Book 10 - Catullus "I hate And I Love"

Catullus "I hate And I Love" (Penguin Little Black Classics)





This is book 69 of 80, a set of small paperbacks costing 80 pence each to celebrate eighty years of Penguin books. The number is quite appropriate as these are a selection of erotic,despairing and rapturous poems of one man's all consuming infatuation and obsession with one woman, Lesbia.

It is astonishingly modern verse by one of ancient Rome's poets

As well as some particularly scorching' verses extolling the virtues of his lovers' bodies, there are some hilariously caustic criticisms and downright catty rebukes here.
He's obsessive and bitter in some but when in love -


'I'll come at once
for lolling on the sofa here
with jutting cock
and stuffed with food
I'm ripe for stuffing
you,
my sweet Ipsithia'


When love is gone, it's all anger and vitriol...


'live with your three hundred lovers,
open your legs to them all (simultaneously)
lovelessly dragging the guts out of each of them
each time you do it,
blind to the love that I had for you
once, and that you, tart, wantonly crushed
as the passing plough-blade slashes the flower
at the field's edge'

Given the generally accepted unfaithfulness of the translation, I'll certainly be seeking out some more closely translated versions of Catullus' work to see exactly where he comes into his own, separate from the interventions of the translator, but this is still an incredibly enjoyable introduction.
Catullus is widely renowned for his satirical abilities and his sharp tongue, and both
are on display in this short collection.

Great Pop Songs #6

Another old post from Jan 6th 2014

Originally posted by davesmusictank at Great Pop Songs #6

I was really happy to find this CD after i played it through as this was one of my finds of the day in Chatham.





Emma Bunton – Free Me (2004)
Tracks : Tomorrow / You Are

I love the single Maybe, Hadn’t heard it in ages so bought this CD for 50p in a Chatham charity shop Maybe is a superb pop track based on riffs borrowed from the Pizzicato 5. After repeated plays of "Maybe" I left the CD on and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Lots of good melodies with a handful being very easy listening inspired.

Maybe

Several spins later I found myself besotted with Tomorrow, a fantastic pop song with just enough soulfulness, tension and release to hit all the right spots. The string and horn arrangements are reminiscent of something Tony Hatch would have done for Petula Clark in the 60s. You Are is another great mid-tempo pop song with a proper ear worm for a chorus. It’s ultra-sweet but very infectious.

Tomorrow

I also love the ultra – slow final track called So Beautiful but it may be too sugary for some people. The lowest point of this CD which should really have been a highlight is Emma’s run through of Crickets Sing For Anna Maria. It’s less of a run and more of a flat-footed pedestrian stroll.

Notes :
Nick Ingman handles the orchestral arrangement on Maybe and Tomorrow and both were written by Emma and a Mr Bondy….Yak Bondy. Yak is obviously a songwriter with a deep love of easy listening and further investigation on Discogs reveals his songwriting is all over a range of 90s and 00s CDs by the likes of Lisa Stansfield, Amy Studt, Billie Piper, Rachel Stevens, S Club 7 and the Spice Girls.

Gavyn Wright (sometimes spelt Gavin) is another name to note. He’s a violinist and orchestral arranger who has worked with an amazing array of artists. He’s on several tracks here working alongside Nick Ingman and his name pops up in the credits of loads of other pop CDs.

Summary :
This whole CD is an excellent and interesting listen. It has Easy Listening references threaded throughout it and no poor tracks excepting perhaps the very mundane run through of "Crickets Sing For Ana Maria". If you like "Maybe" and "Tomorrow" try "You Are" too. If all three float your boat then there’s probably other stuff on this CD you’ll like too.

(Thanks to Ian for supplying the details here)

Reviews

Originally posted by davesmusictank at Reviews

Music reviews anybody can post  here - thanks

Go to http://worldsoundz.livejournal.com/

Great Pop Songs #9

Another review from 2014.

Originally posted by davesmusictank at Great Pop Songs #9

Rachel Stevens – Come and Get It (2005)
Track: Funny How





Definitely not a one-tracker, this is a really good listen from start to finish. There are great Moroder-like rhythms on So Good / Negotiate With Love and Glam-thump synths on I Said Never Again but they were all singles and hits so they’re no good to us.

Crazy Boys is a crunchy synth Glam stomper but is let down a little by a weak chorus. A thudding rhythm that sounds like the backing of every Mud song ever written reveals Every Little Thing is another Rob Davis composition. It’s bouncy and enjoyable but isn’t quite up to scratch.

To my ears the pick to go on a "No Hits Required" compilation is Track 11. Funny How is a fit-for- purpose pounding slice of Trancey House with a small but wonderfully spacey break slap bang in the middle of it with strange Erik Satie-like undertones to it. The downside is that it’s only 4 minutes long. Boooooo. It’s rare I want a track to be longer but in this instance I was bloody craving it. A marvellous pounding Moroder-like feast of yearning with Donna Summer sighing angels and bleeps galore. Grab a copy from a booter for 50p to hear it full belt at home. You won’t be disappointed.

Notes :
Shawn ‘Ping Pong Orchestra’ Lee is on guitar for Funny How which is written by Rachel Stevens herself plus M. Cooper, B. Higgins, N Coler, L Cowling and T. Powell.

Another name of note who crops up on several tracks here is Belgian born producer Pascal Gabriel. His curious career path from punk band the Razors, through remixing for Marc Almond and Yello, writing and producing for Bomb The Bass and S’Express and on to pop can be read about on his Wiki page.

Summary :
This CD is a total keeper and definitely not a one No Hit wonder. I belatedly found out The Guardian newspaper included Come And Get It in their ‘1000 albums you must hear before you die’ list. For the record, Rachel is sandwiched between Stereolab and Sufjan Stevens (no relation) But don't let that put you off.

(Thanks to Ian at www.verygoodplus.co.uk for this info)