Connolly’s Corner

Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙀𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙏𝙤 𝙎𝙣𝙤𝙬 – 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙮𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙣, 𝙋𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙮

Charles reads you a sermon…

Every year I write a Christmas review. It has become a tradition, in keeping with the situation. Throughout my weekly musings I try hard not to repeat myself. To try to come up with new things to write about. I try hard not to repeat myself. The annual Christmas edition is no exception. I don’t want to rehash the same old theme every year, tradition or no tradition. I have spoken of the lights, the jingle and the tree. I have spoken of family. I have spoken of little elves, reindeer and the big man himself. I have quoted Dickens numerous times. I have quoted lines from It’s a Wonderful Life. But this year, I feel rather different. The music goes on. My gorgeous tree sits elegantly decorated and twinkling oh so prettily in the corner. I even went to a Christmas concert on Sunday evening. And yet I feel festive like it’s mid November. Strangely, I seem not alone. It appears that several others are also shchtruggling to get into the spirit of things this year. I really can’t explain it!

(more…)

Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙒𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚 – 𝙈𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙮 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙥, 𝙅.𝙃.𝙈

Charles considers the formative years…

When did time begin? Okay, let’s narrow that down a bit. When did YOUR time begin? More to the point, when did it start to matter? I was born in the 80s. As a young Calvin Harris once said, “It was acceptable in the 80s”. So I will assume I was generally accepted and I wasn’t a wretched outcast from day one. That came later (a-ho-ho). Cool! So there I was, all blob and no backbone in Orwell’s infamous favourite year. Prod my right shoulder and I fall to my left with a giggle. Prod my left shoulder and I fall to my right with a giggle. You get the picture. This could and almost certainly did go on for hours (minutes, in adult time). I was probably thinking about very little at the time, let’s face it. We’re all useless at that age. My first computer was a bloody expensive thing that did almost nothing. But thank you Daddy, for buying it for me. EYE was a bloody expensive thing that did almost nothing. And I’m sure I rarely showed any signs of yield. I had no purpose at all! Meaning of life? Hah! To eat and poo and giggle and dribble and injure myself. But I was far from being alone. I was cared for deeply by two gullible adults who seemed to think it would be worth it. This conception (as it were) is not uncommon. In fact, it is “the norm”. We were pretty much ALL in this situation at one time. And it comes back near the end when we’re senile and useless, with life becoming once again an amalgam of eating, pooing, giggling, dribbling and injuring oneself, being looked after, fed and wiped by the very people who followed in the natural chain of events. Swings and roundabouts, my dear! Depressing swings, and crippling roundabouts. But let’s not even think about the end, for there lies bad juju. Let us instead ponder on that beginning…

(more…)

Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙒𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙤 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠 – 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙠𝙤 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙠𝙚𝙨

Charles wishes to speak…

I used to be completely invisible. Not literally of course, as that would be impossible, not to mention quite cool. But there used to be very few people on this planet who had heard of me. In the old days, our goal was not the world. That was only for billionaire power junkies and Bond villains. We knew only a handful of people, and only a handful of people knew us. That was normal. But these days we are so naturally and casually connected with so many people all over the world. Just think about that for a sec. Weird, isn’t it. But also kinda neat. And unlike real life, you can cut them all off with the press of a button. No strings! Which is probably why the world is so beastly on the internet. In NOT being the type to cut people off and blank them (because it’s so darned easy), I instead use this international connection as a positive. So yes, I used to be invisible. Then I started to get a tiny little bit of attention with my music. Which was nice. Then that went a bit further. So what came next? Was I edging closer to billionaire-power-junkie? Nah. I’m not rich enough, and I don’t like the idea of having that much power. Sway sounds like a nice thing, but ultimate power? No thank you. So was I turning into a Bond villain, then? Nah. I’m allergic to cats and violence. So surely, I am going to take over the world musically? Hah!! I don’t think so. The thing is, I am now probably most known for my Corner. That and the producer/engineer stuff. While the fixey/mixey/producer side of me earns the pennies, the Corner gets a lot more attention. You see, people like stories, and I seem to be known these days as a storyteller.

(more…)

Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙏𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙈𝙮 𝘽𝙤𝙨𝙨 – 𝙅𝙪𝙣𝙚 𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙

Charles is talking about quitting…

A job’s a job. How many times have we heard that? It’s both optimistic and pessimistic, but ultimately saying a whole load of nothing. A job. We all have one; or most of us anyway. Some of you un/lucky ones are retired. Some of you are still students. But the majority is kept busy most of the time in a means of making money, in order to live. Seems simple enough. Some are content in their work, or simply don’t mind it; a job’s a job. I am one of the lucky ones (I imagine a rarity) in being able to earn my living from doing what I am best at, and doing what I love. Producing and mixing music. This doesn’t mean I don’t work hard; I just don’t resent it. Each and every project is to me a worthwhile endeavour. Of course, I could do with a few more clients (preferably of the disgustingly rich variety), but things are fine, and my life is generally not a bad one. Still though: “Come to me, my pretties!” Go on. I’ll make you shine. And no, I am not also a part-time window cleaner. And you – to be fair – are not a window. But I feel I can still see through most of you. You’re unhappy in your work, aren’t you. You can tell me. I won’t let on. Pour yourself into Uncle Charlie’s ears. Let it all out. Most of you accept it and get on with it. But given the chance you’d flee the scene if there weren’t a camera by the exit door and a great sense of guilt in doing so. Your feeling of elation and freedom would last a matter of minutes before you come to your senses and realise that you still need to put food on the table. And your partner might not feel the same elation: “You’ve done WHAT?? That is the most selfish unthought-out thing you’ve ever done! Go back there right now and grovel to Mr. Potato Head for your job back, and pray that he lets you off lightly. If he has you back at all. I wouldn’t if I were him” – yes, these fictitious lovers fondly call the boss, Mr. Potato Head.

(more…)