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Archive for the ‘David Almond’ Category

David Almond–Mouse Bird Snake Wolf [illustrated by Dave McKean] (2013)

Posted in Alternate Reality, Children's Books, Dave McKean, David Almond, Gods, Marc Almond, Soft Cell on October 12, 2013| Leave a Comment »

mbws SOUNDTRACK: MARC ALMOND-“Glorious” (2001).

gloriousAll the time that I had been seeing David Almond’s name I had been thinking of Marc Almond.  I don’t know how common a name Almond is, but it doesn’t seem unreasonable to think that it is not a very common name.  Or to think that a singer might  become a writer.  However, looking at photos of David, it is clear that he is not Marc.

I knew that Marc Almond was the singer in Soft Cell (you know, “Tainted Love”–which I didn’t realize was a cover), but I haven’t followed him at all since then.  His name has cropped up on songs from time to time, so i knew he was still singing and that he sounded mostly the same (a bit more glammy).  When I did a search I found this utterly fascinating video.

Almond has always had a strong, powerful voice.  And as his solo career has moved along it seems to have gotten even more operatic.  He can hold long notes and he can really belt those notes out.

“Glorious” is no exception, with the chorus being a big anthem.  What’s interesting is that the verses which are fairly simple keyboard notes have a slightly minor chord feel to them giving the verses a vaguely sinister feel.  I don’t know if that’s intentional (I feel not given the big chorus, but I sense it).  Despite all of the bigness and the disco ball video, this song is surprisingly not that catchy.  It certainly has a fun chorus, but the music itself is not instantly hummable.

But I have to respect Marc for that elaborate costume.

[READ: September 29, 2013] Mouse Bird Snake Wolf

I’ve known David Almond for a while but I’ve never seen his children’s books before.  I got this mainly for McKean’s art, which is as weirdly beautiful as ever.

Almond has apparently written a few children’s books and I rather assume that they are all kind of dark and “older” like this one.

The story starts in a world long ago and far away with three children, the eldest Harry, the middle one Susan, and the young one Ben.  There were marvelous things in the world but the children felt that there were gaps–things missing.

Then we see the gods (I love that the world below is in vibrant color and the gods are in shades of gray).  The gods were so pleased with all of things they had created (and they were indeed wonderful) that they basically sat around on their clouds praising themselves, drinking tea and eating cakes.

But the children are unhappy with things–there’s too many unsettling empty spaces.  They shout their concerns, but the gods ignore them. Then, one by one, the children begin imagining things that ought to be there. (more…)

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David Almond, Eoin Colfer, Roddy Doyle, Deborah Ellis, Nick Hornby, Margo Lanagan, Gregory Maguire, Ruth Ozeki, Linda Sue Park, Tim Wynne-Jones–Click: One Novel Ten Authors (2007)

Posted in Beach House, Boredom, Boxing, Cocteau Twins, David Almond, Death, Deborah Ellis, Eoin Colfer, Gregory Maguire, Linda Sue Park, Margo Lanagan, My Bloody Valentine, Nick Hornby, Roddy Doyle, Ruth Ozeki, Tim Wynne-Jones, Travel, War on February 12, 2013| Leave a Comment »

clickSOUNDTRACK: BEACH HOUSE-Teen Dream (2010).

teendreamI didn’t know Beach House until this album got huge raves in end of the year lists.  I decided to investigate it and I was really pleasantly surprised by the album’s Cocteau Twins meets My Bloody valentine feel.  I have recently read that their first two albums were not quite as big and full and orchestral as this album, which meant that this one marked a recording (but not necessarily song stylistic) change for the band.  Part of me wants to hear what the earlier, more homemade version of the band sounds like, and yet I like the full almost orchestrated feel of this album so much that I can’t imagine going back to a less big sound.

The album opens with a delicately reverbed guitar riff—it feels warm and summery and then the angelic voices kick in and the ahhhs launch the song into the stratosphere.  And it pretty much stays there for the whole album.  There’s virtually no bass and only the slightest hints of drums (time-keeping measures rather than percussion).  Well, okay, “Better Times” has drums but even they are mild.  Victoria Legrand’s voice just soars, sometimes in staccato bursts, but mostly in otherworldly seeming falsetto (with occasion moments when she sounds kind of masculine and yet still angelic–it’s an amazing range).  There’s mostly reverbed guitars but on some tracks like “Used to Be” there are keyboards as well.  They’re even more prevalent (and more 80s sounding) on “Lover of Mine.”

Despite the sameness of the songs, the album doesn’t feel like one song repeated over.  The melodies are unique and the composition of the songs really shows a lot of diversity within a format.  Like “10 Mile Stereo” which has a faster pace than the other but still maintains that ethereal vibe.  Or “Real Love” which introduces a piano into the mix, and the song feels a little less ethereal, but only a little.  The album is also not too long.  It’s like a wonderful blast of summer.

The CD comes with a DVD with videos for each song, although I have not watched them yet.

[READ: February 11, 2013] Click

I discovered this story because it was listed in Roddy Doyle’s bibliography on Wikipedia.  I’m somewhat surprised that I’d never heard of it as I know so many of the authors that were involved (indeed, several of them are involved in the 39 Clues, another multiple author series).  This book is billed as a YA book and I guess it is as many of the sections are about teenagers, but some characters grow old and there’s some talk of the bombing of Hiroshima which may be a bit intense (there’s no pictures and no detailed descriptions, but still…).  It is a quick read though, so I guess it can qualify as YA.

The story is about a photographer named Gee (real name George Keane) and how he impacted so many lives.  In the first story/chapter (each chapter is like a short story that contributes to the overall picture and each one of these is written by someone different), written by Linda Sue Park, we learn that Gee has just died.  He left his granddaughter Maggie (who I came to think of as the “main” character, even though she doesn’t appear in every story) a box with seven compartments.  In each compartment was a shell with a clue, suggesting that she should take all of the shells back to where they came from–a subtle encouragement to travel the world.  But Maggie is utterly distressed by Gee’s death and she can’t get off the couch where she used to spend time with him.  Eventually her parents offer to take her to one of those locations–Japan–getting her life started at last. (more…)

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