April 2021.
Some things that I’ve liked this month.
BOOKS.
David Hockney. His new book of conversations with Martin Gayford, Spring Cannot be Cancelled is absolutely wonderful. It’s a beautiful book to look at and incredibly revealing about Hockney and the way he sees the world. Honestly, I cannot recommend this more highly. Having read this, I went backwards to their previous book of conversations A Bigger Message and loved that too. I think the most recent one is better but not by much. Oh, and if you are going to read Spring… then I recommend that you do it now, during spring. I wish I hadn’t read it so that I could start again.
I also absolutely loved Rachel Cusk’s trilogy of books called Transit, Kudos and Outline. I read them in the reverse order because I didn’t know they were a trilogy until I’d read the most recent, but it made no difference. These are beautiful, sparse, deceptively simple books in which not a great deal happens, but everything happens. There is more truth and humour, warmth and intelligence in every page than most novelists achieve in a lifetime and they race along so quickly that one chapter never feels like enough.
MUSIC.
The Weather Station. Ignorance. An excellent off-kilter alt folk album. This is a sort of modern Joni Mitchell record with flecks of disco. It’s a real grower.
Tindersticks. Distractions. I love the melodic, melancholy music of Tindersticks and, in particular, the deep, dark voice of Stuart Staples. This, their thirteenth album, might just be their best. Unlike many of their records, it grabs you from the first listen. It was recorded when their tour was cut short by the first Covid lockdown and brims with resouircefulness and beauty.
Mustafa. Otherwise known as Mustafa the Poet. I’ve just discovered the music of this multi-talented Canadian, who is a poet, singer and film maker. Best, I think, is Stay Alive which will lock you in from the first listen. A good reference point would be a soulful Jose Gonzalez.
PODCASTS.
Transmissions. The Definitive Story. Joy Division/New Order. This is an absolutely masterful eight episode series, narrated by Maxine Peake with contributions from every important figure. A truly brilliant series.
Hunting Ghislaine. Another excellent series, with John Sweeney. This isn’t so much about trying to actually find Ghislaine Maxwell but more about trying to understand what happened to make her who she is and why.
I Am Not A Monster. A brilliant blockbuster series from Panorama about an American woman who, with her husband, took their children to Syria to join ISIS. Fascinating, weird, confusing and brilliantly told.
WTF with Marc Maron. Maron’s interview with Hunter Biden tells an extraordinary story of how the President’s son became hooked on crack, lost everything, invited a homeless woman into his flat to live with him (provided she brought him his crack), slept for ten hours a week and then, perhaps, finds salvation. The interview is in support of a book, but I think the podcast is enough for me. I’m unconvinced by Biden but Maron -in his brilliant way- conducts a masterful interview.
I really enjoyed Adam Buxton’s short interview with musician and artist Laurie Anderson who positively oozes positivity, curiosity and joy.
TV.
ZeroZeroZero. This masterful series about the cocaine trade makes Narcos look like a gentle walk in the park. This is highbrow drama that pulls no punches and it is dark, violent and beautifully made. It’s about the drug trade but what’s so interesting here is that it follows the narcos, traffickers and mafia on different continents. There’s enough light to avoid despair and a brilliant soundtrack from Mogwai that is used liberally and to brilliant effect.
Unforgotten. What took me so long? I think that this might be the best British crime series that I’ve ever seen. It follows a team of detectives who work on (very) cold cases. The leads are amazing and there are endless side characters that shine, too.
Yellowstone. I haven’t heard anything about this from friends or reviewers or whatever but it’s a great. It’s an epic series on every level starring Kevin Costner and telling the story of his struggles to retain the family ranch. It is movie-like in its scope and ambition and almost every shot is full of beauty (in a Ralph Lauren kind of way).
Your Honor. A blockbuster series and apparently loved by everyone. This is a story about how you’d behave if one of your children did something really bad and you thought you could cover it up, but couldn’t.
SHOPPING.
I am eying up the beautiful ceramics of Tanya McCallin on Hole & Corner’s online shop.
I’d happily take everything in David Shrigley’s new shop in Copenhagen which is founded in partnership with his friend and gallerist Nicolai Wallner.
Boring but life enhancing. I bought some toughened non-stick pans from Le Creuset and we all absolutely love them.
Montezuma’s white chocolate buttons. The best £3.99 you will ever spend.
I bought four more of these amazing Artemide lamps for the cottages at Glen Dye.
And, again for the cottages and cabins loads of wonderful, vernacular French glasses from Merci at a great price.