Three packages of CDs arrived at the Factory at once.
That's great; weeks have rushed by since they were ordered from people in Canada and the United States who sell via Amazon France* and I'd begun to wonder if they'd gone astray.
The music's by nine women singer-songwriters or women-fronted bands. When one or two people said, "Never heard of any of them," one meaner thought was "Good."
 For the musicians, it's bad, of course, though some already have a big following. But it means I'm on the right tracks in writing about them. The handful of people who took a look are not a representative sample of music-lovers, but all have functioning, hopefully open, ears.
Harmonie spotted Bic Runga's 'Beautiful Collision' and said it's very good stuff. I reckon my ears will agree with hers, so you can have a Bic Runga pic without any further introduction now than that.
Heather Nova's 'Oyster', Aimee Mann's 'I'm With Stupid' and the double-album version of 'To Venus and Back' by Tori Amos are for gaps in my head and holes in the library, but newcomers on this log, just for the record tonight, are Erin McKeown ('Grand'), Chantal Kreviazuk ('Colour Moving and Still'), Ashlee Simpson 'Autobiography', Susie Suh ('Susie Suh'), 'Til Tuesday ('Voices Carry') and Carla Werner ('Departure').
Friends within kicking range, please note the word "library", with a reminder that's what it is on condition I know who's got what.
A good day for music started early with a brief, very nice mail from the VoW I've mentioned enough lately to find it nearly normal when the Kid came to town at the weekend bubbling with as much energy as she could muster in the heat and said, "Hey, Mum's playing this 'Nexus' album, I love it. Have you got any more music by --"
"Yes, I have. Lots."
But I hadn't ranted to Catherine ... unless she does read this. Before the Kid and Sarah's reply to my blogged mail arrived, it suddenly came to me what would be good fun -- and appropriate -- to do about her music while ringing the changes from the usual write-up format. For this, however, there's no rush and we'll have be patient.
 The second album cover photo's not one in the eyes of those who object to about three in every 500 pics on this log -- yup, those are bare figures about the nude women who cause some moans; it's all provocation -- but answers the question: "Have you stopped listening to men completely?"
Certainly not, I've a headful of Pulp. 'This is Hardcore' isn't hardcore, though it says a few things about sex, and some people find too gloomy. I don't. I bought it -- the album was released seven years ago -- while catching up on some of what's being going down the other side of the Channel since I almost stopped setting foot there. When I first heard them, parts of Pulp surprised me. I didn't know anybody was still doing what used to be called 'pomp rock' with good lyrics.
That's unfair; but once you're safely past your 30s or any other "God, I'm getting old, where am I, why am I?" stage life as acutely described and rarely enjoyed by Jarvis Cocker on 'This is Hardcore' turns out to be not nearly that bad! I'd write more, but plenty of people have reviewed Pulp already.
On the artwork, one of them, Andrew Russeth, waxed almost wild:
"A blonde-haired woman lies naked on a red couch; her eyes are open, her face is completely without expression. We're given no further clues. Is she dead or simply caught in a momentary thought? Or is she just a mannequin? There will be no easy answers in the next hour. Indeed, this unsettling, Lynchian image provides a perfect, chilling visual representation of the smut-noir world that This is Hardcore inhabits. ('the wood')"
Like Cocker, who doesn't forget to be funny while he's centre-stage, and the album, Russeth lightens up on his way. But if he thinks the man's a "middle-aged rock star", he can get stuffed, because what does that make me? A slightly more middle-aged rock star?
On having mind to change your time
I hope -- probably in vain but you never know -- never to reach an age when I start saying what some have to me, "Don't ever get old, it's horrible." On the passing of time, as on more things than I'd imagined conceivable before I started reading Sarah's journal (no more links for now), I agree with her when she writes:
"We can alter the passage of time if we utilize the strength of our minds" (Feb 15, 2005).
The seraphim doesn't say how we can do it. Neither will I, but regulars may have noticed I tend to write about "making time" to see somebody or do something, rather than "finding" it. There are no absolutes, none.
To say why would mean lots of "f*f". I don't fancy it. I'm putting the new albums on the Mac, then tomorrow the iPod, and swearing at Americans again: "Would you please stop sticking those sodding sellotape title strips across the top of CDs? Getting the wrappers off can be bad enough without having to deal with them afterwards. It's one thing I don't like making time for."
This is what Sarah says:
"That self-imposed productivity we put on ourselves to 'do things' does not seem to bring happiness to anyone I am aware of. It seems to me that happiness comes from simplicity, awareness and a fundamental understanding of our environment. Becoming a lens, and trying to focus to become fully acquainted with the space of the moment you are in, at a particular time and place. The amount of things you can do becomes more like a fever or sickness, that will only continue to displace you from what is actually happening at this moment. If you are preoccupied with the scattered minutiae of your mind, in random unfocused or selfish thoughs, nothing fresh, nothing new and beautiful will come to you, because you are not allowing it to. As much of a struggle as it can seem, it is so important to let go of this clutter, and just live. Remember that there is an underlying harmony in all things, and this is what we must reach, and we must grow with it, outward and inward, expanding and learning all the time. That is all I have to say about it."
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*Enough people in France and other countries with high "value added tax" rates on "culture" who read me have said they're unused to buying through Amazon to give both the stores and other sellers who use them facilities another quick plug.
When browsing the store, don't forget to take a look at the offers on the right of most item pages indicating what's available new or used from other sellers. In my years of experience, they're reliable; safeguards include a star system and, in some cases, a package-tracing facility.
If I try a new seller without lots of stars already I don't buy in bulk (doing so obviously cuts postage costs) and I've only had one bad problem -- no reply to mails -- which Amazon settled. Rating the seller and leaving a quick comment yourself, takes only a few moments. When you do, it helps both them and the people who get there after you.
11:23:07 PM link 
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