I recently bought some records (not something I do all the time, particularly since downloading became the norm). Morrissey - Years of Refusal: possibly his best solo record to date, new levels to his voice, great production, good songs, a good bite to the backing band. Morrissey - Live at Earls Court: another god slice of his solo stuff and some Smiths tracks. I bet the DVD is great, and it was only £2.99 in the sale! Manic Street Preachers - Journal For Plague Lovers: again, best work in years, Richie's lyrics return us to Holy Bible territory, the quick recordings retain an immediacy lacking from recent efforts. It got me to look back at the 'forgotten' works with new interest.
The Kasabian single 'Fire' is a great new track and it has got me wondering whether any of their earlier stuff is any good. Dave played me a remix track when I was down in Pompey at the weekend; but we both confessed to being completely oblivious to them, having written them off as another posturing post-Oasis act. I caught a little bit of Radio 1 in the car this morning and Chris Moyles was kind of saying the same, so perhaps this album is particularly different.
For any of you with any interest in the Sanguinearts project White Cliff Sands, we exchanged some of the now-almost-complete demos. There is still another tape of recordings to work on, but there have also been some developments towards the art direction, with images and titles being proposed. Sorry it's only taken2 years...
Coming up: Joy Division (Grant Gee 2007) Roxy Bar and Screen Sun 5 July 17:00 After the success of Control, this documentary was slightly overlooked, providing a fine factual insight into the band and their life and times growing up in Manchester. www.roxybarandscreen.com
Sun 19 Jul Barbican Very Cellular Songs: The Music of the Incredible String Band Featuring Mike Heron, Clive Palmer, Robyn Hitchcock, Danny Thompson, Richatrd Thompson, Dr Strangely Strange and more https://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=9000
Sat 25 Jul Barbican Antibalas + Gangbe Brass Band eclectic beats, energetic sounds, political musings FreeStage: Grupo Lokito + Che Sudaka ClubStage: Zun Zun Egui and AJ Holmes DJ set
Jeff Koons: Popeye Series Serpentine Gallery until 13 Sept http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2008/06/jeff_koons_popeye_series2_july.html
Radical Nature: Art and Architecture for a Changing Planet 1969 - 2009 until 18 October Barbican http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery/event-detail.asp?ID=8908
Walking in My Mind: Adventure into the artist's imagination Hayward Gallery until 6 September Ten international artists transform the Hayward Gallery's indoor galleries and outdoor sculpture terraces into a series of gigantic sculptural environments, each of which represents an individual mindscape. Featuring: Charles Avery, Thomas Hirschhorn, Pipilotti Rist, and Keith Tyson. Artist's talk: Thomas Hirschhorn Friday 17 July 19:00 Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall Martin Parr Tuesday 14 July Martin Parr presents Parrworld, an exploration of the themes and subjects which drive his inimitable work. Behind the sometimes lurid and eccentric images lie sharp insights into politics and social class. http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/festivals-series/walking-in-my-mind
The Wild as Will and Mediation: Daniel Lehan, Suzanne Moxhay, Nicholas Symes Wiebke Morgan Gallery until 26 July work by three artists who share an interest in the re-processing of existing cultural production to create reflections of imaginative worlds built from material culture, rather than from 'natural' or 'direct' experience. www.wiebkemorgan.com
TOM HUNTER : A JOURNEY BACK until Sep 18, 2009 Four significant bodies of work including two previously unseen works by one of Britain's most important photographers THE ARTS GALLERY 65 Davies St, W1K 5DA www.arts.ac.uk/gallery.htm
POOR. OLD. TIRED. HORSE. until Aug 25, 2009 An expansive look at text-based art practice including Carl Andre, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Philip Guston, David Hockney, Robert Smithson ICA The Mall, SW1Y 5AH www.ica.org.uk
GROUP SHOW : CURATED BY RICHARD WENTWORTH until Aug 15, 2009 LISSON GALLERY 52-54 Bell St, NW1 5DA www.lissongallery.com
TRACEY EMIN: THOSE WHO SUFFER LOVE May 29 - Jul 4, 2009 WHITE CUBE 25-26 Mason's Yard, SW1Y 6BU www.whitecube.com




