Friday 28 November 2014

Christmas-anthropy: Have some “me-time” this festive season

Christmas is a time when we are expected to put ourselves second and our loved ones first. Is this a good thing? Of course it is! What better way to put some meaning back into an increasingly commercialised and morally redundant holiday than to treat the ones dearest to you?

However, this Christmas chances are you will not only be putting yourself second, but in fact placing yourself dead last in the yuletide pecking order. This is especially true for parents, but is also true for anyone over 25!

This Christmas, don’t forget to take some time to think about you. It’s best to get it out of the way early; from the start of the third week of December onwards your life will become an endless round of small-talk, last minute gift buying, family trips and DIY Christmas decoration repair work. But in that golden period of the first fortnight of advent – when the Christmas lights are on, the nights are drawing in and the mulled-wine is in full flow down at the German market – try to find time to treat yourself.

Forgive me if this sounds a little misanthropic; I don’t mean it to come across that way. It’s just that the truth is Christmas is one of the most stressful times of year for many people. It’s a time when we need to make sure our homes look their best for fear of being judged by whoever might drop in, and it’s also the time of year that your home is most-likely to resemble an explosion in Santa’s workshop.

So please, please, please; don’t be afraid to let your generosity show this Christmas, but also take the time to treat yourself: you will more than deserve it by time December 26th rolls around!

For information on ways to treat yourself in Nottingham this Christmas, click here.

Thursday 16 December 2010

Top 20 LPs of 2010

After a great deal of painful deliberation, here is my prestigious top-20-albums-of-2010. Now that it’s up here in cyber-space it’s concrete, definitive, done… but, truth-be-told, the top three albums on this list were so good that they are pretty much interchangeable, and the same goes for the following seventeen records. Also, 20 is such a small number that all the shoe-horning in the world wouldn’t have allowed me to fit all the albums I wanted to onto this list. Consequentially, fantastic LPs by The National, LCD Soundsystem, Nottingham’s own Tindersticks, The Hold Steady, This is Hell, Arcade Fire, Gil Scott Heron, Best Coast, Tigers Jaw, Fang Island and countless others did not make the cut. Also, sorry to any artists who are due to release albums in the remaining weeks of 2010, I’m certain R Kelly would’ve been top 5 if I’d only waited… but nevermind, eh.


1. Laura Marling- I Speak Because I Can
With Alas, I cannot Swim, the teenaged Laura showed a precocious talent, and was often, and unfairly, lumped in with the Nash-es and the Allens that inhabited the charts at that time. Now, at the ripe old age of 20, she has released an astonishingly accomplished album of beautiful pastoral observations, sparkling acoustic flourishes and sweeping moments of orchestral gravity. Quintessentially English, without any of the jingoistic nationalism that sometimes goes with it; Laura Marling has blown the ridiculous genre of “nu-folk” apart and now has her sights set on a place in the “true-folk” canon.


2. The Wonder Years- The Upsides
Regardless of whether you think pop-punk was invented by Descendents in ’82, Green Day in ’94 or New Found Glory in 2000; the fact is, The Wonder Years perfected it in 2010. The Upsides is the Philadelphia band’s second full length and chronicles TWY principle songwriter, Dan Campbell’s battle with depression. Often poignant but never gloomy, The Upsides is 12 tracks of fist-in-the-air positivity and galloping melody that can’t help but sweep you along. Cuts like Logan Circle and the gang chant anthemia of Washington Square Park make this the most life-affirming record you will hear all year.


3. Tokyo Police Club- Champ!
Following the unrestrained, scratchy brilliance of their debut EP, and 2008’s more sedate Elephant Shell record, comes… well, a mixture of the two. Tokyo Police Club were finding the balance in 2010, and the product was this remarkable record, which showed they are equally at ease sound-tracking a quirky Michael Cera movie as Match of the Day 2. Champ is a far more diverse affair than TPC’s previous outings, with Graham Wright’s programmed beats and bleeps taking centre stage on a couple of tunes, and bodes well for their future releases.


4. Kele- The Boxer
Kele Okereke famously beefed up his bod for The Boxer’s cover shoot, and apparently beefed up his sound as well. The electro-rave influence of East London has been bleeding into Bloc Party’s work for some time now, but it took a break from the traditional group dynamic for Kele to truly unleash his vision on the world. Muscular synth beats meet Kele’s familiar lyrical introspections, making the Boxer sometimes ecstatic, sometimes fragile and always jaw-dropping.


5. Caribou- Swim
For many, Dan Snaith’s ethereal third album under the name Caribou went head to head with Four Tet’s latest offering, There is Good In You, for album of the year. For me, Swim was simply far better and, with Odessa, boasts a contender for “opening track of the year”. Listening to the spellbinding Found Out, the album’s forth track, you wouldn’t believe it was created a human being.


6. Tallest Man on Earth- The Wild Hunt
The cover of Kristian Matsson’s latest album says it all; a beautifully desolate prairie with nothing on the horizon, perfect for the mournful, acoustic ballads contained within. The Wild Hunt casts Matsson as the wandering troubadour out in the void, possibly on some sort of quixotic quest to be the new Bob Dylan.


7. Deerhunter- Halcyon Digest
The ever reliable Deerhunter return with an album of production drenched, almost aquatic sounding recordings. Frontman, Bradford Cox’s songwriting sparkles through the malaise as he creates some of his most traditional sounding indie-pop ditties to date… and then distorts the hell out of them.


8. Sufjan Stevens- The Age of Adz
Sounding like a more lyrical Animal Collective, Stevens has come a long way from the understated acoustic balladry of his early albums. At times it feels as if he is pulling out all the stops on his mad electrical flourishes and bizarre changes of pace, but it always works. The Age of Adz might not quite reach the heights of Illinoise, but vintage Sufjan is evident on classic cuts like I Want to Be Well and Too Much.


9. Magnetic Man- Magnetic Man
When dubstep heavyweights Skream and Benga got together the results were always going to be special. The overplaying of singles I Need Air and Perfect Stranger may have momentarily diluted their brilliance, but you’ll be skanking away in clubs to them in five years time, I promise. Tunes like the brilliantly unhinged The Bug and the curveball of Flying into Tokyo make this a modern classic.


10. Ceremony- Rohnert Park L.P
Kicking off with Into the Wayside Part I: Sick is Ceremony’s way of telling you that this is no ordinary hardcore record. Like a stateside version of Fucked Up!, Ceremony are just as venomous, just as dangerous and just as brutal as the rest of the hardcore community, but with too much intelligence to be pigeon-holed. Black Flag for the 21st Century.


11. Jenny and Johnny- I’m Having Fun Now

A harmonious relationship doesn’t always make for the best art, but these lovebirds are the exception to the rule. Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley and The Postal Service fame and solo-artist Johnathan Rice have collaborated before, but this, their first full length together, is a masterful tour through the whisky soaked barrooms and open roads of Bonnie and Clyde Americana


12. Nicki Minaj- Pink Friday
You might get tired of Minaj telling you she’s richer – and generally better – than you, but it’s undeniable that she has one of the freshest sounding deliveries around. A guilty pleasure maybe, but Nikki’s idiosyncratic style and bags of attitude make Pink Friday a solid choice for the top-20.


13. Broken Bells- Broken Bells
Another dream team in the top-20; the delicious production of Danger Mouse and lyrical skill of The Shins’ James Mercer can’t fail but make this a winner. Any doubts about the quality of the project were surely dispelled after one listen to opener, and lead single, The High Road.


14. Terror- Keepers of the Faith
A career best effort from Scott Vogel’s LA hardcore crew, who yet again prove themselves to be one of the most adrenalized bands on the planet. Positive lyrics themes of integrity, honesty and friendship abound on this record, and their old-school ethos of constant touring has made them one of the best live bands on the planet.


15. Phosphorescent- Here’s to Taking it Easy
In contrast to Terror who couldn’t take it easy if they tried, American folkie Matthew Houck’s latest offering is a paean to life in the slow lane. Here’s to Taking it Easy is a sumptuous record; softer and more filled-out than his earlier recordings, it even manages to make an AOR, saxophone driven intro sound fantastic. This man makes gorgeous music and I pray that one day he gets the widespread recognition he deserves.


16. Paul Baribeau- Unbearable
Unbearable is as stripped down as they come; most tracks are simply one man and a battered old acoustic, singing away like his life depended on it – and judging by the way Baribeau’s fragile voice falters on How Could That be True? you would think that it did. The result is a brilliant document of human love at its most pure and non-judgemental.


17. Lightspeed Champion- Life is Sweet, Nice to Meet You
Much has been made of Dev Hynes’ “musical OCD” and the well trodden urban legend of a Domino records representative turning up on his doorstep and asking for the masters for the latest album, only to be given five albums worth of material. How much of this is true is debateable, but what is true is Hynes is a fantastic songsmith, which this admirably ambitious record attests to. Marlene and Sweetheart are two of the tunes of 2010.


18. Bombay Bicycle Club- Flaws
Similarly to Laura Marling way up at number one, BBC showed a helluva lot of promise at a young age, although I Had the Blues but I Shook Them Loose was arguably better than Marling’s debut. The North London quartet followed up their 2009 debut with a massive change in direction, going from fuzzy indie scamps to composed folk-popsters. Contrary to its title, you’d find it hard to pick a fault with Flaws.


19. She & Him- Volume 2
Indie music’s – and cinema’s – most photogenic chanteuse returns with partner in crime M.Ward on another volume of sugar-coated reminiscence. Don’t let the arbitrary description of the band’s name and record title fool you, Volume 2 is captivating stuff.


20. Titus Andronicus- The Monitor
Any album that opens with a quote from Abraham Lincoln’s Lyceum Address is going to make it into my top-20 no problem. However, The Monitor would have made it even without this boost. As rough and ready as the Civil War battleship it’s named after, this sprawling barroom opus is laced with just the right amounts of aggressive swagger and Springsteen-esque melancholy to make it a winner. Just like its name sake, the albums blaze of glory is the epic The Battle of Hampton Roads.

Tuesday 7 December 2010

Mansfield Town Have Ground Repossessed

Managerless Mansfield Town have been thrown into chaos after having their ground re-possessed by a former owner.

Keith Haslam sold the Nottinghamshire club to local businessmen Andy Saunders, Steve Middleton and Andy Perry in 2008, before the trio sold the club on, to millionaire John Radford, earlier this year.

However, Haslam retained ownership of the club’s Field Mill home and leased the ground to the new owners. This lease has now been terminated amid allegations of unpaid rent and fees.

Bailiffs from Burlington Enforcement, acting on behalf of Haslam’s company, Stags Ltd, attached a notice to the gates of Field Mill on Wednesday night, warning people not to enter.

The notice stated that “any attempt to enter these premises without the express consent of the Landlords named above will render those responsible liable to civil and/or criminal proceedings being brought against them”. It also instructed that any communication regarding the action be made via Burlington Enforcement.

This development comes as the Stags prepare to announce the successor David Holdsworth, who departed Mansfield Town by mutual consent on November 18th. The club were also struggling to be ready for a pitch inspection on Friday, ahead of Saturday’s clash with Barrow, which now looks unlikely to go ahead.

In a statement released on Thursday morning, Burlington Enforcement said:
“An initial meeting was held with Mr Radford prior to which payment of the outstanding rent owed by the club was promised. The rent was, however, not paid thereby necessitating the action taken today. Stags Ltd remain willing to engage in a constructive dialogue with the club regarding the future of the stadium”.

Mr Radford was unavailable for comment.

Nottingham Gun Crime Decrease

This article was recently published on suite101.com.

Nottinghamshire Police have revealed a substantial fall in firearms offences over the past year.

55 incidents of gun crime were reported in the first 9 months of 2010, representing a 43% decrease from the same period of last year. Police say that only a 17 of these incidents involved a gun being fired.

Chief Superintendent Dave Walker is head of policing in Nottingham; he described the decrease as a “testament” to the police’s approach to gun crime, and to their imroved relationship with the local people.

“While enforcement is a crucial deterrent, it cannot be seen as the only solution to the problem.” He said.

“Arresting and convicting people will demonstrate the consequences of carrying a firearm, but it will be a combination of raising awareness, educating young people and working closely with the communities affected by gun crime that will have the real impact.”


Nottingham’s reputation as a city gripped by gun crime came to a head in 2003 when there were four deaths from shootings in the city, as well as 23 injuries. In response to this, the decision was taken to align police city divisions and city council boundaries, with a joint focus on decreasing crime. This change of approach from police, and their increased work with community groups such as the No Gun Organisation, caused overall crime rates to decrease by half.

Peter Moyes, executive director of Nottingham CDP, remains hopeful that this decrease will continue, despite the threat of Government cuts.

“The target is ambitious but not impossible”. He said. “It is incumbent upon us all to drive as hard as we possibly can to deliver the expectations of local people.

Mr Moyes went on to praise the ‘unique’ structure of policing operations within Nottinghamshire, as well as the close relationship between the police, the city council and its community protection directorate, highlighting how city council parking attendants joined in the combined efforts to trace the two children who went missing in Bulwell recently.

The figures have been well received, however, Councillor Jon Collins, Chairman of the Nottinghamshire Police Authority, warned against a complacent attitude following their release.

He said; “While this downward trend is welcomed, there are still too many people involved in criminal activity who go around carrying guns or knives. We need to ensure that those people are caught and we need to educate young people on the dangers, to themselves and others, associated with weapons of this kind.”

Friday 26 November 2010

Do QPR have what it takes to win promotion?

This article was recently published on soccerlens.com.

As we stumble towards December, Queens Park Rangers remain unbeaten and are, so far, making a mockery of the much touted “most competitive league in the world” tag that the Championship has attained in recent seasons. Do they have the strength to maintain this form right through to May?

Long before Manchester City’s bizarre financial rebirth, Queens Park Rangers were the billionaires’ play-thing du jour. Following a takeover by Formula One tycoons Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone, the club fell into the hands of the world’s eighth richest man, Lakesh Mittal, in late 2007. At the dawn of each Championship season since this takeover, Rangers have been touted amongst the division favourites, only to spectacularly prove everyone wrong by January, and finally limp home in eleventh place. 2007 was no “year zero” for QPR.

Along with the money came the rumours; the proposed transfer of Luis Figo never materialised, and it seemed as if that multi-million pound saviour of the club was destined to be just a pipe-dream. That was until salvation arrived in the unlikeliest of guises.

21 year old Morrocan, Abel Taarabt was described as a genius by former QPR manager Jim Magilton during his two years on loan at the club from Tottenham, but a mixture of injury and unsettlement prevented the young winger from truly finding his feet at Loftus Road.

His permanent signing by new manager Neil Warnock appears to have galvanised the player’s performances and his 8 goals in 18 games are a testament to that. Taarabt’s devastating power and accuracy on either foot, and dazzling skill and technique on the ball have instilled something into the opposition that has been unheard of since Les Ferdinand’s Premiership glory days- a fear of playing QPR.

Taarabt’s genius doesn’t come without a price however, and the notoriously fiery Moroccan has had more than his fair share of temper tantrums at QPR. Neil Warnock was quick to play down Taarabt’s sulking following his substitution in Rangers’ 3-0 win over Ipswich in September saying “He’ll probably take his shirt off and throw it at me at times- but if I can cope with that, everybody else can as well.”

But such pandering does nothing other than nurture a “bigger than the club” attitude within a player, and it is this temperament that Warnock needs to erase if he is to get the very best out of Taarabt. This is the same Adel Taarabt, after all, who ingratiated himself to the fans of former club Tottenham Hotspur by stating in a press conference that he would rather have played in the red of their North-London rivals than at White Hart Lane. At 21, Taarabt’s career should still be in the ascendency, but this potential will go to waste if his indiscipline is not reigned in.

Warnock is no stranger to big egos, he has been in possession of one himself for sometime now, and maybe it is this awkward dichotomy of two sulky- and it pains me to say this- geniuses that will give QPR’s promotion challenge that extra bit of longevity this term.

After all, Warnock’s summer signings have been low-key but inspired choices, acquired in exactly the opposite manner to the much trumpeted big-money rumours of the past few years. Barring the signature of Taarabt, QPR have made no marquee acquisitions, preferring to doggedly go about signing quality players that fit into Warnock’s tactical vision.

Rob Hulse, Jamie Mackie and Leon Clark all filed in and quietly set about putting together an unbeaten run of 18 games. QPR’s quiet upheaval is illustrated by the 7 changes in their starting eleven for the trip to Nottingham Forest from the corresponding fixture last season, compared to just 3 for the reds.

History suggests that Queens Park Rangers are due a dip in form and fortune after this phenomenal run, but with the quality squad Warnock has assembled, and the almost supernatural skill of Adel Taarabt in the midfield engine-room, there is no reason why Rangers won’t still be in the race for promotion by the time May rolls around. We’ll just have to see if the two egos can hold it together for long enough.

Wednesday 24 November 2010

Scotland's Refereeing Crisis Deepens as Iceland Refuse to Help

This article was recently published on suite101.com

Iceland’s referees will not take charge of Scotland’s Premier League games this weekend.

The Icelandic referees association today voted unanimously to support their striking Scottish colleagues and to not answer pleas from the Scottish FA to referee this weekend’s SPL fixtures.

Sigurder Thorleifsson, head of Iceland’s referees association, had initially approved the proposal, but the union’s members emphatically decided not to travel to Scotland.

Kristinn Jakobsen was the first Icelander to referee a Champions League game, he told of solidarity amongst international referees.

“The referees all around the world are one team, so I think we are going on the same line.” He said. “I expect the same stance will be taken by officials in Ireland, Wales and Scandinavia.”


The Scottish referees strike is the culmination of a long period of tension between referees and the players and officials of football clubs. This came to a head on October 17th when referee Dougie Macdonald apparently changed his mind after awarding a penalty to Celtic at Dundee United, for a foul on Gary Hooper. The Bhoys came away with all three points at Tannadice, but this decision and a series of others have led to a general feeling of anger amongst Celtic’s players, staff and fans.

This bad feeling between referees and football clubs is in no way restricted to the Scottish Leagues- the Respect campaign in England was launched to combat increasing abuse of referees at all levels of the game- but many feel that the abuse suffered by Scottish refs is getting out of hand.

Former referee, Kenny Clark, told Channel 4 news that events in Scotland had reached crisis point;

“This goes far beyond criticism- it is now at the level of personal abuse”, he said. “And not only are referees fearful of their own safety, they are fearful of their families’ safety as a results of threats and emails they have received.”

The Scottish FA have said their meeting with Icelandic officials were part of a contingency plan and that they hope to resolve the issue in talks with the Scottish Senior Football Referees Association on tonight.