CD Review - 'Folk for the People' a benefit compilation for the victims of repression in Ukraine

So, a few weeks ago I threatened you with promised another review post centring around the Folk for the People folk compilation. In my last post on the subject, I focused on the cause behind the subject, the recent events in Ukraine, and poked you all into buying the thing. Now I'm going to mainly focus on the music. 

I don't normally review compilation CDs because, lets be honest, they are, by their very nature, a mush. How do you write an overarching review of something that is not consistent in performer/style/sometimes quality? Anyway, I'm going to give it a go because I want to give the CD as much airtime as I can on my blog. Don't expect this to be as coherent as normal and normal's not all that coherent, I know.

Folk for the People is a folk compilation in its broadest sense. From the slightly strange but eerily enticing tones of the opening track, 'Sonnet' by Aldona to the chaotic rocky sounds of 'Once upon a binge' by Sons of O'Flaherty, if you like any form of folk style or inspired music then you will be able to find something here.

There are some tracks from CDs that I've reviewed in their entirety, for example Cesair's 'Dies, Nox et Omnia' and Rastaban's 'Aurora'. There are some tracks that are from bands that I know well and some from bands/artists that I had not encountered. I rather think that this download is useful for a 'music taster'. There are a couple of musicians who I will probably buy CDs from, having heard this sample. Mind you, I swear that if I keep buying compilations then I'll end up with all of Sowulo's album without actually buying it in its own right!

I'm going to give up now. Without going through track by track I will not be able to do this download justice. Yes, there are a couple of tracks that aren't to my taste but that happens in any compilation and, when there are 35 tracks in total, it hardly damages the playability of the overall album. The fact that there are so many high quality tracks from greatly skilled artists means that it is well worth popping over to bandcamp and buying yourself a copy.

To listen to the album and, more importantly, to buy it click here. The bandcamp page also has information on the cause the money is going to if you scroll down below the track listing. You can also keep up to date with the goings on around the album and the donations being made by checking in on the facebook event page.

I survived Easter ;-)

So far, so good.

In all fairness, I had a wonderful weekend. Although I don't celebrate Easter as a religious festival, I
do celebrate with with my family but in a kinda secular way.

I had the bright idea to make hot cross buns for Good Friday. My first ever attempt and it went disastrously wrong. I actually managed to pull a muscle while kneading the dough, it was so dense. In the end, the result was actually quite edible but not what you or I would deem a hot cross bun but rather a rock cake with some kind of decoration on top. I have to say, the recipe was written by someone who is from a country where they don't eat these buns so I'm not sure he really knew what the finished result was supposed to be, and, anyway, the dough was supposed to be machine kneaded.

I get points for trying though, right?

The Knights of the Damned
jousting display team

Saturday was a more successful day with a trip to the wonderful Glastonbury and a visit to the Glastonbury Medieval Fayre. This was a really nice way to spend the day, especially as we were blessed with some of the best weather of the year so far. The event itself took place in the Abbey grounds, and this was the first time I'd actually been there. We've always refused to visit before as we don't think that people should be forced to pay to visit a site of religious importance. That said, my family are usually pretty fair with donating but we firmly believe that religious places should be 100% free to visit. Anyway, I'm going off on one here! The point being, I was pleased to get the chance to look around!

The event itself was well worth visiting and we quite happily spent the day there. The main emphasis was on the 'living history' aspects but there were plenty of activities, particularly for children. My parents kept dragging me away from various musical instruments as they're currently trying to talk me out of buying a harp and a hurdy-gurdy, both of which were present and both of which I cannot afford.

Probably one of the main highlights was a performance by the jousting display team 'Knights of the Damned'. I've seen them perform at a few events now, and my father works the same festivals as they do sometimes, so I can say that their performances are of a consistently high quality.

A historically accurate setting, I'm sure you'll agree!

Easter Sunday was a quiet affair. For some reason, my father decided to buy me two Easter eggs and my mother bought me one and various boxes of chocolate. I mean, I'm not complaining but since when did we celebrate Easter in such an extravagant style. Interestingly, since starting these tablets I've been able to eat a lot more lactose without feeling ill so it may well be that a lot of my lactose intolerance was caused by underlying stuff. Again, I am not complaining!

I don't really know what happened to Monday but today I finalised my acceptance of the offer to study at AUC and received a new camera lens in the post. Incidentally, the lens I've just bought is the one I could have done with to get better photos at the medieval fayre but that's timing for you!

To see more of my photos from the Glastonbury Medieval Fayre click here.

Now they want to put me on a bike

Blogging isn't really happening right now which is down to a mixture of my life being really busy which means I don't have much time, and my life being full of things that are interesting for me but dull to read about even duller than normal.

For the most part, I'm sorting out stuff to do with university. Today, for example, was my mother and I going round a load of banks attempting to do an international money transfer as part of my accepting the place at AUC and, basically, being pushed from pillar to post. In the end, we managed to send off the thing although it did take about an hour in Lloyds bank.

This is what greeted me when I returned home today!

Returning home, we found out that my father had spent the day mending my old bike (which is way too small but a great purple colour!) so that I could practice before going to Amsterdam. I think he was joking but it didn't stop him from riding around the drive a few times! I really don't get why everyone's determined I'm going to ride a bike out there... I know it's the done thing but my accommodation is right next to the uni so no need there. Besides, I am likely to crash the minute you put me on one of those two wheeled death machines!

Book review - 'A Clash of Kings' by George R.R. Martin

This review is for the second book in a series and may therefore contain spoilers for the preceding book. You can read my review for 'A Game of Thrones', book one in the series, by clicking here.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Plot:

"Throughout Westeros the cold winds are rising.

From Dragonstone to Winterfell, chaos reigns as five pretenders to the Iron Throne prepare to stake their claims. As an omen of doom - a comet of blood and flame - cuts across the sky, brother plots against brother, and the dead rise to walk in the night. War is coming, and the price for glory is measured in blood.

A Clash of Kings, Book Two of A Song of Ice and Fire, continues the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age "

-from the back of my book as I couldn't find a decent synopsis on Goodreads

Review:

Well, I managed to finish this book a lot quicker than I did the previous one, although not loosing it might have helped there! That said, it's still quite a tome so you have to be pretty ready to commit to reading it... and to some serious hand cramp!

The book continues with the various plot strands from the previous novel and could easily have been part of the same book (although practically, thank goodness it isn't!). This is very much a continuation. Obviously, a few strands have come to a close but their knock on effects are clear. New strands are introduced with John Snow and the men of the Night's Watch going over the wall and new characters being introduced, ready to attempt to take the throne.

My greatest compliment regarding A Game of Thrones was how real it felt and this compliment has to extend to A Clash of Kings. The characters felt as though they were reacting in a realistic and understandable way even if it wasn't good or morally right. Everything, people, places, and items, had a history and a place in the world and this was clear in the detail even if that history wasn't fully disclosed. It feels like Martin is writing a true history but the method of telling it (through various POVs) makes it all the more emotive, hard hitting and interesting.

That said, I did find a couple of the POVs a little less exciting this time. Theon's point of view really did annoy me. As with all the other people, his narrative was true to his character and believable but as I just dislike his personality, even if I understand why he does and thinks the way he does, it's not easy to read from his POV. Similarly, I didn't really connect with Davos, probably because the things that interested the character, and the way he thought, was often quite different to how I, personally, think. I also really struggled with his sea-battle chapter which, although an amazing battle narrative and really hard hitting, felt a little to list like and military-brained for me... that kind of thing doesn't get my attention. However, it would be what Davos would be concentrating on at that time. That's the thing, yes, I struggled with some POVs this time but not because they're badly written but for the exact opposite reason!

I'm looking forward to reading the next book and seeing how the tale, and the characters, progress and develop. It seems like so many people are on their individual, yet interwoven, journeys and have travelled so far in the progress of this book (and the last one, of course) that it's exciting to see where they will end up. I also love the way that you can feel that Martin is really constructing the future events, things that may not happen for books yet, but setting those events up so that, when they do happen... well, he told you so!

I have a physical copy of this book and it's that annoying size that's uncomfortable to hold so I would buy the kindle version if you have that option.

What's in a name?

 If I told you that Nené once rewrote the above song but featuring all the things I'm called then it wouldn't surprise you that I sometimes have issues with my names. Most commonly called Havanah or Chadders... neither of those are legally my name. Anyway, I get a lot of questions about what my name really is and this is made to answer them. However, this post is also forced by a practical issue... with the impending start of university I'm going to have to face the barrage of 'what are you called?' yet again.

Most of you here will know me as Havanah. It's a name that got made up when I was about twelve and comes from my middle name. Since then, it's been what (most) of my friends call me. It is, however, nothing like my real first name of Bethany. As for what my middle name is... I'm not sharing that information ;-)

Chadders comes from my last name and, until recently, it was the name I used when I was online. I now use my full surname for professional things, particularly to do with art, and therefore decided to use it all the time.

The difficulty really arises when people who use different names for me cross paths and confusion reigns. The thing is, for most official things (like college) I choose to use my official name of Bethany. It's more professional, besides which Havanah is a nick-name. That said, most of my class mates, if they know me outside of classes, will know me as Havanah. Use that in class and confusion really does reign.

So what am I going to do when I start at university? I'm basically going to start trying to filter out my usage of Havanah when interacting with people. I still will use the name, it's still the name I identify with most, but I'm going to cut down on the occasions when I, for want of a better phrase, shove it down people's throats. In practical terms, I have put both names on my facebook profile and am going to phase out my signing of messages and posts online. I'm going to introduce myself to people who I meet in an academic setting as Bethany but if you've been introduced to me as such please do feel free to use whichever name you want.

This post wasn't made to moan about life etc. but hopefully to reduce the confusion that always arises. Call me as you will and, as long as I know you're referring to me, I shall answer you gladly.

Old news... and a horse.

Blogging about this now feels a little redundant, after all I've told basically everyone the news that will be in this post so why bother. Anyway, this is the version with pictures* so enjoy ;-)

Well, well, well...

What a week it's been!

Soon after my 'Amsterdam adventure' I was on my way to Glasgow to attend a couple of events at the university up there. For those of you who don't know, I hold a place to study in Glasgow this September and applied to AUC with the plan to withdraw from Glasgow in the unlikely event I was offered a place in Amsterdam.

When I was younger I used to spend my summers up by Loch Rannoch. I have relatives in Pitlochry so we used to stay next to Loch Rannoch, meet up with relatives and have a lovely time. Of course, going up to Glasgow I simply had to force my parents to retrace the childhood route even if Rannoch is nowhere near Glasgow (eh, at least we were in the right country!)

It was absolutely wonderful to be in the area again. Scotland is full of stunning landscapes and natural areas and this is certainly one of them. Seriously, if you're a friend of mine from Europe (or further) and you visit England for whatever reason (like to see me) nag me to nag my parents to take
us up to Scotland... it's well worth the visit.

However, it was what happened up there that was most surprising for me. In the middle of a no-pick up area my phone somehow managed to pick up a message from a gent I'd met at the interview telling me to check my emails. So I did. Eventually. There were two emails from the university in Amsterdam saying, in the subject field, that I had been offered a place. Thank goodness it said in the subject because I didn't manage to open them until much later as my mysterious internet connection failed me.

So from that moment, I could enjoy myself. I had an offer for Glasgow and Amsterdam and I could, basically, choose. The visit to Glasgow the next day pretty much sealed my choice. Looks like I'm moving to the Netherlands in August. Eek. What a terrifying exciting prospect!

*Yes, I took these pictures while in the area. No, they aren't supposed to relate to anything I'm writing hehe

Folk for the People - A benefit compilation for the victims of repression in Ukraine

It's no secret that if I come across a CD* that I really like I'll write a review of it. This is probably the first CD that I'm 'reviewing' but haven't yet listened to. This CD is one that I have been following through the creation process but, being away from the internet until now, have been unable to buy and listen to... yet.

Mitch Rozek, drummer of Rastaban, was inspired, if that's the right word, by recent (and ongoing) events in Ukraine and decided to do something to help from a human point of view, negating politics as much as one can in such a situation. To quote one of his posts from the event page as I can't embed it, sadly:

"There's no orientated political agenda/motivation or anything of this kind behind this project. Only an instinctive and spontaneous act of compassion guided by a sense of justice for people who have been killed, wounded, kidnapped or tortured by their own government just because they came on the street to claim a better life, the respect of their basic rights and the end of a corrupted system. 

If by this small project, we can help these victims and their families financially, at least a bit, it will be one of the small drops than can feed the ocean of a better world. So don't search for hate behind what we're doing here, because you'll only be disappointed"

And this is where 'Folk for the People' comes in. The CD is a compilation of tracks from various, mainly European, folk bands, all of whom donated the song to the cause.

Although I've not yet listened to the CD, it's full of songs by great bands, a few songs that I know well and can tell you are awesome, and some that I'm excited to discover. I'll probably review the CD properly when I have had it for a little while, if only to try and give it more of a signal boost. The fact is that the compilation is set to be of a high quality and for a cause that is undoubtedly worthwhile.


If you'd like to find out more about the project and read posts about its conception and aims, as well as the practicalities of how the money is being donated, then they can all be found on the facebook event if you click here. This is an open event so if you're interested in keeping up to date with how the project progresses then please do join.

If you want to buy the album then it's available on Band Camp if you click here for a minimum donation of 10 Euros which is about eight British pounds. 10 Euros for 35 tracks of brilliant music, going to a good cause. Of course you want to buy it. As though you needed any more incentive, you can preview all tracks and choose the file format of your download. What's not to like?

Also, can we all agree that Mitch is amazing for organising this and say a big thank you to everyone who has been involved. It's lovely to see something proactive going on in the name of compassion and peace.


*I keep saying CD, more than normal even, so just to clarify that it's only available in download form.