Address to Impress?

In an effort to expand my vocabulary a little, I recently picked up a copy of Chambers Address to Impress: 200 words you should use. I figured this would be a handy way to improve my range of language, particularly with regard to my writing. We all know there is nothing more grating than reading a piece of text where the same few words seem to crop up time and again.

This little book was really worth the few pounds I paid for it. So much so that I inveigled (Pg 119) my sister and a friend into buying their own copies. See? It's already beginning to pay for itself.
The only major problem I had with the book was the lack of an index. Surely all reference books such as this should have a index page. They went to the lengths to add a pronunciation guide, so why not have one? Still, I wouldn't want you to think that this made the book any less useful. Just not as easy to use and I might have hoped.

MGMT - Congratulations

It has been some time since the Brooklyn based band MGMT have produced any significant new material, and many have been awaiting the new album with anticipation. As is common in today's internet age, their new material has been leaked before the official release date.

Congratulations is a departure from what many fans might have expected from the band. Gone are the instant hits of their first album, such as Weekend Wars and Kids. Instead, the band have decided to go a more experimental route. For example, the song Siberian Breaks runs over the 10 minute mark and is apparently about surfing in the Artic Circle. The track is complex and at times seems almost a composite of a few different songs. Ultimately, it is a rewarding song which requires repeated listens.

This track is a microcosm of the album as a whole in that it will challenge listeners rather than pander to their expectations. There are a few great tracks here like the haunting I Found a Whistle and Brian Eno. Although some may call Congratulations self indulgent, you have to give the band credit for trying something different. I feel the album is at least as strong as Oracular Spectacular.

Since the leak, the band have posted the entire album on their official website which can be found here http://www.whoismgmt.com/uk/home

Kurt Vonnegut - God Bless you, Mr. Rosewater

Eliot Rosewater, a millionaire drunkard with a fascination for volunteer firefighting, becomes president of the Rosewater Foundation. The foundation was set up by his family as a means to prevent the government taxing their fortune. When Eliot takes over, things change dramatically. He moves out of his mansion and abandons his wife to live in a dilapidated house in Rosewater County. There, he tries his best to help the poverty stricken inhabitants, manning a phone for emergency calls from the public. Meanwhile, antagonist Norman Mushari tries to prove that Eliot is insane in order to get some of the family fortune for himself. Soon though, we find ourselves wondering whether Eliot's eccentric kindnesses may be linked to his mental health.

One of Vonnegut's lesser loved novels, God Bless you, Mr. Rosewater instantly became one of my favourites. The author immediately puts his stamp on this tale about capitalism, informing us that the main character in this story is "a sum of money". Written in his inimitable style, the book is more a series of short stories involving the inhabitants of Rosewater County than a traditional novel. The simplicity of Vonnegut's writing and the matter-of-fact storytelling which originally drew me to the author is present throughout the book. Take the following extract for example.

“The Client who was about to make Eliot’s black telephone ring was a sixty-eight-year old virgin who, by almost anybody’s standards, was too dumb to live. Her name was Diana Moon Glampers. No one had ever loved her. There was no reason why anyone should. She was ugly, stupid, and boring. On the rare occasions when she had to introduce herself, she always said her full name, and followed that with the mystifying equation that had thrust her life so pointlessly: “My mother was a moon. My father was a Glampers.”

Is Eliot Rosewater a guilty millionaire, a madman or a humanitarian? The blurring of these lines is what makes the character so fascinating.

Shutter Island - Living up to the hype?

Another week, another Martin Scorsese post. In my last offering about the director, I exposed the shocking revelation that he made about his intentions to make another mobcentric movie. I know, I know. I'm barely over the excitement myself.

In my state of delirium though, I forgot to mention the main reason he was at the Berlin Film Festival. Mea Culpa. Scorsese was busy promoting the soon to be released "Shutter Island", a psychological potboiler based on the the book of the same title by Dennis Lehane. Here's the trailer.



Two federal agents travel to an island which houses an insane asylum to try and recover a missing patient. I have to say, it looks great. My only concern would be the casting of Di Caprio in the main role. Who knows, maybe he'll surprise me.

Shutter Island is released in the UK on March 2010

Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen announce tour dates in Ireland

Dylan and Cohen, the two elder statesmen of music, have recently announced their tour dates. To my surprise, both are planning Irish gigs. With Dylan now pushing 70 and Cohen 75, there may not be many more chances to see these giants of the industry in my home country.

Although I have seen Dylan a few times already it has always been a wonderful experience, one which I'm not sure I can pass up. A few years back, I wasted a ticket to see Cohen in Dublin due to work obligations. Of course, friends who went told me that it was the best gig they had ever been to. So I guess I can't miss that one either. What a hard life it is!

Bob Dylan will play the Thomond Park Stadium in Limerick on July 4th

Leonard Cohen will play Lissadell House in Sligo on July 31st

Stop the Presses: Scorsese to direct mob film

I know, I can't believe it either.

While being interviewed this week at the Berlin film festival, journalists asked the veteran director of such classics as Mean Streets, Taxi Driver and Goodfellas if he intended to produce another mobster flick. Scorsese answered in the affirmative to a collective sigh of relief from the crowd of journos. And you'll never guess who is attached to star. Bob De Niro. Talk about taking risks! Here is what the director had to say.

"De Niro and I are talking about something that has to do with that world - there's no doubt about that. We're working on something like that, but it's from the vantage point of older men looking back, none of this running around stuff."

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/entertainment/scorsese-de-niros-new-mob-film-14683383.html?r=RSS#ixzz0mlSdwgNa

The Thought Gang by Tibor Fischer - Philosophy of the one-armed bandit

Eddie Coffin, a down and out philosopher, wakes up after a night of debauchery to find himself naked in a strange house, surrounded by child pornography. Having convinced the police of his innocence, he flees to France to start anew. Soon, he meets Hubert, a small time criminal with one arm and a thirst for knowledge. Penniless, the unlikely duo decide to begin robbing banks. These aren't your typical bank robberies; each one is based on a school of philosophical thought.

As always, Fischer's mastery of language is the draw here. The underlying concept is zany to say the least, almost bordering on the absurd, but the fast pace and almost omnipresent comic turns allow readers to connect with the characters. The dialogue is wonderful, and I found myself wondering, as Hubert does, what the next blend of high philosophy and crime would be. On another level, Fischer is examining the terrible lows and dizzying highs that we can experience in this life. Always hilarious and at times touching, The Thought Gang is a book I will revisit.