Al Byrne
Jarvis Cocker, Pulp alumnus, eccentric genius, and the first man to successfully clone himself (evidence), is still keeping busy. When he’s not winning awards for his BBC Radio 4 series, he’s sifting through a selection of “found sounds” collected by The National Trust (laudable British conservationists) and arranging them into an ambient album he BBC-quotingly describes as “a holiday for the ears”. If you enjoy hearing music boxes, old doors creaking, Steve Vai wailing and some people playing billiards (one of those may be a fib), this is the album for you. If you’re doubtful, download it anyway – it’s free, and it is oddly relaxing (although I’ve listened to it, for the most part, with the television on, which probably defeats the purpose somewhat. Oh well, etc. I’ll listen to it properly some other time, since I get the feeling that quiet surroundings are – yes – instrumental to this album’s effect. Oh ho!)
