An ongoing series in which the blogger shares his budget orientated music and / or movie purchases, revealing something of both his refined taste and an unwillingness to shell out any decent cash for it.

What The Covers Record by Cat Power
Eh? Cat Power is Chan Marshall, who makes quiet records with mainly just her voice, a Guitar and Piano (although her new one, The Greatest employs Al Green’s band). She’s got a bad-ass-powerful mournful voice, and while female singer songwriters aren’t usually my cup of tea, I’m willing to make an exception in this case. This record is all cover versions, and is highly recommended. She’s one of those artists that makes you want to go out and buy all their records on the way home from work.
Best bit It’s a toss up – her slowed down, sinister version of the Stones ‘Satisfaction’ is sexy as all hell, but I’m going to go with ‘I found a reason’ by Velvet Underground.
Damage $17
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Over on my sports site sportreviewnz there’s a new rugby cartoon, all about Richie McCaw, who’s got a lot of coaches bleating about his style of play.

I’m going to try and do one of these every week if I can.
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The Guardian’s not too impressed with Breaks Co-Op:

“…their turntable-enhanced, take-it-easy folk-rock is for anyone who wishes Crosby, Stills & Nash had stuck around for trip-hop”.

Fair play, Zane has done really (really) well in the UK as a DJ and MTV host, but Breaks Co-Op are still shit. I was at the New Year’s Eve show at the Town Hall (An all ages, dry event), and found them pretty sucky, musically they’re sub Dad-rock at its lowest point, and you can see why it was the soundtrack at this summer’s blandest BBQs at the homes of those who don’t really care about music. Anyway, Zane walked on stage waving at the crowd like the long lost returning hero, forgetting that very few people there a) knew who he was or b) cared. He didn’t shut up either, which was predictable. He does play a mean bongo, though.

PS The writer has totally nailed Zane’s patronising “I know SO much more than you about shit” style on the radio, too:

“Zane Lowe, a man whose endearingly stern enthusiasm can make the release of a new Razorlight single sound like a matter of national import”.

Nice shot.

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Auckland’s weather has been bloody crazy lately. What about this?

Friday – it’s OK, just an average cloudy day, then about 9.30, BAM – the rain drums so hard on the roof you have to turn the TV up to hear, and even then you’re struggling. It’s just RELENTLESS, and I had to go to the window to watch it come down. The Greenlane sky looks kind of alive and glowing, the road is flooding, and I’m wondering if driving to the shore is such a good idea. Don’t fancy being on the bridge in this.

This lasts about half an hour, then stops completely. I make it to the shore in one piece. “What about that rain?” “What rain?”

Saturday – it’s sunny and fine. And humid. So, so humid. I play Tennis for an hour and I’m dripping. It takes a good two hours and a very cold shower to stop being so, well, red. We sleep with the fan on.

Sunday – rains all day. Tennis is off. I get cabin fever cooped up in the lounge, and it’s still too hot. We go out for a walk on the beach to blow the cobwebs late on, and it gets dark very quickly. Go to bed that night, and it’s still humid, even late.

I love the weather here.

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There’s been loads of these cut up trailers going around lately. Most of them are Brokeback Mountain ones (someone should do Leathal Weapon), but this Jaws one is the best of the lot, I reckon.

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Speaking of Sky, what about the problems they’re having with the satellite? It’s all very well missing a Thursday night’s telly, but the question on everyone’s lips is of course, WHAT IF IT GOES DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ALL BLACKS TEST? EH? I think we should be told.

Sunset on Waitaks
Originally uploaded by richirvine73.

This photo is actually a year old – but we’re getting some lovely Autumn weather at the moment.

Over on my other blog there’s a new rugby cartoon for your viewing / laughing pleasure.

I wonder sometimes where I’m going with this blogging thing, and I think these rugby cartoons might be that place.

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Here’s another article I’m posting just ‘cos of one great quote, from Alex James, Blur’s bass player :

“And that’s what pop music is, really, a big relentless grin. That your brain just finds irresistible.”

Yep, Pop music is great, as anyone who’s ever listened to a song 12 times in a row can attest to. See also:
– Crash by the Primitives
– Heavenly Pop Hit by The Chills
– Don’t Call Me Baby by Voice Of The Beehive
– Alimony by the Hummingbirds
– Heironymous by The Clouds
– That Ain’t Bad by Ratcat (What IS it with Aussies, eh?)
– Just What I Needed by The Cars
– Atomic by Blondie

I could go on and on… Go! Team do a nice line in this kind of thing, also.

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