A Most Peculiar Time of Year

Crowds, shopping, horrible packed trains (which are of course delayed), familial obligations, tinsel, more Only Fools and Horses to avoid, bloody rubbish songs punctuated by the Pogues' "Fairytale of New York", which when heard elicits collective signs of relief, no snow yet again, being fed up by your mum, getting fed up of your mum (Ah, I don't mean it, I love you mum): Christmas 2009.

Nothing that some absinthe and a fair spell in bed couldn't cure. Bah humbug.

Then there's making your own presents and cards for people (and laughing at the attempts), getting the wrapping paper and ribbons exactly right, sitting under the tree playing with the cat, getting a card from someone you didn't expect, the Perfect 12 podcast, being excited about kissing someone you care about on New Year whilst simmulatenously appearing wry about it and pretending you're cool, dark jokes over the dinner table, sitting down and having a really good catch up with a friend, babycham with cherries in, the Killers' "Don't Shoot Me Santa"which is becoming a bit of a festive favourite of mine. The possiblility someone may give you a bottle of absinthe in case it all goes wrong.

Merry Christmas folks, and if you have to travel by train then take a hipflask with you!

It's A Kind of Magic: Cardini

I'm a huge fan of magic, especially the close-up stuff. Partly this is because I have little dexterity myself and admire it so much in others -I'm in my mid twenties and I still haven't cracked walking without falling down! So the suavity and grace of magicians always bowls me over, much like broken paving stones on the street. There's nothing like trying to work out how it's done either; though having been the proud owner of a deluxe Paul Daniel's magic set when I child I actually know - bloody hard work and loads of practise. Those of a cynical nature will notice that Christmas is in fact rolling round again... but, truley I love almost everything about magicians, from the personas, the rivalries, the posters (which would make a great Christmas present), and the showmanship. The actual tricks aren't bad either.

It's such a shame that there isn't more of an opportunity to see more live magic. There are societies around with exhibition dates for the non-magician (not in Aber , oh no, google 'Aber' and 'magic' and there'll be something about druids no doubt - they're the cutting edge round here), and of course there's Derren Brown doing his devilish bit for the art form. I have yet to see Brown perform, due to irritating things like exams, which crop up whenever his tour is nearby (ha -Swansea), but one day. In the meantime I enjoy the TV shows, all of which are available on 4oD. This is nowhere near enough though! Where have all the magicians vanished to?

When in doubt look to youtube: here's a vintage performance from Cardini, the quality is the best I can do sadly....

Cardini is acclaimed as the"greatest exponent of pure sleight of hand the world has ever known", and this magicians' magician's manipulations of cards made me wonder why I'd wasted my life studying? Surely to god I could have been doing something more mesmeric. Then I remembered my aforementioned dyspraxic lack of coordination, and a lack of patience - not something that Cardini suffers from as you can see. The above footage shows one of my favourite magic tricks; impeccable timing, misdirection, slights and superb dexterity all serve to keep the fans of cards falling and you just have to wonder where on earth he stashes them? Sadly there are few recordings of this master, but the wonderful tipsy character he created, who possesses a bizarre Midas touch with cards, billiard balls and cigarettes, is unforgettable.

Cardini was born in 1895, under the unassuming name of Richard Pitchford, in the equally unassuming Mumbles. After enlisting, he passed his time in the trenches practising magic whilst wearing gloves because of the cold; this later served as a hallmark of his skillful routines. In 1916 Pitchford was nearly killed when a bomb exploded nearby, but recovering in hospital gave him ample time for card practise - though his request for gloves promptly had him dispatched to a psychiatric ward.

He was a former President of the Magicians Guild, he chose his name to invoke the stature of Houdini (the self proclaimed 'King of Cards'), and his bell-boy assistant was also his wife, but that's about all I can find in terms of biographical details. That and the rather charming fact that Cardini's son's pram was used in Gone with the Wind - Rhett wheels little Bonnie Blue around in it!

Cardini pioneered many techniques still in use, and has often being imitated; I could watch his routine over and over, but still I don't know how he does it though.

Music Review - The Killers, Day & Age

'Are we human or are we dancer?'

This may be one of the most irritating lyrics of the year; dancers! Dancers! If the plural was good enough for Hunter S. Thompson, then it should be good enough for walking ego and Killers front man Brendon Flowers.

After Hot Fuss there was admittedly rather allot to swagger about - what a tremendous album! Then followed Sam's Town, which left something to be desired. All in all the second album was a disappointment; lacking drive, the sweeping 80s fulled musicality and layers of synths; although I was rather fond of 'Read My Mind' and 'For Reasons Unknown'. Likewise the 'b' sides album 'Sawdust' has a few bits and pieces to recommend it, but again is nowt special. Aside from the stellar first album haven't the Killers been a tad overrated?

The next question has 'Human' already been overplayed? Every time I go into a shop or pub it seems to crop up between the Christmas carols, and being that the band have 'beaten' Guns N' Roses to the number one spot (as if that is really the event it's been made out to be) they are featured on almost every station playlist. I can't really decide if I like it or not because the lyric about 'dancer' annoys me so much I just can't let it go.

Day & Age is not really flipping my switches; it's okay and makes funky background music particularly 'The World We Live In' and 'I Can't Say' (although some of that sounds a bit like Lion King theme song 'Circle of Life', no really and there's even a timpani) but that's pretty damning really considering Flowers' hype that it is the "best Killers disk ever!". It's been a long time since I've heard sax solos, and I rather liked Roxy Music and Duran Duran so its nice to hear them being referenced, but Day & Age fails to be stunningly original. Its not as punchy or heartfelt as Hot Fuss. It's inoffensive, and Stuart Price's production has enriched the structure of the songs - maybe its a grower, but I'm afraid to say it doesn't do anything special to me.

6.5/10