What I’m into June-August 2016

I've been meaning to write this for a while, so it has turned into what I've been into for the past few months.

What I'm reading

Assimilate Or Go Home: Notes from a Failed Missionary - D.L. Mayfield

Finished: 
How to Survive a Shipwreck - Jonathan Martin
The Reality Slap - Russ Harris
Jesus Feminist - Sarah Bessey
When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi
The Light of the World - Elizabeth Alexander
Broken Open - Elizabeth Lesser
Never Broken - Jewel
America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America - Jim Wallis
Being Mortal - Atul Gawande

Hardly surprising what I've been reading really, with a few books on how we deal with the stormy seasons in our life.  The highlight was definitely 'When Breath Becomes Air', a brilliant reflection on death and dying.  I can not recommend it highly enough.

The other highlight was American's Orginal Sin, which so, easily can be translated to the Australian experience. The chapter of White privilege was a challenging reminder.

I've always loved Jewel's music, so her book, part memior and part 'self-help' was a really great read, and certainly gave me a lot to think about.

What I've been listening too 
It's  been a great yeat for music. Here's a collection of the music I've been listening too:

• Starboard home - Written and performed by some of Ireland’s leading songwriters, Starboard Home has been commissioned by the Dublin Port as part of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme. 12 new songs about stories of the river and port portraying Dublin’s resonant past as well as its dynamic present. Bought it mostly because Gemma Hayes and Colm Mac Con Iomaire were two of the artists on it.
• Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool 
• December - I Will Let You Have Your Say
• Switchfoot - Where the light shines through.  
• All Sons and Daughters - Poets and Saints
• Audrey Assad - Inheritance - a collection of old hymns (Holy Holy Holy, Be thou my Vision) along with some original songs.  Well worth listening to. 
• The Gloaming - self titled - the second album from another great Irish band. 
• Daivd Bowie - Blackstar
• Lisa Hannigan - A Swim  she just has a magical voice.
• Ingrid Michaelson - It Doesn't Have to Make Sense
• Wilco - Shmilco
• Sandra McCracken - God's Highway

Other music that I've been listening to this year:

• Hamilton - late to get onto this, but really enjoyed listening to the musical and can't wait for it to get to Australia. 
• Live recordings from the current tours of Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam

Over half-way through 2016, and the standout albums for the year are Radiohead's 'A moon shaped pool', Audrey Assad's Inheritance and All Sons and Daughters. I'm looking forward to listening to the albums released this year by Paul Simon, Daniel Lanois and Dave Dobbyn.

Rumour has it that a new U2 album could drop, but I'll believe that when it magically appears in my i-tunes account.

What I'm Watching
I just started Stranger Things. I've just watched the first epsiode, so will reseerve judgement for now.

Otherwise, most of what I watch on TV is live sport.

What I've been in up - May 2016

I've seen a few of these post around the place at the end of each month. So thought that I'd take the time to write on myself.

What I've been watching:
I know I'm late to the party on this one, but I just finished working my way through Friday Night Lights. Just the first season mind you. I haven't quite got the courage for Season two.  I liked the completeness of the story and where things were left.

I've been trying out Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, and have found that to be compelling TV and it stays true to the franchise, but adds the cross-cultural dimension into it.

With catch-up tv I've been watching The Voice. I quite enjoy the blind auditions and the Battle Rounds often throw-up some great performances, but after that it reverts to a typical music show.  Jessie J comes across as a great coach. Will be intrigued to see who wins this year, haven't really heard anyone really stand out yet.

What I've been listening to:
The last month has seen new Swtichfoot tracks, and Radiohead's new album on heavy rotation. Radiohead's new album seems to combine the best bits of In Rainbows with Kid A and creates a brilliant soundscape.  Jon Foreman's songwriting is as brilliant as ever, and I can't wait for the full album to be released next month.

I'm also looking forward to the official release of U2's Paris show from late last year.  In my opinion its the best the band has sounded for sometime.  Still hopeful that Songs of Experience will be released this year...

What I've been reading:
I've been slowly working my way through Madeline Gleeson's book about Australia's Offshore processing of refugees. In all seriousness, the book is a must read for every Australian. It is incredibly difficult to understand what is being done to these people in our names.

Prior to that, I read Stan Grant's 'Talking to my country' - which is another must read for every Australian on the topic of Aboriginal relations.

Borgen - Season Two

Some thoughts on season two.

The second season, reveals more about Kasper's history, and goes to explaining his character. The scene when Katrine founds out Kasper's secret is powerful & moving.

Other political issues dealt included Nyborg brokering a peace deal with the leaders of North & South Sudan, and what it might look like when a party changes a leader, early retirement, and lowering the age of criminal responsibility.

What I found the most gripping and distressing was the interplay between media and politicians. What level of scrutiny do they sign up for when they seek office, and how is what's in the public interest determined. In the show the PM's daughter is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, and the press stake out the home in which she stays, making a huge impact on the home. Another story was around the Minister for Justice, being set up to be exposed as a gay man. The final example was when the TV station had a great story about the North Sudan leader cheating the Southern leader out of money, which given the delicate state of the peace negotiations, if made public would completely derail the process.

The scene that hit me the hardest was in the hospital when the television program was discussing the Sudanese Peace Agreement, while Philip and Brigitte were dealing with their daughter's second anxiety attack. The cost of public life was so clearly portrayed.

I am looking forward to the final season.

Borgen - Review

If you are missing The West Wing, or you are  a fan of House of Cards and looking for a new TV show to watch I recommend that you give the Danish TV Series “Borgen” a go.

Borgen translates to "Castle" and the show centres on Birgitte Nyborg, who becomes Denmark’s first female Prime Minister, her minority government, and the impact her political life has on her family life.

The most striking thing in the first season was how the show highlighted the personal cost of power. During the course of season one the relationship with her husband and children spirals downwards. One of her Minsters makes the point of how many marriages of MPs fail and while they are experts at negotiating with the crossbenches to ensure the survival of their government, they are unable to utilise the same communication skills and negotiate with their partners. The show highlights this as Nyborg loses the art of intimate conversation with her husband.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the issues the Danish parliament is dealing with, are not too dissimilar to ours – immigration, the relationship with the US, quotas, surveillance, cynicism & idealism. I found the episode touching on Greenland to be particularly sad.

Equally interesting is how the show portrays differing perspectives on breaking and reporting stories in in a television station.  I am intrigued to see how this is developed through the second season.

Further reading; here's a piece from The Guardian talking about the show & Australia's former PM Gillard.

Never tear us apart - part two.

Three things from the second half of the documentary which screened last night.

:: The worst thing about the movie is Bono.  If you know U2, you know that Bono and Michael did get on. But it just wasn't done well -they could have made so much more of it.

:: Chris Murphy, is perhaps the best thing in the movie, the passion he has for music & the band. Really intrigued to read his book.

:: Perhaps the most striking thing about the film was how it highlighted the difficult relationship Australian bands have with the Australian media, and the tensions from being in a band.

It was so much harder to watch than the first half, seeing Michael's collapse.

Finishing the post where I've started here's U2 singing 'One' in Mexico City (in December 1997).

Never tear us apart

One of TV shows I had been anticipating this year, was the mini-series about one of Australia's great rock bands INXS.  The first part which screen last night took us from the formation of the band through to "when Michael met Kylie".  The show reminded you of how brilliant & erratic Michael was. Michael and the band are amazing songwriters and performers (that he wrote the words for Need You Tonight in 15mins is just one example). It was weird watching the band write and people hear the songs for the first time. Slightly humorous seeing their first manager say they weren't going to be anything.

Hard to believe that it is about 16 years ago, when I heard good friends of INXS, pay tribute to Hutch. In their PopMart concert at the Sydney Football Stadium, U2, finished with Bono dedicating One to Michael (and as they did in many of their concerts during late 1997 and 1998).

It was one of the things that highlights Bono's ability to create a moment...  there was an storm during the show, and Bono had all of the lights turned off, and the band played "One" illuminated only by the flashes of lightening, then the crowd left, singing "Never Tear Us Apart', such a moving moment.  After watching the show, the storm seems fitting for Hutchence too.

Given that the ending is known, next week's episode will be harder to watch. In the linear notes to their collection "The Years" released in 2002, Andrew Farris writes: "perhaps the people to watch out for the most, are the ones who tell you they're okay", something to be mindful of I guess.

Hutch is one of the great singers (at least of my lifetime), and last night reminded me how much poorer we are without him.

The Voice Season Two

My love of music has been recently pushed in another direction, and I have to admit, that a guilty pleasure of mine is The Voice. The format is what made me give the show a chance, the idea of the 'blind auditions'; that is the singers sing to the backs of four chairs with the aim of turning (at least) one of them. Stage two was the battle rounds where two singers from the same team sing the same song with one going through. (In a twist for Season Two, the singer who loses the battle can be saved by another coach).

For me, the battle rounds was one of the highlights of the show - this year, everyone is talking about the Steve Clisby battle with Mitchell Anderson (singing - Walking in Memphis), and last year it was (for me) the battle between Kelsie Rimmer & Brittany Cairns (singing - Turning Tables). What I loved about both of those, is that the really sounded more like duets and two singers competing.

Season Two is also going be remember for Abby Dobson (lead singer of Leonardo's Bride & a member of Baby et Lulu). You can read her take on the experience her facebook page. It's worth reading. As is Harry Connick Jnr's take on American Idol contestants singing the 'Great American Songbook'

My other favourites so far, not surprisingly a number of them sang songs I love, Tim Morrison (Sunday Bloody Sunday U2, which I reckon would be a risk, because its a big song, by a popular artist); Nicholas Roy (Falling Slowly, Glen Hansard), Imogen Brough (Never Let Me Go, Florence & the Machine) and  Jac Stone (Watch over Me, Bernard Fanning).

A few others to watch: Emma Pask, Luke Kennedy, Harrison Craig. (Was also sad to see Sophie Phillis go..

Anyway, the hope I have, is that many of these artists who are eliminated, will keep making music, and follow their dreams.

Top TV Shows of the last 25 years

I blogged about this a while ago, but when I caught this article in yesterday's SMH about the top shows of the last 25 years I thought I would look over the list and update it.  Its fairly tough, but I think I'd settle on these. The only one that I think won't change is The West Wing. For me it is miles ahead of the rest.. 

5. Homeland

I really liked the premise of the show (perhaps believable).  The second season will be the real test. However Season Two goes, I'm very intrigued to see the Israeli show it was based on.

4.  Downton Abbey

A great period drama, and I have really got into the characters. The producers haven't been too ambitious with each series (around 7 episodes long). Season Three looks like it could be interesting.

3. Criminal Minds

Criminal Minds is probably my favourite crime show.  One that really does highlight the depths of our potential depravity, it scares me every now and then, but the way the profilers are able to piece together the story amazes me.

2 Picket Fences

I have included this, but I have not been able to locate a copy of the series to buy on DVD. Would love to though, again it dealt with real meaty issues well.

1. The West Wing

Hands down the best written show I have watched on television.  One of the few shows which has regularly dealt with meaty issues. Their episode relating with 9/11 dealt with a touchy topic sensitively. The show is one of the more even shows I have seen across all seven seasons. I do regularly wonder where these characters have got to.  Very easy to watch again & again.

On the articles list, I haven't seen Mad Men. Anyone who has seen it - would you put it at number 1?