Free Charlatans

So The Charlatans are the latest band to offer their latest album as a free download via the radio station, XFM.  They are apparently calculating on making their money from live gigs, merchandising etc and see the free download as an advertisement for their gigs.  Saw them a few years ago at one of the relaunched Isle of Wight festivals and enjoyed their show.  This can only be good for us and also champions the cause of live music – there’s nothing like it.

Pay your money, make your choice

 Christmas had resulted in a handful of CDs and Mrs Wighteye’s contribution was The Eagles ‘Long Road out of Eden’.  At the time it had one or two plays but then got buried under the pile, recently to emerge and provoke differing responses from each of us.  She likes the first disk, quieter, poppier, more of an acoustic feel.  I prefer the second disk when they rock out.  Some might think The Eagles are just corporate and passe, but their lyrics continue where they left off some 30 years ago (is it really that long?), particularly raising the environmental concerns that were evident on ‘Hotel California’.