Who will rid me of this turbulent year?

Form an orderly queue, I going to make you all look very silly.

The year is drawing to a close, as one would expect around December-time.

This is traditionally the time when opinion-makers and people with an inflated sense of their own worth cobble together a review of the preceding twelve months in a desperate attempt to mask their lack of creativity whilst they attend mirthless, tepid puddles of festive indulgence or, latterly, are focused on the dilemmas posed by purchasing the worthless for the ungrateful.

And since I have my own (albeit completely unread) blog to populate, I feel no compunction whatsoever in foisting a hastily put together resumé of some of the things that have briefly held my attention during 2007...

Album

I did enjoy the Super Furry Animals album, "Hey Venus", an inordinate amount earlier in the year.

I also arrived late of the scene with Midlake's album, "Trial of Van Occupanther", which I liked a lot.

And, coming up on the inside towards the end of the year was Tinariwen's "Aman Iman". Imagine a bunch of African nomadic musicians trying to reinvent R 'n' B, sub-Saharan style - Niger Delta Blues, perhaps. The quality belies the prosaic ineptitude of that description, honestly.

However, head and shoulders about all other contenders stands the sublime offerings of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, "Raising Sand". It's just lovely - classic interpretations of simple songs, enlivened with stunning vocals and a light touch in the production suite providing precisely the right amount of depth, instrumentally. I ruddy loves it, I does.

Book

I enjoyed reading "Q" by Luther Blissett (although that wasn't a 2007 vintage) - Umberto Eco-lite; just clever enough to make you feel all proud of yourself for keeping up, but not so clever that you've no idea what just happened and have to keep an open dictionary next to the book whilst you're reading.

I also took a voyeuristic pleasure in watching Richard Dawkins opening up several cans on our religious brethrin, with "The God Delusion" (ditto, methinks).

On reflection, however, my favourite read of the year was Martin Amis', "House of Meetings". Back on stylistic form; back on a reinterpretation of his "end of the world" dialectic; back in my consciousness for the first time in a long time.

Sport

My favourite moment was Fernando Torres scoring his first goal for Liverpool - against Chelsea on 1 September 2007. It was a classy finish and suddenly opened my eyes to the (brief, but enchanting) vision of this elegant and deadly striker helping Liverpool to, finally, succeed in the Premier League.

Landscape

The drive from Ambleside to Keswick is pretty bloody impressive. In particular, the last mile or two when you have Helvellyn looming over you one minute, then Blencathra the next. Fair sent a shiver down my spine, it did.

Some people call it "Saddleback". They're wrong.

Film

"Sunshine" was visually impressive, if vacuous in terms of plot. "Walk the Line" was worthy and competently performed, but didn't grab my heart as I hoped it would. "History of Violence" was stomach-turning and actually made me feel a little scared (these being both good and bad characteristics at the same time). Favourite of the year, though is "Apocalypto". Simply, it was compulsive viewing and, despite being directed by that hateful twat, Mel Gibson, I couldn't tear my eyes from the screen from first second to last.

Television

Don't really catch a lot of TV but, naturally, I always make time to see the "Dawson's Creek" repeats on Five US.



If there are any other headings you want me to ramble on beneath, please put your request in the comments and I'll make up something for you...