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Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Free Download: White Collar Boy - 'Solar Midnight'
My how time flies. I first introduced White Collar Boy back in January of this year but quite a lot has changed since then. What began as a one-man show has now evolved into a duo, with fledgling beatmakers Gavin White and Mark Cummins teaming up having met at the Primavera festival in Barcelona. It may be a result of the pair's natural synergy - or even just an inevitable refinement of the original sound - but these latest tracks glisten with confidence; feeling fuller, more assured and more complete. The loose, flowing rhythms and funky finale of 'Noah' make it an obvious standout but the real pinnacle is 'Capslock' - as Gemma Dunlovely's super sweet vocals do battle with some assertive beats. It's really promising stuff overall and there's enough clever ideas on show here to mark the pair out as a very exciting proposition.
Download the tracks for free now from Soundcloud and find White Collar Boy on Facebook.
A first single is pencilled in for early next year but for the moment you can catch them every second Thursday in Pygmalion, where they host live shows and DJ sets.
Their next proper live show proper is a headline slot with Bouts, Futures Apart and Ginnels in Crawdaddy this Sunday (December 18th).
Solar Midnight by White Collar Boy
Posted by Bryano at 11:30 PM 0 comments
Labels: Electronic, Irish, White Collar Boy
Free Download: Squarehead's Christmas Present
They say Christmas is a time for giving and Squarehead certainly aren't ones to break with tradition. As a thank you to all those who "came to the gigs, bought our album or just 'liked' our Facebewk" the lads have covered Darlene Love's festive classic 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)' and made it available to all (good or bad) as a free download. Complete with backing vocals from the newly enlisted 'Squarettes' - Saileóg O'Halloran and Lucy Smyth - it trumps any Lynx boxset or last minute Kris Kindle gift that's for sure...
On a similar note The Gorgeous Colours also posted a cover this week - trying their hand at John Lennon's 'Real Love' on the anniversary of the great man's death. A fitting tribute.
Squarehead - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Richter Collective
Real Love by The Gorgeous Colours
Posted by Bryano at 7:07 AM 0 comments
Labels: Christmas, Cover, Irish, Squarehead, The Gorgeous Colours
Saturday, December 10, 2011
STL's Top Songs of 2011:: Part One - 60-41
So here we go again. Another year over means another 365 days (give or take) of musical output has to be recollected, distilled and ranked. I have something of a love/hate affair with these sort of lists because as much as I enjoy looking back on the treats the year has produced (and 2011 has delivered plenty) I find the decision process itself to be a difficult one. Songs have little personalities of their own and our view of them is constantly shifting according to time, occasion and place. A one-time classic quickly becomes jaded with repetitive plays, while a relatively recent discovery is still basking in the after glow of its emergence. On the whole however, I'm pretty confident that this batch of tracks are an accurate account of the year's best music according to my ears and these pages.
Unsurprisingly it is again dominated by the home-grown contingent - with 2011 besting a 2010 that was oft-defined as the best ever for Irish content. It's genuinely exciting to think that this time last year an artist like Moths was just messing about in his bedroom, making the tentative steps on songs that have now been blogged about the world over. As I trace the soundtrack to my 2011 what really excites me is the mound of great Irish music that I know I'll be writing about over the course of the next year. Anyhow, here's the first instalment with the final list to be completed in the coming days...
60) The Ambience Affair - 'Weeds'
The Ambience Affair - Weeds by statemagazine
59) No Monster Club – 'Who Wants A Man'
Who Wants A Man by No Monster Club
58) The Eulogys - 'Bouquets'
Bouquets by TheEulogys
57) Nouveonoise - 'Believe'
Nouveaunoise - Believe by nouveaunoise
56) Tracksuit Warrior – 'Suit Up and GO'
03 Suit up and GO by Tracksuit Warrior
55) This Club – 'I Won't Worry'
I Won't Worry by This Club
54) Leaders Of Men – 'Up Against The Wall'
Up Against The Wall by leadersofmen
53) Ghost Estates – 'Paris'
Paris by GHOST ESTATES
52) British Sea Power –'Mongk II'
British Sea Power - Mongk II by Brett Chapman
51) REID – 'Genesis'
Genesis by REID
50) SOnance HOtel – 'Living Is For Dreaming'
Living Is For Dreaming by sonancehotel
49) Patrick Wolf – 'Time Of My Life'
Patrick Wolf - Time Of My Life by infinityyeah
48) The Vaccines – 'Post Break Up Sex'
Post Break-Up Sex by The Vaccines
47) The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – 'Heart In Your Heartbreak'
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Heart In Your Heartbreak by Slumberland Records
46) Bibio – 'K Is For Kelson'
Bibio - K is for Kelson (taken from 'Mind Bokeh') by Warp Records
45) Millionyoung – 'On and On'
MillionYoung - On On by DBF Music
44) We Are Losers – 'Sunset Song'
We Are Losers - Sunset Song by i-con
43) The Minutes - 'Black Keys'
Black Keys by The Minutes
42) Oh Land - 'Sun Of A Gun'
Oh Land - Sun of a Gun by infinityyeah
41) Dogs – 'Underbeats'
Underbeats by DOGS
Posted by Bryano at 1:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Best of 2011, Bibio, british sea power, Dogs, Leaders of Men, Nouveaunoise, Oh Land, Patrick Wold, REID, The Minutes, This Club, Tracksuit Warrior, We Are Losers
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Free Download: The Gorgeous Colours - 'Chopped Heart'
Their last single - 'It's OK To Be Normal' - was something very special indeed and Dublin outfit The Gorgeous Colours have only gone and bettered it. 'Chopped Heart' is as delightful as it is uplifting - the kind of song that you'll like immediately but will then spend a dozen listens trying to figure out exactly why. In short, this is perfectly constructed, joyous pop music and if the scene was an overdue reunion with your closest mates this would be the ideal soundtrack.
Download it now for free from Bandcamp.
Chopped Heart by The Gorgeous Colours
Posted by Bryano at 12:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Free Download, Irish, The Gorgeous Colours
Monday, November 21, 2011
New Video: Hello Moon - 'Sievehead' (Directed by Myles O'Reilly)
Taken from their hugely enjoyable debut album Only Count The Sunny Hours, here's the official video for Hello Moon's 'Sievehead'. Directed by the inimitable Myles O'Reilly, the video is a continuation of the album's sleeve with O'Reilly citing Spike Jones' Where The Wild Things Are as his main inspiration for the piece.
Treat yourself to Only Count The Sunny Hours now from Any Other City Records.
Posted by Bryano at 10:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Irish, Irish. New Video, Myles O'Reilly
Sunday, November 13, 2011
New Video: Tara Masterson Hally - 'Lingering'
When I introduced Tara Masterson Hally back in April, I was captivated by the contrast between her standout voice and the spacious, minimal arrangement. Since then anything she has put out has only heightened such admiration. The latest example is a basement shot video by the creative types over at Havagawk which captures the barren beauty of the original track perfectly. The video was directed and edited by Finn Keenan.
Find Tara Masterson Hally on Facebook and listen/download her music on Soundcloud.
Posted by Bryano at 12:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Acoustic, Havagawk, Irish, Tara Masterson Hally
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Free Download: Twin Sister - Kimmi In A Rice Field (REID Remix)
He was introduced on these pages a few months back and now talented Irish producer REID has decided to remix Twin Sister's 'Kimmi In A Rice Field'. It doesn't veer too far from the original template but it succeeds in sculpting some interesting sounds out of what is already a haunting little tune.
The remix is available to download for free from Soundcloud and it precedes the official release of Genesis on Blah Blah Blah Records as of November 28th. Full details here.
Twin Sister - Kimmi In A Rice Field (REID Remix) by REID
Posted by Bryano at 5:19 AM 0 comments
Labels: REID, Remix, Twin Sister
New Release: Patrick Kelleher and Squarehead Split 7" Collaboration
What do you get when two of our most exciting and promising artists come together for a collaboration? A smashing split 7" and a stupidly funny piss-take video it appears. Both Squarehead and Patrick Kelleher have been constants on these pages since it started so to have them bash out some tracks together is rather exciting. I was expecting something a bit more manic but the resulting tracks - 'Just A Tragedy' and 'Attention To Detail' - go down easy and are both breezy, laidback tunes with neat 80's/doo-wop inspired touches.
I'm a bit late to the game on this one so the launch party has been and gone sadly. However, you can still get your mitts on the limited edition vinyl (via Popical Island) from selected record stores or alternatively, you can stream/purchase it online here. The aforementioned mockumentary is also below.
Posted by Bryano at 5:17 AM 0 comments
Labels: Collaboration, Irish, Patrick Kelleher, Squarehead
Monday, October 31, 2011
New Video: Goodtime - 'Behind The Sun'
A beautiful official video for Goodtime's 'Behind The Sun'. Filmed by Richard Gilligan and coloured by Andy Clarke, the picturesque shots suit the delicate, flowing melodies beautifully. A perfect combination.
Goodtime is currently supporting Jape on his Ocean Of Frequency tour.
Download the track for free now from Bandcamp.
GOODTIME - Behind this Sun from Temporary Secretary Recordings on Vimeo.
Behind This Sun by GOODTIME
Posted by Bryano at 5:28 AM 0 comments
Thursday, October 27, 2011
New Music: Jerome's Law - 'Albedo'
Having been somewhat underwhelmed by their debut EP, I'm happy to report that Jerome's Law have gone back to the drawing board, shaken things up a bit and delivered a very impressive new single. A wistful little ballad full of dreamy O Emperor styled touches, 'Albedo' is taken from the Dubliners' forthcoming debut album.
Download it for free now from Bandcamp.
Posted by Bryano at 6:38 AM 0 comments
Monday, October 24, 2011
Free Mixtape: The New Wave: Volume 2 - The Best New Irish Music
The month of September saw me finish my Master's degree, hand in my thesis and leave Ireland to travel this globe for a bit. The result was a distinct lack of updates on these pages but I'm glad to be kicking things back into gear with the second volume in The New Wave series of free mixtapes.
The reaction to Volume 1 was excellent and the formula is the same again here - ten tracks from my favourite Irish artists of recent times, thrown together for you to digest and (hopefully) fall in love with. While Volume 1 was all cheery pop-hooks, Volume 2 has a slightly darker edge, connected as it is by some sparse acoustic pickings (Rory Grubb), sultry 80s vibes (Patrick Kelleher), eerie desolation (Tandem Felix) and a wide range of other moods and shades that suit the oncoming winter months perfectly.
Again it's all free and for the good of the bands/your ears so please do your very best to support the artists involved by going to their gigs and buying their music!
Volume 3 will follow in the coming weeks...
1) The Gorgeous Colours - 'It's OK To Be Normal'
2) Patrick Kelleher - 'Contact Sports'
3) Solar Bears - 'Primary Colours At The Back Of My Mind'
4) Halves - 'Growing & Glory'
5) Tandem Felix - 'Canyons'
6) Tara Masterson Hally - 'Down We Lay'
7) Conor Furlong - 'Are You Gonna Sleep Tonight?'
8) The Eulogys - 'Bouquets'
9) Sacred Animals - 'Chosen Seed'
10) Rory Grubb - 'Take Your Own Advice'
STL: The New Wave - Vol. 2 by StopTheLights
Posted by Bryano at 8:04 AM 0 comments
Friday, September 2, 2011
New Video: The Dying Seconds - L.E.S. Artistes (Santigold Cover)
In the run up to this year's Electric Picnic, the good folk over at Cock and Bull TV have been asking their favourite Irish artists to cover a track by someone else on the bill at this year's festival. The pick of the bunch is The Dying Seconds' take on Santigold's 'L.E.S. Artistes' which incorporates what appears to be a ukulele and a xylophone, yet still manages to sound a touch darker than the funky original.
The Dying Seconds play Electric Picnic tomorrow (Saturday), on the Body and Soul Main Stage at 3pm.
Santigold plays tonight (Friday) in the Electric Arena at 9pm.
Posted by Bryano at 2:49 PM 0 comments
Monday, August 29, 2011
Free gig: Pick for the Picnic Final this Thursday in Crawdaddy
Over the last two weeks 16 home-grown bands have battled it out in the heats and been whittled down to just four finalists, each of whom will perform at the final of Heineken Music's Pick for the Picnic. Taking place the day before the festival itself, September 1st, in Crawdaddy, the winning band gets the excellent opportunity of opening the Crawdaddy stage down in Stradbally.
This year's finalists are Tandem Felix, Eatenbybears, The Depravations and Leaders of Men.
It's completely free in and as if that (and the mounds of amazing Irish music on show) wasn't enough to tempt you out - your first drink is also free courtesy of Heineken. What more could you want?
In Horseshoes & Hand Grenades by Tandem Felix
Tonight by The Depravations
Spite Houses by Eatenbybears
Bite Your Tongue by damaged_audio
Posted by Bryano at 1:57 PM 0 comments
Labels: Eayenbybears, Electric Picnic, Gig, Leaders of Men, Tandem Felix, The Depravations
New Music: Jape - 'The Oldest Mind'
As posted last week Jape's eagerly awaited new one Ocean of Frequency is out on September 30th and here's a new track from it to whet your appetite even further. 'The Oldest Mind' is a slow-building gem of two halves; one part fragmented, solemn reflection and the other a euphoric little burst of realisation and acceptance. And all this before the memorable refrain of 'Celebrate What It Is To Be Young' plays us out. Kids - listen to the man.
via No Fear Of Pop
THE OLDEST MIND by Jape
Posted by Bryano at 12:10 PM 0 comments
Friday, August 26, 2011
Introducing: Karin Park - dark electro pop from Sweden
If you like your music dark and twisted, yet infused with a sultry, beat-driven edge then Swedish artist Karin Park is the one for you. Originally a popstar in Norway some years ago, her current work is of a very different variety and the fact that these songs were recorded and produced by Christoffer Berg (The Knife and Fever Ray) is recognisable from the off. Such artists give a strong indication of what to expect on entrancing new single 'Tiger Dreams', which also shows flashes of Bjork amid a swirling industrial synth-pop medley. Check out the official video below.
Her forthcoming album High Wire Poetry is out in 2012, and is preceded by the Tiger Dreams EP on September 19th.
Karin Park - Tiger Dreams by flagstone
Posted by Bryano at 12:10 PM 0 comments
Labels: bjork, dark, fever ray, gothic, i=dubstep, industrial, sultry, Synth-pop, the knife, twisted
Thursday, August 25, 2011
EP Review: The Eulogys - Ambergris and Tiger Blood
Of the mountain of new music emerging from Ireland not so much of it is of the piano-led variety. It's refreshing therefore to sample The Eulogy's debut EP Ambergris & Tiger Blood, comprised as it is of three orchestral-tinged laments with talented pianist Kenny Hyland at the helm. Each of these tracks is excellently crafted and bears some truly beautiful flourishes, with Hyland's voice successfully reaching for the stratosphere throughout. In parts it reminds me of Mercury Rev but there's no denying that this is entirely it's own beast and for that, you have to give Hyland credit. A thoroughly enjoyable debut offering.
Download Ambergris and Tiger Blood for free from Bandcamp now.
Find The Eulogys on: Bandcamp // Soundcloud // Facebook // Twitter //
Bouquets by TheEulogys
Trees in the Painting by TheEulogys
De Profundis by TheEulogys
Posted by Bryano at 1:28 PM 0 comments
Labels: Ireland, Irish, orchestral, Piano
New Video: The Gorgeous Colours - 'It's OK To Be Normal'
Directed by Bob Corish (who taught in my old school for a short time incidentally) and produced by Tidal, here's the official video for The Gorgeous Colours' latest single 'It's OK To Be Normal'. I loved the track when it emerged recently, and the excellently crafted video only adds to its splendour.
The band play the Body & Soul main stage at this year's Electric Picnic festival.
Posted by Bryano at 10:47 AM 0 comments
Labels: Beautiful, Indie, Irish, Minimal, Reflective, The Gorgeous Colours, Tidal
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
New Release: Jape return with Ocean Of Frequency on September 30th
It's hard to believe that it's 3 years since Jape's third album Ritual first leapt into my consciousness. It's also a testament to its invention and quality that it still sounds as vibrant and fresh to this very day, and it remains one of the best Irish releases in recent history. Since then, Richie Egan and his Jape ensemble have crafted and perfected a dozen songs for the eagerly-awaited follow up - Ocean Of Frequency. The album, Jape's fourth studio release, is out on September 30th through music/is/for/losers.
I've heard just over half of the songs through live appearances and they make for an interesting listen, with Richie pushing the sound in some bold new directions, while still showcasing his penchant for a killer hook. I'm particularly excited about 'The Oldest Mind'; an entrancing ode to embracing your youth and the soothing acoustic number that is 'It's Shadow Won't Make Noise'. When you can afford to leave tracks like 'Hands Of Fire' and 'Lying On My Deathbed' off your new record you know it's going to be something special.
The first single, 'You Make The Love', is released on the same day.
In Richie's own words:
"I had thought that the follow up to Ritual was finished about three times so far, but I kept getting drawn back to writing more and more songs, trying to push my songwriting
as hard as I could and see how many different styles and moods I could try out, to feel
out the album. Eventually, I realised that you could just keep on doing that forever so I
decided it was time to start letting these songs go for a walk around the place
The idea for the title, Ocean of Frequency came from an interview I saw with Michael
Talbot. He was an American author who wrote some books linking science with
mysticism. I feel the answer to religion lies somewhere in science and I like to think that
we all float about in an ocean of frequency that we can't understand. People always go
on about the difference between science and religion, in my opinion there is an unending
spiritual beauty in the order of science."
TracklistHere's a rough demo of 'Its Shadow Won't Make Noise':
1. An Hallucination
2. Please Don't Turn The Record Off
3. The Oldest Mind
4. Too Many People
5. One Of Those Days That Just Feels So Long
6. Borrowed Time With Peace
7. Scorpio
8. You Make The Love
9. Internal Machine
10. Its Shadow Won't Make Noise
11. Na Niotancullah
12. Ocean Of Frequency
Its Shadow Won't Make Noise by Jape
Posted by Bryano at 4:24 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
New Music: Tara Masterson Hally - 'Lingering'
I introduced Miss Tara Masterson Hally a few months back and since then my love for her initial couple of tracks has never threatened to wane. Her latest effort 'Lingering' is another beautiful addition to the fold, and proof that those debut efforts were indeed no fluke. Again the mood is withdrawn and somewhat desolate, with the hauntingly airy vocals accompanied only by delicate instrumentation and the occasional celestial imprint. It's a touching little creation and that final line ("I've travelled across the sea / But I'll always wonder - would you do the same for me?") serves as a fitting final riposte.
Also below is 'Beholder' - another recent creation that carries more of the same understated charm. You can find Tara Masterson Hally on Facebook.
Lingering by Tara Masterson Hally
Beholder by Tara Masterson Hally
Posted by Bryano at 12:49 PM 0 comments
Labels: Tara Masterson Hally
Monday, August 22, 2011
New Music: Nouveaun - 'Believe'
Last year's 'Cinnte' was one of my favourite tracks of the year and now Dublin beat-crafters Nouveaun have uploaded a brand new track, which you can also download for free. As with all of the duo's work it's brimming with neat ideas and invention, as a complex smattering of sounds and samples are carefully intertwined before building up to a female-led chorus-of-sorts. Nice.
The track is taken from Nouveaun's upcoming new EP Sequence Consequence, a sampler for which is also below.
[Edit: Apparently the lads stripped their name back from Nouveaunoise to just Nouveaun...interesting!]
Believe by nouveaun
Nouveaun - Sequence Consequence EP Preview by nouveaun
Posted by Bryano at 1:44 PM 0 comments
Labels: Beats, Electronic, Irish, Nouveunoise
Free Mixtape: The New Wave Vol.1 - The best in new Irish music
The general consensus regarding Irish music is that we've entered something of a golden period and I'm in full agreement. In fact, I find the music to be that consistently brilliant that I want to do all I can to spread the sounds of this new wave to as far as possible. Hopefully my scribbles here do that a bit but I feel a collection of free-to-download mixtapes - each packed with the best Irish artists of late - are an even more effective way to invade your ear canals and convince you of their worth.
This first volume probably falls under the general indie tag but within that is a broad range of styles, such as Spies' brooding undertones, We Cut Corners' powerful melodies and Jape's synth-fuelled splendour.
Enough talking - more listening. Click the small downward arrow on the right hand side below for your free download of the mix and keep an eye out for another volume next week...
________ Tracklist_________1) Spies - 'Liars Call Me King'
2) Jape - 'Hands Of Fire
3) Squarehead - 'Axes Of Love'
4) Land Lovers - 'Cinema Bell'
5) Hello Moon - 'Vanity'
6) No Monster Club - 'A Morbid Fascination'
7) Kid Karate - 'Feel For You'
8) Come On Live Long - 'Animal'
9) We Cut Corners - 'Go Easy'
10) Leaders Of Men - 'Up Against The Wall'
* Disclaimer: This is all being done on a goodwill basis and if you like what you hear please try and support the artists involved by buying some of their music/going to a gig of theirs! If any of the artists featured would rather their music was not involved just get in touch.*
Posted by Bryano at 12:10 PM 1 comments
Labels: Come On Live Long, Hello Moon, Irish, Jape, Kid Karate, Land Lovers, Leaders of Men, Mixtape, New music, No Monster Club, Spies, Squarehead, The New Wave, We Cut Corners
Friday, August 19, 2011
Lana Del Rey: 'Video Games' - A voice to ease a life's worth of woes
I don't know much about this lady. I don't know if she's signed to a label, if she's touring here soon, if she has an album on the way and I'm not even 100% sure where she's from. Why? Because in the 30 minutes since I first heard this track I've been too captivated by it to go searching for details. That can come later. For now, I just want to focus on what I do know - namely that this is a heart-melting, achingly beautiful piece of work that plays host to a set of honey-dipped vocals that possess the power to ease a life's worth of woes in a few flat minutes. A stunning song and one to be savoured. Expect to be hearing a lot more from her soon.
Find Lana Del Rey @ Facebook // MySpace // Twitter
Big shout to Mr Sean Early and his impeccable taste for the tip off!
Posted by Bryano at 5:26 PM 0 comments
Labels: Female, Lana Del Ray, New music
New Video: Cashier No. 9 - 'Lost At Sea'
A really clever stop motion video for Cashier No.9's new single 'Lost At Sea'. The track itself is intelligent and accomplished with a sweeping chorus that warms the spirits and it underlines just why the Belfast outfit have been enjoying growing attention as of late. You want more? Have a listen to 'Goldstar' below - a certainty for many 'Best Of..'. lists come December.
Posted by Bryano at 4:04 PM 0 comments
Labels: Cashier No. 9, Indie, Irish. New Video, Northern Ireland, Stop Motion
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Introducing: Love Inks - minimal, melodramatic dream-pop
Ever so slightly late to the game with this one but Love Inks' E.S.P. album has captivated me for too long to go without a few words. A trio from Austin, Love Inks deliver a sound that's simplistic yet infectious, full of endearing vocals and a hazy, laidback nature. It reminds me greatly of Broadcast's superb Tender Buttons LP, and is laced with more than a dash of Beach House's dream-like qualities throughout. 'Blackeye' is the obvious highlight - a minimal and melodramatic little number that excels despite its repetitive nature but the entire album is a slow-burning gem and one that will come to dominate your most-played list in no time...
Posted by Bryano at 8:04 PM 0 comments
Labels: Beach Housem Love Inks, Dream-pop, Hazy, Introducing, Minimal
New Video: This Club - 'I Won't Worry'
Attention: the feel good hit of the summer has just arrived. This Club (formerly Hoarsebox) have rebounded from their name-change with debut single 'I Won't Worry' - a colourful, carefree and blindingly upbeat indie-pop anthem.
An effervescent chorus, hooks-a-plenty, handclaps and funky arrangements - this insatiable debut offering has the lot and the video is just as high-spirited, showcasing the cheeriest bout of busking I've ever seen. They'd make a fortune on Grafton St. that's for sure.
'I Won't Worry' is available now from iTunes, while their debut album - recorded with producer Dennis Herring at Sweet Tea Studios in Mississippi - will follow in 2012. By that stage you're likely to have heard much more about this track...
Posted by Bryano at 1:30 PM 1 comments
Monday, August 15, 2011
James Vincent McMorrow covers Adele's 'Someone Like You'
'Someone Like You' is the most popular song of the year - end of. For a long period of time it was simply inescapable and by result I eventually grew weary of it. This cover by James Vincent McMorrow is special though, as the Dublin native strips it back to just tender guitar plucks and then applies his beautifully fragile vocals on top, breathing new life into the track in the process. James V. is one of our most talented singer-songwriters and is finally getting the kind of exposure he deserves. Last year's Early In The Morning album was among the year's best and if you've yet to sample his work, then listen to 'This Dark Old Machine' below and prepare to be wowed.
Big thanks to Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff for the tip-off.
Posted by Bryano at 1:38 PM 0 comments
Labels: Adele, Cover, James Vincent McMorrow
Gig News: Future Bright curated by Harmless Noise
Seriously impressive line-up for the next instalment of Future Bright - the monthly show that aims to highlight the best in new Irish music. Curated by Nay McArdle of stellar Irish music blog Harmless Noise, the night will feature live performances from much-lauded Cork producer Toby Kaar, Last Days of 1984 who have been receiving much attention as of late, as well as Low Sea, VerseChorusVerse and Bantum, plus DJ sets from Le Galaxie + Logikparty. The fun kicks off in Crawdaddy next Thursday the 25th August with tickets priced at a wallet-friendly €5.
Great home-grown music, great price and apparently there may even be some nifty drinks promos...what more could ye want for a fiver, eh?
Get your tickets in early from here: entertainment.ie/tickets
Bread by TobyKaar
▲▲L▲ST D∆YS OF 1984▲▲ - RIVER'S EDGE by ▲▲L▲ST D∆YS OF 1984▲▲
Slide by BANTUM
Alex by low_sea
VerseChorusVerse - Inches From A Fairytale from Bandwidth on Vimeo.
Posted by Bryano at 11:12 AM 0 comments
Labels: Bantum, Future Bright, Gig, Last Days of 1984, Le Galaxie, Logikparty, Low Sea, Toby Kaar, VerseChorusCerse
Friday, August 12, 2011
Introducing: Adalita - the Aussie PJ Harvey?
Continuing the slow assimilation of Australian content (I'm headed there soon for the guts of a year) - here's Adalita, who in short, appears to be the Aussie version of PJ Harvey. It's a lazy comparison no doubt but with a formula of powerful melancholic inflections and sparse linear riffs - the similarity is undeniable. 'The Repairer', her debut single, may not be quite as affecting as Harvey's incredible recent effort (Let England Shake is undoubtedly album of the year territory) but it's a strong, haunting introduction to the former Magic Dirt front-woman and you can consider my interest in this lady piqued.
'The Repairer' is released on September 5th, with Adalita's self-titled debut album to follow in 2012.
Posted by Bryano at 2:03 PM 1 comments
Introducing: The Statics
Formerly known as The Strutts (cursed legal wranglings...) The Statics are a four-piece Dublin outfit with a penchant for a jangly hook and a leaning towards 60s infused pop melodies. 'Had It Too' is a particularly catchy treat, bearing a sprightly rhythm and excellent vocals that hark back to the The Las, while 'Easy To Forget' is a good-vibe tune which the band launched a new video for just last week. View this nifty new video below and be sure to check The Statics out at the follow places:
Facebook // Breaking Tunes // Twitter // MySpace
The Statics - Had It Too from Andrew Norton on Vimeo.
Posted by Bryano at 1:23 PM 0 comments
Labels: Indie, Introducing, The Statics
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Gig Preview: Pick for the Picnic 2011 - Listen to each of the finalists
This year's Pick for the Picnic showcase will again see 16 emerging Irish bands battle it out across four heats for a spot at Electric Picnic. Each heat will see an eclectic mix of talented acts playing for FREE in Crawdaddy on Wednesday 10th, Thursday 11th, Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th of August. One act from each heat will then go into the final on Thursday 1st of September, the eve of the Electric Picnic festival. Doors open for each gig at 7.30 pm.
Last year's winners Cloud Castle Lake have been on a steady ascent ever since and making it to the heats is a general indication that you're doing something right! There's some seriously strong competition this year and I could pick half a dozen bands who could easily romp home. I'm looking forward to seeing some personal favourites like Spies, Come On Live Long, Tandem Felix, Leaders Of Men and The Casanova Wave perform, as well as checking out the bands I'm less familiar with. Be sure to pop along to at least one of the gigs though - it's free and is the perfect opportunity to sample the country's finest emerging bands.
Wednesday August 10th
Tandem Felix
Come On Live Long
The Razor Ball
Thursday August 11th
The Casanova Wave
Women's Murder Club
Wednesday 17th August
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Thursday 18th August
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Leaders Of Men
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Bravery 12mm wide coffee brown leather bracelet
Our Leather Rope bracelets are for those of you looking for something a little bit different, either for yourself or as a gift for someone else. Each hand-made leather bracelet is individually designed, and hand made in the U.K from a variety of excellent quality real leather (not P.U. coated). All our bracelets are supplied with a Bravery presentation tin making them the ideal gift or as a treat for yourself. With a great choice of design, colour and sizes.
small (18cm), medium (19cm ) and large (20cm) (approx.)
Bravery 12mm Leather Rope Bracelet
Make a statement with this stunning Bravery 12mm leather rope bracelet. The bracelets are secured with a Bravery engraved black stainless steel magnetic slide locking clasp. Whether you have a small or larger wrist, you are in luck as we make them in three different sizes. Please note as these are genuine leather products, they should not be worn in water, and the colour will change over time.
+ Designed and handmade in the UK
+ 100% leather with black engraved Stainless Steel clasp
+ 12mm leather rope
+ Choice of 3 colours
+ Sizes are small (18cm), medium (19cm ) and large (20cm) (approx.) .
+ Bravery gift tin
+ The Bravery bracelet is made from genuine leather and the colours will change over time with wear. The bracelets are not designed to be worn in water.
Additional information
Small, Medium, Large
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Every time I try to create a Scatterplot 3D Graph - Surface Plot the application closes. This happens even when using the sample data provided with the application. I tried connecting to the session using my browser and directly using VMWare Horizon Client. The only way it is successful, is when I Remote Desktop to the session. This is not a viable solution. Please help.
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Two college students are musicians-in-residence at local senior living community they call home
The two young men strumming classical guitars at the Franklin Park Alamo Heights assisted living facility one recent afternoon could have been the great-grandsons of some of the dozen residents gathered for a private concert in the chandelier-lit conference room.
Nodding in time, the residents watched Carlos Guevara and Sean Kithas playing Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía's song, Entre dos Aguas (Between Two Waters).
After the duet and solos, the new fans applauded the music students from the University of Texas at San Antonio guitar program. Audience member Rose Mary Smith told the pair she enjoyed their performance and thought she had heard a Beatles run in one of the songs.
"They're both excellent," Smith, 83, said. "I think the program is unique, it's very appealing, especially for the older people that live here."
The two young guitarists, unusual as it might seem to some, are the newest residents at the Alamo Heights and Franklin Park Sonterra communities. Guevara and Kithas have been chosen as the inaugural musicians-in-residence at the two Franklin Park senior communities. That means 21-year-old Guevara, a sophomore, and 24-year-old Kithas, a senior, will provide a minimum of three performances each week for room and board at Franklin Park Sonterra, on Sunset Road, and Alamo Heights, respectively.
Luke L. Classen, president of Franklin Companies, said he has seen the important role that music plays in the lives of residents at his senior living communities, not only in keeping them active and engaged, but in overall healthy living. He said their communities were the first to offer the inter-generational program in Texas.
"The support, interest and involvement of our residents will help these young performers develop their talents," Classen said, "while our residents will gain inspiration from the students and have the pleasure of watching them grow personally and professionally."
Similar musician-in-residence programs at retirement communities have been in place for several years in cities across the nation, including Baltimore, Maryland, Cleveland, Ohio and Urbandale, Iowa.
The pair learned about the program from a flyer posted at the music building at UTSA and auditioned at the end of last semester.
Guevara said the Franklin Park staff had already made him feel at home. A music performance major, Guevara said the program is a way to connect with diverse groups and build his experience performing before a live audience.
"I feel like they're family," he said. "They share their stories, give advice to me and they give me the confidence to play better."
Kithas said he was close to both sets of his grandparents growing up and welcomed the chance to live in the retirement community. The one thing that's surprised him is how receptive everyone has been to him.
"I was pretty comfortable playing for them," said Kithas, a music marketing major. "I try to cater my songs to the situation and I play a little more jazz for memory care residents."
Music therapy sessions, featuring music such as jazz, has been one of the treatments that caregivers at another location, Franklin Park TCP Parkway, have used to help Alzheimer's patients focus and link songs to important times in their lives.
Alamo Heights resident Dr. Vernon James, 88, quipped that he was fine with the project as long as the musician-in-residence wasn't a drummer.
"When I went to college I wish I could have had something like this, I would have sung for my supper any day," the retired pediatrician said. "Music has a very peaceful, calming influence on people. I think it was Plato who said that music gives wings to the imagination and sets the mind free."


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A salute to THE GREATEST FANS in the world! 🔥⚡#H2H40 🤘🏼🤘🏼 https://t.co/yGon4Py2DD
AC/DC (formed 1973)
AC/DC are a heavy rock band from Australia that began their rise to fame with the debut album High Voltage.
Formation: The band's name was chosen after Angus and Malcolm Young spotted the logo on their sister's sewing machine. They decided that the acronym was a suitable representation of the band's raw energy and powerful performances. Born in Glasgow, Angus, Malcolm and George Young all moved with their family to Sydney, Australia, in 1963. George was the first of the brothers to learn guitar, and joined The Easybeats, a successful Australian rock band, with Malcolm following suit and joining The Velvet Underground (an Australian band, not their New York counterparts) AC/DC eventually formed in 1973, when Malcolm and Angus were joined by bassist Larry Van Kriedt, drummer Colin Burgess and vocalist Dave Evans. Their debut gig was at Chequers Club in Sydney, New Year's Eve, 1973. The band's line-up changed frequently during this early period, with Burgess being the first to get fired. The schoolboy uniform was adopted after Angus had tried a number of other stage outfits, including a gorilla and Spiderman. Having decided that Evans was an unsuitable front person for the band, they eventually settled on Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott. Bon Scott joined the band in 1974 and by January the next year, the debut album, High Voltage had been recorded.
Success, Highlights and Hard Times: Following the release of High Voltage, AC/DC released the single 'It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)', which became something of an anthem for the band and their fans. The band's success grew, thanks to a number of high profile Australian TV performances, as well as international tours with the likes of Kiss, Aerosmith, Cheap Trick and Blue Öyster Cult. A compilation of their first two albums, High Voltage and T.N.T. became the band's first album to be granted international distribution. Their next studio album was Dirty Deeds Done Cheap, followed by 1977's Let There Be Rock. Around this time, Mark Evans was fired, due to personal differences with Angus Young. He was replaced by Cliff Williams. Williams' debut studio appearance was on Powerage. The supporting tour for the album spawned the live recording, If You Want Blood, You've Got It, recorded in Glasgow's Apollo Theatre. Highway to Hell was the band's first album to break into the US Top 100 album chart, promoting them to the top rank of the world's hard rock acts at the time. In February 1980, Bon Scott passed away. The official cause of death was named as 'death by misadventure' and 'acute alcohol poisoning'. He was buried in Fremantle, Australia. After much deliberation, the band decided to continue, and recruited Brian Johnson to take up the mantle of AC/DC vocalist. He helped the band to finish writing the album Back In Black, which they had begun with Bon Scott. The album spawned the hits 'You Shook Me All Night Long' and 'Hells Bells'. The album has sold over 22 million copies, in the US alone. It was a UK number one and spent 131 weeks in the US album charts. For Those Of You About To Rock, We Salute You was released in 1981, to a positive critical and commercial response. In 1983, they self-produced the album Flick of The Switch, trying to return to their earlier raw production sound. It was around this time that Phil Rudd and Angus Young's differences came to a head. Rudd was replaced by Simon Wright and Wright was later replaced by Chris Slade. 1986 saw the band release a compilation album, Who Made Who, which was the soundtrack to Stephen King's film Maximum Overdrive. In 1994, Rudd was invited back into the band and replaced Slade. They released the album Ballbreaker with this line-up in place. In 2006, the band begun working on a new studio album and announced that it would be due for release in late 2008, for sale exclusively through WalMart stores.
The ultimate back to work playlist.
People everywhere are beginning to return back to work this month after long periods at home on the government's furlough scheme during the coronavirus pandemic. To some, it's the end of a holiday, but to others, it's a very welcome return to normality!
Photo Credit: Pixabay
Without Me - Eminem
Continue reading: Guess Who's Back: Songs To Play When You're Returning To Work
He passed away from dementia at 64-years-old.
Malcolm Young, the guitarist and co-founder of rock band AC/DC, passed away at the age of 64 over the weekend surrounded by his family. He's the second member of his family to die in the last month, and he had been retired for three years.
AC/DC at the Premiere of 'AC/DC - Live at River Plate' in 2011
The Scottish-Australian rocker, who created AC/DC with his brother Angus Young in 1973, died following a three-year battle with dementia on Saturday (November 18th 2017). The sad news comes less than a month after his older brother and producer George Young lost his life.
Continue reading: AC/DC Star Malcolm Young Dies After Three Year Illness
Axl Rose was announced as joining the band for the final shows on their word tour, following Johnson's departure.
AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson has released a statement explaining his decision to bow out of the remaining dates on the band's Rock or Bust world tour. Johnson was advised by doctors to stop touring or face permanent hearing loss, after fronting the hard rock band for over 35 years.
Brian Johnson has spoken out after being forced to step down as AC/DC singer for live shows.
Johnson's statement comes days after AC/DC announced that Guns 'n' Roses singer Axl Rose would be fronting the band for the remaining dates of the tour. "On March 7th, after a series of examinations by leading physicians in the field of hearing loss, I was advised that if I continue to perform at large venues, I risked total deafness," Johnson told fans.
Continue reading: Brian Johnson Details Why He Left AC/DC Tour And His Future With The Band
The Aussie Rockers played a concert at the team's home ground last week.
Chicago Cubs coach Joe Maddon has accused Aussie rockers AC/DC of messing up the baseball team's Wrigley Field stadium, after they played a concert there last Tuesday (September 15). Maddon was speaking after the Cubs beat Milwaukee Brewers 9-5 on Monday, but made three errors during the game.
AC/DC have been accused of 'messing up' Wrigley Field after their concert last Tuesday.
Speaking to The Chicago Tribune Maddon said, "They totally messed up the infield, and it has nothing to do with the groundskeepers. I've seen a bad hop at third, and a bad hop at second. I didn't see one bad hop all year."
Continue reading: Chicago Cubs Coach Accuses AC/DC Of 'Messing Up' Wrigley Field Stadium
The drummer denies breaking the strict home detention conditions he was sentenced to last month.
Former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has pleaded not guilty to breaching the conditions of his home detention sentence. Last month the 61 year old was arrested for breaching the strict conditions of his sentence by allegedly possessing and consuming alcohol at his home on New Zealand's North Island.
Rudd with his former AC/DC bandmates.
When asked by reporters after the hearing if he was nervous about the case, the drummer replied: "No, the only thing I'm nervous about is I don't, I don't actually don't know what's going on." The 61 year old has been allowed to remain in home confinement on bail, until the hearing regarding the alleged breach takes place in November.
Continue reading: Ac/Dc Drummer Phil Rudd Pleads Not Guilty To Home Detention Breach
The drummer surprisingly pleaded guilty to the charges, but was remanded on bail for sentencing in June.
Phil Rudd, the troubled drummer with rock titans AC/DC, pleaded guilty to charges of threatening to kill and possession of drugs, a court has heard.
The embattled star, 60, had been scheduled to stand trial on Tuesday at the Tauranga district court in New Zealand, but has surprisingly entered a guilty plea the day before it is due to begin.
AC/DC without Phil Rudd in a promotional photo
Continue reading: AC DC Drummer Phil Rudd Pleads Guilty To Threats To Kill And Drug Possession
Kicking off in August, the tour sees the band joined by Chris Slade and Stevie Young.
Rock legends AC/DC have finally announced the dates for their North American tour. The group will be travelling the world with 'Rock or Bust' and, while they've already announced their Europe dates which will run from May to July, they know unveil details of the North American leg in August, which kicks of in Foxborough and finishes up in September at the Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium.
AC/DC announce North American tour dates
The 'Rock or Bust' world tour will begin in Holland on May 5th 2015. The studio album, which was released on December 2nd 2014, was the first album released since the phenomenal success of 2008's 'Black Ice'; a record which became a worldwide chart topper and officially the second best-selling album in the world that year. It features new guitarist Stevie Young, replacing his uncle Malcolm Young following his dementia diagnosis. Drummer Phil Rudd has also been replaced for the forthcoming tour by the band's former drummer Chris Slade.
Continue reading: AC/DC Finally Announce North American Dates For The 'Rock Or Bust' World Tour
Coachella 2015 brings some fantastic artists - new and old - to Indio, California.
It's that time of year again as the full line-up announcement for Coachella 2015 arrives following some spectacular headliners: AC/DC, Jack White and Drake will all top the bills at the two-weekend event in April.
Well known for its diverse collection of rock, pop, electronic, hip hop and indie artists from around the world, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is yet again set to arrive at the Empire Polo Club fields in Indio, California. Kicking off with the first event from Friday April 10th - 12th, the festival will repeat the following week from April 17th - 19th.
Continue reading: From Steely Dan To Raekwon And Ghostface Killah: Who's Been Announced For Coachella 2015?
Rudd still stands accused of threatening to kill and drug charges.
AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd still faces a plethora of charges in his alleged murder plot scandal, but has had the most significant of the lot withdrawn. A New Zealand crown solicitor has chosen not to proceed with the attempting to procure murder charge, but Rudd is still under fire on threatening to kill and possession of methamphetamine and cannabis charges, among others.
AC/DC's drummer Phil Rudd was absent from the band's recent press materials.
According to the New York Daily News, Rudd's lawyer, Paul Mabey, had little to say about the case, when his client faced the crown court on Thursday. Mabey explained that the charge should never have been laid by the New Zealand Police, who allegedly pushed the case without consulting Tauranga Crown Solicitor Greg Hollister-Jones, who agreed Thursday to strike the attempting to procure murder charge.
Continue reading: AC/DC Drummer Phil Rudd Off The Hook For Procuring Murder, Still Faces Threatening To Kill And Drugs Charges
Phil Rudd was left off a press image of AC/DC last month.
AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd, 60, has been arrested in New Zealand and charged with ordering the murder of two men. A member of the Taurango Central division of New Zealand Police confirmed the arrested though did not provide any further details. According to Stuff, Rudd was also charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of cannabis and threatening to kill.
Phil Rudd did not appear on a press image of AC/DC released last month
The legendary band's long-time drummer appeared in court on Thursday afternoon and was released on bail shortly afterwards. He is due back for a hearing in three weeks, when a trial date could be set.
Continue reading: AC/DC Drummer Phil Rudd Accused Of Ordering Murder On Two Men
Brian Johnson and AC DC Saturday 7th January 2012 Brian Johnson of AC/DC appears during testing for Rolex Sports Car Series 'Rolex 24' at Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida
AC DC AC/DC launches wine collection
Brian Johnson and AC DC - Brian Johnson of the band AC/DC New York City, USA New York City, USA - signs his new memoir 'Rockers and Rollers' at Barnes & Noble Tuesday 24th May 2011
Angus Young, AC DC and Brian Johnson - Malcolm Young, Cliff Williams, Angus Young and Brian Johnson of AC/DC Friday 6th May 2011 at Hammersmith Apollo London, England
Band form
A salute to THE GREATEST FANS in the world! 🔥⚡#H2H40 🤘🏼🤘🏼 https://t.co/yGon4Py2DD
@ultimateguitar's Justin Beckner takes a look at the gear Malcolm and Angus used during the Highway To Hell session… https://t.co/aRHGdFDBod
Malcom reminisces about the songs written for Highway To Hell! Listen to this album and more of your AC/DC favorit… https://t.co/FSTsZJ9HZW
Bon the crayfisherman? YES!! 🤘🏼⚡🤘🏼🔥 #h2h40 https://t.co/A7c1XPeRqR
The original 'Highway To Hell' cover was "shot down in flames" by the American record company... ⚡⚡⚡🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/6FA2FWbWYo
Celebrate with us! ⚡ #H2H40 https://t.co/JEh0SsWXeU https://t.co/QFDi46Pd4L
Show us your horns! https://t.co/CGuqsFa42M
"Wanna tell you story About a woman I know..." ⚡#H2H40 Watch the full video here: https://t.co/JrpdB89EPQ https://t.co/9hJwzICQLC
Spotted on Route 66...can you find the others? Listen to Highway to Hell on @amazonmusic now! #H2H40… https://t.co/uxAyAVkTlE
AC/DC played 18 shows in Germany in November and December '79. Were you there? ⚡#H2H40 https://t.co/Cmx9hyLAxi
Different covers, same rock 🤘🏼 What does AC/DC vinyl look like where you live? ⚡ https://t.co/AB4d8IrQAY
Happy 40th Anniversary, Highway To Hell! Listen to this album and more of your AC/DC favorites now on @Spotify… https://t.co/LhH5Zv7ByP
🔥⚡ #H2H40 Watch the Roadmap of Highway to Hell (from the film The Story of Back In Black) -… https://t.co/ieYCCOSANZ
RT @youtubemusic: Charged up and ready to ride ⚡ Highway to Hell is 40 and @acdc are here #H2H40 → https://t.co/kxoLyNqPhX https://t.co/DFn…
Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the iconic album, 'Highway To Hell' with this playlist of AC/DC Essentials on… https://t.co/gVNF3fW5Z6
Thanks so much @youtubemusic for putting AC/DC up in Times Square! AC/DC's full catalog is now available on the new… https://t.co/fyobf3pAgD
Celebrate with us all month long! ⚡ #H2H40 https://t.co/JEh0SsWXeU https://t.co/X9n6F9BGal
Check out Bon's handwritten lyrics for "Girls Got Rhythm"! 🔥⚡ #H2H40 https://t.co/C0NWcCPOfA
Unleashed from the vault! "The Jack" live from Holland on the Highway To Hell Tour! Watch the full video here:… https://t.co/RSXnuya4Cc
"Living easy, living free Season ticket on a one-way ride..."⚡ #H2H40 https://t.co/sILuMZxu5B


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BEC Union Leaders Apologize To Leslie Miller
After three days of illegal demonstrations, the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) leaders are singing a new tune.
Now, the monkeys who run the union are apologizing for calling BEC Chairman Leslie Miller a "dog".
BEWU president Stephano Greene told a local newspaper he regretted the comments he made to the media describing Mr Miller as 'a dog needing a leash'. The delirious unionists had also made several demands of the government… including that Mr Miller be fired.
Mr Greene now says he would like to go on record as saying that he "might have made some statements that were not in the best of taste by saying that the government ought to control their dog.
"I, in no way or form, want to show disrespect to Mr Miller or the government. We apologise for any inconvenience that it may have caused.
"We realise that there is a certain way that things should be conducted especially when we get to Prime Minister Perry Christie's level. I apologise."
Greene's irreverent assault on Mr Miller came on Wednesday, the second day of his union's illegal protests at BEC's main offices. He claimed Mr Miller was lambasting staff and acting as a tyrant by publicly announcing whom he would fire from the company.
He said the government may need to "put a leash on their dog and put him in line."
The industrial unrest has also led to a police probe into a power outage on Wednesday, said BEC spokesman Arnette Ingraham.
"There was a generator trip at Blue Hills on Wednesday evening, April 3, 2013. To my knowledge, due to the heightened industrial climate at BEC, the Royal Bahamas Police Force was contacted to conduct an investigation," Imngraham said.
Mr Greene said that if the investigation found a union member was guilty of sabotage, they would be dealt with to the full extent of the law.
Meanwhile, operations at BEC were 'back to normal' by Friday.BEC, criminals, incompetence, unions


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Dave East Says Nicki Minaj Wanted To Have Sex With Him.
Funk Flex had some legendary New York rappers as guest on his Hot97 show. Dave East and Styles P blessed Hot97 and Flex with a freestyle while on a promo run for their joint project "Beloved". During his freestyle part Dave East dropped a bar about Nicki Minaj that caught the whole world's attention "Nicki tried to holla but I'm just tryna make my album."
Dave's line comes on the heels of Quavo insinuating a potential fling with Nicki Minaj. Do you think it was just a clever line or something more?
Check freestyle video below and tell us what you think!


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With tax season rapidly approaching, it seemed only fitting to dig a little into the Redwood's and Newport's financial pasts, if only for a bit of perspective. Although known for the gilded age mansions that grace Bellevue Avenue, there was a long established tradition of building grand summer "cottages" on the island years before Richard Morris Hunt, Horace Trumbauer and McKim, Mead and White came along. These imposing wooden structures have almost all been demolished or renovated to the point of being unrecognizable. However, we do still have an inkling of the original "nouveau riche" who owned these homes in their tax records.
Take, for example, the Redwood Library. By 1864 the Library was only two rooms, the Harrison Room and the Reading Room, and our property tax was $51, the equivalent of approximately $755 in 2016. Doesn't sound like much? Let's keep going.
Theodore W. Phinney, owner of The Reefs, which would later be famed as the home of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, paid $276 in taxes which is roughly $4,085 today. Auguste Belmont, well known for his personality, his money, and his homes paid $456 in taxes. That is about $6,750 in 2016. At this point, Belcourt Castle had not yet been built, and Mr. Belmont was still summering in his first home, By-The-Sea.
One of the highest figures from this volume, was paid by a man named Frederick Berreda. His taxes for the year of 1864 cost him $750, which in modern money is over $11,000.
On the other hand, not everyone in Newport was making that much money. Take Joseph C. Lawton, who paid $1.80 in taxes; about $25 today. Or how about Mary Scott, who had only $10 worth of property, yet still paid $6. At this point, President Lincoln had not yet signed the Revenue Act of 1864. However, the Revenue Act of 1862, begun primarily to help the Union raise money for the war effort, was the first progressive income tax placed on United States citizens, and attempted to separate taxpayers into groups based on their "ability to pay." Unfortunately, this was only partially successful, as the tax rates failed to raise enough money for the war, and were ultimately raised again in June of 1864.
And here, we even find our friend George Champlin Mason – renowned architect, author, historian and Library member - paying his part to help the Union.
This delightful volume, part of a larger set, is part of the Schumacher collection and was the gift of Diana Macarthur-Stanham. Taxes were assessed by William J.H. Ailman, William P. Congdon, John H. Ailman, Joseph A. Carr, and William S. Cranston. This book is available for research with a reference appointment.


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Calla Lily 1/4 Oz.
Product Details
What it does: Brings clarity about sexual identity, sexual self-acceptance; balances masculine and feminine qualities.
Who it works for: For persons feeling confusion or ambivilance about sexual identity or gender.
For more detailed information on flower essence qualities, please refer to the Flower Essence Repertory published by the Flower Essence Society.


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The Colbys (1985)
The Colbys is an American prime time soap opera, which originally aired on ABC from November 20, 1985 to March 26, 1987. Produced by Aaron Spelling, it was a spin-off of Dynasty, which had been the highest rated series for the 1984–1985 U.S. television season. The Colbys revolved around another wealthy, upper-class family, who were distant relatives of the Carringtons of Dynasty and who owned a large multi-national corporation. Intended to surpass its predecessor in opulence, the series' producers were handed an immensely high budget for the era and cast a handful of well-known movie stars among its leads, including Charlton Heston, Barbara Stanwyck, Katharine Ross and Ricardo Montalban. However, The Colbys was ultimately a ratings disappointment, and was canceled after two seasons.
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- Robert Mason Pollock
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Design: Prapesa
Project Type: Produced
Client: Lenart Girandon and Gašper Osolnik, home brandymakers
Location: Slovenia
Packaging Contents: Brandy
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Paper
Printing Process: Digital Printing
Home distillation of brandy is an all-Slovenian culinary discipline, that has gathered risk of getting back pain at fruit collecting and sitting by a cauldron, where at last only the ones with persistence of a vulture achieve victory. Due to smaller produced quantities of home brandy clients, Mr Lenart Girandon and senor Gašper Osolnik, wanted a one-solution-fits-all, which would highlight all of the important information. Even more, they wanted the tag to be at disposal for other brandy-creating colleagues, which will underline the visibility of this tradition.
What's Unique?
Open source design projects that enables everyone, who make their own brandy, to use Percentage tags and adapt it to their needs.


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Magic Sequin Micro-Mini Backpack/XBody
Dazzling sequins on this micro-mini backpack change colors with just a swipe of your hand! The sequins flip from royal blue to rose gold while the straps and back panel are soft, multi-colored metallic vinyl. Switch the straps to convert the backpack to a crossbody purse for hands-free shopping or errands. This super-sparkly accessory will turn heads wherever you go.
- Reversible sequin mini backpack and crossbody purse.
- Sequins, fabric, metal.
- 2.75" W x 7" H x 5.5" L
We Also Recommend


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All of our Olive Square Containers come with air-tight lids to help prevent accidental spillages, ergonomically designed carry handles, and are constructed from a durable plastic which remains shatterproof even in low temperatures.
The 17LTR Olive Square Container is compatible with the Pureflo Bait filter System 17LTR.
17LTR: H30cm x W29cm x D25cm


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No. 116 Lushan Road
0 reviews Customers consider this Apartment as correct.
No. 116 Lushan Road
Nanjing, China.
Among others, the Fraser Suites Nanjing offers the following services: Business Center, Airport shuttle and 24 Hour Reception.
The Fraser Suites Nanjing is a 5 star Apartment. The rooms quality and room service are correct, this Apartment is close to Nanjing Lukou International Airport, and other sights to see.
It is also important the fact that kindly security guards guarantee the safety of guests at the hotel, moreover this accommodation gives you the oportunity to feel right at home with the use of its refrigerator. Also you may ask for the cash-machine in the registration desk, as well as guests have priority use of the hotels business and secretarial services.


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Stephen M.R. Covey has sold 600,000 copies of The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything, a book that has been endorsed by a who's who of CEOs and management authorities. Covey, chief executive of CoveyLink and the former CEO of Covey Leadership Centre and FranklinCovey, spoke with editor-in-chief Paul Crookall on trust in public service.
There are many trust deficits in our work: between politicians and citizens; managers and staff; ministers and departments; one agency and another. How does your research on trust apply?
Public service is built on relationships, and they thrive or die on trust. The context changes, between public and private sector, from one nation to another, but the principles remain the same – even more so in public service where there is a duty to society. As British Prime Minister Disraeli put it, "All power is a trust, we are accountable for its exercise, from the people and for the people, all springs, and all must exist."
What's your advice to a manager moving into a low trust situation?
In most cases, you can build trust faster than you thought possible, provided you pay deliberate attention to it. When you go into the situation, don't ignore, or worse, deny, there is a trust problem. If it is yours, own it. If you have inherited it, acknowledge the issue and declare your intent to create trust – make it an explicit objective. That public declaration makes it easier for people to recognize trustworthy actions and accelerates the process. But if, having said it, you then don't follow through, you magnify the problem.
We judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behaviour. This is why one of the fastest ways to restore trust is to make and keep commitments. It's not easy, but it is relatively simple. Be purpose-driven, use a deliberative process, and follow through with action and results.
In the U.S., political appointees replace the top levels of public servants after a change in government. In Canada, the professional, non-partisan public service goes all the way to the deputy minister. One side effect can be that a new government's ministers and staff do not trust "the bureaucracy" appointed by their predecessors. And "the bureaucracy" doesn't trust the government's agenda. How can we build trust in those cases?
The fear is of different agendas and motives – what is the other person's "intent." I'd suggest you approach the situation from the perspective of focusing on the objectives and the job to be done, and focusing on achieving results in a way that grows trust. Politicians have a responsibility not just to govern, but to also build trust, which in turn builds their capacity to govern and to serve.
I'd be direct, as minister or deputy minister, and say that it is important to build trust in our relationship so that we can: accomplish more; enjoy work more; and be most cost-effective. I would commit to behaving in ways that build trust – practicing the 13 behaviours. I'd lead out, by behaving in a trustworthy way, and by extending trust to the other. There is, clearly, some risk in doing this, and some reluctance, often by the politician. But the potential is great.
Leaders need to realize that trust and distrust are often reciprocated. If the politician distrusts the public service executive, the executive will distrust the politician, and vice-versa. There is a fear of being burned. I am not advocating blind trust. But we cannot allow the few who would abuse trust to set the tone. Let the many who will be inspired set the tone. As a leader, say: "I will lead out; it starts with me first."
Performance management is a big issue. One behaviour you recommend is "hold others accountable…good performers want others to be held accountable. They thrive where they can trust that slackers and poor performers won't just slip by." Recently, a committee chaired by two prominent Canadians, Paul Tellier and Don Mazankowski, advised the Prime Minister that the public service should focus on performance management. In some public service organizations, managers are reluctant to focus on poor performers, and staff are reluctant to draw attention to fellow workers who are not producing or who are violating laws and regulations. How do you build a culture where "don't rat" and "ignore the elephant in the room" is replaced by something healthier?
That shift doesn't happen over night. You have to move to where the culture becomes the enforcer. Rules provide some control, but at a greater cost than building trust. Building trust takes time and effort, to build a critical mass of employees who like being trusted and don't want to lose that, so they report abuses by their colleagues.
Government tends to be at one end of the spectrum, with the "web of rules."
And at the other end is Nordstrom, whose employee handbook says simply: "Use good judgment in all situations." That's a pretty extraordinary rule. They didn't start with it, out of the blue, because people weren't ready for it. They recruited, trained, coached, mentored, to build to the point where, if someone got out of line, it wasn't out of place for others to say, "hey, that's not how we do things around here." In most cultures, that rule would be out of place and abused, and that practice would be seen as "ratting."
To get there, you need to build trust, clarify expectations, practice accountability. With rules, you get minimum effort. But if you get enough of the many to help weed out the few, it works. They hold themselves, and others, accountable – more than that, they become "stewards" with a sense of ownership. Once the many have made the shift, it creates its own momentum, and is seen as helping reinforce what is valued, rather than as ratting. If not, then the few dominate the culture.
The problem is that many "ethics" solutions focus on compliance – follow the rules. As a result there are complex policy manuals. People can be duplicitous or even brutal in how they treat others, but unless they're caught fudging an expense account or violating some other measurable rule, most companies typically won't do anything about it. "Rules cannot take the place of character," Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve has noted.
It's difficult to change large organizations as a whole, so focus on the work units, build islands of high trust, and then build enough of them to transform the organization.
"Speaking truth to power" is a Canadian expression that combines two behaviours you recommend: "talk straight" and "right wrongs." I heard of a manager who said, "If you admit to a mistake, you've just made a second one." How can we both admit to mistakes, and advise superiors when we think they should rethink what they are doing?
If you make a mistake, there are costs. But if you hide it, the costs, when it surfaces, are greater. In the long run, admitting and correcting is more sustainable. And you build credibility. Think of the cost of mistakes and breaches of trust as a "tax." If you delay that tax, disguise or deny the problem, you pay more later. You get taxed for the wrong and then for the cover up.
Admitting mistakes is not common practice, but it is common sense. You need to build your credibility, build the four core competencies of integrity, intent, capabilities and results. Admitting a mistake, apologizing, and righting the wrong may seem like a weakness to some, but it is actually a great strengt


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This year, we held the biggest annual Christmas tournament on Lesvos in 3 years! For the very first time, the Greek community joined us, and it is clear that this is the beginning of a good relationship between the two communities. This is a great accomplishment for us!
The sports tournament was held for over 300 children divided into three different age groups. The first group was for girls and boys from ages 6-9 and girls aged 10+. This group got to play sports games in big fields. The game they played consisted of 8 stations, and every 10 minutes they had to switch from one station to another. The games were super fun for them as they giggled the day away. Another big benefit of the tournament was that they got to play with new kids (from the Greek community) and make new friends.
The second and third group was for boys aged 10-14 and 15-18. Like the previous group, they got to play lots of winter games as well as participate in football and basketball matches. Since everyone is a winner, Santa gave them all gifts!
At the end of the tournament, children from both communities got a gift from Santa!
A special thanks to our incredible staff On The Ground who dressed as Santa for the day and brought the Christmas spirit to Lesvos!
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I had a bit of time and the water levels looked good on the Connecticut River so I took a quick trip today. The report that I got from a quick search on the internet in regards to water level of the downstream dam was that water was flowing out of holding at a rate of 10,200 cfs until 1pm then slowing to 1,300 cfs till 6pm. We haven't gotten any good reports from these spots lately so I was hesitant but had to try with such a nice day!
The spot that I was planning on fishing today is rather shallow so I knew that I needed water in order for it to be productive. When I got there, the water was already at the base of the reeds so I bypassed it and headed to the next potential spot. The water here looked much better being that there is a good deep channel at all times. I fished up and down the setback and only was able to locate fish at one sheltered and channelized end.
Being that I was on the river, I was limited on my tackle options. I was fishing Bentley tungsten under a bobber tipped with a chartreuse and red flake Bobby Garland. I began fishing at a depth of 3′ and after a slow start I adjusted my depth just 4.5′. I changed the depth of my bobber for two reasons: 1) I wasn't catching many fish and 2) the current had my bait swimming just below the water level because it was moving so fast. It was comical how fast my bait was moving when fished close to shore in the current.
About the time I changed my depth the water level stopped dropping rapidly. Noticeably, my casts were lasting much longer before being pushed to shore by the current. Because I was now fishing deeper in the water column and my jig was moving slower I was able to really work each cast the way I wanted to.
The first few casts in the new conditions produced some real nice perch. In the next 45 minutes I landed about 35 perch between 9-12″. They were all males as evidenced by the presence of milt. It was fun catching these fish as they were aggressive biting but slow to pull the bobber under. Their bites resembled crappies so much that each fish got me excited for its reveal!
I am positive that I rolled at least one flat fish today because I was able to see the fish as soon as I set the hook. The semi-clear and low water level made it so the silhouettes only took a second to appear and one was a big round oval. Maybe next time I will know better!
I was limited as to what parts of the setback I could fish today because I didn't have my boat or kayak. I could see fish on the far shore popping at the surface for part of the time I was there, mainly when the water flow slowed. I would imagine they were crappie because of the distinct sound they were making. All in all it was a good mid day trip and I will be back there soon!


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For most people there is a pretty clear line between being, and not being, a candle person. The concepts are mutually exclusive, and one either enjoys candles or does not care for them at all. And following the sale of the candle company Yankee Candle for $1.75 billion, it is clear there are many in the former category.
"Candle people" are not too hard to spot. They always take part in the use of candles wherever they can. If a new storefront opens in their area, they are quickly there. If they find new products like scented items or new candle designs, they are quick to snatch them up.
Candle people are willing to put a candle just about anywhere that isn't a clear fire hazard, and to be honest, there are some who even feign the worry of that hazard (wrong as it may be). The décor in their home is almost always adorned with the use of wax-and-wick items that vary in scent and sensibility.
I'm in here all the time," said Chittrayo Ratanaudom, an administrative assistant at a Prudential Center investment firm, as she closed her eyes and enjoyed a long sniff of an Apple Pumpkin candle. Her Newton home is filled with Yankee Candles. "They give you an intimate feeling," she said. "It's like a sanctuary."
"We can't get these in the UK," said Cat Roy, a vacationing Londoner holding $110 worth of Candy Corn- and Pumpkin-scented candles. "They just sell the basic ones there."
"They're homey, but like, someone else's home." She paused to consider whose home, exactly. "Like a Midwesterner's home," she added as she stood well outside the Yankee Candle shop in the Prudential Center. "It feels like Gabe's mother's house." And who's Gabe? Her ex.
About RezCandles.com
Rez Candles (http://www.rezcandles.com/candles-by-scent/) provides customers with the best in elegant and pleasing candles of all types and for all occasions. Fill your home, work space, or any other area you can think of, with the best scented candles that calm the mind and warm the heart.
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Company Name: RezCandles.com
Contact Person: Benjamin Wrights
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: 4157669098
City: San Francisco
State: California
Country: United States
Website: http://www.rezcandles.com/candles-by-scent/
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The perfect jewelry piece for San Miguel lovers. Keep all your memories close to you of this beautiful and colorful place in Mexico. Available in 24K Gold Plated and Rhodium Plated.
*24K Gold Plated Stainless Steel
*Rhodium Plated Stainless Steel
*Dimension: Small 16 cm / 6.2 pulg perimeter
Medium: 17 cm / 6.6 in
*Incluye bolsa de terciopelo protectora y empaque original.
¡Be part of our Contest #WorldTravelingHands!
Suscribe to get exclusive promotions and 10% off on your first purchase.


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I love tinned tomatoes. They are a staple in my cupboards as I know I can always through a meal together with any thing as long as I've got some tomatoes in. I use them at least a few times a week.
Today I have used something slightly different to your bog standard chopped or plummed tomatoes and opted for some tinned pomodorini cherry tomatoes by Cirio.
These tomatoes have a beautifully sweet and intense flavour and I love that the cherry tomatoes are kept whole so you don't miss out on the burst of flavour with everyone you bite open.
They are a lot less saucy that chopped tomatoes so for my pasta dish I added some finely chopped tomatoes to my dish.
Overall the dish is just really fresh and perfect for summer dinners.
And with only four method steps to go through, it is a really quick and easy meal too.
300g tagliatelle
6-8 rashers of bacon, chopped or 1 pack of bacon lardons.
150g Woodland mushrooms (or any mushrooms you like), halved
1 x tin of Cirio pomodorini cherry tomatoes
1 x carton of finely chopped tomatoes
1 tsp lazy chopped garlic
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Handful of chopped parsley (plus extra to serve)
Shaved parmesan to serve
Oil for frying
1. Heat some oil in a large pan and fry off the bacon pieces for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and the mushrooms and fry for a further minute.
2. Add the tomatoes, paprika, balsamic and parsley and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Whilst the sauce simmers, cook the tagliatelle for 7-9 minutes (follow instructions on the packet)
4. Once cooked, strain and add to the sauce mix. Gently combine and serve topped with chopped parsley and parmesan shavings.


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Antique Ship Beam Coffee Table by Faisal Malik Design, Functional Art
"Like a strong and loving relationship between two people. There must be space in between to allow for individuality yet an unbreakable bond. Not to get lost as one entity and lose our own essence."
This antique Merawan plank is estimated at 100 to 200 years old and sourced from an old ship found along the river in Thonburi province, Thailand. The connecting bridges are reclaimed Burmese rosewood from a old Thai home.
- Reclaimed Merawan antique ship plank, est. 100-200 years old
- Length 118 cm x Width 52 cm x Height 28 CM
- Base 8 mm thick mirror polished stainless steel solid bar
- Natural plant based oil finish
*Images by: Willem Deenik
For more information
If you have an enquiry about a particular piece or wish to commission a custom design, please feel free to:


text: The Sustainable Energy Island Initiative (SIDS DOCK) is planning to establish a Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE). The centre will promote sustainable energy development in the Caribbean by improving access to modern services, improving energy security and mitigation of energy related negative environmental externalities. This is expected to be achieved by creating an enabling a renewable energy and energy efficiency regional market and by mitigating various barriers for the dissemination of sustainable energy technologies and services. The overall objectives of this project were to identify the regional baseline situation for sustainable energies and access to energy, regulatory, identify the specific barriers for RE&EE development and, understand the expectations of the different stakeholders regarding the establishment of the centre. The project also included the identification of options for the institutional organisation of the centre, funding sources and the preparation of the centre's programme for the first three years of operation.


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Acrylic Sim Racing Cockpit by HM Engineering
While there are a vast number of sim racing cockpit brands on the market, in some countries it can be eighter expensive or close to impossible to purchase them domestically. That's what Indonesian engineer Harris Muhammad must have thought three years ago when he set out to design a full-featured inexpensive sim racing rig.
The result of all his hard work is the HM Engineering GT-One Racing Simulation Cockpit. The first design was made for personal use out of one sheet of plywood. Soon after, Harris built two new prototype models named the GT-ONE and the F1. As the name suggests, the GT-ONE resulted in a GT racing car seat position, while the F1 was inspired by a single-seater cockpit. Interestingly, all parts of this rig are made of CNC machined plastic.
The HM Engineering cockpits will be shipped as a flat pack and can be assembled without the use of any bolts, nuts or screws. The cockpits will become available in a range of colors, and a rather original translucent acrylic version.
Currently, the HM Engineering GT-One Racing Sim Cockpit is on pre-order ( (by phone or WhatsApp) for US$ 394.00 – € 344,99 € – £ 306,86 + shipping.
- Unique and stylish design
- Easy knock-down
- Fully adjustable
- No Bolt-nuts, no screws.
- High compatibility
- Waterproof
- Light but strong
- Special material
- 100% made in Indonesia
Special features: All-in brackets, for a monitor, speaker system, shifter, keyboard, and mouse.
Official Webpage – harrismuhammad.com


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One of Lehigh's strategic goals is to increase the diversity of our international student body, with students who come from more countries around the world.
As part of a new international undergraduate recruitment strategy, staff from the Admissions and the Office of International Students and Scholars met with admissions counselors and visited high schools in 25 countries this fall, including six countries in Southeast Asia and 12 in Africa.
"The international recruitment landscape was predicted to be more of a challenge this year," says Morgan Volkart, Associate Vice Provost, Western Region and International Recruitment.
"We took this as an opportunity to ensure that high schools, counselors and students know that Lehigh is dedicated to continuing to recruit the best and brightest from abroad. We focused on diversifying the incoming class to ensure that we continue to reach students all over the world while building on areas where we traditionally see students from."
In Lehigh's most significant outreach on the continent to date, Samba Dieng, director of the Office of International Students and Scholars dedicated almost a month to traveling around Africa, meeting with more than 800 high school juniors and seniors, as well as counselors and parents.
The hard work paid off. At a time when international interest in a U.S. education is decreasing, Lehigh saw an increase of 32 percent in applications from non-U.S. citizens, with applications from 117 countries. The Class of 2022 will be the most internationally diverse yet—130 international students have enrolled (including six from Africa), roughly 10 percent of the incoming class.
"More countries are represented in this incoming class than any other with 39," says Volkart. "Nine new countries will now be represented in the undergrad population. This means that Lehigh students will have more opportunities to learn from the various perspectives and experiences that their peers bring to the Lehigh family!"


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Happy Friday Peeps!!
I wanted to pop in here quickly to share a fun card I put together yesterday using the Butterfly Gala stamp set and matching punch!
The butterflies in this set are so pretty and a really nice variety.
I first stamped the butterflies onto some thick whisper white card stock.
I colored with my aqua painter and ink pads.
I used Pumpkin Pie and Daffodil Delight on one set
and Mariana Mist and Call Me Clover on the others.
I then punched them out with the matching punch a
and added them to my white die cut piece with my Tombow Glue.
I told you how I have been obsessed with this Gingham black and white paper from he Butterfly Botanical pack that is a free in the Sale-A-Bration catalog this year.
I used it again! LOL!!!
The base of my card is thick Whisper White card stock,
followed with a piece of basic black and then the DSP.
I haven't used ribbon on any of my cards in a while,
but pulled out some black retired ribbon for this one.
I then added the butterfly piece to the base with some dimesionals.
The sentiment is from the same set and is stamped with Versamark and embossed with white embossing powder.
I finished up with a few rhinestones on the butterflies and card.
Thanks for stopping by today.


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Last edit
> See also [[Comments on 2008-04-28 Shopping]]
The party defeats evil monks that have been following them, questions one of them; Aurin has a dream; and the party gets rid of the Glabrezu Kaulifargh.
The monks have been following the party and try to ambush them. They are butchered like dogs. One of them is healed and questioned. Apparently Fäm's home abbey has been reconstructed by some of the survivors and a group has been trying to find the patron red dragon Goraniflargathix as Tiamat has been calling evil dragons back to the plane.
At the same time Aurin has a dream of Amaterasu, the goddess of light, to awaken the sleeping goddess Tevra in the Quietude by pouring some Water of Law on her. Apparently this is created by weeping gods and demigods. The Fudo priest at the City of Brass apparently has found a way to reach Tevra via a hidden tunnel.
The gold dragon's treasure is revealed and contains a lot of items useful to planar travelers, many flasks of assorted elemental and magical liquids, and some interesting relics, and a ring to contact Kerkoutha, warden of the South Wind Gate to the palace of Bahamut on Celestia. She agrees to become his agent.
The party also exorcises and fights the Glabrezu Kaulifargh. After a while I used an egg timer set to five minutes to cut down on the planning. Correct planning assured victory with a Magic Circle against Evil protecting the party against domination by the incorporeal Glabrezu. Only later did I read that "you trace a 3-foot diameter circle on the floor (or ground) around the creature to be warded." That would have basically made it impossible to use. That would certainly have changed things. Asking Nanami to enter such a circle would certainly have warned the demon. Cheaters!!
Anyway, that, magic weapons, and Align Weapon (good) was required for the party to succeed. Everything else was overplanning and not too interesting.
There was also a lot of shopping which is a typical player-only activity. The monks with their +1 rings and +2 bracers and other stuff brought lots of money into the party.
Next session will start in the Quietude at the entrance of the tunnel. (Something I have from Beyond Countless Doorways by Monte Cook, Wolfgang Baur, Colin McComb, and Ray Vallese.)
Challenges overcome: Six monks CR 8, their boss CR 12, an incorporeal Glabrezu CR 11.
See also Comments on 2008-04-28 Shopping


text: Nowadays, the IT professionals prefer the Microsoft certifications and exams due to their popularity among the employing organizations. The tests cover varied technology areas, including Windows Server, SQL Server, Dynamics 365, Microsoft Azure, and more. So if you are thinking about taking a Microsoft exam to get an in-demand certificate, we recommend you the 70-463 test.


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Summer is approaching and that means one thing: fun in the sun. Since we can't all make it down to the lake, we give Carve a run to see if it can manage to fill the gap.
As the old saying goes, you can't judge a game by its box art, or something like that. But sometimes, you really can. Take Carve, for example: the bland colours, lacklustre, generic logo and trying-too-hard-to-be-cool character designs assemble to form an appearance that runs up to the top of a very small building and screams to the skies, "I'm mediocre, dammit!" But does this necessarily mean the game can't be any fun at all?
Designed at UK-based Argonaut, Carve has pretty much been relegated to sub-radar regions of the hype-o-meter for most of its development cycle. Despite the fact that extreme sports games are all the rage with kids these days, there's something about jet skiing that kind of deflates the whole premise. Sure, games like Wave Race and Splashdown have been good, some might even say great, but they have also largely served as tech demos with added gameplay allowing everyone to ooh and aah at the pretty water effects. Water in games is like cleavage in the real world: if you're a man (or a woman) and there's some anywhere within eyeshot, you have to look. It's a simple biological fact.
So, how does the water look in Carve? In a word: blah. The entire surface has an oilslick sheen to it, so much so that I was a little surprised to not see Greenpeace dinghies bobbing along in the background in protest. It seems that Argonaut was going for that mirror-like effect you often see on calm, tranquil lakes, since you can see partial reflections of the riders, their watercraft and the environs. There's a logical problem with this, however. If you're screaming along in a high-horse power aquatic machine, there's not going to be too much of that smooth, glassy water around.
The water behaves so-so, impeding and guiding you where it should, but there are some bizarre instances of chicanery that would make Dr Hawking's voice synthesiser squawk in disgust. In several levels there are spots where the water is actually at an angle. Now, my knowledge of hydrodynamics and physics might be a little rusty, but that's just ridiculous. This is presumably meant to be a replacement for the actual ebbing and flowing of swells, but the end result is the shattering of your suspension of disbelief. Another watery blotch on the game's presentation is the constant - and constantly annoying - water spray on the camera. Yes, it looks nice in the beginning, and yes it's realistic, but do we really have to be inconvenienced by this all the time?
Handling of your watercraft is reasonable enough, and if you've never played one of the more seminal titles in the genre you'll be fine. There's a good sense of weight to the vehicles and it takes a bit of muscle to manoeuvre them, just as you'd expect. Of course, this being an extreme sport game, a simple recreation just won't do, so Argonaut has introduced a boost option, which they've dubbed Rushing. Landing tricks off one of the myriad ramps that litter the courses sees you hurtling forward in a Rush for a few seconds. Various boost levels lasting successively longer can be earned, depending on the final tally of your trick combo. During a boost you won't be able to pull off any tricks, however, so no continuous rushing for you. You can however build up a Double Rush meter by pulling off consecutive boosts, Once the meter is full the awe-inspiring, Knight Rider-like turbo boost is at your left trigger-finger's command.
Using your turbo boost is all about strategy, so you'll have to study the courses on offer to make sure you use it at the optimal time. The track design is varied, though the colour palette used makes everything look a little bland. There are plenty of short cuts for pioneers, usually coming at the expense of a missed buoy and the subsequent time penalty, but there's usually a sweet jump that route anyway, so you'll make up the time quickly. There are two types of buoys in Carve, red and yellow, which indicate on which side you should pass by. Each rider has a specified number of buoys they're allowed to miss and exceeding this results in instant disqualification from the race.
The staid nature of the tracks is made up for by their sheer volume. The game is broken down into five main regions, each of which is comprised of various routes through the course, much like driving games that funnel you down different streets of the same general area to increase the variety. Although the most incongruous and inhospitable of the bunch, the Arctic zone is my favourite, with its ice floes, ice obstacles and ice-flavoured jumps. The game offers up dynamic backgrounds in its locations too, although it's largely superfluous, since you're not going to notice that bypassing train as you gun down the canals of a European burg.
Carve is not the easiest game out there. It all starts out manageably enough, but after the first two tournaments the learning curve pulls up rather hard, leaving you wondering why you suck so badly all of a sudden. And forget about rubber-banding saving you. Once the front runners pull away, you're going to really have to dig in to catch up. Since there's not all that much depth on offer, the increased difficulty will serve to lengthen the game's lifespan, not that you'll be all that motivated to carry on, mind you.
The game isn't all about you, though. Each of the racers is a member of a two-person team, and there's a reasonable amount of teamwork available. For instance, choosing a team with good ramming skills means that your teammate might bash opponents out the way as you storm the finish line. The effect is unfortunately rather subtle, to the point of being worthless in single player mode.
Proudly touted on the cover is the inclusion of full Xbox Live support. Theoretically, this is a good thing. There are all manner of tournaments to take part in on any of the courses, with a world ranking system rounding out the package. The problem is that there are hardly any people playing this game online. My numerous attempts to play on Live were met mostly with disappointment as long stretches of time passed with nary a challenger in sight. The rankings list over 500 players from around the world playing in the last two months, so clearly there are people playing, but be warned that you will find it a little lonely out there at times.
I've gone this far without mentioning one important redeeming feature of the game: the price. Now that the Xbox has secured itself a reasonably firm foothold, publishers are seeing fit to release budget titles for gamers on a strict financial regimen or those just looking for something different. While Carve is most certainly bland and flawed in places, a lot of this could be overlooked when taking the price into consideration. If the game was receiving better support online from gamers, I would have little reservation prompting you to at least give it a rent, but as it stands, there's very little here that hasn't been done before, and much better, by other games.
|Video Coverage
(Latest Videos & Video FAQ)
In game direct feed footage [320x240, 1132kbps]


text:
Hateful Quotes (1 quote)
Mathematics has often been characterized as the most conservative of all sciences. This is true in the sense of the immediate dependence of new upon old results. All the marvellous new advancements presuppose the old as indispensable steps in the ladder. Inaccessibility of special fields of mathematics, except by the regular way of logically antecedent acquirements, renders the study discouraging or hateful to weak or indolent minds.


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TV Haunts
Most TV shows will take advantage of the Halloween season and put out an episode involving a party or trick or treating and while many of them are good, great even, some series really know how to salute the event. Here are the shows that took the Halloween formula and turned it up a notch, leaving their own mark on the holiday:
The Simpsons
You really can't go wrong with The Simpsons 'Treehouse of Horror' Halloween specials. It's hard for me to pick a favourite segment, but I'd probably settle on "The Shinning" lampoon of "The Shining". I also love the story of Homer selling his soul for a donut and Ned Flanders being the devil. Mrs. Sip and I went back last year to watch every single episode, but only managed to get through 15 of the 23 shows (now 24)… on the plus side, that leaves us with nine airings to go through this year, leading up to the 31st!
Roseanne featured a Halloween episode every year from 1989 to 1995. The Connors were a wild bunch that loved Halloween perhaps more than any other time of the year. The whole family got into the spirit, with decorations around the house and wildly imaginative costumes. The best episode may be 1989's "BOO", which featured the family hosting a haunted house in their home and Dan and Roseanne taking turns trying to scare the crap out of one another.
Every season of Community's existence has featured a Halloween-themed episode and hopefully that continues in season five. The show has celebrated Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), examined what would happen if a zombie apocalypse took over the school, tried to figure out which member of the study group is a potential homicidal maniac, and ventured through a seemingly haunted house to rescue their friend. What could be next for the gang?
Home Improvement
With all of Tim 'The Tool Man' Taylor's hapless home renovations and gadgets, you knew each time Halloween rolled around that there would be mayhem and macabre in the household. Tim is also big into Halloween pranks, something that his family has also gotten into the spirit of as they try to get back at their father/husband. Watch a few of these and you'll be interspersing your laughing with the odd grunt or two!
The Office
The Office was always good for viewing because it gave you touches of what you experience in your own daily working life. That includes the yearly ramp up to Halloween at, well, the office. The costumes worn by the characters have been full of gags, like Michael's two-headed monster, all the women dressed as cats, and Jim's lack of enthusiasm for choosing a getup, his outfits including three black dots (Three-Hole Punch Jim), wearing a "Dave" nametag, and writing "BOOK" on his face (Bookface).
Drink #291: Spider's Bite
- 1 oz PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
- 0.5 oz Cranberry Liqueur
- 0.5 oz Vodka
- 0.5 oz Triple Sec
- Splash of Lemon Juice
- Garnish with Black Licorice
Have I missed your favourite show? Give me hell and let me know what to watch this or next Halloween season!
Sip Advisor Bar Notes (4 Sips out of 5):
This cocktail was pretty tasty. The only downside was having so much Black Licorice leftover, but I was able to pawn them off on Pa Sip. All the ingredients combined to make a sour, flavourful martini… a much better experience than getting bit by a spider!


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The German CLL Study Group (Klinik I for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne) under the direction of Prof. Dr. Michael Hallek invites you to its 11th international workshop.
CLL is one of the most common forms of blood cancer and the majority of patients diagnosed with this disease are of advanced age. Many of these have concurrent diseases and therefore may not tolerate more aggressive therapy which is the standard in younger patients.
For more information, please visit: https://www.dcllsg2018.de/


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The QL080 is an ultra-compact light weight 'backsaver' crane that is a perfect fit for utes and light trucks or anywhere tare weight is critical. The QL080 lifts up to 700kg and has a horizontal reach of up to 3.8m with the QL080-2+1 model.
Choose the set-up you need, from basic (crane with base plate and manual stabiliser leg only) through to a complete kitset which includes power pack and radio remote control. The standard 2 extension model can be extended with a selection of hydraulic and manual extension kits. Complete your compact crane package with a hydraulic or electric winch, stabiliser legs, remote control system, stabiliser pads, hooks or a pallet or beehive fork.
Browse Quicklift accessories here or give us a call to discuss your requirements and we will provide a detailed quote.