There are 11 sound-arrows in the Quiver album by KTU. Each is as sharp and penetrating as anything that King Crimson has to offer. But, where KC gets its bite from an 8-piece band with three drummers, KTU distils this down to a compact trio. The King Crimson connection goes beyond similarities of musical style.…Read more Quiver
Album
Vertú
Vertuous living in Chaucer's England The meaning of 'vertú' is not clear to me. According to the first entry that comes up in a Google search, it's either "knowledge of or expertise in the fine arts" or "the good qualities inherent in a person or thing". Or it might just be an old spelling of…Read more Vertú
Distorted Reality
Did we pick the wrong sort of mushrooms for our meal last night? If you like Muse, you will also like No Signal. The two bands are all but indistinguishable. Both offer classically-inspired keyboards, heavy rock guitar, choirboy voices and singable melodies. Distorted Reality is No Signal's latest album, released in digital formats in April…Read more Distorted Reality
Masters of Fog
It's been chilly, damp and foggy in most of the UK for the past few days. What more appropriate choice of topic for this week's blog, then, than an album called Masters of Fog? https://open.spotify.com/album/5RAZAzKGlhdLrwmV0p97UY?si=iafK0LIuQBWhBd89Iy-_gQ The 6th album by Tonbruket, released 27th September 2019 According to Discogs, Tonbruket is a Swedish music project whose sound…Read more Masters of Fog
Medicine Box
Image by the WordPress AI The latest edition of my university college magazine, the brick, dropped in my inbox the other day. In the Student Life section, there was an article whose headline picture was of a rock band. It was titled 'Girl Like That' | Lucy Peer, and I found my inner voice asking,…Read more Medicine Box
Tripliciti
Triplicity (with a 'y') is any group of three things. In astrology, it is specifically a group of three signs belonging to the same element. Tripliciti (with an 'i') is a group of three fingerstyle guitarists: Andy McKee, Calum Graham and Trevor Gordon Hall. All three are consummate masters of their instrument; together, they create…Read more Tripliciti
Tall Stories for Small Children
This way to Santa's Grotto ... Christmas is coming. It's the most wonderful time of the year for small children. But for adults, it's a tall story of peace and goodwill to all men. Guy Manning is an English multi-instrumentalist who knows all about the snow-white lies we tell to our children and the grubbier…Read more Tall Stories for Small Children
The Water’s Edge
In my first year at secondary school, there was a boy in my class by the name of Waters. He wasn't the most obedient of pupils, and the form master decided that a lesson in behaviour was in order. He told Waters to stand on a chair so that the boy was leaning out of…Read more The Water’s Edge
Yellow Sands
Or, Eight Tales of Pixie Mischief The Fairy Feller's Masterstroke, a painting by Richard Dadd (1864) The English painter, Richard Dadd, was born in 1817. His aptitude for drawing was evident early on, and he was admitted to the Royal Academy of Arts at the age of 20. While on a tour of Eastern Europe…Read more Yellow Sands
Cunningham Bird
The parrot is a cunning bird ... ... but that is not what this blog post is about. An album by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks was released on vinyl in 1973. It was called, simply, Buckingham Nicks. Shortly afterwards, Buckingham and Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac, and their debut offering was eclipsed by their new…Read more Cunningham Bird
Crotchety Man 