I saw them at a festival a few years smugly prepared to hate them because of their stupid divvy name and I was really quite annoyed they were actually excellent

Bob around to one of his scherzos and you can probably do both at the same time

For now though, aged 45, I just feel like I could listen to Dvorak forever.

What an absolute composer he is.

I know people have similar feelings about Haydn. Always wonderful, always himself, never pushing himself to the front but just always there and always satisfying.

Maybe that's to come.

(e.g. I LOVE the Seventh Symphony but for the finale lets it down because he's trying to be Brahms. But oh, my, the Eighth, what a piece)

Dvorak nails it EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

He's lyrical, he writes staggering tunes, his music is well-wrought, he proves himself in every single genre from opera to chamber music to symphonies to songs. And he's at his best when he's not trying to be anyone else than himself.

When I was younger, I'd want to chase "genius" in my listening- Beethoven, Bach, Mozart - or deep-dive the strange and bizarre - Webern, Satie, Schnittke, Gesualdo.

Maybe it's an age thing. Dvorak's never the Great Thrusting Canonic Genius.

But his music is always, always, utterly lovely.

The Wanderer (Dion) 9/10
Der Wanderer, D493 (Schubert) 10/10

I am unfeasibly proud of the flooring shop in Pontyclun, run by a man called Lee, called FLOORS-DE-LEE

Correction: four bloody names. I think. Need to relisten.

"Reminds me of all the endless de Selby bollocks in that other book I edited. AND the author had three bloody names"

You gotta check out the fantastic documentary film KAISER: THE GREATEST FOOTBALLER WHO NEVER TO PLAY FOOTBALL by @louismyles.bsky.social.

louismyles.com/portfolio/ka...

(Louis is a properly brilliant football storyteller. Despite being a Brighton fan 🙃)

For the avoidance of doubt: this is good

Bamert recording, I'm not an animal

Accurate diagram of a wasp