There’s much cause for excitement with me at the moment. I’m looking forward to some recent and new album releases and some TV shows.
Jake Shears has just released his new album, Last Man Dancing. I’ve got the album and am looking forward to a long drive and enjoying listening to the sound of his voice.
I’ve just learned that Stephen Lynch the musical comedian has released a new album My New Heart. I can’t wait to listen and laugh to it.
Kylie Minogue has a new album coming out, titled Tension. I’m hoping it’s better than her last couple of albums. Hoping it sounds like Kylie in the 90s.
McFly are releasing their long awaiting album titled Power to Play. I am soo excited for this release!
There’s some brilliant TV Shows out/coming out, including:
The Umbrella Academy Season 3The Mandalorian Season 3Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3
They say that sharing is caring. So today I wanted to share with you my recent media absorption, which includes a book, three albums, two TV programmes and a game.
The Last Days of Magic mixes mythology, magic and fantasy wonderfully. Ireland is the last stronghold of magical beings. But it is under threat. From King Richard in England and the Vatican.
The Vatican is determined to wipe out all creatures and men with magic. All creatures and men with magic came from fallen angels mating with humans. The Vatican believes that this is against God’s will.
There’s a wide range of compelling characters, a gripping plot and it is an easy and enjoyable read. It is the perfect example of a great fantasy novel.
Percentage Complete: 95% I will write a review of this book when I’ve finished reading it.
The flamboyantly fabulous and drop-dead-gorgeous Jake Shears is back! Doing what he does best (apart from that ahem) – singing.
His self-titled album Jake Shears is packed with original and brilliant songs. I love Shears’ eccentricity and his unique view of life which he expresses in his music.
On Jake Shears there’s catchy tunes that stick in your head such as Good Friends and Sad Song Backwards to songs about sex such as S.O.B (sex on the brain) and Clothes Off. An album that I would highly recommend.
I have found my funeral song on Jake Shears. The exceptional ballet track Palace in the Sky. It gets you right here points to chest.
I love the upbeat, quirky and sometimes melodramatic music of The 1975.
Matt Healy’s (the lead singer) voice is hypnotic and high. DH00280 is a twenty-four track album of the band playing live at The 02 in London at the end of 2016.
I would love to see this band live. But in the meantime, at least I can play this album on repeat whenever I want.
I’m lucky that it’s a digital version and not a tape, otherwise I’d have probably wore it out by now.
Fishel’s music reflects the gay community and the Singer Songwriters’ experience of it.
All gay men will be able to identify with the lyrics. The music is pop-rock and Fishel’s voice is memorising. My favourite songs on this album include His ‘n’ His,Bored of Straight Boys, and The Gorgeous Ones.
I first heard about Fishel when he released his debut album Not Thinking Straight. This album was addictive and played constantly on repeat. Songs that have stayed with me from that album are: Radio-Friendly Pop Song, Behind Closed Doors, Alastair and the Football Song.
However I was less impressed with his second album Cover Boy. The only track I enjoyed on this album was a barely passable cover of Finally.Cover Boy was thankfully a shorter album than Not Thinking Straight.
M / F demonstrates Fishel’s return to the music of his that I yearn for and most relate to. A fantastic album and one that I would recommend.
Percentage Complete: 100% (On Repeat.)
The Pyramid Code
The Pyramid Code is a five part documentary examining how advanced the Ancient Egyptians were. Interviewing experts, using visual diagrams and models, along with analysis of available evidence to present the case that the Ancient Egyptians were probably more advanced scientifically, architecturally and spiritually than we are today.
A truly fascinating and informative documentary. It’ll make you question what you’ve previously been told and accepted as fact about the ancient Egyptians.
I recently discovered In The Flesh on the BBC iPlayer. It’s set after a zombie uprising in Britain. The authorities have found a treatment that reverts zombies back to fully cognitive functioning people. They refer to them as individuals affected by Partially Deceased Syndrome (PDS).
The story is set around the Walker family. Kieren Walker is a young man who is released from a Detention Centre back to the care of his family and in his zombie-hating community. He has his parents and Jem, his younger sister who is a member of the Human Volunteer Force (HVF). The HVF rose up to eliminate the zombies after the outbreak. This unique angle is very interesting for a zombie genre TV series.
I’m only a few episodes in. But I’ll say this: it’s a very deep and dark drama series.
Kieren has side effects to the medication including flashbacks to things he did as a zombie – including the killing and eating of people. Plus Kieren wasn’t alive at the time of the outbreak. He rose from his grave. So why did Kieren with seemingly all of his life ahead of him end up dead and buried so young?
Although it’s brilliant series, I will admit that I have had to take some breaks during watching due to the level of darkness. I’ve actually found it a bit traumatic to watch at times. I guess it’s good that it makes me feel something, even if it’s something that makes me feel uncomfortable.
Percentage Complete: 33%
Theme Hospital
I bought the original Theme Hospital for under a fiver, for something to play why I wait for the release of the reinvented Theme Hospital called Two Point Hospital.
I’m enjoying it and managed to complete half of the game with only getting the game over screen a few times.
Percentage Complete:Â 50%
Looking ahead there’s loads of media to look forward to. First I’ve got a shelf of books waiting to be read. In addition to that I’ve got:
A big update for The Universim towards the end of August
The release of Two Point Hospital towards the end of August.
A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships album by The 1975 in October.
Dr Who returns to the TV in the Autumn.
A possible album from former McFly band member Danny Jones. A couple of weeks ago Danny Jones released an awesome single called Is This Still Love,
What media are you absorbing and enjoying? Leave a comment below and let me know.
This autobiography tells the tell of McFly. Written in an interview style, Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Harry Judd and Dougie Poynter start in their childhood’s and proceed chronologically through the decade that the band has been together (2003-2013).
It’s one of the most honest autobiographies I’ve ever read. It tells-all (well almost!) about the band including: the band nearly ending before it had began because of weed, Tom’s struggles with his mental health and Dougie’s battle with addiction (and how he got into recovery).
The good, the bad and the ugly (not that there’s any ugly) it’s all in Unsaid Things…Our Story. As is how the band celebrated and enjoyed their successes and learned from their failures.
In Unsaid Things…Our Story McFly acknowledge the support from their fans and thank them. There was a suitable amount of glossy photo pages, but more would always be welcome with these attractive guys.
People of my sort of age (late twenties) will get all their references. A good example is growing up we all watched Back to the Future. This film had a huge influence in how the band got it’s name. Want to know more? Buy Unsaid Things…Our Story and find out.
In Unsaid Things…Our Story McFly fans will learn when they wrote which songs, what those songs were originally about and what they feel about their past albums now – looking back.
I enjoyed reading this honest and open book about McFly’s ten year journey. Here’s to the next decade and beyond McFly! Unsaid Things…Our Story by McFly is available to buy on Amazon.
At the weekend Steve and I went to see McBusted at the MEN arena in Manchester. McBusted’s target audience are teenage girls, young women and gay men. We saw loads of teenage girls and a number of young women who had dragged their boyfriends along (bless them). But the audience lacked many gay men, probably because it was Eurovision final night.
McBusted came on stage to teenage girls screaming like banshees. The music was fantastic with McBusted playing a setlist that was an equal mix of McFly and Busted tracks. The set included a Back to the Future style car and a descending UFO. Throughout the show there was a kaleidoscope of colour from lights, screens and illuminated guitars.
McBusted delivered beyond expectations. They gave an energetic performance, had a brilliant stage presence, fluid movements, voices that were spot on and engaged the audience well. Overall the audience seemed to have tons of fun as McBusted played all of fans favourite tracks. Personally enjoyed Shine A Light, which one of my all time favourite songs.
I know from McFly’s 10th Anniversary Concert Live DVD that they are in their element and at their best when performing live. McBusted was no different. If you love any of their music then go see them live. I promise that you wont be disappointed.
Here are some photos, click on any of photo for full size:
An explosion of smoke.
The ‘Back to the Future’ style car.
The stage, complete with stage-walk around the OMFG mega fans.
The set. Bright lights in all colours.
The set. Bright lights in all colours.
UFO in the centre of the audience.
McBusted performed on the UFO, once it had been lowered into place.
McBusted attempt at Human Pyramid on the stage-walk as well, very impressive.
The giant audience balls, let loose into the audience.
Cannons shot paper and streamers out at the audience.
McBusted performing one of their last songs.
McBusted completed their final song, before each of them jumping into a hole set into the stage.
