I Heart You JM

Let’s play a word association game. I say John Mayer. You say…Love Rat? Jennifer Aniston? Waste of space?
How about guitar genius, Clapton prodigy and man who puts pen to more achingly heart felt trips along a fret and back than whoever writes Leona Lewis’s stuff. What’s more, my mum loves him. Enough said.

Mayer’s fourth album, whose step by step process his hardcore fan contingent were able to track on a daily basis via his infamously mouthy Tweets, is described by the man himself as a “heartbreak handbook.” Its worth having a listen to for trying to pinpoint any snide points towards the Aniston, (“Friends, Lovers or Nothing, anyone?) and with the clue in the title, it seems theirs wasn’t the smoothest of love nests. Liberal references to warfare and combat are scattered all over the album, but if you’re looking for hardcore thrashing anger, step away.



Continuing in the vein of previous album Continuum Mayer checks into his very own Heartbreak Hotel on Battle Studies with a heart-stopping combination of dreamy, blowsy blues and softly radiating harmonies. So-laid-back-its-horizontal first single “Who Says” causes controversy as it shuffles along; Mayer’s very own “pot song”, rather than being a monument to his own bad boy-ness, seeps through the speakers with the same relaxing effect.

The real USP of this album is how Mayer can seamlessly segue from one genre to another, linked by the common theme of his breathy, heartfelt vocals and guitar solos which escalate towards emotive climaxes. He meanders down a country route with new friend Taylor Swift, who provides guest vocals on “Half of my Heart” and covers a Cream classic on “Crossroads”; the latter showcasing a step up to tight, catchy riffs and throwback to some serious seventies-esque guitar snobbery.
Highlights of the album include “Assasin”, a track that wanders from the contemplative to the caustic with spine tingling emotion, and next single “Heartbreak Warfare” which has classic Mayer stamped all over it. Ebbing guitars, marching drums and beautiful imagery ease you into a record which isn’t just your average easy listening album. It’s an education.

© Miranda Thompson 2010

DISCLAIMER: The video links hosted on my blog are not being presented as my own. If you believe that the copyright in your work has been violated through this post, please contact me through the blog.

How can I justifiably like this song?

Don’t you love the discovery of a new song it’s impossible to stop playing? Its even better when that song is about as cool as Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen on a turquoise flame striped Harley Davidson wearing pink leather and a glitter encrusted helmet. This song might just make you cringe as much as that dire mental image.



I’m not entirely sure how I made it to the grand old age of 21 without discovering the beauteous joy that is THE Michael Bolton, but hey, you’ve got to start somewhere. Since a massive essay procrastination lead to the creation of a proper Dad-rock style music playlist, my fingers haven’t stopped tapping my keyboard to the rhythmic riffs of mad ‘80s rockers with even madder ‘80s hair. The “woah woahs” are to die for, the banging drums spinetingling and the synths positively toe curling. Oh Michael.

For said playlist, charge up your spotify and have a listen. Its well good, promise.

spotify:user:mirande:playlist:0rznbF8MwM2vynUy5SRnIi

© Miranda Thompson 2010

DISCLAIMER: The video links hosted on my blog are not being presented as my own. If you believe that the copyright in your work has been violated through this post, please contact me through the blog.

Flaming Nora

I just came home from an oh-so-British evening of fun and frolics: Tar barrel burnings at Ottery St Mary, a quaint as you like village snuggled away in the hilly crevices of rural Devon.
The point of the evening is the remembrance of the 5th November, when back in the days (1605), some cheeky Catholics tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament and take King James I down with it. However, the plot was discovered and this massive fail of a terrorist plot has been marked for centuries since by bonfires all over England and weird and wonderful local traditions…which brings me back to Ottery St Mary.
This Devon village likes more than a dollop of danger with their Bonfire Night, taking the form of flaming tar barrels hoisted on the backs of strapping young locals (and a few crustier elderly specimens) who then galumph around the village through hordes of gawping tourists regardless of any ridiculous Health and Safetey regulations.
My highlight of the evening? The adrenalin rush provided when my housemates and I found ourselves cowering on the floor of a tiny lane as a maniac with flaming wood tangled in his manical grasp swung his arms around our heads. That, and a serious neck crick on the very old school Waltzer rides on the fairground.
I love Britain.

I also really really love this song at the moment. Quality chill out shizzle, bumping drums and twinkling guitars more than soothe away any recurring visions of flashing flames and approaching burning heat.



© Miranda Thompson 2010

DISCLAIMER: The video links hosted on my blog are not being presented as my own. If you believe that the copyright in your work has been violated through this post, please contact me through the blog.

self gratification

DISCLAIMER: The image hosted on my blog is not being presented as my own. If you believe that the copyright in your work has been violated through this post, please contact me through the blog.