Below are the most recent 25 friends' journal entries.

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Tuesday, May 29th, 2012
battlestar_blog [ madelineanne ]	4:42p	Richard Hatch Autograph for charity Hi Guys! So I have an autograph from Richard Hatch that he donated that is being auctioned off for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS!  The autograph also includes a print of the photo of Richard holding his autograph! You can find this TAX DEDUCTIBLE auction at RICHARD HATCH AUCTION! Thank you! Madeline Current Mood: cold (Comment on this)
Monday, May 28th, 2012
barin99	8:02p	Bellaphon (Japan) - Delphi, 1995 (Prog) 1. Delphi 7:28 2. Fragments Of Biotope Suite-Firefly 13:54 3. No Guarded City 6:14 4. Overture-La :Nuova Citta: Di Atlantis 9:56 5. La Villete 3:18 6. Villa Dei Misteri 7:03 Toshihiro Tanaka - guitars, keyboards, bass Mitsutaka Kaki - keyboards Yuji Ono - bass Taiqui Tomiie - drums AMG: "The roots of Belaphon date back to 1982 in Kyoto, Japan, when Taiqui Tomiie and Mitsutaka Kaki joined Starless. After six months the group broke up and Tomiie and Kaki hooked up with Toshihiro Tanaka and Isamu Kakitani to form Bellaphon. It was not long before Kakitani left the group. Taking his place was Yuji Ono. When Ono left in 1984, the group decided not to replace him. Instead, Tanaka and Kaki took up the missing bass, with Kaki playing synth bass and Tanaka adding bass work to his guitar chores. The group released a single called Labyrinth in 1985. Their CD, Firefly, was released in April of 1987. They did a tour for the album, but shortly afterwards went through a fairly dramatic personnel change. Out was Tanaka and in as his replacement was Toru Ota. The group broke up in 1988. However, 1995 saw the release of Delphi, a disc of Bellaphon rarities. The following year saw a reissue of Firefly on Musea Records. In 1997 Kaki and Tomiie began efforts to reunite Bellaphon, but Tanaka was unavailable due to personal reasons. They recruited Masahiro Torigaki to fill out the lineup. By 1998, Yozox Yamamoto was added to the group and they were once again a four-piece. However, Yamamoto did not stay with the group long and they went inactive until 1999. In that year, Kakuhiro Nishimura was added to the lineup as a second keyboardist." ( Read more... ) (Comment on this)
Sunday, May 27th, 2012
barin99	8:05p	Martial Solal - Balade du 10 Mars, 1998 (Jazz) 1. Night and Day 5:47 2. Gang of Five 6:39 3. Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise 4:53 4. 'Round About Midnight 7:08 5. Almost Like Being in Love 7:19 6. Balade du 10 Mars 3:18 7. The Lady Is a Tramp 6:16 8. My Old Flame 4:22 9. The Newest Old Waltz 2:52 Martial Solal - Piano Marc Johnson - Bass Paul Motian - Drums AMG: "Solal remains one of the most inventive, brilliant, and woefully underappreciated pianists in modern jazz. This CD should serve further notice as to his genius in completely reshaping and reinventing standards with the poetic fervor of a restless soul. Bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Paul Motian contribute mightily to Solal's raised temperature and metamorphosed rhythmic and harmonic notions, values he alone should be allowed to define. The proof is in the listening. Six of the nine pieces are standards, and if thought you'd never hear a fresh take of 'Round 'Bout Midnight,' here it is. Intentionally convoluted, more angular than Monk, Solal, completely off the cuff, molds this well-wrought melody in a 20th-century modernism that defies any standard nomenclature. It simply is its own perfectly pure interpretation. A reharmonized 'Night & Day' uses slashing chords to intro a scattered, quirky swing, again a la Monk with a twist of lemon. 'The Lady Is a Tramp' is treated like Swiss cheese; small holes of melody are gouged out while Johnson's bass hits on all eight. There's an off minor reset of 'Softly as in a Morning Sunrise,' a relatively standard-by-comparison take of 'Almost Like Being in Love,' with all loose ends tidied during 'My Old Flame' with some Oriental flourishes. The originals include Motian's free-jazz-based 'Gang of Five,' suggesting 'Out of This World' in a distant galaxy. Motian swings and gets into a dark groove at the end. The remainder are penned by Solal, the title track a spacy ballad with arco bass complement, 'The Newest Old Waltz' for solo piano, quietly rendered and peacefully thought-provoking. Because Solal's recorded output is smallish compared to Oscar Peterson, McCoy Tyner or Kenny Barron, that does not mean he can't rank in the upper echelon of great modern jazz pianists in the here and now. It makes each release that much more of an event, and this one is highly recommended." ( Read more... ) (Comment on this)
Saturday, May 26th, 2012
barin99	8:10p	Nino Ferrer - Nino and Radiah et le sud/Suite en oeuf, 1974/1975 1. South 5:00 2. Moses 4:45 3. Mint Julep 4:01 4. Hot Today 8:36 5. Vomitation 2:35 6. The Garden 4:16 7. Looking For You 5:52 8. New York 5:03 9. Le Sud 4:37 10. Alcina de Jesus 3:36 11. Southern Feeling 3:20 12. Daddy Tarzan 3:02 13. Blues Des Chiens 4:39 14. Chanson Pour Petit Bout 1:19 15. Moon 4:57 16. Papagayo Frog 3:15 17. Les Morceaux De Fer 5:36 18. Chanson Pour Nathalie 3:12 Nino Ferrer - Guitar, Vocals Arthur Young - Trumpet Gerard Kawcsynski - Guitar Claude Engel - Guitar Frank Abel - Keyboards Michel Bernholc - Piano Lafayette Hudson - Bass Christian Padovan - Bass Andre Sitbon - Drums Danny Donath - Drums Marc Chantereau - Percussion Kino Speller - Percussion Radiah Frye - Vocals AMG: "Taking into account Nino Ferrer's personal view of his discography, the album Nino and Radiah should be perceived as his third album (although chronologically this was in fact number seven). It followed the prog rock approach of 1971's Métronomie and the rock & roll leanings of the Mickey Finn collaboration Nino Ferrer & Leggs from 1973. The album is partly named after Afro-American singer Radiah Frye, and her pinup presence flanking Ferrer substantially upgraded the original album cover. Accompanied by the Lafayette Afro Rock Band (aka Ice), Ferrer set out on yet another shape-shifting exercise. Building on the groovy vibe of Métronomie, the album ultimately steers toward majestically orchestrated, laid-back funk. Entirely different from his earlier take on Southern soul, the result requires several listenings before it gently entangles your subconscious and reveals its addictive qualities. Reminiscent of the New Orleans-inspired funk of Little Feat and California singer/songwriters from the same era, it's perfect company for driving the French countryside or West Coast highways. It was recorded in November 1973 and sung in English with one exception. Ferrer's longtime accomplice Bernard Estardy rearranged the track 'South,' adding some widescreen organ touches. The resulting 'Le Sud' had huge commercial appeal, much to the chagrin of Ferrer: he felt the artistic compromise of aiming at chart success had rendered everything else on the album pointless in a similar way to what had happened previously to Métronomie and its leadoff track, 'La Maison Près de la Fontaine.' However, the royalties did enable him to buy a 15th century fortress in the Quercy region, where he would retreat between albums and divide his time between his family and painting. 'Le Sud'/'South' refers to a Louisiana-style mansion situated in Italy: a pleasant and idyllic place where the moody Ferrer seeks refuge from his dark side. Both versions serve as bookends to the album, which works best as a whole. Still, standout tracks are the funky 'Mint Julep' (a relative of the Mojito cocktail) with its fuzzy guitar and the lengthy but mesmerizing 'Hot Toddy.' 'The Garden' with its lazy organ and the bongo-laden 'New York' sound fairly close to what the French band Air would build an entire career on. Remaining a relatively undiscovered gem, Nino and Radiah is in fact up there with classics like Melody Nelson and Polnareff's. (This CD release of the album adds the slightly disappointing, less coherent follow-up album Suite en Oeuf and unfortunately sports a different album cover)." ( Read more... ) (Comment on this)
barin99	8:09p	Mike Patton - Pranzo Oltranzista, 1997 (Avant-Garde) 1. Elettricità Atmosferiche Candite 1:22 2. Carne Cruda Squarciata Dal Suono Di Sassofono 2:35 3. Vivanda in Scodella 3:17 4. Guerra in Letto 1:53 5. Contorno Tattile (Per Russolo) 2:05 6. I Rumori Nutrienti 4:29 7. Garofani Allo Spiedo 2:59 8. Aerovivanda 2:35 9. Scoppioningola 3:02 10. Latte Alla Luce Verde 3:28 11. Bombe a Mano 4:00 Mike Patton - Vocals John Zorn - Sax (Alto) Marc Ribot - Guitar Erik Friedlander - Cello William Winant - Percussion AMG: "Mike Patton's second solo album, Pranzo Oltranzista: Musica da Ravola per Cinque (Banquet Piece for Five Players), has some qualities similar to its predecessor (Adult Themes for Voice), except the major difference this time is that there are instruments present. Also, it marks Patton's debut as experimental composer, taking his inspiration for the album's music from Filippo Tommaso Marinetti's Futurist Cookbook (from back in 1932). The five players who perform on this piece are well known in the John Zorn musical circle - cellist Erik Friedlander, guitarist Marc Ribot, percussionist William Winant, and Zorn himself on alto saxophone. 'Elettricita Atmospheriche Candite' kicks the album off with a mixture of violin squeaks and noises and spacy echo guitar - when combined, they create a sound collage that would be the perfect soundtrack for a graveyard at night or a spooky haunted house. Another track, 'Aerovivanda,' contains free-form horn blowing and the sound of glass shattering, which builds up quite a bit of musical tension. Chalk up Pranzo Oltranzista as another challenging release from Patton." ( Read more... ) (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, May 25th, 2012
barin99	8:06p	Mark Whitecage's Other Other Quartet - Research on the Edge, 1999 (Avant-Garde Jazz) 1. The Brook 14:35 2. Green St. Rundown 28:47 3. Lake Effect 18:58 4. Well, You Needn't Monk 10:45 Mark Whitecage - Clarinet (Bass), Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano) Sabir Mateen - Clarinet, Flute, Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor) Chris Dahlgren - Bass, Piano (Thumb) Jay Rosen - Drums, Percussion AMG: "Whitecage calls this his 'Other Other Quartet, ' alluding to the two other foursomes he recorded for the CIMP label (the last being called his 'Other Quartet'). This is his best so far, a far-reaching, slash-and-burn set that works well on every level. Joined by Sabir Mateen on alto and tenor saxophones, clarinet, and flute, Chris Dahlgren on bass and thumb piano (as close to a real piano as you will see on most CIMP releases), and drummer extraordinaire, Jay Rosen, Whitecage is deep into his element. This is a case of the group coming together incredibly well, sparks flying throughout, and the two reeds playing off one another with skill and precision. Producer Bob Rusch compares the saxophones to the famous Al Cohn/Zoot Sims collaboration, which although from a different era (and style), is surprisingly apt. Call this a free jazz jam, and you are as close to identifying what is to be found here. It is just that they do it so well: precisely and musically. And, this has got to be the wildest version of Monk's 'Well, You Needn't' on disc (or wax). A classic." ( Read more... ) (Comment on this)
brni	10:54a	(for some value of 'today') Yesterday evening was devoted to preparing for Balticon: making sure I had all my books together, all the propaganda printed, and so on. By the time I was done, it was today (for some value of 'today'). So I posted up the first chapter of Kudzu, A Novel. This thing was spawned out of a conversation on facebook a while back about satellite graveyards, and the fact that a story needed to be told about them. And, as one gentleman stated, "what might be living in them." It's a story about invasive species and genetic modification. It's also a story about loss, and survival in the face of loss. Kudzu, a Novel will be updated every Friday, with lush illustrations by Linda Saboe. And now, I'm off to Balticon. (Comment on this)
Thursday, May 24th, 2012
barin99	8:01p	H.P. Lovecraft (US) - Two Classic Albums, 1967/1968 (Psych) 1. Wayfaring Stranger 2:40 2. Let's Get Together 4:39 3. I've Been Wrong Before 2:49 4. The Drifter 4:15 5. That's the Bag I'm In 1:47 6. The White Ship 6:37 7. Country Boy and Bleeker Street 2:39 8. The Time Machine 2:09 9. That's How Much I Love You, Baby (More or Less) 3:59 10. Gloria Patria 0:32 11. Spin, Spin, Spin 3:23 12. It's About Time 5:19 13. Blue Jack of Diamonds 3:08 14. Electrallentando 6:35 15. At the Mountains of Madness 4:58 16. Mobius Trip 2:44 17. High Flying Bird 3:23 18. Nothing's Boy 0:40 19. Keeper of the Keys 3:08 20. Any Way That You Want Me 2:42 21. It's All Over for You 2:36 George Edwards - vocals, guitar, guitarrón, bass Dave Michaels - vocals, organ, piano, harpsichord Tony Cavallari - lead guitar, vocals Tom Skidmore - bass Jerry McGeorge - bass, vocals Jeff Boyan - bass, vocals Michael Tegza - drums, percussion, timpani, vocals AMG: "Featuring two strong singers (who often sang dual leads), hauntingly hazy arrangements, and imaginative songwriting that drew from pop and folk influences, H.P. Lovecraft was one of the better psychedelic groups of the late '60s. The band was formed by ex-folky George Edwards in Chicago in 1967. Edwards and keyboardist Dave Michaels, a classically trained singer with a four-octave range, handled the vocals, which echoed Jefferson Airplane's in their depth and blend of high and low parts. Their self-titled 1967 LP was an impressive debut, featuring strong originals and covers of early compositions by Randy Newman and Fred Neil, as well as one of the first underground FM radio favorites, 'White Ship.' The band moved to California the following year; their second and last album, H.P. Lovecraft II, was a much more sprawling and unfocused work, despite some strong moments. A spin-off group, Lovecraft, released a couple LPs in the '70s that bore little relation to the first incarnation of the band." ( Read more... ) (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012
barin99	8:13p	Iannis Xenakis - Electronic Works 1. La Legende d'Eer, for 8-channel tape 47:02 1. Hibiki Hana Ma, for 8-channel tape 17:44 2. Polytope de Cluny, for 8-channel tape 24:26 Iannis Xenakis - Electronics AMG: "Iannis Xenakis, while known as a composer, worked in his early years in Paris as an engineer and design assistant to the renowned architect, Le Corbusier. Once his independent career was launched, by 1960, he continued to dabble in architectural design, most often in combination with multimedia presentations. The first took place in 1967 at the World Expo in Montreal, and the most ambitious 'spectacle' occurred in 1978 in celebration of the inauguration of the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. For this occasion, Xenakis designed a large, tent-like structure, Le Diatope, which was installed on the court outside the imposing Centre Pompidou edifice. The shape, created with the aim of providing the largest possible interior space that would also be acoustically useful (the sphere, the obvious geometric solution, is not ideal for sounds, at least according to Xenakis), draws upon the same hyperbolic paraboloids Xenakis used in his design for the Philips Pavilion at the 1958 World Fair (carried out under the auspices of Le Corbusier). Unusually, the composer wrote a lengthy essay for the program book of La Légende d'Eer, and also included a set of texts he considered relevant to the music. While the piece is not intended to be programmatic, these texts complement the vast scope and sustained expressive intensity of the music. The excerpts are taken from sources ranging from Plato's Republic (where the title is taken from) to Pascal's Pensées to a description of a supernova in Scientific American. The cosmic significance of these words, most often describing the overwhelming awesomeness of the universe, or some aspect of it, complement the sounds very well. The music, which unfolds seamlessly over 45 minutes, begins with high, whistling sighs, evoking shooting stars, perhaps, but also resembling the nighttime shrilling of cicadas, so ubiquitous in the Mediterranean region where Xenakis has spent his summers. In its original form, La Légende d'Eer is a multi-channel work, with overlapping textures being diffused from different locations within the Diatope's architectural shell. The music proceeds through a sequence of textural 'zones,' with one type of sonority dominating in each, though always, after the opening, layered with a number of other textures, carrying on from the previous section or in preparation for the next. The density of these sounds is at times overwhelming, and the experience of listening to it, together with the flashing lights and laser designs that were unfolding at the same time, must have been memorable, even mind-blowing! The piece returns at the end to sounds reminiscent of the opening, the high, fluting tones fading off into the cosmos, echoing out toward the supernovas, no doubt. La Légende d'Eer is, without any doubt, an extraordinary, ambitious work, and it remains one of the masterpieces of the electroacoustic genre. The differences between Gerard Pape's 2004 remix of Iannis Xenakis' La Légende d'Eer (1977-1978) and the composer's own rendition are complicated and subtle, so a fair assessment requires a side-by-side comparison. Pape's remastered version is more penetrating and deeper in dimensions, and the conspicuous separation of tracks seems like an improvement; perhaps if this disc is played on high-end audio or DVD equipment, it might be more convincing, but on a standard CD player, the issue is almost moot. Once one is fully acclimatized to the electro-acoustic environment, though, and caught up in the churning soundscape and darting points of sound, Pape's refurbished surround-sound mix seems to lose points on artistic merit. While far less defined in track separation, Xenakis' stereo mix is correspondingly more mysterious and haunting in its slightly veiled timbres and indistinct edges. For example, the pure glassiness of Xenakis' opening, the delicacy of the reiterated pitches, and the apparent fragility of the textures are missing in Pape's boosted and brazen beginning. Pape reveals more of the latent harmonics and seems to have enriched the piece by drawing them out; but Xenakis shapes the sonorities to subtler, more poetic ends, and creates a truer sense of sculpted sound by leaving some things barely within hearing. In 1972, fresh from his success at the 1971 Shiraz Festival in Iran, where the multimedia presentation of Persepolis created a powerful impression, Iannis Xenakis was commissioned to produce another multimedia 'polytope,' as he termed his work. This one was also intended for an ancient site, this time in the heart of Paris. The Baths of Cluny, near the Sorbonne, were built by the Romans, and the palace above them has become a prime example of medieval architecture. The idea of installing lights and sounds right in the vaults of the baths was designed to help Parisians connect with their past, particularly in light of the violent rejection of the past as manifested in the student protests and other social upheavals in the period from 1968 on. This project succeeded beyond the organizers wildest dreams. The Polytope de Cluny opened in October 1972 as part of that year's Festival d'Automne. The 'spectacle' consisted of a 24-minute eight-channel tape containing electroacoustic music, several hundred flashbulbs placed on scaffolding throughout the underground chambers and able to be individually triggered to create vivid patterns of light, and three lasers of different colors that could be projected throughout the vault by means of a network of adjustable mirrors. The technical accomplishment of coordinating all of these elements was enormous, and Xenakis ended up using a computer (remember, this is 1972, and computers were not at all common or easy to program) to oversee all of the operations. After the premiere, the performances ran daily for a period of 16 months, and well over 200,000 people made the pilgrimage to the baths of Cluny to participate. While there may have been an experiential crossover with the psychedelic multimedia events of popular culture at that time, this was an event of an entirely different bent. The music, which is what we are primarily left with, is a 24-minute piece of layered electroacoustic sounds. The density of sound is slightly lower than others of Xenakis's electroacoustic pieces, such as Persepolis or Bohor, but there are still layers of rich, noisy sounds. Percussive sonorities are given prominence, notably a ceramic, wind-chime texture, and an African mbira, or thumb piano. Xenakis also included, for the first time, computer-generated sounds, which he created himself using probability functions. These sonorities are very noisy, and occasionally sound like brass instruments, though certainly not as played by humans. Late in the piece, there is a magical moment when the music suddenly thins out to leave just a repeated note being plucked on the mbira. Amidst the onslaught of dense visual and sonic events, this gesture gives the listener the opportunity to focus on the richness of an individual sound, to turn inward for a moment, after riding a long wave of overlapping layers of complex sonorities. Perhaps it is at that moment that one would recall the historic setting and tune in to the cultural resonances so characteristic of Paris, with its combination of the new and the old." ( Read more... ) (Comment on this)
barin99	8:11p	Istanbul 1925 (Middle Eastern Traditions) 1. Hüzzam Taksim (Sükrü Tunar) 2. Neva Hicaz Gazel (Mahmut Celalettin) 3. Çikar Yücelerden (Münir Nurettin Selçuk - S. Kaynak) 4. Çifte Telli (Udi Hrant) 5. Daktilo (Deniz Kizi - Kanuni Artaki) 6. Raks Bedia (Kemani Haydar Tatliyay) 7. Hicaz Taksim (Udi Hrant) 8. Sevda Zinciri (Suzan Yakar) 9. Yüzü Pembe (Mahmut Celalettin - Udi Marko) 10. Suzinak Taksim (Sükrü Tunar) 11. Karsilama (Sükrü Tunar) 12. Neva Ussak Gazel (Mahmut Celalettin) 13. Hüzzam Taksim (Udi Hrant) 14. Leyla (Münir Nurettin Selçuk- S. Kaynak) 15. Agladim Aci Çektim (Küçük Nezihe Hanim - Sükrü Tunar) 16. Bahriye Çifte Telli (Kemani Nubar) 17. Kürdili Hicazkâr Taksim (Udi Hrant) 18. Arap Oyun Havasi (Kemani Haydar Tatliyay) 19. Rast Neva Gazel (Mahmut Celalettin) 20. Ne Bahar Kaldi Ne Gül (Perihan Altindag - R. Elkutlu) 21. Kessik Kerem (Hanende Agyazar Efendi) 22. Çifte Telli (Sükrü Tunar ) traditionalcrossroads: "Album Profile: Istanbul 1925 presents a collection of legendary performers from one of the most exciting periods in Middle Eastern music. Belly dancing, folk music and classical styles were merged together creating a sound which became the rage of Istanbul - a city situated literally at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. The greatest cabaret singers, musicians, dancers and classical artists from various ethnic backgrounds - Turks, Armenians, Jews, Greeks and Gypsies lived in Istanbul, creating a musical style that dominated the city for more than half a century. Hundreds of recordings were made by His Master's Voice in Turkey and issued on 78 rpm records. Presented here are performances of Turkey's greatest artists recorded during that era, digitally remastered from the original metal parts, allowing the quality of the music to be heard for the first time without the additional distortion and surface noise of early 78 discs." ( Read more... ) (Comment on this)
barin99	8:10p	Burt Bacharach - Futures, 1977 (AM Pop) 1. I Took My Strength from You (I Had None) 3:53 2. Futures 4:15 3. Us 3:20 4. Where Are You 5:02 5. We Should Have Met Sooner 3:54 6. No One Remembers My Name 3:26 7. The Young Grow Younger Every Day 2:47 8. Another Spring Will Rise 5:44 9. Seconds 2:55 10. When You Bring Your Sweet Love to Me 2:56 11. Time and Tenderness 3:41 Burt Bacharach - Keyboards David Sanborn - Saxophone George Young - Saxophone Marvin Stamm - Trumpet Joe Beck - Guitar Jay Berliner - Guitar Hiram Bullock - Guitar Richard Tee - Keyboards Tony Levin - Bass Grady Tate - Drums Ralph MacDonald - Percussion Peter Yarrow - Vocals Joshie Armstead - Vocals Patti Austin - Vocals and others... AMG: "As with 1973's Living Together album, Burt Bacharach was given a lot of latitude by A&M, and deservedly so. This album is even more deep and complex than Living Together; though commercially it has more to grab onto, it still lacks the immediate punch of his Reach Out album, Burt Bacharach Plays His Hits or even A Tribute to Burt Bacharach: Composer, Arranger, Conductor. This is a very musical episode with Burt Bacharach: Reach Out engineer Phil Ramone co-producing. When you've got Jamie Anders singing on 'When You Bring Your Sweet Love to Me,' Joshie Armstead contributing to four titles, and even Peter Yarrow helping out on 'The Young Grow Younger Every Day,' the result can be called 'underground adult contemporary.' It goes down smooth, and where there are no singers, like on 'Time and Tenderness,' sophisticated Muzak emerges. As negative as the term Muzak has become, that is a compliment. The audience that enjoys a 'Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head' are more apt to listen to this perfectly balanced array of performances and arrangements. Futures is a great title; it's a very futuristic middle of the road album, Bacharach looking like he stepped out of the gym riding in what looks like a ski lift on the cover. An Engelbert Humperdinck type relaxing, if you will. But the music inside is complex, and the project itself is as tremendous as Jethro Tull's A Passion Play. Unfortunately, it is also as difficult. With the legendary songwriter's many achievements it makes sense that A&M would allow him to go so far out on a limb. As Carole Bayer Sager's masterpiece Sometimes Late at Night mesmerizes - and keep in mind Burt Bacharach was a major contributor to that epic, Futures is not as easy to absorb. It is immediately accessible, but not as easy to contain or recall. On the back of the album the artist writes, 'My music came alive because of these people...,' and that pretty much says it all: a major composer and arranger bringing more of his individual music to life. It's a classy project that may find appreciation years after it was recorded, one that might have been overlooked because the composer's other work is so popular." ( Read more... ) (1 Comment |Comment on this)
news [ theljstaff ]	12:47a	LIVEJOURNAL RELEASE 92: NEW SITE UPDATES AND MORE May 23, 2012 - The official LiveJournal Release 92 has been deployed. Here’s what you’ll find in this latest site update: NEW Particularly long comment threads now collapse with the alert “...and [#] more comments.” Just click on that alert to see the rest of the comments. Here’s what this looks like: Notification emails now hide any content that was already placed inside an lj-cut instead of displaying the entire entry. Social Capital is now displayed for all communities on the profile page. You can now embed the Spotify player into your journal or community style. Personal userheads are now available for purchase. A personal userhead is of your own design and is unique to you, unavailable to anyone else. Purchase as many personal userheads as you like; each costs 5,000 LJ FunBux™, and is good for five years. Learn more. BUGS, FIXED Scheduled entries should no longer return errors or double-post. Domain mapping should no longer force redirection to the LiveJournal login page. The format=light URL modifier works on entry pages again. Comment notification emails will send even if the entry has a poll. The "Music" section on the edit entries page will let you delete the entire text field. The help link next to “Do not add to friends pages and RSS” on the update page now links to the correct FAQ. The list of journals and communities added by default for new users has changed to news and lj_releases for non-Cyrillic users. Missing navigation items in the Classic journal style have re-appeared. Notifications about expiring add-ons will now have correct subject lines. The bold/italic/strikethrough buttons in the site default commenting scheme should no longer cause cursor positioning problems in Chrome. The Calendar feature will now update properly when you edit an entry and change its date. PLANNED PARENTHOOD: HELP WITH A VGIFT! Join us in standing up for reproductive health and education. Through the end of the month, you can send a specially designed Planned Parenthood vgift to your LiveJournal friends to help support this cause. (And if you need someone to send it to frank is always happy to receive gifts!). There are three variations for you to choose from ($1, $5 and $10), but they’d all look good on your profile. Thank you for your support! Learn more. - The LiveJournal Team (649 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012
barin99	8:07p	Neil Larsen - Jungle Fever, 1978 (Jazz-Funk) 1. Sudden Samba 4:15 2. Promenade 4:04 3. Windsong 5:17 4. Emerald City 3:55 5. Jungle Fever 7:09 6. Red Desert 3:22 7. Last Tango In Paris 4:09 8. From A Dream 4:09 Neil Larsen - Keyboards Michael Brecker - Sax (Tenor) Larry Williams - - Flute (Alto), Sax (Alto) Jerry Hey - Flugelhorn, Trumpet Buzz Feiten - Guitar Willie Weeks - Bass Andy Newmark - Drums Ralph MacDonald - Percussion Tommy LiPuma - Producer discogs: "American multi-instrumentalist, born August 7, 1948 in Cleveland, Ohio. He plays piano, organ, keyboards, synthesizer and many other instruments. Larsen also works as arranger, composer and is a member of Larsen-Feiten Band and Orbit." ( Read more... ) (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, May 21st, 2012
barin99	8:12p	Venegoni & Co (Italy) - Rumore Rosso Vivo, 1979 (Prog/Fusion) 1. Mezzogiorno 8:10 2. Positivo e. 9:37 3. Sarabanda pt. 1 7:04 4. Balòn 7:53 5. Sarabanda pt. 2 7:05 6. Calypso minestrone 4:32 Luigi "Gigi" Venegoni - electric guitar and vocals Ludovico Einaudi - piano and synthesizer Paolo Franchini - bass Ciro Buttari - percussions and vocals Max Aimone - drums Silvano Borgatta - piano and synthesizer (1,4-6) Marco Astarita - percussions and vocals (1,4-6) Luigi Colarullo - drums (1,4-6) AMG: "Rumore Rosso Vivo [Live] culls live tracks from two different shows by Venegoni & Co., the group guitarist Gigi Venegoni formed after Arti & Mestieri disbanded in the mid-'70s. Taking the jazz-rock leanings of his former group further, Venegoni inserts in the music a big dose of quirky lines inspired by Frank Zappa, and the kind of powerful rhythmic complexity that will become a trademark of the zeulh movement - the fusion side of Magma is everywhere in 'Sarabanda: Pt. 1.' Tracks from 1978 feature a line-up of Max Aimone (drums), Ciro Buttari (percussion), Paolo Franchini (bass), Ludovico Einaudi (keys), and Venegoni. For the two cuts from 1979, Luigi Colarullo takes the drummer's seat, Marco Astarita is on percussion, and Silvano Borgatta is on keys. The repertoire consists of key pieces from Venegoni & Co.'s first two albums, Rumore Rosso Vivo (1977) and Sarabanda (1978), plus a variation on Arti & Mestieri's 'Positivo/Negativo.' Sound quality is not fantastic but sufficient enough not to be distracting, except in 'Calypso Minestrone,' where there's a lot of crackling and the right channel goes through some painful distortion. The performances make up for the lack of high fidelity. At that point in time, Venegoni stood very close to becoming Italy's answer to Frank Zappa. His solos are flashy but pertinent, and he leads his band with the kind of well-spirited humor that is instantly communicated to the listener." ( Read more... ) (Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012
peteyoung	5:59a	Million Writers Award Notable Stories of 2011 The Million Writers Award Notable Stories of 2011 are now up. Jason Sanford invited me to be one of the preliminary judges earlier this year, and I spent the entire month of April cramming an average of twenty stories a day across all genres. It was a lot of fun, and I submitted ten nominations from the hundreds that I read – I've not been asked to keep it private, but I will not be saying which nominations were mine. However, I will admit there are a few special ones that I would really really like to see on the shortlist: the top ten stories of the year will be released in June, with the public vote for the top story beginning then. Meanwhile, for some truly great reading, go read ’em! (Comment on this)
Monday, May 21st, 2012
news [ theljstaff ]	9:38a	ALL-NEW SCRAPBOOK TO LAUNCH THIS WEEK; UPDATED FAQ May 21, 2012: Three weeks ago we officially announced the plan to overhaul Scrapbook, LiveJournal’s exclusive photo-hosting feature for Plus, Paid and Perm accounts. Today we’re letting you know that the new Scrapbook will release this week; in anticipation, we want to give you a bit more information on some additional changes that have been made. The newest additions to the FAQ are under the cut; the original FAQ about the new Scrapbook is in the previous news post. ( Read more... ) (97 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, May 20th, 2012
barin99	8:33p	Ruth Brown - Blues on Broadway, 1989 (Jazz/Blues) 1. Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out 5:36 2. Good Morning Heartache 5:57 3. If I Can't Sell It, I'll KeepSittin' on It 5:22 4. 'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do 9:18 5. St. Louis Blues 9:32 6. Am I Blue 5:53 7. I'm Just a Lucky So and So 5:50 8. I Don't Break Dance 5:19 9. Come Sunday 5:25 Ruth Brown - Vocals Red Holloway - Sax (Tenor) Hank Crawford - Sax (Alto) Spanky Davis - Trumpet Britt Woodman - Trombone Rodney Jones - Banjo, Guitar Bobby Forrester - Organ (Hammond), Piano Al McKibbon - Bass Grady Tate - Drums AMG: "Ruth Brown was starring on Broadway in Black and Blue when she recorded her second Fantasy set. The emphasis is on ancient standards (mostly from the 1920s) that predated Brown's rise as an R&B star in the '50s. Assisted by trumpeter Spanky Davis, tenorman Red Holloway, trombonist Britt Woodman, a rhythm section led by pianist/organist Bobby Forrester and (on three numbers) altoist Hank Crawford, Brown makes such songs as 'Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out,' 'If I Can't Sell It, I'll Keep Sittin' on It' and 'Am I Blue' sound as if they were written for her." ( Read more... ) (Comment on this)
Saturday, May 19th, 2012
brni	11:45p	Journal of Unlikely Entomology - Issue 3 Because my brain is fried, and because Ms. Wise has already used all the ones I'd have, plus a few I'd not have thought of, on her blog, I'm simply going to gank her words into my blog. ---- I’m so very pleased to announce that the Journal of Unlikely Entomology Issue #3 is now live! Not only is it our third issue, it is our anniversary issue. The line-up is as follows: My Day Came by Conor Powers-Smith, Illustrated by Eleanor Leonne Bennett War Beetles by J.M. McDermott, Illustrated by Linda Saboe The Performance by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Illustrated by Mariusz Siergiejew The Familiar Buzz of Gone by Cate Gardner, Illustrated by Kyle Conway Dragonfly Miscalculations by Steven L. Peck, Illustrated by Rhiannon Rasmussen-Silverstein Skitterings in Corners by Juliet Kemp, Illustrated by Svetlana Sukhorukova Drift by Amanda C. Davis, Illustrated by Natasha T-Z. P I can hardly believe it’s been a whole year. I’m amazed and gratified at the response the Journal has received thus far. We’ve been lucky enough to publish work by incredible authors and artists, gotten positive reviews, and even earned some wonderful accolades. Recently, Ellen Datlow included John Medaille’s So Speaketh the Trauma Gods on her list of Honorable Mentions for the Best Horror of the Year Volume 4. Not only that, the Journal of Unlikely Entomology’s Art Director, Linda Saboe, received a shout-out in Ellen Datlow’s introduction to the aforementioned anthology for her artwork. Furthermore, the Story South Million Writers Award recently announced its list of Notable Stories for 2011. Not only did Mari Ness’ Love in the Absence of Mosquitoes, and J.M. McDermott’s Arachne make the list, but the Journal of Unlikely Entomology itself snagged a runner-up nod for best new online magazine of the year! So… Thank you to all the authors and artists who contributed to the Journal of Unlikely Entomology in its first year. And thank you to everyone who submitted work, and everyone who read our first few issues. We look forward to bringing you more incredible fiction and artwork in the year to come, and we hope you’ll continue to stick with us, reading our stories and sending more wonderful work our way! On a related note, I’d like to point out (in case you didn’t know) the Journal of Unlikely Entomology has a facebook page. We also just launched a brand new twitter account. We’re @GrumpsJournal if you’re so inclined to follow us. Again, thank you to everyone who has helped make our first year so fantastic, and please stick with us for year two! Now, if you haven’t already, and even if you have, get on over to the Journal of Unlikely Entomology and read Issue #3! ---- See, I'd have just mumbled something about a new issue being up and mebbe you should go visit. There IS one thing I'll add: Special thanks to Cynthia Baumann for her astute proofreading skills. (Comment on this)
barin99	8:18p	John Mayall - Turning Point, 1969 (Blues-Rock) 1. The Laws Must Change 7:20 2. Saw Mill Gulch Road 4:38 3. I'm Gonna Fight for You J.B. 5:27 4. So Hard to Share 7:01 5. California 9:28 6. Thoughts About Roxanne 7:59 7. Room to Move 5:22 8. Sleeping By Her Side 5:10 9. Don't Waste My Time 4:54 10. Can't Sleep This Night 6:19 John Mayall - Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals John Almond - Flute, Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor) Jon Mark - Guitar (Acoustic) Steve Thompson - Bass AMG: "This prophetically titled project represents yet another crossroad in John Mayall's ever evolving cast of prime British bluesmen. This album also signifies a distinct departure from the decibel drowning electrified offerings of his previous efforts, providing instead an exceedingly more folk and roots based confab. The 2001 'remastered & revisited' edition of The Turning Point boasts vastly improved audio - when compared to its previous CD counterparts - and a trio of three 'bonus tracks' from the same July 12, 1969 performance at Bill Graham's fabulous Fillmore East in New York City. The specific lineup featured here is conspicuous in its absence of a lead guitarist, primarily due to Mayall recommending himself out of his most recent string man. After the passing of Brian Jones, the Rolling Stones decided to tour and at the behest of Mick Jagger, Mayall suggested Mick Taylor - who had been with him since Crusade (1967). Mayall gave this potentially negative situation a positive outcome by retooling the combo into an acoustic quartet featuring old friends as well as some vital new sonic textures. Mayall (vocals/harmonica/slide guitar/telecaster six-string/hand & mouth percussion) joined forces with former associates Steve Thompson (bass) and Johnny Almond (tenor & alto sax/flute/mouth percussion), then added the talents of Jon Mark (acoustic finger-style guitar). It becomes readily apparent that Mark's precision and tasteful improvisational skills place this incarnation into heady spaces. The taut interaction and wafting solos punctuating 'So Hard to Share' exemplify the controlled intensity of Mayall's prior electrified outings. Likewise, Mark's intricate acoustics pierce through the growl of Mayall's haunting slide guitar solos on 'Saw Mill Gulch Road.' The Turning Point also examines a shift in Mayall's writing. The politically charged 'Laws Must Change,' the personal 'I'm Gonna Fight for You J.B.' and the incomparable 'Room to Move' are tinged with Mayall's trademark sense of irony and aural imagery. As mentioned above, the supplementary sides 'Sleeping by Her Side,' 'Don't Waste My Time,' and 'Can't Sleep This Night' - which were left off of the original disc owing to the restrictions imposed upon the vinyl medium - are sourced from the same mid-July 1960 Fillmore East set as the main program." ( Read more... ) (4 Comments |Comment on this)
barin99	8:18p	Jan Brabec (Czech Republic) - Z jedne strany na druhou, 1986 (Avant-Garde) 1. Prvni a posledni 2:43 2. Mezi dvema mosty 3:04 3. Seih des Todes Blasses Bild 1:47 4. Na vychod I-IV 3:24 5. Tlukot 5:16 6. Zvirete 0:49 7. Co tady snim 1:01 8. Trpytiva chladna ruka 2:24 9. Prvni a druhy 3:06 10. Hrdlem 1:35 11. Vzadu v zahrade 3:33 12. Otec vzpomene 2:33 13. Vedeni kone 2:34 14. Z jedne strany na druhou 2:35 Jan Brabec - bicí nástroje, piano, zpěv, vibrafon, zvonkohra Ladislav Leština - housle, klavír, zpěv Vít Brukner - klavír, zpěv, vibrafon Andrea Landovská - zpěv, zvonkohra, bicí AMG: "Recorded with very little means in 1986 and released as a samizdat (illegal) cassette the same year, Z Jedné Strany Na Druhou is a stunning work. For his first solo effort, Plastic People of the Universe's drummer Jan Brabec wrote an assortment of beautiful, languid acoustic songs. Ladislav Lestina plays violin, Brabec and Andrea Landovská sing, and all three plus Vít Brukner alternate with one another on piano, xylophone, drums, and small percussion (mainly bells and cymbals). The breathing tempos, romantic piano lines, and singing style all relate to the form of the art song, bringing to mind Dagmar Krause's Commuters project and News From Babel, but also the 20th century American contemporary songs of Ernst Bacon and Jack Beeson. But this album also projects an uncanny solemnity that fans of Plastic People of the Universe will recognize, only it is not coupled with gloomy music, but instead with very elegant melodies and sparse arrangements. Landovská's voice, although not that of a thoroughly trained classical singer, stays on pitch and conveys enough emotion to seduce, while forming a perfect pair with the exacerbated lyricism of the violin ('Tlukot' stands out in that regard). It seems the album has been recorded with only a couple of microphones picking up the ambient sound. The piano comes from afar and is not particularly well tuned, while some of the subtleties of the percussion work get lost before they reach a microphone, but for the lack of hi-fi quality the listener gains an intimate atmosphere that works admirably well for this particular music. Reissued on CD in 1999 as part of Black Point's Archiv series." ( Read more... ) (1 Comment |Comment on this)
brni	3:46p	Balticon Schedule Just last week it seemed that Balticon was months away. Time's a funny thing, no? Just got my Balticon schedule, and for the first time I think I have nothing on the last programming slot of the last day of the event. ~grin~ R-21. Early Favorite Authors Friday at 5:00 pm in Chase Panelists discuss who their earliest favorite authors were, and where they think that affinity may had lead them in their literary preferences or in their own writing. Moderator: Trisha J. Wooldridge Speakers: Mark L. Van Name; Bernie Mojzes; Lyle Blake Smythers R-66. Wisdom of The Plebes Friday at 7:00 pm in Pimlico A panel of new, up and coming authors. What have they learned in the last few years? How has being published changed their life? What has impacted upon them as authors? How does it feel to have fans? Moderator: James Daniel Ross Speakers: Nathan O. Lowell; Emilie P. Bush; Bernie Mojzes; Barbara Friend Ish R-60. The Role of Anthologies -- Roundtable Discussion Friday at 10:00 pm in Parlor 1041 As both a source of fiction and a means of promotion, what do anthologies have to offer? Fan and author panelists discuss. Moderator: Danielle Ackley-McPhail Speakers: Michael A. Ventrella; Joshua Bilmes; C.J .Henderson; Trisha J. Wooldridge; Bernie Mojzes; Pete Prellwitz; Jean Marie Ward R-32. When does an alien or a magic-wielder become a god or a demon? Saturday at 6:00 pm in Pimlico What is the difference between Q and YahweH? Between Voldemort and Satan? Moderator: Barbara Friend Ish Speakers: Neal Levin; Justin R. Macumber; Bernie Mojzes; Joshua Palmatier/Benjamin Tate P-12. Dragon Moon Press Presents Spells and Swashbucklers! Saturday at 10:00 pm in Ahoy, mateys! Join Dragon Moon Press as we launch the second anthology of pirates, magic and ne'er-do-wells, Spells and Swashbucklers! There will be readings from several of the authors, as well as cake and the chance to win your very own copy of both Spells and Swashbucklers and Rum and Runestones, the first book in the series. Come, bring your best pirate outfit, and your sense of danger! (Also listed as BL-6. in Literary: Book Launch Program). Speakers: Bernie Mojzes; Gail Z. Martin; Danielle Ackley-McPhail; Danny Birt; Robert E Waters BL-6. Dragon Moon Press Presents Spells and Swashbucklers! Saturday at 10:00 pm in Salon A Ahoy, mateys! Join Dragon Moon Press as we launch the second anthology of pirates, magic and ne'er-do-wells, Spells and Swashbucklers! There will be readings from several of the authors, as well as cake and the chance to win your very own copy of both Spells and Swashbucklers and Rum and Runestones, the first book in the series. Come, bring your best pirate outfit, and your sense of danger! Moderator: Val Griswold-Ford Speakers: Bernie Mojzes; Gail Z. Martin; Danielle Ackley-McPhail; Danny Birt; Robert E Waters R-10. The Technology of Steampunk -- A Round Table Discussion Sunday at 9:00 am in Parlor 1041 What does and doesn't fit into a steampunk world? How does the setting shape technology and how people relate to it? Moderator: Emilie P. Bush Speakers: Elektra Hammond; Rebecca K. Davis; Danielle Ackley-McPhail; Bernie Mojzes; C.J. Henderson; Andrew Fox W-7. Editors Looking For Submissions Sunday at 10:00 am in Belmont Meet editors who are actively looking for writing and/or artwork for their publications. Get tips on what they like and dislike. Find out what kind of work they need right now. Moderator: Vonnie Winslow Crist Speakers: Bernie Mojzes; Brian Koscienski; Michael A. Ventrella; Kate Kaynak R-61. The Hot Seat Sunday at 3:00 pm in Salon B Panelists give fans and aspiring writers a chance to ask any questions whatsoever about writing, motivation, character building, selling your work, agents, et cetera. Moderator: Bill Fawcett Speakers: Hildy Silverman; David Sherman; Bernie Mojzes; D.H. Aire FTV-7. Philip K. Dick -- Hollywood's Favorite Author Sunday at 5:00 pm in Parlor 3041 A LOT of Phillip K. Dick's work has ended up on the silver screen. Panelists discuss what makes his work so Hollywood-sympatico and talk about the ones that were great, not so great and, well, blaghhh! Moderator: D. Douglas Fratz Speakers: Michael D. Pederson; Billy Flynn; Andrew Fox; Bernie Mojzes; Daniel M. Kimmel; Marty Gear; Richard Allen Leider BL-5. The Eternal Launch Party Sunday at 7:00 pm in Garden Room The Dark Quest Books release of Danielle Ackley-McPhail's Eternal Cycle Series of urban fantasy novels, including Yesterday's Dreams, Tomorrow's Memories, and the newly released Today's Promise, as well as other 2012 titles, to be announced. Be sure to stick around long enough to hear the music of SJ Tucker and Jonah Knight! Moderator: Danielle Ackley-McPhail Speakers: Jonah Knight; Mike McPhail; C.J .Henderson; Jeff Lyman; Neal Levin; Elektra Hammond; Keith R. A. DeCandido; John Hemry (Jack Campbell); Patrick Thomas; James Daniel Ross; Charles Edward Gannon; Bernie Mojzes; S.J. (Sooj) Tucker The two other places I'm likely to be is 1) in the dealers room (come, buy books, etc.) and 2) the bar, staring at the weird glowing mushrooms. See you there, hopefully. (8 Comments |Comment on this)
peteyoung	9:07a	2012 books 6) Siriworn Kaewkan, The Murder Case of Tok Imam Storpa Karde, 2006 There are very few novels that explore the separatist terrorism affecting the three small Thai provinces that border Malaysia, and this one, shortlisted for the 2006 SEA Write Award, quickly became required reading that year with an English translation following four years later. So who killed the much-loved imam in the small village of Tanyong Baru, right outside his own mosque? Terrorists or State officials? Soldiers or police? Is there a suspicious connection with a neighbouring Buddhist village? And why are the villagers closing their doors to an actual investigation? The reader's guess is as good as anyone elses, which indicates the clever structure of this tale of deflections and half-truths that inevitably views the subject from an outsider's perpective yet at the same time lets the story's participants speak (seemingly, often less than truthfully) for themselves. Kaewkan simply provides the necessary pieces to the jigsaw then lets the readers assemble it in a way that indicates there's an inevitable collective madness going on here. There are a number of possible courses of events discernable if this short novel is read closely, which is easily done in one sitting – just don't expect a straightforward whodunnit. My brother-in-law recently finished a tour of duty as a policeman in this volatile region, so I'd love to know his opinion of this book. (Comment on this)
Friday, May 18th, 2012
barin99	8:08p	The Don Pullen George Adams Quartet - Breakthrough, 1986 (Avant-Garde Jazz) 1. Mr. Smoothie 6:07 2. Just Foolin' Around 6:18 3. Song from the Old Country 8:11 4. We've Been Here All the Time 9:00 5. A Time for Sobriety 9:43 6. The Necessary Blues 13:35 George Adams - Sax (Tenor) Don Pullen - Piano Cameron Brown - Bass Dannie Richmond - Drums AMG: "Yes, this is a career breakthrough in a sense, for the Don Pullen/George Adams Quartet finally got a chance to record for a major American label after several Europe-only opuses. They seemed genuinely thrilled about it, for the supercharged leadoff track 'Mr. Smoothie' sure sounds like a breakthrough with its ebullient mood. While grounded in hard-swinging post-bop, soul-jazz, and the blues, Adams and Pullen use the mainstream as a base for taking off into free regions at times, Adams with his gritty, combustible tenor, Pullen his trademark piano clusters. They can also groove in a melodic yet highly charged fashion on 'Song From the Old Country' and reflect yearningly in the opening bars of 'A Time for Sobriety.' Drummer Dannie Richmond adds his Mingus-trained flexibility and drive, fluidly teamed with bassist Cameron Brown. Throughout the record, the band's creativity burns at white heat, making this disc a good first choice for newcomers to Pullen." ( Read more... ) (Comment on this)
Thursday, May 17th, 2012
barin99	8:05p	The Freak Scene (US) - Psychedelic Psoul, 1967 (Psych) 1. A Million Grains of Sand 2:39 2. "... When In the Course of Human Events" (Draft Beer, Not Students) 1:50 3. Interpolitation: We Shall Overcome 1:44 4. Rose of Smiling Faces 4:16 5. Behind the Mind 2:18 6. The Subway Ride Thru Inner Space 2:43 7. Butterfly Dream 1:38 8. My Rainbow Life 2:51 9. The Center of My Soul 2:26 10. Watered Down Soul 2:37 11. Red Roses Will Weep 2:20 12. Mind Bender 2:28 13. Grok! 1:31 Rusty Evans - vocals David Bromberg - guitar ??? AMG: "The one and only Freak Scene record is just one chapter in the strange saga of entrepreneurial psychedelic pioneer/journeyman Rusty Evans, whose first album was the Deep's 1966 release Psychedelic Moods. Like that project, the Freak Scene was strictly a studio outing staffed by sidemen, not a full-fledged band at all. Nevertheless, Psychedelic Psoul's reputation as a psych-exploitation album is unjust; while the trippy themes and production techniques employed here would become clichés of psychedelic-era rock, they weren't clichés in 1967, when the style was still in its infancy. In fact, a strong case could be made for Evans being ahead of the curve. 'Mind Bender,' for instance, with its Dadaist recitations, throbbing pulse, and scrappy guitars, predated the Velvet Underground's very similar 'Murder Mystery' by a couple of years. The combination of tape manipulation and exotic world music influences on the short instrumental 'Grok!' seems rather prescient in retrospect as well. Besides, even if the most cynical opinions turned out to be true, and the backwards guitars, fuzztones, and 'far out' effects overflowing from most of the tracks on Psychedelic Psoul were incorporated strictly in the interest of bandwagon-jumping, it was all done skillfully enough that it doesn't really matter, especially so many decades after the fact. Psychedelic Psoul stands as an evocative sonic time capsule, although 'topical' spoken word pieces like 'When in the Course of Human Events' admittedly haven't aged as well as the album's more conventional, melodic compositions. Followers of Evans' journey - after the Freak Scene, he went on to make an excellent, atmospheric psych-folk album under the alias Marcus - may be interested to note that Psychedelic Psoul's opening track, 'A Million Grains of Sand,' appeared in different versions on both Psychedelic Moods and the Marcus album." ( Read more... ) (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, May 16th, 2012
brni	10:50p	time, and timing, and a couple words Some months back we received a story in our slush pile at the Journal of Unlikely Entomology. I really liked it, and we held it for further consideration. In January, we were choosing stories for the Valentine's Day mini-issue. We'd planned on three stories, and had five contenders for those places. This is the first time since we'd started the zine that we hadn't independently come up with the same list. Two we agreed on, and we bickered over which would be the third. In the end this particular story got cut. We sent the rejection letter on January 9th. The author, Reesa Brown, died on January 12th, after a long fight with cancer. I just found out today. And all I can think is, I hope she never saw our email. (Comment on this)

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