Pablo Cheesecake’s Wall of Sound(tracks) – Episode One

Posted on October 30, 2022 by paul

Hello, looks like I’ve remembered once again that I have a personal blog.* Who knows what nonsense lies ahead of us?… well, I mean I do but then I’m writing this post so I don’t think that counts.

Nearly twelve months have passed us by since my last post. In that time there’s been a constant miasma of shitty politics (Britain is well and truly fucked innit), terrible world events (humanity appears well and truly fucked dunnit**) and not nearly enough chocolate.

To combat this hugely disappointing turn of events I have decided to make one of my many, many obsessions into a new hobby.

Some of you will know I read quite a lot. I waffle about all manner of bookish stuff over on The Eloquent Page. When I’m not reading I tend to be consuming all manner of other entertainments. TV, console games, and films fill my free time more so than just about anything else. One of the things I love about these various distractions is the music that is associated with them all.

Music is a constant in my life, there are always sounds on in the background whenever I am doing anything. Of late, probably since the beginning of the pandemic, I have been listening almost exclusively to soundtracks. Over the years I’ve been picking them up fairly regularly but I hadn’t realised quite how all-consuming this preoccupation has become. I started tallying everything up on a spreadsheet (I do love a good spreadsheet) and it turns out I’ve managed to accumulate around 400 hundred of the buggers.

So what is required for a soundtrack to earn a place in the Cheesecake Hall of Fame? It’s pretty easy really. I have to hear it and like it. Simples. What with living in the future and having access to 21st tech like Spotify finding new favourites is no problem at all.

I tend to go through phases where certain soundtracks get heavy rotation, usually just after I’ve discovered them. For example, currently, Crimes of the Future by Howard Shore is making my ears very happy. I’m not a huge fan of David Cronenberg‘s films but the soundtrack is something else entirely. Its a fantastic mix of electronic and classic tracks that blend together creating something quite extraordinary. Having listened to The Lord of the Rings soundtracks, also by Shore, many times in the past this new work was revelatory. Modern yet also timeless in a single stroke. Masterful stuff indeed.

The other thing my soundtrack obsession allows me to do is seek out those musical oddities that make life worth living for. David Arnold‘s Bond homage album Shaken and Stirred is a perfect example. Where else could you discover David McAlmont channelling his inner Shirley Bassey?

Or perhaps the album of Alpine-flavoured yodelling from Alexandre Desplat that accompanies The Grand Budapest Hotel. Weird as all Hell but awesome nonetheless.

One of the best things about soundtracks is even crappy tv, games or films can still have a cracking score.

Dont believe me? Check out King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. The Guy Ritchie movie is not great by any stretch of the imagination. The soundtrack by Daniel Pemberton however is an absolute gem. X-men: Dark Phoenix is another good example. The film is incomprehensible nonsense but the Hans Zimmer (yes, that Hans Zimmer) soundtrack is magnificent.

I’ll round out this music-related waffle with a recommendation. Seeing as it’s Halloween tomorrow I’d suggest checking out the soundtrack to Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet Of Curiosities. There are eight episodes in season one and, as it’s an anthology show, every episode has a different composer on soundtrack duties.

My intention is to try an post about my new hobby regularly (once a month maybe?) but I’ve made such extravagant claims before. Anyway. Feel free to recommend any favourites you might have, old or new it doesn’t matter. I’d be over the moon if it leads me to something I’ve never listened to before.

Till next time, stay frosty people.

*Fuck knows why I even continue to pay for the hosting. It can’t be terribly cost-effective can it? One post a year?

**I’m less upset about that than I should be if I am entirely honest. We’ve had our chance and we’ve screwed it. Time to move on world.

2014: A Cheesecake in Review

Posted on December 24, 2014 by paul

Another year nearly done and dusted. Once again 12 months have just flown by in a flurry of semi coherent moments. I am, as ever, thankful for my family and friends.

With the exception of books, which I’ll waffle a bit about soon over on The Eloquent Page, there have been bucket loads of great entertainment this year. Here are just a few of my personal highlights*

Music

I have what can best be described as eclectic tastes when it comes to tunes. I listen to a ton of soundtracks but love bands as well. My top five for 2014?

Royal Blood – What a RAWK-tastically awesome self-titled debut album. 32 minutes and not a duff second among them.

Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag by Brian Tyler – There are some fantastic game soundtracks out there. I love that the same level of detail that is spent on things like game play and graphics is being spent on the music that accompanies it.

Gloryhammer – Tales From The Kingdom of Fife – Mad as a bag of hammers and all the better for it. The Unicorn Invasion of Dundee is sublime lunacy. In order to pull off daft you have to do it well and these guys know it. I’m mightily impressed.

The Last of Us by Gustavo Santaolalla – Another game soundtrack. I hold this entirely responsible for me actually buying a PS4 and the game. Hauntingly evocative stuff. Just blissfully good.

TV

The Flash – A perfect companion show to Arrow. I love how Barry revels in his abilities. I was discussing it with MadNad and she prefers Arrow, she likes things a bit darker than me. She did agree however that Flash is entertaining. The Man in the Yellow Suit in particular was a stonking episode. The crossover episodes with Arrow were great fun as well.

The Walking Dead – The end of the world just keeps getting darker and darker. Cannibals, corrupt cops and some nice morally dubious decisions. Great stuff. I’ve noticed every week MadNad taking copious notes. I’m sure she’ll be prepared when the inevitable zom-poc arrives.

Vikings – Oh Ragnar Lodbrok you just want it all don’t you? Lets see if you cant get it. Well played History channel, well played.

The Musketeers – Cheesy I know but I adore a bit of cheese. Second season is imminent. I look forward to it buckling my swash. It is the facial hair, I am ALL of the jealous…and the hats.

I want a hat with a feather in it. Dammit!

Dr Who – I was never in any doubt. Capaldi is a perfect fit. The Tardis is in safe hands.

Film

We’ve managed to devour over 135 films this year. Most have been pretty damn good and there have been a couple of real standouts.

The Imitation Game – This was MadNad’s choice and I’ll admit that I had zero expectations when we went to see this at the cinema. I was more than pleasantly surprised, I loved it.

Guardians of the Galaxy – Marvel know exactly which buttons to press when it comes to summer blockbusters. Damn them and their pelvic sorcery!

Nightcrawler – Jake Gyllenhaal being all sleazy and shit. Dark as hell and all the better for it.

Interstellar – Christopher Nolan appears to be quite a divisive figure in many circles. Personally I’m a fan. I’ve liked all of his films and this was no exception. I suspect this is the sort of movie that will require multiple viewings. I’ve only seen it once so far but have no doubt I’ll watch it again. Nolan’s like a cinematic onion (honestly, that is a compliment)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier – More Marvel, more explosions. Nuff’ said.

So there you have it some of my entertainment highlights for 2014, the year I turned forty (please note my mental age is still roughly fifteen. I dont expect that will ever change).

I reckon 2015 is already shaping up to be interesting. There are various plans afoot in the Cheesecake household that are bound to create a certain amount of chaos. I’m always game for a bit of mayhem. In other, entirely unrelated, news I think I have made a decision regarding my fitness challenge for 2015. More on that soon.

Hope you’re all having an utterly splendid festive season.

See you next year

* Yes, I’m well aware some of the things mentioned in this post have been around longer than the last 12 months but this is my blog and so I can do whatever I like 🙂

Of Beards, Salsa and Other Random Gibberish

Posted on October 26, 2014 by paul

Currently my other half is somewhere across the other side of the Atlantic having a right proper American adventure. Seeing as I’ve got no one to chat to I thought it was about time I posted a new personal blog. That’ll two non book related blog posts this year, that must be some sort of record.

As usual its chock full of stuff and nonsense.

A Dedicated Un-Follower of Fashion

Those of you who know me will already appreciate that I have my own unique brand of style. What you may not know is that a change has been in the air for a while now. I’ve reached the point where I’m getting bored with dyeing my hair bright red. Don’t get me wrong, its been great fun but the winter plumage is starting to make itself known and I feel the urge to embrace it and move on. I’ve always quite fancied growing my hair out a bit and having a full beard. I’ve seen pictures of my dad from the late 1970s and he looked like Cousin It from The Addams Family. I think I might give it a shot myself.

Honestly I’m hoping for something along these lines…

I fear however that particular ship may have sailed some time ago. I suspect I’ll get…

I’ll make sure and keep you all updated. I’m sure you’re all curious how my latest adventure in facial hair will pan out.

This week I have been mostly listening to…

Couldn’t get through the day with out music. (Spotify, oh how I love thee. Let me count the ways). My fav tunes at the moment? The usual eclectic mixed bag. Including the following –

Royal Blood’s self titled debut album. It rocks my cotton socks.
Assassin’s Creed IV – Black Flag by Brian Tyler. This is some serious swashing and buckling right there my friend.
The soundtrack to Cuban Fury. Lets be honest, where would the world be without salsa music?

And inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy (and @MadNad) I’ve finally crafted my own attempt at an Awesome Mix Tape. Fuck it, why the hell not?

The Golden Age of Geekdom Continues…

At the tail end of last year I suggested that we geeks were living in a televisual golden age. It appears the bubble hasn’t burst yet and the trend seems set to continue. Put it this way, currently we’ve been watching Under the Dome, Gotham, The Walking Dead, Defiance, Wolfblood, The Strain, The Last Ship, Agents of SHIELD, The Blacklist, Doctor Who, Sleepy Hollow, Legends, Haven, Constantine and Forever*. Add to that The Flash and Dominion which are starting this week and Arrow also returns. The only casualty so far in this TV nirvana has been The Leftovers. I’m sad to say we just weren’t feeling the love. Don’t get me wrong, if you’re diggin it then good for you. Just not one for us.

Thanks for stopping by

Right I’m off. Have a good un’. Be excellent to each other and remember just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.

* Chuffing Nora, thats a lot of hyperlinks innit.

The Nature of an Obsessive Cheesecake

Posted on November 10, 2012 by paul

One Man and a List

I can get a little obsessive about stuff at times. During the week Mrs C pointed out a particularly good one. An obsession that I’ve never noticed before. (Turns out she spotted it years ago but never felt the urge to mention it before as she found it funny). It appears I have a habit of making verbal lists. Just can’t help myself. Most notably this happens when we first wake up or are on our way home from work. I feel compelled to tell MadNad exactly what I am going to do. Think a slightly more domestic version of this (with marginally less zombie killing and you’re thinking along the right lines).

Of course now that I am aware of this habit of mine it is driving me a little insane. The lists still kept forming in my head and I keep trying to stop it escaping out my mouth. Sad I know, but true. You know thinking about it I’m pretty sure that if I didn’t have something to obsess about I’d more likely than not obsess about that.

A Number of Cool Things

Some cool occurrences this week

My collection of Lego minifigs has a new addition, The Daredevil. The comment was made that there is a passing resemblance between him and I. You know what? I’m totally ok with that.

He has his own mutherjeffing cape!

I got to exclusively reveal a book cover to the world. That was pretty frickin sweet.
Mrs C bought some epic shoes. Brothel Creepers are so rock and fuckin’ roll
I finally saw The Raid. Bonkers, Insane and more than a little bit Intense (are just some of the words in this sentence).
I listened to a story about a man and his search for a very special pipe tobacco. Sounds weird, don’t it? It totally is but it is also entirely worth your time.

So Much TV, So Little Time

Currently Mrs C and I are watching/attempting to watch the following programmes regularly – Face Off, Continuum, Fringe, Merlin, Arrow, Last Resort, Warehouse 13, Haven, The Wire, Mad Men, Hunted, Grimm, The Almighty Johnsons, White Collar, True Blood and The Walking Dead. Next week Big Bang Theory returns as well. All of it is pretty great tv but it is definitely getting trickier to keep on top of all this. I’m concerned that my brain is going to start bleeding out my ears.

Anyway enough of this meaningless frivolity. Tomorrow should hopefully bring Windows 8, Blood Fudge, Richard Burton and naked space vampires. I can’t really imagine that life can get much better than that can it?

Later my denizens of the Interweb

Mr Obsessive Compulsive Cheesecake

A Week of Cheesecake

Posted on October 22, 2011 by paul

This week a bring you a random assortment of the stuff that has happened in our house

The Seven Day Sandwich

Mrs Cheesecake and I enjoy watching Man vs Food. I you haven’t ever seen it I strongly advise you check it out, it fucking rocks. Anyway it got us to thinking about all the strange a delicious looking foods that our American cousins have access. How easy would it be to replicate this sort of culinary adventure in the UK? We decided we would give it a go. We set our sights on creating a Reubens. The primary ingredient is salt beef. Just to make things interesting we thought we would have bash a preparing our own salt beef. Turns out this takes the minimum of seven days. The beef has to be soaked in water that contains various herbs. Was it successful? We will find out tomorrow. I am hoping for something along these lines.

Paging Dr Cheesecake

A few months ago I entered a competition to appear in a book by the publisher Abaddon. Bugger me if I didn’t go ahead and win. The prize was to have an academic named in one of the appendices in the novel Savage Knight by Paul Lewis. I decided the nominate Mrs Cheesecake instead and today the book arrived. I had a rummage and low in behold on page 279 the following….

This may be the coolest fucking thing ever. I’m sort of jealous I gave the prize away now. She’ll be in print forever. Immortality achieved at last.

2011 Challenge Update

We are well and truly in the final stretch. After nearly 10 months I have managed over 16000 sit ups. Less than 4000 to go. Happy days. Actually that is not entirely accurate. I have to think of what I am going to do in 2012. I’ve done the huge cycle trek (500km in 2010) so I am looking for suggestions for next year. No not chin ups I am to tall for that. Perhaps I should come up with some sort of weight training program? I’m sure I can come with something. Hey you never know one day I may not be fat anymore. Stranger things have happened. Admittedly I’m unsure what these stranger things are but you get the gist.

Ohh before I forget, if you feel the urge you can still donate to my just giving page. Well I say mine. It is one that I share with my amigo @Seabrie. Together we are Two Fat Men. Impressive non?

Sunday Night Whimsy

I am a creature of habit. After a long hard week I enjoy putting my feet up and giving my self over to the Lords of Whimsy. What, you may ask, is this? I have this theory that someone, somewhere invented a rule that every Sunday night there has to be a lavish looking TV show on. Disagree? I submit the following as evidence. Hamish Macbeth, Monarch of the Glen, Lark Rise to Candleford (known as Lark Rise to Bumble Fuck in our house – I don’t know why either), Spooks, Downton Abbey. Now don’t get me wrong. These shows ain’t Shakespeare but but sure as hell are entertaining.

Oh well enough of this jibber jabber

Stuff to do

Laters Taters,Adios

Mr C

UPDATE

Just realised this my 150th post. Can’t let this go by without a Fuck Yeah! I can also pretty much guarantee that there will be 150 more. I mean where the hell else am I going to waxy lyrical.

A week of unhealthy obsession…..

Posted on April 3, 2011 by paul

Once again Mrs Cheesecake is out in the fresh air attacking the garden with an admirable vigour. I, meanwhile, am hiding out in the spare room pondering the universe. This week I have mostly been obsessing about all the little things.

Pablo Cheesecake – Stat Whore

A negative I’ve noticed about running The Eloquent Page is that I have started to obsess about the number of hits the site receives on a daily basis. It’s ridiculous really. I get caught up with numbers, always have if I’m honest. I set myself a target and once I reach that I always have to try and go one better. If for any reason I get less than the day before I am thrown into a blind panic and start to question my entire existence.

This behaviour has to stop. I need to remember the reason I created the site in the first place. For those playing along at home the correct answer is – To get back into reading and to connect with others who love a good read.

In an effort to curb the madness and reclaim my sanity I am only going to post once this week, on Friday.

A game of cheesecake

This week I’m also attempting to take on my Moby Dick of reading, my great white literary whale, A Game of Thrones. I thought I should read before the TV show starts. I’ve mentioned in the past that I have never managed to read this book and I am more determined than ever to break the back of this beast. Unfortunately I am not off to a flying start, only 30 pages in *sadface*. Hell I should probably be reading it right now but instead I am waxing lyrical on the interweb.

green lantern

I saw the new footage of the Green Lantern on the internet yesterday. I was impressed and then I was panicked. Is it too good to be true? Have we been subjected to the best 4 minutes already and the movie as a whole will not the what I hoped it could be? Am I obsessing again about things that I have absolutely no control over whatsoever? I remain fearfully optimistic.

feel the Burn

I reached a milestone with the old situps at the beginning of the week. I have now sailed past 5000 and I am bang on track to achieve 20000 in 2011. Now that I have settled into a routine I am starting to panic that it is getting too easy and I wont reap any benefits. I’m worried that if there is less pain there will be less gain. I’ll be honest the KFC probably isn’t helping either.

Great Scott! I’m a gibbering wreck of a human being. Please feel free to return to your normal Sunday afternoon viewing while I go and rock slowly in the corner muttering expletives to myself.

Pablo Cheesecake

A Mid-Life Crisis Waiting to Happen…

Tag Archives: TV