Artist Spotlight...Alexi Murdoch

If you havent heard the name Alexi Murdoch, you most probably have heard of the small screen favourite 'Orange Sky' a track first given popular status largely due to being featured on the teen drama The O.C(Other hit shows soon followed with House and Prision Break both warranting the song air time). Its impact quite like advert music offered Murdoch a gateway to media attention and my attention for that matter. I've been a fan of his music since first hearing him(although it was limited to a 5 track EP called 'four songs'). Murdoch who since his 2004 release set about recording a full length album, which also reprises some of his EP songs. The full length album intitled 'Time Without Consquence', offers an intimate acoustic guitar set pieces and Drake like vocals, giving way to a great pick for those in search of a summers easy listener.

Check Out his live performance recording of 'Orange Sky' in Florida

My Midnight Phenomenon

I’m not sure whether its the mix of mellow tunes, midnight munches or even the simplicity of human loneliness that’s makes past 12 such a vulnerable part of the day. It could even be a cocktail of different combinations. I’ve never really felt enough curiosity to develop any theory on the matter. Although from experience, the midnight hour is where my mind seems to slow down to a lethargic pulse and begins to mould itself into a retrospective outlook. I think I’ve trained my mind into the habit, if it is just that. Its normally ends with anger or the burnt distaste that you feel in your throat at first light. The way in which addicts get that draw back and soon find themselves indulging in the one thing they promised themselves they wouldn’t. My indulgence has legality and from my understanding is far less vigorous than the above, i do have a safety net that has found comfort in the past however it spanned out, i lure myself into circulating problems of the presents and set up mind turbulence for the up comings of the future.

Sometimes I force myself into the state, lying their in my bed making figures on the ruffled plain ceiling. A ghostly muddled face or a leaping rabbit in the hedge grows. I’m not too partial to silence, especially not silence in thoughts. It’s a declaration that I’m physically and thoughtfully alone. Alone in every aspect of life. To keep an unburdened mind that is free of the obligations, the hassle - the tasks that were thrown into is, is to turn against nature. To sleep easy, is for me, in my life to sleep in suppression. To sleep in the quiet ignorance that the stove is turned off to just a light spark, that the problems are solved or as solved as there ever be and that tomorrow is a cold plait of opportunity like the ones they served up at black tie occasions. The platters of unpronounceable food making you all the more weary of whether to poison your gut with the adventitious nip picking.

And the number 12? i guess it has no relation to anything tragic or upsetting, nothing untoward that offers explanation to the vulnerability i feel after 12 midnight. The number 12 is not a trigger of any sort I do not cry at its dark hidden meanings. Its part of the numeracy group which can be mathematically broken down to byte size facts. Its the time of the day, the minutes your meant to cook the man handled microwave meals, part of your insurance number or half the code to your pin number, its a date you must remember or the spare pennies you hold for safe keeps in your box of change. Its not however, the explanation to the midnight phenomenon that makes me feel so fragile.

TV land just got abit more dramatical

7 years ago, an intriguingly basic gameshow format was launched. It set to imprison 11 housemates into one house for 64 days with the chances of winning what was then a staggering £70,000 pounds of prize money. The 11 ordnary citzens who entered unknowingly to the now infamous big brother experience, were about to single handley populalise the reality genre to new heights.

The chat up line for the show was on the face of it, simplistic to the point that it would seem bizzarre if not stupified that anybody would even tune in, even to this day people claim such a statement is true and hold their hands in amazement that people do tune in. 7 years on there are still the familar traits of bitching, high drama, twists and all out emotional traumas which seemed to have hooked 1 in 4 britians. With a regular 5m following, alongside critical storm throwing, media attention and the usual social gossiping, its hard to believe that the format still stands. One may question whether its once confident standpoint in the tv scedules remains or if it rather limply wobbles on a wooden leg. Though its to tiredsome to to enter such a debate on reality tv, which has become a regular fixture in the television buisness(one that lacks any resolution). We can at least find brief closure in big brothers finales outing, at least for 2006.

Reality TV's rein as the alternative floor filler for 12 weeks of what could be coined televisions dry season, especially when concerning the US market has finally ended. For some it helped us mourn pass the season finales of our favourite shows, a peaceful rest from wondering whatever happened to Nip/tuck's season 3? or even Why Bree Van Der Kamp ALWAYS picks pyscho men with secrets? or even how amazing prison breaks 2 part finale was and how it probably wont be that good again and how i will be tortured to have to wait till january to see what happens!

You see i have yet to indulge in the growing downloading community. Im a traditional watcher, to set in my ways to make such a radical move away from the tv set to the computer screen to be able to make any kind of change. So in light of that, one can only look forward to the return of without a trace and greys anatomy, be curious about sleeper cell and entourage, deliberate over the sopranos and try to gage when Nip/tuck will reappear!

The summer dry season is finally over and TV land is about to get alot more dramatical!

Blind Ignorance

The United Gates of America ( BBC Four, August 14th 10pm)

You can coin it deliberate isolated alienation, where large gated communities in America purposely secure themselves in guarded posts and high walled surroundings, The existence of such communities have steadily increased, so why then do people feel the need to create their own city in the city, why has their been the up rise? The reasons are varied from each individuals mind, some come for the peaceful life, to be secluded from the busy city life that only seems to raise stress levels. While others come for the community environment and family friendliness, disillusioned by what they call the modern decay of traditional values. Although, universally there is a common reason that seems to resonate in these white dominated areas, it all lies beneath human insecurity. They unrealistically or not try to escape the sin cities of this world, to displace themselves from the violence, the hatred and the crime. To remove what they call an alien invasion from foreign nationals who have plagued their country. They all share the same insecurity and fear and like most insecurity and fears they lack any logical reasoning or rationality.

It was a worrying case of segregation as well as wide spread racist belief that was most upsetting. Many of the people that populated the gated community had predisposed beliefs that were driven not by the truth of the matter or even by the reality of real life but by their fear. Even more astounding was that the community, which prides itself on its Christian faith had evidently hounded, scandal mongered and public humiliated community members that didn’t meet conformity. Admittedly one community member openly stated that these were tactics that unsurprisingly drove people out.

However the saddest fact of all and what I took away from the united gates of America was that the community had become so wrapped up in their fear of intruders that they were ignorant in paying any attention to those who were inside there gated camp, a camp not crime free itself. I thought as the credits rolled if only these people would realize that human instincts and common emotional traits such as revenge and betrayal are not suppressed or destroyed in a world of perfect green lawns, stepford wives and PDA meetings.

And so the 12 hour countdown begins....

Theres varies of countdowns that ingrain themselves in life. Theres the usual mundane countdowns, which are usually compounded to the passing of time, then theres countdowns to engage us, to excite us. There usually more than the mundane but not enough to be honoured with any special calender day by day cross off. Then theres the big one, the big coloured in calender square, marked off with arrows and circled in brigh red capital letters. In this case the countdown thats making me nibble my skin and chissle my teeth to the size of rabbit nibblers is my exam results. Its undeniable now, i cannot ignore that the 12 hour countdown has begun. The moment i been dreading has nearly arrived. Nervously i hestiate in saying that cliche catch phrase....let the countdown begin?

Hard Drive. Drived Hard. Then Died. Literally

Its that fatal moment when your computer suddenly stores its last piece of memory before flatlining into computer downtime. It was unexpected but yet expected at the same time, it had way passed its golden years. It was 5 years old, which in computer years is i guess coming on 50. Where the the nibbles and knobs are coming out of place and the processer churns with a painful groan. Im not to upset, im not a freak that names their computers(Although if i did i guess i call it finley purely on the basis that i kinda like the name) or becomes emotionally attached to it, no, no, no. Plus my grief was short lived, more doused by a new computer. Brand spanking NEW, untouched, fast computer that springs to life and powers up with ease. It has gadgets, an unnesscary built in tv, extra hard drive for protection and an immense 19 inch screen. Its all down to my mothers bank account of course and the generous curry's man who must of taken a shine to us, either that or he felt jolly enough to knock about £350 off. We managed to grab ourself norton internet security with ghost and go back for a mere tenner and word, excel, office and powerpoint for 30. Now aint that a bargain!

Little Miss Sunshine

Every now and then a film pops up that makes you all giddy with anticipation and eagerness. Im not sure the last film that gave me the same feeling, I believe it was brokeback mountain or even the lil gem called junebug. But The film poking its way on my radar this summer is Little Miss Sunshine, which follows a dsyfunctional family obsessed with winning. It opens in the UK September 8th on limited release