Some Richard Hawley, just because.
Ah. Stay classy, Sheffield.
Category: music
How We All Lie
I spent yesterday afternoon in the lab listening to the trials and tribulations of Mike Skinner and The Streets on the A Grand Don’t Come For Free album. And that led me to thinking, what’s the latest from The D.O.T., his project with Rob Harvey (a partnership featured here and here)?
Well, here’s my answer:
A new single, a new album out this week and that great “camera toss” video.
Very nice indeed. This is on repeat.
That other departmental concert warning
The Western Cape Education Department’s warning that children must not miss school simply because they are going to see (or have seen) the Justin Bieber concert in Cape Town on Wednesday evening has been widely circulated.
Paddy Attwell, WCED spokesman, said that the Education Department had no problem with kids attending the concerts but if any students chose to miss school, they would be dealt with internally based on the individual school’s code of conduct.
A crowd of around 50,000 is expected and many of them will be children, so it could be that Paddy et al will have their work cut out for them.
However, less well publicised was the similar warning from another Western Cape Department regarding the Bon Jovi concert on Tuesday evening at the Cape Town Stadium. We’re here to put that right.
The Western Cape Department of Geriatric Affairs has become aware of many requests to Old Age, Frail Care and Retirement facilities across the province regarding the temporary removal of patients and residents from facilities ahead of the upcoming Bon Jovi concert at Cape Town Stadium, Tuesday 7th May 2013.
We are aware that due to the nature of this concert and the artists playing, the uptake from our patients and residents will be high.
While the Department appreciates the efforts of the families and friends of patients taking them to cultural experiences, it should be noted that guardians should remember that due to their advanced age, patients and residents may experience confusion, bewilderment and/or death as a result of the excitement of seeing one of the great rock bands of 30 years ago.
However, those persons responsible for the elderly should please remind their charges that this is no longer the 1980s and that their cardiovascular systems, joints and energy levels will have diminished significantly since that decade.Extra paramedics,resuscitation equipment, defibrillators and frail care facilities are being laid on at the Stadium to cater for the those of advanced age who are expected to make up the majority of the audience for this concert.
In addition, we are aware of plans to take many Zimmer frames from our facilities for a promised special version of the song “Wanted, Dead or Alive” featuring the line “I’m a cowboy, on a steel frame I walk”. Residents and patients are reminded that removal of Departmental equipment from our premises is not permitted and will not be tolerated even in these exceptional circumstances.
The Department wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable experience on Tuesday evening and looks forward to seeing all their patients and residents back for a nice cup of tea and some biscuits on Wednesday morning. Shall we say 10ish?
Lovely.
Rock on…
Throwaway Dance Track Has Inexplicable Video
This is pretty catchy. Annoyingly so, in fact. It will be on my RunMix when I can run again.
I don’t pretend to know what’s going on here, but I’m pretty sure she holds up my stereo from 1985 at 2:44.
The breathy singer (Greta Svabo Bech, previously of Deadmau5 “Raise Your Weapon” fame) reminds me a bit of SA’s own Louise Carver.
But only a bit.
Delta Machine
Delta Machine, Depeche Mode’s 13th studio album is already a hot contender for the coveted 6000.co.za Album of the Year. And there’s a very simple reason for that – there’s nothing new here.
I’ve said before that “old” bands should stick to what made them popular, and I’m happy to stand by that statement. Straying too far from their roots invariably disappoints the existing fan base, when they don’t need to take risks because they actually have nothing to prove. No such problems with Delta Machine: this could easily have been released alongside Violator back in 1990. It’s perfect, vintage Depeche Mode: dark, moody, introspective, soulful electronica.
There’s lots of noise being made about Heaven, but I actually prefer this live version to the one on the album.
And while it’s all good, for me, the standout tracks include My Little Universe, with Gahan’s repeated, compelling assertions of grandeur gradually being overrun by heavy electronic noise, and the deliberately awkward, unapologetic dischordance in Secret To The End.
And then there’s Broken, which is (in my humble opinion) quite possibly the best song Depeche Mode have ever done. And I know that’s a big claim after 33 years of their existence, but it really is perfect. It’s on repeat. A lot.
If you have never been a Depeche Mode fan, this is probably not going to be for you. But if you still hark back to those heady days of tracks like Personal Jesus and I Feel You, wow, you’re in for a treat.