Cat in the Hat Monday!

Yay! Ma' man the Cat in the Hat himself, Jay Kay has finally released the much anticipated new studio album after a five year hiatus.
Processing the most Stevie Wonder like voice that doesn't belong to that particular genius I've been a fan since 1993 and the Emergency On Planet Earth album.
Having amassed a fleet of supercars to turn Jeremy Clarkson green, it seems Jay Kay’s not short of a bob or two. Still, seventeen years since the acid-jazz of their debut, Jamiroquai are back to deliver a gleaming lesson in shimmering, chart-friendly funk and to prove it’s all about the music, not the money, man. And yet, from the 70s disco-plundering whirl of ‘She’s a Fast Persuader’ to the infectious groove of ‘Smoke and Mirrors’, Rock Dust Light Star is brimming with hits in the waiting. Party on, dudes!

Halloween

Just one more day to both Halloween AND Hello Kitty's birthday so enjoy yourselves and remember as Kitty would say "Make cupcakes not war".
I've got my sweets ready for the little 'uns this year.

The "Unwell Edition" tm featuring Otomen 7

During this period when I've been off work with rotten cold and sore throat, I watched the Vampire Knight (series 1) set 2 which has episodes 5 through 8 which is currently out in the States.

Well, in the last few days the latest instalment of the adventures of Ryo and Askura has arrived and I should be getting around to reading it later on today.
Askura was left filling in for the lead vocalist of a Visual Kei rock band having arrived to accompany Ryo to the show. I wonder if Askura will ever get around to formally proposing to her.
I've been following this manga since it first came out and it's funny while at the same time as being thought provoking.

Coming any day soon should be the manga Otomen 8 that was scheduled for publication a month later. Continuing on from part 7 Ryo's grandfather became ill so she decide to move to Fukuoka to care for him. This means she needs to move schools which leaves us with the question" Does Asuka have to say farewell to this relationship just whens he's realized he needs to be more like a boyfriend to her"? Keep reading to hear more.

This week saw the issue on Monday of many Apple albums by artists outside The Beatles several of which have been out of print since the 1990's.
I bought the downloads of Badfinger's Magic Christian Music, No Dice and Straight Up a group from Swansea, Wales that sounded very much like the later Beatles when they performed Paul McCartney's songs.
On a technical level the downloads I bought from 7digital - a UK based digital music store - were of a very high technical quality aided their use of a bit rate of 320 kilo bits per second (Kbps) and the use of the LAME 3.98r2 Mp3 encoder producing results comparable to that of a type II (chromedioxide) home made tape copy which is more than good enough.
Also a friend sent me copies of their later albums for Warner Bros.

More Kitty Madness!

The above is my new HK flight bag that happens to be ideal for butting my purse and sandwiches in for work.

And this is the new Tote bag ideal for putting magazines and that in while I'm in town.

My Back Pages

Another year another box set comes out screaming 'must buy' I guess but thankfully this one wasn't as expensive as last years Beatles in Mono box!
Bob Dylans first eight groundbreaking albums re-released in the original mono mixes long unavailable outside of very expensive speciality releases on vinyl housed in box with slide in carrier.
The albums made in the EU - wherever that is - come in the mini lp form which I just adore as you have the same sort of tactile feel handling them as the lp issues I and a few others had back in the day.
In my case I still had tapes or lps in various conditions of some not getting around to buying more than a couple on cd in over 25 odd years so I was looking for a nice complete set.
Why mono? Simply the stereo separation is very distracting when listening to these performances and the vocals come over more clearly which as the cornerstone of Bob Dylan's appeal lies in his words. Stereo isn't needed for this stuff.
The mastering is very good even the most ardent critics acknowledge outside of the original mono lps that can hard to find at affordable prices without being beat up, these are the best yet and for around GBP 7.99 per disc in the set very good value for money.
If that was cool enough mine had a bonus cd of the Brandeis University, M.A. folk concert from 1963 included plus a free complete Mp3 download offer of all these albums to save me ripping them to play on the portable music player!

Wrapping up time!

It's started to get colder now and as I like to go out a good deal walking, a form of exercise that not only keeps my weight under control but also keeps me mentally alert thoughts drifted toward new extremity covering garments for the season.
This caught my fancy at Monsoon. Made by Accessorize, it's a thick woollen hat and glove set entitled "Bright Heart & Check chunky Chullo" with the hat being £18 and the matching gloves for £12.

More Narutu

I'm presently near the end of watching this, the latest instalment of Narutu Shippuden as released over here where Gaara is restored to life and Narutu not for the first time has a major trust issue with a new team member.