This weekend I have mainly been drinking, or recovering from drinking - I'm currently in the recovery phase, and beginning to worry that I still have a headache and it's almost half past nine in the evening. I did manage to crowbar in a trip to The National Gallery as some sort of token attempt at being cultured. What did I think of it? Not really my cup of tea, too many religious paintings of various saints being tortured - the medieval equivalent of a snuff movie IMHO... Some of the later stuff is better, and there was this self portrait that Rembrandt did which impressed me, when you see his work in the flesh you can't help but concede that he knew how to hold a brush!



I have also been buying too many CDs, here are some initial thoughts:



The Bad Plus - These Are The Vistas

Jazz Piano Trio - they belt out a cracking version of Nirvana's Smell Like Teen Spirit...



TV On The Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes

I agree with the Pitchfork review where they say this isn't as fully realised as the Young Liars EP - it's still bloody good though.



Swans - Soundtracks For The Blind

This isn't a record! It's a mountain range or some other huge geological feature, one of the most daunting CDs I've bought - but I had to start my Swans retrospective somewhere and there last one seemed like the easiest to get in to.



Throbbing Gristle - Mutant TG

Another attempt to get into some older music - in this case a remix album of those crazy old 'destroyers of civilisation' Throbbing Gristle, as recommended by The Milk Factory.



Isis - Sgnl>05

Heavy metal with post rock tendencies - I've been meaning to buy this for a while



Autechre & The Hafler Trio - ae3o&h3ae

One of the most beautifully packaged CDs I've ever bought - haven't listened to it



Four Tet - My Angel Rocks Back And Forth

New Four Tet single with all of his very strange videos on a bonus DVD



...details of all new CDs to follow