Tired

Gosh, I'm tired. I could leave it at that, but I'm already feeling slightly guilty for not having updated for a couple of days, so I'll burble for a bit. Work has been busy, and I've been alternating between Leeds and Birmingham like some sort of demented ping pong ball, with a trip to Birmingham tomorrow to finish the week off - oh, the joys of the M6 on a Friday night.

 

Still, at least I've had a chance to listen to some cds in the car. Like $hilariouslylargemadeupnumber of other people I've got a copy of the Arctic Monkey's debut cd, and it's a definite grower. World weary songs of boozy nights out in Sheffield, shared taxis home to Shire Green via Hillsborough, dreams of San Francisco, mardy girlfriends and the occasional run in with the police, sung in a distinctive Sheffield accent and backed with a stripped down pub rock style combo. Good bouncy stuff for singing along to whilst driving.

 

The other recent purchase (damn your eyes, play.com) was The Streets first album, 'Original Pirate Material'. It's in a similar vein to 'A Grand Don't Come for Free' but without the concept album conceit, and I think I prefer it on balance. Mike Skinner is an outstanding poet and rapper, with a fine turn of phrase and very little of the usual rapper's braggadocio. A slice of urban life set to some lovely layered beats, with some pathos and wry humour thrown in for good measure,. particularly on the track comparing law abiding Terry who drinks lager and goes looking for trouble, with the criminal Tim whose crime is to sit on his sofa playing on his playstation and smoking weed.