The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Posted on July 13, 2008 by

Recently a friend recommended I read a book he absolutely adored called The Alchemist, by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho. This friend of mine is one of life's seekers of light and treasure, and as such he is a deeply spiritual person – much like Paulo Coelho himself, as is obvious when you read his book. I'm different. I believe you make your own treasure and light in life. However, Coelho and I seem to agree on one point – the journey is the most important part of the treasure.

The Alchemist is a fable about a shepherd boy (named Santiago but referred to as just “the boy” throughout the book) from the Andalusia area of Southern Spain. He lives a simple shepherd life, herding his sheep from place to place, finding them good food to eat and clean water to drink, and occasionally selling their fleece to fill his purse. He is simple and innocent and his needs are few, but he craves excitement and adventure, and he wants to travel and see the world. One day he meets an old god/king (the fabled King of Salem, Melchizedek) who promises to tell him where to find treasure, in exchange for one tenth of his flock of sheep. The boy, believing in omens, and that the omens are guiding him, gives the sheep to the old man.

After giving the old man his share of sheep, he is told that he should listen to the omens and follow what they tell him to do. He must take the two hour ferry trip from the tip of Andalusian Spain to Morocco, and from there he must journey through the Sahara desert to the Pyramids where he will find his treasure. He has many setbacks but eventually he reaches his destination, however it is his journey that is his real treasure. He learns better how to read the omens and discovers their importance; they are the voice of the Soul of the World speaking directly to him. He learns how to listen to his heart, to understand when it is lying and when it is telling the truth. He finds true love, an unending perfect love, the kind of love only found in fables.

Although the treasure is the primary aim of this journey, it is only while on the journey that the boy gathers the skills and wisdom he needs to reach his goal. It is also during this time that he meets the alchemist, but this isn't any ordinary alchemist. This is Super Alchemist. Not only can he transmute common metals into gold, and create The Philosopher's Stone, like all alchemists, but he has the wisdom of the ages, can talk directly to the Soul of the World and can even become the wind. He rides a shining white steed and carries a large scimitar, while the image conjured up is not dissimilar to Rudolph Valentino's Sheik. It is the alchemist who guides our shepherd friend through the metaphorical jungle of indecision before leading him, quiet literally, through the desert to find his treasure.

While The Alchemist is a beautiful and extraordinarily optimistic tale, it isn't very well written, but that's not to say the it isn't a good book. It's a strong story related to the reader by the omniscient narrator, told in a way reminiscent of fairy tales or spiritual texts like the Bible or Koran.

Coelho has a bad habit of writing prolix speeches for his characters. In trying to pass along his moral from each wise man who the boy encounters, the lessons are often delivered in a patronising way and can feel more like a soliloquy. Many times I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being beaten about the head with these homilies. The length of these pontifications can disrupt the flow of the story sometimes, to the point of stopping it altogether, and as a result the book can feel slightly long-winded and even faltering in places

These concerns aside, the book is both entertaining and inspirational. If you're a spiritual person you will undoubtedly feel Coelho's all-things-in-creation-linked-to-God moral very keenly. Maybe he will inspire you to follow your heart, listen to that still small voice when it tells you to follow your God's chosen path. You'll believe him when he tells you that if you are destined to do something, the Universe will conspire with the Soul of the World to help you achieve it. And just when things look their darkest, when you are furthest from your goal it will be presented to you, if you stay faithful to your path.

I found The Alchemist inspirational too, but not perhaps in the way the author intended. I didn't have a spiritual re-emergence, nor a swelling of faith; I didn't come to believe that I have a preordained path or journey, that I am destined to take, nor that the Universe would help me to successfully complete my journeys through life. I was inspired to begin writing my novel again, after a long hiatus. I realised that as long as you have an interesting and entertaining story to tell, and you tell it well, your technical ability to write that story isn't as important. It's the journey, after-all, that makes it all worthwhile.

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Songs That Touch My Soul, Ten

Posted on June 22, 2008 by

PhotobucketWe all have them, songs that seem to touch a secret place in your soul – sometimes secret even from you. They can grow and occasionally fester like an open wound, or they can fill you up, inspire you and occasionally even heal you. Sometimes they don’t even reflect your musical tastes. They can be shameful secrets that you keep from family and friends. You feel like a drug addict craving your next fix. At times like those you thank the powers that be for MP3 players – the syringe of those suffering with this affliction.

This is the tenth instalment of songs that touch my soul and as always this edition is full of passion, desire and lust, and this issue also reflects a personal change of direction… romantically speaking. This is a form of therapy, this sharing of my neuroses, my secret inner lunacy, the big ball of crazy that is me.

“Faithfully” — Journey

I can hear the groans of disgust from my male readership all the way from here. Yes it’s cheesy, squishing, rotten with overwrought heartache, but sometimesPhotobucket that’s what a girl wants. Even this girl. Now normally I would never condone listening to a power-ballad, with its schmaltzy sentimentality and emaciated honesty but this one is different. Is it Steve Perry’s powerful, gravelly-raw voice, or the open, artlessness of Jonathan Cain’s (Journey’s keyboard player and primary songwriter) lyrics. Whatever it is, Journey did this one right. You won’t find any of the Bryan Adam’s pie-sky-lie-die style rhyming lyrics a la “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”.

“Faithfully” offers the unvarnished truth, it’s hard to be apart, but I love you, we can make it work. “And being apart ain’t easy on this love affair/ Two strangers learn to fall in love again/ I get the joy of rediscovering you/ Oh, girl, you stand by me/ I’m forever yours – faithfully”. That touches a tiny optimistic part of my sceptical soul. I just want to believe it could happen, someone could love me that much too.

“Can’t Stop” — MoZella

MoZella’s début album I Will has long been one of my favourites. Her smooth jazzy tones and folky expressions work together to create a uniquePhotobucket blend of old and new. Think Norah Jones meets Amy Winehouse with a bit of synth thrown-in; cool, moody but updated, fresh faced and with MoZella’s own innocent energy. “Can’t Stop” is a song about falling in love, ready or not. When you meet the perfect man, it can be hard to say to yourself, or him, “I’m not sure I’m ready for this.” And that’s all MoZella is saying, directly, candidly, and it’s exactly what I want to say, “And I’ll be yours, just give me time/ Cause you have everything I could ever want/ You have everything I could ever want/ You speak to my soul like you’ve known it before.”

“Runaway” — The Corrs

From my favourite Irish pop band, this song features a violin, piano and tin whistle. Where else are you going to find all those in one tidy, romantic pop-ballad? The Corrs are the reason I began reviewing music – my first ever music review was of The Corrs album Home. I have always enjoyed their light, soft, lilting pop sounds, particularly in the summer. “Runway” however has one line that makes me quiver with delight every time I hear it “Close the door, lay down upon the floor/ And by candlelight, make love to me through the night”. They have never been lyrically complicated, but who needs complicated when you can so vividly and simply make your point? And aren’t they pretty?!Photobucket

“Waiting for Tonight” — Jennifer Lopez

Are those more, moans and groans I hear? Even J. Lo can put out a good song now and again. For me this one is all about the lyrics, although I do love the disco synth-pop dance track. The story reminds me of something from a ’40′s movie; glamour, romance and the suggestion of tender love making. Those lyrics make me yearn to give someone I have desired from afar a long, soft, wet kiss that lasts all-night long. “In the sweetest dreams/ I have pictured us together/ Now to feel your lips/ On my fingertips/ I have to say is even better/ Then I ever thought it could possibly be…”

“Call My Name” — Charlotte Church

This song is pure lusty sex. You may be asking yourself is it THAT Charlotte Church, the Voice of an Angel? Yes it is. Now the Welsh Photobucketsongstress is all grown-up and getting shagged – which she obviously loves very much – and then writing songs about it. “Call My Name” is the raunchy lyrical story of Church’s boyfriend coming home late and waking her up for a good hard shag. Scattered with vivid and completely carnal images like: “I like the sound of your heart stopping/ Of lip locking, the grazing of knees, yeah/ I like the sound of skin touching/ Hands fumblin’, you do as you please…” and “I like the sound of your hand slapping/ Your whip cracking, this could be painful”. All this set to an upbeat, catchy pop tune. Church’s famously angelic, aria-singing pipes are lower, more mature and significantly more lusty. This track makes me crave one of those bodice ripping, pushed-up-against-the-wall, scratching-your-back, screaming-fuck-me-harder moments with some big, hard, well-muscled warrior man. I’ve included the video so you can have one of those moments too.

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How to be Well Read – The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Posted on June 21, 2008 by

PhotobucketWhy should you choose to read classic literature? Classic literature is the best of the best from a bygone era. It offers a glimpse into our former social habits and customs, the foundations of our modern society and intellectual reasoning. In coming to understand those times and people, you will know our modern life better.

I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to try to become well read. I understand that it all seems so daunting, almost overwhelming. You can feel like you need to be well read, or at the very least highly educated, before you can even attempt to read classic literature. But you don’t. It’s easier than you think. So where should you begin? This series is here to help you, to walk you through the veritable minefield that is classic literature.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, best known by his pen name Mark Twain, has been called the father of American Literature, most notably by William Faulkner andMark Twain Ernest Hemingway. His novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered the first great American novel. It is also one of the first American novels by a major author to be written in the first person using the colour and vernacular of the region. It is for this reason that it has always been a controversial book.

To read Huck Finn you will need to set aside your modern-day PC prejudices, and keep in mind that this book is set years before the American Civil War, the war that freed the slaves. As such, the book is scattered with the word Nigger. Yes, it’s a word that most white Europeans cringe at, and rightly so, as it is a symbol of our repression and enslavement of many Africans. A detestable word indeed but widely and commonly used in the American South of the 1840s and 50s, a time when Twain was living and working on the Mississippi River.

Twain himself was a staunch, outspoken abolitionist and and showed his support of President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation when he said “Lincoln’s Proclamation… not only set the black slaves free, but set the white man free also.” In writing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain was satirising a society that he saw as deeply and tragically flawed. Although Huck Finn wasn’t published until 1885 in the US (vandalism of the original printing plates delayed its US début), more than 20 years after the end of the Civil War and the freeing of the slaves, racism was still rife and justice for non-whites, something else Twain was passionate about, was non-existent.

Is Huck Finn a racist himself? Yes, but he doesn’t know it; he is a product of his environment and has been taught that niggers are property, not humans. However Huck treats the co-protagonist, runaway slave Jim, like a man – and a wiser man at that – rather than property. Twain wrote Jim as a dignified character and allows Huck to accept and respect this, as Jim comes to serve as Huck’s travelling companion, moral compass and eventually his friend.

In the words of the noted black novelist Ralph Ellison “Huckleberry Finn knew, as did Mark Twain, that Jim was not only a slave but a human being, a symbol of humanity”. So Twain never intended Jim to be a caricature of a slave, but rather a man with human capacities and capabilities, something that most Southerners would never have considered possible at the time.

Huck Finn by E.W. KembleSo true does their friendship become that when the time comes for Huck to decide whether or not to turn Jim in, he is forced to wrestle with his conscience. Is he stealing Miss Watson’s property (Jim) or not he asks himself? Huck quickly decides “All right, then, I’ll go to hell!”, rather than betray his friend Jim. Through Huck, Twain shows his support of the abolition of slavery; as Ellison said “…in freeing Jim, Huck makes a bid to free himself of the conventionalised evil taken for civilisation by the town”.

But The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is more than just satirical commentary on racism and slavery, it’s the adventures of a straight talking, salt-of-the-earth po’ [sic] boy and his older wiser friend as they seek riches and freedom together. Huck helps Jim escape and together they set off on the adventures on the Mississippi.

Told in first person by Huck himself, you see the world through the eyes of a boy who baulks at the attempts to “sivilize” [sic] him, who yearns simply for the freedom of the mighty Mississippi River. Huck has the kind of down-on-the-farm wisdom that has become almost stereotypical of such tales, but it all began here with Huck. Twain mastered the out-of-the-mouths-of-babes style of offhand wisdom well, and there are many examples throughout Huck Finn.

The story begins where the earlier The Adventures of Tom Sawyer left off, with Tom and Huck now $6000 richer, and Huck back living with the Widow Douglas and her sister Miss Watson. Huck Finn was originally intended as a companion piece to Tom Sawyer but don’t worry, it was re-worked by Twain as a stand-alone novel and the narrator, Huck Finn, brings you up to speed very quickly.

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Twain questions more than just slavery, he explores justice versus morality, the wisdom of superstitions and the true nature of love and friendship. Twain was more than a century ahead of his time, preaching love, friendship, peace, freedom and justice for all people. It may have been intended for children but I never really understood his revolutionary message when I was in high school, it’s only now that I can marvel at their charisma, satire and meliorism. If you read Huck Finn in school, it deserves another read; if you didn’t, it certainly deserves a first read now.

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Jay Nash – The Things You Think You Need

Posted on June 10, 2008 by

Jay laughingJay Nash makes music that is warm, soulful, energetic, intelligent, just a little bit country, just a little bit rock. It may not be the kind of music that pop 40 aficionados want to hear on the radio; but it is most certainly the kind of music anyone of sense and substance wants to hear wafting from the speakers of their convertible, while driving down the Pacific Coast Highway on a warm summer Sunday afternoon.

The kind of music that defies categorization but for the sake of this article let's call it alt-acoustic-folk-piano-rock, with hints of alt-country nostalgia, and swimming in acoustic melodies. His new release The Things You Think You Need — his seventh studio album — is the first album that Nash feels truly comfortable with; he says “…this is the first record I have ever put out that I am completely enthusiastic about. I meant every word and every note that's on it. ” He has every reason to be enthusiastic, the album is truly superb. It is also a clear reflection of the artist himself; down-to-earth, playful, witty and occasionally profound, grounded but sentimental, sensual but intelligent, romantic but only in passing.

The Things You Think You Need is definitely something you'll think you need after just one listen; and Jay Nash is doubtless an artist you will want to get better acquainted with. You wouldn't be alone in your adoration of Nash either. Last month just 48 hours after the release of the album on iTunes it reached number 22 on the iTunes Rock Chart. An even more impressive accomplishment as he is the only completely independent artist on the chart, dominated as it is by major label acts.

CD Cover Art The album begins with the sweetly sentimental ballad “Sweet Talking Liar”. This could easily be confused for a two-step made for softly-shod cowboys, but the opening lyrics quickly dispel this idea. “You won't be the next Bob Dylan, you might not die at 27/ forsake your brothers, give up on your lovers/ to get the thing, the thing you need…” “Sweet Talking Liar” hints strongly at the whiskey soaked alt country of small bars in up-state New York, Nash's home stomping ground as it has it. Nash's deep, gravelly vocals will remind you of the sadness of Hank Williams, the sensuality of Marvin Gaye, and the tenderness of an adoring lover.

Next, the album's first single “Wayfarer”, is a track that is all subtle acoustic melodies and piano that seems mindful of jazz. Side-stepping the country sound, this track slides into soft blue-eyed soul or jazzy folk-rock. Here Nash's softly approach to vocals change gear in the powerfully sung chorus “Well I will wait for you, to know what you want from me/ We still got some time, I don't think I heard last call…” “Wayfarer” is a good mix of what Nash does well, strong, sensual vocals, and haunting melodies that seem to play with lyrics filled with the kind of pathos only true yearning can inspire.

The third track features Nash's friend, Top Ten selling artist Sara Bareilles. “Barcelona” opens with all the choral elegance that an organ can bring to a rock song. Luxurious lyrics and intense, amorous vocals add warm orange, red, and brown tints to this Mediterranean titled track. But don't look for Latin sounds here just more of Nash's own brand of breathless longing and near Americana sounds.

Other songs to listen for are “Keep on Talking” with its strong rock sensibilities, “Over You"'s straight-up folk ballad feel and “Forgive Me” which has jazz standard written all over it, perfect for any piano bar.

Nash's ability to cover almost any genre convincingly is the reason that The Things You Think You Need is so successful. Although each song feels different, all have a common sound that is definitely Nash, and that adds cohesion. Jay Nash is a talented and exciting new artist, who I am sure will contribute much more to come.

The Things You Think You Need is currently available exclusively on iTunes. And you can hear selected tracks from Nash's MySpace space. I suggest you pick-up a copy right away.

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How to be Well Read – Winnie the Pooh

Posted on May 19, 2008 by

I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to try to become well read. Where do you begin? It all seems so daunting, almost overwhelming, not to mention that you almost feel like you need to be well read, or at the very least highly educated, before you can even attempt to read classic literature. But you don’t. It’s easier than you think. I know, I’ve done it.

An avid reader, throughout high school and my early twenties I stuck to the safe, not too deep, modern fiction and historical romance novels (you know the kind, with big breasted, scantily clad women and long-haired men with bulging muscles on the cover). Eventually it just wasn’t enough, I wanted more from a read, plus I didn’t want to feel embarrassed anymore when someone asked me what I was reading. There are only so many times that you can mumble your reply before people begin to suspect that you are, in fact, illiterate. But where to begin? I decided to jump in at the deep end, and make my start with Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. I can honestly tell you I read it cover to cover without understanding half of what I was reading. Which meant once I learned the flow and syntax of the language of the era I had no choice but to read it again, and that isn’t something I would wish on my worst enemy. Tolstoy was an uptight, prigish elitist, both socially and intellectually; a moral bully who was overly fond of his own opinion. I wouldn’t recommend reading Tolstoy until you have built-up your intestinal fortitude.

So where should you begin? Well I am happy to help you, take you by the hand and walk you through the veritable minefield that is classic literature. Believe me when I say it isn’t as difficult as you may think and it’s so worth it. Classic literature is the best of the best a bygone era. It offers a glimpse into those long-past societies upon which we have built our modern social and intellectual structures, and in coming to understand those times and people better, you will know our modern life better. That and you’ll impress the hell out of your friends and family.

There are a few things to know before we begin. First let’s talk about publishers. An author’s copyright lasts until about 50 – 70 years after death, after which anyone is allowed to republish his or her works. This means that there are many different versions and edits. Some are simple reprints of the original but many strive to “fix” problems from the original print. Some are sympathetic to the original whilst others go overboard “fixing” things that the author has not authorised or envisioned, thereby effectively ripping the soul from the book. So it’s important to find a version that is either very close to the original print or at least only edited with the lightest touch. If the book is a translation this can lead to even more difficulties. However I have found that the big name classic publishers like Penguin Classics usually do a very honest job, and, in Penguin’s case, they include notes at the back, referenced throughout the book, to help you understand long lost words and phrases. For the uninitiated this can be very useful.

For instance: in my copy of Charlotte Brontë’s Villette, one of the many notes explains the sentence “… in short, did her work like the neat handed Phillis she could be when she chose”. Without understanding the world in which the Brontë’s grew-up this statement could be mystifying, as Phillis is not a character in the book, but the reader is obviously supposed to understand this flippant comment. Luckily Penguin Classics knows you won’t understand what the fuck she’s on about so they explain it very well: “Phillis: the name is common in Renaissance pastoral verse, but the reference here is quite clearly to the Phillis of Milton’s ‘ L’Allegro’, whence Charlotte Brontë has taken the epithet, neat-handed…” A handy and educational tool I’m sure you will agree.

With all this in mind it’s time to recommend a key book to help you on your path to being well read.

If any phrase has been in my mind whilst researching this article it is most certainly “baby steps”. You need to start small and learn from the ground up before you can easily read and understand the likes of Dickens, Flaubert, Dostoyevsky or Shakespeare. So with this idea firmly implanted, my first recommendation to you is Winnie the Pooh.

Yes, the A.A. Milne children’s classic Winnie the Pooh. We all think we know these stories, but most of us have never been exposed to more than the Disney films and that is a travesty. These classic tales will leave you feeling charmed and happily nostalgic for a childhood that, whether real or imagined, was blissful, untroubled, and innocent. Winnie the Pooh is the first of four books, two of which are stories and two poetry. The stories in Winnie the Pooh and The House At Pooh Corner are the charming tales upon which the Disney films are based. However, these tales are really only fully experienced by reading them, as the films aren’t even half as charming as the original books themselves.

Winnie the Pooh may seem like a silly choice for your first step on the road to a life long love of classic literature but the Pooh books are a must read. In the Pooh stories Milne has captured perfectly what it is like to be a child. The simplistic perfect logic of an innocent child, uncomplicated and guileless. The kind of thinking that could lead to world peace, the end of famine and poverty, the kind of thinking we all lost at some undefinable point. Pooh deals with the trials of his simplistic life with cheer, love and innocent playfulness. Reading these books will make you feel good. It’s that simple. The reason that I recommend the Winnie the Pooh books to begin your journey, is that among everything else they are fantastically well written. With syntax that reads like prose and language that harkens back to yesteryear they make the perfect warm-up for something slightly more meaty. Consider them the breadbasket on the table before the appetisers arrive.

Christopher Robin and Pooh BearIf being seen reading Winnie the Pooh on the tube or in the local coffee shop is more than you want to consider, then read them at home. Read them to your child, a niece/nephew or a neighbour’s kid and if no physical child presents themselves, read them to your inner child. They are children’s books after all, a rainy Sunday afternoon is all you really need. And I guarantee that after reading them you will feel a need to play like you haven’t felt since the days of hopscotch, skinned knees and freeze tag. They are truly life affirming books, and who doesn’t need more of that?

This is a new series I am writing for the recently launched online magazine Eurocritics.

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Songs That Touch My Soul, Nine

Posted on May 15, 2008 by

We all have them, songs that seem to touch a secret place in your soul – sometimes secret even from you. They can grow and occasionally fester like an open wound, or they can fill you up, inspire you, and occasionally even heal you. Sometimes they don't even reflect your musical tastes. They can be shameful secrets that you keep from family and friends. You feel like a drug addict craving your next fix. At times like those you thank the powers that be for MP3 players — the syringe of those suffering with this affliction.

This is the ninth instalment of songs that touch my soul. And as always this edition is full of passion, desire, and lust, and with summer on its way, this one is full of summery pop craziness. This is a form of therapy, this sharing of my neuroses, my secret inner lunacy, the big ball of crazy that is me.

“Near To You” – A Fine Frenzy

“He and I had something beautiful/ But so dysfunctional, it couldn't last/ I loved him so but I let him go/ 'Cause I knew he'd never love me back…” Every time I listen to this song I wonder if A Fine Frenzy – real name Alison Sudol – knows me. More than that, can she read my mind? Feel my ache? So perfectly do the lyrics fit my life that it would seem that she plucked the pain from my heart and verbalised it in a stripped down, alt.piano-rock song. Sung with the gentle passion and longing ache I feel every time I consider the past, and the cautious optimism in which I see the future, this song undoubtedly touches my soul because it reflects my current situation.

“Pon De Replay” – Rihanna

This is an easy one. “Pon De Replay” makes me want to dance, but then that's what it's meant to do. I want to get up and let my hips bounce, belly-dancer style, gyrating in time to the repetitive beat and bass line. This bare R&B/reggae/dancehall track is just repetitive beats, hand-claps, and lyrics that equal a great dance song. Not much more to it.

“Baby, Baby, Baby” – TLC

It's an oldie but a goodie. From TLC's début album Ooooooohhh…. On the TLC Tip , it was the second single released and their first number one single. TLC were all about empowering women, and I like that. “Baby, Baby, Baby” is a prime example of their never-sell-yourself-short attitude. They were hot and they knew it. Their message in this song hits home with me, as it should with every woman: “Well you wanna be loved/ Hey that's O.K./ Cause it falls in line right with my sexuality/ But you gotta be down/ A nickel gotta be true/ Cause otherwise this "B" ain't got no time for you… Well you want my heart/ And all my time/ Well it won't be there if you can't deal with my mind/ Cause a girl like me/ Won't stand for less…” I think that's a message most women would do well to learn, love, and live.

“Fever” – Kylie Minogue

I know pop music has a bad rep, but I really enjoy some pop music. I love Kylie Minogue's music. Kylie's brand of pop reflects her personality; it's fun, upbeat, happy, and can put a smile on your face in nearly any circumstance. Kylie has a unique way of being herself; she never pretends to be more or less than she is and she is never apologetic for her music or her style, and for that I really admire this pint-sized pop princess. The song “Fever” really represents the entire album and with summer just around the corner I have happy, bright, sunny pop music on the brain and Fever fits that bill completely.

Full of bouncy, happy disco-pop songs including that worldwide smash hit “Can't Get You Out of My Head”, Fever is the perfect summer album. With nearly every song a hit, it was considered Kylie's come back album after her departure from the Stock, Aitken and Waterman stable (famous producers of artists including Rick Astley, Bananarama, Samantha Fox, and Dead or Alive, among many), and a long hiatus from the spotlight after a disastrous few albums following the split. Fever was by far her most successful album, filled as it is with gorgeous electro-pop dance music. And it touches my soul, and my hips, and my tummy, and my toes, and my butt, and my smile…

“The Incidentals” – Alisha's Attic

Alisha's Attic is a band that had its success primarily in the UK. English sisters discovered by Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), they were active from 1996 with the release of their BRIT Award nominated début album Alisha Rules the World but broke up in 2001. “The Incidentals”, from their second album Illumina, speaks to the romantic in me, and again this one is about the lyrics. Although with acoustic-pop sounds that are bright and breezy, it really is a great summer love song, but what touches me about this track is its message; it's the incidentals that really turn me on, not the over the top, worn-out, tried and failed romantic gestures.

“It's just the little things, the incidentals/ It's like you wouldn't even notice when you really turn me on/ It's the little sparks that fly and then land like dynamite/ It's just, it's just the simple things, pure incidentals/ It's like stayin' up 'till midnight and talkin' about, absolutely nothing… It's like breathin' on the back of my neck and makin' me feel weak inside…”

That's where the real romance lies in a relationship, in the little things. Those are the things that really show you care about someone, that you're paying attention, and that you really understand. And in the end, once you have stripped away all the sex, politics, and tangible pleasures, all the crap that doesn't really make life better, when it's all stripped away, you just want someone who understands you. Someone who can see all your craziness, all the quirks and eccentricities, see all that, and love you anyway. Not just love you but see how beautiful all that is and adore it, too. Now that is romance.

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Interview with author of Child 44 Tom Rob Smith

Posted on May 9, 2008 by

You may not have heard of Tom Rob Smith yet but you will, and soon, as he is the next big thing in crime/political thriller novelists. Think Sue Grafton having drinks and a laugh with Ian Rankin at a party thrown by John Grisham and that should go some way to help you understand where Smith’s début novel Child 44 fits in. Based heavily on the life and crimes of Andrei Chikatilo, the Butcher of Rostov, Smith’s novel has everything; plot twists, political intrigue, unimaginable violence and even cannibalism. He weaves a completely believable tale that has the flavour of true literature about it. It’s penetrating and richly textured, with none of the glossed over plot holes or depthless superfluous characters that other such novels in this genre can suffer from.

One of Smith’s talents lies with his ability to be absolute, honest, raw, never grandiose, overwrought, or declamatory. And that ability ensures that Child 44 maintains a feeling of utter believability throughout. Smith paints a bleak, frank picture of life in communist Russia. So real, so frighteningly vivid are the images of this time and place it would be easy for you to believe that Smith is himself a survivor of that era, but in truth this 28 year old Englishman is probably only just old enough to remember what the cold war was like at full chill. So complex and deeply layered is Child 44 that even before publication it attracted the attention of Ridley Scott, who has already bought the film rights, and is working on adapting this intrigue filled novel for the big screen.

And it would be reasonable to assume that Smith might be resting on his laurels, but you’d be wrong. He is currently working on the sequel at is home in London. He was nice enough to take sometime out from his very busy schedule to have a chat with me about his new book. I was surprised by how unassuming and gentle he is, given the gruesome, grizzly crimes in his novel. Soft spoken, intelligent, open and welcoming Smith was an interesting and fun person to spend an afternoon talking with.

So tell us about your novel Child 44. It is a very violent novel but without ever feeling like the violence is gratuitous. Was that intentional?

Yeah, it’s interesting the question of violence because, it never really crossed my mind. I’m not particularly interested in violence from that point of view. I guess because lots of it is plucked from real sources, and actually often the case is I tried to find the least violent forms. For example the torture, the camphor oil, which was a treatment that was used. There were much more violent tortures, more bizarre that I could have used. At least with this one you could do something with it and it’s not about ripping someone’s fingernails off.

I think it was a very violent world, it was a very violent time, and people died easily. So yes it is violent. But I never felt like I was binding it in that way. The thing about a thriller is people being in danger. The danger in Child 44 is primarily from the State. It’s not from a guy with a knife, it’s not from a guy who’s going to cut your head off. The State is the threat here. The State is a threat to Leo. The State is a threat to Raisa.

Do you think the story is more about Leo and Raisa (the protagonists) than about the murders?

My approach to the serial killer aspect is that it is the way into this world. It strikes me that there are many different ways that you can spin a story but with a serial killer narrative you can have a great puzzle. Which is you have a kind of Moriarty like villain who runs around setting puzzles for your hero to solve. That’s great fun, I like that as much as anyone. But there are also investigations which are about the world in which they are set.

And your story borrows significantly from the life and crimes of Andrei Chikatilo. You even begin your story with a child being eaten, and that’s what happened to Chikatilo’s older brother in the Ukrainian famine.

He grew-up under the shadow of hearing that his brother might have been eaten. I thought, “well if we’re going to start with that we might as well have it there”. From a visual point of view. But the thing about that is… I spoke to an Italian journalist the other day and she was saying that she loved the book but she had one criticism; she never really got the psychology of my Andrei. And I said “I have read whole case studies about the real Andrei and if you asked me right now why he did what he did, I couldn’t tell you.” I could speculate, I could give you little bits and pieces, but just feels to me like, who knows. In the end the real killer, his motives were that he enjoyed inflicting pain.

He discovered very early on that he didn’t enjoy sex, he enjoyed suffering. How do you write about that? It’s like explaining someone’s preference for the colour blue rather than red. It just this insane destructive preference. And I though, “well we’re going to have to reconfigure it.”

That was the one part I have difficulty with myself. It’s difficult to follow his motive.

The thing about the psychology of the killer, I’m perfectly prepared to accept that this killer doesn’t exist. Serial killers are quiet uninteresting. They’re quiet difficult to write about because their motives are so closed. Their motives are like “because this is what I like. I like dominating. I like this, I like that.” It’s very simple and it’s very blunt. It’s very nothingy, like there is nothing there. It’s like trying to explain the psychology of a stone. There is a kind of deadness about it. So as soon as you try and do something from a narrative point of view, I think there is an element that doesn’t ring true.

Child 44 is a stunning success. Never weighed down with overdone or obvious political commentary, or excessive violence or melodrama. Smith’s writing is always austere and elegant. The literary equivalent of simple clean lines and great open spaces. Every word seems perfectly placed, meticulously considered for it’s brevity and weight, you never feel overawed or confounded. Each thought, motion, action and phrase is chosen as would be an ornament in a minimalists living room. This is a book I recommend you read now before you’re just following the crowd. I guarantee you won’t regret it.

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Book Review: Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

Posted on May 7, 2008 by

Imagine living in a place where even suggesting there has been a crime is a crime. A crime against the state punishable by, at best, being sent away for a life of hard labour in a deserted frozen wilderness, and at worst, execution without a fair trial. Where your neighbours can turn on you and name you as a traitor and the police can search your home for any reason at any moment. A life where no one, not even your own family, can be trusted.

No, this isn’t modern day America, but 1950′s Stalinist Russia. It is the setting for the new crime thriller, Child 44, by Tom Rob Smith.

Security Ministry Officer Leo Demidov is a determined, charming anti-hero of sorts. A good man whose patriotism has led him to commit heinous acts against his fellow citizens “for the greater good” or so he tells himself. Lies, spying on friends and family, manufacturing evidence, even torture and murder are all acceptable as long as they help ensure the survival and security of Stalin’s “workers’ paradise”.

On the surface Leo is an idealistic war hero with a deeply held belief in the superiority of his country and the communist way of life. As he realises he is nothing more than an instrument of a fundamentally flawed, deadly, and unstoppable totalitarian regime, a crisis of conscience ensues. Slowly his beliefs decay and he loses the strong moral conviction that the innocent must sometimes be punished so no enemy of the state will escape.

When his wife, Raisa, is a victim of the system for which he was a most diligent drone, his life begins to unravel. When he refuses to denounce her as a traitor, he is demoted and humiliated. Even his parents are punished for his crime. He and Raisa are sent away from Moscow to the wastelands of the newly industrialised city of Voualsk.

It is in Voualsk that Leo discovers a true criminal, but how does a disgraced and politically persecuted man prove there is a serial killer on the loose, killing children across Russia? Leo and Raisa must work outside the law to find a killer in a political culture that doesn’t even admit they exist, and already wants him dead.

Child 44, Smith’s début novel, is a stunning success. Based heavily on the life and crimes of Andrei Chikatilo, the Butcher of Rostov, this is a tale that has everything: plot twists, political intrigue, unimaginable violence, and even cannibalism. Smith very expertly weaves a completely believable tale that hints broadly at the true horrors under the surface, only occasionally exposing you to them directly.

The violence is more implied than stated. When it is realised, the violence is uncompromising and unapologetic, but never excessive. One of Smith’s talents lies with his ability to be absolute, honest, and raw. He is never grandiose, overwrought, or declamatory. Smith’s ability ensures that Child 44 maintains a feeling of utter believability throughout. This is undoubtedly one reason why Ridley Scott has already bought the film rights, and is working on adapting this intrigue-filled novel for the big screen.

In Child 44 Smith paints a bleak, frank picture of life in communist Russia. So real, so frighteningly vivid are the images of this time and place it would be easy for you to believe that Smith is himself a survivor of that era. In truth, this 28-year-old Englishman is probably only just old enough to remember what the cold war was like at full chill. That doesn’t stop him from writing a complex and deeply layered novel that is startling and chilling in equal measure.

Unlike many crime novels Child 44 has a flavour of true literature about it, penetrating and richly textured, with none of the glossed over plot holes or depthless superfluous characters that other such novels in this genre can suffer from. Nor does it weigh itself down with overdone or obvious political commentary. Smith’s writing is always austere and elegant – the literary equivalent of simple, clean lines and great open spaces.

Child 44 is stark in more ways than one. Every word seems perfectly placed, meticulously considered for it’s brevity and weight, and yet you never feel overawed or confounded. Each thought, motion, action, and phrase is chosen as would be an ornament in a minimalist’s living room.

This novel is the first of three (according to Smith), the second of which he is currently working on. Let’s hope he finishes it soon, for he surely has a winner on his hands.

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Derek Webb and Sandra McCracken – Ampersand EP

Posted on May 6, 2008 by

I have always been a very outspoken critic of the corn-fed, watered down, straight-off-the-tractor, comb-in-the-mouth, artistically barren music that is Christian “rock”. As far as I am concerned it has no redeeming artistic or social value, in that it neither inspires people to worship nor to appreciate great music. It is, in my opinion, just one more attempt to make Christianity appeal to younger people by showing them how much “fun” being a Christian can be. Not to mention the restrictions placed on Christian musicians by both the record labels and existing fan base, crushing out all true artistic growth, every spark of originality or individualism — as if being original or different were un-Christian or sinful.

That said, just because someone celebrates their love of a mythological being (God in this instance) by making artistically barren music doesn't necessarily mean they don't have talent, artistic vision or originality, nor does it mean that they are limited to that severely restricted genre. In the case of singer-songwriter Derek Webb – most famous as part of the Christian band Caedmon’s Call – and his equally talented and successful wife Sandra McCracken, that is certainly untrue, as evidenced by the release of their duet EP, Ampersand. It's beyond me why anyone who has enough talent to write music this hauntingly beautiful, touching, and gently passionate would want to confine that talent to the cookie cutter, formulaic music of Christian rock.

Ampersand is the first collaboration from these two deeply personal performers and a true joy to hear. Webb and McCracken's voices perfectly complement each other, harmonising playfully, dancing together in joyous vocal foreplay. McCracken's voice is a mixture of Emmylou Harris and Sean Colvin, rootsy, warbling, and gently, elegantly loving. And Webb's voice is a mixture of buttery smoothness and raw passion, like a good spicy whisky. And the same can be said of their musical styles; McCracken is a bit alt-folk, with country tinges and Webb, alt-country with rock colour. This collaboration sees the best that both these talented artists have to offer, what it doesn't offer are references to religion or Christianity – thank jebus.

Ampersand is filled with fabulous alt-country/folk-rock songs about two people who are very much in love. They write about their love in good and bad, passion and anger, willful selfishness and honest selflessness. In short, a happy marriage with all its ups and downs, love and hate, doubt and devotion. All the tracks have an honest, naked, comfortably exposed feeling, personal, but never leaving you feeling like a voyeur. Instead they open the front door and invite you in to witness their humanity and humility in the face of love. And that is just how each lyric seems to be approached, with love, as if each song were an offering to show their mutual love and respect. It's a humbling and enchanting thing to be party to.

Tracks to watch: “When the Summer's Gone”, a romantic rootsy folk track worthy of Harris or Colvin. McCracken takes lead vocals on this one with husband Webb in the background as they ask in perfect harmony, “When the summer's gone/ when the harvest comes and the leaves are red/ we'll remember then/ making love in the sun and the sand/ you are the one to whom my heart belongs/ will our love be strong when the summer's gone?”

In “Watch Your Mouth” it's Webb's turn on lead vocals. For this sexy, stripped back tune Webb's falsetto is perfectly equipped to carry this light but heartfelt track. “When the Lights Go Out” is a piano-driven song, with jingles of raining piano drenching you in smooth, mellow music, washing over you in much the same way as this entire EP does, less a flash flood and more a warm, inviting bath.

The Ampersand EP is a lush, mellifluous album, that feels like a deeply personal, but entirely comfortable glimpse into the hearts and minds of these two artists and happily married couple. Its only short-coming is its brevity; with only six songs you'll find yourself putting it on repeat so you can get just a little bit more and you'll end up listening to it over and over again. Let's hope this isn't their last collaboration.

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Interview with Dollyrots frontwoman Kelly Ogden

Posted on May 4, 2008 by

Punk-pop band The Dollyrots may go down in history as the only good thing to come from the 2000 US Presidential elections, and by extension George W. Bush's presidency. So the story goes, Kelly Ogden (lead vocals, bass) and childhood friend and fellow student Luis Cabezas (guitar, piano) are attending New College Florida, preparing for medical school. On the night of November 7th they were watching the election results, when at four a.m. they found out that Bush had won and thought, “The world's probably gonna end anyway, and I don't want to go to med school.” So they decided to take their part-time college band full-time because, “We had no future anyways…” They may as well just be in a punk band.

So formed they began touring and creating their fun, poppy-without-compromising-punk sound. An accessible mix of fun bouncy melodies and harmonies but with all the ass kicking power and attitude of punk music. Their sound is a unique blend, precisely what pop-punk should be, honest, in your face, and accessible. If The Dead Kennedys and Gwen Stefani had a love child, they would have named it The Dollyrots. Punk music with pop sensibilities.

Much like Kelly Ogden herself. At first glance she could be mistaken for a pretty little thing with lots of curly blond hair, big doe eyes, and a baby-doll pout, and yet according to The Dollyrots website, Kelly just “might sucker punch you if you're dumb enough to try her patience”. In fact after interviewing Kelly I believe I am in the midsts of a full-on girl crush, she is an intelligent, witty, dirty-minded woman with a tough-girl attitude. Now before you get the horn imagining some Suicide Girl-on-girl action, I'm not talking about re-thinking my sexuality. No, just a good old fashioned, I-want-to-be-like-her crush. When we chatted, she was in the middle of the frozen Midwest at a truck stop on the way into Chicago on the Dollyrots latest tour. She was without sleep, wayworn, and coming down with a nasty cold, but still we laughed and talked like old friends, such was her friendly, open manner.

So tell us about your second album, Because I'm Awesome. Where did you get that name?

It's actually from the title track which is one of the more fun songs. It can be taken in different ways. When we wrote it, it was kind of a big F you to everyone who thinks they're better than the next person. When really they are just a big pile of crap. They've got no right to treat other people bad. The verses are meant to be sarcastic, the chorus is kind of a retort. But it's kind of hilarious because the song has been picked up by Radio Disney for example, as an empowering song for young girls. I was like “Oh! Okay. That's kind of interesting.” Not what we planned or anything. Then it's also been picked up by like punk-rock stations and XM Radio and mainstream alternative radio. So the song can be interpreted in different ways. Which is always cool, I think, in a song.

So how did you come up with the name The Dollyrots?

Well, when we first started out the music was very, very raw and punk-rock, it was really fast, very hard punk rock. Then I sang and my voice is so sweet. The words that I sang, a lot of time sounds like I'm being sweet, but it's not exactly the meanings. So we wanted to find two words that summed up the juxtaposition between my voice and the music. I feel like it's a good descriptive term. I hate when band names don't mean anything at all.

It does match your sound very well too. It's a bit, cheerleader with an attitude problem.

The thing is the recordings… the pop sensibilities come across much better on our recordings I think. Then live we're more of a punk-rock band. Yeah we're kind of a band that sounds really good, and polished and pop on our recordings, then we're this really good raw rock band live. Some people probably like the recordings better. Some people say that they like shows better.

So how long have you been on tour?

We've been on tour six or seven weeks. We have three more left. It's been a long cold one, it's kind of awesome. (laughing) I haven't seen a lot of snow in my life, I think I'm getting it all in right now, these two months. I think I will see enough snow to last a lifetime.

How has your tour been going?

It has been fantastic. The first night, I broke Chris' (Black, drums) nose.

(Laughing) How did you do that?

Well it was an accident. When it's a really good show, or a really crappy show, or sometimes just for fun, I like to jump into the drum kit or we jump off the drum kit or off of the stage. It just feels like a good time when you have a nice jumping ending to the set. And I jumped over the drum kit and I accidentally hit the wall with my head. Then I was still wearing my bass guitar and I let go of the bass to check my head because I thought it was bleeding, and as I let go of the bass I dropped it on Chris' face.

He said he felt like two crunches on his face and then all of the sudden he was like “Broken, broken! My nose is broken. My nose is broken!” I looked down and he was just pouring blood out of his nose. So we had that happen. Then a few weeks later we were in Columbus, Ohio, and I'm walking around on the ice and everything was fine and dandy, everything was cool. I was actually wearing snow boots but I didn't have them tied up. I went to get in the van, and I fell, like old-lady style, under the van. I sprained my ankle really, really badly. Then I got zombie foot. It literately looks like a zombie's foot. Right now it's yellow, purple, grey, and black and not very cool cause it hurts a little too. And I've had a cold the whole tour too.

If you would like to learn more about The Dollyrots, you can visit their website. To hear a few tracks from their album Because I'm Awesome you can visit their MySpace space.

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