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Ripple Theater - Johnny Winter - Live Through The '80s DVD
You'd be forgiven for thinking that a DVD titled Johnny Winter Live Through The '80s wouldn't be all that great, but you're wrong. Johnny Winter went through a bit of a rebirth in the 1980's thanks to the popularity of Stevie Ray Vaughan and a new contract with Chicago blues label Alligator Records. Both of these helped introduce Johnny to a new audience and got some youngsters showing up at his concerts. I should know, since I was one of them. Even during the peak of my snotty thrash metal high school powers, I still loved blues and classic rock. A friend and I went to see Johnny at the Beacon Theater in NYC, early 1985 and were blown away by the frail, shirtless Texan's incredible energy and fiery playing. (His brother Edgar opened the show and did a great set that included a truly bizarre hip hop version of "Frankenstein.")
This DVD really brought me back to that great night at the Beacon 25 years ago. Starting off in Toronto, 1983 there's a kick ass version of "Unseen Eye" and 3 other smokers. Johnny's leading a powerful trio with John Paris on bass & harmonica and drummer Bobby Torello. In 1984, Tom Compton takes over on drums and there's footage from 3 different concerts – 1 from Europe and 1 in the US. The playing is tight but loose and production is primo. The band really rips it up on songs like "Mad Dog" and his frenzied take on Dylan's "Highway 61." After a semi-embarrassing music video for the song "Don't Take Advantage Of Me" (it was the 80's, all videos sucked) there's an electronic press kit Alligator Records put together with a cool interview with Johnny. After that, it's right back to the boogie with more footage from Europe in 1987 and 88.
Back in the 80's Johnny stopped using his gorgeous Gibson Firebird guitars in exchange for butt-ugly Steinberger guitars. Despite their cosmetic unfortunateness, Johnny still makes them sound great. Proof that good guitar tone is all in the hands and not in the gear. If you're a blues-rock lover you'll definitely want to pick this up and give your TV speakers a work out.
--Woody
Buy here: Winter, Johnny - Live Through The 80's
and go back and explore more: Live Through the 70's
Labels: DVD review, free download, johnny winter, Live through the 80's DVD, music video, new music
Ripple News - A Band of Orcs on Mini-Tour Right Now!
A BAND OF ORCS is set to head off on a mini tour in which they'll display their live, human killing domination. Their show on Oct 29 in Simi Valley @ 118 West Live will also be professionally filmed and recorded. If you want your chance to be on film with the orcs, make sure you head out to the event.
Oct 28 – Yuma, AZ @ Ron's Place
Oct 29 – Simi Valley, CA @ 118 West Live
Oct 31 – San Diego, CA @ The Ruby Room
People have really been digging these orcs in a live presence. A certain Metal Sanaz hosted two A BAND OF ORCS shows w/ Sothis earlier this month, and the band also impressed a certain Bruce Campbell to play the Weekend Of Horrors event: http://www.myspace.com/abandoforcs
Here's what some have been saying so far…
SMNnews -
"A BAND OF ORCS play brutal chugging death metal with technical chops."
PureGrainAudio -
"Truthfully, I found no filler on this disc, just pure raw metal that is sure to satisfy metal heads everywhere".
Santa Cruz Metal Bay -
"No Headbanger, Metalhead, or Dungeons and Dragons nerd is safe at a Band Of Orcs performance, for the goal of the colossal green beasts is strictly domination and chaos."
Metal Underground -
"A Band Of Orcs delivers an overwhelmingly destructive death metal experience, even if it is a little nerdy"
Labels: A Band of Orcs, free download, heavy metal, new album, new EP, new music, showdates, tour
Ripple News - Five Exclusive Tracks from the Upcoming Orange Juice Box Set, Coals to Newcastle
Originally formed in Glasgow in 1976, Orange Juice were the recognized leaders of the Scottish neo-pop uprising in the early '80's. Originally dubbed the Nu-Sonics, the quartet renamed itself Orange Juice in 1979, adopting the new moniker as well as an aura of romantic innocence as a direct reaction to the increasingly macho aggression of punk. Releasing a dazzling array of new wave inspired pop, Orange Juice have been hailed as a huge inspiration by such bands as Franz Ferdinand and Belle and Sebastian, and have continued to gain legions of fan, both new and old.
Now all those fans, and us here at Ripple Central, have something to scream about.
Coming November 22nd, the release date has been set for the long anticipated for Orange Juice box set: Coals to Newcastle. In honor of this vey special release we're giving folks access to new and long lost songs, photos, and videos every week leading up to November 22nd.
This week we'd like to share a sneak peak of five songs from Coals to Newcastle for your listening pleasure. That's right 5 exclusive, Ripple tracks. Dig in and enjoy to no end!
I know we are!
Buy here: Coals to Newcastle
Labels: album review, Belle and Sebastian, box set, coals to newcastle, Franz Ferdinand, free download, free mp3, new cd new music, orange juice
Ripple Reggae Round-up; featuring Toussaint, J-San and the Analogue Sons, and Lee "Scratch" Perry
It's all about the riddim.
It's about the message. It's about the rebellion. It's about the groove, and the spirit, and at its best, it's about the euphoria.
That pretty much sums up my love affair with Reggae. Always casually aware of the Jamaican sounds, it wasn't until after college that my mind and soul delved headlong into the reggae groove. Bob Marley had been a constant in my consciousness, but it was really Black Uhuru that ushered me in through the Rastafarian doors. Different than Marley, way different, Black Uhuru was heavy and mean. With the bass heavy riddims of Sly and Robbie way upfront in the mix, Black Uhuru rocked like no other reggae I'd heard. They were heavy and dark. They were mean and subversive. They were dangerous. Everything I loved about metal and punk was there, only different, transformed into a melody dense groove that could elevate me like nothing else I'd heard.
And at its deepest level, that's what reggae is. Reggae was/is the music of rebellion. A yearning love of Jah Rastafari layered against a rampant anger at the status quo. It was the music of a people no longer willing to be repressed to the ghettos of Kingston or elsewhere. The people searching for spiritual union and political overthrow.
Reggae was punk in every sense of the word. The Clash knew this, as did many other punk bands from the UK. In the '80's I did a reggae show at KSDT FM where I concentrated on the reggae in rock music. Elvis Costello, The Tazmanian Devils, The Slits; the soul of reggae was everywhere.
For the longest time, I've wanted to start a reggae column here; an occasional buyers guide to true reggae classics and new releases you may enjoy. I had a friend once who, like so many people outside of Jamaica, liked Bob Marley, but had no idea where to go after that. My collection became his learning ground.
Let me know if this works for y'all.
Toussaint – Black Gold
Reggae, like rock, comes in many flavors and textures, and the genius of roots singer Toussaint is his ability to blend several of these styles into a truly rapturous release. Possessing a voice that simply drips with soul, reminiscent of Greggory Issacs or Freddie McGregor, Toussaint is just as adept dropping a little lovers rock into the mix with his roots and rockers style. And even though Black Gold is rooted firmly in the grand tradition of reggae, Toussaint isn't afraid to mix things up, drop in some modern flavors, play with the instruments, all the while keeping a solid message. And then again, there's that voice. Very few styles of reggae work successfully if the singer can't pull it off, and Toussaint's the real deal. The former lead singer of the band Soulive, Toussaint's voice is deeply soulful, his tenor lilts and drifts around the driving rhythms and scatting guitar.
"Nobody Knows," starts things off with about as solid a rockers style hit as I've heard in a while. Check out the trickling runs of fingers across the piano keys, adding a rare jazzy, neo-ambient texture. Toussaint harmonizes with his voice perfectly on some vocal double tracking while he rants against technology and a return to a more spiritually grounded life. Bass and drums, always so important in reggae bounce and dance across the track. This isn't casual, lay-in-a-tourist's-hammock-and-soak-in-the-sun reggae, this is heavy rockers style and it packs a punch. Toussaint lightens it up a bit on the next song "This Song," bringing a gentler Marley-esque rhythm to the game. Some key horn and guitar fills, and some killer work on the drums lift this one to heady heights.
I'm more a fan of rockers style reggae, which is touch more aggressive in message and tom and high hat drumming, so it's no surprise that I'm more enchanted by songs like "Roots in a Modern Time," which follows a Black Uhuru template in its killer vocal style and chorus, than I am by songs like "Hello My Beautiful," which is pure lovers rock in the Bob Andy vein. But truth be told, Toussaint does lovers rock as well as the best of them, great harmonies, melodies, and that voice . . . always that voice. In truth, with Toussaint at the helm, I don't really care which path he takes me down. I'm just enjoying the journey.
Toussaint doesn't shy away from controversy, tackling topics like his own cocaine addiction, ("Conquering Cocaine"), racism; racial pride and racial harmony ("Black Gold" and "Changing") to the ongoing Rastafarian struggle against repression ("Marching") and tackles each subject with passion, power and authenticity. Toss in some gentler numbers like the find-yourself message of "Be You," the pure spartan joy of "Rain Again" with it's string accompaniment, and the dignified searching for understanding of "Patient," and Toussaint has created a true modern classic of reggae, bringing in enough variety and styles to please the casual reggae listener or even the hardest reggae fan. Highly recommended.
J-San & the Analogue Sons – One Sound
With all respect to J-San and his boys, I gotta be honest, I approached this CD like a man being forced to handle nuclear waste. Nothing personal, but I've been accosted with a seemingly endless stream of self-produced, American reggae (think Big Mountain) that the mere thought makes my skin blister. I just can't get into reggae that's been filtered through two generations of American television and nothing more than the love a full bong. Reggae is so much more than that.
But dropping this gem into the player, I quickly changed all my opinions. J-San and the Analogue Sons are the real deal. Fusing a rockers style with some of the melodica-heavy dub style of Augustus Pablo, J-San has put himself firmly onto my reggae map. Perhaps one of the things that makes this stand out so much is the production, the entire album recorded on a borrowed analog reel-to-reel. Man, does that give warmth to J-San's voice and add just the right fullness to the occasional horns and melodica. It's like a warm blanket on a cold night, One Sound is an album you want to wrap yourself in and snuggle down for the night.
Then, of course, there's the songs. J-San has studied the traditions well and doesn't push things too far. Bringing in a touch of Ben Harper soulfulness, J-San's music is totally organic.. In addition to the Augustus Pablo touches, there's a Dennis Brown quality to J-San's approach, a romantic pain to his voice, a yearning that just can't be faked. J-San lives the roots, that's clear. "One Sound," is a horn-laden rocker with a solid riddim that just never lets up. Harmony vocals are subtle but so effective. The bass locks in with the rampant snare while the guitar drops in the perfect fills. Maybe there's a touch of Junior Reid in the dubness of the style and it's message of music being the key to overcome one's struggles. I don't know, but it rocks. "Time Hard," lightens the tone a bit with a gentle guitar intro over the constant beat, but maintains it's focus on the hard times right now felt by so many who've lost their jobs. A potent reggae style of bringing a jubilant air to a time of struggle. Times may be hard, but we can still bond together under one groove and celebrate life. Nicely done.
"Solid" is so well crafted, and J-San's voice so laden with soul, I could've sworn I was listening to a lost Dennis Brown classic. "Walk Alone," drops down into a bass heavy rockers style, while "No Give Up," finds fertile ground in a deeper dub-thick style. "Yes We Can," could be an unrecorded Augusts Pablo standard, with it's horn/melodica intro and spartan beat. A little bit of everything here, and it's all good.
Lee "Scratch" Perry - Revelation
We'll end this first reggae column with a contribution from a true reggae legend. Other than Bob Marley himself, Lee "Scratch" Perry may just be the next most important figure in reggae music. Some call him a genius, others call him a madman, certifiably insane. Both are probably correct and there's just no denying the importance Perry has had over Jamaican music for the last 40 years. A producer, mixer, songwriter, performer, along with King Tubby, Perry created the genre of reggae we now know as dub. Perry produced many of the seminal Bob Marley and the Wailers tracks like "Small Axe," and "Duppy Conqueror," and was single-handedly responsible for slowing down the hyperkinetic ska beat to create the looping bass-driven beat that has become known as the reggae "riddim."
With a pedigree like that, any new release from Lee "Scratch" Perry is worthy of attention, and Revelation is a rock solid Perry release. Featuring huge looping runs of bass in the typical Perry dub style, Revelation is just that, a Perry revelation.
The man has it. Simply put. Mad, crazy, insane, whatever you want to call him, no one else in reggae ever so successfully pushed the boundaries of the music away from the pop formula that drowned the genre in the '90's towards something vibrant, unique and, simply wild. "Fire Power," with it's "having a party" refrain is about as far away from "One Love" as reggae gets but it's still totally recognizable with it's defiant beat and looping bass. Most importantly, it's totally infectious. "Used to Drive a Tractor in Negrille," is classic Perry; the master delivering his left-field lyrics over a futuristic reggae beat.
As always, in the eccentric world of Perry, no topic if off limits when it comes to lyrics. While most of the songs parlay Perry's devout Rastafarian views, with a strong preponderance of incorporating judeo-christian beliefs and bible mythology, Perry's not adverse to tossing a song like "Freaky Michael" into the mix where he proclaims that he likes his big nose and decries black celebrities who alter themselves. Over the years, Perry's voice has become more weathered and definitely slightly weaker, but that's not a distraction. If anything, it adds that sense of grandfather wisdom to Perry's tales of "Holy Angels" and "Revelation, Revolution and Evolution." I mean the man is 74 years old, and damn, if he doesn't still sound magnetic.
Eccentric, totally original, bizarre at times, but never less than captivating, Perry is a true treasure. 52 albums into his career and he's still as enticing as ever.
Buy here: Revelation
buy mp3: Revelation
Labels: album review, black gold, bob marley, free download, free podcast, j-san and the analogue sons, Lee scratch perry, new album, new CD, one sound, reggae, Revelation, toussaint
The Sword - Warp Riders
Album number three from Austin, TX band The Sword finds them downplaying the heavy Sabbath influence of their first two and adding a lot more classic rock to their sound. The new direction definitely works in their favor. Debut album Age of Winters was a very solid entry into the Sabbath worship sweepstakes but the follow up Gods Of The Earth seemed to stretch their creativity a bit thin. Despite accusations of "hipster metal," The Sword is a good band it's always worthwhile to check out what their up to.
First off, the production on Warp Riders is much improved. Producer Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Isis, Pearl Jam) gives their sound much more clarity. The guitars are still tuned low but the tones are never mushy or lack definition. The other big improvement is with the vocals. J.D. Croncise has never had a great voice and his vocals were always buried in the mix on previous albums. His voice is still not very strong but his singing has gotten better and it sounds like they worked really hard on getting him to sound good.
"Acheron/Unearthing The Orb" follows in the tradition of Iron Maiden influenced instrumentals that open Sword albums. The single "Tres Brujas" follows and sets the tone for the rest of the album. With a nod to ZZ Top in the title and a riff pinching their classic "Precious and Grace," The Sword have a chance to win over classic rock fans who aren't really into metal. "Lawless Lands" and "The Chronomancer I: Hubris" are further Texas boogie stompers.
The other big discernable influence on Warp Riders is Thin Lizzy. "Night City" has some trademark Lizzy guitar harmonies and arrangement flourishes that would sound great on classic rock radio. Fans of the heavier side of Thin Lizzy like "Thunder and Lightning" and "Warriors" will love the songs "Arrows In The Dark" and the title song.
Warp Riders is some sort of sci-fi concept album involving a planet locked in perpetual darkness. Honestly, this type of thing is not my cup of tea, but the music and vocal melodies are strong enough to ignore the sword and sorcery role playing. Fans of ultra heavy doom should skip this one but those who aren't afraid of a little Foghat boogie in their metal should definitely check this out. They're touring the US with Karma To Burn and Mount Carmel in October.
Buy here: Warp Riders
mp3: Warp Riders
vinyl: Warp Riders
http://www.swordofdoom.com/
Labels: album review, Black Sabbath, free download, free podcast, led zeppelin, new CD, stoner rock, The Sword, Warp Riders
3 Blasts of Penfold - Featuring Red Hot Rebellion, Holding Sand, and Dan Miraldi
Red Hot Rebellion - Built to Rock/For the Benefit of Evil
I love it when a band has a simple purpose, something everyone can easily understand. Red Hot Rebellion writes music with only one thing in mind, rocking your socks off! Seriously, the band openly promotes the fact that they want their music to sound like "the soundtrack to a bar fight". They set about achieving this goal by utilizing tried and true methods pioneered in decades past.
"Built to Rock" starts off the two song sampler. This song harkens back to the heyday of boogie rock with its ultra fuzzed out guitar, solid medium-tempo groove, and lyrics devoted to one very special lady. While this track is solid, the real show begins with the second song, "For the Benefit of Evil". Pure rock righteousness bursts forth from this song in every imaginable way. Once again the fuzzy/heavy guitar tone dominates the proceedings. The verses are built around a series of choppy riffs, while the choruses revolve around a stop/start mechanic used to great effect. Towards the end there is the mandatory breakdown leading into a lethal guitar solo to close out the song. I love the Misfits-like gang vocals in the choruses, and with lyrics like "Devil called me up and said listen here, I got something to tell you son. It's better to die behind the guitar than die behind the gun" I get goose bumps! Did I mention that these songs are obtained for free from the band's website? Why are you still reading this? Get clicking!
www.redhotrebellion.com
Song Download - http://redhotrebellion.com/tmp/2songs.zip
Holding Sand - On Sleepless Nights EP
Alright, I will be the first to admit that melodic hardcore is not a genre of music in which I am very well versed. Some of the bands that are name checked as important to this musical category don't do anything for me personally. That being said I am very enthusiastic about this new five song EP from French band Holding Sand. From the moment I started listening to it, the music grabbed me with a vice-like grip and refused to let go. It's a good thing that the EP lasts for just under twenty minutes because when I listen to it, listening is all I am doing. Nothing else gets accomplished in that span of time, and I can't afford that on a larger scale.
What makes the music so endearing you ask? Allow me to explain. Each and every song here has an extremely satisfying musical crunch thanks to the distorted, downtuned guitars of Matthieu Jacquet and Franck Grison. Anchoring the guitarists is the rock solid rhythm section of Coralie Fumard on Bass and Pierre Sionneau on drums. Similar to most singers in this genre Clement Horvath switches from angry growls and anguish filled yelling to clean singing at the drop of a dime. Unlike some other singers I have been subjected to over time however, I can derive no sense of false emotion or fakery in any of his vocals. On the contrary they seem entirely genuine, and this adds quite a bit to the overall honesty beaming from the music.
"The Future Belongs to Heartless Whores" acts as a strong opening salvo for what is to come and "Shooting Stars" effectively concludes the EP, but my favorites are the three songs in between. "On Sleepless Nights" brutalizes from start to finish with whiplash inducing guitar lines and vocal vitriol aplenty. "Black is the new Black" substantially scales back the tempo for what I would deem more of an introspective number. This song reminds me of an early composition of the band Cable from their Skyhorse Jams EP, except that "Black is the…" has greater focus and meanders far less. Finally "What Eyes Betray" throws a curve ball at the listener by devoting the first twenty seconds of the song to a series of distorted sound crashes. The band then stomps on the accelerator with insistent drumming coupled with an ascending guitar riff and only lets up at the end of the song. Fantastic!
Dan Miraldi - Tease
You would be excused for thinking that the three songs on this EP were released years ago. That isn't to say that the songs sound dated. They certainly do not. Actually, the production on the album is crisp and crystal clear. No, the songs just sound as if they were written by someone who has not been influenced by any artist or group after the era of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. And you know what? That is a great thing! All three songs greet the listener like a breath of fresh air with their utter lack of pretense and posturing.
"The Holy Roller Stone Revival" kicks the tires and lights the fires immediately with a strong driving beat and vocals reminiscent of a powerful preacher lecturing his flock. Although I doubt that young Mr. Miraldi has in fact "…seen it all" as the lyrics suggest, he has certainly seen enough to create this rollicking song, with the call to join this particular revival too infectious to ignore. "Lucinda" comes next and offers a very pretty folksy ballad for your listening pleasure. The vocals are hauntingly clear and without any semblance of a whine. Very endearing. "Tease" brings the processional to an end with obvious nods to early upbeat Beatles material after a brief keyboard introduction. The bottom line is that anyone looking for songs that will bring cheer and happiness to their day should check these out, post haste. Just don't blame me when all three come unbidden into your head and you're forced to sing along.
http://www.myspace.com/danmiraldi (all songs streaming there)
--Penfold
Labels: album review, Built to Rock, Dan Miraldi, Holding Sand, new CD, One Sleepless night EP, Red Hot Rebellion, Tease
Trout Fishing In America - Lookin' At Lucky
This summer was unusual. The past fifteen or twenty Aprils through Octobers I have spent almost all of my leisure time pursuing trout. I became addicted to fly fishing in the mid-1980's. Even prior to then, I would gather my spinning rod and gear and head to a river, stream, lake or pond to stalk Oncorhynchus mykiss, Salmo trutta, Salvelinus fontinalis and Oncorhynchus aguabonita - rainbow, brown, brook and golden trout. I have pursued the fish from the Arizona desert through the Sierra Nevada, Rocky and Cascade Mountains onto the plains of Saskatchewan.
This year, until last weekend, I had not gone fishing - not once. I did not even buy a California fishing license. I had purchased a yearly California fishing license since I was 16 years old. It was a hard year. I stuck close to home. One of my best fishing buddies received a diagnosis of cancer and was now unable to camp or fish. As the summer wore on he got worse. One of my daughters was having difficulty finding a job after college. The other one was subsidized by us at college out of state. I did not often get to see her. I lost interest in camping and fishing.
So, for the first time this year last weekend I went trout fishing. My wife and I arranged a camping trip with friends and I volunteered to teach them to fly fish. We bought two-day fishing licenses and headed off for Mount Lassen. I waded into the creek, caught a few fish, sat around the fire and remembered why I had done this for the past 30 years. I came home tired, dirty but refreshed.
On Monday I went outside to get the mail and there it was inside a small padded manila envelope - Lookin' At Lucky by Trout Fishing In America. Coincidence?
Trout Fishing In America has been around since I tied my first fly to tippet. This release, on their own label called Trout Records, is their first album for grown-ups in eleven years. The band is Keith Grimwood on bass and vocals and Ezra Idlet singing along and playing almost every folk instrument known to man - the guitar, ukelele, banjo and bouzouki, as well as percussion. From 1999 until this release Trout Fishing In America was for kids. They received the children's music industry's highest awards - National Parent Publication and Parent's Choice Awards. They have also garnered four Grammy nominations for "Best Musical Album for Children."
Long before Trout Fishing In America there was St. Elmo's Fire, the adult folk rock band where Grimwood and Idlet met. Soon they played side gigs together and, in the late 1970's as St. Elmo's Fire dissolved, they played a side gig at a grade school that led to their dedication to kids.
Boy, have those kids been lucky. Yet, I bet if you ask Trout Fishing In America they would tell you that you are "Lookin' At Lucky." I have not heard original folk music that is as tight, well-written and beautifully performed since neoprene waders were popular.
The first song on the album is "Lookin' At Lucky," a country bluegrass march, with a great fiddle part, that tells the story of how a man feels when they're with someone they love. I fell for it hook, line and sinker. It is followed by a country two-step square dance called "She's The Only Smile," a song about casting one's eyes on the most interesting girl at the dance. The tune flows quickly as it dives below the surface.
A fantastic country blues called "Bettin' That It Won't" recounts those instances when one hopes for a certain good result but is almost positive it won't end well - like casting after clumsily tripping over your felt-sole shoes in a quiet pool. You might hook a fish, but I wouldn't count on it.
The ballad "Home" is a well-performed melancholy country song about wandering and yearning for home. I could hear echos of the early Band, the Flying Burrito Brothers and the Little River Band. The song is designed to make you sad - like when you hook a big fish but end up losing it before you even had a chance to see it. One of the cutest songs on the album is a talking blues, called "Safer Haven," where the singer goes from location to location and keeps being hit by natural disasters. The song owes a lot to Arlo Guthrie, John Denver and Harry Chapin. It made me reflect back on those times on the river when a thunderstorm would come in and I'd be standing hip deep in water waving the equivalent of a carbon fibre lightning rod. The track "Drivin' Rain" is a little country blues funk number. Idlet plays the banjo like it was a rhythm guitar. The lyrics and rhythm brought to mind the swish-swish of the wipers on an old Montana fishing guide's truck during a mountain storm on the way back from a river fishing float trip.
An odd tune, "Who Knows What He Might Do," is a driving rant about growing old and acting your age. I could empathize. Years ago I could climb over boulders, log jams, rapids and waterfalls in search of prey. Now, find me a deep pool with easy access. I still have that same desire to aggressively wade up stream, but at my age I learned that I just don't have the same ability. The song "Not Every Dream" is a slow ballad that reminds me of an old Celtic folk song and carries onabout still feeling the same way you did when you were younger. Counterpoint is provided by violin and acoustic guitar. It brought to mind all those nights with fishing buddies around the campfire passing the bottle of Maker's Mark and reminiscing.
A wonderful blues-based number, "The Car's Running," recounts "senior moments" such as losing your glasses on your forehead, misplacing the keys, etc. It made me recall when I hiked two miles upstream to a favorite pool and discovered I'd left my fly boxes back in the car. "How Many Times A Fool," a banjo folk tune, explores all the stupid things we do that hurt the ones we love. Sparsely produced and performed, it is as emotive as an early Bob Dylan song, but done with a much better singing voice. It brought to mind a time one of my fishing buddies on a fishing trip stopped for a drink at a bar in Sierra City on the way back from the river to camp. There, on a bar stool in the corner, was his first ex-wife. We didn't see him back in camp the entire weekend. In fact, he made his own way back to the Bay Area days later as we all avoided phone calls from his wife.
The last two songs on the album are "I Pretend To Understand" and "My Baby Loves Sudoku." The former is a slow country blues about being unable to remember or understand, but, acting like you do. The latter is a tongue-in-cheek novelty bluegrass epistle on how Sudoku ruins marriages. It is the closest song on the album to a kid's song. Both are a bit silly - like when a fishing partner's wading shoes soles fell apart in the river and I watched pieces of leather and felt float by while he stood in the river in neoprene stocking feet. He then knew there was a two mile walk in bare feet out of the canyon ahead of him. He just went back to fishing for trout until it turned dark.
All in all "Lookin' At Lucky" is a clever, light, well-performed and well-written first attempt to venture into the world of adult music. The cuteness and cleverness of Trout Fishing In America's children's songs remain. The musicianship makes each song fun. The album is like wet-wading - pulling on the old felt-soled boots and leaving the waders behind. You're not going in deep or traveling far, but, it sure is damn refreshing. especially if you have a great cast.
Labels: album review, battle of the bands, Bob Dylan, download, Little River Band, Lookin' at Lucky, trout fishing in America
Quartz - Stand Up and Fight
Back in high school, Brett and I were brothers in arms. Rock and roll arms that is. A tad more seasoned than I was, Brett burst my musical cherry by taking me to my first big-time rock concert; AC/DC, Cheap Trick, Ted Nugent, Blue Oyster Cult, and Boston. Or was it Journey headlining? Hell, with all the acrid smoke wafting in and around my virginal nostrils that day, I'll never remember.
But I do know that Brett also introduced me to the endless hours of joy that became known as the bargain bin dig, and opened up my ears to crazy new sounds in metal, like UFO. Influential in my life, hell yeah! It's safe to say that The Ripple Effect would not exist in many ways, if not for Brett. A while back I wrote of "big brother" Danny shaping my musical childhood, well Brett was responsible for my much louder heavy metal adolescence.
And with a brother like that in the late seventies to early eighties, you better believe we launched headlong into the NWOBHM and launched hard. Seemed like we were on a quest to constantly outdo each other, being the first to turn the other guy onto a new band. For every Tygers of Pan Tang, Girl School, Bitches Sin, Praying Mantis and Witchfynde that Brett found, I pulled out an Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Saxon, Vardis, and Motorhead. He popped out an AIIZ and I whipped out an Angelwitch. Wild Horses, Raven . . it didn't matter. We were there.
Then how in the hell did we miss Quartz?
Perhaps it was because Quartz were just a bit ahead of our time, their debut album being recorded in 1976 and 1977. But that shouldn't of mattered. This rambunctious platter I now hold in my hot and steamy hands, Metal Mind's just released reissue of Quartz's second album, Stand Up and Fight, was originally put out in 1980. That was our time. And further, Quartz were originally championed by Tony Iommi and his management group. He produced their first album and Quartz Geoff Nicholls left the band to join Black Sabbath in 1979. And we were definitely huge Sabbath fans. So how this record escaped the attention of two pimply-faced, metal mad teenage boys with a '66 Mustang remains a mystery never to be solved.
But thank God it's been rectified, because Stand Up and Fight is one helluva blitzkrieg of riff-mad NWOBHM. A molten cauldron of screaming guitar licks, trodding bass lines and bone-shattering drums. An album chock-full of one pounding primal metal fest after another. An album not to be missed.
Mike Taylor was a singer for the ages, with a voice gruff enough to stand out against all the fey pretty boys of the day, but still sweet enough to scale the heights and bring the passion to the songs. The closest similarity I can find to his voice is Daryl Braithwaite from the latter Aussie band, The Sherbs; but that reference is probably too obscure, so let's go with a husky Geddy Lee with a case of laryngitis. Guitarist Mick Hopkins could shred and rip with the best of them, laying down wailing solos or tearing through grinding gears of riffs. And the rhythm section of Malcom Cope and Derek Arnold were steadfast in their dedication to rock.
And boy, could they rock. Ignoring the sole misstep of "Can't Say No To You," a timid American-aimed rocker that sounds suspiciously like Foreigner's "Feels Like the First Time," the rest of the album and the one extra bonus track "Circles" are the true essence of the NWOBHM.
I'm not going to go into each track here, because I'm gonna run out of adjectives way to soon. There's just no way to sum up the raging riff drag race of "Charlie Snow" and it's cocaine reference. It's impossible to describe the bullish metal assault of "Rock 'n' Roll Child," or the angry power wrapped up in powerchords and wailing solos of "Revenge." I don't have the words to lay down how I feel about the mad rockers, "Wildfire," "Circles," or "Stoking Up the Fires of Hell." Let's just simply say that Stand Up and Fight is simply . . . simply fantastic. Raw and primitive, riff-mad metal. An album that absolutely shouldn't be missed.
Brett, brother, have I got one for you!
Buy here: Stand Up & Fight
Labels: album review, Black Sabbath, def Leppard, free download, free mp3, Iron Maiden, Metal Mind, NWOBHM, Quartz, reissue CD, Stand up and Fight, Tony Iommi
Ripple News - Exploding in Sound Roars Back with another Killer Compilation -- for Free!
The never ending search for great music has become a little bit easier, thanks to SONIC WAVES, the brand new digital compilation from tastemakers ExplodingInSound.com. Download it for FREE today and come discover your next favorite band. The line-up is a dream come true for the folks at EIS, with songs from Karnivool, Oceansize, Alberta Cross, Dead Confederate, This Town Needs Guns, Native, Retribution Gospel Choir, Tera Melos, Sebastien Grainger, Shoes And Socks Off, Medications, Night Horse, Royal Bangs, Mojo Fury, The Library is on Fire, and many more.
SONIC WAVES draws inspiration from a time when radio DJs played the music you needed to hear, rather than the station's predetermined playlist. These are the bands keeping rock music genuine, intelligent, and explosive; these are the decade's future legends. Fans of post-punk, progressive rock, alternative, grunge, and indie rock will surely find themselves immersed in the twenty one songs that comprise SONIC WAVES, a collection of brilliant rock music from around the globe. With every compilation Exploding In Sound seem to outdo themselves and SONIC WAVES just might be their masterpiece.
Sharing of the compilation and the links to download is HIGHLY recommended and encouraged! Your friends are going to want to hear this, so spread the love. SONIC WAVES is a free compilation to be used for promotional use only, with a goal of reaching music fans worldwide, helping to provide great music to the masses. Word of mouth is always appreciated. Enjoy.
DOWNLOAD here: Sonic Waves
"SONIC WAVES" TRACK LIST:
1. Karnivool – Set Fire To The Hive
2. Oceansize – SuperImposer
3. Tera Melos – The Skin Surf
4. Medications – For WMF
5. Alberta Cross – ATX
6. The Library is on Fire – Magic Bumrush Heartz
7. Dead Confederate – Giving It All Away (feat. J Mascis)
8. Native – Backseat Crew
9. Retribution Gospel Choir – Hide It Away
10. Vending Machetes – M.O.
11. Shoes And Socks Off – No Fighting in C101
12. Earthtone9 – Amnesia
13. Mojo Fury – Deep Fish Tank [Factory Settings]
14. Vietwow! – Irritable Brain Syndrome
15. Royal Bangs – War Bells
16. Sebastien Grainger – I'm All Rage [Live '05]
17. Suns of the Tundra – Caught Telling The Truth
18. Art Versus Industry – Devour
19. Night Horse – Rollin' On
20. The Fling – Out Of My Head
21. This Town Needs Guns - Panda
Labels: alberta cross, dead confederate, Exploding in Sound, free album, free download, free mp3, Karnivool, mojo fury, new cd new music, night horse, Oceansize
The Single Life - 7" of Fun featuring, The Banquets, Montagna and the Mouth to Mouth, Aaron Zimmer and Starfucker
The Banquets – This is Our Concern, Dude
What started out as a lark, a fun project by a group of friends with a "The Big Lebowsky" fetish, took roots, sprouted wings, and emerged from it's "joke" beginnings into one helluva full on melodic punk band. And I mean, one HELLUVA band. Just listen to the chiming guitars, that thick and steady bass line, the confident smash of snare, tom and cymbal, and you'll find nothing amateurish about their playing. More impressive, dig the confidence in their song writing. Guitars sneak in and exit just as quickly. Songs build to tension with a genuine feeling. There's nothing contrived here. Just heart-felt passion and some damn fine songs.
And what songs would those be? How about the beautiful jangly guitar intro leading into the stampeding melodic punk that is "Lyndon B. Magic Johnson." Then there's the anthemic call and response chorus of "Eleanor I Need a Garden." Both songs chock-full of singable choruses, captivating hooks, and impassioned singing. "Eleanor," even hints at a touch of Oi Punk with its "Ooooh ooooh" vocal hook. Great stuff.
But things don't end there. To give you even more bang for your money, this slice of midnight blue vinyl adds two more tuneful rockers on side B. "What a Bunch of Aaron Burrs," up the dissonant punk attitude, dropping in some serious guitar chops amongst it's ringing guitars and crashing cymbals. "I Wish I was a little More Lou Diamond," bursts out on a wail of choppy guitar chords, building in some steamroller bass, and all of it leading into a workout of energy and melody.
Don't know what the dudes's obsession is with people's names in their song titles, but I don't really care. Put out by Black Numbers, this is one of the best 7" debut's I've heard all year. The Dude abides.
www.banquetsamerica.com/
Montagna and the Mouth to Mouth - Ultrapolyamorous b/w At Full Speed
Here at the Ripple, we're blessed to be contacted by some seriously cool record labels and PR firms, and one of two of my favorites are Chuck and Will over at Bear Trap PR. Now, it's true I don't necessarily fall for every disc the guys send over, but when I do fall, I tend to fall hard. I think over the years, the Bear Trap men have learned what sounds I tend to gravitate towards, which is usually more on the melodic or straight up punk end of the spectrum. And over the years, they've sent us some great bands, like Balance and Composure and The Cold Beat.
Now here comes Montagna and the Mouth to Mouth. The brainchild of singer/songwriter Jason Montagna, the Mouth to Mouth released their debut album "L'avenir" in 2009, and now come roaring back with a tasty 7" slice of licorice pizza, Ultrapolyamorous b/w At Full Speed. And I do mean roaring. A different sound from the majority of the emo-oriented punk I associate with Bear Trap, Montagna and the Mouth to Mouth fuse shoegazer beats, indie rock, and punk attitude to create a full on blast of noise pop unlike any I've ever heard before. Guitars crash, sounds build, voice hail, bass thuds and the whole thing just keeps coming at me, wrapping me up in some heady vortex of sound as if I was caught in the middle of a punk tornado. Of the two, I think I like "At Full Speed" better, there's just something completely endearing about the garage rock three-chord intro and the baby doll female vocals. But both songs are totally intoxicating in their psychedelic, dizzy haze. Never before has noise sounded so sweet.
www.myspace.com/themouthtomouth
Aaron Zimmer – Honey, Give Me a Hand
It was last year sometime that we at the Ripple fell under the spell of earnest singer/songwriter Aaron Zimmer, and his full throttle pop. Now after spending a year playing in the NY area, Aaron comes back with his first new song since his debut, Live Wires. Playing it a bit looser and rootsier than most of the debut album, "Honey, Give Me a Hand," is a knock out of a follow up. Aaron seems to relax a bit on this song, aiming for a heart-felt song of love's redemption, and loosens the reigns on the production. The whole song feels giddy with spontaneity and the energy of a band banging this out in the living room of a good friend's home. That's not to say it's sloppy. Heck no. I don't think Aaron could do anything sloppy, he's too much of a perfectionist. Let's just call it easy.
Easy, and terrific. Just as he did with Live Wires, Aaron has crafted a song of indy rock perfection. As with all Aaron's songs, the melody is right in the forefront, bringing me in, letting me know I'm in good hands. The casual rush of the song sweeps over me in a moment of shear pop delight.
The song is available on iTunes and Amazon as a download, but really it's a predecessor for the upcoming album. I'm already standing in line.
www.aaronzimmer.com
Starfucker – Julius b/w Helium Muffin
Not at all what I was expecting from Polyvinyl Records, the home of such guitar-based indy bands as Joan of Arc and the M's. Starfucker are a bursting supernova of cosmic electronic techno indy pop that soars into the stratosphere like a tranced up rocketship of ecstasy disciples. This is heady, trippy techno disco for the post-rave generation, and damn if it doesn't do it well. "Julius" is a bouncy, swirling quasi-shoegazing/ambient techno delight. Synths percolate like early am coffee while the vocals and textures swirl in a dizzying whirl like cosmic dust behind a comet.
"Helium Muffin" is about as ethereal as the name suggests. A hypnotic blend of spacey synths and throbbing dance rhythms. Sure to please fans of upbeat dance pop and still interesting enough for the rest of us. Get the party started, keep it started.
www.myspace.com/strfkrmusic
Labels: Aaron Zimmer, Julius, Montagna and the Mouth to Mouth, new singles, new songs, Starfucker, the Banquets, this is our concern dude, ultraployamorous
Ripple News - Prophecy Artist, Dornenreich announces 2011 Tour
Dornenreich: Flammentriebe tour 2011
In the 15th year of their existence Dornenreich present their seventh studio-album Flammentriebe via a unique live-show: a double-set including everything from acoustic intimacy to passionate ecstasy. Both the metallic as well as the acoustic side of Dornenreich will be combined for these concerts. Dornenreich will be joined by their special guests Agrypnie which rose from the the ashes of the German Avantgarde-Black-Metal-Ensemble Nocte Obducta.
FLAMMENTRIEBE TOUR 2011
presented by ORKUS, LEGACY & METAL.DE
10.02.2011 DE - München / Backstage
11.02.2011 AT - Klagenfurt / Volxhaus
12.02.2011 AT - Wien / Szene
13.02.2011 DE - Nürnberg / Z-Bau
14.02.2011 DE - Dresden / Puschkin Club
15.02.2011 DE - Berlin / K17
16.02.2011 DE - Essen / Turock
17.02.2011 DE - Trier / ExHaus
18.02.2011 DE - Stuttgart / Haus 11
19.02.2011 CH - Uster / Rock City
Labels: black metal, Dornenreich, heavy metal, new album, new CD, Prophecy Productions, tour dates
Project Armageddon – Departure
Project Armageddon has mastered the science of quantum physics, and here's my reasoning behind said assessment. You put on their record, Departure, and you suddenly find yourself at the end of it. No, no. It's not a glitch with my system . . . the disc doesn't just magically skip over the content and pick up with the final droning notes. No . . . I've heard every note on this album several times, so I know the content is there. Time simply gets lost when this sucker is spinning in its tray. Project Armageddon has managed to make forty-five minutes of music feel like five. The good thing about this? I always want to hear more!
This Houston, Texas trio delivers a pummeling brand of doom metal, at times reminding me of Black Sabbath, especially when they take the more psychedelic roads with the music. These guys do a great job of balancing the all out destructive and cutting guitar tones with the more ambient and ethereal moments. Departure is the kind of album that works best with no external distractions. Lock yourself in a darkened room with a few candles or a lava lamp . . . maybe a black light . . . get comfy in your bean bag chair and take a few leisurely rips from your four foot bong. As the music swirls around you like the smoke from your bong, notice the intricate weave of tones and notes that Project Armageddon layer across your mind. Close your eyes and just follow the music. Let it teleport you to a land far, far away from your daily concerns.
The opening salvo from Departure is a tune called "Plague For Shattered Man" and the guitars are of that sludge-y, stoner variety . . . akin to Deliverance-era C.O.C. and just as devastating. With a riff this heavy, one might expect the rest of the band to drop in and carry the tune in high energy fashion, full tilt rock n' boogie . . . but nay, Project Armageddon take the tune in a slower direction, almost plodding. Interestingly enough, though, the song doesn't lack in energy due to the snail crawling through molasses tempo. This song is balls and the musicianship is freaking killer, specifically in the way of the guitars. Love the tones, love the Middle Eastern vibe to the solo, love the drums, love the bass. Seriously, there's nothing to not like on this song. The vocals may be a bit difficult for some to digest as they tend to be sung in a higher register than would seem natural for the detuned sludgery of the music, but y'know . . . Ozzy got away with it for all that time with Sabbath, so get past it, folks.
Speaking of Sabbath, "Psyko-Sonic" reminds me of that classic Sabbath sound . . . a little bit of "Planet Caravan," some parts of "Electric Funeral," maybe some portions of "Black Sabbath." Just cool and surreal sounding stuff, the kind of music that you can lose yourself in, and the BAM! The guys drop in with fully amplified, fully distorted guitars, and shake you back to your senses. The one aspect I keep keying into on this track is the clean guitars in the droned out mellow portions and how this subtlest of applications gives the mesmerizing portions that extra special texture. It's the nuance, baby! Music with the subtle twists and turns are always the most interesting listens.
The band then go on a prog-tastic adventure in doom-y musicianship and dedicate the next twenty minutes and four songs to the story of a Nazi bred superhuman race called The Sonnekonige, which was part of the story line to a James Rollins novel called The Black Order (fun read if you get the chance . . . in fact, the whole series is pretty good escapist fun.) The piece opens with an acoustic guitar led, rhythmic track entitled "The Reckoning of Ages, Pt.1," and acts as the lead into, you guessed it, "The Reckoning of Ages, Pt. 2." The second chapter of the saga builds and builds and builds in classic sludge-y fashion, droning power chords over sporadic drum and cymbal crashes, before the grooving stoner riffery of "Steward of Shame" kicks in. This third chapter is where we first hear vocals about the tale of the superhuman Sonnekonige, but in truth, the music tells the tale just as well. The thundering stomp of the rhythm almost gives the impression of a legion of soldiers marching towards the world's destruction. The tones of the guitars are massive and it feels like the weight of all existence is planted squarely on our shoulders.
The title tracks wraps up the album and opens with a classic riff coming straight from the vaults of Sabbath. Check this bad boy out . . . I'm loving their use of breaks to highlight the various instruments. A little bass lick here, a little guitar fill there, and the whole song comes together real well. Despite these short musical breaks, the song has a great flow to it and always feels like it's moving forward. It also benefits from having a bit of a more up tempo feel than most of the other tracks. Point that spotlight over to the bassist as he drops in a pretty cool solo over that ever so cool guitar riff. Great way to put the close on a bitchin' disc!
Project Armageddon will appeal to, obviously, the Black Sabbath fans out there, but also to the new generation of doom metal fans . . . people who dig Venomin James or Ogre should pay close attention to these guys. Departure is quite simply a brutally heavy album that touches on some of the fantastic elements of "What if . . . ?" The Sonnekonige epic is a perfect example of the imagination running wild with the concept of a specially bred superhuman, designed solely to do it's masters bidding. Then, as always happens, the master loses control of his subject and all hell breaks loose. I dig it! Let the music take your mind places that it doesn't normally go! Laced within all of the fantastic concepts are the warnings of what could be if we give a party absolute power. The collapse of social order, the loss of life, the destruction of our host organism, Mother Earth . . . when the fantasy stands on the brink of reality, the scenarios become horrifying. Thanks for the mind fuck, guys . . . Project Armageddon, ladies and gentlemen!
-- Pope
Labels: album review, Black Sabbath, Departure, doom metal, heavy metal, Houston metal, music review, Project Armageddon, Sludge metal, stoner metal, The ripple Effect
The Kings of Frog Island - III
This sounds like the album I've always wanted Queens Of The Stone Age to make. And that means it sounds like Wishbone Ash and The Groundhogs playing a festival on the island where the 1973 movie The Wicker Man takes place. The Kings of Frog Island are a collaboration between guitarist and producer Mark Buteux, R. "Doj" Watson and Mat Bethancourt, of the awesome band Josiah (R.I.P.). III is the third and final installment in a trilogy that began in 2005. I never heard the first two records but am now motivated to investigate them further.
I can just imagine Christopher Lee prancing around as Lord Summerisle to the opening song "In Memoriam" as tribal drums pound and a list of the deceased is read. Britt Ekland could also do her lascivious fertility dance to tempt the inspector to this song, too. "Glebe Street Whores" is in complete contrast to the opener with a Groundhogs boogie jam and distorted vocals. Nice one-two punch to start this thing.
"Bride Of Suicide" and "The Keeper Of…" are more in the Queens Of The Stone Age vein but a bit more psychedelic. Nice fuzzed out tones and swirly backwards guitar parts are held down to earth by hypnotic bass lines. "Dark On You" and "Ode To Baby Jane" are doomy but not Sabbathy. Depressing is probably a better description.
There's probably a storyline here that I haven't been able to figure out. Maybe if I get the first 2 volumes I'll put the effort into figuring it all out but for right now I'm too busy blasting this one. I'm just glad The Ripple Boss gave me this one because this sounds like the type of thing that Pope and Racer would play at dawn on one of their epic California road trips. What do you say you fly me out west and we give it a test spin together?
-- Woody
Buy here: Kings
http://www.myspace.com/thekingsoffrogisland
Labels: album review, free download, free mp3, guitar hero III, josiah, live music review, new CD, the kings of frong island
Murdocks - Distortionist
In 2010, a crack commando unit of three elite musicians was sent to prison by a civilian court for a crime they didn't commit. Their crime? Not rocking. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Austin underground. Today, still wanted by major labels, they survive as musical soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire…Murdocks.
I was in a whole heap of trouble. Someone had dropped a dime on my whereabouts to the local junta dictator in exchange for what I hope was a hefty reward. Being alert at all times paid off once again as I noticed some suspicious characters loitering around the restaurant where I was eating lunch. Knowing I had less than a minute to make my escape I laid some money on the table for my unfinished meal (always do the right thing, kids) and ducked out the restaurant's side entrance. Pursuers were not far behind. Just as I rounded the corner of the building I heard shouts coupled with the side door being viciously kicked open. After chasing me for several blocks, the enemy forces had me holed up in an abandoned warehouse. The warehouse was quickly surrounded, leaving me with no way out. It was time to call for help from Ripple HQ.
While I can't recount the short conversation that occurred thanks to my prolific use of profanities, I can politely summarize what was actually communicated. Commanding Generals Racer and Pope, both of whom received my call for assistance, informed me that there was no need for panic. Although I thought it to be quite grim, the situation was well at hand. A GPS tracker on my person told them exactly where I was located, and they had just dispatched an emergency response crew specially trained for just this type of mission. When I asked how long it would take for this super crew to arrive, the Commanding Generals laughed in unison. Not three seconds later a jet black van exploded through one of the side walls of the warehouse and skidded to a halt about ten feet from where I stood.
Immediately the windowless side panel door facing me slid open, and the man in the back told me to get in. I followed orders and jumped into the van. Before I was seated the man slammed the door shut behind me, yelled at the driver to go, go, go, and we were off. The van rapidly accelerated pinning me in my seat. Thank goodness the walls of this warehouse were not reinforced, because the driver chose to ram through the other side wall instead of going out through the hole previously created. It did work in our favor as the enemy troops merely stood there with mouths agape as the van blew past them in our drive for safety. Quick introductions followed. I learned that the three men who rescued me made up the band Murdocks. The man giving orders was frontman/guitar player Franklin Morris. Driving the van was drummer David T. Jones, and riding shotgun was bassist Kyle Robarge.
Morris handed me a CD player with a copy of their new album Distortionist and some noise cancelling headphones. He instructed me to listen to the album while he and Robarge took care of the two jeeps chasing us. Weapons proficiency had always evaded me, so this seemed like a good idea. With rapidity I put the CD in the player, activated the noise cancellation, and hit play. The first song of the album is titled "OMG", and I would quickly learn that it is characteristic of the entire experience. It begins innocently enough with a simple drumbeat and plaintive singing laid on top of a delicate guitar line. Fifteen seconds in the ambush is triggered. The band hits the nitrous button on all facets of the music pumping the volume level from modest to maximum, instantly escalating the tempo, marking the arrival of the bass with a generous boom, and surprising the listener with unexpected intensity in the vocals. And that was just the beginning.
My mind was reeling. Not from the sight of the cart wheeling/exploding jeeps that were formerly closing in on our van, but from the excellence of the music being pumped into my ears. Frankly, I had a hard time trying to categorize this wonderful music. Had I heard a band that sounded like this before? Not really. Don't get me wrong, I was certainly able to identify elements that made up this collage of sound. There were clearly heaping helpings of garage rock, pop punk, vintage pop, and alternative rock swirling around these compositions. I just had not heard these styles combined in this particular manner before. The music was certainly aggressive most of the time, but it never sacrificed any melodic sensibility in an effort to pummel the listener. No, as the album progressed I was amazed to discover that each and every song offered up colossal vocal and musical hooks that needed no time at all to lodge themselves in the deepest recesses of my brain.
Favorite songs were terribly hard to pick out thanks to the whole package being so uniformly excellent. Early on there is the oft stampeding melancholy of "Bloodsicle". A little later the lyrically scathing "Die Together" paints a vivid picture of societal disgust. "Danger Goat" is an unrelenting punk fueled rave up. "Sleepy Queen and Charlie Brown" is probably my overall favorite. In a kind of nostalgic pop perfection the choruses of this song mimic the Monkees' classic "Daydream Believer", with the cherry on top being provided afterwards by some heavy downbeat riffing that brings the listener right back to the present. Drawing the album to a close the Murdocks effectively sum up the musical journey with the track "Widower". Several beautiful moments draw to mind classic doo-wop songs (at least to my ears). Unlike those classic songs that generally dealt with devotion however, the Murdocks' version instead tells the tale of a man whose heart was cruelly wrenched out of his chest by someone he loved. Brutal. On a side note although the lyrical content of the album predominantly conveyed anger about one thing or another, the music itself never left me feeling anything other than glee or happiness.
Twenty minutes later the van pulled into a private airstrip where a plane waited on the runway to airlift me out of the country. The album concluded just as Morris opened the side door to let me out. I looked directly into his eyes and told him that while I was tremendously appreciative of the rescue, the music was coming with me. He chuckled knowingly, shook his head, and replied, "You're welcome." Once I was out of the van the panel door slid shut and it took off for parts unknown. I watched it depart for the first few seconds and then climbed the stairs into the plane. The pilot asked if I was ready to leave. I nodded to him, sat in one of the cabin seats, and hit the play button on the CD player. The way I figured it, I could listen to Distortionist twice more before we landed and I had to be debriefed. Sweet!
P.S.: Go listen to the full album yourself on the band's website www.the-murdocks.com
-- Penfold
Buy here: Distortionist
mp3: Distortionist
Labels: album review, Distortionist, free download, free mp3, Murdocks, new CD
Robben Ford & The Blue Line - Handful Of Blues
He's one of the 100 greatest guitarists of the 20th Century, now playing in the 21st Century. Don't take my word for it. That statement was made by Musician Magazine. Don't take Musician Magazine's word for it. Listen to Robben Ford on his 1995 release Handful Of Blues.
This is the ultimate blues rocker album. Ford, with his then band "the Blue Line" (bassist Roscoe Beck and drummer Tom Brechtlein) provide a master lesson in rock guitar blues. Ford blazes through classic Chicago-style ("When I Leave Here"), jump blues ("The Miller's Son"), jazz-blues balladry ("Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"), and Texas shuffle ("Tired of Talkin'") with such mastery that, at the time of release Cleveland Plain Dealer music critic David Sowd thought Ford would rise to replace the deceased Stevie Ray Vaughan as the "undisputed hero to the white-boy blues-picker throne." However, Ford's musical interests go far beyond the blues.
Ford has jazz chops as well as blues chops. He played guitar for Jimmy Witherspoon from 1972 to 1974, before joining Tom Scott & the L.A. Express as the band's guitarist for Joni Mitchell's 1974 Court and Spark tour. At the end of the tour he joined George Harrison for Harrison's 1974 Dark Horse tour. In the 1980's he toured with Michael MacDonald and Miles Davis. But it was Ford's childhood roots in the blues that captured his imagination in the late 1980's through the mid-1990's that led him to produce some of the greatest blues guitar music of the last decade of the 20th Century once he got his shot to record as a solo artist.
After Handful Of Blues was recorded Ford disbanded "the Blue Line." He said on his website, "I felt like I was holding back on the guitar side in order to present a band. I played out my commitment with the Blue Line and then decided to take some time off and find some new inspiration." Yet, nothing Ford has done since Handful Of Blues is nearly as good, as distinctive or as powerful. With "the Blue Line" disbanded Ford's interests meandered toward jazz-infused R&B with a heavy urban influence. While much of his later work is excellent, such as his 2003 release "Keep On Running" on which he plays with Edgar Winter, Ivan Neville and Mavis Staples, it lacks the raw beauty of his work with the Blue Line. He only produced three albums with the Blue Line and Handful Of Blues is, by far, the best of the three.
Ford fills out the sound on Handful Of Blues by adding Yellowjackets' keyboardist Russell Ferrante, pianist Henry Butler, Ford's brother Mark on the harmonica and organist Ricky Peterson. In addition to producing the album LA studio guitarist Danny Kortchmar (who played on several classic James Taylor and Jackson Browne albums) occasionally plays rhythm guitar. As a result Ford's sound is more akin to the 1960's British blues invasion sound than it is to the jazz and R&B tones that permeate his later work. Yet, even this album contains a modicum of the jazz and R&B that was to come, mostly on Ford's originals which are some of his best jazz and R&B to date.
The opening track "Rugged Road" is a fast-paced Ford blues original that Ford follows with a classic rendition of Taj Mahal's "Chevrolet" which, in the day, received significant airplay. Ford also provides a smooth version of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." One of the best album tracks is an original called "Top Of The Hill" on which Ford's musicianship shines, especially in the short guitar solo. Another wonderful track is Ford's rendition of Willie Dixon's "I Just Want To Make Love To You." While it may not have the grit of Dixon's vocals it features some of the best instrumental performances by Ford and his sidemen found on the album. Ford also amazes in the longest album track "Good Thing" which has a tonality that harkens back to Ford's L.A. Express days.
Ford is still out there playing and he will usually include a cut or two from Handful Of Blues in his shows. He will play with jazz guitarist extraordinaire John Scofield at the Blue Note in New York City, NY December 1 through 5, 2010.
Those on the West Coast will get the opportunity to see him with his band, Renegade Creation that consists of Ford, guitarist Michael Landau (who has played with Boz Skaggs, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, B.B. King, James Taylor, Ray Charles and Rod Stewart just to name a few) left-handed bassist Jimmy Haslip (who has played with the Yellowjackets, Bruce Hornsby, Rita Coolidge, Gino Vannelli, KISS, Tommy Bolin, Allan Holdsworth, Marilyn Scott, Chaka Khan, Al Jarreau, Donald Fagen and Anita Baker) and drummer Gary Novak (who has played with Joe Williams, Milt Hinton, Kenny Burrell, Barney Kessel, Louis Bellson, Michael MacDonald, Lee Ritenour, Anita Baker, George Benson and Alanis Morrisette), at Yoshi's in Oakland, CA December 16 through 19, 2010.
Best of all at Yoshi's they will play a Sunday matinee where adults can get in for $18 if they bring a kid ($5 per kid). This is a great opportunity to be a hero to the neighborhood's budding guitarists.
Buy here: Handful of Blues
mp3: Handful Of Blues Mik
Labels: blues guitar, handful of blues, Miles Davis, robben Ford and the blue line
One of the first things that attracted me to the Ripple Effect freaks is their deep love and understanding of the ultra obscure heavy bands from the 1970's that they feature on the "Proto Metal Report." Anyone who takes time out of their lives to champion Dust, Sir Lord Baltimore, Toad, JPT Scare Band, Jerusalem, etc is someone I want to know. Nobler than just talking about it, they are putting their time and money into bringing some of these lost artifacts back into existence again on their Ripple Music label. They've already unleashed a great collection of unreleased JPT Scare Band recordings and now they've done us all a huge favor by reissuing Poobah's Let Me In.
I bought my copy just to support the label but didn't know what to expect. Turns out this is right up my alley. Vintage Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Grand Funk Railroad is some of my favorite rock and Let Me In is a killer mix of all of 'em. Grand Poobah, guitarist, singer, songwriter, Jim Gustafson is an awesome player and burns up the fretboard like a muther. It reminded me a lot of the first time I heard the Truth & Janey band – kick ass American power trio rock from the Midwest with lots of heart and soul.
Recorded back in the glory days of 1972, the original LP of Let Me In featured 6 killer jams and a great album cover. "Mr. Destroyer" starts off with a very funny spoken intro, somewhere in between Cheech & Chong and the voice on the early Ohio Players song "Funky Worm" before an almost "War Pigs" style riff. Jim peels off some great solos and they rhythm section of bassist Phil Jones and drummer Glenn Wiseman is very tight and grooves hard. Jim's playing brings to mind both Ron Asheton and Tony Iommi at the same time. "Enjoy What You Have" is a mellower song that should replace Boston's worn out "More Than A Feeling" on the playlist for all classic rock radio stations. It's followed up with the killer mid tempo boogie of "Live To Work." Even though Poobah is from Ohio, this is pure Texas boogie that would make Johnny Winter take notice.
Side two of the original LP kicks off with probably my favorite song "Bowleen." It's got a great tribal drum beat similar to Alice Coooper's "Black Juju" and Jim adds some spooky organ on top of his creepy guitar riff. "Rock N Roll" is the type of song that my older brothers used to love to torture my mother with back in the 70's. It's loud and obnoxious with lyrics about how great rock is and of course getting high! I can practically hear her screaming to "TURN IT DOWN" during the guitar breaks. "Let Me In" is a 6 and a half minute epic that has everything you could possibly want – great riffs, lyrics about brotherhood and a drum solo.
In addition to this great album, there are TWELVE bonus tracks! You get everything from what was probably their intro tape ("Here's The Band") to unreleased gems like "Going To Rock City" and "Walk Of The Bug" to live rehearsals and radio edits. No expense has been spared on this package. Audio restoration and mastering was handled by none other than Tony Dallas Reed of STONE AXE. This guy knows a little bit about how classic rock should sound, so you know the fidelity is top notch. The CD is almost 80 minutes and the double LP is a thing of beauty. The colored wax is a tripped out marble and the inside spine awaits your seeds!
Buy here: Let Me In
Labels: album review, classic album, free download, free mp3, free podcast, let me in, new album, new CD, Poobah, proto metal, proto-metal, protometal, reissue CD, ripple Music
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As part of my work on evolving and formalising the approach to UX in my current role, I've recently been considering the role that Lean UX methods might play.
One aspect I mentioned in that previous post about how we might use Lean UX approaches in a traditionally not very user-focused environment was the creation of a UX pattern library. A pattern library is an evolving document that describes interaction design solutions to common design problems. They act as a "first port of call" for a designer or developer creating a new UI and avoid the need to reinvent the wheel or create a new, untested solution.
By using common patterns we not only create consistency within a project, or across multiple projects, but we also reduce the cognitive load on users by using familiar UI conventions and avoiding the need for them to learn new tools.
The pattern library we've been working on has grown quite rapidly and is currently only available internally. However, we plan to publish it on a public website once we've reached a critical mass of information (both guidelines for UI pattern usage and cross-references to our own implementations stored in an open source Github project). There's already been some interest from the wider cultural heritage community and having a public resource seems like a perfect opportunity to expand its use from an internal document to become an open source project in its own right.


Tasty fried masala kadalai(masala peanut) is enriched with garlic, salt, masala and Curry leaves. Kodi kadalai is the mostly harvested in Salem and Dindigul districts in TamilNadu. This type of peanuts is low in oil content and very rich in protein and rich in Folic acid which is highly recommended for women during pregnancy.
Kodi kadalai is native to TamilNadu and grown accross the state in earilier days. This vareity is very good for consuming it raw/fried/boiled/roasted. There is an increased awarness of kodi kadalai is recent days because of the trend of moving towards native varaities.
We have a myth that cashew nuts,Badamnuts,Pisthas are more nutritious but this Peanut is the one that ovecomes all. Drastical Improvement in immunity.
Best Suited for: Kids evening snacks, Side dish for Curd & Rasam Rise.
Ingredients: Groundnuts, Garlic, Salt, Chilly powder, Curry leaves,oil.


text:
J60 steht für:

 Kinyarwanda, eine Bantusprache mit ca. 9 Millionen Sprechern nach der Guthrie-Zone
 Pneumokoniose, eine Lungenerkrankung nach dem ICD-10-Code
 Pratt & Whitney J60, ein Flugzeugtriebwerk
 den Johnson-Körper J60, das doppelt erweiterte Dodekaeder

Abkürzung

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Bayern rout Stuttgart to extend league lead
Robert Lewandowski claimed his 14th Bundesliga goal of the season on Saturday as Bayern Munich went eight points clear with a 4-0 win over VfB Stuttgart. Bayern's star-studded attack ran riot at the Allianz Arena with Arjen Robben, Douglas Costa and Thomas Mueller also getting on the scoresheet as defeat pushed Stuttgart back into the bottom three.
Berlin 08 November, 2015 01:10 IST
Robert Lewandowski (9) is the league's top scorer with 14 goals. - REUTERS
Robert Lewandowski claimed his 14th Bundesliga goal of the season on Saturday as Bayern Munich went eight points clear with a 4-0 win over VfB Stuttgart.
Bayern's star-studded attack ran riot at the Allianz Arena with Arjen Robben, Douglas Costa and Thomas Mueller also getting on the scoresheet as defeat pushed Stuttgart back into the bottom three.
With second-placed Borussia Dortmund hosting Schalke on Sunday in the Ruhr derby, Bayern took the chance to extend their lead.
Pep Guardiola's Bayern picked up where they left off on Wednesday in the 5-1 rout of Arsenal in the Champions League.
"It's so difficult to play every three days and show this sort of mentality," said Guardiola, with Bayern targeting a repeat of their 2013 treble of Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup.
"I hope they keep this aggression up until the winter break (in December) and then until the end of the season, because if we don't win the triple, it will have been a bad season."
The Bavarian giants have now claimed 34 points from 36 and are the only unbeaten team in Germany's top flight.
They took the lead just 11 minutes in after creating a five-on-one attacking opportunity.
Although Robben netted the goal, he had Arturo Vidal, Lewandowski and Mueller lining up to score behind him.
Costa then doubled the tally with a long-range strike on 18 minutes.
Poland's Lewandowski made it 3-0 on 37 minutes by volleying home Mueller's cross, which made him the league's top scorer, then the Germany forward grabbed the fourth with a header on 40 minutes.
Bayern have turned the Allianz Arena into a fortress by scoring 28 goals in their last six home games, conceding just three.
Wolfsburg stumble
Third-placed Wolfsburg, last season's runners-up, are now 13 points adrift of Bayern after crashing to a 2-0 defeat at Mainz as Pablo de Blasis and Yunus Mali scored.
Wolfsburg were reduced to 10 men when Germany midfielder Julian Draxler was sent off inside the opening 15 minutes for kung-fu kicking Chile defender Gonzalo Jara while competing for the ball.
It capped a bad week for Wolves, who were usurped by Manchester United at the top of their Champions League group following their 2-0 defeat at Eindhoven.
Fellow Champions League side Bayer Leverkusen also suffered a second loss after being beaten 2-1 at home to neighbours Cologne in the Rhine derby.
Defender Dominic Maroh scored both of Cologne's goals while Leverkusen's Javier Hernandez scored for the sixth match running to give him 12 goals since joining from Manchester United.
Leverkusen were reduced to 10 men when defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos was shown a red card for bringing down Cologne striker Anthony Modeste when he was through on goal.
Hoffenheim remain second from bottom after their goalless draw with Eintracht Frankfurt.
And Borussia Moenchengladbach had their six-match winning streak under caretaker coach Andre Schubert ended by a goalless draw at home to Ingolstadt.
On Friday, Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou grabbed a hat-trick to steer Hertha Berlin to a 3-1 win at Hanover and into the top four.
The 30-year-old former Chelsea star found the target in the 33rd and 60th minutes before completing his hat-trick with a penalty three minutes from time.
Kalou now has seven goals in the Bundesliga this season while Japan's Hiroshi Kiyotake scored Hanover's only goal with a 70th-minute spot-kick.
Read more stories on Bundesliga.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
TOM THOWSEN
This amazing place has served Norway well
15. januar 2021 15. januar 2021 Tom Thowsen
But do you know where it is?
Besides having rescued the land from enemy forces several times, it is also a continuous cultural inspiration source. Hailed in Ja Vi Elsker, Norway's national anthem. Quote from the 4th verse:
During summer months there are concerts and TV shows and so on. But Fredriksten, the Fortress of Halden, also has its legends who fascinate people worldwide. Basically, it is a story from the 1800s where a lieutenant vanished during inspection—a presumed murder case without a body—at least at the beginning.
More about that soon.
Photo: Wikipedia, moderated with GIMP
Denmark-Norway constructed this fortress in the 17th century as a replacement for the border fortress at Bohus, which had been lost when the province of Bohuslän was ceded to Sweden by the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658. The fortress was named after King Fredrik III of Denmark and Norway, and the town of Halden was also originally named after him. Known as Fredrikshald between 1665 and 1928.
The name Halden means slope, and slope there is.
Festningsgata. Photo: Tom Thowsen 2020
Here`s a street view of Festningsgata, with mighty Fredriksten Fortress lying there on its cliff. The white Bell Tower at the top lies 122 metres above mean sea level. And local lore tells of a secret passage between the Fortress and the town, with an entrance in the basement of one of these houses. So far, this is an unsolved riddle.
Photo: Wikipedia
At the top of Fredriksten Fortress you have good view towards the Swedish side of the fjord. But you can also see, far out in the horizon, the snowy mountains of Telemark.
The Bell Tower. Photo: Wikipedia, moderated with Gimp
Another story tells about a lieutenant who vanished during an inspection at the Bell Tower, one cold winter night in the 1800s. In 1926 they found, by chance, the body of a soldier buried near the tower. But there is more. Some connect this murder case to the local ghost who haunts the fortress—the White Lady. She`s a beautiful young Lady in a long, white dress. Many claims to have seen her among these walls.
Is she looking for her lover—the murder victim?
We`ll probably never know.
Nevertheless, have this shady lady almost overshadowed the Swedish warrior king Charles XII, who was shot during his attempt to take the Fortress in 1718. The White Lady has been highlighted on TV, theatre, music, and literature. More than ever.
Back in 2010, Ghost Hunters International tried to capture her in one of their TV episodes.
All in vain. She did not reveal herself, of course.
However, if you are intrigued by The White Lady, there is a novel about her on the international book market—Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and Amazon. Both English and Norwegian editions. Also eBook and Paperback.
And who knows, maybe you`ll plan for a trip to Halden too when the better time arises.
There`s so much more to show, and there is more to come.
Subscribe and stay tuned.
Merket med Fredrikshald, Fredriksten Fortress, Ghost, Halden, The White LadyLegg igjen en kommentar
Pre Viking-Age Fortresses
12. desember 2020 12. desember 2020 Tom Thowsen
Often when I take a walk in the forest, where it is peaceful and relaxing, I get a reminder of a troubled past. Ancient fortresses from the Migration Period. They`re almost everywhere, on every natural stronghold, typical steep mountains. Hard accessible and with a stunning panorama, like a lookout tower.
These silent witnesses were mostly used around 400-500 A.D. Most of them appear like piles of stones which many people today would hardly notice. Back then, they were the best protection the local people could get if they were under attack.
Basically, they were probably built by "doomsdays preppers". Maybe frightened by the "breaking news!" at that time. Huns who invaded and raided large parts of Europe. Barbarian invasions who made the Western Roman Empire falling apart. All that stuff.
But the Scandinavian peninsula was a stronghold too. Surrounded by the ocean, it was likely spared from the worst. Still, like with anything else nowadays, the academics have a lot of theories regarding its possible purposes. Like: fortress for soldiers or a Safe Haven for the local farms. Some have even suggested a spiritual explanation — a cult place of some sort.
I find them intriguing, anyhow, and they trigger my imagination.
Stenerødborgen, Sarpsborg. Photo: Tom Thowsen 2020
A portion of the wall at Stenerødborgen fortress in Sarpsborg. Located on the weakest point, where the mountain was less steep. Inside, the mountain top was relatively flat—good space for houses and storage. I can imagine this wall had those pointy timbers poles. The same system as illustrated on three pictures below.
Stenerødborgen. Photo: Tom Thowsen 2020
The view is stunning at the edge of the cliff, who sticks out in Tune lake. In the background you can see Tune church were the famous Tune runestone was found. And to the left side, around three kilometres from the church founded the Viking king Olav Haraldson his town Borg in 1016 A.D. Today Sarpsborg. We`re on an island called Tunøya — slightly larger than Manhattan with its 82 square kilometres — located in Norway's largest river Glomma. An old highway so to speak.
Photo: Tom Thowsen 2020
Vestvannet lake, Sarpsborg. Photo: Tom Thowsen 2020
Lake Vestvannet lies about 500 meters from the fortress, and here you can travel on Glomma river up to Mjøsa, Norway's biggest lake, and further up to Lillehammer if you want. As I already stated, there are a few records here. Besides the fact that the Glomma is the largest river and Tunøya is the largest freshwater island in Norway, the Sarp Falls has one of the greatest flows of any waterfall in Europe.
Nevertheless, I feel grateful to live here in this district where some of the smallest things amaze me as much as the big ones. Throughout this winter, if there is no snow, I will go looking for more of these fortresses. There`s more than 70 in my old county Østfold, they say.
It looks like I have some heck of mountain climbing ahead of me.
Merket med bygdeborger, Folkevandringstiden, fortesses, Migration Period, stenerødborgen, tune, tunevannetLegg igjen en kommentar
Greatness in the Small
22. september 2020 Tom Thowsen
In that very moment, Mother Earth was speaking to me.
Kornsjø, Norway. Photo: Tom Thowsen 2020
Sounds a little bit odd in your ears, I guess. Mine too, for that sake. Like a hippie or a member of the alternative society.
However, it is comforting. Healing, as well. It could protect you from anxiousness and depression. I highly recommend this medicine. To walk in nature and listen to mother earth. It is where we belong. It is where it all began. Not in a humanmade artificial environment, remote from everything natural. So, let us get back.
Late September, I woke up early in the morning, curious to catch the rising sun. Not all mornings are the same; the light conditions can differ a lot. It could be too bright or too cloudy. But this morning was outstanding. No wind at all, the water lies like a mirror. The mist over the lake. The bright clouds. The clean air. The smell of autumn. And the silence was overwhelming. Lucky me, I thought. What colour cascade. What a magic moment. And there was I equipped with my iPhone 11. My only camera.
Everything glows—the contrasts between light and shadow. In the east, from the Swedish side of the lake, I can hear a wolf scream in the far distant. Besides that, just silence.
Look at the tiny cabin, floating on the mist. It lies on its small islet, separated from the island where I stood.
The clouds sailed in convoy over the sky, stretching out its fingers from Sweden towards Norway.
So near, but still too far distant – some places I can toss stones at Sweden – nevertheless Covid-19 makes us parted. That is a surreal situation.
But if the very bedrock under my feet could speak, it would say this is a small and short-lived problem. A glacial period of hundreds of thousands of years made a more significant impact when this bedrock was lying under the pressure of a two kilometres layer of ice. A vast amount of frozen water that melted away just some ten thousand years ago.
Quite impressing to know.
It makes me realize that Mother Nature is a strange mother, indeed, and we must live our lives under her conditions – follow her rules. We need her, but she does not need us. We`re just lucky to be here.
Merket med Kornsjø, misty lake, Mother earth, rising sunLegg igjen en kommentar
NEARLY 800 YEARS OLD AND STILL STANDING TALL
7. august 2020 Tom Thowsen
Heddal Stave Church.
I`m talking about the biggest Stave Church in Norway, where some of the wooden structures have survived since it was ready in the mid-1200s — some 800 years ago — which is quite impressing
Due to the ongoing worldwide pandemic that hunts us all, I decided to travel in my homeland this summer. I went back to my roots in Telemark, to visit the Church where some of my relatives lie buried. The Amazing Heddal Stave Church.
Once seen, never forgotten.
Look for yourself
A chair from the church.
Photo: Anders Kvåle Rue
Some features in this monumental building are breathing Viking age. Did I hear someone saying WOW? — Yes it`s true, in this once a Roman Catholic Church, there are traces of the old paganism. The dragonheads, for instance.
Furthermore, there is a legend telling about the erection of the church. And fasten your seatbelt, please — it was a troll who built it. Just three days of construction!
Oh, by the way, Finn Fagerlokk(Fairhair) is his name. He could not ever after stand the sound of church bells, so he moved along with his family to Himing (Lifjell). In case you need an extremely efficient house builder.
Another pagan features in this church, is Sigurd Fåvnesbane, the dragon slayer, and the shieldmaiden Brynhild.
The heads at the top of these columns are also pagan decorations.
Photo: Christian Barth
Old taggers, using runic letters.
A door decorated with Viking style patterns.
Photo: Tom Thowsen
A thick layer of tar for preservation.
Though it can feel magical with the troll, he owes us an explanation of how he managed to build this church, in just three days, which have lasted for almost eight hundred years.
Psst, here you have a clue for the durability. Tar galore.
Another thing – he cheated. It demanded years of preparations. He had to choose the right trees in the forest, take the bark off them, let them bleed resin while they were still growing. And finally, after several years of waiting, he cut them down – with other words: A time-consuming prosses beyond our modern people's imagination. That is the real story. Thankfully for us, someone cared, thank God.
Heddal Stave Church in its surroundings.
Tom Thowsen 2020
Merket med Heddal, Heddal Stave Church, Heddal stavkirke, Norway, Notodden. Telemark, Viking houses, Vikings4 kommentarer
7. juli 2020 11. juli 2020 Tom Thowsen
Midsummer 2020 has been one of the strangest in my life, filled with silence and a lack of cheeriness. I even got a sense of breaking the law.
Midsummer night at Kornsjø lake, 2020. Photo: Tom Thowsen
On the brightest day of the year, when the sun barely goes down, there was a shadow hanging over me. All thanks to the Covid-19 virus, which has parted us Norwegians from our dear neighbours in the east. The Swedes, known for their joyful midsummer celebrations, were almost absent at Kornsjø — a lake on the border.
Well, I must confess: Yes, we crossed the border. More than once. Most on the lake. We even went into a narrow channel, under a bridge, where some of us got worried.
Flying trouble in the air.
«Look out! There's Batman!»
«Oh, is he that small. I'm not impressed.»
Not quite like that, these quotes were from another trip, but we joked about it now as well. Nevertheless, this time it was different. Now there was mention of bats and Covid-19 virus, and we decided to turn back to Norway again.
Should we have been sentenced to a 10 days quarantine?
No, I do not think so. We did not meet any Swedes, other than on a safe distance, only on the water.
Midsummer day at Kornsjø lake, 2020. Photo: Tom Thowsen
Some places Sweden is exceptionally near, so close that we can toss stones at each other. The island to the left is Sweden. The pole in the foreground, and the cabin as well, is in Norway. Hey, you`re bound to break the law when travelling by boat. There are no markings on the waves.
Midsummer day at Hisøya island, 2020. Photo: Tom Thowsen
Next day we visited «riksrøys» number one, a border marker from 1752, situated on Hisøya island. As you can see, the trees are chopped away along the borderlines — all the way down to the watershed.
Here some noblemen greeted us. — Yes, it is true. We saw their monograms carved in stone, placed at the top of the cairn. Strong guys? Yeah. It must have been a difficult job for them, to stack all these rocks into this fantastic pile. Just look at the photo, how proud they look.
The guy to the right, he with the sword in his hand, is the reflection of Frederick V. He was a freemason who loved to party. Besides that, he was king of Denmark and Norway. He would surely have joined our midsummer celebrations if he could.
Hm, one other thing that caught my attention — his sword. Did he cut down all those trees on his own? All by himself?
The guy to the left, Adolf Frederick, was also a freemason. But as a Swede, he loved snuff. His favourite hobby was to make snuffboxes, which he allegedly spent a great deal of time doing. Supposedly a good husband, a caring father, and a gentle master to his servants. Besides all that, he was also king of Sweden. A hard-working man!
Hisøya island and the borderline. Google Earth.
To make borders is a troublesome business—no wonder why they look so strange. Danes, Norwegians, and Swedes have argued about them for centuries. They have fought numerous wars and have been moving them back and forth and back again. Somewhere it follows a creek, and otherwhere it follows unexpected turns.
However, as this monument show, they came to an agreement in 1752, or more precisely, one year previous, in 1751.
My wife at the beach of Hisøya island, 2020. Photo: Tom Thowsen.
After we met with the kings, we headed back to our boat and left Hisøya island while the wind whispered gently in our ears: "Everything will be fine. One day the borders will open again."
Until then – Carpe Diem!
Merket med Bats, Border, Covid-19, Hisøya, Kornsjø, Midsummer, Riksrøys 1Legg igjen en kommentar
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text:
Q: What is the "." called in Javascript? I know what it's used for, I know what it's called in language terms, but what is the official name of the period/dot used in Javascript/jQuery?
Thanks!

A: I've generally heard of it as a property accessor in JS as well as other languages.
The ES5 spec refers to it as such. If you want to refer to the specific character, dot notation or operator is commonly used when discussing syntax.

A: The dot is the GET operator in Javascript, in ES2015 (the new standard of javascript) you can override what the get operator does for specific objects.
Example:
var target = {};
var handler = {
  get: function (receiver, name) {
    return `Hello, ${name}!`;
  }
};

var p = new Proxy(target, handler);
p.world === "Hello, world!";

A: someone call it dot notation and someone else dot operator.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Get Selected value from
* by Id in jquery or javascript I have a ul which is
 list, I would like to get the selected value in different function and the list looks like below

Select Destination

HSR

Bommanahalli

Kormangala

by applying some CSS,JS I am able to get selected value of list like this...
$(".dropdown-menu li a").click(function(){
   var selText = $(this).text();///User selected value...****
   $(this).parents('.btn-group').find('.dropdown-toggle').html(selText+' ');
});

but if i am trying to get this selected value in different function its not working...like this
function BusinessLogic(){
   var selText = $('.dropdown-menu li a').text();
   alert("Its displaying Entire List"+selText);
}

How to do I get selected value of that list in different function?

A: You can put class="selectedLi" in a to indicate the last selected value from dropdown and use same as jquery selector in your BusinessLogic function :
$(".dropdown-menu li a").click(function(){
      // remove previously added selectedLi
      $('.selectedLi').removeClass('selectedLi');
      // add class `selectedLi`
      $(this).addClass('selectedLi');
      var selText = $(this).text();///User selected value...****
      $(this).parents('.btn-group').find('.dropdown-toggle').html(selText+
      ' ');
});

And in below function use selectedLi in jquery selector :
function BusinessLogic()
{
 var selText = $('.dropdown-menu li a.selectedLi').text();

alert("Its displaying Entire List");

}

A: Change
var selText = $(.dropdown-menu li a).text();

to
var selText = $('.dropdown-menu li a').text();

Update: You need to add a class when a user selects something to distinguish from others
$(".dropdown-menu li a").click(function(){
   var selText = $(this).text();///User selected value...****
   $(this).addClass('active');
   $(this).parents('.btn-group').find('.dropdown-toggle').html(selText+' ');
});

and in your other function do something like this:
function BusinessLogic(){
   var selText = $('.dropdown-menu li a.active').text();
   alert("Its displaying Entire List");
}

A: $(".dropdown-menu li a").click(function(){
   var selText = $(this).text();///User selected value...****
   //**$(".dropdown-menu li a").removeClass("select"); add this new**
   //**$(this).addclass('select'); add this new**
   $(this).parents('.btn-group').find('.dropdown-toggle').html(selText+' ');
});

====================

function BusinessLogic(){
       var selText = $(".select").text();
       alert("Its displaying Entire List");
}

A: try this jsfiddle:-
$(".dropdown-menu").find("li a").click(function(){
      $('.selectedLi').removeClass('selectedLi');
      $(this).addClass('selectedLi');
});

$("#call").click(function(){
    BusinessLogic();
});

function BusinessLogic()
{
    var text = $('.dropdown-menu').find("li a.selectedLi").text();
    alert("selected Value:"+text);
}

click here to see working example: http://jsfiddle.net/BtkCf/147/


Stunning 3 bdrm, 3 bth, 2 story home in Liberty Hill ISD. Updated neutral palette, soaring ceilings, light & bright w arched openings. Great room w fireplace & floor to ceiling windows opens to kitchen. Kitchen boasts gas range, ss appliances, island, granite ctrs, tile backsplash & ample cabinetry for storage & prep. Spacious master ensuite w dual vanities, garden tub & walk-in closet. Game room & bath up. Pool sized backyard w covered patio & privacy fence great for entertaining or outdoor activities.


text:
Van Landeghem and Galyer nominated for NCAA award
SEC Staff
Photo: John Kelley | Georgia Athletics
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Former Southeastern Conference student-athletes Chantal Van Landeghem of Georgia and Danielle Galyer of Kentucky have been selected as nominees for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. The NCAA Woman of the Year award honors graduating female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership. This marks the 27th year of the Woman of the Year Award program, which was established in 1991.
Van Landeghem graduated in May 2017 with First Honor Graduate status with an overall GPA of 4.0. She was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and became the first UGA student-athlete to win the Dean William Tate Award in recognition of a perfect GPA. Van Landeghem was Georgia's female nominee for the 2017 SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and last month, she was awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. She was also chosen as the SEC Co-Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year for swimming and diving, and she recently was named to the 2017 Academic All-America Division I Women's At-Large Team.
The native of Winnipeg finished her career as one of the top sprinters in Georgia history. She was a 19-time All-American with two NCAA team titles and one NCAA relay championship. Van Landeghem also claimed 11 SEC individual and relay crowns along with three conference team titles. Representing Canada at the 2016 Olympics, she claimed a bronze medal as a member of the 400-meter freestyle relay.
Galyer, a four-year standout from Kentucky's women's swimming and diving program, became the program's first swimmer to win a national championship when she took the 200-yard backstroke crown at the 2016 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships. A four-time First Team All-American, three-year All-SEC selection and two-year member of the USA National Team, she finished fifth overall in the 200-meter backstroke at the 2016 US Olympic Trials.
Double majoring in psychology and political science, Galyer maintained a 4.0 GPA in her time as a student-athlete. The Greenville, S.C., native was selected as the SEC Women's Swimming & Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year for both her sophomore and junior campaigns, and was awarded the NCAA Elite 90 Award in 2016 and 2017. Galyer also served as Kentucky's SAAC president for two years and was a member of the SEC Community Service Team in 2016.
The NCAA selection committee will choose the top 10 honorees within Divisions I, II and III. From the top 30, the selection committee determines the top three honorees from each division and announces the nine finalists in September. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics then chooses the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year from those nine. The top 30 honorees will be recognized and the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced at the annual award ceremony on Oct. 22 in Indianapolis.


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GRANT to Richard Ohedyan clk1 of the free chapel of Holy Trinity of Cork.
NLI, GO MS 193, p. 79; RCH, p. 205, §60; RCH, p. 256, §26 (=CIRCLE, PR 13 Hen. VI, §26: an exemplification dated at Dublin, 12 March 1435).
1 This is the first of two items calendared in RCH as a bundle with a single item-number (§60). RCH reads 'Richard Ohedyan clk', but Betham gives the name of the beneficiary as 'John Ohedyan clk' (NLI, GO MS 193, p. 79). The latter may be correct, as Richard O'Hedian [Risdéard Ó hÉidigheáin] became archbishop of Cashel in 1406. John O'Hedian appears as archdeacon of Cashel c.1412 (Cotton, Fasti, i, 53). The letters patent were exemplified in 1435 (CIRCLE, PR 13 Hen. VI, §26), however, and the exemplification also gives the name of the beneficiary as 'Richard Ohedyan clk'.