Give a philosophy student a glass of limeade

A quick round-up of the sounds of the hour here at Welch Acres. I've been poking around Selectadisc and Fopp this month, harvesting a mixed crop of records both old and new, ...let me tell you about them, friends:

It could be the fact that I have started a new job, or alternatively just general encroaching decrepitude, but I seem to be retiring to bed earlier and earlier these days - the plus side of which is taking a few cds with me to accompany a little late night reading. At the moment I am retiring with mid-period David Bowie - Station to Station and Low; and Kraftwerk - especially Trans Europe Express.

I'm not totally mired in the pre punk mid 1970's though, I have actually been buying a few new records too. Malcolm Middelton, who'll be at the Social this time next week, and the Gossip. Although I downloaded it ages ago, I did the decent thing and bought the Grinderman album, which despite a terrible sleeve is terrific stuff.

Malcolm M is not quite as good as the last LP, but still reliably miserable and self-pitying (sample song title - 'death love depression love death'). I haven't made me mind up yet about the Gossip, though any band fronted by a huge lesbian in a metallic blue catsuit has to be worth some kind of scrutiny, and the single 'Standing In The Way Of Control' was fantastic.

Since I started reading 'Fear Of Music' by Gary Mulholland I've also been digging out old stuff like Rattlesnakes by Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, Metal Box by PiL, and The Correct Use of Soap by Magazine. The book is very good, easily as good as the preceding 'This Is Uncool', and it's been a real inspiration to rediscover records which I thought would be gathering dust for a good few seasons to come.

BTW, good sounding new Richard Thompson tune on his website, from forthcoming LP out in May