Clogs – Last Song
The latest release by Clogs – The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton is the fifth full-length album from this internationally acclaimed foursome since 2001. A mostly Australian post-rock instrumental band with mid-Western American influence, clogs are hard to peg. Their musical style remains in flux from one concept album to the next — all impeccably wrought by musicians skilled and well trained.
It was upon hearing the first sample song above, that the connection between The National and Clogs became clear to this listener. Duh. Of course the essential link is Bryce Dessner , who with Padma Newsome (Australia) provide the core of Clogs. While Bryce and his brother Aaron (Cincinnati, OH), joined up with Matt Berninger and Scott Devendorf (Brooklyn, NY) to later form the National.
Clogs have a more symphonic sound and predate the inception of the National. Some say Rachel’s set the table for the ensemble of multiple strings which provides a baseline sound for Clogs. However, Rachel’s is a more classical almost a baroque style of music. Ten years after, Clogs stretch their Indie wings in the 21st century. For 2010 Clogs holds more gravity than the National, with …Lady Walton a tightly written, emotional powerhouse. While the latest the National offering, High Violet seems somber and subdued in comparison. Enjoy. The second sample cut above is vintage Clogs.
Tags: ensemble, Indie music
Kudos for a well written piece in today’s AZ Republic by Dennis Wagner, questioning alleged border violence.
A media fury fueled by the recent death of a border rancher and the shooting of a deputy sheriff, in separate incidents, along Arizona’s southern border increases the stakes for politicians seeking reelection. In part, the passage of a tough new Arizona immigration law is a reflex by-product of political expediency, failing to account for the complexities of Arizona culture and ensuring unwarranted personal hardship and economic loss to the people of this state.
The story corroborates rising trouble with kidnappings in Phoenix — mostly related to drug cartel power struggles — (thank you Ron Fears for earlier mention). But also dampens a general perception of mayhem generated by immigrants entering Arizona illegally along our southern border.
Over-simplified, ham-handed solutions to an historically interwoven cultural-political problem, once again points to knee-jerk leadership in Arizona. Amplified rhetoric secures elections, but does little to protect borders in any useful way for citizens of the desert Southwest.
Tags: border control, fear mongering, immigration
Another little something wafting through the blog-o-sphere like influenza at a daycare center. This gem shines forth like a ruby in the muck. It’s the story of a poor black woman growing up and making good. And now that success smiles on her life, she chooses to disassociate herself from the riff-raft of her youth.
How wonderful for the heartless, money-grubbing Republicans looking for anyone not white, upper-middle class, and male to carry the torch for blatant greed. Fortunately for us, these monsters always have an Achilles heel, and this corporate shill glows from the largest common denominator among the conservative class — rampant Christian religiosity. Who are we speaking of: one Star Parker — an outspoken social conservative of biblical proportions, running for Congress out California way.
Of course there is a vile trail of email slime spreading the conniving thoughts of this power seeking admirer of R.J. Rushdoony, the father of Christian Reconstruction-ism. She hardly notices the hypocrisy of a self-proclaimed four-time abortion seeker preaching “right-to-life” gospel. Nor do fundamentalist Christianists blink twice at her condemnation of wealth-distribution for the benefit of the poor, as “a violation of scripture” from an “admitted product of the welfare state“. Coming from someone who owes her early life to the generosity of the welfare state, this woman can still belittle those less fortunate. She has no shame.
No, now that good luck (and hard work), have blessed her life with success, Ms. Parker declares her property, money, and taxes “mine“, while she accused the “religious left” of “socialism” for working to end poverty. What chutzpah. Only tone-deaf Republican ears could tune out the deceitfulness of this power hungry individual and focus on the selfish message of looking out for number one and only number one.
It shows how little intellectual honesty blooms in the self-aggrandizing, fact-free environment of the religious right and their corporate sponsored lackeys. That someone with such little regard for the most lamentable among us, can be touted as an example for the rest of us to follow, only shows the depth of depravity of your garden-variety Republican.
Pathetic is too noble a term.
Tags: abortion, conservative anxiety, greed
TRAA – Dont haunt this place
First released late 2008 with out label support, then re-released in 2009 on Saddle Creek Records (a project of Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes fame). The Rural Alberta Advantage (RAA) is an indie band from Toronto, Canada consisting of three musicians – Paul Banwatt, Amy Cole and Nils Edenloff.
Their sound has been compared to Jeff Mangum’s Neutral Milk Hotel, what with their small town appeal. You be the judge. The opening cut vocal (not represented here) is reminiscent of another Canadian band, The Crash Test Dummies — only a tenor version.
Listen. Enjoy.
Bluetech – Holding Space
Evan Marc, aka Evan Barthalomew, aka Evan Bluetech, releases another ambient, dub-step, down-tempo, chill offering with the release of The Divine Invasion.
Hailing from Hawaii and creating Psytrance or Psybient tracks commercially since 2003, Bluetech melds a laid-back synthesized island mindset with a tight tempo-driving force and the perfect reflex for how to next dub the music. Subtle without the drag of boredom. Soothing, yet with a jolt of current — reminiscent of a tall cup of Kona coffee, Bluetech segues seamlessly from one sound-scape into the next — then back again.
Visit Marc’s Bluetech website for his latest FREE EP offering: Call of the Wild. While you download, make a small donation if you are able. Oh yeah, and his mom took the album photos. Hell yeah!