December 2007
9 posts
2007 Top Picks Number 2 - Radiohead →
After making last year’s number 1 album (and in my opinion a contender for best album of all time) Thom Yorke returns. This time the band is back and Radiohead had in mind not just to make great record but also to revolutionize the music industry while they were at it. There’s been lots of commentary on the way that Radiohead distributed inRainbows (customers chose how much they...
With a tear in our eye we say goodbye to an old... →
On February 1 AOL will cease developing the Netscape browser. I guess this is no surprise as the browser hasn’t been core to the AOL strategy for a while and Netscape has slumped to a That said, this is a sad day for many of us who were introduced to the Internet within the confines of a Netscape branded window. At it’s height it commanded a 90% share of the browser market. My college...
2007 Top Picks Number 3 - Arctic Monkeys →
In a minority of 1, I wasn’t a big fan of their first album. I liked I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, but that was about it. Fortunately for me, Pippa is a huge fan and so it went without saying that there would be a copy of this album in our household from the very day it was released. And boy am I grateful. This is the best straight-up no-nonsense rock record I have heard in years....
2007 Top Picks Number 4 - The National →
I came across The National via a banner on the emusic homepage. What a well targeted and serendipitous piece of merchandising that turned out to be… Boxer is a really beautiful album. Reminiscent of The Smiths at there most melancholy or early mournful REM. Each song is like a lovingly hand-crafted piece of jewellery. Something about The National insistently whispers ‘hand made’....
Homer Simpson Takes a Picture Everyday for 39... →
Violin playing robots - the future is happening →
I’m absolutely astonished. This is such an incredible piece of engineering. It’s the swaying that makes it scary!
2007 Top Picks Number 5 - dntel →
After the marathon listening opportunity afforded by 20 hours flight-time between London and San Francisco last week it’s time to get cracking on the Top Picks. The Top 4 seemed to pick themselves this year (though wrangling over the specific order still remains). Given the single remaining spot and the rock-focus of the other four albums I really wanted to pick something on the electronic...
Heroes - It's all over in the UK →
So, Pippa and I have been pretty obsessed with Heroes over th last 20-odd weeks and tonight, in the UK, Series 1 finished. The final episode lived up to expectations and set the stage nicely for Series 2. As ever it was the mix of fantastic events and human frailties. Can’t wait for the next series. Bring it on. In the mean time here’s a bit of Bowie to keep you going.
Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, an iPod? →
I spent the week in San Francisco this week. I love coming over here to soak up the city and drink a bit of Googleplex Kool Aid. On the mandatory Saturday shopping trip I came across this amazing vending machine in Macy’s basement (sorry for the picture quality, the camera on my Blackberry has not been all that well looked after). That’s right, it’s a vending machine iPods....