So first impressions of the new england home kit, have to say i was a little underwhelmed initially.  All white, white white (er, apart from the logo, badge and numbers on the back).  I'm so used to those surprise-and-delight features that i was expecting to there to be embossed graphics of the queen barbequeing corgis, or mock abs like man city did not too long ago (yeah, that was a good idea).

So disappointing.  innitially.  but it really works. its not plain, its minimal. or maybe it is plain but that's okay cuz there's a recession going on and its not right to have anything to flashy.  And like the newspaper articles point out, this is a better reflection of Fabio's team - no fuss, no frills, down to business, straight-forward football.  Where everyone is named either frank, terry, mick or john like they were plumbers from the 1970's.

I thought umbro was being lazy but when it comes right down to it, it's absolutely pure genius.  best kit since, erm, the last time england played in a plain white shirt.   Unfortunately the price is not so plain.

Doesn't italy play in a very basic blue kit? classic.  theirs is also tight fitting shirt i think, which might work for suave italian womanisers but loses some of it's appeal when you think of gormless, paunchy rooney strutting about like a sow with aggro.

2009 home shirt

with deepest respect to cali cali for telling me about this guy all those many moons ago - or like two years ago - i'm posting a few key tracks from one of the greatest albums of the year.  i'm absolutely smitten by this one.  some of the lyrics are really quite sweet, but all of them seem to be haunted by the tragic reality of modern somalia.  

K'naan ABC's

K'naan Wavin' Flag

K'naan Fatima

and to keep the hip-hop vibe going here's a few select tracks from beyonce, who is actually r'n'b i suppose. 

Beyonce Halo

Beyonce Irreplaceable

Beyonce If I Were A Boy

and why stop there.

T.I. feat Rihanna Live Your Life

and it all comes back to the king monkey himself...

Ian Brown El Mundo Pequeno

It's like buses, you wait for ages and two come along at once.  Haven't been to a proper full on concert for who knows how long, but i'll be breaking that long run on april 6th with an epic gig featuring morrissey with special openers the courteeners.  Not only that but glasvegas are playing the 7th ---doubt very much i'll go, as that is the week of special activity.
something is squeezing my skull
and
i'm throwing my arms around paris


bide your time