
I think that films, art, poetry and novels evoke many emotions in me, but the one form of human expression that has been a real comfort of late is music. Beautiful, beautiful, heartbreaking music. Firstly, Bon Iver (Justin Vernon's band) were able to create genuine sorrow with the album
For Emma, Forever Ago. The feeling of loss and loneliness expressed in these songs touched me greatly and it really helped to know that someone else had been through the same crap I had and was able to use it positively to create such haunting, melodic beauty.
Creature Fear,
Skinny Love and
Wisconsin (Bonus Track) really delve into the darker side of our emotions - frustration, fear, bewilderment, hurt. A real emotional roller-coaster journey of an album, but worth every tear, every grief-stricken cry and every pang in my heart.

When I first listened to this album around July 2011, I was also reading a novel by Andrew Davidson called The Gargoyle. The music complimented the book and it's romantic Gothic themes so well, I really felt like I'd been transported to another world. Davidson's technique and storytelling ability has an almost fairytale and dreamlike quality about it, adding to the mysterious, ethereal character of Marianne Engle. I would recommend you read this book with Bon Iver on your iPod, a big box of Kleenex and a large glass of wine (you'll need it!).

Another singer/songwriter who has touched me in recent times is Regina Spektor. Unusual lyrics and some fairly hectic melodies, but there is a certain otherworldly feel and very deep emotion to her songs. My favourite track,
Samson is from her 2006 album
Begin to Hope. She takes a doomed relationship such as Samson and Delilah's and then rewrites it into a beautiful (yet still-fated) love story. I adore how she tells it from Delilah's (but is it Delilah or another woman?! She says that "I loved you first" and that "the Bible didn't mention us" - who could this mystery lady be?!) point of view and their closeness of being together but also still knowing that it is all hopeless:
"You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first, I loved you first
Beneath the sheets of paper lies my truth
I have to go, I have to go
Your hair was long when we first met
Samson went back to bed
Not much hair left on his head
He ate a slice of wonder bread and went right back to bed
And history books forgot about us and the bible didn't mention us
And the bible didn't mention us, not even once
You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first, I loved you first
Beneath the stars came fallin' on our heads
But they're just old light, they're just old light
Your hair was long when we first met
Samson came to my bed
Told me that my hair was red
Told me I was beautiful and came into my bed
Oh I cut his hair myself one night
A pair of dull scissors in the yellow light
And he told me that I'd done alright
And kissed me 'til the mornin' light, the mornin' light
And he kissed me 'til the mornin' light
Samson went back to bed
Not much hair left on his head
Ate a slice of wonderbread and went right back to bed
Oh, we couldn't bring the columns down
Yeah we couldn't destroy a single one
And history books forgot about us
And the bible didn't mention us, not even once
You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first."
To conclude this sad and sombre post :(, I am confident that I will be writing more often from now on as I have lots of time on my hands these days (take a guess at my unfortunate plight from today's post!). But I promise to continue to keep in the theme of my blog and I have a lot of ideas, comments and thoughts to put down about the dark, macabre world out there - as always, comments are always welcome!