And The Glass Handed Kites

is the title of the new album from one of my favourite bands, Mew, a little-known rock band from Denmark. I first got interested in this band when I saw them supporting Martin Grech at the Leadmill in Sheffield several years back, and, in a remarkable break from custom, bought the single on sale at the merchandise stand, "Am I Wry? No". This song rapidly became, and stayed, my favourite song in the world. Since then I've been following their progress with interest, eagerly snapping up their brilliant first album, "Frengers", a collection of 10 slow, melodic, soaring, dreamlike guitar-driven songs. "And The Glass Handed Kites" continues in the same vein, providing a mighty 14 tracks. On first listen, I'm very satisfied with it. The songs don't seem to have the individuality that characterised Frengers, and none of the tracks are as anthemic as "156" or "Snow Brigade", but over a solid 53 minutes of music their distant, evocative style has been developed to near-perfection. The high point of the album is probably the ominous, epic first track, an instrumental named "The Circuitry Of The Wolf".

Mew's website will tell you more, if you're interested.

I'm back from Cornwall and from Wales. Had a lovely few days' walking, first along the ridge of the Black Mountains in beautiful sunshine with panoramic views in all directions. If you want to know what I've been up to in Cornwall, look at this.

If anyone's feeling generous and wants to buy me an album, make it one of the following:

Vanessa Carlton - Harmonium
My Vitriol - Between The Lines
Anything by The Rasmus
Anything by The Cooper Temple Clause

or some others which I've forgotten for now.