to this.. i was quite reluctant to buy any other kind of music player, insisting that my walkman was fine. i liked my selection of tapes, and no one had to know that what i had hidden in my bag wasnt an ipod. then, it all started to become a bit inconvenient. carrying around extra batteries, having to lug around all of my tapes not knowing what i might want to listen to, the embarrasing clunk when a tape finished prompting you to turn it over.
i went looking at ipod's, and ended up buying one. its great; very convenient. having all of my music in one place, no batteries, no tapes, no need for a massive bag to be able to carry it. but does convenience warant leaving a perfectly good music palyer to gather dust?
i think one day i might revert back to it. ive always said, the more complicated you make something, the more potential it has to go wrong. the walkman had lasted me since i was 9, after 12 years it's still going strong, i bet itll out live my ipod ..then we'll see which will be most convenient.
dancer in the dark is a gloomy yet lovely. the film tells the story of Selma, a factory worker who has a condition which causes her to steadily lose her sight. she knows that her son will eventually have the same problem, and so is saving her wages to be able to afford a sight saving operation to ensure he doesn't suffer the way that she has. she tells no one about her problem, and continues to work in dangerous conditions where sight is essential.
the film is part musical. i hate musicals, but i love this film. the musical sections build up slowly as Selma's hearing becomes her primary sense. she makes songs out of the repetitive factory noises and imagines herself playing the lead part in a glamorised musical about her life.
dancer in the dark is ultimately a dark tale, the only happy parts being in Selma's imagination. we witness as she totally loses her sight, and is forced to confide in someone, who later takes advantage and steals the money she has been saving for her son.
this film is different, it is cleverly shot and the lead actor (Bjork) plays the part of Selma perfectly. the story is thoughtful yet very depressing. you hope for her sight to be restored, even though blindness is inevitable. she is coping well, and her intentions are good by saving for her son, only to be robbed of the only thing which keeps her going. the songs and routines in the film are brilliant. its well worth a watch, even if the ending is a tad dark.
posters for this film were cleverly designed, being very fitting to the story, but not giving too much away.
this is the music video for Efterklang’s ‘Mirador’ from the album 'Parades'. the video was created by Hvass&Hannibal and Ufex, who also did the album art work. its a lovely round trip adventure made by a bird, from a fun looking town through all terrains. the journey features the sea, hot air ballons, escher style stair case mazes, glaciers and underground warrens. its a beautifully colourful and light hearted adventure, animated cleverly by obviously very talented people. the colours used throughout the video are quite dull, but when put together, create an interesting and unexpectedly bright palette. it fits perfectly with the song, complimenting the simple yet effective style. ive had the poster up in my room for months, but hadnt watched the music video until recently, i soon realised the poster was a still from the video. the song and video are lovely to both watch and listen to.
bjork is recognised for her ability to think differently, from fashion to her music, her videos to her album packaging - making it an interesting experience to even open the box and get the CD. its brilliant how open she is to change. none of her previous albums have followed any kind of style or theme, which is seen so often with bands, portraying the music as being similar to the last album. its the sense of experimentation with every album, the music and the packaging which makes bjork's music worth buying. there are very few artists who think beyond simply needing a plastic case and an album sleeve. maybe this is due to the the costs involved with having unconventional packaging, i think people would be prepared to pay more, if they are promised an exciting and considered box.
this is the typeface used throughout bjorks latest album. bjork's promo is almost always custom constructed, often by M/M Paris. used for the odd word, and knowing what that word should say, (i.e. volta) it is readable. otherwise, its all a little confusing. bjork is known for pushing boundaries. this typeface for the volta album is no exception.
well, i say little, it certainly is compared to Glastonbury, it probably started little and has grown in size very year since it was introduced, now its up there as the main alternative to Leeds and Reading. having said that, it hasn't lost its intimacy. you'd find it hard to get lost in crowds, and you can see bands from where ever you decide to stand at a stage. it is held in Suffolk every summer. the setting is lovely; there's a lake, a woods and endless fields.
in the morning, walking to the Eco friendly compost toilets, i didn't have to step over sick, or last nights drunks or old kebabs. oh god, it sounds like I'm getting old or turning in to some kind of vegan-hippy, or.. no wait.. maybe i never actually enjoyed anything about Leeds festival in the first place.
it was much more cultured. there was a book club, where you could sit on bean bags and comedians would come and read from their favourite books, and sing smiths songs. there was a film tent, showing a variety of old and new films, and a night of silent movies accompanied by a live orchestra filling in what could be the sound track.
it was so refreshing to go to a festival and enjoy artists like JoannaNewsome, SigurRos and Interpol without some yob shouting "who the fuck are these, come on Bazza, lets piss off and get shitfaced".
After having gone to Open'er festival in Poland last year, and Latitude in Suffolk this year, they have confirmed that i would rather spend my money on avoiding 'Bazza'.
to this..
i was quite reluctant to buy any other kind of music player, insisting that my walkman was fine. i liked my selection of tapes, and no one had to know that what i had hidden in my bag wasnt an ipod. then, it all started to become a bit inconvenient. carrying around extra batteries, having to lug around all of my tapes not knowing what i might want to listen to, the embarrasing clunk when a tape finished prompting you to turn it over. 
