I like PSB and wasn’t aware of this. Turns out released 4th October? You have high hopes clearly.
Bruce
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Me too! I instantly tried to find it and couldn’t. Apple Music lets you listen to two of the tracks though as a ‘pre-release’. Putting them on now, I really, really, really enjoyed their last album. Top stuff.
Those two on Tidal too.
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I’m sorry to hear about your health issues and sincerely hope that the retirement works as well as possible for you. I was dismissed on the grounds of permanent ill health in 2017, following the accident the previous year. Occupational Health and various medical specialists were involved and the whole thing was hugely stressful, and the fact that this was happening because I’d suffered a brain injury didn’t make it any easier. It took ages while they decided what course to take, and one of the decisions was which option to apply to my pension. In the end I ended up with 10 added years, which was the best possible outcome, but it was a huge slog to get there.
Forced retirement is a strange thing, made harder by the fact that so many decisions are not in one’s own hands.
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That’s very kind of you to say so. I very much recognise most of what you describe. I’d always intended to go at 60 but the last 4 years have been more stimulating than the previous 10 so I intended to hang around a while longer but then my first and pretty late encounter with Covid last April changed everything for me. Exacerbated existing stuff and created entirely new issues which just keep coming.
Whole process is supposed to take 12 weeks on average. Took them 7 weeks to get me the right medical consent form. I’ve now completed 4 of them; we’re up to week 22 and I’m down to half pay. Occupational Health allocated 20 minutes to see me and decided to not address my near double figures of health issues, instead opting for what was on the fit note only. A catch all of “stress” which really doesn’t capture what’s happened.
GP after 20 years of being indifferent has been hugely supportive, but, Pension Team via Occupation Health have written to the GP to request a report which will be part of the package which goes to my pension fund. Report gets written centrally by someone not medically qualified and who I’ve never met. I’ve seen the reports they’ve done for clients of mine. Appalling and disingenuous.
“I have never seen Mr. Hughes present with any symptoms of…”
because of course the report writer has never seen me.
Better still they requested a payment from Occupational Health before typing a word. Latter have no budget for that so my employer has agreed to pay. Report still won’t be written until next week and I will need to be ready to correct multiple aspects of it I suspect.
I’m so very sorry to hear that and wish you all the very best, though younger at 55 and 52 my partner and I also have no children and it’s difficult to understand unless you have a similar life how close that can make you.
I’m not saying it’s better or worse just different I suppose some couples drift apart without children but it sounds as if like us it made you closer, 48 years is a long time to spend with just one person without the distraction of children and so like my partner your wife was no doubt a very special person.
This sounds very familiar. Try to see the GP before they write the letter / report, and see if you can view and amend the report before it’s finally sent off. All this will depend on your relationship with the surgery, though it sounds from what you wrote that it’s good, so hopefully this will be possible.
Have been seeing my GP close to weekly recently but he has zero input into the report. However, I ticked a box which allows me to see the report; request amendments etc. before my employers Pensions team send the package which includes that report off to my local government pension scheme. I anticipate having to write a lot in a short time.
Just listened to this, trying to console myself after Saturday afternoon.
It’s really good, great find!
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Really enjoying Ride - Interplay. Cheers for the recommendation
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VERY excited by this announcement - second new The Smile album of this year out on 4th October. Recorded during the same sessions as Wall Of Eyes. It’s just like Kid A and Amnesiac all over again 
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Yes, me too. The Smile, like Radiohead, are a musical universe unto themselves.
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I completely agree, some of my favourite music ever. I particularly like The King of Limbs; it is so different and experimental but does not seem to get much love. Some amazingly complex songs are on there. I have a feeling this new Smile album is going to be more electronic and experimental, which is all good with me. Let the countdown begin!
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Yes, it’s perfect, and seems to be the ultimate expression and distillation of all their post-OK Comp albums.
Jonny’s scores and soundtracks are superb, and always searching for new ways to use an orchestra and or other worldly instruments.
Equally, Thom’s own solo and soundtracks are inventive and as with the latest, Confidenza, contains a true moment of wonder, Knife Edge. Like Codex it’s an addictive property. Beautiful.
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I must admit I only listened to a few tracks of Confidenza so I will have to go back and give it another shot. I also really like his Anima album, particularly Dawn Chorus. Beautiful track.
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Rising by Jasmine Myra, will be one of my favourite discs of 2024. So far I have only listened to the Wav download on my Astell&Kern. Really love this laid back easy to listen to Jazz on this recording. Perfect for relaxing after a hard day.
British Jazz is really producing some great young players at the moment. Not just those hyped on the London scene, but out in the provinces too.
You can buy it on Bandcamp.
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I’ll give it a listen 
. This is the great thing about forums like these, you can discover new things rather than the algorithms just giving you more of the same …
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Thanks for this post. Listening to it on Qobuz now and thoroughly enjoying it. A new discovery for us.