Doug Paisley
Constant Companion
(No Quarter)
****
"The thorn is deep inside me," Doug Paisley sings in Come Here My Love. The thorn, a deep-rooted tristesse, is the constant companion of the title and, like many people with a lingering condition, the Canadian singer-songwriter is willing to live side by side with the pain. The nine songs that make up Paisley's second full-length album, heard on his recent tour with Bonnie Prince Billy, are rooted thematically in Oh Lonesome Me-country music but these are not Don Gibson. These are songs of sadness bottled up and shaken, creating an exceptional alt-country album. In Don't Make Me Wait, a duet with his incredible fellow Torontonian (Leslie) Feist, he says: "You'll learn to love again 'cause somehow in the end it's so easy for you just to move on." Somehow, though, you have the feeling Paisley's not so interested in moving on. He's keen on mining the hurt, exploring its causes and effects. The verse has this killer line: "Don't make me wait if you know you're through tryin'." Paisley's lyrics are as crisp and clean as his guitar work, his vocals as rich as Ian Tyson's. And that Hammond organ that sounds vaguely familiar? That's Garth Hudson, of the Band, but with a much lighter character than we're accustomed to and that emphasises the upper registers.
Also out
Bryan Ferry
Olympia
(Virgin)
Back with his Roxy Music bandmates and with some impressive star guests (Nile Rogers, Johnny Greenwood, Dave Gilmour), Ferry delivers his first new material since 1994, alongside the usual covers. An OTT version of Tim Buckley's Song to the Siren disappoints, though the louche, smoky closer, Tender Is the Night is almost vintage Ferry standard.
Susan Boyle
The Gift
(Syco)
Boyle's mezzo-soprano talents are put to predictable, seasonal use here, but however stirring you find her version of Auld Lang Syne, you have to get through some baffling covers - Lou Reed, Crowded House - to get there, raising the question as to whom this is for.
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
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