Some new albums on the way...

Probably some music we should all be listening to and looking forward too..


Laura Marling - "A Creature I don't know":


Dubbed by New York Times' Jon Pareles as "her new one and her best," the album to be released next week is streaming for free on the NY Times website. I've only listened to a couple of tracks so far but the album does certainly look good, a little different from her previous albums but I don't think its a bad thing and is probably just her voice ageing. My favourite that I've heard is "Night After Night" - possibly because it echoes Leonard Cohen's "sound" in "Famous Blue Raincoat" which is (in my opinion) one of the best songs ever written. Find the stream here: 


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/arts/music/laura-marlings-british-folk-cd-creature-i-dont-know.html?_r=1


Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Hysterical


CYHSY are like Marling soon to release their 3rd Album to date, unlike Marling's quick turn over from her last album CYHSY are releasing this after a good 4 or so years from their last studio album "Some Loud Thunder" and have again found a distinct new sound. The gritty voice of Alex Ounsworth remains the same, a little stronger perhaps. It's I've found (again from listening to about 5 tracks) a little more mainstream and more.. accessible (? if that's the right word) to new fans.. very much like his solo stuff.


Anyway, worth checking out if your a fan, if you'r not... still check it out:


http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/luisterpaal/45106299#luisterpaal.45106299
and of course, the new The Drums album is also soon to be released and is streaming on the New York Times site too : http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/29/now-playing-portamento-the-new-album-by-the-drums/
God Bless and happy listening, L x

I don't like talking to people I know, but strangers, I have no problem with.

When I create "events" on Facebook for me and the (once again, rather outdated but ever so loosely named) "JT Crew" I always use a picture of Larry David. There is no real reason for this, I just love him and on the last event there was which was created by Will (Reddish,) he too used a photo of Larry. This is something I fear I won't be able to do when we all move about and so about 10 minutes ago I decided to make an event on Facebook just so I could put the picture as Larry David.. I deleted the event as making one just for the soul purpose of Larry David made little sense but it made me worry about my feelings towards Larry.

Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David

I instead decided a blog post for my own pleasure (like most of my posts are) would suffice.


A more topical Larry David some 30 years ago?




God Bless, hope you enjoyed the abundance of parentheses in this post, L x

Short interface with D.Rank.

Hey, thought some of the old English GCSE of 2009 and some of the other D.Rank Fans out there might wanna check out how she's doing and how she misses us...

Dear Mrs Rank,

Sorry it's been so long, I hope everything is well! Last time I emailed you we're expecting a grand child I think, I hope that all went well there! I just thought I'd inform you of my results which I got back today.
Although originally applying for Theology at Manchester, I just missed the grades but, thankfully, my grades were good enough to get me into Heythrop College which is a specialist Theological college at the University of London, so all is well!
I got B (History) B (Religious Studies, New Testament) and C (English) - and passed Citizenship and General Studies too!
Just though't Id let you know as you're probably the first teacher that actually got me bothered about my education and so I have a lot to thank you for!

Really hope you're well,
Lucy Trewinnard

And Mrs R's reply...

Dear Lucy: 

How lovely to hear from you! I was wondering how you all got on this week. Thank you for your kind words. It was always a pleasure to see your smiley face when you arrived at the lesson. Yours was the class I missed most when I left.Congratulations on your excellent results - I'm sure you'll really enjoy studying in London. I had a quick look online - you'll be in a very nice part of London. You won't be far from Holy Trinity Brompton which is a very lively church. I've put the website address below.
http://www.htb.org.uk/
They have lots of services to choose from and many other activities, often with food, which is great for a student on a budget! I've been a few times when in London and really enjoyed it - the Bible teaching is excellent and the worship is lively.My grandson is now 10 months old and of course he's gorgeous! He is called Zachary, which means 'the Lord remembers'. I see him every week and have been looking after him every afternoon this week while my daughter was leading a Holiday Club at the church she's part of. It was great fun. He is very communicative, unsurprisingly as he has English teachers for grandparents and his father is a lawyer.
The Shakespeare teapot is always admired and brings back happy memories. It still feels strange to go to the theatre without counting students!Keep in touch and make the most of university. 

All good wishes,
Mrs R

God Bless, L x

And it is so.

 After 7 long years of playfulness (year 7+8) alcohol consumption (9+10) my first encounter with "real exams" (y11) and hard graft in sixth form I, or... for many of you, we, have made it.

I don't think I have ever been quite so angry as I did the morning of the 18th.. the initial moment where I realised people knew if they were in Uni before the "official" UCAS opening time at 8 and the challeng, no, the ball ache, that was me sitting on my sofa from 7:40-9:45 trying to get on to bloody UCAS track like everyone else had already done, listening to the woman on the phone. Stupid automated woman.

Anyway, all is well. My results came in.. a rather average BBCC which I am actually very happy with considering I'm quite sure no one, especially not me expected me to be able to pull my grades up, and my A2 exam results were the best I've ever performed under exam conditions... Sadly, however, my grades were not quite enough for the University of Manchester which means come September I will be moving to London to start my new life as a Theology Student at Heythrop College (University of London). This is, hoping that I get my accommodation sorted out as I am currently homeless when it comes to next year... I am, although Heythrop not being my firm choice, really excited about the coming year. I'm finally getting out of Oldham, like.. not even just down the road, but far away. I'm separate enough to live my own life as I please but close enough to both of my brothers (who will also be living in London this academic year) to be looked after to an extent.

I'm not sure what - blog wise - I'm going to do next year what with my URL "Introspective Writing in Oldham" will be somewhat an invalid name come the 26th of September.. but I'm sure i'll get round to changing it or making a new blog. I will potentially move back to tumblr for the same reasons as fellow blogger Julez, what with it being much quicker posting and I can blog straight from my phone, but will (if this is the case) move to a different URL to my current http://lucytrew.tumblr.com/

Anyway, that's all for now. Will post later with another Summer rundown.

God Bless, L x

August Mixcast.

This here is a mixcast of all of my most memorable songs from this summer, there of course were a lot more, and think my mixcast includes only one new release... but either way. It's got some classics in there.. well worth a download if you as me!

Download here: August Mixcast

(artwork courtesy of Sophie Truman Photography..
and Ambers poor foot.)

1. Joe Jackson - Jumpin' JiveThis is such a great song, instantly infectious, such a exciting song that as soon as its on you wanna dance no matter where you are. So many times this summer has this come on when I'm on the train or walking down the street and I've had to resist the urge to tap my feet. 
2. Bedouin Soundclash - Jeb Rand
   When me, Amber and Sophie were in London we we're having absurdly cheap cocktails one of the Giraffe bars in Soho and this song came on the sound system as we were just talking away. I haven't listened to Bedouin Soundclash in ages but it got me wanting to listen to them loads more so when we went back to the travel lodge I wacked on their "Sounding A Mosaic" album and it was perfect for a chilled mood, and so reminds me of London. (Also, if you get chance, Giraffe do half price on select alcoholic beverages and cocktails on a Sundays.)
3. The Lovin' Spoonfull - Summer in the city. 
   This is just an ultimate summer song, when on my way to SUbmerge really... really hungover from one of Ambers Cocktail nights Paul put on one of his "Rock Gods" CD's or something. Either way my ears and body couldn't handle it, and I thank this song on my ipod for getting me to the service station.. I don't think my insides would have held up quite like they did without it. 
4. Arctic Monkeys - Bigger Boys and Stolen Sweethearts 
   At some point in the holidays a good friend of mine, Joanne, came over for a night of drinking WKD and reminiscing our friendship and Blue Coat over the last 7 years. Naturally, we listened mainly to The Libertines and Arctic Monkeys but this song highlights that night really... I don't think I'd really listened to properly before, a old demo gem of the Arctic Monkeys. 
5. The Beatles - Blackbird
   This doesn't really hold much summer relevance to me other than I learn't to play the intro to this song years ago on guitar and this summer decided to learn the full song, it's probably my favourite Beatles song and plays so beautifully.
6. Leonard Nimoy - Bilbo Baggins
   In London we met up with a friend of mine that lives there who I've known since I was really young and one of my most distinctive memory's was sitting in his car after we'd been bowling and I was really really young and him playing this song which I hadn't heard since. We got talking about it in London and he sent me the link to it and anyway, I can't decide if its good or just hilarious. Probably both.
7. Bronze Medallists - Mathematics
   Again, this song doesn't hold a specific summer memory for me, rather it was just on my "on the go" playlist on my phone and I've just listened to it loads. A really cool song that I found when browsing Julez's Top Picks of the Moment. 
8. Adam and The Ants - Young Parisians 
   Last week or the week before me and Will got roped into cleaning the house and as I was in charge of the living room I got to pick what music was on via the TV. I put on 6 Music as I'm sure so many others would and on it was a interview with Adam Ant, I think the interview was a little dated but it was interesting to listen to and anyway they played this song after and me and Will were singing along cleaning up. It was nice.
9. Rufus Wainwright - Chelsea Hotel #2 (Leonard Cohen Cover)
   This is my all time favourite Leonard Cohen song about his brief romantic affair with contemporary Janis Joplin. Its a timeless classic, covered so well by Wainwright and also Regina Spektor. Cohens original is more of an Autumn song... 
10. Los Campesinos - C is the Heavenly Option
    This song was another on my "on the go" playlist and was also on my shower playlist. Thing is, it was the first song on and so every-time I forgot to press shuffle and it would therefore be the first song I heard every morning. A proper fast tempo uplifting song to get you in the mood for the day.. I think one of the lyrics from it took a proud spot on my Facebook profile for over a year at one point too. Another real pop song from Los Campesinos.
11. Queen Latifa - When you're good to mama (Chicago Sountrack) 
    Erm.. I could easily of picked any song from the Chicago Soundtrack as it was on at least once a day in the SUbmerge Kitchen. I remember cutting up some apples singing this and Sian pointing out how it's really full of innuendos and then I got really paranoid that some of the guests would over hear, not that they would understand anyway. Absolutely mint soundtrack for a mint film.
12. The National - Exile, Vilify
    This song features a proper melodic piano riff. The band recently did a music video contest for the song in which people just sent in there own videos and they picked a winner, I like the winning video but I think it was a little bit easy to do compared to the work the runner up put in, anyway check out the video's here: Video Competition

Hot town, summer in the city.

So, I haven't blogged pretty much all summer. There's no real reason for that; I haven't been exceptionally busy but equally its not like I have had a lack of things to write about... either way I think my blog views has hit an all time low so I'll try and kick start it all off again.

Firstly,  a little up date of what I've done so far this summer:
Summer... its basically just been a mix up of what people do every summer or every holiday, going to friends houses, hanging out at the pub, occasional game of tennis.. Unfortunately this year I didn't manage to get abroad but instead I had a nice couple of days in London (back in the days where all shops were in tact and nothing had been burnt down) with two of my best friends. It was there where, thanks to Ambers hawk eyes I had a brief encounter with Pineapple Dance Studios Andrew Stone in SoHo's Arts and Theatre Club which we went to at the recommendation and in the company of my dear distant relative James who was a joy to be with for the evening. I then the following week returned back to SUbmerge which, if you're a long term reader of my blog, you might remember me posting about this time last year under the post "You'll need those fingers for crossing.." 

SUbmerge 2011: 
SUbmerge for those of you that don't know is a Scripture Union Christian holiday for kids age 11-14. One that I, like many of the other people now on team and my older brothers all went to as guests (when it was under the name of OneUp.) Sadly this year I didn't get as much time with the kids like when I went last year because I was in the kitchen. Not that I'm complaining too much, I had a sweet time, it was not only great to see all my old friends but when I did get to hang out with the guests they were on fire for God and having an absolutely great time which was so good to see. The worship was on top form, the teaching was flowing.. it was a great atmosphere. Camps one of those places that when I'm there I don't want to go home,its like I'm in this bubble and everything about who I am when I'm there is who I want to be. It's sad to come home.. but I'll look forward to returning next year.

Since then my summers been pretty parched, other than the usual stuff, been to the the theatre, met friends for lunch, gone to the pub. All really same old. I'm hoping (if I can find some transport) to get to Momentum next week, which would be very nice too.
For now however I'm playing the waiting game for results day which is now exactly a week away. Its killing me... the not knowing of where I end up next year, obviously most of the people that are reading have been or are going through this exact feeling. I've come to accept that I probably won't be in Manchester next year, and this isn't me putting myself down, It is unlikely that I've managed to boost myself up a grade in two subjects and I received an email from the university yesterday telling me that "due to the high demand for places this year there will be far less flexibility than usual to accept you if  you have narrowly missed your offer."  Which is not really what I wanted to see... but I think I'm set up. The worst thing is the not knowing; I'm sure that wherever I end up next year and what ever I end up doing it will be the right place for me but I'm fed up of putting things and people on hold till I know. Much as I hope I have good grades this time next week, I'm not going to get my hopes up.


Anyway, that's basically a short run down of what my summer has been so far, and despite the seeming lack of activity, it's been a quite good summer.. on the whole.

Watch this spot for probs a comment on the riots and other kinda stuff soon. 
God Bless, L x