S.o.t.D. - Soulsurfer – Nulleins

Soulsurfer – Nulleins

Really like this sound. Soaring tech-house with some dubby elements to it. Helped define the sound of the now sadly defunct Thinner label.

S.o.t.D. - In-Laws – Emotive Blue

In-Laws – Emotive Blue

Loungey, shuffling break beat.

S.o.t.D. - Behind The Mask – Eric Clapton

Behind The Mask – Eric Clapton

I’ve featured the original of this by Yellow Magic Orchestra before, but only recently discovered that Eric Clapton did a cover.

S.o.t.D. - Rikarda – Oliver Huntemann

Rikarda – Oliver Huntemann

Never heard of you before Mr. Huntemann, but I am impressed by this ass kicker of a track.

The Giants Rib

Nice introduction to a geographical feature I live near and speak about here quite often, the Niagara Escarpment. Quite fond of it.

S.o.t.D. - My Broken Cat – Sunchase

My Broken Cat – Sunchase

Digging this. Ambient background but then it layers rumbling bass and shuffling drums over that. Noish.

S.o.t.D. - Orson – Nuspirit Helsinki

Orson – Nuspirit Helsinki

I saw a segment on 60 minutes once on Finland. A stoic old Finn, commenting on how difficult they find it to show any emotion, mentioned how “a Feennish man myt ssay I luf youw to hiss vyf on hur dess bed to cumfohrt hur.” I probably wasn’t meant to laugh, but I did.

Something tells me these funky, jazzy Finns aren’t nearly that uptight.

S.o.t.D. - You Can’t Pull The Wool Over My Eyes – Benny Goodman

You Can’t Pull The Wool Over My Eyes – Benny Goodman

First learned of this from a Jeff Healey cover. Can’t find that on YT, but this is just as damn good.

Sounds a bit crazy maybe, given how much I love all the new stuff, but I almost think music reached an apex with stuff like this in this era.

S.o.t.D. - Sky (Dub Mix) – Moonbeam

Sky (Dub Mix) – Moonbeam

The first fifteen seconds of this track do my head in. Would love to make a track out of just that part. The rest isn’t terrible, but that is definitely my fave section.

S.o.t.D. - In Your Body – Arianne Moffatt

In Your Body – Arianne Moffatt

Discovered her on Q. Good stuff.

Lego Turing Machine

In honour of the centenary of Alan Turing’s birth, a Lego Turing Machine

S.o.t.D. - Fallen Light – Phaeleh

Fallen Light – Phaeleh

I think on the rating scale of songs, this may well come in at a 97 or 98 out of a hundred for me. Holy hell is this ever a great track. The subtle buildup with the strings, the fantastic vocal sample, the insanely funky breakbeat drums. Wow! Orgasmically good.

International Space Station Star Trails

Long exposure photos taken from the ISS by Flight Engineer Don Pettit.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa_jsc_photo/sets/72157629726792248/with/7197235782/

S.o.t.D. - I Love To Smoke Marijuana (Skulltrane RMX) – Linval Thompson

I Love To Smoke Marijuana (Skulltrane RMX) – Linval Thompson 

I of course, ahem, disapprove of the message of this song (dear god, won’t you think of the children), but I dig the beat. You can nod your head to it.

S.o.t.D. - White Butterfly – Lessov

White Butterfly – Lessov

Oh that breakdown and build up in the middle is sweeeet.

The Tales of Anex and Bit

 http://topsybooks.com/ourbooks/our-books/anex-and-bit/

New book which was illustrated by my pal Seth. While in a year or two it may not be so noteworthy any more, all the illustration was done on an iPad.

S.o.t.D. - Nebulos - Lessov

Nebulos - Lessov

A London, Ontario lad. Yeah, I’m going to have to vote him as the most exciting producer ever to come out of the town I grew up in. It’s got some cheesy 80's sounding drum rolls in this I can live without, but this is still a totally kick ass tune.

Bibliophilia: Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins

Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins

Wanted to see what the hype was about, and I have to say I see now. Liked it. Since I have a shrivelled up black coal where my heart is supposed to be, the whole love story thing was lost on me.  But I enjoyed it a lot. The characters, the setting, the plot all drew me in. I’ll read the other two as well.

S.o.t.D. - In Progress – Trentemøller

In Progress – Trentemøller

Reminds me a bit of Terry Lee Brown Junior - which is definitely a good thing.

We’ve come full circle

I have a malady: 
2000 B.C. - Here, eat this root.  
1000 A.D. - That root is heathen, say this prayer.
1850 A.D. - That prayer is superstition, drink this potion. 
1940 A.D. - That potion is snake oil, swallow this pill.  
1985 A.D. - That pill is ineffective, take this antibiotic.  
2010 A.D. - That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root.

S.o.t.D. - D.F.T.F – Need For Mirrors (Feat. DRS {Broke N’ English})

D.F.T.F – Need For Mirrors (Feat. DRS {Broke N’ English})

If only the people producing all the crappy hip-hop would listen to this for some inspiration.

S.o.t.D. - 4U – Synkro

4U – Synkro

The production on this is just out of this world. The vocal snippets, the random breaks, a bit of rumbling bass, it’s all so smooth.

S.o.t.D. - My Life Is For You – Moshic

My Life Is For You – Moshic

Chillaxing.

Bibliophilia: Weathercraft – Jim Woodring

Weathercraft – Jim Woodring

One of the more surreal things I’ve read in a long time. There’s a narrative logic, after a fashion, but it is still just bizarre. Each page would make amazing blotter art.

S.o.t.D. - Finest Hour – Submotion Orchestra

Finest Hour – Submotion Orchestra

Great voice, and the song creates a great mood.

Bibliophilia: Kill Shakespeare: Vol. 1, A Sea of Troubles – Conor McCreery, Anthony Del Col, Andy Belanger

Kill Shakespeare: Vol. 1, A Sea of Troubles – Conor McCreery, Anthony Del Col, Andy Belanger

I hated English in high school, and Shakespeare was on the list of reasons why. I have read voraciously since I was a child, certainly have all my life, and like to think that I can write very well, but I absolutely detested the way English was taught. Having A Separate Peace painstakingly dissected, and Romeo & Juliet parsed down to dust - yawn. It was only after that, long after that, that I began to gain an appreciation for the Bard.

Like Fables (which I have raved about on here before) this takes known stories and characters and puts them into new situations. Heroes (Hamlet, Juliet, Falstaff, Othello) and villains (Richard III, Lady Macbeth, Iago) are written into entirely new scenarios, in a story to either kill or protect a reclusive wizard named William Shakespeare. Recommended.

Canadian writers and artists too, eh.

Maninjau Travel Poster

Going through a bunch of USB keys, I ran across this poster I did recently while in school. Had to do a travel poster for an assignment. Didn’t want to spend too much time on it, but had some fun with it any way. Decided to run a few photos through LiveTrace and combine some elements. I’ve never been a fan of any of the auto trace features in illustration programs – they never prodce results I consider satisfactory. Whether it be Adobe’s Streamline or Illustrator’s LiveTrace, the results are always the random results of a computer algorithm. They’re better than they used to be, but still leave me underwhelmed. If this had been an actual paying gig I would have lavished far more attention on it, but this was fine to demonstrate a concept.

S.o.t.D. - The Host of Seraphim – Dead Can Dance

The Host of Seraphim – Dead Can Dance

If you’re not completely blown away by this music and imagery, there is something wrong with you.

S.o.t.D. - Song To The Siren – This Mortal Coil

Song To The Siren – This Mortal Coil

Oh mister Watts-Russell, won’t you please consider getting some musicians you dig into a studio once more and playing conductor? Pretty please?

S.o.t.D. - When You Were Mine (Altimeter Remix) – Hosta

When You Were Mine (Altimeter Remix) – Hosta

Totally grooving to this.

S.o.t.D. - Karmachanics (Pink Cinnamon Drop Mix) – CwithE

Karmachanics (Pink Cinnamon Drop Mix) – CwithE

Totally loved this stonker of a tune when it came out (jeebus, 17 years ago already) and it still makes for a kick ass running or cycling track.

50 Things I’ve Used My Leatherman Wave For:

1. pull a needle through a Cordura and webbing sandwich
2. crack open pistachios
3. a fid to open knots
4. tighten knots
5. open envelopes
6. pry apart Lego
7. cut parachute cord
8. remove jammed staples from a stapler
9. open cans
10. adjust rifle sights
11. pull out nails
12. sharpen pencil
13. cut up boxes
14. release the ratchet on a zip tie to undo it
15. cut zip ties
16. release the latch on MALICE clips
17. open bottles
18. remove the childproof feature on a Bic lighter
19. file finger nails
20. scrape off stickers
21. trim nose hairs
22. cut up parsley
23. assemble tattoo machines
24. remove pebble stuck in boot tread
25. pry the lid off paint cans
26. remove boil-in-the-bag meals from a pot of boiling water
27. cut moleskin to treat blisters
28. peel, core, slice fruit
29. saw off small branches
30. remove the cover off a plate maker
31. kubotan
32. door stop
33. plumb bob
34. throwing weight
35. beard trimming
36. paper weight (or more correctly, a map weight)
37. hammer (small brads and the like if they’ve popped up)
38. striker for matches
39. cut barbed wire
40. dislodge a disc from a drive
41. clean crud out of a rifle
42. cut the top off a plastic bottle to serve as a bowl
43. remove a shell from a bullet to get out the powder
44. cut the top off of a tube of caulking
45. pry out a staple
46. remove a splinter
47. scratch off the silver stuff on a scratch & win ticket
48. slice cheese
49. fix eyeglasses
50. remove sheathing from wire

S.o.t.D. - Ambelio – Arovane

Ambelio – Arovane
Another artist I have never heard of. German fella who I gather has stopped making music. This being my first exposure to his stuff, I'm already sad about that.

Bryce the Beasley Badger

Grabbed the paper this morning and there on the front page was shop apprentice Bryce. Nice!

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/738965--the-badger-of-beasley

S.o.t.D. - The Anvil (Paul Rayner Remix) - Visage

The Anvil (Paul Rayner Remix) - Visage

Good remix of a good song I haven’t heard in a long time.

My Favourite Hockey Team

I mentioned a while back that my nephew has become rather enamoured with hockey. I’m personally rather blasé about it, but if it’s something he is interested in and wants to play, I will whole heartedly encourage it and support him.

Now he loves the Toronto Maple Leafs. The once mighty team that hasn’t won the Stanley Cup since the year I was born.

Whenever we go out to slap a ball around in the driveway, he continually asks me what team I like. Kind of hard to answer when you don’t care one whit about the goings on of the NHL.

“Okay I’m the Maple Leafs. What team are you gonna be uncle Thomas?” 
Sigh. “Uhm....the Amsterdam Giants, the new European expansion team.”

“That’s not a real team.”

“I don’t care. I’m from Amsterdam, I’m a giant. When I become a multi-millionaire that’s where the team I start will be and what they’ll be called.”

“No, it’s gotta be a real team.”
Sigh “Fine. The Hamilton Tigers.” 
“That’s not a real team either.” 

“Yes it is. Back in the 20s they were part of the NHL. Really.”
“No, it has to be a team today.”
Sigh. “All right, let me look through all your hockey cards.” 

Given the profession I’ve been in for two decades, I tend to choose a bottle of wine on the basis of the label. Some might call me an uncultured philistine for that, but hey. I decided that I was going to pick a team the same way: on the basis of the logo I like best. I hit on one immediately. The Minnesota Wild. 

It’s the head of some kind of animal that will rip your face off (Bear? Wolf? Puma? Wolverine? Not really sure) and inside it is a boreal forest and a star and a sun or moon and a river that exits where its mouth is. 

“All right buddy, that’s who I’m a fan of – the Minnesota Wild. I have no idea how they’ve performed over the last few seasons, I don’t know who any of the players are, I doubt I’ll ever go to one of their home games, but that’s my favourite team. When we’re out on the street playing hockey, that’s who I’ll pretend to be, or if we’re watching a game on TV, that’s who I’ll pretend to root for.”

He seemed to be satisfied with that and had to admit it was a neat symbol. Now he’ll stop asking me repeatedly who I like best. And maybe one day I’ll get an embroidered patch and sew some Velcro on the back to stick on a cap or pack, or get a T-shirt.

S.o.t.D. - Diskono – Cabaret Voltaire

Diskono – Cabaret Voltaire

So good I have to post another track. These guys had a huge influence on my musical outlook in the early 80s. As if I didn’t know I was odd - when other kids were listening to top 40 stuff, I was listening to CV and Throbbing Gristle. Bound to make for a slightly skewed view of the world.

Jim Brandenburg

Back in 1998, I had come down from a long spell in the woods and was partaking of one of the pleasures a city has to offer: large bookstores. I came across a magical volume called Chased By The Light by Jim Brandenburg. The premise was intriguing. Mr. Brandenburg roamed the area around his home bordering the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota between the Autumnal Equinox and Winter Solstice and took one picture per day. Just one.

Later I saw that he had a second volume, Looking For The Summer, again in the same locale, but this time between the Summer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox. This time though he didn’t impose upon himself the limitation of one analogue photo, but took a bunch of digital photos and saved just the one he liked best. 

Both books were awe inspiring and nature photography at its finest.

You can peruse these gorgeous photos (and many others) on his website. I can’t provide a direct link to them, but on the top right, under View Gallery you will find them. 

http://www.jimbrandenburg.com/

A little visual treat for your enjoyment.

S.o.t.D. - Why Kill Time When You Can Kill Yourself – Cabaret Voltaire

Why Kill Time When You Can Kill Yourself – Cabaret Voltaire

The rather provocative title aside, this track was a real game changer for me. That driving beat and that throbbing bassline - so different compared to other stuff that I had been exposed to.

S.o.t.D. - Fist – Test Dept.

Fist – Test Dept.

Still one of my favourite records by one of my favourite bands. Heavy metal in the truest sense of the word and not a guitar in sight. Truly powerful music.

Bibliophilia: Blue Estate by Viktor Kalvachev

Blue Estate – Viktor Kalvachev

The covers to this series are fantastic. A stripper with Iban tattoos definitely piqued my interest. The interior art, which is handled by a bunch of artists is a bit convoluted. If you like Quentin Tarantino or Guy Ritchie or Elmore Leonard’s stuff, you will likely enjoy this. The spoof of Steven Seagal is funny, and I liked it all enough to want to read more, but it has its flaws.

S.o.t.D. - From Her To Eternity – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

From Her To Eternity – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

I admit it – I love Nick Cave.

S.o.t.D. - Too Much Information – The Police

Too Much Information – The Police

The Police was one of those bands I liked way back in the day, and then drifted away from. Looking back on it now after all these years, Stewart Copeland’s pounding the drums had to be one of the main reasons I liked them.

Bibliophilia: Pollen: The Hidden Sexuality of Flowers – Rob Kesseler

Pollen: The Hidden Sexuality of Flowers – Rob Kesseler

Absolutely stunning microscopic photos of pollen. The plants and flowers themselves are beautiful, but the parts we can scarcely see are as well.

S.o.t.D. - Don’t Roll Those Bloodshot Eyes At Me – Wynonie Harris

Don’t Roll Those Bloodshot Eyes At Me – Wynonie Harris

A confluence of big band jazz and rhythm and blues. I can see how this influenced rock and roll.

Bibliophilia: Whiteout – Greg Rucka

Whiteout #1 – Greg Rucka

Whiteout #2, Melt – Greg Rucka

I like his female characters a lot: strong, resourceful, flawed. Humans in other words. 

Set in Antarctica, which makes for a really compelling back drop to the stories. The environment is as much a villain as the human villains. Neat to read of the artists techniques to render a world that is largely white. Would definitely like to see more of these.