Popping Weasels @ The Zeitgeist Cafe - REVIEW

READING WEASELS

"Flood"

With all the talk of climate change, a topic that consumes a great deal of debate regardless of whether your a climate change believer or sceptic, you could begin to feel like the issue is somewhat remote and academic (unless of course you are the citizen of a country of low lying atolls in which case not so academic!), or simply too large an issue to fully grasp.

Well flail no more in Hard to Grapple with Land, "Flood" does an excellent job of taking climate change, and the future of humanity on our tiny blue globe, and making it something that will resonate with you. While admittedly much of the flooding is revealed to be the result of something else entirely, the book does a very good job of postulating about mankind's fate should a watery apocalypse befall us, and trust me, it isn't pretty, civilised or a glittering affirmation of our essential nobility. Rather we come a lot worse for wear, as the titular flood consumes more and more land, and people are forced to make some very hard moral and ethical choices in order to survive.

Is it OTT? Yes. But it is strangely enough, not melodramatic, the characters work well, and while the plot pacing is a little slow and uneven at times, it's a good read, and after a long day at the corporate coal face, who doesn't want a bit of escapist disaster reading with a brain?

MUSIC WEASELS

"Junior" - Royksopp

These guys are my favourite Norwegians! It's true and they have crafted a third CD of contagiously melodic CD of electronic beats that will you tapping your feet one moment, and then drifting off to dreamy places the next.  According to Svein Berge, one half of the Norweigan electronic duo:  "If Melody A.M. (their first CD) was a relaxed journey inwards on a Sunday afternoon and The Understanding (the second CD)was more uptempo, with more vocals and a hint of melodic catchiness, then the new album is a mix of the two." They have co-opted a host of fabulous artists from the country next door, Sweden, and Robyn, Likke Li and Karin Dreijer of The Knife all add a distinct presence to music that is unashamedly joyful, fun and enchanting, an ode to joyful happy times. Listen to this if you want to feel the heady rush of Spring after the dark days of Winter and SMILE.