Trees...

Clockwork Angels

It’s only June, but I’m ready to declare my choice for album of the year…

This thing works on so many levels:  On first listen, it seems a simple rock record, ready-made for classic rock radio stations all across the U.S.  There are hard hitting numbers, technical pieces and even a couple of “ballads”.  Give it another few spins however, and it further opens to reveal complex arrangements, a unifying theme and brilliant interplay between all the players.

It continues Rush’s triumphant return, a magnificent display, dating back a decade now to 2002’s Vapor Trails.  While it’s nowhere near as hard as a Mastodon or Baroness album, for some reason it feels just as raw, just as intense, and at the same time, just as measured.  It’s also every bit as melodic as the latest Coldplay or Muse disc.  What other band can draw comparisons as wide ranging as Mastodon and Muse?  (Ironically, Rush has been cited as an influence on both.)

Get this album and listen to it.  Repeatedly!  It’s probably the best thing you’ll hear this year.

And read the liner notes:  The concept (soon to be a novel, I hear…) places it within a category of its own, bringing them once again to the front ranks of Queensryche, Dream Theater and other virtuoso level proggers who take the time to weave a story with their lyrics each time out.  Great stuff!

New Pat Metheny today!

Been listening to his back catalog in anticipation!  Great stuff!!!

Random jazz post...

Was just noticing that it had been a while since I'd posted anything about jazz...  It is my favorite genre, despite all of the metal posts recently. 

Anyway, while attempting to remedy that, thought I'd take a minute to exorcise a petty grief of mine.

Often when people find out that I love music -- and I do love music! -- they quickly ask me what kind of music do I like, and for the most part, I like all kinds.  However, knowing what they expect in terms of an answer to this kind of question, I generally just say "jazz".  It is my favorite, after all.

What bothers me is their response.  Typically, most people say "Oh yeah, I like it too!" then they add something random or extremely obvious about either Coltrane or Miles Davis, maybe Louis Armstrong.  From that response, I quickly gather that they couldn't name more than one or two songs by any of these artists, and would be hard pressed to name even one album, other than the ubiquitous standards found in many an eclectic stack of cds. 

My issue with this probably solidifies any assertion that I am a music snob, but oh well...  The issue is that there is so much more to jazz than Coltrane and Miles Davis.  Further, there's so much more to Coltrane and Miles Davis than their respective Impulse! and Columbia discographies.

  

Take Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch for example...  Recorded in 1964, released on Blue Note, it has many of the same characteristics that people love about Love Supreme.  It is "free" in a way that Coltrane was playing around this time, but not as untethered as Albert Ayler or Ornette Coleman.  I offer it as a suggested excursion for people looking to expand their collections beyond the two or three Coltrane's they may happen to own.

It also features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, whose Ready for Freddie, (also on Blue Note) might be a great next step.  The album also showcases Bobby Hutcherson on vibes.  When you're really ready to blow your mind, check out Hutch's Happenings.  Now you're ready to talk some jazz! 

For the less daring, may I simply suggest expanding your collections of Coltrane and Davis.  A lot of casual jazz fans own either Blue Train, Giant Steps or A Love Supreme by Coltrane or Kind of Blue by Miles (which ironically features Coltrane on sax, a fact too few people these days are aware of...  but I digress).

Anyway, if you really like these artists, try adding a couple of additional discs by both or either.  I've never understood why Relaxin' (shown above, and also featuring Coltrane on sax) doesn't get more attention.  You might also try Coltrane's Soultrane or Ballads or from Davis, Round About Midnight, Seven Steps to Heaven or In A Silent Way.

And finally, if you want to go for something more modern, try Texas' own Roy Hargrove or something by Brad Mehldau.  Both are great examples of what jazz can be today and will add something more to the conversation besides vague recognition.  My apologies for the rant, now get out there and get to shopping!   

New Melvins!, "Old" Melvins!

New Melvins this week...  Freak Puke, gives me a chance to show off one of my "old" Melvins favorites...  the four disc, Senile Animal on Aaron Turner's Hydra Head Records  (Cd version issued on Mike Patton's Ipecac).

This is truly one of my favorite pieces in my whole music collection.  Love the music, but also love how each side warrants its own platter, and each of those is its own color.  A truly unique way of issuing this, and it so fits the Melvins/Big Business collab.  Great stuff!

My hat's off to every one involved in bringing this one to the masses! 

An update on "the plum"

With any luck, there will be many, many plums that follow this one, but none of them will have been watched as closely (or photographed as extensively)...

In the ephemeral world of fruits and vegetables, this thing's practically a supermodel! 

...which makes me the plum paparazzi, of course.

Proud to be number 261 (of 500)

I'm not a huge fan of these guys...  I've always liked The Clash and Wire a little better, not there is or was a competition.  That being said, I still love this album.  For me at least, it ranks right up there with The Clash's first one, or London Calling, or Wire's Pink Flag or Chairs Missing.

And when I saw the chance to "grab" a numbered copy of the re-issued version, I couldn't pass it up.  Call me number 261 (of 500) then!

Heavy Rotation

During my recent pilgrimage to the home land...

I found this one on vinyl at Forever Young Records -- the nation's third largest record store! -- located in Grand Prairie, TX.

Also enjoyed some good ole Texas bbq, but that's a subject for another post.

Thanks!

Nice to see some positive feedback for one of my reviews at Tiny Mix Tapes...

http://laspikedelycmusic.bloguez.com/laspikedelycmusic/3876622/Dan-Sartain-Dan-Sartain-Vs-The-Serpientes-2003-320

Thanks for the compliment.  I really enjoyed Sartain's album.

Dinosaur Valley

I’ve been to a lot of national and state parks across these United States, from the large and well-known, like Yellowstone, to the smaller and less heralded, like Dinosaur Valley State Park near Glen Rose, TX.  Some are clean, some crowded; some feature breathtaking scenery and incredibly unique features, but all of them should be recognized for the treasures they are and well…  visited more often.

As for Dinosaur Valley, I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves (for the most part).

See, they do have trees in Texas!

Now for the dinosaur tracks...

An acrocanthus came this way some 110 million years ago!

Up stream...

Down stream...  the tracks above were located on the "shelf" submerged in about a foot and a half of water (lower right hand corner of the picture).

They even have BIG trees in Texas!

And "the road goes ever on"...

... to more tracks!!!   The tracks that aren't submerged, or aren't as well submerged are more eroded, the edges less clear.

The print above was just across this shallow portion of the Paluxy river.  I nearly fell in, trying to negotiate the boulders.

Another shot of the Paluxy river, this one very near the spot where the semi-famous theropod, sauropod "track" (aka the Glen Rose track) was removed and taken to a museum in New York.

Yes, the water really is that clear, here probably about 4 - 5 feet deep and slightly green, reflecting the tree line above.  The only other place I've seen water this clear was in St. Marten.



Looking down into the river...

Then turning in the immediately opposite direction...  the dinosaur tracks are literally located just down a short hill in the middle of a beautiful pastoral valley.  

The scenery is rugged, yet peaceful, remarkable but relatively unadorned.  Just a field, among rolling hills, with a quiet river slipping by...   I can't wait to go back!