Posts Tagged https://linktr.ee/Simonsweetman
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November 26, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
Unfinished Intro To A Life-Long Essay Celebrating Drums
My favourite underrated drummer ever – having to name just one – would be Stevie Wonder. I say this because a lot of people probably still don’t know that Stevie Wonder played the drums on a lot of his great recordings. And would always get up and jam live. I went to a drum-clinic something like […]Archive
November 26, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
Magic and Loss: The Song
Songs For Drella is a masterpiece. It seems even more poignant now – no chance of another collaboration between Lou Reed and John Cale. And it’s an uncomfortable listen in places – tense and moody –and so stripped back. That’s why it works. Reed must have been on a roll, because he had just made New York and then […]Archive
November 24, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
Richard Ashcroft: Acoustic Hymns Vol. 1
Richard Ashcroft Acoustic Hymns Vol. 1 BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd I’ve never cared much for Richard Ashcroft – he was the least significant member of The Verve as far as I was concerned; and yes I know that’s absurd. But what I liked about that band – which wasn’t all that much – was […]Archive
November 24, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
In Praise of ‘The Morning Show’
Over the weekend we finished the final episodes of season two of The Morning Show. I liked this show a lot. It’s a smart soap-opera, a compelling and very straight-faced satire. The Morning Show debuted in 2019 as a flagship for then-new streaming platform, Apple TV+ and its stacked cast – Steve Carrell, Jennifer Aniston, […]Archive
November 23, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
Brian Wilson: At My Piano
Brian Wilson At My Piano Decca I can just imagine so many reviews missing the point, chuckling off at the redundancy of an instrumental set of Beach Boys songs, arguing that the sun-kissed classics need those vocal harmonies to really come alive.Archive
November 23, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
Carter Burwell: The Morning Show – Season 2 (Apple TV+ Original Series Soundtrack)
Carter Burwell The Morning Show: Season 2 (Apple TV+ Original Series Soundtrack) Lakeshore Records As it turns out I’m a pretty big fan of The Morning Show. It’s not perfect. But as smart, snackable TV it’s solid, knows its game and brings in some big themes, big moments, big performances. It’s good – but not […]Archive
November 21, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
Tom Petty’s Music: My Introduction
Damn the Torpedoes was my introduction – and I still think it’s pretty close to being a perfect rock record. It’s also just seeped in nostalgia for me, not just for the actual music but for cassette tapes. And what an intro to the music of Tom Petty. Overall, the catalogue is strong. Most of the […]Archive
November 17, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
Revisiting Scratch 22 – Distance From View: 10 Years On…
One of my favourite albums from 2011 was Distance From View by Scratch 22. This rolling, flowing instrumental hip-hop album was created by New Zealander Rodi Kirk. His DJ/producer alias: Scratch 22. What I loved about Distance From View, instantly was that it flows and moves; it is not just a series of tracks. It is an album […]Archive
November 16, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
The Return of Curb Your Enthusiasm: Pretty, Pretty, Pretty Good!
Curb Your Enthusiasm is back. Season 11 is playing currently – you’ll find it on the internet, it’s an HBO show and in New Zealand that means episodes are arriving weekly and available on Neon. It’s also available in other ways… There’s only a few episodes so far – and it’s got the feel of […]Archive
November 16, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
So You Think You Wanna Be A Freelance Writer…
I finished school in Hawke’s Bay and moved to Wellington for University. I didn’t really know exactly what I wanted to do – but I was always interested in writing, so I figured I’d be a journalist. My plan was to do a BA in English and then apply to journalism school. In my second […]Archive
November 11, 2021 by Simon Sweetman