Quite often, when an artist releases a new album, the reviews say "this is their most personal yet". Generally, though, you can take that with a pinch of salt. The writer may just be searching for something to say that would give you a reason to listen to it. In the case of Kae Tempest's…Read more Self Titled
poetry
Signs of Life
Is it alive? I am going to give Signs of Life the highest accolade available to me: after one spin it was ordered for the Crotchety Collection and will soon make a small dent in the bank balance. It's a curious beast, though. More an album of poetry than music. And it sits well off-centre…Read more Signs of Life
Unhurt
Aja Monet I eat my peas with honey. I've done it all my life. It makes the peas taste funny, But it keeps them on the knife. Would you like some poetry to accompany your music feast? Or do you prefer a side dish of music with your main course poetry? Either way, the New…Read more Unhurt
Presidentially Yours
This week's mind tickler came once again from my Spotify Release Radar playlist. A track called Presidentially Yours caused the cog wheels in the mental gearbox to suddenly shift up a notch. The title alone was enough to disengage the clutch. The unmistakable voice of Simon Armitage, our Poet Laureate, selected a higher gear ratio.…Read more Presidentially Yours
Christmas Eve
It's beginning to look a bit like Christmas. The high street shops are busy (so I'm told), fairy lights are quietly materialising all over our village and this poem appeared on my radar recently. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZCZIXmC8GE Liz Berry is a poet steeped in the local culture of England's West Midlands. The area where she grew up…Read more Christmas Eve
Boo Boo Bird
"It is up to you whether you read this... my advice is just to ignore it." Ivor Cutler Ivor Cutler was the Scottish equivalent of Spike Milligan. He was an eccentric poet, songwriter and humourist. His fans included The Beatles, John Peel, KT Tunstall, John Lydon, Neil Innes and Robert Wyatt. He was the driver of…Read more Boo Boo Bird
Let Them Eat Chaos
Years ago now Crotchety Man was watching a documentary about old sitcoms on the BBC. The discussion turned to The Good Life, a TV series about a cheap plastic toy designer, Tom Good, who gives up his well-paid but unfulfilling job to turn his suburban house into a small-holding and become entirely self-sufficient. Needless to say…Read more Let Them Eat Chaos
Live in Dublin
One of the albums on my wish list for last Christmas was Leonard Cohen's Live in Dublin. It wasn't in my stocking then but I did get a generous helping of iTunes vouchers for my birthday at the end of January so I bought it as a download. It's a live album recorded in September…Read more Live in Dublin
Magic Is Afoot
One morning earlier in the week there was a knock on the door. I was up but not yet dressed. Opening the door I was greeted by a woman carrying a bundle of small, glossy brochures. It was cold outside and a stiff breeze ruffled my dressing gown. I feared I was about to be…Read more Magic Is Afoot
Crotchety Man 