With Elton John’s Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace coming to an end in May, myself and the missus packed our bags and headed down. Catching the show that made it into the news due to an unruly fan trying to touch him saw our performance end on a bit of a sour note, however Elton was phenomenal throughout. If you have the chance, do absolutely try and catch him on his last ever tour that starts later this year. With the anticipation of the show, I picked up Diamonds, the latest in a long line of greatest hits sets Elton has put out through the years. Track listing is very similar to the greatest hits that came out in 2002 with a few minor changes.
Opting for the two-disc set of Diamonds instead of the super deluxe edition, the first CD is extraordinary. Front to back classics from “Your Song” to “Rocket Man”, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Daniel”, “Bennie and the Jets”, etc. These Elton John/Bernie Taupin compositions make-up some of the greatest compositions of all time. Disc two starts with “Song For Guy” before giving way to the hits of the 80s up to 2016. Highlights include the sentimental “I Guess Why That’s Why They Call It The Blues” and “Sad Songs (Say So Much)”, the defiant “I’m Still Standing” and the disco house mix of 2003 UK chart topper “Are You Ready For Love”.
The second disc can fall into schmaltzy territory with “Nikita” and wedding reception staple “Can You Feel The Love Tonight”. “I Want Love” updates Elton’s sound to the point of sounding like a Robbie Williams knockoff, not necessarily a terrible thing. After his 70s heyday, even the best songs sound slightly less substantial and at times suffer from 80s production. That being said, the performances are always spot on and having virtually all the hits in one spot for a legendary artist like Elton John is fine indeed.
9/10
Annie Proulx’s 1993 novel The Shipping News won the Pulitzer Price for fiction in 1994. The story tells of Quoyle who moves back Newfoundland with his two daughters and aunt after his wife leaves him. His family was from the area of Killick-Claw area but his parents had emigrated to New York state many years before. Reviews for the book veer from “masterpiece” to “rubbish”. I fall somewhere in the middle but closer to the latter. While Proulx paints a vivid picture of Newfoundland, I never fully connected with the characters and had to push myself through it. 6/10
Mark Manson released The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*** in the fall of 2016 and since then has sold millions and the author has gained many followers. There are moments in the first few sections of the book where “f***” gets used quite a bit and grows rather tiresome but once that gives way, there are plenty of good life lessons revealed. A lot can be boiled down to “don’t sweat the small stuff” and don’t run away from your problems. Face them, tackle them, then trade up to more important problems. You only get so many f***s to give in life so choose wisely. Excellent book that I look forward to reading again in the near future. 9/10
The Rosie Project is the debut from Australian writer Graeme Simsion that has sold a few million copies since being published in 2013. The novel follows the plight of professor Don Tillman trying to find a wife who fits his rigid criteria when he meets the less than perfect Rosie and decides to help her find out who her real father is. Simsion keeps this romcom of a book moving along swiftly with many funny moments that has the reader rooting for Don and Rosie to get together. A movie has been in the works with directors/actors coming and going for a few years now, hopefully it sees the light of day soon. 7.5/10
Modern Kosmology is Jane Weaver’s sixth studio album. Much praise was heaped on the Manchester based, Liverpudlian upon release in the spring of 2017 and received a new lease on life (in my world) when Mojo magazine ranked it their fifth favourite record of the year. “Did You See Butterflies” is the most immediate track with a droning bassline and early 90s Lush style vocals.
After collaborating with Sparks in 2015, the newly reconfigured Franz Ferdinand line-up return with Always Ascending. Lots has changed in the Franz world – heartthrob guitarist Nick McCarthy is sitting this one out with keyboard player Julian Corrie and ex 1990s guitarist Dino Bardot entering the picture. The build-up that opens the title track is exciting and sounds like the background music to an action movie trailer. On the other hand I could do without the less than inspiring refrain of “I’m a lazy boy” chant in “Lazy Boy”.
The Light Appears 