.

[1] Review to follow when I get it
[2] Did I mention I’m going to see them in November?

I was reminded to seek out this collection when a friend mentioned buying the recent “Best of” CD. Now as I already have one Kirsty compilation and most of the original CDs, I don’t really need another compilation, but this is different. Three CDs, 65 tracks. This includes all the singles, lots of B-sides, previously unreleased tracks, demos, and all the usual things you’d expect on a good set of this kind.

For anyone not familiar, with her work, Kirsty MacColl’s musical career started with They Don’t Know back in 1979 and proceeded through a dazzling variety of styles until her untimely death in December 2000.

If you don’t know any other songs, you may be aware of Fairytale of New York, a collaboration with the Pogues, which features Kirsty and Shane MacGowan trading insults in what is still the best Christmas record ever. But there’s more, much more. From the rockabilly styled There’s a guy works down the chip shop swears he’s Elvis through later collaborations with Johnny Marr of the Smiths[1], to the latin rhythms of her last work, Kirsty was always worth listening to.

She never really achieved the levels of commercial success that I always thought she deserved. But she was the kind of artist who made the music she wanted to, and that’s what matters[2].

As with any collection of this kind, not all the tracks are ones you’ll want to listen to repeatedly, but there is a lot to listen to, and some otherwise unavailable songs, including tracks from an abandoned early album. It’s also much better value than the “Best of” set - I paid £14.99 in a local shop, J G Windows[3]. If you have any interest in Kirsty’s work, it’s worth shopping around for From Croydon to Cuba

[1] Including a superior cover of You just haven’t earned it yet, baby
[2] To me, anyway
[3] Who have a definitively bad website

Anyone who’s been reading Losing it[1] for a while might just recall me getting quite excited about Franz Ferdinand[1] in an earlier post. Well, as I ever so slightly predicted, their album did very well indeed, even winning the Mercury Music Prize.

Their second album, You Could Have It So Much Better with Franz Ferdinand is nearly here . The first single, Do You Want To is out next month, and is getting a lot of plays on radio and TV. I love it already , and I’m looking forward to buying it, and indeed the album.

And today, I learned that Franz Ferdinand will be playing Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena in November. Not only that, but one of the support acts are Editors, whose debut album The Back Room is rather good…

Tickets go on sale on Wednesday.

[1] Insert standard remark about this not being about any late Archdukes