Crossing my fingers for you.

Not even Songs The Lord Taught Us? Definite A+ album for me. I'll admit that after the 3rd or 4th album, it starts to be diminishing returns - they carved out a niche and stuck to it, but they didn't have much room in it to explore.

As with last week, The Cramps and Radiohead are the mainstays. Elvis Costello (first few years) is coming up hard on their flank, though.

De Stijl is my clear favourite.

Lou Reed, New York.

Written a couple of test pieces for something long I'd like to start in about three weeks. Not totally sure it'll be ready to start then, however.

Shack - Hey Mama
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Rainy Day, Dream Away
Shonen Knife - Evil Birds
Lou Reed - Temporary Thing
Smashing Pumpkins - Today

Hollyweird got 'im.

Oh, that's next, don't you worry.

I got Funkadelic's Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow on vinyl the other day. Beat that, schmuckos.

The thing I'm finding most striking is that, in terms of style, it feels like it was written by someone in their 30s or 40s - her ear for modern rhythms is really good for someone in her 70s, and not something she seems to've bothered with much before.

Religion allies itself with power. A point made neatly in Aguirre, The Wrath Of God.

Just downloaded this (very cheap in the UK), as I'm in the mood for something Lovecraftian that isn't Lovecraft, so thanks for mentioning her.

That would've been better. I can't work out if the ending as stands is meant to be taken at face value or is a cynical send-up of a happy ending.

I'm a quarter of the way through The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood. I didn't noticed any fanfare over the release of this one, but maybe I missed it. It's okay so far: my second book in a few months that imagines a near-future America brought low by a financial collapse. In this, a married couple move to a city…

Well I'm not the world's most masculine man
But I know what I am and I'm glad I'm a man
And so is Lola

The Satanists' get-together at the end of Rosemary's Baby. They skew a bit old, maybe.

No one is ever happier for a move to ITV, are they? More comfortable financially, but surely not satisfied in any other way, and usually with a foreshortened career.

Thanks!

Some Radiohead, mainly inspired by the OKNOTOK release. I'm only a moderate fan (I admire more than I enjoy everything post-OK Computer), but there's some good stuff on here.