Looking Out To Sea

Spent rather a lot of money on CDs yesterday. Though it could have been worse…

• Ocean Beach, Red House Painters. The Red House Painters seem to be Mark Kozelek’s original band. I’ve been really enjoying his other stuff released under his own name and that of Sun Kil Moon, so I chose this one at random.

• Flock, Bell X1. Chosen because it was the only album they had by this band. It may be their only album, for all I know. It includes a song which I have on an HMV sampler disc from a few years ago, which is why I bought it. It was a good sampler that one — also introduced me to Death Cab For Cutie.

  Edit: It turns out that Bell X1 are the band that Damien Rice left behind when he went solo, though at the time they were called Juniper. Small world.

• Carmen Symphony, Bizet. I couldn’t resist this one because it was quite cheap and, you know, it’s got yon Toreador tune.

• Movies: The Ultimate Collection, Various. Bit of a silly one this. A 3-disc compilation of various famous themes from the movies. So lots of John Williams, lots of action movies. Mostly recent stuff and unashamedly populist. But it has a high enjoyment factor.

Helen also splurged on similar things — a Karl Jenkins box set (including The Armed Man), The Proclaimers, Stevie Wonder, Simple Minds and some project with Roddy Woomble’s name on it. Lots of exciting new music here!