The Swipe Volume 2 Chapter 17
I was handed an ugly shift on The Day Job this week. 2pm-10pm, which does nothing for your social life or, it turns out, a positive frame of mind in general. It turns out, as I’ve got older, I’ve become much more a creature of habit. Change is not in my nature any more. I’m an early riser, which means any work undertaken after about 9pm is met with an internal mental complaint of ‘shouldn’t you be in bed by now?’ I’ve seen little of TLC, struggled to do anything creatively and generally spent the week in a state of high discombobulation. Back to a normal rhythm from Monday. Clearly, I need a settled routine to be a productive member of society.
Wherever you are, whenever you are, however you are, welcome to The Swipe.
Rob is reading…
The Book Of Merlyn by T.H. White. The fourth chapter in The Once And Future King trilogy reunites Arthur, now an old man riddled with doubt and beset by trouble, with his crazy old tutor. It’s a strange mix of kid-friendly whimsy, pokes at the cultural trends of the day with a handful of politics and philosophy mixed in, all filtered through that very English rural psychedelic veil that Milne, Ransome and Grahame conjured up so beautifully. An oddly cosy read.
Rob is watching…
Doctor Who, obvs. The first two eps were a game of two halves. Space Babies was perhaps a little too goofy for my tastes, but The Devil’s Chord struck the right note (not sorry, won’t take it back). I love the idea of a wildly theatrical god-level villain, and Jinkx Monsoon nailed the pantomime-dame vibes of a music vampire. Great to see the producers found room for a little dance at the end, with Shirley and Johannes from Strictly sneaking in for a shimmy. Saturday night feels special again!
Rob is listening…
You know how I love love love my power pop. From the Raspberries and Todd Rundgren through to the Paisley Underground of the 80s all the way up to modern champs of the scene like The Beths (and do check out The Well-Wishers), this is the music which gives me all the happies. The good folk at Bandcamp have provided an excellent overview of some forgotten gems. But they are smart enough to start with the non plus ultra. Like Paul Westerberg said, I never travel too far without a little Big Star…
Rob is eating…
As I’ve been on a weird shift this week, Rob has been eating… badly. Back on the fresh food this weekend, I promise. For now—to me, my Shin Ramen cup!
Rob’s Low-Key Obsession Of The Week…
My unapologetic, peak 80s earworm of the week. Come for the riff, stay for the hair. Love the chemistry between Bryan and Tina, they look like they’re having the best time. Keep your eyes open for Conan The Barbarian on keys.
Have we become a species of doom-scrollers, timeline-flickers and media butterflies, unable to concentrate or focus on any one thing for more than five seconds before fluttering off to the next shiny? The demands on our attention seem to be stacking up around us, to the point where we don’t know where to look next. (Top tip, The Swipe, Saturday, 10am, make that a settled part of your own routine). Nathan Heller takes a closer look at the problem for The New Yorker.
There is sooo much griping about how modern music is no good, usually from commentators of a certain age harkening back to the tunes of their youth, moaning how things don’t sound like that anymore. It’s a common complaint—fings ain’t wot they used to be—which has been going on since humanity figured out how to write a complaint down. When it comes to music, there has always been as much trash as treasure. Inevitably, the bad stuff rots away, as Ted Gioia explores.
All Bad Music Will Eventually Disappear
Finally, British cooking is starting to get a little respect on the world stage, as we start to realise what a bounty of brilliant produce and culinary talent we have on our little island. It’s great to celebrate the food of our country. Just for a moment though, let’s slip back and look at how our grub used to be perceived, courtesy of this crazy Californian cookbook from 1969. Those illustrations are straight out of Yellow Submarine!
I guess another reason for my discombobulated state is having to deal with a world without Steve Albini. The famously irascible, opinionated but passionate musician and producer went way too soon, leaving a legacy of creative excellence and, to be frank, a framework for living life by your own rules and without compromise. A couple of tributes from Alexis Patrides in the Graun and Grayson Hager Cullin at Pitchfork give a decent overview of a man with principles, heart and a backbone. So long, Steve.
Sure, I love Buffy The Vampire Slayer. But as time rolls on I feel more affinity for the show’s darker shadow, the LA-set noir-adjacent Angel. It’s a show that offers so much in the way of character development and wild twists in circumstance, unafraid to do terrible things to the main characters in order to up the stakes and fire up the story.
“If nothing we do matters, the only thing that matters is what we do.”
Last up, Bertie Brandes gives some top tips to all you urban parasites looking to exploit the underclass and make some cash as a landlord. Not satirical in the slightest.
It’s a short one this week, for reasons laid out above. Look after yourselves, take time for a moment in the sunshine and grab a bit of joy where you can find it. And on that subject…
Sod it, my house, my rules. As soon as I posted It’s Only Love as the Low-Key Obsession I knew this power pop banger would have to go in. Featuring my very favourite Spice Girl, this tune cheers me up every time I hear it. I needed a bit of joy this week and When You’re Gone fits the bill in every respect.
See you in seven, fellow travellers.
