Lana's a let down and oh, Noel!

I'd like to quickly introduce you all to my blog. My name's Claire and I'm here to write about TV and music.

They are two of my biggest passions and the things that tend to get me riled up the most. Each week I plan to write about what is going on in the world of TV or music or both.

This week Noel Fielding's brand new TV sketch show started. Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy aired it's first episode on e4 on Thursday night. Being a big fan of the Boosh (I own all 3 series on DVD, have been to see the live show and own a Boosh Live t-shirt. Check me out!) I was expecting brilliantly wacky things from my favourite Boosh member. It was even quite a popular topic of conversation between various family members and myself.

So I settled down at 10 o clock on Thursday night, quite excited, and sent myself off to bed at 10.15 feeling disappointed. I honestly couldn't be bothered with the second half of the show, so made myself scarce.

There was a lot of Boosh influences in the show, but it was obvious that Noel had been given free reign to do whatever he liked. It was how I imagined it would be like to live inside his brain.

What makes The Mighty Boosh work is the surreal, child-like oddness of Noel combining with the sarcastic, clever wit of Julian Barratt. I think without Barratt's input and level of control, we are given organic Noel that's maybe a little too odd for my taste.

To be fair to him, I still find him very funny and regularly tune in to watch panel show Nevermind The Buzzcocks, and I did only give his pilot episode 15 minutes of my time. It's definitely worth another watch, at least to the end of the episode before I completely dismiss it.

I liked the set and costumes, which were drawn up in Noel's trademark style. It reminded me of some kind of odd children's TV show, but with added innuendo and naughty words.

We were presented to several characters in quick succession, which weren't given the time to develop their comic stance, so I felt a little rushed.

I just think he's put too much into one show and it left me a little drained.

This is definitely not a hate piece, I do love Noel usually, I'm just not so convinced his Luxury Comedy show is all that luxury. But there will be plenty of hardcore Boosh fans and Noel lovers that will have sat infront of their TV's in hysterics.

Another new release this week is of Lana Del Rey's debut album Born To Die.

Del Rey first came to my attention when friends at university were talking about their love for her song Video Games. At the time I wasn't interested at all. I didn't hear her on the radio and I didn't want to actively seek out her music because I didn't think I'd like it. But after Juliette Lewis, one of my idols, tweeted about Del Rey's terrible performance on Saturday Night Live I just had to have a listen.

Her performance was mumbly and extremely boring. So much hype for nothing. Sure she's pretty, but music isn't all about style, she needs some substance.

After watching the SNL disaster, I decided to have a listen to her single Video Games, to see if the performance was just a one-off flop.

It was a gentle song, carried by Del Rey's delicate whispery voice. Her voice is very much reminiscent of Hollywood singers gone by. Her look appeals to this too; a hark back to Hollywood glamour.

Video Games felt to me like a mediocre single at best. I wouldn't seek it out again, but I probably wouldn't turn the radio over if it came on. It felt to me like the kind of single that might creep into the bottom of the charts for a few weeks and disappear back into nothing-ness.

Maybe her album has more to it, but it's not my style. Her voice is delicate and deserves a certain style of song to tease it to it's best potential.

Lana Del Ray should have been allowed to rise to fame, rather than be pushed straight to the top, because there could be a big fall.