There have been very few posts on here that don’t relate to new albums, but this one isn’t even music related. I want to rant and it’s my blog so I can!

It turns out I really, really REALLY don’t like the Netflix series of Wednesday.

I managed the first episode of the second part of series 2 and realised that I don’t know what is going on and equally that I no longer give a crap about what is going on.

I should point out that I consider the Addams Family Values film one of the top five films made in my lifetime (all you cultural snobs can stop sniggering now) and that the first Addams Family film is not too far behind. Both my daughter and I can quote these films off by heart and we must watch them at least three time a year

There is so much wrong with Wednesday, but I can break it down in a few simple sections:

The Premise

The whole point of the Addams is that the humour derives from this strange family being put in everyday situations and their interaction with everyday people.

Examples from the films are Gomez reporting Fester missing to the Police, the whole family at the school play, the children at Summer Camp and Morticia reading to the nursey class in the first film – that scene alone deserved an Oscar (It’s my blog, sue me for over exaggeration).

The set up for Wednesday feels like it dribbled out of the collective fetid brains of a room full of marketing executives –

“I don’t think this has been done before…. Let’s set it in a boarding school / castle. Like Hogwarts.”     

“And let’s give all the pupils special powers. Like Hogwarts”

“Oh, and let’s have lots of famous actors playing the teachers. Like Hogwarts”.

What’s the point of being an outcast family if you’re surrounded by other outcasts?

The great love affair

Whether its John Astin and Carolyn Jones or Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston the simple fact is that Gomez and Morticia should be besotted with each other even to the point that the rest of the world doesn’t exist. At a single word of French from Morticia, Gomez should be kissing her hand and then up her arms whilst offering promises of whips and chains.

In Wednesday, Catherine Zeta-Jones says ‘Mon Cher’ and Gomez DOES NOTHING. LITERALLY NOTHING. It's almost as if they are not interested in each other.

This is just so not right, and this alone should have resulted in the cancellation of the series.

The enemy

The bad guy shouldn’t be some awful CGI monster (I mean, look at the state of it) it should be normal people with their petty vices.

From the Addams Family it’s Tully and Dr Pinder-Schloss and a simple case of greed

For the Addams Family Values, it’s the dogma of Gary Granger and Becky Martin-Granger that everyone can have a great time as long as they are good looking, white and Christian (and of course the homicidal mania of the serial killing nanny).   

Whilst I understand that Wednesday looks amazing, as any Tim Burton film does, and that the purist will bleat that “Gomez is now closer to the original comic version” I just can’t bring myself to get any sort of enjoyment out of it.    

 Coincidentally two recent reviews of albums featuring a man and his guitar but very different projects.

A Proliferation Of Pointlessness from John Reed may just be his last as sales haven’t been as expected but if sadly it is, then it’s great way to go out.

Such a shame that a determinedly independent artist making music away from the mainstream social media and the industry can’t get his music heard.

These are songs of protest, despair and no little anger. The vocals are clear and strong but with the lyrical themes, I would have been happy for them to get a bit ragged at times – a howl of indignation or a shout of rage maybe.

By layering up different guitars (acoustic and electric) on different tracks, the album avoids the pitfall of the tracks merging into each other as the Phil Cooper album did.

Of the more traditional acoustic songs, Maverick is my favourite with some fantastic lyrics.  “Is it me who is the maverick, expecting far too much?”

I particularly enjoy the closing one-two punch of The Hill Country and Project Freedom. This is my type of folk – Urgent, meaningful, spoiling for a fight.

Might just be me but Project Freedom strikes me as a very Fish like song and hopefully that is taken as a compliment.

A really good album for those willing to step off the beaten path and take a chance.

 Discovered a favourite new label called Dune Altar and I’ve enjoyed a lot of what they release (Iress, Faetooth, Osnova, Caress).

This is a bit different though. Kocaze are a duo from Belgium and the album is called D’Or & de Sang.

Only six tracks long and sung in French(?), it’s a strange combination of Edith Piaf style chanson and the softer end of post rock.

The track Aboyer en Silence leads with some insistent piano draped with strings with occasional outbursts of furious noise.

The only downside is the description of that track could apply to the other five. The album is more a mood rather than distinctive songs.

The opening song Cimes et Souvenirs, when it gets going, is probably the heaviest track in terms of drums and guitar and is an odd choice to lead with. 

Overall, it would definitely be something worth exploring.

 I've loved both of the Lost Trades albums and now there is a new album from one third of the band, Phil Cooper.

Playing Solitaire contains ten tracks all written and played by Phil alone.

And there is my problem with the album.... 

There are some great folk tunes (Still Holding My Breath and Beauty In The Cracks for example) but one voice and an acoustic guitar tends to mean the songs merge and become less memorable if not heard in isolation.

This is the same problem I have with all singer/songwriter albums so it's not saying this is a bad album.

My favourite tracks is Nectan's Glen which all about finding the special place in nature that is just yours

The Lost Trades of course have three voices to work with from three multi instrumentalists and occasional surprises such as the violin in Road Of Solid Gold or the almost acapella of Valhalla.

 As a singer/songwriter and lyricist, Phil is excellent but this album just doesn't quite do it for me.

 So, it rolls round again and yet this year’s Eurovision was one of the safest, and most forgettable shows in years. The lunacy was stripped backed and no one seemed to want to take a risk. It might be all the fun was voted out in the semi-finals, but I didn’t watch them.

At least the UK entry this year wasn’t a complete stinker but there was still something odd about it. The singing was excellent, but the tune just seemed the wrong way round – It sped up in the verses and slowed down for the chorus which is where you need the big hook. Actually deserved a lot better in the scores.

As for the rest     

Sweden – Infuriatingly catchy (my daughter is still singing it) and the brown suits had a Public Service Broadcasting feel.

Finland – As subtle as a brick to the face. A buxom blonde in studded leather bodysuit and stockings straddling various microphone stands and singing about having an orgasm was the most Eurovision song of the night.

Lithuania – Bonus points to the band who really looked as if he would rather be anywhere rather than on that stage. Even in the green room, they were the most uninterested contestants ever.

Albania – Clearly someone watched too many YouTube videos of Toyah and Robert Fripp in their kitchen.

Latvia – Six women dressed as axolotl’s sang the best harmonies I think I’ve heard at Eurovision unfortunately the song dragged a bit.

Israel – A forgettable ballad which just highlighted the public vote manipulation to the maximum.

Italy – Had the feel of Bowie/ Ronson doing Starman on TOTP with the singer’s greasepaint makeup and the way he draped an arm around the guitarist. Bonus points for the live harmonica solo.    

Highlight of the whole night was the face-off between previous contestants Baby Lasagna (Rim Tim Tagi Dim) and Kaarja (Cha Cha Cha) in the interval showing that it is possible to go hugely OTT and still have an absolute earworm of a hit.   

 There is a new live New Model Army out called Live SO36. It’s a companion album to last year’s Sinfonia and was recorded around the same time. The two albums contrast perfectly with Sinfonia being recorded in an opulent music theatre with a full orchestra, while Live SO36 was a stripped back, raw recording in a small sweaty club.

There’s little need to review the album… It’s the New Model Army bristling with righteous indignation and unashamed passion communing with their family of fans.

What I did decide to do is pick my favourite tracks from their various live albums that I own:

Raw Melody Men – Get Me Out

• Honestly, I could choose any song from this album but right from Justin’s intro “So you wanna dance, yeah? Dance to this…” it’s impossible not to get swept along

And Nobody Else – No Sense

• Nelson puts down his bass and starts on a second drum kit to make this a special rendition. 

Fuck Texas, Sing For Us – Vagabonds

• Marshall Gill replaces that oh so familiar violin intro with a fantastic new guitar version

Sinfonia – Winter

• A song that turned out to be a perfect fit for the orchestral setting so. It soars magnificently 

Live SO36 – Lust For Power

• You can almost smell the sweat from the crowd reaction. A perfect encapsulation of that special bond between this band and their devoted following. 

 We come to another band that even on their seventh album can still astonish you.

A Pathway To The Moon by Ureqvited has seen the man behind the band name utilises a lot more clean vocals and even lyrics as a counterpoint to the wordless screams of older releases.

Its epic, maudlin, uplifting and all consuming. Genres blur and become obsolete as the music twists it way into something darkly beautiful.

Standout track for me is The Starforger – 8 minutes featuring some amazing guitar soloing, growled black metal vocals, symphonic keyboards and possibly a kitchen sink. Honestly you can listen to the song multiple times and still hear something new each time.

Whatever music you enjoy, I would recommend you give this your full attention.