Well I think the website is beginning to settle in nicely: the CD collection section is up to date, I've transferred all the bookmarks from my laptop into the new portable bookmark section (I recommend the mp3blog links to the music lovers, and the gadgets section to the geeks), and you now have smilies to play with in the comments if you can work out how to use them.



I'm still a bit dissatisfied about some of the graphics, but overall I think it's an improvement. Any constructive comments on the new design will be welcome (negative ones will be treated with the contempt they deserve!).



Anyway, let me get back to trying a proper post - I may even try not to go on about music like I normally do. ;-)



I've been trying to quit smoking again, third time now (I count an attempt to quit smoking as making it through 24 hours without a ciggy). Once again I seem to have failed...



I think the reason is I don't seem to be able to accept that being nicotine free is a benefit. OK, I'd have some extra cash, but I know I'd only blow this on CD binges and videogames that I'd never finish. The short term health benefits have a certain amount of appeal, but I don't think I do enough exercise to feel the benefit. As for long term health benefits: well, since the male side of my family seem to be genetically predetermined to self destruct at the age of 50 (at 30 I'm the oldest living male relation on my Father's side - a pretty scary thought at times) I find it difficult to see that giving up smoking would help there.



Of course these arguments are all a load of crap, the truth is there are three ways I'm going to give up: it gets banned, I wake up and stop believing the above shite, or (and this is a long shot) I meet someone who is going to give me a reason to change...



Another reason I'm still smoking is the band I'm going to see in a couple of weeks time (I knew that not going on about music wasn't going to last). This is Justin Broadrick formerly the brains behind Godflesh, now recording as Jesu:

A fairly pleasant looking chap standing in a field of flowers, however he's responsible for some of the most emotionally draining music you will ever hear (listen to the samples over here if you feel brave). Not the sort of stuff to be approach lightly, and frankly the thought of putting myself through such an experiance nicotine free is not one I can contemplate at the moment.

I'll quit after I see them play though - honest...

Saturday's Impulse Buys



Arthur Russell - Calling out of Context

Arthur Russell was a ridiculously prolific New York cellist (there are apparently hundreds of his tapes left unreleased) who may or may not been the missing link between disco or house music, he also made some charmingly melancholic tunes with just his voice, heavily processed cello and minimal extra instrumentation which this CD showcases. It's kind of depressing to listen to as your left with the feeling that if he was born a decade or two later the world would have been more able to accept his music. Still, what he left behind after his death is well worth exploring and I recommend this CD to anyone after something to soundtrack lazy Sunday mornings after a busy Saturday night of partying.



Isis - Mosquito Control EP

I tend to think of Isis as a heavy metal version of Mogwai, one of those bands who are not afraid to show there 'post rock' tendencies. This is an early release of theres, but none the less still far more mature than any metal band I care to name. Crushingly powerful, but still with qualities of beauty in places. They have a couple of remix EPs doing the round and a new CD coming out in a couple of months - I can't wait for that.



Murcof - Utopia

Mexican ambient music anyone? How about some classical music influence minimal house music? Honestly it's really good. This CD features remixes from his previous album Martes along with some epic new pieces. Really good intelligent electronica which I'm glad to welcome into my CD collection

It has been brought to my attention on more than one occasion, that this site has been getting a bit shit...



Naturally my first reaction to this has been one of stifled outrage (it's a good job my laser beam eyes don't work at the moment). However once the red mist has cleared I can't help but to find myself agreeing that this site has got itself stuck in a rut. And what's the best way for a website to get out of a rut?



The obvious answer is of course: Porn, and lots of it. But unfortunately I lack the webspace and bandwidth to do justice to the subject. Nope, I think the best way is a good old fashioned redesign - so here it is: darthphil.com version whatever.



The content is basically the same, however: I've moved the credit card stress testing section into it's own page (I should get rid of it, but the obsessive compulsive in me feels the need to make lists of all the DVDs, CDs and videogames I'd like to buy - getting rid of it could cause serious psychological trauma); I've made a bookmarks page, this is where I'm going to post all the vaguely interesting links I find, rather than sticking random links on the main page; and for the geeks amongst you the whole site has been mozilla'ed up (so it should work in Firefox now) - oh, and each section has its own Atom format XML feed for anyone using an RSS Reader.



Hopefully the redesign will inspire some half decent posts...

Updated the CD bit...

mix CDs and a little loungecore



DJ /rupture - 58.46 Radio Mix

Hmm this is a little bit worrying, I'm starting to get a bit bored of rupture's mix CDs - I'm just not being surprised anymore, the formula is too predictable: Take one part ragga toasting, add some middle east vibes, mix with some noise and throw in one or two modern rnb tunes - dead easy really. I think I'd like to hear him do something different now.



Amon Tobin - Solid Steel

This is a bit more interesting, a mix recorded live where Amon Tobin uses a software/hardware package to link two timestamped vinyl 12 inches to a computer storing all the songs digitally - this allows for an interesting mix of digital and analogue mixing techniques. Putting the geekiness (in a good way) of the whole mix to one side and just having a listen to the tunes it's damn good stuff - nice and dark, very Amon Tobin and he finishes with a bad ass mix of Venus in Furs, which does me nicely.



Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine - Tuxicity

Sometimes you just need to hear a cheesy lounge singer scream 'GOD I WANT TO FUCK HER!' in the middle of a cover version of Britney Spears's Crazy... A joke album, but they do it well and know when to shut the fuck up.

*cough* Bit Torrent *cough* Google

Well Shrek 2 gets the Darth Phil seal of approval, not too different to the original but still funny - especially Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots.



And it seems that Doom 3 does exist, they've actually finished it, and it's apparently quite good. Being the heathen that I am I'll be waiting for the XBox version, although this could be more to do with the fact that my laptop probably hasn't got a hope in hell of running it.