Have been having alot of trouble with my ears just lately, itching and for some months I have been 'missing' a line of sound. Not loud or very soft sound, just that ordinary middle sound so i have been secretly fearing that I am going deaf. The horror of it. I indulge my passion for music by having state of the art sound equipment and to think it all could be wasted should I be reduced to those awful skin coloured, odd shaped gizmo's sound deficient folks have to stick in their audibles.

Plucked up the courage to go to the doctors yesterday and my 2 year efforts into getting weight off and getting fit have resulted in eczema in my ears through swimming as regularly as I do. A real case of no pain, no gain. Anyway doctor doesn't want me to give up swimming so I now have drops to out in which should sort it out.These drops feel as if I am pouring in half of the Indian Ocean and the sound of them rolling around makes me feel a little sick but if it brings back my missing sound level I can hack it.

I have so much new music to listen to, the new Harry Connick Jnr, Alison Moyets The Turn and haven't even decided yet if I am buying the new Annie Lennox. Get to new some stuff over the weekend.

Like Leona Lewis's new single, at last they have given the X Factor winner a proper song and she sings it proper, would like to see it as the No. 1. Bit of a battle going on there with the Take That single, but honest - do they need another number 1?

If you still have not heard of Jill Scott then get with it because she is all about today's real R & B and Soul music - non manufactured, takes her time between albums, writes her own stuff, goes her own way, does her own thing and has immense talent. It's not just the voice which can be both rich and powerful, sweet and tender - she is also a poet. Hence the series titles Who Is Jill Scott Vol 1, Beautifully Human Vol 2 and now the new one; The Real Thing Words and Sounds Vol 3.

Track 1 boldly announces 'I'm the real thing in stereo', this warms you up for the brilliance that is Track 3 Hate On Me. With it's Halloween opening it lurches into a sexy,low sax backing, she lets the drums into the foreground with as much volume as her voice and it REALLY gets into the groove. It should be a single and it should be Number 1.

Crown Royal is pure music porno, Epiphany is a trade mark poem with stunning percussion yet again. My Love, is elegant and coated with lush violins. Whenever You Are Around is smooth and 60ish, maybe a little too mellow for it's subject matter. I think Celibacy Blues will resonate with pretty much everyone. Wanna Be Loved is plain clever, she also speaks the lyrics in the foreground whilst singing them in the background, simple but effective.

It's a fatastically indulgent album; she back tracks herself, sings to herself even, penned all the songs, is one of the executive producers and did the Art Direction. She is focused and never puts a foot wrong. 15 tracks, some short as they are poems and short stories [Words & Sounds], flashes of musical moods. It's refreshing to listen to an artist fully in control with no restraints. No compromises.

I would say that the album is split, the first few tracks vary more than the last half dozen, but you do get all that is pure Scott here - polished and vibrant production, dancing words, terrific songs, shouting soul and seductive R & B. Volume 3 is on the right road and does it for me. Hate On me will be a classic, played it 6 times whilst writing this ... oh, did I say I was a fan?

Am working in Frankfurt this week. Bought the ipod with me but haven't listened yet as I also bought my portable DVD player with me so as I don't sleep when away from home, have been watching movies. The Ladykillers last night, Alex Guinesses pefoemance is so creepy, subtle and VERY funny.

Tonight's it's either Die Another Day, Silkwood or Calendar Girls.

Having some shelves built tomorrow to specifically hold my vinyl, such a small thing but I am so excited about it. Life calming down a little so hoping to listen to much more music soon and get back to blogging in more detail and more regularly.

Hotel I always stay in now streams music in reception and they have the good taste to either play a chill or jazz station AND the volume is just right. I approve.

I'm blogging just to show that I am still alive - work is manic, reclaiming my house after a massive 2 month build is exhausting but should all be back to normal this week and I can start my main hobby of listening to music again in comfort.

My only audible treats being listening to network radio whilst I work.

My only purchases have been downloads as follows:

Living In the Past/Jethro Tull What memories this brings back, a classic track.
Summer The First Time/Bobby Goldsboro Another memory track of working a long hot summer in a Pontins Holiday Camp
Bullie Jean/Christ Cornell What a cover! Very slow and it works.
Nights In White Satin/Lana Lane Another fab cover, great voice
Broken English/Marianne Faithful Don't like her voice so much now but this is a signature track.
Tainted Love/Marilyn Manson Has to be heard, believe me.

That's it but I will be back shortly - honest!