Album art for Bear in Heaven’s Beast Rest Forth Mouth
Comets On Fire – “Dogwood Rust”
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What can I say? Simply one of the best tracks of all time, and the standard by which I now measure all medium-length rock songs. Listen to it all the way through; it’ll put hair on your chest. I’m proud to say I saw these guys in a place about the size of my apartment, and they killed it. Too bad the cops came like five minutes later and actually arrested the guy who lived there.
Vocabulary: Golden Cloud of Silver Clangour Edition
dulia: a theological term signifying the honor paid to the saints (as opposed to god)
lazaret: a small ship, room or building used for quarantine (or simply set aside)
disseizin: wrongful dispossession of one in the possession of real property
surplice: a loose-fitting garment with fabric crossing diagonally in front
quillon: one of the two protrusions forming the crossbar of a sword
opetide: early spring, when flowers’ buds are beginning to open
omnisubjugant: one to whom everyone else is subject (clearly)
anchorite: a hermit or one who has otherwise isolated himself
propinquity: nearness or similarity in time, place, or nature
gallimaufry: a medley or jumble (originally a food term)
legerdemain: sleight of hand (French: “light of hand”)
dandiacal: of or pertaining to dandies; foppish
aureate: gold, brilliant, or ornate in style
apposite: relevant, apt, or well-suited
guerdon: a reward or compensation
pleach: to interweave or braid
portreeve: a port warden
…those eyes which hawks, that nose which eagles, had often envied.
Max Beerbohm, Zuleika Dobson
…for so it happens that, in this country, the more hideous the crime, the more intense the curiosity of the upper classes of both sexes to witness the miscreant perpetrator; the more disgusting the details, the greater the avidity with which they are listened to by the distinguished auditors;—the reason being plain, that, as they have exhausted the pleasures and excitements afforded by their own sphere of action and enjoyment, their palled and sated appetites require novel and more powerful stimulants. Hence, at length, we see “fashionables” peopling even the condemned cell—rushing, in excited groups, after the shuddering malefactor, staggering, half palsied, and with horror-laden eye, on his way to the gallows!
Samuel Warren, Ten Thousand A-Year
Tanakh – “Stereognosis”
Villa Claustrophobia
Tanakh’s debut album is still by far their strongest, and from start to finish there is hardly a weak moment. The haunting, wordless opener and its closing echo; the languid pace; you get the feeling that you are at once being serenaded in a lonely temple and floating far above a field of carnage. “Stereognosis” is the meat in an instrumental sandwich, between the sparse “Tallis” and droning “Tells,” which if joined to the center would create a single piece of music over 10 minutes long. Simply amazing. This album is most highly recommended. And you can buy the whole ball of wax for $5.
Beach House – “Wedding Bell”
Devotion
Beach House’s second album is, let’s be honest, a lot like the first – but they sound more confident and improved production brought out the instruments way more. “Wedding Bell” is the perfect example of this. Although the simple drum kit and blissed-out keyboards and vocals give you the usual Beach House business, you get this blast of guitar a minute and a half in that would have seemed completely out of place on their earlier album. Yet it feels so right here. (insound)
Then, in the evenings, there were theatres, great and small, the various taverns, and other places of nocturnal resort, which are the secret pride and glory of the metropolis—but to which shall not more distinctly allude. In addition to this, at an advanced period of the night, or rather early hour in the morning, he sedulously strove to perfect himself in those higher arts and accomplishments, excelled in by one or two of the more eminent of the youthful aristocracy, viz., breaking windows, pulling bells, wrenching off knockers, extinguishing lamps, tripping up old women, watchmen, and children, and spoiling their clothes;— ah, how often in his humbler days had his heart panted in noble rivalry of such feats as these, and emulation of the notoriety which they earned for the glittering miscreants who excelled in them!
Samuel Warren, Ten Thousand A-Year
OK Go – “This Too Shall Pass”
Watch it in high def. I love these setups.
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
She had no greater Claim to Beauty than what the most desirable Brunette might pretend to. But her Youth and lively Aspect threw out such a Glow of Health and Chearfulness, that on the Stage few Spectators that were not past it could behold her without Desire. It was even a Fashion among the Gay and Young to have a Taste or Tendre for Mrs. Bracegirdle… In all the chief Parts she acted, the Desirable was so predominant, that no Judge could be cold enough to consider from what other particular Excellence she became delightful.
Colley Cibber, restoration dramatist, on Anne Bracegirdle, rising star
Hark! A Vagrant in the style of Rumblo Software
Oliver Twist (illus. Phiz)
– a period throughout which the wealth of nations was scattered like sand, and the blood of nations lavished like water
Creasy, Battles
The Beach Boys – “Our Prayer”
20/20
This track was originally meant to be the opener for the unreleased Smile album. I don’t think a lot of people heard it, but it’s such a wonderful example of their particular brand of harmony that I end up listening to it more than their actual songs. Wilson re-recorded it for the solo remake of Smile, and I’m not entirely sure which version this is – not that it really matters. It’s worth one minute of your time whether it’s new or old. I was reminded of it by the intro to “You’re Not Supposed To.”
Real-time images from Japan’s Super-Kamiokande muon/neutrino detector. Science too can be pretty.
He faltered not nor feared,
But quickly went his way;
His road was rough and weird,
Or so the stories say.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Dinosaur Feathers – “Family Waves”
Fantasy Memorial
Something about this music feels familiar, but I absolutely can’t place it. That’s odd, because this album is musically adventurous, listenable, and plain fun – all things I like. Best I can come up with: imagine if The Lovely Feathers spent a year in the South Pacific with Hot Hot Heat. It’s that sunny and bouncy, yet doesn’t cross over into sheer pop because it’s a bit weird too. Also: I guarantee this album is going to go big. (pre-order at Insound)
Alexander Graham Bell, some tetrahedral kites, and other.
Sam Jayne And The Simpson Sound System – “Darker Still”
Living Bridge
Another track from the excellent and eclectic Living Bridge compilation, this song is actually similar in tone to the TK Webb track posted yesterday. For some reason its six minutes seem to pass by incredibly fast for me. If you haven’t given this album a listen, you really, really should soon. (Insound)
Creatures of Vibration.