OCRB: Peter Broderick

Apparently, I buy too many records

My wife Helen, like every other woman i've ever lived with, believes that I buy too many records.

Which, as every record-buying man knows, is a ridiculous belief.

I will concede, however, that I do indeed buy a lot of records and that I don't afford them the same amount of listens and attention that I did 20 or 30 years ago.

To this end, I have decided to blog about the records that I buy, in order to help my appreciation of them - and perhaps to show Helen that I don't buy that many records after all.

Because i'm crap with deadlines the blog posts will be sporadic and probably be about a month or 2 behind but that's just the way i am! The posts will not necessarily be actual reviews (most likely comments, at best) and will generally be pretty damn short due to the reasons outlined above. As a writer in a previous existence i have decided not to worry about writing as art in the pieces but, instead, to attempt to convey feeling over semantic (and often grammatic) perfection.

And 'OCRB'? It stands for 'Obsessive Compulsive Record Buying' - a little known mental health affliction that is potentially damaging to the bank account but ultimately life-affirming. It is sad.......but a nice form of sad.

Monday, 28 March 2011

Various: Keys (A Comprehensive Collection Of Contemporary Piano Compositions)(American Typewriter)

Another of those 'look at the roll call and it wont disappoint' jobs. Peter Broderick,Nils Frahn, Library Tapes, Macinefabriek etc tinkle away on solo piano in a softly softly manner to enchant you in a beautifully ambient manner. Nothing here troubles you or wakes you from your soporific manner and, frankly, you wouldn't want it any other way. Only Mr Polymath Broderick complicates matters by adding violin and vocals, and this breaks the flow somewhat, but it's not as if it metaphorically kicks you in the balls - more like a gentle tweak on the left nipple. Which is nice.

Thursday, 3 February 2011

Peter Broderick: Home (Bella Union)

Cheap 2CD job bought from HMV from the vouchers they give me for fucking up a vinyl order. This is Peter Broderick in his solo folky mode, sort of a cheerful Nick Drake in the way that songs fall out of him apologetically. I like that though and always appreciate someone crafting music subtly - a welcome gift in a world of music whereby most artists thrust their stuff in your face like a cheap stripper after your $£$s. It's beautiful in some places but forgettable in others and some of the tracks are interchangeable but i'm gonna leave it in the car for an undemanding listen whilst i'm cruising the, errrrrrrr, highways of the World. The second CD is a live disc and i promise i'll get onto that one soon.