There's a flag flying high.

I can remember the first time I heard a Brooke Fraser song. It was Shadowfeet, from the album Albertine and I heard it on a commercial radio station while touring the South Island of New Zealand.

Unbeknownst to us, a friend had bought us the album as a gift for our arrival in the country - we went to visit them a couple of weeks later.

In my view, Albertine is a great album with some stunning moments that still speak into a deep place in my spirit.

Fast forward four years (!) and there's a new album from Ms Fraser. I'd been following the development of the album on twitter & Facebook and was keen to hear the final product, but avoided the sneak peeks on line. I like to hear the whole piece in context, rather than just bits...

I was completely blown away.

The quality of songwriting is staggeringly high. The performances captured on the recordings are true to the material, being beautifully arranged and produced, with such sensitivity that I was breathless - in fact I was in tears at some points.

It's not rushed or forced. It reminds me of the production of Matt Redman's album Intimacy - not for style, but for the amazing artistry of songwriter and producer in total flow together.

What I love most is the subject matter. It's not easy or simple, black and white love songs or faith songs. These are songs about the completixties, the grey areas, the things that make us ask questions of what we believe.

I can't say how much this album means to me as it's only been in my ears for relatively few days, but it has made a mark on my heart, there's no doubt about that.

It is going to be one I will return to again and again and again and again.... drawing me to a deeper place and exposing the fragility of emotion that we can all bury behind layers of coping, calling it maturity.

If you need something to do in the midst of snow and uncertainty: give these songs a real listen.

Sharing your history

Tonight, between dinner and bedtime, the weeWeir and I had a bit of fun.

Some flying, some drawing and listening to music.

Or to use Beth's words: "fwai", "draaaa" & listening to "mook".

Too cute.

It was fun to have the sounds I recorded on a demo EP playing, sharing them with her.

You can hear a few of the demos on here.

I also realised that there's a few bits and pieces I'd written before really getting into blogging. Off to give them a wee read and see what I was saying!

Feel the rhythm!

Here's a wee treat from TEDIndia 2009.

It's rhythmical, skillful, witty and a great story.

And it's simple patterns, playing against/with/through each other. Just like life, right?

16 mins that may well capture your attention.

whirr, click-click, whirr

Okay, so here we go.

I really enjoy the work of the Pixar Animation Studio and finally got 'round to watching their latest creation; wall-e.  I'd kept away from the reviews, but some friends had shared varied comments with me.

So sitting down over the past two days, I took in the 90 minutes of the film on DVD (we've got a wee one, y'know).  I loved it.  

For me, it's not an obvious children's film in the way that Toy Story of Monsters Inc. were.  It's got so many levels, such a feeling of depth and of delicacy that I was enthralled!  Okay, so there's a bit of a jump when the story moves into space and a *slightly* overly tree-hugging/watch-out-for-HAL feel to the last 20 minutes. But the main characters are so genuine that you care about them, even if it's a bit conveneint how easy people get awoken from their stupor.  But the characterisation is amazing given that there is so much of the performances from inflection, nuance, gesture and sounds (not words? Per se).

I think that's one of the elements of the film that I enjoyed the most - the sounds!  The textures that can be added to the experience by the intelligent use of sound.  Makes me want to get better and do that kinda work!

As I write this post on my G1, that I've just used to walk down the street in Dargaville where J & I spent four weeks in 2005, it's not lost on me how quickly we can choose to rely on technology.  But there's nothing like real interaction to let us know we're alive, is these.

Have you seen the film? Did you enjoy it?  Let me know what you think...