Gary Maginnis, When I Was A Child. Single Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

There have been many artists who endeavour to take us back to a time when our world, our field of views and opinions were less rigid, when all we had to worry about, we hoped, was playing with our friends and hoping that we would survive school. Whether for good or bad, ill or fortunate, to think back to the person you were and the dreams you had, it is rare to see that person remain; like a ghost of oneself, to think back to childhood is too often not recognise the hero of the story.

Gary Maginnis, When I Was A Child. Single Review. full post

(369 words, estimated 1:29 mins reading time)

The Old Man’s Forgotten Lover.

She met her old lover

on the street that night,

they ran into each other

by the corner of 77th and ‘Dam,

so she told me

and after much deliberation on her part

she found herself drinking a few beers

just out of kindness,

for she thought he was still crazy

though she still loved him

after all those years.

 

I wish I had met her lover,

I would have warmly shook him by the hand,

for in the way he dismissed her thoughts

The Old Man’s Forgotten Lover. full post

(231 words, estimated 55 secs reading time)

Goldray, Rising. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

If you are not ready at any moment to take on the psychedelic then the stiff upper lip of the continued Victorian hangover is arguably always going to be one that dominates your life; the misuse of such genres, whether it is the realms of Jazz, the volume of energy in Punk in all its glory or the spectacle, the sheer wonder, of the Progressive, to not appreciate the art that goes into them is to possibly surrender any form of anti establishment, any anarchy, any freedom to rebel outside centuries old conviction. It is a surrender that just does not fit in a modern sense with any feeling of self identity.

Goldray, Rising. Album Review. full post

(386 words, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)

Steve Hackett, The Night Siren. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

To be consistent, to be so imaginatively fertile in the use of art across several decades and still sound as if the music you are creating is one that has been inspired by a Muse who knows a thing or two the subtle complexity of being Progressive, then either the world has been kind to you or you just happen to be the person who listens to ones who weep at dusk, who sing songs of fantasy and freedom in the depths of midnight’s favourite illusion or the sense of peace offered by The Night Siren.

Steve Hackett, The Night Siren. Album Review. full post

(429 words, estimated 1:43 mins reading time)

An Hour Forward.

 

An hour forward, Time again slides its hands

down my back pocket and fondles for change,

urging me to deal with the loss,

to make up Time and have an account settled early;

I wasted the moment,

I slept instead of being productive,

the type of action that would have a black mark

put aside you in a Kangaroo court of law,

the sentence…

undisclosed for now,

be satisfied, let your gloriously white teeth gnash

and grind…but hey, stop

for a minute and chew on this,

An Hour Forward. full post

(207 words, estimated 50 secs reading time)

Life, Film Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating *

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds, Olga Dihovichnaya, Ariyon Bakare, Hiroyuki Sanada, Naoko Mori, Alexandre Nguyen, Camiel Warren-Taylor, Hiu Woong-Sin.

It has been mooted, suggested beyond all possible doubt in some quarters, that there simply are no new ideas out there, that everything is basically a re-hash, a do-over, a chance for art to keep repeating itself over and over again. Whilst this may be in some cases a false premise, that the world will always find an interesting new angle in which to demonstrate the greatest of humanity’s crowning glory, imagination, in many ways the doom laden soothers are right, there is nothing new under the sun and by poking at the impossible creature, we are not exactly creating new Life, we are sucking the soul out of it.

Life, Film Review. full post

(515 words, estimated 2:04 mins reading time)

CHiPs, Film Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 5/10

Cast: Michael Peña, Dax Shepard, Jessica McNamee, Adam Brody, Ryan Hansen, Justin Chatwin, Kirsten Bell, Vincent D’Onofrio, Rosa Salazar, Maya Rudolph, Adam Rodriguez, Richard T. Jones, Ben Falcone, Jane Kacmarek, Angelique Kenney, Vida Guerra, Mara Marini, Isaiah Whitlock Jr, Kelly Richardson, Jackie Tohn, Arturo del Puerto, Katie McCabe, April Martucci, Carly Hatter, Erik Estrada.

CHiPs, Film Review. full post

(531 words, estimated 2:07 mins reading time)

Shelley’s Delusion.

It is dangerous

to be so deluded,

that the internet for all its good

and ability to show the world

just how we strive forward in unity,

should we wish, gives a platform

to one so

bound up in her own con trick

that she can even call Australia

a place which doesn’t exist…

this modern day Atlantis,

packed to the brim with spiders

that will kill you, with Koala Bears

that are riddled with Chlamydia,

Kangaroos that made Skippy a star,

That made Paul Hogan a star,

Shelley’s Delusion. full post

(125 words, estimated 30 secs reading time)

Jack Spann, Beautiful Man From Mars. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

2016 will always be remembered for many things, some more bizarre than others, some moments which looked upon will always cause a shudder of pain to come rolling down the spine and others which leave only the memory of regret, anguish and a tear rolling down the cheek. It is in the loss of someone as artistically astute and obviously creatively beautiful as David Bowie that the year will arguably turn upon, that is will have deep resonance for years to come and yet out of that beauty steps forward Jack Spann and the album Beautiful Man From Mars.

Jack Spann, Beautiful Man From Mars. Album Review. full post

(413 words, estimated 1:39 mins reading time)

Heath Common, Tales Of A Young Life In Halifax + Notting Hill Gate. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

There can be very few experiences that can top listening to a story-teller in full flow, save for the spectacle of nature working with wondrous intent, very few moments capture the imagination as well as someone who has lived, who has truly nothing to fear from boredom, because that single entity has no room to exist in a world where everything that can be felt is there beyond the front door.

Heath Common, Tales Of A Young Life In Halifax + Notting Hill Gate. Album Review. full post

(536 words, estimated 2:09 mins reading time)