In 2001 the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act came before the U.S. Congress. It would have given those who had arrived illegally as children the chance of permanent legal residency. But it failed to pass then and failed again on two subsequent occasions. The Obama administration implemented the Deferred Action for…Read more Dreamers
Track of the Week
The Voice of Beauty Drowned
"I hear those voices that will not be drowned" is a quote from Benjamin Britten's opera, Peter Grimes. It is cut into the rim of this stunning sculpture of a scallop shell standing proudly on Aldeburgh beach on England's east coast. The Scallop is a memorial to Britten who lived in the town and used to…Read more The Voice of Beauty Drowned
Fernando
Fernando was a veteran of the Mexican-American War of 1846 - 1848. At the start of the war Mexico was considerably larger than it is today. The present day U.S. states of California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas then came within Mexico's borders. When Texas seceded in 1836 to become an independent republic…Read more Fernando
Blondon Fair
In the Middle Ages, Edward IV made it compulsory for all yeomen in England to learn archery. An archery butts was set up on the land in front of the Minster Church of St Mary the Virgin. It was used by the adult males of Reading to practice on Sundays. Some of the archers who…Read more Blondon Fair
Let the Cards Fall
Fate is fickle, they say. On another day her pointing finger may have selected the indie pop of A Trick of the Light by The Villagers or the classical/folk guitar work of Impossible Air by Nathan Salsburg. But, today, she has guided Crotchety Man to a new single release by The Breath called Let the…Read more Let the Cards Fall
As I Roved Out
I've always thought of oak trees as being quintessentially English. Robin Hood is supposed to have sheltered under the Major Oak in Sherwood forest, King Charles II hid from his enemies in the Royal Oak and the indomitable English navy was built from the wood of that noble tree until the 19th century. But, apparently,…Read more As I Roved Out
Curse of the Contemporary
Today is Father's Day and there's a most appropriate track on LUMP's eponymous first album; it's a song called Hand Hold Hero. I was tempted to bring him along as my Track of the Week but he slipped from my grasp when the intelligent lyrics and fluid singing faded out to leave an unappealing exercise in…Read more Curse of the Contemporary
Paper Earth
Crotchety Man has nothing to say this week. No words of his could possibly do justice to this spine-tingling performance by Bent Knee and the Boston Conservatory Percussion Ensemble. Just watch this video and be transported to a happier place for the next 30 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1834&v=LGNZePMJ8XM BENT KNEE - Paper Earth (Live 2018 / Full…Read more Paper Earth
Juniper
Newsflash Elbow's Magnificent (She Says) wins the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. Crotchety Man commented, "I told you it was destined to be a classic". And in Other News Continuing the Welsh theme, for this Track of the Week I have chosen Juniper by the Cardiff jazz and trip hop band, Slowly…Read more Juniper
Cwlwm
When the Crotchety Kid was just nine or ten years old one of his teachers was a woman not so young in years but with all the best attributes of youth in her manner. There was a timeless beauty in her face and the fresh warmth of her personality has never been matched in all the…Read more Cwlwm
Crotchety Man 