Monday 29 October 2018

Sjón's novel, The Blue Fox, reviewed by Tine Frellesen


So, Iceland in 1883: A vicar foxhunting in the glaciers and a botanist making funeral arrangements for a dead woman. It really doesn’t sound like the kind of book you’re dying to read. But – once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down.
The novel begins, like a poem, with sparse sentences on each page. Glimpses of the settings and protagonists, like atmospheric photographs or film clips. It slowly gathers pace and volume as the plot builds and the stories of the two men unfold in a mysterious pattern.
Baldur Skuggason is tracking a blue fox in the stark Icelandic landscape and as the weather turns colder and wilder there is telepathic messaging between fox and hunter.
The herbalist Fridrik who has returned from studies in Copenhagen puts together the pieces of a strange parcel and thereby the pieces of the strange life of the dead woman, Abba. A woman, who suffered from Down’s Syndrome, who had appeared out of the womb of a stranded shipwreck.
The fox hunt turns into a mad fable as the communication between the vicar and the fox turns more and more surreal. This is where the novel becomes absolutely magical. And the unpredictability of the plot twists makes you laugh and wonder.
Also the simplicity of the lives of Fridrik and Abba is deeply satisfying to read. A wooden house, a stove, clothes and utensils made and crafted by hand. This, and the rawness of a life governed by nature seems soothing to the senses.
Sjóns poetic language is beautiful and has a certain mystery:
“Snow covered the land up to the root of the glacier, not a bare path of earth to be seen; the vixen would write the tale of her travels on the blank sheet as soon as she embarked on them.”
” The sun warms the man’s white body, and the snow, melting with a diffident creaking, passes for birdsong.”
“Ghost-sun is the name given by poets to their friend the moon”
And when Baldur is trapped in a snow drift and ravens line up ready for dinner:
“A shadow darkened the snow crust and a moment later a raven landed there. It cocked it’s head on one side, examining the man stuck fast in the snow trap.”
The best stories are the ones that surprise you, where you have no idea of the outcome, but in the end you realise the writer knew where he was heading all along. The Blue Fox is a short novel of 110 pages, but like The Great Gatsby or Sieze the Day, the length is perfect and the story complete.

Sjón is an Icelandig novelist, poet and librettist. Born 1962, his name is Sigurjon (Sjon) Birgir Sigurosson. He has published novels, poetry collections and plays and has written many songs in collaborations with Björk. His twitter account is here: Sjonorama

Review by Tine Frellesen
29/10/2018

Tuesday 23 October 2018

What You Don't Know' the new single from Hot Sauce Pony.




We instantly fell for South London four piece Hot Sauce Pony upon hearing the first song from their forthcoming self-titled first album. We weren't the only ones either – Marc Riley at BBC 6Music liked it so much he spun it – it being the deliciously short and sharp 'Burnt Ends' - on his show numerous times, and quite a few other blogs got in on the act too.


If we tell you that 'What You Don't Know', its successor is a slightly more conventional offering, that should be seen in the context of 'Burnt Ends' being barely over a minute long and more of a building, freeform exploration rather than yer usual verse-chorus-verse type structure.

'What You Don't Know' does have a chorus, a damn fine chorus at that, but it's still pretty rule breaking. What we're assuming by now is a Hot Sauce Pony trademark, the brutal and beefed up bass sound of Stephen Gilchrist, is at the fore of this track too, paired up with the Sabbath-esque guitar riffing of Ross Davies.

The efforts of drummer Anna Dodridge are what ultimately brings the whole glorious cacophony into focus though, with a hard hitting but infectious beat that the rest can off with plenty of ease. At the same time, reinforcing the fact that 'What You Don't Know' is, according to its press release, about the death throes of a relationship, lead singer Caroline Gilchrisst and bassist Stephen take turns at airing their grievances in extremely colourful tones.

Having now witnessed the band in live action, at the closing party for NME/Guardian writer Mark Beaumont's regular night at the Camden Monarch, we're positively salivating at the prospect of the album. In the flesh, they positively reeked of rock 'n' roll abandon and fuck you attitude, without losing any of the accuracy and unexpected twists that their recordings suggest.


The fact that that album was entirely recorded with legendary knob twiddler Steve Albini at the controls, only serves to whet that appetite further. We can only suggest you join us on board the Pony express as soon as possible.



Caroline Gilchrist - vocals / Anna Dodridge - drums / Ross Davies - guitar / Stephen Gilchrist - bass



'What You Don't Know' is out now on Brixton Hillbilly records