- Das der Beck weg muss, stand schon an anderer Stelle oft genug. Nun hat es wohl auch die Onlineausgabe der Süddeutschen Zeitung erkannt. Wenn es dann dort steht kommt es auch beim gentle-rocker an. Schön ist es wenn sich eine Erkenntnis ihren Weg bahnt.

- Auch das Bundesverfassungsgericht scheint schon von der neoliberalen Propaganda durchsetzt. Wie sonst soll man die Äußerungen seines Präsidenten Hans-Jürgen Papier verstehen.

They are convinced that there is a Hierarchy in life and that perfect people are always right. That is right, they believe that there is an inherent class system ingrained into reality itself. How many rings there are may vary but the people at the top are always right. A card carrying true believer Democrat Party member exists in a state of depression. They feel that they are at the bottom of the Hierarchy and they are mad at the world itself. The only thing greater than their hatred for the world is their hatred for themselves for being so worthless. That is what they think. Of course they are awesome, beautiful, and perfect people as the Creator views everyone. Yet we are talking about people who are not in touch with the Creator and firmly believe the Creator does not exist or hate the Creator. They hate themselves so much that they "must" get others to love them to feel the void they feel inside. Of course the void is always there and so they must convince everyone that they are right.

Perfect people help others, are full of love, and are always right. They feel a "need" to help everyone see that they are right. Socialism is a natural conduit for this as it centralizes power to a few. This is how they see they can "force" everyone to be helped. They rationalize this by projecting their internal hatred on anyone who disagrees with them. This is why Democrats are almost always intolerant of anyone who disagrees with them. The mere idea that someone may disagree with them is to suggest that they are on the lower ring of life and therefore worthless, because they are not always right and therefore can not be on the top ring.. This could not be farther from the truth but this is what they see.

This is why the only way to fight socialists is with Love in your mind and kindness in your heart. Whether you fall or not does not matter. What matters is that you make the conscious effort to send pure love to them in your mind. When you talk to a socialist, Democrat, compliment them and show them how much you love and care for them. It is important to maintain that you 'do' disagree with them but do not focus on that or bring it up. Any time it comes up try to change the topic because we need to get their mind off hating themselves. We need to trick their mind to love themself. To do that just takes time and love. As the saying goes: if you hear something enough times, you begin to believe it. It is important, as well, to be patient and let them grow on their own time. Everything happens with perfect timing.

Our Founding Father's were Libertarian. They wanted the Federal government to only be allowed to govern national defense and inter-state/inter-country economic business. They wanted a political spectrum that had three, or more, political parties. They looked at England and saw the corruption, sickness, and decadence a two party system leads too. They wanted a government that let people decide on their own what their morals and ethics are, versus a government that legislated them. I think that we are moving towards what our Founding Fathers wanted; Yet, people like Obama and McCain only want us to go towards Marxism. I think this because they want big government and to socialize the economy. Both of those answers have always brought ruin to any country that has ever tried it.

Instead I want the government to stop regulating and punishing people for having the audacity to make a profit. I want the government to end all the entitlement programs that attempt to rob from the rich, to give to the poor. I want a government that eliminates it's interference of oil companies drilling off-shore and anywhere else. I want a government that eliminates it's interference of deciding what oil companies can drill for oil. We need to build more Hydro-Electric Dams, Nuclear Power plants, and Oil Refineries. Hanford already has a vit-plant to deal with nuclear waste and so it makes logical sense to build Nuclear Power plants on Hanford.

We need to outlaw all property and income taxes and adopt the Fair Tax. Property and Income tax's vary nature suggest that the government own people's income and their private property. Our country was founded on the antithesis of those Marxist ideas. Our Founding Father's vision has made our country great! The communism that Franklin D. Roosevelt started has done nothing but brought America to the brink of ruin; Like, Romulus Augustus, Obama and McCain would lead to a ruined America; And, they need to remain their respective parties Presidential Nominees, while Bob Barr is the one who is elected as the 44th President of the United States of America.

I think Americans have let the crazies run things while times were good. Americans have been busy with working hard and making this country what it is. Now times are not good and Americans are mad as hell and their not going to take it anymore. This is why I think the Republicrats and Democrats in Washington are in for a rude awakening when America elects Bob Barr, as the 44th President of the United States of America. When America elects a new third party, the Libertarian Party, the type of political spectrum our Founding Fathers wanted. ]]> http://blogdeadolfo.wordpress.com/?p=244 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:38:04 +0000 Fito http://blogdeadolfo.wordpress.com/?p=244

Aprovechando que Beck está a punto de sacar su nuevo disco, he decidido dejaros una selección de sus -para mí- mejores canciones. Incluye temas de sus álbumes Mellow Gold, Odelay (quizá su mejor trabajo), Mutations, Midnite Vultures, Sea Change, Guero, The Information, Modern Guilt y dos canciones de dos bandas sonoras. Podéis ver AQUÍ el listado de canciones.

Con Modern Guilt, su nuevo trabajo, vuelve a sus mejores momentos. Tanto el single (Chemtrails), como los tres temas que he incluído en la recopilación, están muy bien, y el resto del disco se mantiene a muy buen nivel.

Que lo disfrutéis.

If It Rains: Robert Forster
Heretics (early version): Andrew Bird
Bacative: Tricky
Daisies, Cats And Spacemen (with Roya Arab): Leila
Brace Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants: Wild Beasts
Love Like Semtex: Infadels
Gobbledigook: Sigur Rós
While the City Sleeps: Jeremy Jay
Lump Sum: Bon Iver
Moon Lake: Scout Niblett
Volcano: Beck
Comfy In Nautica: Panda Bear
Tonight The Streets Are Ours: Richard Hawley

For one thing, it's a reminder that Beck considers everything he does very seriously, which includes the people he collaborates with-in this case, current it-producer Danger Mouse. Fresh off of projects with Gnarls Barkley and Black Keys, Mouse is a natural fit for Beck, not because he helps the artist move in some new direction so much as he helps Beck tap into a dimension of his music-the dark, sinister undercurrents-that have always been just below the surface. Certainly Modern Guilt is a creepy, paranoid album, capturing the same sort of spooky vibes as Danger Mouses's work with Gorillaz and The Good, the Bad and the Queen. It's a hushed, twilit feel that suggests the imminent setting of the sun-a good fit for Beck's songs, which mourn the steady decline of our culture, ominously but not hopelessly.

The album art also suggests a throwback to the 1960s, which is also true of the album, albeit not in the ways one might think. There are some stray elements here-the surf guitar in "Gamma Ray," the handclaps in "Orphans"-that sound like they could've fit into the patchwork of sounds on Odelay or Guero, but Danger Mouse keeps the whole thing wrapped in a kind of narcotic haze, a sinister atmospheric that imbues every song with a sense of dread. It's not unlike The Information in this regard-there's a wide variety of sounds assimilated into Beck's style, but they all seem very carefully chosen to create a very specific mood, not random or pieced-together like they were on Odelay, nor deliberately classicist like on Guero. These ten tracks are very much of a piece, as much the result of Danger Mouse's spooky production as Beck's cohesive songwriting.

And that' another thing that the modest album artwork suggests-the record's leanness. At just ten songs and barely half an hour of music, this is by far the most direct, concise statement Beck has ever made, which is both a relief after the sprawl of The Information and a bit of a letdown, as it prevents the album from feeling as substantial as some of Beck's other works, even if it's just as effective in creating a mood and communicating a specific set of emotions.

Indeed, the album is at once one of Beck's most artful recordings as well as his most minor. Certainly he and Danger Mouse have created a powerful, memorable sound that is all the more affecting for its short duration, but it must also be said that the unrelentingly sinister feel of the album keeps it from being as much fun to listen to as his last couple of albums; even when Chan Marhsall shows up to sing on "Orphans," or when Beck pens a particularly catchy song like "Gamma Ray" or "Walls," it's all masked by the druggy feel that permeates the whole record. It's also one of Beck's least meaty albums, focused more on creating and maintaining a certain feeling than on exploring its themes with much depth; the lyrics, then, create a series of images, images constructed out of references to suicide and war, to violence and terrorism, and in general to feelings of paranoia in a modern world-but they never go much beyond those images, which keeps the album direct but also makes it seem a bit slight.

But maybe that's what Beck was aiming for. His cover art is clearly meant to evoke a particular time and place, and so, too, do these songs; taken as a whole, the album is an unsettlingly accurate soundtrack to life in the modern world. And if it doesn't quite stand up as one of Beck's more enjoyable or meaningful albums, it must also be said that it's a strong testament to his focus as a writer and as a recordmaker, two aspects of his talent that often get short shrift.

co-produced by danger mouse. i think his mediocrity needs more exposure. a few of these sound like covers to me. the last song is alright. i'm only giving the whole album out because he's a scientologist, and that's what they deserve.

BECK - MODERN GUILT

For Toffen og gjengen har gjort det igjen. Selve området hadde fått en ansiktsløft fra fjoråret, nesten 100 forskjellige band og artister var satt opp, rundt 55 000 publikum var innom, og over 70 000 liter øl ble konsumert. Det er resultater som beviser at Hovefestivalen er kommet for å bli.

Med så mye unnagjort, så er det vanskelig å få kritikken på alt riktig. Jeg velger derfor å starte fra en kant, og begynner med det dårlige.

Det negative

1. Området
   Jeg har miksa følelser om bruken av og tilstanden på arealet på Hove. Mye var forandret fra fjoråret, noe som hovedsaklig var bra (kommer tilbake til dette). Men jeg savnet mer boder og valg på den store grusplassen, hvor de hadde landsby i fjor, og hvor de i år hadde inngang til camping (med mulighet til telt på grusen) og festival. Stedet er såpass sentralt i forhold til campingen, at det hadde vært deilig med litt mindre gåavstand.
   .
   En annen svært negativ ting, og det kommer vel ikke som noe sjokk, er avfalls- og latrinehåndteringen. Det var godt med latriner rundt forbi, men ikke sjeldent kom jeg til en som var drite ned, og alltid kom jeg til intet toalettpapir. Nå er det en kjennsgjerning at man tar med seg toalettpapir på festival, men når mangelen er gjennomgående for hele festivalen så er det for dårlig. At de besøkende er dårlig med avfallet sitt er selvfølgelig ikke noe overraskende, og der jeg bodde på miljøcampingen var det som regel bra, men jeg så mange steder hvor det fløyt over gang på gang.
   .
   Det viste seg også at camping Nord heller ikke i år klarte å holde vekk vannstanden når det spruta som verst natt til fredag. Gjørmen steg, og teltene sank. Ettersom jeg leste at dreneringen var høyt prioritert i dette området dette året, så skuffer det meg litt å se dette.
2. Programoversikt
   Hovefestivalen var gjennomgående flinke til å informere om forandringer i programmet, hvis du hadde lagt deg til i mobiltjenesten dems. Jeg nøt godt av dette (selv om The Teenagers ble forsinket, og jeg ikke fikk beskjed om dem), men det må ha vært vanskelig å få med seg at det skjedde forandringer før man var på stedet om du ikke brukte tjenesten. Jeg registrerte en skjerm med programoversikt, ellers noen meldinger i ny og ne på mobil-ladestasjonene.
   .
   Jeg savner også en oversikt til de ikke-musikalske arrangementene på Hove. Det var veldig moro å vandre rundt, og plutselig se to gjenger kledd i gult og rosa kjempe mot hverandre i "performance". Veldig sært. Men etter å ha surra rundt en del, så forsto jeg at det var et enormt tilbud utenfor konsertene, og dette så jeg, og har fortsatt ikke sett, noe program over. Det var noen beskrivelser bakerst i den store Hoveboka, men var heller sparsomt med klar tidsoversikt.
3. Lineupen
   Festivalavisen skrev selv om dette, og proklamerte det som en av de mest sentrale tingene Toffen og gjengen må ta tak i til neste år. Selv om kvantiteten og kvaliteten på bandene var veldig god, så manglet Hovefestivalen headlinere. Det var enten Jay-Z eller In Flames (og kanskje Bad Religion) som sto som klare favoritter blant folket, men utover det var det lite store, kjente band. Det er synd å trekke dette fram som noe negativt, for bandene som var med presterte til tider guddommelige på scenen.
   .
   Det at headlinerne sviktet, gjorde at Hove(d)scenen aldri ble helt stappfull. Og det er synd for en slik scene, som tross får en magisk stemning når solen står på hell og publikum har fylt sletta til randen, slik det skjedde på Queens of the Stoneage i fjor.
4. Pengeuttak
   Det var generelt lite behov for pengeuttak, etter at man hadde skjønt hvor få uttaksterminaler det var. Én minibank og én butikk. Du kunne kjøpe øl med kort, noe som var helt nødvendig, men når ingen av matbodene (med unntak av lapskausboden) og merchandisebodene tok kort, kunne det bli ganske frustrerende til tider, når man må stå halvtime-time for å få ut penger.
5. Sikkerheten
   Jeg hadde aldri problemet med å føle meg trygg på Hove. Men jeg er stor og mann. Historier om at folk sniker seg lett inn på området, menn som sitter i skogen og titter på jentene som ikke vil vente i dokø, og det at to ipod-er ble stjelt fra teltet vårt i løpet av uka, bekrefter for meg at det er noe som står igjen før det er på et veldig godt nivå.
   .
   Det faktum at jeg selv ble sprayet ned av en fjott med boksmaling, gjør ikke saken bedre.
   .
   Med det sagt, så skal sikkerhetsvaktene og politiet ha ros for at de klarer å holde nivået på det det er, for jeg er sikker på at det kunne ha vært mye verre.

Det positive

1. Landsbyen
   Det var et veldig godt valg å legge bodene til skogen (men som sagt savna jeg utvalg på den store grusplassen og). Det var deilig å gå gjennom bodene på vei til og fra scenene, eller når man bare tok seg en tur for å utforske områdene. Følelsen av skog og natur, og Hovefestivalen som en del av det, ble satt i perspektiv og forsterket av dette valget.
2. Amfiscenen
   Det er ingen tvil om hvilken scene som står for meg som den beste i løpet av uka. Utformingen setter tankene tilbake til oldtiden, da man måtte designe arenaene for å skape best mulig akustikk, og lyden sitter som et skudd (med et unntak, som jeg kommer tilbake til). Når solen går ned og solen steiker mens riffene og trommene ruller over publikum, det finnes ikke noen andre ord enn magisk for denne følelsen.Det skal selvfølgelig også sies at lineupen på denne scenen var fantastisk.
3. Teltet natt
   Min store overraskelse i løpet av festivalen. Teltet bød på en rekke elektroniske artister på nattestider (dvs fra 22 og utover), og stemningen her var fantastisk. Hadde en rekke gode erfaringer med bartenderne, som danset med musikken, og alt var bare gjennomført deilig.
4. Matutvalget
   For en matentusiast som meg så er det viktig med god mat på festival. Dette sørget utallige boder for, fra økologisk burger til lapskaus, taco til sushi (i plastfat), pizza til baguetter, etc. Jeg vil tro det var noe for alle, og det skal de ha cred for. Personlig forelsket jeg meg i den økologiske burgern, som hadde veldig godt kjøtt, dekket med ost, og i et fantastisk brød (ikke av den vanlige typen, men husker ikke navnet på det nå).
5. P3-scenen, oslolosen og litteraturscenen
   Opplevelsene mine på disse stedene er relativt begrenset (to opptredener av Radioresepsjonen, et knippe uttalelser fra Harald Eia, og intervju på litteraturscenen), så jeg kan ikke sette de høyere på listen. Men hadde jeg vært der mer, hadde de garantert sneket seg oppover, for kvaliteten var generelt høy, og minnene sitter sterkt i hodet fra de villeste tingene (f.eks. streakere som løper forbi Radioresepsjonen, og en sprø, sprø dame som analyserer tekster i toxic punk, og som tar helt av når de begynner å snakke om Anal Cunt, med en veldig kul prat om feminisme i forkant;)).
6. Transporten
   Transport kommer ganske langt ned på listen over det positive, for det grenser til det negative. Når jeg kom til Harebakken på mandag gikk transporten rimelig knirkefritt frem til Hove. Det gikk med minibuss til Arendal sentrum, båt fra havna til Tromøya, og så med buss igjen til festivalinngangen. Men før det hadde jeg ventet nesten en time på bussen som gikk fra Risør til Arendal. Dette er vanskelig å kritisere arrangørene for, siden det tross alt var buss-selskapene sitt ansvar.Og når alt kommer til alt, så syns jeg arrangørene skal ha cred for at de klarte logistikken med 55 000 gjester i løpet av en uke, til en øy som bare har en hovedbru, rimelig smertefritt.

Konsertene

Man kan ikke skrive om Hove uten å dra frem musikken. Jeg var innom en rekke fra jeg kom sent på mandag til jeg dro lørdag formiddag. Her er listen over mine minneverdige opplevelser.

The Loved Ones!

• Flogging Molly (Amfi)
  Ølrockerne fra Irland reiv med seg folket fra første riff. Folk danset og lo, svingte seg etter de irskinnspirerte låtene, og koste seg generelt utrolig mye. Jeg satt ved Amfibokstavene og koste meg vilt med rytmene.
• Dimmu Borgir (Amfi)
  Det norske hardmetal-bandet står ikke høyt i kurs på min daglige spilleliste. Men når DB entrer scenen natt til torsdag, og setter i gang sin melodiøse, beinharde metallåter, kan jeg ikke annet enn å hengi meg til rusen disse godt erfarne og lydsterke karene gir med sin musikk.
• WE (Amfi)
  Enda et band som ikke ligger høyt på min spilleliste. Men for en liveopptreden! Livet, været, stedet, stemningen! Helt fantastisk!
• The Teenagers (Teltet natt)
  Franskmennene var de første til å virkelig vise meg hva Teltet var skapt for på nattestid. I første omgang forsinka, men med et heftig publikum, løfta de taket til de måtte gi seg i 3-4 tiden (arrangørene kom og sa de måtte gi seg).
• MSTRKRFT (Teltet natt)
  Der The Teenagers ga seg på mandag, fortsatte kanadierne livet på onsdag (tirsdag ble brått avbrutt av tidligere nevnte spray-angrep).
• The National Bank (Amfi)
  Å avslutte uken med nattkonsert med Thomas Dybdahl og gjengen, og med en god venninne i armkroken, er noe som ikke skal legges i glemmeboka med det første.

I Like!

• Killswitch Engage, Cavalera Conspiracy og Bullet for my Valentine (Amfi)
  KE føyde seg inn i rekke av metallrekka som gikk på onsdag kveld, og skapte en fantastisk stemning.
  .
  Brødrene fra Brazil m/band (Cavalera Conspiracy) lagde mye moro, og avsluttet metalkvelden på Amfiscenen storslagent. At sønnen til trommisen fikk slå seg gjennom et par sanger var også helt fantastisk å se på.
  .
  Jeg har aldri vært særlig stor fan av Bullet, men de hadde en sterk opptreden, og gjorde seg verdig som medlem av metallrekka.
• MGMT og Truls & The Trees (Hovedscenen)
  De startet konsertrekken tirsdag på Hovedscenen, og startet en veldig god kveld.
• N.I.C. (Telt natt)
  Da The Teenagers ble utsatt, steppet dette bandet inn, og satte liv i folket. Jeg var noe skuffet, da jeg hadde gledet meg en stund til førstnevnte band. Men N.I.C. gjorde et utrolig godt show, og jeg angrer på at jeg ikke holdt ut konserten, da jeg hørte at de faktisk hadde en del vokaler mot slutten (grunnen til at jeg stakk var at jeg ble lei av å bare høre synthene).
• Goldfrapp (Amfi)
  Jeg hadde ikke hørt noe særlig fra Goldfrapp, men da de spilte noen av hitene husket jeg dem fra radio. Og de spilte mye god musikk, og det var deilig å sitte på Amfi og høre dem.
• Neon Neon (Teltet natt) og Klubbsju/Mixhell (Bunkern)
  Begge band var ukjente for meg før festivalen, men en kamerat av meg tipset meg om NN tidligere, og interessen for sistnevnte våknet da det ble fortalt at ene av brødrene i Cavalera Conspiracy var Mixhell. Begge dj-gruppene kjørte noen vanvittige show, og temperaturen i både teltet og bunkern var høyt da de spilte.
• Slagsmålklubben (Teltet natt)
  Jeg hadde hørt noe av musikken deres før festivalen, og konkludert med at de var kule, på en meget sær måte. Men da jeg entret teltet merket jeg at de var noe helt annet live. Bassen satt godt i magen (og beina), og rytmene bygget godt opp under deres heller sære synth-musikk.
• The Raconteurs (Hovedscenen)
  Jack White gjorde rent bord for de oppmøtte, det hørtes rett og slett veldig bra ut.
• Animal Collective (Amfi)
  På vei tilbake fra The Teenagers hørte jeg psykedeliske lyder fra skogen. De var suggerende, og trakk meg mot Amfi. Det var lite bass og trommer, men lyden gikk inn i ryggraden min og satte meg ut. Det var rett og slett utrolig deilig (samt at jeg var meget full, noe som nok bygget opp under trance-følelsen min=)).
• Animal Alpha (Amfi)
  Animal Alpha ble små i forhold til sine etterfølgere, Flogging Molly, men i henseendet var de et meget godt oppvarmingsband.
• Hellacopters (Hovedscenen)
  Jeg har vært på konsert med Hellacopters tidligere, og de skapte bra show da og. Var gøy å høre på.
• Saramanga Six (Amfi)
  Gøy og god musikk, overrasket meg veldig positivt.

Meh (les: helt ok prestasjon)

• In Flames (Hovedscenen)
  IF var et av bandene jeg gledet meg mest til i løpet av festivalen, men de innfridde ikke helt forventningene. Det kan også ha noe med at jeg ikke fikk meg meg hele konserten, da kameratene jeg var med ikke følte seg så gode, og ville gå...
• Jay-Z (Hovedscenen)
  Sorry, ikke min type musikk. Men det var kult når han kjørte igang mix fra Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up.
• Duffy (Amfi)
  Slo meg aldri helt. Var da heller ikke særlig lenge på konserten.
• Beck (Hovedscenen)
  Følte at han var oppskrytt, opptredenen var rett og slett kjedelig
• Behemoth
  Bråk...=P Men en del gode partier.
• Sigh & Explode
  En kar hoppet rundt i rosa skjorte og med en rosa ledning festa til mikrofonen. Kjedelig musikk.

BAD!

• Bad Religion (Amfi)
  En nedtur fra første sang... eneste skikkelig dårlige musikkerfaringen jeg hadde. Legendene klarte faktisk å vanære Amfi med sin opptreden. Nei nei.

Konserter jeg gjerne skulle hatt med meg (og grunnen til at jeg ikke fikk dem med meg)

• Les Savy Fav (var såvidt kommet, visste ingenting om dem, men herregud for et sceneshow vi fikk se på p3tv sin storskjerm senere)
• The Kooks (nedspraya...)
• Panic at the Disco (nedspraya...)
• Avenged Sevenfold (nedspraya...)
• The Wombats (nedspraya...)
• Thom Hell (drakk=))
• Band of Horses (tror jeg drakk på campen=))
• Tommy Tokyo (var på p3tv-scenen)
• Don Juan Dracula (drakk, ventet på venner)
• Satyricon (drakk=))

Dette var altså min erfaring fra Hove, og det er ingen tvil om jeg vil tilbake neste år. Nå får vi se om det blir noen flere festivaler i år, jeg håper på Skralfestivalen, men vi ser hvordan det går.

O novo álbum de Beck, Modern Guilt, vazou na internet. São 10 canções curtas, que foram produzidas por Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley). Oficialmente, sai no dia oito próximo, quando o cantor completa 38 anos.

Tracklist
01. Orphans
02. Gamma Ray
03. Chemtrails
04. Modern Guilt
05. Youthless
06. Walls
07. Replica
08. Soul of A Man
09. Profanity Prayers
10. Volcano

Dag 1

Vampire Weekend - A-Punk (officiële video)

The National - Fake Empire (niet-officiële video)

Dag 2

Patrick Watson - The Great Escape (officiële video)

Slayer - Angel of Death (onofficiële video)

Neil Young - Hey Hey, My My (live)

Dag 3

Band Of Horses - The Funeral (officiële video)

Sigur Rós - Glósóli (officiële video)

Radiohead - Reckoner (live, studio)

Dag 4

Beck - Paper (niet officiëel)

dEUS - Bad Timing (live)

It's an album of electric slide guitar and dobro married to strings and rhythm loops that conjure up an atmosphere that's palpable. I've got another opportunity to sing his praises when he plays live on Ghost Trails & Ambient Americana, an Echoes Soundscape for July 4th.

(You can also hear an audio version of this blog, with music)

Back in February, we gathered in an expansive Hollywood Hills home with floor to 18 foot ceiling windows, an ornate fireplace and massive crystal chandelier. Mixed in with construction equipment and sawdust amidst a renovation project was a clutter of amplifiers, guitars, dobro, drums, a string quartet, a French horn player and vibraphone. It's the home of Tom Rothrock. He's the one with the dobro. It looks like an acoustic guitar except instead of a soundhole there is an ornate, acoustically driven, metal speaker.

Tom Rothrock: Hear that. That's the 1930s, this is the technology we're talking about. (Squeeky tuning pegs) These guitars were made in the big band era for soloists and they had a speaker to make them cut through and they traded the tone of a nice instrument for the projection of a metal speaker...

On an album called Resonator, Tom Rothrock projects his dobro into an Americana Electronica. Rothrock is usually found behind the boards as a producer. He cut James Blunt's multimillion selling CD, Back to Bedlam and its worldwide number one hit single, "You're Beautiful."  Before that, all he did was produce Elliott Smith and discover Beck and produce his debut, Mellow Gold. It's the sound of "Loser," that planted the seed of Tom Rothrock's CD, Resonator.

That slide guitar on "Loser?" that was Rothrock.

Tom Rothrock: ....that is a guitar that Beck had back then. It’s a Japanese kind of what we, maybe someone of the 60s someone would call a beach guitar or something . . . and that was the first time we had recorded a slide lick, I think that really, so that really sort of started it for me.

Resonator is an album raunchy slide guitar, elegant strings, bristling textures and driving rhythms that could be the soundtrack for Bladerunner in the west. Tom Rothrock continues to produce, releasing an album by Roman Carter on his own Bongload record label and producing the latest James Blunt album, All the Lost Souls. You can hear Rothrock's Electronica Americana on the album, Resonator. Right now, it's only available online from iTunes.

Tune in to Echoes on July 4th and you can hear that group gathered in Tom Rothrock's living room when they play their only live performance ever on Ghost Trails and Ambient Americana, a July Fourth Soundscape from Echoes. This has been an Echo Location, soundings for new music.
 
 And once again, you can also hear an Audio version of this blog, with music.

John Diliberto

July 2008(((echoes)))

• The Alkaline Trio --- Agony & Irony: Pop-rock.
• Beck --- Chemtrails: An etheral, spacey (not for radio) single from the two turntabled maestro.
• Crooked Still --- Still Crooked: Moody folk bluegrass.
• Jessica Simpson --- Come On Over: I had to at least listen once and am thinking she's a bit late to jump on the country train. The genre is already crowded with young blonde solo artists.
• John Mayer --- Live in Los Angeles: If you like John.
• Kutless --- To Know That You're Alive: Melodic Christian hard rock.
• LL Cool J --- Baby: The multi-talented Cool James keeps a toe in the music pool with this raunchy tale of a night out(and thus radio-ready).
• Los Lonely Boys --- Forgiven: Easy listening Mexicana rock from this band of brothers (I liked "Heaven" back in the day, but this comes up a bit bland).
• Mariah Carey (featuring T.I.) --- I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time: No, this isn't about Vietnamese ladies of the street ... instead it's a standard slow grooving summer love song.
• Robin Thicke --- Magic: Robin's single sounds like a John Legend song.
• Tech N9ne --- Killer: The cover is a playoff of Michael Jackson's "Thriller," but the music is the usual zany, dark, introspective and hostile Tech. KC represent!
• Yann Tiersen --- Tabarly: Modern classical creations.

a nice chilled affair to start off proceedings. Some of the tracks are even mixed together!

Tracklisting:

1. The Irresistible Force - Symphony in E
2. Born Ruffians - I Need a Life (four tet remix)
3. Four tet - Wing Body Wing
4. Ratatat - Black Heroes
5. Goldfrapp - Clowns
6. Sigur Ros  - All Alright
7. The Cinematic Orchestra - To Build a Home
8. Radiohead - Nude
9. Charlotte Gainsbourg - 555 (black ghosts remix)
10. Beck - Modern Guilt
11. LTJ Bukem - Horizons
12. Tom Central - The World's Famous

Orangewarrior - Robo Suite Vol. 1 Info & Tracklisting

Direct mp3 download link.

Dr. Martin Seligman is the Director/Founder of the program. After reading through and learning all about what this program is I took a few surveys as they needed a participants to take part in they're on-going research. I'd be interested to see what unfolds. Some questions really hit home as to things I need to change about myself, and for myself. I want to see how the program develops. If it goes well, I may work double-time to get my butt back to school. A decision that needs more planning.

On another note I ordered Beck and Cowan's work on "Spiral Dynamics", which is a branch off the work of Clare W. Graves' work "The Levels of Human Existence". I can't wait to read it, as I want to implement that knowledge into my clients.

As far as finding my niche, I want to help the 20-somethings. I ran into a book today called the "20 Something Manifesto" by Christine Hassler, seems like people need help finding their passions AND they're young! There's a whole new slew of kids growing up wanting something other than what society believes to be right for them. The world isn't so linear anymore, the world is a squiggly mess that needs some fixing, but that's a different blog all together. =)

Basically we're all starting from the same boat, we just have to put the pieces back together. Our lives are so filled with 'noise' that we have a very difficult time quieting down and really listening. And that's 80% the solution for the 20-somethings out there. But it's time for bed. And this 20-something deal is something I'm going to have to research on... head start on that research paper... you know? hehe. good night ya'll.

Beck's new album. Will be out in a week.

I'm been listening to an advance copy and I'm really diggin it.

My favourite track right now is:

Soul of a Man
[audio http://www.filefreak.com/pfiles/65266/08%20-%20Soul%20Of%20A%20Man.mp3]

2005:

Kanye West - Late Registration

Beck - Guero

Spoon - "I Turn My Camera On"

2006:

Broken Social Scene - "7/4 (Shoreline)"

The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls In America

2007:

Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond

Feist - "My Moon My Man"

R. Kelly - "I'm A Flirt (Remix feat. T-Pain and T.I.)"

Kanye West - Late Registration - First thing: Kanye West is incredibly cocky and/or insecure. That doesn’t mean he can’t make a good album. “Late Registration” isn’t as good as “The College Dropout,” but it is a better follow-up than anyone expected. A lot of the credit goes to Jon Brion. Co-producing with Kanye, they have created the best sounding rap album this side of the Roots. The highlights here match the best from his debut. These are mostly the singles or tracks that will probably be singles in 2006, like “Gold Digger,” “Heard ‘Em Say,” “Touch the Sky,” “We Major” with Nas, and “Diamonds From Sierra Leone (remix)” with a great verse from Jay-Z in which he compares himself to Jesus (“I had to get off the boat so I could walk on water”). Maybe Kanye isn’t the cockiest person on this album. The problem with “Late Registration” comes from the fact that we learned the entire Kanye West story on his first album. The filler on “Late Registration” can’t be filled with car crashes or working at the Gap. Instead, Kanye decides to give the listener a history lesson about the government spreading crack and AIDS in the black community. And the skits still aren’t very funny after the first half-listen. For me at least, what saves the record from just having some songs on “The Very Best of Kanye West” in 2010 is the “bonus” track, “Late.” Kanye is still cocky, but I finally feel like he backs that up with “Late.” It’s the traditional “Kanye West” sound with the slowed down sample, but it feels like he’s finally becoming comfortable with his rapping skills. If Kanye hadn’t been telling us since January that his new album was going to change the world, it might have seemed even better. Supposedly he’ll have another out by this time next year. I just hope that all he tells us about it is, “You’ll have to hear it to believe it.”

Beck - Guero - In the year or so leading up to the release of “Guero,” we were being led to believe that it was either a straight-up hip-hop album or a straight-up guitar-rock album. Somewhere those two ideas came together (along with bits and pieces of everything Beck has released since “Odelay”). Kicking off with his biggest hit in years, “E-Pro,” we’re greeted with the guitars that Beck promised. Up next on “Qué Onda Guero” we get the hip-hop with a Spanish taste to it, fitting as “Guero” is Spanish for “whiteboy.” Singles “Girl” and “Hell Yes” stand out as the first is one of the catchiest songs that might be about killing someone ever and the second features some old school (or at least back to 1996) rapping along with Christina Ricci saying “Please enjoy.” The majority of the rest of the album sounds like the more upbeat songs from “Mutations” or the more low-key songs from “Odelay.” This isn’t a horrible thing, but it does feel at times that Beck is trying to mix all the styles he’s tried together a little too neatly. A notable thing about “Guero” as a whole is the amount of official remixes released, from iTunes exclusives to remix Eps to deluxe edition tracks even to a full remix album. Combining all of these and finding the best versions of each song could turn this good Beck album into a great one.

Spoon - "I Turn My Camera On" - A minimalist track that combines elements of Prince and the Rolling Stones that isn’t a joke? Somehow Spoon made it work with “I Turn My Camera On.” With a barely there guitar track overshadowed by the bass and drums, Spoon created something new that reminds us of all the songs we ironically liked until they became popular again. By the time the feedback guitar solo hits with thirty seconds left, you’re not paying any attention to it. All that you can think about is that bass line that will be in your head for days and in the playlist of every indie-dance party for years.

Broken Social Scene - "7/4 (Shoreline)" - If you’re listening to a band that can have up to eighteen members, it should be expected that their songs would have a “Wall of Sound” quality to them. Broken Social Scene does not disappoint, especially on “7/4 (Shoreline)”. As if almost to slowly lead the listener to the audio onslaught to come, the layers are introduced one-by-one until you’re hearing a solid mass of guitars and the lovely voice of Leslie Feist. It all comes to a stop for a second to give you (and probably the band) a chance to catch your breath, but it starts right back up again and continues to build with more noise and horns and handclaps. I have no clue what they’re singing about other than that “It’s coming in hard,” but it’s still one of the most powerful things I’ve heard in a long time.

The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls In America - Good rock and roll music should make you feel alive. The Hold Steady’s Vagrant debut, Boys and Girls in America, does just that. Taking a combination of the best aspects of Thin Lizzy, The Replacements, Jack Kerouac, and Born To Run/Darkness on the Edge of Town era Bruce Springsteen, the songs making up Boys and Girls in America create a set of characters who are bored with what’s surrounding them and doing whatever they can, usually drinking, doing drugs, and falling in love, to make some sort of change. I think that the biggest fans of this album are people who have lived the situations that Craig Finn is describing in the songs and the people who don’t like it have never experienced it. Finn isn’t really romanticizing these characters, though. They seem to be as close to completely falling apart as the music does at times, but it doesn’t change the fact that right now they’re still alive and so is the listener.

Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond - I don't know much about the original runs of Dinosaur Jr. beyond the singles that made a bit of dent during the "alternative" era, so I didn't quite know what to expect when I put Beyond in my playlist of things to listen to before the end of the year. I was on the train and all of a sudden this crazy guitar started playing through my headphones. And it didn't let up for the next 45 minutes. This album rocks. Hard. Going back to that early Dinosaur Jr. album made me realize that even though this is technically a reunion album, it sounds like it could have been made in their heyday. For most bands, this is probably a bad thing, to get back together and make an album that sounds like you did nearly twenty years ago, but Dinosaur Jr. are so good at what they do, it doesn't matter. When Dinosaur Jr.'s peers in the Pixies reunited around the same time a few years back, everyone wanted them to record a new album. I say if they can't match half of what Dinosaur Jr. did with Beyond, why bother?
Feist - "My Moon My Man" - Seen as almost an afterthought in this post-"1234" world, the first single from The Reminder explores all of the sonic dimensions of Feist. Along with "Sea Lion Woman," it represents the sound that Feist has defined for herself live. As the song progress, more layers build up, until the song climaxes with a multi-tracked vocal repeating over the set of piano chords that have been churning throughout the song. Suddenly, everything else stops and we're just left with that piano. "1234" may have been the introduction of Feist to the mainstream, but "My Moon My Man" should be what lasts.
R. Kelly - "I'm A Flirt (Remix feat. T-Pain and T.I.)" - As the most recent in a long line of songs about R. Kelly stealing your girl, "I'm A Flirt" shines for a variety of reasons. First, you have the expected nonsensical one-liners flowing from Kels, like any uptempo sex jam should have. He is rather frank with the fact that if you are at the club and you go to the bathroom, he will steal and statutory rape your lady friend. He doesn't care that she's over 18. Why can/will he do this? Because he's black, handsome , sings, plus he's rich and most importantly, a flirt. Next T.I. follows and just like in last year's "My Love," he acts as the voice of reason. Well, sort of. At least compared to R. Kelly, he's trying to look out for you. Finally, T-Pain (did you ever expect to hear him on a hip-hop/R&B track this year?) shows up and T-Pains around a little bit. By combing three of the, if not best, at least most ubiquitous urban hit-makers of the last few years, you're left with a ridiculous jam that somehow still is the most logical thing found on Double Up.

i love this beck video! I like how the robots perform a traditional japanese dance but then just start dancing randomly. and it reminded me of the deleted scene from sofia coppola's lost in translation (below)

It's not immediately clear what this means for Del Rey, who had been publishing some of Kodansha's most popular properties -- like Ken Akamatsu's Negima! Magister Negi Magi and Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail.

Dallas Middaugh said that no current licences have been pulled, and the 2009 line-up is pretty well set. Who knows what, if anything, the Kodansha announcement means for further down the road.

Edit: Christopher Butcher at Comics212 confirms that Dark Horse has lost the licence to Akira, and Tokyopop has cancelled volumes Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad volumes 13 and 14, both Kodansha titles. (Beck could have been cancelled for a number of reasons not related to the Kodansha announcement, given the situation at Tokyopop these days, however.)

Over at Topless Robot, Rob Bricken speculates on what the news could mean for the American manga market.

I'm relieved that the Del Rey Manga series I'm still collecting will proceed without change, so I'm willing to take a wait-and-see approach to the new company.

The new album contains 10 new songs, and with the exception of last year's Grammy-nominated, digital-only single "Timebomb", Modern Guilt is the first new material Beck has written since the prolific stretch that produced 2005's platinum Guero and 2006's universally acclaimed The Information.

Modern Guilt is a tightly assembled group of songs that range in lyrical tone from introspection and social commentary to off the cuff wordplay and lighthearted humor. Musically, the album's ten tracks vacillate between economy and experimentation, hybrid and pop classicism, while consistently manifesting Beck and Danger Mouse's shared interest in psych-rock, folk, electronic minimalism and orchestration.

Beck is about to embark on a tour of the UK and Europe, followed by a number of US headline and festival appearances, culminating in Beck's biggest hometown headline show to date, September 20, 2008 at the Hollywood Bowl.

Review from Amazon.com

have a listen HERE