There was a recent blog about Massive members (oh, Matron...) and their 600GB hard drives (Cheeky...) and how they managed them, which I read with interest.

Quite apart from the fact that I may blog separately to those so encumbered with digital data that it begs the question 'When can you possibly listen/watch/read all of that?', it triggered my on/off thoughts about whether to purchase one of these infernally clever hard drive wireless thingummybobs that means never having to purchase a CD again.

It won't happen. Well, it might, 'cos Mini-Oeuf is thirteen months old now, crawling and pulling everything off the shelves she can reach, and Mrs. Oeuf wants to know when I'm going to stop buying music that just 'takes up space' (Hmph!).

I keep seeing adverts for the Brennan. I understand it's not much more different from the idea of having a Mac Mini, so my question is three-fold:

What have people found that works best for them if they want to save space?
How easy is it to set up a wireless system in-house using Mac gear (I've got a Macbook Pro, a couple of i-Pods and 70GB of music on the hard drive that would be better served running my business instead of archiving Crosby, Stills and Nash) and do I need anything else?
Is it really possible to let go of one's material possessions for noughts and ones in the shape of guitars and drums? I should point out that last year I reduced my CD collection from over 3000 to just under 300 and I can still be found occasionally wiping away a tear whilst staring at the wall they used to hold up.

The last question may be slightly existential.

P.S. it occurs to me that I already have it all on the hard drive. I know that, but whilst I still have some in plastic cases, it feels more 'real'? Don't even get me started on vinyl. Oh, and what about this Sonos system thing - anyone? I'm blabbing... help!

In the spirit of full disclosure, I've never had a good thing to say about Oasis and in particular the younger Gallagher (all mouth etc...), but this time surely he's got to be taken to task.

Listening to R2 this morning, Evans played the Beady Eye single (Roller?).

No-one even remotely interested in music in the last twenty years will need reminding that his last band spent most of their time desperately, desperately trying to be the 90s version of that quite famous band from Liverpool. You may disagree; that's fine. Move onto the next blog entry and thanks for your time.

The longer their career went on (and oh boy, did it go on), the more it was possible to reference their seemingly inexhaustible appetite to plagiarise; production values and sound; videos (can't remember the name of the track, but one of their videos was basically Yellow Submarine 2); album covers; one-liners in interviews; haircuts etc. etc.

I shouldn't be surprised therefore, that since they've split (and why there wasn't a national holiday for this I will never know) Gallagher Jnr seems to be continuing his strange parallel universe journey. And so to the point (sorry, sorry...); is it just me, or has his single got John Lennon circa 72 all over it; echo on vocals? Check. Measured time signature circa Instant Karma? Check. I could go on. Oh, I have.

I don't even know why I'm getting so annoyed, but I am. He's so, so insipid and irrelevant and ridiculous but I can't stand the thought that there are people out there who don't realise why the big oaf's blatant and piss-awful mirroring of one of the greatest bands and two of the greatest songwriters of all time is wrong.

Wrong wrong wrong wrong WRONG!

Nurse, I'll have that tablet now thanks.

No reason other than a need to share. Anyone else?

All,

I am need of your assistance.

A little over nine months ago Mrs Oeuf and I became three. Mini-Oeuf (female, beautiful) is a constant joy and a constant riddle and we're proud as punch.

Clearly, we'll be making sure she's steeped in the musical heritage of her parents but until I get the chance to sit her down with some of our back catalogue I'd really like to put together a playlist of lullabies to help her sleep, something we can either put on in the background or sing along to.

So far, I've got:

James Taylor - You Can Close Your Eyes
The Wailin' Jennys - Apocalypse Lullaby
Godspeed - Dixie Chicks

Not withstanding anyone's opinion on the above, because they all fit the bill nicely, I'd like a couple of CDs worth if possible. No Disney, no cheese.

Serious contenders would be songs from any era that combine the necessary slow to mid-pace rhythm, appropriate lyrics and lovely melodies, but most importantly, weren't necessarily written to be lullabies but just great songs in their own right. We've found it a lot harder than we thought it would be.

Family Oeuf thank you in advance.

Miss Oeuf and I are chewing the evening cud, and happened to laugh our way through the lady drummer thread, until we alighted upon the Clout song from '78, 'Substitute'. The following conversation took place (edited for brevity):

Oeufman - 'Never heard of it. Who'd call a band Clout?'
Miss Oeuf - 'It's on Radio 2 all the time. That's the difference between you and I; you read about music, I listen to it. Radio is brilliant.'
O - 'Cheeky! 99% of radio is rubbish.'
MO - 'Ask the Word cognoscenti what they'd rather give up; CDs or the radio?'

Okay, I will...

P.S. MO says women are always right. Another thread, methinks...

According to the BBC story below, Leona Lewis is quoted as saying she's happy to have 'broken America'.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7316521.stm

Taking nothing away from her success, does one no.1 single constitute breaking the biggest music market in the world?

I would have said continued and recognised sales across several albums would be, but am interested in others thoughts? Is it enough now to have one hit and work the chat shows, then retire to relative anonymity?

I'm not saying that's what will happen, but...

This is a sad day;

http://www.nodepression.net/blogs/letter/

A great magazine featuring great articles and artists, written by people who cared. Sound familiar?

Couldn't agree more with the review of Lynne's new album. Havng followed her since 'I Am Shelby Lynne', her ability to produce great music in a variety of styles always impresses.

Almost too painful when, at 2.26, Lynne's voice cracks slightly.

This is the way all interpretations should be done; with grace, respect and a light touch. Fab.

Never mix politics and religion. Never mix vocalists with global economics. It's not just me, is it? Bono really has become a sanctimonious old fart?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7208990.stm

He may have the 'desire' to change things and that should be applauded, but let's face it, he's in a better position than the majority of us to do something about it instead of schmoozing bankers and politicians in Davos.

I'm calling you out, mate; how about you donate 1% of your net revenue in 2008 to a series of good causes, and evidence it?

If you do, I'll do the same. Until then, to take a leaf out of a recent documentary, shut up and sing.

I seem to remember being called a 'Greaser' at school, and my English teacher thought that prolonged access to my sixth-form self might turn the innocent first years into satanists because I listened to 'Rawk'. Not sure I was ever asked to leave public transport for my AC/DC patches. Anyone else suffered for their art/music?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/7204543.stm

Random i-Poddage again tonight and Illegal Alien by Phil Collins (sorry, Genesis) arrives with its jaunty rhythm, sunshine melody and lyrics including the ones that follow;

Keep your suspicions
I've seen that look before
But I ain't done nothing wrong now
Is that such a surprise?
I've got a sister
Who'd be willing to oblige
She will do anything now
To help me get to the outside

Now, is that unnecessary, or have I succumbed to the dreaded PC monster?

Anyone else think of lyrics they've known for years that suddenly seem, well, a bit risque in today's social climate, but that you wouldn't previously have considered to be anything more than poor poetry?

Do we know yet who's found a Golden Ticket and who's been drowned in the river of chocolate?

This on top of the job losses...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7188898.stm

More news on what's going on at EMI;

http://www.emigroup.com/Press/2008/press3.htm

Bob Dylan: never liked him, can't understand the fuss, but worried that I quite fancy Cate Blanchett when she dresses as him. I was always a Laurel Canyon kind of guy, so I'll take Taylor, Mitchell, Young and the Mama's & Papa's any day of any week. Please, someone, before you all start dribbling with fury, can you explain to me what is so great about his music?

**waits to be hounded out of the Word club and his sexuality questioned**

Thanks to the worthies (Wordies? No. Maybe not.) at this magazine and the jolly nice people who contribute regularly to this blog, I have discovered two artists I wouldn't have gone out of my way to find, and hey, wouldn't you know it, there's room in the collection for more of the same.

The songs in question were Brenda Holloway's 'When I'm Gone' and Evie Sands 'I Can't Let Go' (Thanks again Colonel).

So, a request; if I like these (and I do, I do), can anyone suggest what the best follow-up purchases for these artists should be, and secondly, who else should I be listening to?

Before you ask, yes, I know where Amazon and HMV are, but I trust you more than them...

Ta muchly in advance.

Read the Word top 10 of 2007 with interest. Of those chosen, I only had Hawley's 'Lady's Bridge', though I heard and enjoyed the Arcade Fire and Laura Veirs albums.

In response then, and from a slightly different angle, here's my ten favourite songs from the best albums I heard in 2007, in no particular order;

Same Old Drag: The Apples In Stereo, from New Magnetic Wonder
By Piccadilly Station I Sat Down & Wept: Tracey Thorn, from Out Of The Woods
Australia: The Shins, from Wincing The Night Away
Railroad Wings: Patty Griffin, from Children Running Through
Hollywood Bass Player: Josh Rouse, from Country Mouse, City House
The Hotel Majestic: Fountains of Wayne, from Traffic and Weather
Love That Boy: The Innocence Mission, from We Walked In Song
Walked Her Way Down: Crowded House, from Time On Earth
Walking Through You: Justin Currie, from What Is Love For
Ring The Bells For A Day: The Pearlfishers, from Up With The Larks

If I had to pick a favourite album or two, they would be Patty Griffin and Justin Currie. Griffin just gets better and better; 'Children...' is so strong yet so beautiful it's quite humbling. Justin Currie gets bad press but beneath the surface he's written some of the best wry and melodic contemporary love songs of the last fifteen years. 'What Is Love For' is melancholic but you just can't argue with the quality.

Hot on their heels would be Fountains of Wayne and Tracey Thorn; 'By Piccadilly Station...' is probably the best 2.27 I've heard this year.

The thing that strikes me about all these artists is their consistency, not just album after album but song after song. They've built careers despite being overlooked and always come up with the goods. Josh Rouse? The Pearlfishers? The Innocence Mission? Most are three of four albums in but you can still listen to the whole album through without feeling the need to skip to the single. I'm all for progress, but give me a body of work over a corpse any day.

Anyway, that's my 2007. Does it measure up?