tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79631369851131007592023-11-16T03:52:54.435-08:00Bill's BlographyWill Christiansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014679638064092285noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963136985113100759.post-25411615451934481982012-09-28T12:06:00.003-07:002012-09-29T05:10:30.665-07:00<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: grey; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Richard Hawley at the O2 Academy,
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Newcastle</st1:place></st1:city> –
27/9/12 – A Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: grey; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hawley churns
out his classic crooner ballads from his last four LPs interspersed with plenty
of towering guitar moments.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: grey; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The beautifully husky, Irish voice of Lisa Hannigan – formerly Damien
Rice’s backing vocalist – provided a great to start the evening. For quite a
minimal outfit that consisted solely of percussion, ukulele, guitar and vocals,
the trio produced a sound, that at times, belied their numbers. The harmonies
between Hannigan and her accompanying guitarist, whose voice in its own right
was excellent, were wonderful and produced some touching moments. At other
times, the effortless speed at which the ukulele strings were plucked were a
joy to behold and this was most noticeable on their penultimate track, <i>Knots.</i>
Theirs was a warm performance in which the players’ personalities were heaped
generously on the audience who in turn received them very warmly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: grey; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">As my fellow gig-goer for the evening mentioned to me as the venue
started to fill up, a Hawley gig is definitely an occasion at which it is not
considered poor form to be sporting a “proper” beard; upon the evidence of the
light bouncing off bald patches and the ‘hi-vis’ reflective strips that line
cagoule jackets, this assertion would appear to have been validated. Seemingly
in recognition of his core audience demographic, Hawley chose to toast the
crowd with a fine glass of claret and grumbled archaically about the decline of
the 7” single and the rise of mp3 downloads which he described in his
traditional <st1:place w:st="on">Sheffield</st1:place> twang as akin to “buying
a bucket of steam!” Give over and put yer slippers on, Richard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: grey; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Gig demographics aside for the moment, Hawley began with the title
track from his most recent album, <i>Standing at the Sky’s Edge </i>before
playing a selection from his last four albums. Hawley graced the stage with his
mandatory humour and delivery of wicked sarcasm. The latter could be
exemplified no better than when he barked: “you must be rich up here....because
you can afford to talk through this concert,” when addressing the audience at
the back of the venue - a strange mixture of awkward and hearty laughter spread
around the venue. Other highlights included telling us how an episode of
kite-flying with his son inspired him to write <i>Don’t Stare at the Sun</i>:
pretty mundane, except that he was off his face on acid. <i> </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: grey; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Midway through the set, the massive <i>Leave Your Body Behind You</i>
had enough energy to get many a reserved head nod and possibly even a vigorous
foot-tap (me included) going. This really was the highlight of the gig and
reached a musical climax that I don’t think was ever exceeded after this point.
The strong pulsing drums were mirrored by lead guitar at the start before
Hawley, with his great technical proficiency, floated above all this as the
song built and built. You could sense before it came: cutting loose into an
enthralling extended guitar solo; Hawley was in his element. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: grey; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">In many ways, the highlights of the set were the tracks from <i>Standing
at the Sky’s Edge</i>; an album where Hawley has veered away from the ballads
that have perhaps exemplified his previous 3 albums <i>(Truelove’s Gutter,
Lady’s Bridge & Coles Corner)</i> instead targeting atmosphere, reverb and
of course, perhaps his greatest strength as a musician: his outstanding ability
as a guitar player. There were moments in the long, protracted codas in which
the sound reminded me of the Verve’s <i>Catching the Butterfly </i>and their <i>A
Northern Soul </i>years in the mid-nineties – to me, no bad thing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: grey; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">This is all well and good but I was still left at the end with a mild
sense of dissatisfaction because, despite these punches of towering guitar
brilliance, the set was padded with Hawley’s seemingly ubiquitous ballads. Disappointingly,
from a personal perspective, the Coles Corner-esque crooning that won him so
much critical acclaim simply failed to seduce me in a live setting. It all
merged into one long and tedious waltz that dragged and never deviated from
either 3/4 or 12/8; it was all rather predictable and washed over me. You could
see even the lead guitarist getting a little bored in a particularly indulgent
rendition of <i>Remorse Code </i>as the
set was drawing to a close.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: grey; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">In all honesty, despite the good moments it was a <i>just-above-average</i>
and overall quite dated performance; if the slow ballads do it for you then I
could see people really enjoying the gig, and this was clearly the case for
quite a number of people present. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey;"> </span><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: grey; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Set List<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/richard-hawley-7bd69654.html?song=Standing+at+the+Sky's+Edge" title="Statistics for Standing at the Sky's Edge by Richard Hawley"><span style="color: grey;">Standing at the
Sky's Edge</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7963136985113100759" title="Play Video"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/richard-hawley-7bd69654.html?song=Don't+Stare+at+the+Sun" title="Statistics for Don't Stare at the Sun by Richard Hawley"><span style="color: grey;">Don't Stare at the
Sun</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7963136985113100759" title="Play Video"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/richard-hawley-7bd69654.html?song=Hotel+Room" title="Statistics for Hotel Room by Richard Hawley"><span style="color: grey;">Hotel Room</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7963136985113100759" title="Play Video"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/richard-hawley-7bd69654.html?song=Tonight+the+Streets+Are+Ours" title="Statistics for Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Richard Hawley"><span style="color: grey;">Tonight the Streets
Are Ours</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7963136985113100759" title="Play Video"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">5.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/richard-hawley-7bd69654.html?song=Seek+It" title="Statistics for Seek It by Richard Hawley"><span style="color: grey;">Seek It</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7963136985113100759" title="Play Video"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">6.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/richard-hawley-7bd69654.html?song=Soldier+On" title="Statistics for Soldier On by Richard Hawley"><span style="color: grey;">Soldier On</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7963136985113100759" title="Play Video"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">7.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/richard-hawley-7bd69654.html?song=Leave+Your+Body+Behind+You" title="Statistics for Leave Your Body Behind You by Richard Hawley"><span style="color: grey;">Leave Your Body
Behind You</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7963136985113100759" title="Play Video"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">8.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/richard-hawley-7bd69654.html?song=Before" title="Statistics for Before by Richard Hawley"><span style="color: grey;">Before</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7963136985113100759" title="Play Video"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">9.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/richard-hawley-7bd69654.html?song=Open+Up+Your+Door" title="Statistics for Open Up Your Door by Richard Hawley"><span style="color: grey;">Open Up Your Door</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7963136985113100759" title="Play Video"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">10.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/richard-hawley-7bd69654.html?song=Remorse+Code" title="Statistics for Remorse Code by Richard Hawley"><span style="color: grey;">Remorse Code</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7963136985113100759" title="Play Video"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">11.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/richard-hawley-7bd69654.html?song=Time+Will+Bring+You+Winter" title="Statistics for Time Will Bring You Winter by Richard Hawley"><span style="color: grey;">Time Will Bring You
Winter</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7963136985113100759" title="Play Video"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">12.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/richard-hawley-7bd69654.html?song=Down+in+the+Woods" title="Statistics for Down in the Woods by Richard Hawley"><span style="color: grey;">Down in the Woods</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7963136985113100759" title="Play Video"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: grey; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Encore:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">13.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/richard-hawley-7bd69654.html?song=Lady+Solitude" title="Statistics for Lady Solitude by Richard Hawley"><span style="color: grey;">Lady Solitude</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7963136985113100759" title="Play Video"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8pt;">14.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: grey; font-size: 8pt;"><a href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/richard-hawley-7bd69654.html?song=The+Ocean" title="Statistics for The Ocean by Richard Hawley"><span style="color: grey;">The Ocean</span></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 8pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Will Christiansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014679638064092285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963136985113100759.post-15572148595148717442012-06-11T15:20:00.001-07:002012-06-11T15:22:34.477-07:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">ITV trailing in the BBC’s wake</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">onight’s matches in Group D of Euro 2012 have only served
to accentuate the ever-increasing difference in quality of television coverage
between the BBC and ITV. The latter, in my view, having earned the coup of
covering the group’s flagship fixture (</span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" w:st="on">England</st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
v </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" w:st="on">France</st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">),
failed to capitalise upon this opportunity. Unlike </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" w:st="on">England</st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, who rather surprisingly
put in a semi-respectable performance this evening, ITV’s performance aroused
feelings that we usually associate with our national team at major tournaments:
disappointment. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AJ_CmkwqIuc2818PglKleybxQ3KXO5E3UUN0tqM57kUYCJAkTJJeOnhCLCTNxIkj7teRPy-aqoTYuTlHqzy3y1rcm6E2j1vzZQXkDqEJMpCDIbZG2saAssuVTTeJIJYz3YvFdv6pSpU/s1600/ITV+Sport+Euro+2012+pundit+panel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AJ_CmkwqIuc2818PglKleybxQ3KXO5E3UUN0tqM57kUYCJAkTJJeOnhCLCTNxIkj7teRPy-aqoTYuTlHqzy3y1rcm6E2j1vzZQXkDqEJMpCDIbZG2saAssuVTTeJIJYz3YvFdv6pSpU/s320/ITV+Sport+Euro+2012+pundit+panel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">The ITV studio team - <i>mirror.co.uk</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Even before touching upon the actual quality of coverage, ITV’s
Euro 2012 title sequence, featuring disturbing models of European legends past
and present, set to the backdrop of a somewhat odd rendition of Prokofiev’s
Peter and the Wolf, is just bizarre, and ultimately quite tacky. In fact, I
think it is uncannily reminiscent of ITV’s overall performance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whilst not saying that every aspect of their coverage is
substandard – the commentary, on the whole, is good – the bread and butter of
the core studio team is being left in the wake of Gary Lineker & Co.
Admittedly the BBC pundits had a little more to talk about tonight with the
headline-grabbing performance of Shevchenko in Ukraine’s 2-1 win over Sweden,
but there just seems to be a studio rapport and a level of easy class that ITV
just cannot live with. The exemplification of this is the gulf in class between
Gary Lineker – a broadcaster who has grown into his role wonderfully over the
years – and the rather hapless, and I am sorry to say, hopeless Adrian Chiles who
just seems out of his depth (his ceaseless bothering of “Emiliano from Milano”
in the café build-up to yesterday’s Italy – Spain match gave off an unerringly
cringeworthy stench of the tactless and embarrassing Brit abroad). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><st1:place w:st="on">Chiles</st1:place>
was not helped, however, by the quality of his company. ITV’s post-match
interview with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was a rare gem by comparison to your
average footballer interview. The young Arsenal winger expressed himself
articulately and earnestly but when prompted to respond to this impressive
debut (for me, a refreshing and actually interesting talking point), Jamie
Carragher could only respond with the generic, cliché-ridden incoherence that
would usually be reserved for the interviewee.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The BBC’s coverage, by comparison, is going from strength to
strength. They have a wealth of talent in their substantial pundit armoury which
has been bolstered by the excellent Clarence Seedorf. The evergreen Jake
Humphrey is showing everyone that he can excel in yet another area of
broadcasting and continues to openly declare how much of a lucky bastard he is!
But above all, BBC’s first choice studio panel of Lineker, Hanson, Dixon and
Shearer presented for the England game tonight exude a level of comfort with
each others’ company no doubt borne from their lengthy experience together. ITV
cannot boast similar strengths and their analysis has tended to be awkward and
disjointed with <st1:country-region w:st="on">Chiles</st1:country-region>
having to noticeably prompt his nervous, unforthcoming and uninsightful guests. If the
fumbling <st1:country-region w:st="on">Chiles</st1:country-region>’
is the lynchpin of their coverage, then ITV really are clutching at straws. </span></div>
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</div>Will Christiansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014679638064092285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963136985113100759.post-48478308160026368762012-05-26T06:41:00.000-07:002012-05-26T12:46:59.507-07:00<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">BEACH HOUSE - <i>BLOOM</i> - A REVIEW</span></span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZkDlNkJde__Zzd7SbPD3Ci4zEdtD2l07c4q5RbUS5AKrldtmZWKLzDVaiEFntMITCf_FoOjZRH5uJgn06SOalRjF2ES42TcFlYtUdPygb7R7hb6ZPvjYCvFc1AY36UJFBrpJa9t-kwQ/s1600/Bloom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZkDlNkJde__Zzd7SbPD3Ci4zEdtD2l07c4q5RbUS5AKrldtmZWKLzDVaiEFntMITCf_FoOjZRH5uJgn06SOalRjF2ES42TcFlYtUdPygb7R7hb6ZPvjYCvFc1AY36UJFBrpJa9t-kwQ/s400/Bloom.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>So as to address the transatlantic imbalance, the next two
LPs that are exciting me at the moment come from the <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region>. Both affiliated with the
wonderful Bella Union record label (as it is known in the UK) which has been a
recent hotbed for outstanding alternative music, Beach House and The Walkmen
look set to produce amongst some of the most influential records of 2012; that
is if all the anticipation has been anything to go by. First of all, a review
of Beach House’s Bloom... </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;">I like what the duo from Baltimore, Beach House, stand
for. Their musical representation is minimalistic with their central tenet of
song construction being that of simple, yet exquisite texturing of synth, drums
and cyclical guitar and piano hooks. With these basic ingredients, the archetypal
Beach House track will incrementally build before culminating in their other-worldly
sound which has earned them so many admirers. Rather akin to that of their
abstract expressionist American counterparts – Rothko; Pollock; Newman – Beach House
continue to produce music that spins the listener into a centrifuge of
abstraction leaving behind only that intangible negative space which is what
every Beach House fan has grown to love.
</span><br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;">Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand of Beach House have been forthcoming
in raising their concerns surrounding the maintenance of an “artistic
integrity” in the modern music industry. In an environment where artists come
under such high degrees of media scrutiny it is easy to see why these two are
cautious to disclose too much personal information and uphold a healthy
scepticism of social media. If they had it their way, Beach House would use
their music as the sole means by which they connect with their audience; even
in their live performances they play hard-to-get with their phlegmatic
demeanour and monochrome set and dress sense. This all paints rather a dull
picture; shouldn’t they be doing more to win us over? Well – not at the moment,
at least. What the pair believe is at stake for them is the loss of their
mystique that has been generated from their last two albums and not only would
this detract from what they do best, but would in fact erode their artistic
ideology. This way of thinking could be perceived as being a little bit “too
cool for school” from some quarters but I suspect that it is genuine and even a
vague attempt at being showy would be considered gratuitous and would force
them firmly out of their comfort zone.</span></div>
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</div>
</span></o:p><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;">All of their four albums to-date directly descend from this
sense of uncertainty and caution about the world and <i>Bloom</i>, to me, represents an albeit measured progression along this
same line. Legrand’s plaintive and fragile vocals really come to the fore on this
album and she has become a master of those deliberate, slightly off-pitch notes
that hold so much sway with the listener. Whilst there are no tracks on this
record that are quite as immaculate as <i>Zebra</i>
(<i>Myth</i> does come close), the record
fits together more seamlessly and is awash with yet more of those hooks and
dreamy synth that we have come to expect. It is certainly a more accessible
record than Teen Dream; tracks such as <i>Lazuli</i>
have an instant impact with Scally’s gorgeous guitar melody over which Legrand’s
vocal, “<i>like no other you can’t be
replaced,”</i> grows in significance with each repetition at the song’s climax.
<i>New Year</i> is but another example of
how Beach House reel one catchy hook after another off their seemingly endless
melody by numbers production line.</span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span></o:p><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;">It is a strange irony with <i>Bloom</i> being released in springtime - a period of optimism and when this
part of the world is almost fully in blossom – that the duo were quick to dispel these positive
sentiments. Instead, they are keener to focus on the more sinister aspects of
the word; the organic and most human of notions that nothing is permanent;
everything comes in cycles; everything has its time. From the micro-scale loops
and repetitions that underpin a Beach House track through to their wider
reliance on the same basic elements for song and album construction, Beach House
are themselves, a cyclical entity. Perhaps <i>Bloom</i>
– their most manicured and most accomplished record to-date – represents the ultimate
distillation of their musicianship. Perhaps <i>Bloom</i>
does in fact represent them coming to the end of a cycle? </span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span></o:p><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;">So as Beach House bask in what they might unashamedly
express as their Indian summer, they will inevitably have to make some
difficult decisions. It is unquestionable that they are very good at what they
do – there is perhaps no one better – so why, one might ask, should they change
anything? Wonderful though <i>Bloom</i> is,
there is only so much repetition of repetition that one can take and I fear
that a similar progression for a fifth record could start to alienate even the
most ardent of fans, like myself. I fear they may have to step out of their
comfort zone somewhat to find a new musical direction. Given that they
acknowledge <i>their</i> own “bloom”, and
given their talent and thoughtful, introspective nature, I have little doubt
they will be able to succeed in doing so.</span></div>
</span>Will Christiansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014679638064092285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963136985113100759.post-68729563124653716712012-05-17T14:43:00.004-07:002012-05-27T01:44:11.601-07:00<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DURHAM HALFORDS TOUR SERIES</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hundreds turned out for this cycling tour event as the riders took to a slippery, cobbly and certainly very undulating course on the leafy avenues of west central Durham. For what the 1.4 km course lacked in length, it made up for in terms of terrifying hairpins and precipitous slopes; and all in an initially very compact field. This made for an exciting spectacle at the low point of the course where Crossgate and South Street converge (pictured below) acting as the honeypot for crashes and collisions. You certainly get a real sense of how much balls these athletes have! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">The cyclists hurtling down Crossgate at frightening speed before turning virtually at right angles and ascending the agonisingly steep South Street. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">From here the competitors tackled the cobbled South Street. In one of the most affluent areas in the city given the outstanding and unhindered views of the cathedral, the cyclists could perhaps admire the scene to their left as they climbed - or perhaps not!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The cyclists then veered right into the realm of Durham School which marked the completion of one lap. With laps completed in a matter of minutes, and once the field had spread considerably, this made for a steady stream of cyclists which kept the crowd involved. The event MCs did a good job of enthusing the crowd for the hour that the race was run, occasionally providing the odd humorous moment which included confusing the race leader as to how many laps he had left to ride. The eventual winner, Kristian House, did not seem pleased when the bell didn't ring for what he thought was his final lap. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The British-born Texan, Kristian House (pictured above left and right) ended up winning the event by the proverbial country mile. The chasing pack were a good half a minute short of the pace. And of course, with cycling being a team event also, the Endura team earned the accolade for the best collective effort. This was a fun event in a lovely setting; and all right on my doorstep.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Will Christiansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014679638064092285noreply@blogger.com1Durham, County Durham DH1 4SZ, UK54.7714208 -1.582657954.7691308 -1.5875934 54.7737108 -1.5777224tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963136985113100759.post-86218782093131182862012-05-14T13:42:00.002-07:002012-05-14T13:48:45.184-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Summer 2012 Releases - Part 1 </span></i></h2>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These watery months that lead us into
the first vestiges of summer are a reminder that festival season is fast approaching;
an exciting time for any music lover and one that will thankfully, yet shamefully,
be my first. But what makes this time of year doubly exciting from a personal
perspective is the vast array of new releases from artists that have been
sprung into the spotlight upon the back of their previous LP successes. There
are four new releases, however, that are grabbing my attention the most. For
the sake of symmetry and fairness, there are two from each side of the pond. From
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Britain</st1:country-region>: throwbacks from a
bygone era and from the <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region>:
two emerging heavyweights of the popular alternative music scene. </span></i></h3>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First up, Richard
Hawley’s <i>Standing on the Sky’s Edge </i>that
was released on Parlophone records last Monday 7<sup>th</sup> May.<i> </i>One could seek criticism in this
overtly grandiose and wistful album title but it appears that the <st1:place w:st="on">Sheffield</st1:place> crooner has gone back to his real strength –
his guitar playing. With what Hawley has described as his “angry” record, it has
earned rave reviews from far and wide and looks set to gain more admirers
following headlining performances at festivals such as Latitude this summer.
Whilst I didn’t enjoy this record as much as I thought I would (I had
incredibly high expectations), I can still see tracks like <i>Leave Your Body Behind You </i>going down a treat at festivals with
it’s anthemic and northern <i>wall of sound </i>qualities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Despite the title and release date unconfirmed, 2012 will
most likely see the reappearance of a Manchester band who had been toiling
through the doldrums until a combination of songwriting excellence and a
fruitful collaboration with fellow Mancunians brought I am Kloot to the
forefront of public consciousness. The culmination of this rise can be seen in <i>The Sky at Night </i>receiving a nomination
for the 2010 Mercury Music Prize only to eventually lose out to The xx for
their debut album. A recent tweet from Elbow’s Mark Potter – producer alongside
Guy Garvey for both I am Kloot’s last and, we think, next LP – suggests that
one of I am Kloot’s new tracks “will kick your balls in!” Perhaps not the first
thing that would spring to mind when describing the impact of IAK track, but we
get the sentiment! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With what could appear - like Hawley’s - as a pretentious-sounding
album title, one might hypothesise that they were setting themselves up for a
large fall but with Potter and Garvey’s eye for the orchestral, IAK delivered a wonderful collection of tracks that were able to match the title’s
grand ambition. Putting Elbow’s influence to one side for a moment, John
Bramwell conjured some poignant moments and truly memorable lyrics; my
favourite of which being from </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fingerprints
</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">where the line “If heaven is a place upon your skin || That I may have
touched from without to within”</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">is so
stunningly embroiled in pathos when Bramwell repeats the line at the track’s
conclusion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">One suspects that Bramwell would have been wary of the
criticism that would inevitably come his way with what one might consider
rather syrupy album motifs like the homage to the north in “See the stars and
constellations || Sit beneath their congregation”<i> </i>on <i>Northern Skies. </i>Equally
obvious is the idea of radiation from distant suns falling over you as the dawn
breaks on <i>Radiation. </i>However, <i>The Sky at Night </i>doesn’t come across
syrupy at all; it is honest, unashamedly romantic and basically, just downright
beautiful. Let’s hope for something similar when the new release comes around. </span></div>Will Christiansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014679638064092285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963136985113100759.post-60260307171672079892012-05-13T04:48:00.003-07:002012-05-14T13:51:01.946-07:00<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A belated springtime in Durham</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">After weeks of what has seemed like constant rain, the sunshine breaks through on a gorgeous Saturday morning in Durham. With the river levels exceptionally high after recent weather, the Wear is flowing rather vigorously over the weir just downstream of Prebends Bridge. </span>
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</div>Will Christiansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014679638064092285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963136985113100759.post-3427932177703495422012-05-07T05:38:00.000-07:002012-05-14T13:50:42.131-07:00<h3>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ronnie's final crucible appearance?</span></i></b></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After delivering the most effervescent and brilliant snooker
that we have witnessed in years from him, we are (yet again) left pondering the
prospect of this great game without the most naturally gifted player to have
ever graced the baize. Such is the enigmatic and capricious nature of Ronnie
O’Sullivan, this latest of a series of retirement hints coincides tantalisingly
with his best World Championship form since his 2008 victory. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nothing is ever straightforward with the Rocket. Whenever he
takes to the table there is always something inside me that is willing him to
win, or at least to provide the kind of entertainment that to me, without
question, can be considered one of most thrilling sights in sport. At his
buccaneering best, an O’Sullivan century has been known to captivate even the
most stoic supporters of the <i>"if it doesn’t involve physical exertion, it is
not a proper sport”</i> brigade.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But for all his talent, O’Sullivan is an infuriating
character. The class which he shows in abundance on the table does not
necessarily always translate to the press room. Often contradictory and insecure,
O’Sullivan gives the impression of a tortured soul who frequently – whether
intentionally or not – manages to show a lack of respect towards a game that
has treated him rather kindly over the years. His comments in the wake of his
semi-final victory over Matthew Stevens were a stark reminder of this. Not only
is it odd to announce on the eve of the final that this appearance at the
Crucible may be his last (why not do a Hendry?), but with all the inevitable
clichés that splurge out like verbal diarrhoea in situations such as these (...<i>how fitting an end it would be</i> and <i>what better way to bow out...etc</i>),<i> </i>it is actually quite disrespectful to
his opponent in the final, Ali Carter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With these continual threats of prolonged breaks,
sabbaticals and indeed, retirement over the last few years, it has been easy to
become blasé about them; brushing them off as yet more hollow Ronnie talk. But
perhaps Ronnie truly is out of love with the game and he has been waiting for
that sacred moment when a majestic streak of form coincides with the game’s
biggest stage - to use the cliché: the perfect way to end one’s career. The
rare focus and determination that Ronnie has shown over the last seventeen days
suggests that he has been in a solid place mentally; something that we have not
been accustomed to seeing throughout his career but particularly in recent
times. Whatever his mental state, his form has been exemplary and he has
genuinely looked like he has enjoyed every moment of the championship. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whether Ronnie sticks true to his word and retires from
snooker after the final remains to be seen. Like him or loathe him – or if you,
like me, are somewhere in between – it is hard to resist the charm of watching
O’Sullivan at the peak of his powers. Snooker will, without doubt, be left with
a mercurial entertainer-shaped hole that, at a time when the place of such a slow<i> </i>game in a furiously fast-paced modern world
is being called into question, may be too large for the rising stars of Judd
Trump, Cao Yupeng and Luca Brecel to fill. My advice would be to watch and
appreciate every single lusty delivery of his cue and every expert manoeuvre of the
white as if it was his last tonight; but just don’t hold your breath. </span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />Will Christiansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014679638064092285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963136985113100759.post-7993819925703156732012-04-29T12:51:00.000-07:002012-05-14T13:50:18.483-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZkDlNkJde__Zzd7SbPD3Ci4zEdtD2l07c4q5RbUS5AKrldtmZWKLzDVaiEFntMITCf_FoOjZRH5uJgn06SOalRjF2ES42TcFlYtUdPygb7R7hb6ZPvjYCvFc1AY36UJFBrpJa9t-kwQ/s1600/Bloom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZkDlNkJde__Zzd7SbPD3Ci4zEdtD2l07c4q5RbUS5AKrldtmZWKLzDVaiEFntMITCf_FoOjZRH5uJgn06SOalRjF2ES42TcFlYtUdPygb7R7hb6ZPvjYCvFc1AY36UJFBrpJa9t-kwQ/s320/Bloom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Beach
House – Bloom (</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">released May 14th on Bella Union)<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Everything about Beach House
screams <i>less is more</i>; although they
perhaps would prefer to replace the scream<i>
</i>with more of an understated nod of acknowledgement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As is evident from their
previous album – 2010’s <i>Teen Dream – </i>Beach
House are all about minimalism and the power of the understatement. Rather than
the immediate burst of excitement that overwhelms you on first listening to
great music – a feeling that most would agree is a rarity – the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:place></st1:city> duo weave a
more subtle tapestry that unravels and reveals itself in different ways with
each listen. Indeed, much of what they produced on their last album conformed
to this idea. From the almost lethargic vocals and their droning synthetic
landscapes, to the humble, primitive beginnings of each of their tracks, they
give the impression of minimalism. Even the faint zebra-striped album artwork
requires a real close attention to admire its intricate detail. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But yet, within this simple
approach lies an unreserved competence that simply bursts through in a way
quite out of keeping with Beach House’s regular approach. Exhibit A is <i>Zebra </i>– the opening track from <i>Teen Dream. </i>On the surface, <i>Zebra</i> has a pleasant melody that doesn’t
immediately strike you; in fact, my initial impression was that it sounded very
odd and unlike anything I had heard before. With repeated listens, it reveals a
mesmerising quality borne from its unusual chord sequences, however, soon
enough these same feelings - that have initially acted to disorientate -
reassemble themselves into a track of complex, majestic beauty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The first single and indeed, the
opening track of their soon-to-be-released album <i>Bloom, </i>appears to be of a similar ilk to their previous opener. <i>Myth </i>shares the same blissful chord
changes and the feeling of travelling in a perpetual, circular motion. I for
one simply cannot wait to see what the rest of the album sounds like. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span style="color: #333333;">Bloom’s</span></i><span style="color: #333333;">
Op-Art-style album artwork essentially shows what Beach House are ultimately
trying to achieve. Superficially, it is a grid of white dots of varying but
sorted sizes on a black background - unimpressive and somewhat bland. However,
once you notice that these white dots are receding to two vanishing points and
are in fact, subtly different shapes, you begin to appreciate the hidden
complexity that lies beneath. Like the magic eye puzzles, all they require of
you is that you focus your attention for long enough to experience its hidden wonder. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Will Christiansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014679638064092285noreply@blogger.com0