Song of the Week: Belle and Sebastian-If You're Feeling Sinister

The Song:

Why It's The Song Of The Week: Stuart Murdoch is undoubtedly a lyrical master but no other Belle and Sebastian albums can compete with their second album "If You're Feeling Sinister" and particularly with it's title track. The track opens with the eerie sound of children playing and then turns dark at is talks about death, suicide and characters who are on the fringes of society or even completely ignored by it. The chorus suggests that "if you're feeling sinister/go off and see a minister/ he'll try in vain to take away the pain of being a hopeless unbeliever" but as harsh as this is, it is tempered by the fact that Murdoch himself is religious and even composed this song while living and working in a church. As such he knows that doubt plagues believers too and that's what makes this song so brilliant.  The song ends: But if you are feeling sinister/Go off and see a minister/Chances are you'll probably feel better /If you stayed and played with yourself . Lyrics that take this song from just angsty and make it insightful, funny and all the more moving.

Best Lyric: Saint Theresa's calling her, the church up on the hill is looking lovely/But it DIDN'T interest, the only things she wants to know is/How and why and WHEN and WHERE to go
How and why and WHEN and WHERE to follow

Bottom Line: Belle and Sebastian have staying power for a reason and it's because of tracks like these that resonate with fans, all the while staying self aware; it's the great lyrics, the musical composition, the production. It's just a great song.

Covert Affairs: Season 3, Episode 16

Previously on Covert Affairs: Eyal is kidnapped, Megan is dead, Annie is mad and Auggie is  in love.


And now: Well, I seriously misjudged what kind of show this was, since, as it turns out, Eyal was never in real danger. It looks like he maybe got stabbed with pen? Anyway, Kahleed calls Annie and tells her that in exchange for Eyal's life he wants information on who the spies are in his dad's company and Annie is totally ready to give it to him. Okay, I definitely on team Eyal but Annie is the worst, the WORST main character ever. She would get twenty people killed to save one, she truly is the life ruiner. Anyway, first of all she needs to get the information. A friendly computer hacker tells her she has to get into the American embassy or consulate (are those the same things? I don't know) and hack some files. Annie isn't sure how to do this (again, is it really difficult to get into a consulate? Don't you just have to be a citizen of said country?) but the friendly hacker has a plan, she gets some goons to beat Annie up. She heads to the consulate and even the guy at the desk looks skeptical about her 'scenario'.

Over at Kahleed's House of Torture and Kidnapping, Kahleed tells Eyal that they are practically the same since they're both from the Middle East, I guess. Man, the sexiness level in this room is through the roof, Kahleed is one fine looking bad guy. However, this logic is boggling my mind a little bit. Eyal's mind is not boggled, however, he says that they are EXACTLY the same, since I guess they've both killed people or something. Kahleed looks confused.

Meanwhile, Auggie has fled Iraq and is in  Amsterdam where he reunites with Annie. He suggests that ratting on all their assets might not be the BEST idea ever. He has another idea.  I was only half paying attention at this point so I'm not sure what is plan is. Basically he heads to a head shop and gets some blanks, I think. The head shop owner says that this is a very strange request, but it doesn't seem that strange to me.  Annie calls Kahleed and tells him to meet her somewhere, as she as the file. It is a fake out though! The file is empty. Auggie crashes into Kahleed pretending to be a blind tourist and then Annie shows up and says that the file contains exactly how much Eyal is worth to her. That is, nothing. Man, that's gotta sting. Then she shoots him with the blanks. The three of them, Auggie, Annie and Eyal are reunited on a boat and they flee the scene. The whole time Auggie keeps trying to have " the talk"  with Annie, about how he's in love with her. Annie keeps giving him the look like " awwkwaaard".

After learning that Kahleed will be deported and then ignored by the CIA, Annie uses her skills of jumping to conclusions to decide that the CIA wants her to personally go after Kahleed. Dear CIA, please tell me there is no one actually like Annie in your agency, or heaven help us all. She goes after him but instead of killing him she has a better plan! Boom, this was actually smart on her part, something I can't say often. She shows him a file showing that his father actually had Megan killed and that's he's not really important and blah blah blah. He leaves with a wounded ego and Annie leaves with a boosted ego.

Eyal and Annie say goodbye, and they'll meet again and etc. Booooring. I'm sure some stuff also happened with the Henry Wilcox (heehee) and Arthur Campbell plotline buuuuuuuuuuut I don't care.

Back Stateside, Annie meets with Henry and he gives her a file with some super secret information and tells her he'd like her on his team. Annie says she's in and then heads home where she is about to peruse the file when Auggie shows up. Auggie decides that he's had it with trying to talk to Annie and goes straight for the boob grab. Uff, I know you're blind Auggie but that was FORWARD. They make out and I am confused. These two have zero sexual chemistry, this show needs to stop trying to make this happen.

Well overall a tacky, wonderful, badly acted and hilariously costumed season, although this finale was a bit weak...no cliffhanger or anything right?

Next up...I get caught up with Revenge. Can't wait! Also I share the ten things I learned from watching one season of The Bachelor!

Covert Affairs: Season 3, Episode 15

Previously on Covert Affairs: In case anyone has forgotten, Auggie was in IRAQ! Annie, meanwhile, is running for her life...again.


And now: Annie goes to Luxembourg, Auggie goes to Iraq. Again. Oh and tattoo man gets a name!Auggie and Annie are meeting for a nightcap and after blabbing about herself forever, Annie finally shuts up and Auggie tells her that he is going on some project thing where he will be a 'battle buddy" (lol-right?) and he will help some other guy with his problems, in Iraq. I sense this isn't going to go well but Auggie is optimistic. The next day Annie learns from tattoo man, who we learn is called Barber, that Megan's body was found strangled in Luxembourg. Annie asks Barber if he can make her a fake ID so she can go pretend to be Megan's sister and collect Megan's' personal belongings, namely a flash drive. Barber says he went to prep school. Well, thanks for that insight into your past Barber, but what does it have to do with anything? Is there a course on fake ID's? Anyway, Annie get's her fake passport and jets off to Luxembourg. She goes to the morgue and everything seems to be going well except...fake out! Terrorist Man (Kahleed)'s men start chasing her around with tranquilizer darts. Annie does what anyone who travels in Louboutins would do and knocks this guy over the head with a stiletto  Thanks to Covert Affairs for putting this scene in here, as obviously they know that this is the kind of shit I want to see. The real fake out in this scene is that Annie clocks this guy with what looks like a pump but later she is wearing booties. Were they booties all along? Did she find booties on the way? Why didn't she at least try to look a little bit different? So many questions. She calls for an extraction but the useless twit that's taken over Auggie's desk says it will take half and hour and also kindly tells Annie to shut up. Annie calls Eyal next. Eyal is overjoyed, although we can only wonder why. He tells Annie to escape to Zurich where he will meet her. Annie is all snarky about it but honestly, I'm with the girl at the desk, This guy is saving your ass AGAIN, no need to be an ungrateful bitch about it.

Meanwhile, in Iraq, Auggie is paired with some grumpy guy who is about to get a divorce and has TSD, and I don't want to belittle anyone with actual TSD but basically this whole plot was just to say RAH RAH America right? I mean, there are a lot of American flags in these scenes. Basically they discuss how shitty life is, how crappy it was of the army to give them purple hearts and eventually overcome their problems and live happily ever after. This plot was really cheesy in a baaaad way, so I'm not going to spend any more time on it.

In Zurich, Eyal informs Annie that Kahleed and his British dad are hiding out in Zurich and since Kahleed's bank accounts have been frozen he is getting money from his dad. Eyal and Annie hatch a plan which involves Eyal roughing up some diamond seller (I wish he would rough me up!) and tracking the courier of Kahleed's dinero. Eyal tells Annie that he is no longer in Mossad. They go to some posh place where Eyal has dinner with Kahleed's dad and Annie looks pretty and reads the newspaper. Eyal texts her that the courier is the waiter but then Annie sots Megan. She is alive! Although, I suspect, not for long. Annie tells her that Kahleed is going to kill her but  Megan just flashes a blingy engagement ring and says that they are going to  get married. I don't think so lady. Annie hugs her and tells her it's her choice but she is gonna get killed! The hug was a fake out and she actually just placed a tracker on Megan. Annie is reunited with Eyal but then they hear gunshots and, yes, Megan is dead for reals now. They head back to the safehouse to regroup, where Eyal looks delish and tells Annie that he was wrong and she should use her empathy and not be the cold hearted biznatch he advised her to be last week. Geez, Eyal, make up your mind, oh and that blue shirt is really working for you. Just then the baddies show up and Eyal tells Annie to get out of there. His plan is to distract the baddies so he gives himself up and lets Annie escape. Seriously, if Eyal dies, I will not be watching the next season!!

In the boring subplot, Arthur goes to visit Wilcox (heehee) in jail where he is informed that all will be forgiven for the blowing up of stuff incident. Why? Arthur doesn't know and I think this is a stupid arse subplot  That is all I can say on the matter. I wouldn't even have written about it but I sense it will be important next episode or season.

Annie flees to Amsterdam and is walking around looking lost when she finds a cell phone under a bench that promptly starts ringing. She answers it and....that is all for this episode folks. Really, though, Eyal better be alive at the end of the next episode.

Covert Affairs: Season 3 Episode 14

Previously on Covert Affairs: Annie and Joan are over! Arthur blew some shit up! Terrorists are bad and that ho Parker made a guest appearance.


And Now: Annie and Eyal break up! Eyal and Mossad break up! Megan and Terrorist Man are going strong. At CIA headquarters everyone is 'buckeling down'  after the doctored photo incident. Arthur is potentially in the big doo doo for blowing stuff up to which I say:  NO SHIT. I mean, if the immediate response to any information is to get out the explosives, you probably shouldn't be running the CIA. Just saying. Some guy with tattoos explains how the pictures where doctored, basically, Mossad blah blah, pixels, satellites, spies. Joan doesn't have an effing clue what he is talking about and neither do I! I, however, am not running an international spy organization. Anyway.

Megan, meanwhile, is in protective custody in a hotel. She is pissed that she is being kept in a boring  hotel with no job, friends or boyfriend. To Megan I say, I have watched a lot of TV and escaping protective custody is easy as shit. Annie pays her a visit and considering that it was Annie that got her into this mess, Megan is suprisingly nice.

Back at the CIA they learn that terrorist-man (can't be bothered to learn his name) is going to want revenge...um, isn't that why she was in protective custody in the first place? Anyway. Annie flees the scene and goes back to the hotel to discover that, as predicted, Megan is gone. She decides to track her down on her own. Honeslty, I don't know how this girl even has a job left. She takes off where she encounters Eyal. Even though she is under direct orders TO NOT TALK TO EYAL, they join up and head to a farm or something out in the middle of nowhere. In a garage they discover an abandoned car with a picture of Megan and two bottles of water that have both been used. Eyal uses his astute observational skills and points out that something is not right here. Yes, Eyal they are many things wrong with this scene. However there is one very right thing which is Eyal wearing a tight leather jacket.  Rawr. To the suprise of absolutely no one the car blows up and they head off to find the brother of the guy who is suspected of having Megan. Long story short, they find the brother, get some information from him, Eyal smacks him around a bit. They head to an airfield, find the baddie and kill him.

Now, time for the interesting part. Some backstory from Eyal informs us that once upon a time he did find someone who actually wanted to sleep with him, she was a beautiful woman with poor fashion choices, who he seduced then got to work for him by seducing the very same terrorist who they are now after. She was killed. Eyal was sad. Is this perhaps the reason for the doctored photos?? Mossad boss lady tells Joan that, yes, this was the case.
Annie phones Joan and confesses that she is with Eyal. Joan is so annoyed, as I would be. Annie is soo self righteous and annoying!

Annie confronts Eyal and he says yes, he did doctor those photos and he was acting alone and maybe if she wasn't so fricking gullible she wouldn't get played all the time...hmmm? Annie says that in that case this is "adios" and the two say goodbye. Eyal meets with the boss lady where they discuss how he lied about this which, obviously he was lying. Oh Covert Affairs, stop being so obvious. Then he says goodbye to Mossad and effs off out of there. Mossad lady is sad.

Meanwhile in the far off lands, Megan is reunited with her bf, even though she knows he is a terrorist now she is excited to see him. She tells him Annie's name, social insurance number, phone number, email address, LinkedIn profile, twitter and facebook so he can track her down and kill her. Terrorist man gives her the creepiest smile ever and I thought for sure she was going to be risen-ed too but no.

The episode ends with Arthur being informed that Jai Wilcox is going to be released from jail....who gives a fuck? This plotline was super boring. Way to end the episode on this irrelevant note instead of the creepy smile!

Song of the Week: Robyn "Dancing on my Own"

The Song:

Why it's the Song of the Week:Well, let's just be honest, there are just so many things to love about this song and the video from the overly dramatic bridge to the high-waisted skirt (and jeans!) that Robyn dons for the video. The video looks like a combination of an 80's music video and an 80's work out video. Seriously, Robyn's dancing looks like it should be in a karate inspired exercise video and well, the club arts are basically Robyn looking depressed while people do some hilarious dancing around her. Robyn is just so pretty and her voice is so sweet, and at least 90 percent of her songs are about rejection and yet, you don't get the impression that she's the kind of woman to whine and cry and be pushed around, maybe because the majority of the video is her punching the air. Still,  since it's appearance on Girls last season  Dancing on my Own has solidified it's place as an anthem for girls who are occasionally (or frequently) a hot mess both on the dance floor and when it comes to love. The song itself has the kind of brutal honesty you don't really want in a pop song, but Robyn also makes it clear that while she may be dancing on her own she's also laughing at herself.

Best lyrics: "there's a big black sky over my town/ I know where you at I bet she's around"

Bottom Line: Robyn says it herself when she says "yeah, I know it's stupid", and certainly there are some stupid things about this song but it's also ridiculously catchy and so well produced  that honestly, if loving Robyn is wrong...I don't want to be right!

Covert Affairs: Season 3, Episode 13

 Previously on Covert Affairs: Joan is in AA, Annie said no to money, Eyal is my dream husband, Auggie perfected his sad puppy dog eyes and terrorists blah, blah terrorists.

And now: Truth facts! Everyone learns the truth about everything in this episode! We open with Annie searching for some espresso in Eyal's house. Just as she finds it, a parcel gets sent under her door. It's more intel from Eyal regarding some terrorist guy and his American girlfriend. Annie knows there's only one thing to do with such information so she sends a memo to everyone at the CIA. Just kidding, she tells Joan and Arthur. In a true case of "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" or whatever that expression is, Joan says they should sit on this intel since it isn't solid and Arthur thinks they should blow some shit up! Annie thinks that she can turn the American girlfriend, so she heads out to meet her. Annie is all straightforward about it and tells the American girlfriend that her boyfriend is a terrorist. The girlfriend is all "don't judge me, you're young and think you can have it all, but you can't". At this point I kind of like the girlfriend, she is speaking truth facts here for sure, but on the other hand she is dating a terrorist. Also Annie doesn't have much of a leg to stand on since she was also dating a baddie, right? Anyway she has the girlfriend call the terrorist so they can establish a trace but this girlfriend seriously lacks the ability to be subtle and spooks the shit out of her boyfriend. Although I guess terrorists must be easy to spook.

Meanwhile at Casa Auggie, my most hated character is back. Yes, I am speaking of Parker  Man, I thought we were done with this bitch but I guess she just reappeared to seal the deal on how much I hate her. She shows up and Auggie is visibly shaken at the sight of her, or the "sight of her" as it were, but she is tactless and just asks for him to help her parents get the money they should be getting from the government. Auggie is not a jerk so he agrees to help and she gives him a lingering hug. Later in the episode, after Auggie has helped her, he asks her why she came to see him and she says that she wanted to see him. He says that that's not a very cool thing to say to an ex-boyfriend but she one-ups him and says "ex-FIANCE". Bitch please. Auggie kindly tells her to "gtfo", as it were and I am solidly on team Auggie. Dear writers of Covert Affairs, please do not bring this insufferable character back. Thank you.

The men at the CIA have had time to think about the information that Annie brought them and have and have made plans for the blowing up of the bad guys. They are looking at the map thingie in a dark basement room, ie: basically the set of every sci fi, or spy show in the last 40 years. Anyway, Joan is the unlikely voice of reason and says that maybe immediately attacking isn't the BEST course of action, and Annie pipes up that they could still get info from the girlfriend but there is just too much testosterone in the room so that shit gets bombed. However, terrorist man speeds away from the scene of the crime and Annie says "he's smart, he head for the populated areas". Well, no shit, Annie. Even I know that that would be the best course of action. Annie also, immediately knows that the girlfriend will be in danger so she heads to a theater to intercept her. Megan, the American girlfriend, is annoyed and tells Annie that she, Annie that is, enjoys ruining other people's lives and I kind of have to agree with her. She has so far ruined SEVERAL lives on this show to advance her own career. There is a high speed chase with some bad guy that Annie eventually chucks off a roof.

Back at Langley it's girl fight time! Considering I only watch this show to laugh at it and to admire the costume choices, this scene really annoyed me. I hate how mainstream television thinks it's impossible for women to work together and not be catty bitches. Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, Joan is questioning Annie about whether she should be so trusting with Eyal (answer: no) and Annie gets mad and says that at least Eyal has been there for her, ie: he rescued her from jail unlike Joan. Annie needs to shut the fuck up. If I recall correctly, Annie was told to stay out of trouble because the CIA couldn't rescue her if she went on this mission. Instead of civilly telling her this though, the CIA Headquarters become Brokeback Mountain headquarters except that Joan totally can quit Annie. She's had it with this biznatch and tells her that "she is done with her". I lol-ed a lot in this scene because it was so Jr. High!

Meanwhile in the boring subplot, Arthur has totally caught on to the fact that something is up with Joan, he tells her that he will be checking into a hotel (rich people problems) and she tells him that it isn't what he thinks. I guess she tells him the truth but they are interrupted by Annie who has noticed that one of the photos she used as evidence was doctored. Way to notice that at the end of the episode, Annie! Basically the CIA is going to be in the merde, as Gordon Ramsay would say. Joan tells Annie that Eyal played her and while I don't think that's the case, I do think Annie should be more careful about who she trusts. Also I did not really enjoy her pant suit in this episode....where are her ridiculous mini skirts? That's the shit I really want to see.

Covert Affairs: Season 3, Episode 12

Hey guys, I was really sick for the majority of the last two months but since I am feeling better get ready for  more English student ramblings!
Previously on Covert Affairs: Well, I'm too lazy to write that out so here's my last recap!


And now: Annie is back in America after her unfortunate stint in Russia and she has been taken to some place called "Blue Bonnet Farm".  Some creepy guy tells her that she will be staying for a while and that they have brought 'some of her stuff' and proceed to give her a tiny grey bag. What the hell, CIA? Annie has at least 100 pair of wedges and I'm sure that they did not all fit into that tiny bag. Although, maybe nearly being tortured and killed in Russia has rendered fashion less important to Annie since she is wearing some 90's tragedy of a sweater. The creepy guy takes her into...a barn?What, they couldn't afford a chalet or something? Anyway, he accuses her of falling in love with Simon and some other boring stuff and gives her some juice. She is all "whatever, bitch, I nearly died in Russia, your silly questions do not bother me!" Just then a Annie is whisked away, back to CIA headquarters where she is reunited with Auggie and his perpetual longing stare and vests. Joan appears to say that they are on 'orange alert' and some weird orange lights start flashing. For some reason this really made me laugh, do they have lights for every colour of alert? I hope so. Apparently orange alert means that they shut down their computers so pesky foreigners can't snoop because just then Eyal and another Mossad agent roll in.  They have some intel about a Swedish operative who has a watch filled with some kind of information that they want. Basically there is some boring stuff about how Mossad and CIA are working together but the older Mossad lady thinks that the CIA will keep the information for themselves, which, the CIA is totally planning to do. Also Annie is going to get a medal. Annie is all "oh, the one with a cash reward?" but then is totally pissed when Arthur says yes. Girl, I know your boyfriend got shot and all but don't say no to money!
Anyway, Annie and Eyal eventually head over to the missing Swedish lady's hotel where they find her hiding in a closet. She tells them that the some weird guy was asking her a lot of questions about the airline she worked for and she wants out. Eyal basically says "no dice". Sigh, Eyal is just so handsome but that was pretty mean.   Before the matter can be resolved the Swedish asset and her tragic sweater drop dead.
Back at CIA headquarters, Auggie informs Annie that the bad guys are all caught up on Breaking Bad because they used the trusty risen poison on the Swedish informant. He also tells her that he has been doing some research and it looks like our baddie has been funding a terrorist  organization or gun runner or something. He has also discovered that the asset has buried something out in the forest somewhere and Annie takes off there at mach seed with a shovel and a metal detector. Just as she begins her search, Eyal shows up and they bicker a bit about sharing information and blah blah blah.  Eventually they decide to get digging, assuming that they will find the watch. I should say that Eyal digs while Annie stands there looking forlorn. Eyal sees the massive steam trunk key dangling from Annie's neck and asks her about it but she just hides it. They do not find the watch but rather a key to a safe deposit box. Back at the CIA offices Annie has a brilliant plan to go into the safe deposit herself since both she and the Swedish woman are blonde. This seems like a legit plan to me but, Eyal, Joan and Eyal's boss woman do not think so. They list all the things that could go wrong but eventually they agree to let her do it because basically she is Annie and she does whatever she wants anyway. Eyal and his boss lady discuss Eyal's sex life in Hebrew. In short Eyal is not sleeping with Annie but his boss lady thinks he should as it would speed things along. Eyal looks grumpy because we all know his unrequited feelings for Annie. Well, I know at least because those are the same feelings I have for him! Before going to the bank though she heads home, however being that her boyfriend and her both got shot there, she decides it would be more prudent to check into the hotel.A wise choice Annie.
At the bank, the next day, she gets into the safe deposit box and collects the watch but soon is stopped by the baddie. She "hands over the watch" and he flees. After some chasing by Eyal and Annie, we learn that Annie totally fooled that guy (not us though!) and she tells Eyal that she will share the intel on the watch with him. Eyal then gives Annie the key to his apartment in DC and tells her she can stay there and that he made the bed and then he cooks her dinner! While they are eating dinner, Auggie is at Annie's old house banging on the door. Aw, poor Auggie. He really didn't have much of a role in this episode   Eyal heads out saying he has a flight to catch and goes directly to the boss lady with the information that Annie gave him. However, he looks fairly mad about it and refuses to say where Annie is staying. Annie broods about Simon.
In a side plot of extreme randomness, Arthur totally thinks Joan is cheating on him because she is acting all weird and holding hands with some guy but it turns out she is just in AA! What?  I mean, I've never even seen Joan have a glass of wine and suddenly she is an alcoholic? Anyway, that's all for this episode folks, let's hope we see some more of Eyal because he is so dreamy, also was there something strange about Annie's eyebrows in this episode or was it just me?