Finding my feet, finding a formula.

Okay, so here's the score: I don't know what to write on this thing! Could it be that I've lost confidence in my self? Why the fuck would you want to listen to anything I've got to say? It's all hyperbole - completely irrelevant. You could do so much better!!!

That said, I think I'm going to turn this into a 'what I'm listening to/watching/enjoying right now' kind of bloggy wog. It shall know no bounds in terms of how 'current' the content may be, there will be no word limits, no format in any way. Sometimes I may rant and rant and write and write for time immemorial. Sometimes, simply make note of an artist who is getting me all hot under the collar and tell you to get involved. Maybe you already know all about them and will think me irrelevant, brash and uncool. But it's important we talk about these things.

Yes, that suits me just fine. I'm constantly listening to stuff and thinking "this is shit/mind blowing because...!" but having nobody to talk to about it. It's really fucking annoying. I think the people I do talk to about it really don't want to listen either. Case in point: the entire deconstruction of Revolver whilst my family try to eat, relax and generally enjoy themselves. I'm crying out for someone who will listen! It's you! It's you!!!!

The internet can't tell me to button it, can it?

Shall we begin?

Whilst I was away last week (a family holiday in Majorca), I listened to a great deal of Adem. It's not hot weather music at all but, for some reason or another, it just felt right. I could tell you why, but I don't think you'd understand. I'll try. Maybe. I'm trying right now.

Adem is a man. A man with a band. Is he a singer song-writer? Urgh! Is he Nu-folk? I think he might be both, but I don't really know what either term, the second in particular, means. It's just not important. His songs are simple. And always, always honest. Sometimes his wistful vulnerability can be ever-so trying but, most of the time, you know, when it call comes together, it possesses unquestionable power. It possesses the power to make me, a tiny boy wound up so tight, just sit back for a minute and take stock.

The other side of Adem is a bit more spiney-tingley. It's most evident in his live show, in which he's joined on stage by a stupidly large band - about 24 limbs are flailing, tapping this and that; a 'doo daaa' here and a 'baa baa' there. It's quite, quite beautiful, and it makes your insides go all jiggly. If you get under covers and shut your eyes, you can get the same effect listening to his records - I really really advise you do this. He has three records out now, in this order:

Homesongs (2004)
Love and Other Planets (2006)
Takes (2008) - this is a covers record which, I must admit, I don't own a copy of.

Start at the beginning.

It's just music that makes you think that everything is going to be alright, okay?

J x