Hollie Cook "Stay Alive"

As playlisted on 6Music (and about time too...) I haven't heard the new album, Vessel of Love, yet but I'm loving this track.

Her music changes a little and grows ever more sophisticated and complex with each album so I'm really looking forward to listening to Vessel of Love when I get chance.

The book pile, fed and happy

Mint Field - "Quiero Otoño De Nuevo" (Official Video)

A second teaser track from the forthcoming debut album Pasar De Las Luces, which is due out on February 23rd on Innovative Leisure.

The band are also touring throughout February, March and April.

In their native Mexico they will be playing Departamento in Mexico City on February 22nd and their home town of Tijuana at the Black Box on February 23rd.

They then have four UK dates:

Leeds Headrow House on February 26th

Glasgow Broadcast on February 27th

Salford Eagle Inn on February 28th

London Shacklewell Arms on March 1st

After that they have more European dates, firstly two in the Netherlands, Groningen (Vera) on March 3rd and Amsterdam (Paradiso) on March 4th.

Then Jena in Germany at the Glashaus on March 6th, over to the Czech Republic to play in Prague at Underdogs Ballroom on March 7th, back to Germany on March 8th to play in Berlin at Loophole, then off to France for their Paris gig at Espace B on March 10th.

They have a series of US dates after that, and then they're back in Mexico City at Ceremonia on April 7th.

The US dates are:

South by South West, March 13th-18th
Santa Fe Rufina Tap room on March 20th
Denver at the Rufina Tap Room on March 21st
Seattle at Vera Project on March 25th
Portland Liquor Store on March 26th
San Francisco Cafe Du Nord on March 29th
Los Angeles Resident on March 30th
San Diego Blonde Bar on April 1st.

It's a helluva schedule I must say...

The book pile, much diminished and waiting to be fed

Vivien Jones, the woman who did

Back in November, I interviewed Vivien Jones (pictured on the left with her daughters), co-founder of the new preteen/tweenage girls magazine Kookie.

The whole area of preteen/tweenage media is pretty outside my usual areas of interest, and I did wonder when I got in touch with Vivien if she'd be a bit puzzled as to why the music editor of The F-Word was contacting her, as opposed to the features editor. The most recent pieces I'd done prior to that being the Rews album review and my anti-Donald Trump/pro loud female guitar rock playlist. If she did fail to see the connections, she was too polite to say so.

Really though, Kookie and it's origin story tie in with a long standing interest of mine in DIY magazines. Kookie is a crowdfunded startup that relies on a subscription base and does not take advertising, it's tagline is "Celebrating everything a girl can be", and it aims to showcase a complex and varied range of content and present a wide range of experiences and inspirational touchstones for preteen girls. Heroines for the modern age if you like.

Vivien and I talked about the lack of positive media around for preteen/tweenage girls and the importance of role models for young girls, amongst other things. What really came across was her frustration with the lack of decent magazines for young girls (her own daughters are teenagers now) and her strong desire to change the situation.

It was a very enjoyable interview to do and, while the finished piece has taken longer than I would have liked it to, I am very pleased with the piece.

Issue one of Kookie came out in December, and you can read my interview with Vivien on The F-Word.

Appropriately seasonal seeming Undone quote

A decidedly 'meh' feeling Edna has returned home to Towcester from London and, having a lie in, is finding it difficult to get up in the morning:

"There are people whose beds love them so much that to get up at a decent time on a Saturday morning is considered an insult. I apologised to the bed and came down to find mum was already sorting and fussing."

Undone series 2, episode 5, 'Unwelcome'. It's actually an episode set in June, but it feels weirdly appropriate in freezing January.

I thought of this quote last Saturday morning when I was nice and warm in bed and really, really didn't want to get up and get dressed in the cold for work. Then, on Monday 4Extra started broadcasting series 2 of Undone... It's like they read my mind and knew a bit of frivolity and whimsy was needed at this time of year.

As promised, Honeyblood live review!

As promised, I have reviewed Honeyblood's AMAZING gig at Gorilla in Manchester, just before Christmas.

It's now up on The F-Word

I had a lot of fun writing it, which is always good if it's a gig that was good fun as well.

The band are playing a couple more dates this month before finishing the tour so, if you're quick, you might be able to see them at Rockaway Beach Fest on 12 January (that's an indoor festival at Butlins, akin to All Tomorrow's Parties) or in London on 29 January at Bush Hall.

They are absolutely definitely worth seeing, and I was so pleased that they got such an enthusiastic crowd in Manchester this time.

Mint Field - "Ojos En El Carro" (Official Video)

This is just gorgeous, both sonically and visually. Like a particularly luminous, wistful and euphoric branch of post rock with a video that looks like the work of a young Sofia Coppola.

Mint Field are Estrella Sanchez (vocals and guitar) and Amor Amezcua (drums and synths) who are both 21 and from Tijuana, and this is their current single, a taster from their debut album Pasar De Las Luces, which is due out on February 23rd.

Can't wait on the strength of this...