Hard to imagine in London's blazing Indian Summer, but the record-releasing end of year season is soon upon us. Albums come out 24-7 these days (I am over-Spotified with checking out all the new stuff), but there are some unusually thrilling appearances on the horizon: 50 Words of Snow by Kate Bush (any new work of hers is a major event); Florence + The Machine's second, Ceremonials (she is shaping up to be a major figure, a new Bush); a third woman of musical gifts, Canadian Feist, has her second work out this month. And of course albums from Coldplay, Radiohead, and Peter Gabriel are also intriguing options. The Noel Gallagher project has started well, with a fun single, so that's to look for, too. And, left-fieldish, a new Thomas Dolby double-album in late October. Meanwhile, some of the best recent albums are Pajama Club, Wilco's The Whole Love, St. Vincent's Strange Mercy, and Again Into Eyes by S.C.U.M. not to mention the new Kasabian. 2011 is shaping up to be a very good year for music. Should I add there's a new Pixie Lott coming too? Meanwhile, we have to wait until 2012 for the 13th U2 - hopefully it will flip its web-shooters and swing city-blocks away from that maladroit musical.
A poem for my mother, July 15 When she was dying And I was in a different country I dreamt I was there with her Flying over the ocean very quickly, And arriving in the room like a dream And I was a dream, but the meaning was more Than a dream has – it was a moving over time And land, over water, to get love across Fast enough, to be there, before she died, To lean over the small, huddled figure, In the dark, and without bothering her Even with apologies, and be a kiss in the air, A dream of a kiss, or even less, the thought of one, And when I woke, none of this had happened, She was still far distant, and we had not spoken.
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