August 2026 – Page 4 – Dickens of a Blog

Goomiey’s For

On 2026-08-05

Goomiey’s For came out today and I figured that I’d give a quick review and some thoughts. I really, truly suck at reviewing music outside of a few general comments — trust me, I know that “I really liked this part…” and “It is interesting…” sounds repetitive to me, as well — but music reviews or something that I wanted to add more to this blog so here we go…

First off, I’ve now listened to it probably five times. A couple of times with headphones (once while working out because sweating adds verisimilitude to reviews :wink:).

Once over speakers with pretty “deep listening” and taking notes.

Twice as general background. Let me set the scene: it’s a warm-ish summer day in Belgian, bordering a bit hot. Windows are open and a fan is blowing. Overcast. A bit windy. Birds and such are out because yesterday’s rain helped kill the long weeks of dry we were having.

Picture that? Well, it is in the last form that I think fits the album the best. A bit of loud and creativity against an otherwise calm, nice day on the way to louder days. It’s music that bounces nicely off brick walls and bookcases. An album for drinking a sweating beer and staring at canals. Quite lovely while doing so.

There is a sincerity to the music that is nice. It is music for an afternoon.

Looking over my notes, not sure if I have much to add that I haven’t already written. Several songs have a transitional moment. “Spotlight” is a great example of this, as does the album ending “180.” I love a good transition/bridge and the ones here fit well.

I think “Naive” and “Samenai Natsu” (“Unending Summer”) are probably my favorites but I appreciate quite a few of the songs.

I would probably have recommended separating “Naive” a bit from “180” because they are both good songs but have a slightly odd way of fitting together. A similar sort of “the same but not” kind of happens early on with “After Sign” and “Spotlight.” Not sure I can explain it. It is ultimately a minor quibble.

Hard Work Makes the Bed Soft

By Doug Bolden

On 2026-08-04

In Daily Life, Humor

Couple of nights back, I was getting B to bed and we were talking about how she had worked hard that day. On the way downstairs from her bedroom I turned around and said, without a trace of irony:

HARD WORK MAKES THE BED SOFT.

Space Pilgrims, it was like I was temporarily possessed by an aphorism-spouting southern grandmother.

Like I passed, in that instance, into the age where you are a movie stereotype of the gray-haired man who shows up to gives speeches on a porch to the much younger, and much more attractive, protagonists.

Lord.

Anyhow, time to embrace this new silver age, because if you don’t hold on to what you got you might get nothing at all.

Bonus, I looked it up to see if this was a phrase I had read somewhere before and Google’s AI keeps jumping into the conversation to claim it is a “well-known phrase” and offers absolutely NO evidence of such a thing.

Sounds like the folks at Gemini need to be WORKING harder, eh?

Haku.’s “Isshin” [MVP #10]

By Doug Bolden

On 2026-08-04

In Doug's Daily Music Video Pick, Music, Music Video

The main-line MVP series hits 10 posts AND this is the third (or fourth?) premiere in the past week AND we have two acts in a row that include a period in their official name. Fun!

If you are aware of Haku., chances are you have heard their cover of “Mono no Aware” [*giggle*] but in general give the band a chance. They have some tricks which shift here or there but they retain their central style even as they explore some interesting mixes and progressions.

For instance, try out “Patapata Cat” (especially true for fans of One Cut of the Dead) and “Looking through the universe with my subtle double eyelids“.

Seems like they have a new album (combining bits from a couple of EPs? It is hard to tell without the full tracklist) coming out soon.

My Music Video Picks [MVP] is a series of posts highlighting various music and dance videos from Youtube (usually). No particular schedule (sometimes lots, sometimes little). It might not even all be music or dance videos. Absolutely picked by me, though. Usually I have to like both the song and the video, but we’ll see.

You can see the most recent songs here: [Doug’s] Music Video Picks [Youtube Playlist]. Size of that list will change as the mood strikes. Playlist might contain spoilers for unpublished posts. Just enjoy.

tuki.’s “Third Planet” [MVP #9]

By Doug Bolden

On 2026-08-03

In Doug's Daily Music Video Pick, Music, Music Video

In some ways, “Third Planet” is probably not the first song by tuki. to which I would recommend you listen, but I do like it…

The reason I’d almost say hold off is simply because there have been a number of songs by the young songwriter which have dealt with longing and self-discovery — all the way back to her breakout hit, “Bansaka” — and this one feels to me like something of an answer to those. Things can be a bit flawed and unknown, but we work together and try and make something.

The video’s end does combine well with the voice to blend some plaintive elements in the mix. A metaphor about crashing into someone who is significant to you for a certain period of time and then saying goodbye. Not all bad. Not all good.

Something else.

The video is a bit like a femme, glitched out Project Hail Mary for those into that sort of thing.

My Music Video Picks [MVP] is a series of posts highlighting various music and dance videos from Youtube (usually). No particular schedule (sometimes lots, sometimes little). It might not even all be music or dance videos. Absolutely picked by me, though. Usually I have to like both the song and the video, but we’ll see.

You can see the most recent songs here: [Doug’s] Music Video Picks [Youtube Playlist]. Size of that list will change as the mood strikes. Playlist might contain spoilers for unpublished posts. Just enjoy.

The Mailbox Spider

By Doug Bolden

On 2026-08-03

In Daily Life

NOTE, some folks are pretty sensitive to spiders so I’m going to save the actual photo of the spider until after a cut, but just note that there will be absolutely a photo of a spider if you continue down this post. The header has a bit of a preview that’s been washed out so hopefully it’s not too bad.

mM7th’s “Growth” [MVP #8]

By Doug Bolden

On 2026-08-02

In Doug's Daily Music Video Pick, Music, Music Video

Last night was just chilling with Kaz when this video popped up for the second or third time in my recommendeds. The interesting name of the band — mM7th = Major Minor 7s, and written in a way that makes me think “myth”— is partially what did it. And I’m glad I did…

Though the jazzy driftiness of the whole thing is really good, just the part early on where she sings (note: as translated by them for the video), “Tell me, Pascal, about the badness in me, now that I’ve learned to want things…,” is where I started to fall in love with this song. Not just the lyrical shot at Pascal, but also the way she pops out the word “Pascal” very nearly like a muted curse.

You also have the moment at the end where she sings and the on-screen lyrics suddenly stop only to return in the silence after the song:

Swayed in the soft breeze under the shade
Touched it with bare hands out of curiosity
I call this flower “Happiness”

The fact that you can see the soap still on the street from her “washing hands” moment earlier in the video brings home that earlier line about the wickedness of wanting things.

mM7th is just hitting overall and currently has < 2k subscribers and only 5 songs on their channel. If you like to jump in early on bands, here’s a chance.

For other recommends, I’d say 逆様 which they released to international single as “Antithese”. Somewhat similar in theme, but a bit jazzier. It makes a nice companion piece.

My Music Video Picks [MVP] is a series of posts highlighting various music and dance videos from Youtube (usually). No particular schedule (sometimes lots, sometimes little). It might not even all be music or dance videos. Absolutely picked by me, though. Usually I have to like both the song and the video, but we’ll see.

You can see the most recent songs here: [Doug’s] Music Video Picks [Youtube Playlist]. Size of that list will change as the mood strikes. Playlist might contain spoilers for unpublished posts. Just enjoy.

Crazy Blues’ “YoungGirlsNeverApart” [MVP #7]

By Doug Bolden

On 2026-08-01

In Doug's Daily Music Video Pick, Music, Music Video

I can keep this absolutely short and sweet:

Thank God for bands like Crazy Blues keeping precisely this genre of music alive…

The visual and audio shift right before the minute mark is so divine it almost makes me teary eyed.

Might not trust that pie, though. Or that cat. Would absolute be glad to hang out on a different but nearby mountain and jam to the tunes, though.

Crazy Blues doesn’t have the deepest back catalog yet so now is the time to jump all in, but if you had to pick another song then maybe “Lot” as their biggest hit (just watch out for some flashing imagery [if sensitive, look away around 4m mark]).

My Music Video Picks [MVP] is a series of posts highlighting various music and dance videos from Youtube (usually). No particular schedule (sometimes lots, sometimes little). It might not even all be music or dance videos. Absolutely picked by me, though. Usually I have to like both the song and the video, but we’ll see.

You can see the most recent songs here: [Doug’s] Music Video Picks [Youtube Playlist]. Size of that list will change as the mood strikes. Playlist might contain spoilers for unpublished posts. Just enjoy.