10 Gentle Spells: 19 January 2025

The child inside, winter trees, 1960s album art and the quiet joy of Jeremy Cooper

1. In a sea of endless Lynch memes, all of them taking me back to watching Twin Peaks at 12 on my grandfather’s handed-down tiny black and white TV in my bedroom, I loved this thank-you, this reflection from Mhairi McFarlane, and most of all this quote (above). Thanks, Kath.

2. This whole book was a spell – the first book I've read in less than a week for ages. If anyone has read Brian, Jeremy Cooper’s beautiful, chapter-less, motoring-on novel about the life of a solitary man who finds himself transformed, internally, by film – a few passages that stayed with me follow – let me know.

3. Suki Dhanda’s wonderful photos of Will Oldham in today’s Observer New Review. I was in the room as he danced and dressed up, and it was lovely to see an enigmatic artist I first loved over a quarter-century ago as a full human being. Read his stories about his time meeting Johnny Cash, enjoying Mariah Carey’s memoirs, and making his new album in the paper today.

4. My favourite picture from this week’s 2025 photo project entries (see last post for details), taken on the way home after school football, on the road by the Graig by my son, who wanted to wind down the window to look at it rather than play Living La Vida Loca on my phone for once (thank God).

That’s the Skirrid to the far left, Sugarloaf like a mini Mount Fiji next to it, a sky of tangerine and salmon pink at 4.35pm conjured up by some celestial creature, and hedges by Monmouthshire County Council.

5. To stay local for a moment, this lovely half-hour of Ramblings, featuring Richard Shimmell, a lovely artist and writer who has recently moved into the same village as me, was very touching. His trees are beautiful.

6. Always go into that charity shop you’re not sure about (this time: St David’s Hospice Care in Malpas). I got these this week, released by Philips, in “Great Britain”, I’m guessing. sometime in the 1960s. What cover art, sadly not credited.

7. This gorgeous three minutes and eight seconds, Lettres de T., by oud player Abderraouf Ouertani, featuring double bassist Patricio Lisboa and saxophonist Benoît Meynier. Heard as I was drifting off to Radio 3’s Night Tracks earlier in the week, and played every day since.

8.  The singing of Zoe Basha, whose debut album is coming later in the year, feels like something I’ve long been longing for. This video of her from 2023 gives you a taste.

9. January is now past its middle, the snowdrops threatening to break through the garden, and that means the marketing nonsense of Blue Monday will be gone after tomorrow. Which gives me an excuse to post my favourite Brits memory, that eureka moment of hearing of the ultimate early 21st century mash-up, a nice bridge from the weekend into the seven days ahead.

10. And after that, just hammer this (with thanks to my friend Alan). Not gentle, but a proper amphetamine for the next week. See you next Sunday, inching closer to Spring.