Notes from the Engine Room XIII
Meta Letta
Ooh, lucky number 13! Remember: To have a fear of the number thirteen is called triskaidekaphobia, but to have a fear of failure is called normal.
It's been a week where I had to focus my tired, burnt-out brain on a specific, important task. Now my entire brain feels like when you're doing one last, final walk around of that flat you're moving out of. Everything is empty, familiar yet strange; there's nothing left but the shadows and echoes of memories and a feeling of emptiness. It's just a sad reflection of what used to be there.
A state of mind entirely unconducive to the further push everything continually seems to need. You ever feel like you need a vacation from everything, but suspect that if you got it, you'd probably just start another project or four?
Please tell me that it's not just me?
In My Ears
There was a throwaway snippet in last week's music industry newsletter that I nearly missed:
Lily Allen’s next album will be released on BMG Germany. All the song titles are men’s names. This won’t be the first time the music industry has nervously pored over Lily’s lyrics.
Oof.
Anyway, apropos of nothing, and on a completely different topic, I've long heard it said that the music industry's version of Me Too is still to come, that revelations are due.
Also apropos of nothing, there have been quite a lot of mid- to high-level music executives taking early retirement, spending more time with their families, or pursuing other "exciting" career opportunities in the last few years.
Apropos of nothing. Just a random sequence of non sequiturs. Anyway, here's the ninth Sounds from The Engine Room! And if you listen to nothing else, but are fond of a bit of electro-pop, do listen to SLANEY's Love Is Like A Drug.
Sadly there was no outright winner of last week's Mystery Playlist, can you believe that? So for now, any future mystery links will remain super-secret easter eggs, and we'll see where this journey takes us!
I can't help but be continually stunned at the differences between the UK Radio Airplay Chart and the UK Streaming Chart. The former's top three are David Guetta (with Little Mix), Calvin Harris and Coldplay. Olivia Rodrigo doesn't feature this week until number 33. By contrast, Ms Rodrigo features three times in the top 10 of the streaming chart. Coldplay doesn't feature until number 46. Quite the generational, and technical, divide; it makes me wonder what future there is for commercial radio.
On My Screen
When my brain doesn't function, I watch crappy mid-tier procedural TV; it's all I can cope with. A simple cop show, not too dreary, where the detective (or consultant) has some gimmick or other to help them solve crimes. Currently filling that niche for me is Unforgettable, but you should treat that as more of a confession than a recommendation.
I did watch Raya and the Last Dragon though, which was lovely. It's currently showing on Disney+ and in cinemas.
I am still watching both The Bad Batch and Loki , but I have no further thoughts on the former, and too many on the latter. Instead I will pass on the unconfirmed and utterly idle speculation that Jack Veal from End of the F*cking World might maybe have been cast as Kid Loki. Do with that what you will.
In My Face
It's BBQ season, which is just as well, as I seem to have hit another cooking slump. My investigations so far have concluded that the Bleecker Burger's DIY kits are proving hard to improve upon, German bratwurst are not as easy to source as they once were, and I cannot find the perfect BBQ sauce in shops. They're all too sweet, too cloying or too bland. I might just have to bite the bullet and buy all 200 (19) ingredients that are required to make the Pitt Cue Company BBQ Sauce. By the looks of things, you need to make their mother sauce (though word on the street is you can use Heston Blumenthal's beef jus), and their smoked ketchup, and then mix it together with other ingredients. It's immense, but I remember it so fondly. I'm quite sad the restaurant closed their doors.
Let me know if you have a favourite BBQ sauce that's better than "just okay", or a good recipe that you've tried that won't take me a full weekend to recreate.
On My Mind
As mentioned above, several times, there has been absolutely nothing on my mind, it's just a gaping chasm up there. The wind is howling through the vast, empty halls of the Mind of Moria. Though in the distant depths, drumming has begun.
Denouement
I apologise for the short newsletter this week. I'm hoping that next week there will be news! Excitement! Thoughts! Great Fiery Balrogs!
We can but hope.
Until next week!!