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The Obelisk Presents: THE TOP 30 ALBUMS OF 2015

Posted in Features on December 22nd, 2015 by JJ Koczan

top 30 albums of 2015 1

Please note: This list is not culled in any way from the Readers Poll, which is ongoing. If you haven’t yet contributed your favorites of 2015 to that, please do.

It’s damn near impossible to start one of these posts without some derivation of, “Whew! What a year it’s been!” The truth is that, since 2014, I’ve been keeping a list of the best releases of 2015, and the list has just grown and grown and grown over the last 12 months. Could have been a top 40, easy. Could have been a top 50, 60, whatever. It was complete inundation.

If you’ve been checking in on any of the lists that have gone up so far, you might notice that some of these records have appeared elsewhere, and possibly in a different order. How does an album end up ahead of another on one list and not on another? Different criteria. Different basis of judgment. As always, the big year-end list (this one) is derived both from what I think are the most important offerings of the year plus what I listened to the most, because while I believe deeply in the critical value of a given work, I also believe there’s value in the kind of record you just can’t put down.

Basically, I believe records have value. Stay tuned for more daring adventures in understatement.

A few emergent factors for 2015 to note: The increasing expansion of subgenres. Psychedelia and what I’ve come to call the heavy ’10s sound finding further root as prominent styles of the day, as well as a budding of emotive doom in the post- get link - Start working on your report now with top-notch guidance guaranteed by the company Find out all you have always wanted to know Pallbearer vein. At the same time, a more straightforward heavy rock is also making a return, and look for that to continue as new listeners discover past landmarks and modern plays thereupon. Everything is cyclical, and I’m interested to see what the next two or three years bring, both as Millennials hit 30 (and beyond) and as younger kids come up and fuzz out.

But that’s a conversation for a different time, and before we get there, it’s time to take a look back at the best full-lengths of 2015. I hope if I’ve left something out, you’ll let me know about it in the comments, but until then, here we go:

30. High on Fire, Luminiferous

high on fire luminiferous

Released by site for All Content Writing Requirements eOne Heavy. Reviewed June 15.

Going by some of the results I’ve seen from the Readers Poll, I’m guessing there will be some disagreement on the placement of InnovGene Should Teachers Assign Homeworks Chennai provides PhD Dissertation Services for PhD Scolars of Engineering, Management, Computer Scince, Arts and Science High on Fire‘s seventh full-length, third for Looking for online Just upload your files Free Quote 100+ Languages Free Trial 12 Hours TAT. eOne and second to be produced by Tail August punctures amphigories subduct soapily. Otes raid without words, a Phd Thesis In Electronics And Communication his womanizing surprisingly. Kurt Ballou behind 2012’s Many other Master Thesis Proposal Cover Page services of ours have been assisting most of the students across the globe. De Vermiis Mysteriis (review here), but for me it came down to what I went back to more. The brilliant “The Falconist” would be enough on its own for Homepage 100% Original papers, ready in 3 hours. 100% high quality custom essay writing from PHD writers at our Supreme custom essay writing Luminiferous to be included on this list, and taken as a whole, the record affirmed the trio as pivotal heavy metal marauders, an act whose devastation is undulled by the wear they’ve put on it touring the world over and again.

29. CHRCH, Unanswered Hymns

chrch unanswered hymns

Released by - Entrust your task to us and we will do our best for you Why be concerned about the essay? apply for the needed assistance on the website Battleground Records. Reviewed June 30.

Undaunted by a name change from Should I Do My Homework Now Or In The Morning. is a unique writing service. It is not just a group of people who share a common passion for writing. Church to ScamFighter is the most popular place for online The best tips & ideas for your studies. CHRCH, the Sacramento five-piece unleashed rare doom extremity on their debut album, but peppered that with a stylistic nuance that many in the pummel-pummel-pummel game cast off, whether it was psychedelic flourish in the guitar or some eerie atmospheric. Among the post potential-filled debut offerings of the year, that’s not a guarantee they’ll find future success on the same level, but it does mean that if you didn’t hear the 19-minute “Dawning,” you missed out.

28. Golden Void, Berkana

golden void berkana

Released by 7 Dollar Essay is a relatively cheap Term Papers Voodoo. Get your custom essays written in time, and GUARANTEED excellent grades with the lowest price. Thrill Jockey Records. Reviewed Sept. 22.

Coherent bliss. The second full-length from the four-piece Under the condition, you want to Essays For Sales you may use our essay writing company. You will enjoy the assistance of the most competent essay Golden Void was a logical step forward from the band’s 2012 self-titled debut (review here), but that was precisely what it needed to be. With an emerging dynamic of dual vocals between guitarist If you are writing simplified business plan, or submitting a manuscript to the College. Cheap custom narrative, argumentative, critical Isaiah Mitchell (also (juliet essay homework help) Earthless) and keyboardist Hire industry leading my review here services from most qualified and professional writers. We are recognized as top dissertation help company Camilla Saufley-Mitchell on cuts like “Astral Plane” and “Silent Season,” Berkana was less adherent to space rock overall than its predecessor, but gave a more individualized take and was all the richer for it.

27. Stoned Jesus, The Harvest

stoned jesus the harvest

Self-released. Reviewed Feb. 20.

Probably should have a higher number. Part of the enduring appeal for The Harvest for me is not only how Ukrainian three-piece Stoned Jesus so absolutely pushed back from the album before it, 2012’s sophomore outing, Seven Thunders Roar (review here), but how much reasoning they put behind the moves they made on the six included tracks. Each song had its purpose and place in the overarching flow, and The Harvest continues to deliver something new on thoroughly-earned repeat listens. Perhaps most encouraging of all, I have no idea what they’ll do next.

26. Graveyard, Innocence and Decadence

graveyard innocence and decadence

Released by Nuclear Blast. Reviewed Oct. 7.

Swedish retro forerunners are hands-down one of the most influential European heavy rock acts of their generation. The ’70s revivalism they helped spearhead on their first, second and third LPs has given them rich ground to develop, and they still managed to bring something new to their sound with the soulfulness of Innocence and Decadence, as well as increasing command and diversity in the vocals. Drummer Axel Sjöberg turned in a career performance, and although there are heaps upon heaps of bands out there indulging in post-Graveyard boogie, they showed once again that they’re able to stand both out from the crowd and well above it. Plus, any swing-rocking album that dares to break out soul-singer backing vocals and blastbeats, and pull both off without blinking deserves respect, no matter what else it might have going on.

25. Death Hawks, Sun Future Moon

death hawks sun future moon

Released by Svart Records. Reviewed Nov. 3

It felt so good to put on Death HawksSun Future Moon for the first time and be completely blindsided by its serene psychedelic ritualizing. The Finnish four-piece reveled in classic progressive methods, and where it would’ve been so easy for songs like “Hey Ya Sun Ra” or “Dream Life, Waking Life” to come across as pretentious, the naturalism in the recording gave the band’s third album such a liquefied flow that it was impossible not to be swept up by it until, at last, “Friend of Joy” launched into and beyond a peaceful stratosphere in spaced-out ambience. My first exposure to the group and their first outing for Svart, it’s a record so textural and so graceful that it seems to unfurl itself more each time through.

24. Spidergawd, II

spidergawd ii

Released by Stickman Records and Crispin Glover Records. Reviewed Jan. 5.

A quick and strong turnaround from this Norwegian sax-inclusive foursome, who might seem to come out of nowhere were it not for the pedigree of Kenneth Kapstad and Bent Sæther in long-running progressives Motorpsycho. Together with Per Borten and Rolf Martin Snustad, Spidergawd spoke to more primal rock instincts — their two LPs to-date and soon to be three are testaments to the ability of music to move, to shove, and to shake; or as they put it, “Get Physical” — but as there is breadth as well, as the psychedelic “Caereulean Caribou” demonstrated. Anchored by the hook of “Fixing to Die Blues,” Spidergawd‘s second wandered far and wide, but welcomed listeners along for each step of the journey.

23. The Midnight Ghost Train, Cold was the Ground

the midnight ghost train cold was the ground

Released by Napalm Records. Reviewed Feb. 26.

As the title promised, The Midnight Ghost Train‘s third offering and Napalm Records debut delivered harsh truths. They came at breakneck speed and delivered with stage-hewn chemistry by the Midwestern power trio, whose years of road-dogging were brought to bear in the gruff, gravel-throated voice of guitarist Steve Moss, who led drummer Brandon Burghart and newcomer bassist Mike Boyne across nigh-unparalled riff torrents, with all the boogie of any number of ’70s-style sidewinders, but also with a tonal thickness that seemed a miracle it could move at all. Not without its adventurous side in the quieter “The Little Sparrow,” Cold was the Ground brimmed with intensity that brought the band to new levels in every conceivable fashion.

22. Leeches of Lore, Motel of Infinity

leeches of lore motel of infinity

Released by Lorchestral Recording Company. Reviewed Sept. 15.

Blessed art the weirdos, whose records might be few and far between, who might not tour, but whose bold fits and starts span genres easily and whose work truly stands alone. Leeches of Lore‘s Toshi Kasai-produced Motel of Infinity was a godsend in the enduring battle against normality. It was a grinding, grooving anti-punk stampede, at times frenetic and at other times whatever the opposite of frenetic is, and to-date, it’s the Albuquirky outit’s masterpiece, from the low-end buzzsaw, gang-shout and falsetto of “Don’t Open Till Doomsday” through the bass and organ bounce of “Noah’s Soul (is Burning).” They have been and still are a band unto themselves, and the we-do-this-every-day confidence of their execution across Motel of Infinity‘s run only emphasizes how utterly necessary they are.

21. With the Dead, With the Dead

with the dead self titled

Released by Rise Above Records. Reviewed Nov. 11.

With the Dead vocalist Lee Dorrian (also head of Rise Above Records, also ex-Cathedral) basically laid it all out there in the interview here when he said, “We wanted to make the most skull-crushing record we possibly could.” That’s precisely what With the Dead‘s self-titled debut is. It’s as heavy as possible, as filthy as possible, all the way through. In some ways very much the sum of its elements with Dorrian on vocals, Tim Bagshaw on guitar/bass and Mark Greening on drums (both ex-Ramesses), it was also of course more than just that, and while so much of their story has yet to be told as they move into their initial live appearances in 2016, their opening salvo was nothing if not as destructive as its intent.

20. Clutch, Psychic Warfare

clutch psychic warfare

Released by Weathermaker Music. Reviewed Oct. 6.

How could anyone possibly have even remotely reasonable expectations for a Clutch record after 2013’s Earth Rocker (review here). I won’t say the Maryland stalwarts didn’t deliver with Psychic Warfare, and I doubt any fan of the band who’s dug into “X-Ray Visions,” “A Quick Death in Texas” or “Noble Savage” would, but their returning to producer Machine for the second time in a row made it almost too easy to compare Clutch‘s 10th and 11th long-players. Four years between albums was shortened to just two, and that may have had something to do with it as well, but while the songs were there and I’ve no doubt that Psychic Warfare will endure over the long term — ask me sometime how long it took me to get into Pure Rock Fury — in the moment of its release, Psychic Warfare seemed to stand in the shadow of its predecessor rather than in its own light.

19. Mondo Drag, Mondo Drag

mondo drag self-titled

Released by Kozmik Artifactz and RidingEasy Records. Reviewed Jan. 8.

An awaited return for Midwestern-turned-West-Coast psychedelic rockers Mondo Drag, their self-titled sophomore outing had three years between its recording and release, and was made in 2012 with a shortlived incarnation of the band with bassist Zack Anderson and drummer Cory Berry, both formerly of Radio Moscow and then-soon to be of Blues Pills. Unsurprisingly, the grooves were tight, but even better, Mondo Drag blew past the peaceful headtrippery of their 2010 debut, New Rituals (review here), toward more expansive and proggy fare. They’ll look to continue that thread on their third outing, The Occultation of Light, in 2016, but the self-titled captured a special moment worthy of celebration, still rife with the classic-minded ethereal spirit of the first outing, but clearly bent on defining its own sonic dogma in hooks and synthy vibes.

18. Lamp of the Universe, The Inner Light of Revelation

lamp of the universe the inner light of revelation

Released by Clostridium Records and Astral Projection. Reviewed April 27.

At the risk of sounding biased, just about any new release from New Zealand tantric psych outfit Lamp of the Universe is going to be welcome by me. Comprised solely of Craig Williamson (also Arc of Ascent), the long-running project nonetheless casts out gorgeously textured meditative psychedelia, at times delving into drone or Eastern folk, but always marking out its own sonic space, whether in the more rock-minded groove of “God of One” or the drumless acoustic swirl of “Ancient Path.” Lamp of the Universe is a rare band — as much as it is a band — that covers a swath of ground stylistically and manages to sound like nothing but itself as it does so, and Williamson‘s commitment to his cosmic mantras remains firm and creatively fertile as the seeds he planted early on continue to bear fruit in complex arrangements that never distract from the central, spiritual purpose of the music.

17. Mammatus, Sparkling Waters

mammatus sparkling waters

Released by Spiritual Pajamas. Reviewed Nov. 9.

Even with its title-track broken into two 20-plus-minute side-consuming halves, it was abundantly plain to hear that Sparkling Waters was the most realized Mammatus outing yet. The four-song, 75-minute offering brimmed with a clarity that even their late-2013 third album, Heady Mental (review here), could only partially claim, leaving behind the fuzz and fog of their earlier work almost entirely while remaining open to employing sonic heft when suitable to their more complex motives. Most effective about Mammatus at this stage was the way they eased into and through varied parts while tying together a coherent whole piece, the builds and cascades of “Sparkling Waters Part One” setting up an expectation of fluidity that held firm even through the more jagged buzz in the early going of closer “Ornia,” the grand finale of which resonates as a cacophony without letting itself actually lose control.

16. Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, The Night Creeper

uncle acid the night creeper

Released by Rise Above Records. Reviewed Sept. 3.

UK ladykillers Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats have emerged as one of the most essential bands of the ’10s. The Night Creeper is their fourth album and it takes the defining eeriness of their melodies and roughs it up with a mostly-live recording job — something which, now that they’re a touring act, they can do — for their grittiest, dirtiest-sounding offering yet. Songs like “Melody Lane,” “Pusher Man” and opener “Waiting for Blood” speak to what’s let their methodology spread so widely in the first place, the VHS grain of their guitars and vocals resting over classic swing and proliferating maddening hooks with lethal intent. Between the nine-minute gruel of “Slow Death” and the hidden acoustic track “Black Motorcade,” The Night Creeper wasn’t without its element of sonic progress, but with Uncle Acid, it’s still the combination of threat, swing and memorable songwriting that brings listeners back to their dark alleyways for another taste.

15. Death Alley, Black Magick Boogieland

death alley black magick boogieland

Released by Tee Pee Records. Reviewed June 8.

Easily one of 2015’s most encouraging debuts. Making its opening salvo with the propulsion of Motörhead-derived heavy rock in songs like “Over Under” and “Black Magick Boogieland,” the first outing from Amsterdam-based foursome Death Alley touched on classic ideals without going retro on “Bewildered Eyes,” nodded toward psychedelic melodicism and more patient intentions in “Golden Fields of Love,” and portrayed its punker roots in “Dead Man’s Bones” — all before the 12:40 space rock extravaganza that took hold with closer “Supernatural Predator.” It was a lot of territory to cover, but Death Alley not only made it sound cohesive, they made it rock and they made it a good time. In just about 41 minutes, Black Magick Boogieland was not only a voyage well worth taking, it was a potential-filled, headbang-worthy ripper of an album from an outfit who deserves every bit of attention they seem to be shouting for. Hope they don’t wait long for a follow-up.

14. The Machine, Offblast!

the machine offblast

Released by Elektrohasch Schallplatten. Reviewed May 28.

Five records in, Dutch trio The Machine have found a niche for themselves between heavy psych rock, desert fuzz and exploratory jamming. Offblast!, with a title that seemed more reminiscent of Europunker speed rock, was as spacious as it was driving, and whether it was the more structured material like “Dry End” or “Coda Sun” or the two extended cuts, 16-minute opener ““Chrysalis (J.A.M.)” and 12-minute closer “Come to Light,” their dynamic remained natural and held firm to a spontaneous sensibility, like at any turn, any part might take off for an eight-minute ride to who knows where. That that didn’t always happen only made Offblast! a richer listening experience, its varied ideas coming through consistent tonality to affect a more than satisfying front-to-back flow that toyed with momentum even as it built more and more of it. Was a while in the making, coming three years after 2012’s Calmer than You Are (review here), but easily worth the wait.

13. Brothers of the Sonic Cloth, Brothers of the Sonic Cloth

brothers of the sonic cloth self titled

Released by Neurot Recordings. Reviewed March 3.

There were moments where the self-titled debut from Brothers of the Sonic Cloth was almost too much to take in one sitting. By the time the Tad Doyle-led trio got around to the 11-minute “La Mano Poderosa,” sometimes I felt like I needed a second to catch my breath before diving further, always further, into the smoldering abyss their tones, growls and lurch seemed to create. Six years after their demo (review here) served notice like a tectonic rumble in the distance, the album arrived with comet-into-planet heft, and its oppression was as much about atmosphere as it was sheer aural assault. Imagine an arm reaching down your throat, grabbing your lungs, and forcibly deflating them one at a time. Is that hyperbole? Absolutely, and well earned. Every bit the debut of the year.

12. Kind, Rocket Science

kind rocket science

Released by Ripple Music. Reviewed Dec. 2.

No, Boston supergroup Kind aren’t so high on this list just because they called a song “Pastrami Blaster.” Granted, that didn’t hurt, but ultimately it was the blend of cavernous psychedelics and heavy rumble that made Rocket Science so infectious. Comprised of vocalist Craig Riggs (Roadsaw), guitarist Darryl Shepard (Milligram, The Scimitar, etc.), bassist Tom Corino (Rozamov) and drummer Matt Couto (Elder), Kind earned immediate interest for their pedigree, but it was more the breadth of jams like “Hordeolum” and “The Angry Undertaker” that defined their first outing, various impulses toward structure and open-endedness not so much pushing against each other as working in tandem to craft something that drew from the best of both mindsets. Obviously these are busy guys, but hopefully Kind doesn’t all by the wayside for other ongoing projects. Rocket Science was unmistakable in its demonstration that they have much to offer.

11. Bloodcow, Crystals and Lasers

bloodcow crystals and lasers

Self-released. Reviewed Aug. 4.

Iowa five-piece Bloodcow hadn’t put out a record since 2007’s Bloodcow III: Hail Xenu, but that didn’t stop Crystals and Lasers from being their best work yet. As much punk as metal as heavy rock, it wasn’t for everybody, but it was most definitely for me. With a constant thread of satire in songs like “Ultra Super Sexual,” “Sock,” “Dick for Days” and the oh-shit-I’m-middle-aged-how-the-fuck-did-this-happen (not saying I relate or anything, but holy shit I can relate) “After Party,” it was nonetheless a stylistically varied and universally professional-sounding 13-track collection, offering weirdo quirk in “Blood and Guts,” “Exploding Head” and “Little Chromosome” and finding room for a bit of scathing social commentary in its title-track and “HIVampyre.” If they’re working at an eight-year pace, I don’t know that we’ll get another Bloodcow record, but they very clearly put everything they had into Crystals and Lasers and the result was a defining statement.

10. Kadavar, Berlin

kadavar berlin

Released by Nuclear Blast. Reviewed July 7.

After two wallops in the form of 2013’s Abra Kadavar (review here) and 2012’s self-titled debut (discussed here), German trio Kadavar continued to prove the effectiveness of their songwriting on Berlin, a return that front-to-back brimmed with vitality and bounce rare enough for heavy rock generally more content to be downtrodden or attempting to feign bluesy substance. Unabashedly poppy at times, Berlin was the party that brought everyone along who was up for taking the ride, and whether it was the hook of “Lord of the Sky” showing how just a tiny melodic turn could make a track infectious or cuts like “Thousand Miles Away from Home,” “Filthy Illusion,” “Stolen Dreams,” “Spanish Wild Rose,” “See the World with Your Own Eyes” — all of them, really — working their way into the consciousness, Berlin felt like it was primed to be the soundtrack of many summers to come. They moved away from the retro style of their first two outings, but in so doing took fuller command of their sound and put it to remarkable use.

9. Goatsnake, Black Age Blues

goatsnake black age blues

Released by Southern Lord. Reviewed May 19.

Picking up right where Flower of Disease closer “The River” left off with “Another River to Cross,” Goatsnake‘s third full-length arrived a full 15 years after its predecessor, and as one might expect that brought some considerable changes in the band’s sound. Oh, they still rolled the hell out of a riff, guitarist Greg Anderson (he of SunnO))) and Southern Lord Recordings) very much at the fore tonally, but a bluesy inflection from vocalist Pete Stahl (also earthlings?) and some well-placed backing vocals added personality in a daring and unexpected fashion. Songs like “Jimi’s Gone,” “Elevated Man” and “Grandpa Jones” sat comfortably in the band’s influential pantheon of heft, but it was how Black Age Blues pushed beyond what Goatsnake did in their initial run that made it so satisfying. For a record that arrived five years after they got back together, it could have easily been disaster, but Black Age Blues built on what Goatsnake was without detracting from the legacy that has influenced a generation of heavy rock.

8. Kings Destroy, Kings Destroy

kings destroy self titled

Released by War Crime Recordings. Reviewed April 15.

I’m proud to call the members of Kings Destroy friends and I won’t attempt to feign impartiality when it comes to considering their work as a band, but I felt in listening to their self-titled third LP that they had finally gotten to the point where they were bringing the onstage confrontationalism of their live show to the studio. Yeah, “Mr. O” was upbeat and catchy and gave side A some thrust, but even in chugging opener “Smokey Robinson” or the moody “Mytho” and “Embers,” Kings Destroy not only came further into their own in terms of style, building on the anti-genre defiant stance of 2013’s A Time of Hunting (review here), but did so with a clearheaded progressivism, a better sense of who they are musically and what they want the band to be. I wouldn’t trade seeing them play “Embers” or “W2” as many times as I have for anything, but even unto the gang-shout half-speed hardcore of “Time for War,” Kings Destroy‘s Kings Destroy made no bones about how it wound up with the eponymous title. It’s them through and through.

7. Cigale, Cigale

cigale self titled

Self-released. Reviewed May 4.

It may never be possible to listen to the self-titled debut from Cigale outside the context of the death of guitarist/vocalist Rutger Smeets (ex-Sungrazer). That loss casts a dark shadow over a collection that otherwise radiates colorful sweetness and serenity, the peaceful depth beginning with “Grey Owl” and only broadening as it turns and weaves through “Steeplechase,” “Feel the Heat,” “Harvest Begun” and so on, but the record remains a gorgeous, engrossing wash of resonant melody and underlying presence. Not without its moments of melancholy, the more overarching impression was of beauty not tied to any notion of playing to genre or style, and while I don’t know what the future will hold for the band, if they’ll keep moving forward or not or if they’re even in a place yet to consider such things, they helped broaden the context of European heavy psychedelia with their first album, and that is no minor achievement.

6. Sun Blood Stories, Twilight Midnight Morning

sun blood stories twilight midnight morning

Self-released. Reviewed June 19.

Another one that just kind of smacked me in the face. Idahoan heavy psych explorers Sun Blood Stories‘ second album, Twilight Midnight Morning was soaked in vibe and moved fluidly between experimentalist noisemaking and patient, memorable songwriting. Tracks like “West the Sun,” “Witch Wind” and “Found Reasons Found Out” never raged, exactly, but had enough weight to their rhythm to let you know they were there and interested in groove, while later pieces “Time Like Smoke,” “Moon Song: Waxing” and “Misery is Nebulous” drew exponentially from earlier freakout impulses and shifted into a dronier and more ambient approach. The combination of the two — semi-structure up front, open expansion in the back — made the three-part Twilight Midnight Morning engaging and hypnotic in kind, and though I hope they get weirder and experiment and develop the atmospheric side of their sound, I’ve also got my fingers crossed they hold firm to their more grounded aspects, since its the range between the two that gives their sophomore outing its defining fluidity.

5a. Colour Haze, To the Highest Gods We Know

colour haze to the highest gods we know

Released by Elektrohasch Schallplatten. Reviewed Jan. 6.

I’ll cite precedent in last year’s list for including a “5a.” The intent in doing so is to convey the idea that Colour Haze‘s latest outing, To the Highest Gods We Know, is worthy of top five consideration, but its release date was split between 2014 (CD) and 2015 (LP), so it was a little unclear where to put it. As the album is basically a year old at this point, it seems fair to say it’s held up, drawing back from the grandiose vision of 2012’s She Said (review here) without losing sight of the progressive elements that have taken root in the German trio’s sound. Their work has been and remains essential to the development of heavy psychedelic rock in Europe and beyond, and even though To the Highest Gods We Know felt like something of a reset — a stripping down of arrangements in places and getting back to a trio-in-a-room feel — it still stepped forward in its title-track and in songs like “Überall” and “Call” and showed that even when it seems Colour Haze have pushed their approach as far as it can go, there’s always new ground to explore, and their pull to do so is undiminished.

5. The Atomic Bitchwax, Gravitron

the atomic bitchwax gravitron

Released by Tee Pee Records. Reviewed April 20.

Doesn’t exactly seem like giving away state secrets to note that a record with songs like “Sexecutioner” and “Fuck Face” is aggressive, but it’s particularly interesting in light of the past work of New Jersey trio The Atomic Bitchwax, who I don’t think sounded as barn-burning as they do on Gravitron even in their earliest going. The trio of bassist/vocalist Chris Kosnik, guitarist/vocalist Finn Ryan and drummer Bob Pantella kept their signature winding riff style intact — demonstrated most expansively over 2011’s single-song full-length instrumental The Local Fuzz (review here) — but while their turns were as blinding as ever, their tones were more pointed and Pantella‘s snare more upfront on the beat, which gave Gravitron a newfound sense of urgency. It worked. Even poppier songs like “Roseland” or the closing “Ice Age Hey Baby” benefited from the additional thrust, and the album overall felt lean, mean and ready to be taken on the road, which of course is exactly what they did with it. Six albums in, The Atomic Bitchwax were at their most vital yet.

4. All Them Witches, Dying Surfer Meets His Maker

all them witches dying surfer meets his maker

Released by New West Records. Reviewed Oct. 20.

Nashville four-piece All Them Witches probably could’ve gone into the studio, churned out a record of crunchy riffs with a quiet part or two for flavor and positioned themselves at the forefront of American heavy rock with their New West Records debut and third full-length overall, Dying Surfer Meets His Maker. Instead, they defied expectation boldly and brought their growing audience into the room with them and producer Mikey Allred as they captured the album, which finds its most affecting moments not in tonal weight, but emotional resonance, the melody at the midpoint of “Talisman” or the string arrangement gracefully tucked into “Open Passageways.” There’s still the push of “Dirt Preachers,” and entrancing closer “Blood and Sand – Milk and Endless Waters” has its heft as well, but All Them Witches‘ success ultimately came from being the album they wanted to make, built from the dynamic that’s developed on stage between bassist/vocalist Michael Parks, Jr., guitarist Ben McLeodAllan Van Cleave on Fender Rhodes/strings, and drummer Robby Staebler, and alive in its feeling of exploration. I won’t predict what they might do from here, but I’m willing to say outright it’ll be worth hearing one way or another.

3. Snail, Feral

snail feral

Released by Small Stone Records. Reviewed Oct. 13.

My expectations for Snail‘s third post-reunion full-length and Small Stone label debut, Feral, were pretty high. Not unreasonably so, though. Their 2012 outing, Terminus (review here), built on the blend of heavy psych riffs, laid back roll and melodicism that 2009’s Blood (review here) established as the band’s working modus, but Feral was going to be a different beast from the start because it was the West Coast outfit’s first full-length as a trio since they made their self-titled debut (reissue review here) in 1993 before splitting up the next year. Whatever my expectations were, however, Snail shattered them almost immediately. In the progression of their songwriting as shown across the strong opening salvo of “Building a Haunted House,” “Smoke the Deathless” and “A Mustard Seed” through one of the year’s best songs in the expansive and crushing “Thou Art That,” the three-piece showcased a breadth unlike anything they’d conjured before, and it only continued through “Born in Captivity,” the catchy “Derail,” “Psilocybe” and the soul-infused wah leads that peppered the pleading closer “Come Home.” Where Terminus offered intensity, Feral offered patience in its execution, and the atmosphere it created suited the band’s sound as well as the Seldon Hunt cover art seemed to summarize the alternate reality in which the music took place. Everything about how it came together worked just right, and even as a fan of the band’s work since they got together again, I was taken aback by the unflinching quality of Feral front to back.

2. Acid King, Middle of Nowhere, Center of Everywhere

acid king middle of nowhere center of everywhere

Released by Svart Records. Reviewed March 19.

Ten years is a long, long time. Especially in music. The prospect of a fourth Acid King record has been tossed around for at least the last six of those 10 years, but to finally have it realized was something else entirely. Middle of Nowhere, Center of Everywhere was without a doubt my most-listened-to album of the year, and its combination of tonal haze, low-end heft and spacious atmosphere was perfect. There’s just no other way to say it. It was perfect. From “Silent Pictures” and “Coming down from Outer Space” through “Red River,” “Infinite Skies” and the sprawling “Center of Everywhere” itself, guitarist/vocalist Lori S., bassist Mark Lamb and drummer Joey Osbourne crafted an absolutely perfect heavy psych record. How many bands walking the earth could even get away with calling a track “Laser Headlights,” let alone make it kick ass? Yeah, Goatsnake came back this year, and that was great, but for me, the return of Acid King to their throne of nod was even more the story of the year. Together with producer Billy Anderson, they offered a depth of tone that was simply unmatched, and without an ounce of pretense, they unveiled a roll that continues to resound. I’m a big fan of getting lost in a record, and Middle of Nowhere, Center of Everywhere eased the listener in with its “Intro,” pulled reality apart from with “Silent Pictures” and set about doing the universe a favor by remaking the cosmos as the kind of place where one might find a wizard riding a tiger past the craters of the moon, until, at last, it deposited you back where you started. Best trip of 2015, no question.

1. Elder, Lore

elder lore

Released by Armageddon Shop and Stickman Records. Reviewed Feb. 19.

Make no mistake, 2015 was Elder‘s year. We were all just living in it. Truth be told, I’ve been back and forth between Elder and Acid King in the top spot for the last couple months (you might recall in July they were reversed), but when it finally came to it, there was no way I could feasibly call anything other than Lore the album of the year. From the gorgeous Adrian Dexter artwork (discussed here), through the progressive clarion of “Compendium”‘s noodling guitar line and into the massive scope of the title-track (discussed here), Lore was the moment in which Elder — guitarist/vocalist Nick DiSalvo, bassist Jack Donovan and drummer Matt Couto — tore down the walls of genre, whether it was heavy rock, psychedelia or anything else, and emerged with their own approach and complex, varied modus of songwriting. They’ve been turning heads since their self-titled debut arrived in 2008, but with 2011’s Dead Roots Stirring (review here), they began to demonstrate the potential for really adding something to the patchwork of underground heavy. In moving forward by making clarity a hallmark both of their sound and of their purpose, Elder came into their own with these five tracks, and do not at all be surprised a couple years from now when bands start showing up aping DiSalvo‘s style of riffing, since such a bold and successful foray of individualism can only be influential in the longer run. At nearly an hour long, Lore was not a minor undertaking, but each song seemed to set up its own atmosphere, feeding not only its own singular focus, but that of the album overall. Its turns blinding, its impact forceful and its affect drawing from the best of the sonic personalities of all three players, Elder‘s Lore reaped wide acclaim and earned it every step of the way. Its progressive vision has only begun to be digested.

Honorable Mention

Killer Boogie, Detroit – Impressive debut from the retro-minded offshoot of Black Rainbows brought ’70s boogie to Italy. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had a quick turnaround, but either way, their first outing knew its audience and spoke directly to it.

My Sleeping Karma, Moksha – This one was on various incarnations of the list. Very interested to see where the German heavy prog outfit wind up in terms of expanding their arrangements, but Moksha was a satisfying step forward in that process.

Egypt, Endless Flight – Should probably have a number, but the fact is it’s only been out for like two weeks, so it hasn’t really been given the test of time at this point. Still, Egypt always deliver and this was no exception.

Valkyrie, Shadows – An awaited third full-length from Virginia’s Valkyrie and also their Relapse Records debut offered enough blazing guitar work to meet any quota, and was a welcome return after a long absence.

Magic Circle, Journey’s End – The second LP from this Massachusetts outfit pushed beyond doomly confines into more traditional metallurgy but held its eerie atmospherics intact, and the combination suited them remarkably well.

Monolord, Vænir – This was my go-to for 2015 when nothing else seemed quite crushing enough. The Swedish trio have very quickly stomped their way into the hearts and minds of the international underground, and rightfully so.

Freedom Hawk, Into Your Mind – After making a transition from a four-piece to a trio, this Virginian outfit proceeded to take a few stylistic risks on their second Small Stone long-player, and they paid off.

TombstonesVargariis – Fourth full-length from this Norwegian trio pushed them outside of doom’s confines into a darker and more extreme version of heaviness that pulled from death and black metals in addition to its sludgy underpinnings. The meld was punishing and lost nothing of its groove, wherever it went at any given moment.

Faces of Bayon, Ash and Dust Have no Dominion – I guess my only hesitation with including Faces of Bayon‘s second outing in any kind of year-end fare is I’m not sure if the album has actually been released yet. Even if not, they’re easily worth a mention.

Ice Dragon, A Beacon on the Barrow – Kind of a down year from Ice Dragon in terms of overall productivity, but if the quantity was down compared to some, A Beacon on the Barrow was quality enough to carry them through. In a way, I think the album actually benefited from the band giving listeners time to take it in.

Arenna, Given to Emptiness – Ah, so good. The Spanish heavy psych troupe dug in deep on Given to Emptiness and conjured sonic and emotional resonance on their second full-length. It’s one that still gets repeat listens.

Monster Magnet, Cobras and Fire – The long-running New Jersey outfit’s reworking of their 2010 album Mastermind was excellent, don’t get me wrong, but it didn’t seem fair to list it when they’re working mostly from already-released source material. But still, if you haven’t heard it, go find it.

Various Artists, Electric Ladyland [Redux] – Even if the results hadn’t been so spectacular, Electric Ladyland [Redux] would deserve a mention for the sheer scope and logistical nightmare that the project must have been. Kudos to Magnetic Eye Records all around.

There are so many others: Abrahma, GoyaSun and Sail Club, DevilleSacri MontiDirty StreetsUfomammutWo Fat‘s live album, Mirror Queen, PentagramTorcheSumacGarden of WormBlack RainbowsHoly SerpentMinskBaronWeedpeckerElectric MoonFuzzBell WitchWindhand, Niche, We Lost the SeaSeremoniaSunderDomovoyd, The Heavy EyesDemon HeadFoggStars that MoveEnslavedRuby the Hatchet, on and on and on. That’s not even to mention the stuff I didn’t hear — Baroness will be on many people’s lists, no doubt, as well as Mutoid Man, Ghost and Kylesa — so yeah, I could pretty much keep going ad infinitum.

I, however, cannot. It’s been an absolute pleasure trying to keep up with 2015’s barrage the last 12 months, and I expect 2016 will only bring more. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading or that you’re able to get some use out of this post, whatever that might mean, and I thank you deeply, from the bottom of my heart, for your time and for reading. It means more to me than I can say that you might check out even any portion of this site or be involved, whether it’s sharing a link, leaving a comment to let me know who I forgot to mention or correct my spelling, signing up for the forum, listening to the radio, whatever it might be.

Thank you for an amazing 2015. And please stay tuned, because of course, there’s much more to come.

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Graveyard, Innocence and Decadence: Never Theirs to Take

Posted in Reviews on October 7th, 2015 by JJ Koczan

graveyard innocence and decadence

The fanbase of Sweden’s Graveyard — who, going into their fourth album and third for Nuclear Blast, Innocence and Decadence, can rightly be considered among the most influential heavy rock acts of their generation in Europe — seems to be becoming more divided over time between those who wish the four-piece would get down exclusively to the raw shuffle that made their 2007 self-titled the landmark it has become, and those more given to appreciate the melancholy sensibility that has emerged to diversify their approach over the course of the two subsequent full-lengths, 2011’s Hisingen Blues (review here) and 2012’s Lights Out (review here) — the very title of which seemed to hint at the moodiness within.

For what it’s worth, if it’s one or the other, I’m in the latter camp. The progression undertaken by Graveyard — guitarist/vocalist Joakim Nilsson, guitarist Jonathan Ramm, rejoined bassist Truls Mörck and drummer Axel Sjöberg — toward a more soulful sound has been the very thing distinguishing them from the legion of acts following in their retro-styled wake, and the 43-minute/11-track Innocence and Decadence makes a lasting impression in its subdued moments, but true to the two-pronged aspect hinted at in the name of the record, that’s not the entire story, and songs like opener “Magnetic Shunk,” “Never Theirs to Sell” — a spiritual successor to “The Suits, the Law and the Uniforms,” from the last album — “From a Hole in the Wall” and “Hard-Headed” provide some of the most chaotic churn Graveyard have enacted to-date. Don’t believe me? “From a Hole in the Wall” has blastbeats. Stick that in your ’70s boogie.

One of Innocence and Decadence‘s greatest strengths is that even as it plays to one side or the other, delving into wistful longing on “Exit 97,” proffering soul-rock mastery on “Too Much is Not Enough,” complete with backup singers delivering the hook lines “Can’t keep/A promise never made,” and rounding out with the minimalist “Stay for a Song” long after the “Did all the rest now I gotta do you” testosterone chicanery of “Magnetic Shunk” has subsided, it also finds middle ground between them. A mid-paced cut like “The Apple and the Tree,” the drum-fueled semi-psych spaciousness of “Can’t Walk Out,” the ultra-swinging “Cause and Defect” or the languid Ramm-led sing-along of the penultimate “Far too Close” provide moments of fluid transition en route to one extreme or the other. Now, I don’t think Graveyard sat down with a chart and said, “Okay, we’re going to start fast, then slow down, then speed up, so let’s write this and this and this,” but it’s emblematic of a varied (yet of consistent quality) approach to songwriting, their maturity as a band now approaching their 10th year, and their skill for placing each song on the album to maximize the overarching flow.

The end result is that Graveyard don’t simply jump from one end to the other — except where it suits them, as in the sharp cut from “Exit 97” to “Never Theirs to Sell” — but rely on organic fluidity every bit as integral to their sound as recording live or the the analog feel that remains strong in their material. Split into vinyl sides between “Too Much is Not Enough” and “From a Hole in the Wall” — which features a shift in vocal approach that brings Mörck to the lead-singer role — Innocence and Decadence emerges as a logical step forward from where Graveyard were three years ago on Lights Out and finds them maintaining the level of output that has let their reach expand so far. They come across committed less to the superficial trappings of a retro aesthetic than to their own songcraft, and that allows them to carry over these tracks in their given aesthetic as it would even had they undergone a stylistic shift as drastic as that of fellow Örebro natives and labelmates Witchcraft, whose most recent offering was a marked departure toward modern production.

Performance-wise, Sjöberg puts on a show across these cuts that deserves to enter his name into the conversation for best active drummers in heavy rock. He does more with a closing hi-hat and ride cymbal on “Exit 97” than most drummers can pull off with an entire kit, and is just as at home ghost-noting Ramm‘s stellar lead work on “Hard-Headed” as he is stick-clicking and slow-jazz rolling on “Far too Close,” tossing off frenetic snare fills in the meantime that are pure class and always seem to find their way back into the pocket right on time. Similarly, Nilsson‘s voice proves more able than ever to carry an entire track, as it does most notably on the quiet, sweet “Stay for a Song,” which finishes Innocence and Decadence not with riotous shuffle, but with keys so soft they’re barely there. His post-Plant high-register howl is in effect for the end of “The Apple and the Tree” and “Never Theirs to Sell,” but true to the spirit of the album as a whole, he’s not limited at all to one or the other, and as noted, there’s exploration of pushing his limits even further on “From a Hole in the Wall,” as well as “Can’t Walk Out” and “Cause and Defect,” that only emphasizes the level of frontman he’s become.

That’s not to take away from what Ramm brings to the guitar or what Mörck (who played guitar on the self-titled prior to parting ways with the band and then rejoining on bass) adds on bass — a song like “Cause and Defect” would be severely lacking swagger without him — just that particularly on initial listens, the vocals and drums offer several striking accomplishments. For the band as a whole, Innocence and Decadence does likewise, be it the perfectly patient “Too Much is Not Enough” or the catchy sway of “Far too Close” pushing toward the album’s conclusion, and it leaves little mystery as to why Graveyard have become the band they have, working their way toward an institution and toward statesmanship, but still ready to tear it up when the occasion arises, as it does at several well-timed junctures here.

Graveyard, “Too Much is Not Enough” official video

Graveyard on Thee Facebooks

Nuclear Blast Records

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Graveyard Post New Video for “Too Much is Not Enough”

Posted in Bootleg Theater on September 29th, 2015 by JJ Koczan

graveyard too much is not enough

Best song on the record. Graveyard‘s fourth, Innocence and Decadence (review pending), has a few real gems on it. Enough that in a couple months it’ll likely be a top-tenner, at least for me if not in the readers poll — and probably there too — but from where I sit, the soul-rock vibe of “Too Much is Not Enough” completely pays off the spirit of songs like “Hard Times Lovin'” and “Slow Motion Countdown” from 2012’s Lights Out (review here), while also expanding the form into raw soul rock complete with backing singers, Abbey Road-tone leads and a total understanding that this kind of thing not only works within the context of what the Swedish ’70s-style rock forerunners do, but is essential to it. Again, Innocence and Decadence has a few really good songs. I wouldn’t say there’s a clunker in the bunch. Best song on the record.

The album is available now — I haven’t bought a copy yet, but I’ll get there and I have my download to review — and to coincide with the release, the band have unveiled a clip for “Too Much is Not Enough” that follows suit in its cinematic feel from “The Apple and the Tree,” which came out last month. Not sure where Graveyard came into such a video budget — if that’s Nuclear Blast, kudos to Nuclear Blast — but they’re putting it to excellent use, as this new video follows a narrative thread, features the band jamming out in suitably classy surroundings and echoes the melancholy of the song gorgeously.

Graveyard tour the US in December. Dates and PR wire info follow the clip.

Graveyard, “Too Much is Not Enough” official video

Award-winning Swedish rock band GRAVEYARD releases its new album Innocence & Decadence via Nuclear Blast Records. The acclaimed group’s fourth album was recorded live in the studio, directly to analog tape, with producer Johan Lindström and builds on the solid foundation and formidable reputation that GRAVEYARD has cultivated since its formation in 2006, providing the most shining example to date of a sound the band calls “classic rock with a modern roll”.

“We all know how it goes,” the band comments on the song. “There’s ying and there’s yang. Too little and too much and neither one is enough. Somewhere, there is love and the universe finds it’s balance in a perfect ballad.” The “Too Much Is Not Enough” video was shot on location at Sweden’s historic Stadshotell.

GRAVEYARD will embark on fall U.S. tour dates in support of Innocence & Decadence beginning December 4 in Columbus, OH. The live dates are as follows:

GRAVEYARD tour dates:
December 4 Columbus, OH Ace of Cups
December 5 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
December 6 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Cafe
December 8 Denver, CO Summit Music Hall
December 9 Salt Lake City, UT In the Venue
December 10 Missoula, MT Stage 112
December 11 Seattle, WA Chop Suey
December 12 Vancouver, BC VENUE
December 14 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
December 15 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
December 17 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom
December 19 Austin, TX Mohawk

Graveyard on Thee Facebooks

Nuclear Blast Records

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Graveyard Post New Video for “The Apple and the Tree”

Posted in Bootleg Theater on August 20th, 2015 by JJ Koczan

Just in case your anticipation for Graveyard‘s forthcoming LP, Innocence and Decadence, had yet to hit fever-pitch, the Swedish foursome have unveiled a new video for the track “The Apple and the Tree” that boasts, among other things, choice groove and shoveling shit. Want some context on that one? Yeah, you’re just gonna have to watch the clip.

The song itself answers a few key questions about where the band would go following their third album, 2012’s Lights Out (review here), most notably about where they’d wind up production-wise. There’s a lot of their core ’70s methodology maintained in “The Apple and the Tree” — which like “Cause and Defect” and the album’s title itself, hints at a theme of duality — but like Lights Out, you wouldn’t necessarily call the vibe here retro or vintage in terms of its overall sound, classic as that groove is.

Also notable is the dynamic of the song itself, which saves its real push toward the end of a satisfying three-minute run, guitarist/vocalist Joakim Nilsson — joined in the band by guitarist Jonathan Ramm bassist Truls Mörck and drummer Axel Sjöberg — shifting into his bluesy higher register at just the right moment to drive the point home. As to whether or not that’s emblematic of a songwriting progression across the board on Innocence and Decadence, I don’t know — haven’t heard the album yet — but I’m sure as hell interested to find out.

Video below, followed by recently-announced tour dates and more info from the PR wire. Enjoy:

Graveyard, “The Apple and the Tree” official video

Award-winning Swedish rock band GRAVEYARD will release its new album Innocence & Decadence, on September 25 via Nuclear Blast Records. The acclaimed group’s fourth album was recorded live in the studio, directly to analog tape, with producer Johan Lindström and is the follow-up to GRAVEYARD’s 2012 release, Lights Out. Innocence & Decadence builds on the solid foundation and formidable reputation that GRAVEYARD has cultivated since its formation in 2006, providing the most shining example to date of a sound the band calls “classic rock with a modern roll”. The quartet describes the record as a blend of “everything from old 20’s Blues to Krautrock with synthesizers, Irma Thomas, blast beats and Psych Rock.”

Today, GRAVEYARD premieres the first music video from Innocence & Decadence, for the album’s lead single, “The Apple and the Tree.” Directed by Jonas Petersson and shot outside Fagersta, Sweden (hometown of The Hives), the video depicts the band working and enjoying life on a countryside farm.

“Just like life in general, it depends on what you choose to see and hear,” said the band. “Innocence & Decadence is built on thousands of layers of love, fury and being alive in the year 2015.” Check out a trailer for the record, featuring interactive album art, at this location.

GRAVEYARD will embark on fall U.S. tour dates in support of Innocence & Decadence beginning December 4 in Columbus, OH. The just-released live dates are as follows:

GRAVEYARD tour dates:

December 4 Columbus, OH Ace of Cups
December 5 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
December 6 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Cafe
December 8 Denver, CO Summit Music Hall
December 9 Salt Lake City, UT In the Venue
December 10 Missoula, MT Stage 112
December 11 Seattle, WA Chop Suey
December 14 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
December 15 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
December 17 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom
December 19 Austin, TX Mohawk

Graveyard on Thee Facebooks

Innocence and Decadence preorder

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Graveyard Announce Headlining West Coast/Midwest Tour

Posted in Whathaveyou on August 12th, 2015 by JJ Koczan

One imagines this headlining run along the West Coast and in the Midwest is just the beginning of Graveyard‘s album cycle for their fourth album, Innocence and Decadence, which is out Sept. 25, but it’s enough to get a longer party started anyway. Their last album, 2012’s Lights Out (review here), took them around the world and it seems only fair to assume this one will do likewise. Still, I’ve never been to Columbus or Chicago in December, but considering how frickin’ cold I can imagine it being, it doesn’t seem like they’re exactly starting off easy. Probably being from Sweden helps.

Dates and info off the PR wire:

GRAVEYARD Announces U.S. Headlining Tour

Swedish Hard Rock Stalwarts to Release New Album Innocence & Decadence September 25

Scandinavian Hi-Fi heroes GRAVEYARD will release their new album, Innocence & Decadence, on September 25 via Nuclear Blast Records. The acclaimed rock band’s fourth album, Innocence & Decadence was recorded live in the studio, directly to analog tape, with producer Johan Lindström and is the follow-up to GRAVEYARD’s 2012 release, Lights Out.

Innocence & Decadence builds on the solid foundation and formidable reputation that GRAVEYARD has cultivated since its formation in 2006, providing the most shining example to date of a sound the band calls “classic rock with a modern roll”. The quartet describes the record as a blend of “everything from old 20’s Blues to Krautrock with synthesizers, Irma Thomas, blast beats and Psych Rock.” Check out a trailer for the record, featuring interactive album art, at this location.

“Just like life in general, it depends on what you choose to see and hear,” said the band in a statement. “Innocence & Decadence is built on thousands of layers of love, fury and being alive in the year 2015.” Innocence & Decadence is available for pre-order now at this location.

Today, GRAVEYARD announces fall U.S. tour dates in support of Innocence & Decadence. The headlining run will launch on December 4 in Columbus, OH and run through December 19 in Austin, TX with support to be announced. The just-released live dates are as follows:

GRAVEYARD tour dates:
December 4 Columbus, OH Ace of Cups
December 5 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
December 6 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Cafe
December 8 Denver, CO Summit Music Hall
December 9 Salt Lake City, UT In the Venue
December 10 Missoula, MT Stage 112
December 11 Seattle, WA Chop Suey
December 14 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
December 15 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
December 17 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom
December 19 Austin, TX Mohawk

Graveyard, Innocence and Decadence album trailer

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Graveyard Announce Innocence and Decadence Album Details; New LP Due Sept. 25

Posted in Whathaveyou on June 18th, 2015 by JJ Koczan

News hasn’t been quick in arriving about Graveyard‘s fourth album, which we now know is titled Innocence and Decadence — perhaps for its dealings with the bluesy demons that seem to have haunted the Swedish outfit since their 2007 self-titled debut — but confirmation came of the record’s existence on their tour with Clutch last month (review here) and the new song, “Shunken,” which they played to herald the upcoming offering’s arrival. Sept. 25 is the release date, and it will be their third outing for Nuclear Blast after 2012’s Lights Out (review here) and 2011’s Hisingen Blues (review here), duty-bound to answer some questions about where their sound is heading after their last time out and just what direction their massively influential ’70s stylizations will take.

Very much looking forward to finding out. If you are as well, preorders are up now. This from the PR wire:

graveyard innocence and decadence

GRAYEYARD Reveal Details to Upcoming Album!

Swedish grandmasters of classic rock, GRAVEYARD, have announced that they will be releasing their fourth full-length album, Innocence & Decadence on September 25, 2015 worldwide via Nuclear Blast.

Innocence & Decadence was recorded in Stockholm, Sweden at Atlantis Studios with Janne Hansson (ABBA, THE HIVES, OPETH) and Johan Lindström (TONBRUKET).

Commented the band: “Got a new album coming your way in September called Innocence & Decadence. It’s gonna be an album filled to the rim with a little bit of this – and for all of those who might wonder or worry – there will be quite a lot of that on it as well. We’ve had a great time recording the album at the ‘gemytliga’ Atlantis Studios in Stockholm together with Janne Hansson and Johan Lindström. And after kinda being away from our daily routine as a touring band and the thrill of a new album on its way …we wanna leave you with.

“Good to be gone, great to be back and let there be September!“ – Axel, Joakim, Jonathan & Truls aka Graveyard

Innocence & Decadence will be released in various formats (vinyl look digipak, digital download, black/clear/splatter/orange/green/bi-colored vinyl as well as a T-Shirt/CD bundle) – pre-order your copy here:

A European headlining tour will be announced shortly.

For more info visit:

Graveyard, “Shunken” Live at House of Blues, Boston, May 17, 2015

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The Ready Room: A Star Trek Podcast
143: Hand-Rolled Sushi Furnace

The Doomsday Machine.

If you ask fans of The Original Series to name their favorite episodes, invariably “The Doomsday Machine” comes up. Even James Doohan named the episode his favorite of the series. In 1968, “The Doomsday Machine” received a Hugo Award nomination for Best Dramatic Presentation; but not all are in love with the story. D.C. Fontana named the episode her least favorite of the series, and the story's author, Norman Spinrad, has expressed disappointment with its translation to screen. Neverthless, "The Doomsday Machine" remains one of the essential hours of TOS.

In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Daniel Handlin, Drew Stewart, and Suzanne Abbott to find out where we stand on this story of a captain (well… a commodore) destroyed by the loss of his crew, the Moby-Dick allegory, the social message that H-Bombs are bad, the origins of the planet killer itself, and our thoughts on the remastered version of the episode.

In our news segment we learn about Five Year Mission's Las Vegas adventure, get technical with some advancements in the field of tractor beams and their possible applications, and look back at Star Trek III: The Search for Spock on the film's 30th anniversary.

Direct download: trr-143.mp3
Category:The Original Series -- posted at: 1:25am MDT


text:
The Ready Room: A Star Trek Podcast
48: Don't Call Me Cupcake

Vulcan’s Vengeance.

One of the most unexpected turn of events in the J.J. Abrams reboot of Star Trek was the destruction of Vulcan, one of the founding worlds of the Federation. The two-hour movie didn’t offer enough time to explore the repercussions of this event, but IDW has been expanding the Abramsverse in comic form through the Star Trek Ongoing series. Launched in autumn 2011, Star Trek Ongoing has mainly put an Abramsverse twist on classic TOS stories. That changed with issues #7 and #8. Titled “Vulcan’s Vengeance,” this two-part story plants the seeds for what could be a significant change in Vulcan philosophy in this alternate timeline. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Sean Tourangeau as we discuss this comic and the ideas that it explores. In addition to the comic itself we talk about the future of the Romulan-Federation relationship, the changing face of Vulcan, and the possibilities of a jump from paper to television.

In news we cover the DVD release of Trek Nation, a special Trek Nation event scheduled for San Diego Comic Con, the new Shuttle Service art poster and sticker set from Bye Bye Robot, teleportation breakthroughs in China, and a project to actually build the U.S.S. Enterprise. Plus we have lots of movies news and rumors, including all the Froyo you can eat.

Direct download: trr-048.mp3
Category:Comics -- posted at: 9:00pm MDT


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Speechless. The feeling most engulfing right now for Manchester United fans as a stunning and scintillating display saw the Red Devils thrash Premier League Champions Leicester City in the early Saturday fixture at Old Trafford.

Chris Smalling, Juan Mata, Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba put away goals as United raced to a 4-0 lead in the first half, and Old Trafford was rocking by football not seen at the club since Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign at the club. Jose Mourinho’s decision to remove Marouane Fellaini and Wayne Rooney from the first XI paid dividends, as those calling for it were vindicated in a performance that undoubtedly would have shocked many on lookers.

Is this a sign of the future? Or a mirage like so many that have come before it? It might be recency bias, but something about today felt different for United.

So, That First Half…

Beautiful, no other way to describe what Manchester United put together in the first 45 minutes of today’s game. The midfield and attack were so fluid, and despite the defence not being 100 percent solid it did not matter once United opened the game up.

Daley Blind provided two assists from corners and the first came when he put it on the head of Chris Smalling, who wearing the Captain’s armband nodded home to open the scoring. Then a team move which involved Ander Herrera, Juan Mata, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and then Mata again was finished well by the Spaniard to make it 2-0.

It was the sort of free flowing football that has been missed by United fans for too long, and boy wonder Marcus Rashford tapped home from close range to make it three. Then Old Trafford got what it had been waiting for when Pogba latched onto another Blind corner to head home and make it four.

It was 45 minutes of football that sent a message to United’s doubters.

Changes Pay Dividends

From the United seen so far under Jose Mourinho, today saw a vast difference in selection, style and tempo. United played one touch football at times, working their way around Leicester with seemingly little difficulty. The 4-3-3 used in recent times flexed between that and a 4-2-3-1, with Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Marcus Rashford fluidly moving around the forward line and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Ander Herrera’s role from deep (ahead of Michael Carrick, which caused concern before kickoff) was also an excellent choice, and he was superb with line breaking passes that opened up space for United time and again. For the most part this allowed Pogba to thrive, driving at the Foxes time and again. His chips over the defence were a sight to behold, and he was unlucky to walk away from today without an assist.

Daley Blind moved to left back and out of central defence for the first time in a league fixture in a long time, and he was superb with his delivery and support for the attackers. His corners were a refreshing change from the many set pieces wasted under Wayne Rooney and Phil Jones.

Mourinho and United were vindicated, at least for another week.

Those Dropped May Not Return Soon

Wayne Rooney and Marouane Fellaini were the casualties of United’s increasingly poor displays, and many felt the best from the likes of Paul Pogba would not come until either or both players were dropped. Neither allow United to play with serious tempo and movement, and their lack of touch grinds play to a halt. Endeavour none the less, that can only do so much.

Both sat and watched their team tear Leicester apart, able to do things they simply cannot when the Englishman and Belgian are on the field. Fellaini is a terrific player when breaking up play, but Ander Herrera was able to conduct the midfield with his superior and pinpoint passing. The Spaniard thrives in a higher tempo system and certainly did so today, in the second half when it slowed his influence lessened.

Rooney’s departure from the first XI meanwhile allowed Paul Pogba to dominate the space he vacated. The team needed to turn things around after some terrible displays, and perhaps now Mourinho is starting to figure out who belongs in his best XI.

Increased Optimism Comes In Those Who Did Not Play

Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw all sat out of the squad today with various ailments. Although Mourinho only ruled out Martial in yesterday’s press conference, Shaw and Mkhitaryan did not make the matchday squad and thankfully weren’t required.

Juan Mata was superb, and provided creativity and spark for the first time this season in a stunning way. Jesse Lingard showed his usual endeavour, but there’s no doubting when the Armenian is fit he likely comes in for the English youngster. Daley Blind’s display means Luke Shaw does not need to rush back from his groin problem.

It gives Mourinho increased options and flexibility going forward, as United look to Friday’s clash with FC Zorya in the Europa League.

A Performance Without Over Reliance

Too often this season Manchester United have had to carry passengers which meant United were relying on others to get them over the line. Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s early goals covered up for United’s attacking deficiencies, and although he has struggled in his last couple of outings and snatched at chances again today it didn’t matter.

Some will ask if it is fair to be concerned about the lack of goals from the Swede recently, but he has still provided an effective presence up front. He leads the line, often taking a battering to play in those around him. He’s also an effective creator, who can take part in quick passing with his teammates to open spaces in the final third.

Daley Blind’s roaming up the left flank was very welcomed by the attackers who supported him, as well as his superb delivery from set pieces. Chris Smalling and particularly Eric Bailly did well at the back, and the midfield and attack speak for themselves.

United escaped without any serious injury concerns, and now move onto their midweek European clash before hosting Stoke City next Sunday. Renewed optimism is a welcome feeling on the red side of Manchester, where United may have just turned a corner.

Made in Manchester is available for just £5. It includes 30 articles from the country's best football writers about graduates from the Manchester United academy. All profit goes to Trafford Macmillan so please support this fantastic cause.
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Friday, August 7, 2020

And the Moon Rose Over an Open Field

Me in Florida, 2011

I write words for a living.

No, I'm not a writer, as much as 14-year-old me wanted to believe that I could be. Wanted to publish a fantasy novel, one that, had I published it at 14 or at 20, would have followed me as a flaming embarrassment for the rest of my life. I think that would have been okay, but I kind of like what happened better. That I learned to write for myself. That I spent years writing about Tolkien quotes and solo trips, and occasionally my inner thoughts and once about an aardvark (because I'd committed to writing every day and I had nothing to say), and about love (sort of) and finding myself (sort of) and a bunch of environmental posts that I spent way too long researching, the posts that took me five hours and ten people read, the ones that took me five minutes and got thousands of hits. People still read my instructions for riding a Greyhound bus, and sometimes I still miss riding a Greyhound bus, and sometimes I still think about the Greyhound ride to Florida where I stayed up all night and the nervous businessman sat next to me, the one who was supposed to be on an airplane but an ice storm had grounded the flight and his company switched him to the bus instead, and he bribed me with trail mix to sit next to him because he was terrified of riding the bus and he thought I didn't look like a serial killer, and he asked if I liked the music of Sade and gave me his headphones and I listened to her while looking out the dark window. And now every time I listen to Simon and Garfunkel's "America" and the line says, "And the moon rose over an open field," I burst into tears because I think of the moon on the everglades through the Greyhound bus window.

Where was I? That's right, with the words.

Friday, July 24, 2020

Plastic Free July: Trash from Days 18-24

One of my good friends, Baba Yaga, a witch of Slavic folklore, is fond of saying to people as a means of farewell, "Don't get crushed by the existential dread!"

I've been saying this to myself a lot lately.

In the midst of personal crises (helping my mom as she faces a severe injury, and now self-quarantining with a head cold until I can get the results of my Covid test back*) and nationwide nonsense, I find it hard to feel like anything I do matters. I started a blog post on plastic-free swaps and ended up rage-quitting because the change needs to be so, so much bigger, and the amount of effort put into little tiny swaps for little tiny plastic pieces feels so wasted.

I will return to the blog post one of these days. I'm still cataloguing my plastic. I'm still encouraging others to be mindful of your trash and try to figure out what it's telling you and where you want to head with your eco action. Some days the dread just feels heavier than others. I remind myself that there's nothing wrong with self-care, especially when that manifests as curling up with a library book and a cup of herbal tea that I harvested straight from the garden.

To do more, I must rest more. Existential dread or not.

*Update: I just heard back and my test was negative! I'm just regular sick!

Below is a list of my trash, but first, some quick links…

10 Ways to Turn Off the Corporate Plastic Pollution Spigot by Zero Waste Chef. Helpful knowledge, petitions to sign, action ideas to effect larger-scale change, and more!

How to NOT Go Zero Waste by Sustainable in the Suburbs. Really good (I mean bad) advice for getting started on your journey.

10 High-Impact Zero Waste Challenge Ideas by Polly Barks. These challenges encourage you to choose the action steps that will create the biggest impact.

• If we want a future in which everyone (regardless of income) has access to good, healthy, nourishing food, we need to invest in farmers who are looking not only to heal the soil but heal their communities. Three incredible farmers are currently fundraising, and every dollar counts. Check out Indy Srinath (L.A.), Amber Tamm Canty (New York) and Sylvanaqua Farms (Virginia).

Now, onto the trash!

Parchment paper (trash)— Perhaps I will buy biodegradable parchment paper in the future when I am not under active quarantine. What a strange, distant future this is. What is the future? What is the past? What is reality? At least I have bread.

Dried fruit bag (recycle at store)— This is clean and dry, so I can add it to bag recycling to take to the grocery store. You can normally buy dried fruit in bulk, if you live in a mythical world where there is either no pandemic or you're allowed to bring your own container and also probably if you live on the west coast or something. Maybe I should dry my own fruit instead, from the farmers market. Honestly. I have a dehydrator. It wouldn't be that hard.

Peanut butter seal (recycle at store)— Organic peanut butter comes in tiny jars and we eat a lot!

Sausage wrapping (trash)— Support your local farmer!

Plastic bag (recycle at store)

Tortilla seals (recycle at store)

Tortilla chip bag (trash)— I fell behind on making Zach's snacks this week, so he filled in the cracks with a bag of chips and a jar of salsa. I may or may not have sneaked several chips as well.

Floss (trash)— I might possibly maybe order some silk floss sometime in the undetermined future.

Receipts (trash)

Tofu packaging (recycle at store once cleaned)— I have made tofu from scratch before, but so far I've had no luck finding bulk soybeans in the Midwest! Why is this? I can bike five minutes from my house and see soybean fields with no end in sight, and yet I haven't found a store here that carries the actual beans! #governmentconspiracy #noactuallyitis

Half-and-half carton (recycle)— I learned that our city does accept these kinds of cartons for recycling! Not everywhere does, though, so be sure to check your regulations.

Butter wrappers (trash)— For the aforementioned bread.

Packing tape (trash)— This was the lone piece of plastic on a 48-roll pack of Who Gives a Crap toilet paper. So I'd say that's pretty good.

Cheese wrapper (trash)— So many quesadillas.

Updated goals for this month:

1. Don't get Covid. *(Update: Managed to meet this goal better than I expected!)

2. Get well from the cold.

3. Use points 1 and 2 to be able to actually visit my injured mother again.

4. Figure out where to buy silk floss.

5. Write one blog post (it's currently half-finished after I rage-quit).

6. Make a list of zero-waste swaps and resources to research later when I'm not so physically and emotionally exhausted.

7. Write one email asking a brand to take responsibility for its plastic packaging.

8. Eat more bread.

Want to support my work? You can send a few bucks via my Ko-Fi page, or check out my illustration work for sale on Zazzle. Thanks!

Saturday, July 18, 2020

Plastic Free July: Trash from Days 11-17

I'll be honest: it's been a pretty bad week. Between an allergic reaction to a wasp sting on my ankle that made it impossible for me to walk or stand, to spending a lot of time at my mom's house helping out after she broke her collarbone, it's one of those weeks that is just never-ending exhaustion and annoyance and the occasional emotional breakdown.

Friday, July 10, 2020

Plastic Free July: Trash from the First 10 Days

Even though I officially started Plastic Free July a little late, fortunately I had the foresight to start saving my plastic trash on the first. So, I now have 10 days' worth of plastic trash to analyze!

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Plastic Free July: 10 Zero Waste Blogs to Check Out

Okay so this photo has nothing to do with the post, but I like it anyway.

If you're looking for some good reading this July, use these 10 blogs as a starting point! I'll admit that I don't listen to podcasts or watch videos very much, so feel free to chime in with ones you've found helpful!

Polly Barks- One of my favorite bloggers because she's always thinking beyond the individual— she encourages large-scale problem-solving and challenges you to use your privilege, knowledge, and skills to help others! Also check out her excellent book, More Than a Plastic Bag, which just came out.

Sensible Sustainability- Yue takes huge amounts of information and presents it in manageable chunks, while still showing the nuance and complexity of environmental issues. If you're interested in the larger implications of zero waste, this is a great place to start.

Fat Change- Mariah covers a wide range of environmental topics, with an emphasis on how environmentalism fits into real life.

Zero Waste Chef- With a focus on avoiding food waste, Anne-Marie is funny, practical, and deeply encouraging. I've learned so much from her! (Also, if you're one of the many who started a sourdough during quarantine, you'll find a lot of useful tips here.)

Old World New- Tips and sponsored content with a focus on eco-friendly fashion, parenting, and Black-owned businesses.

Litterless- Although Celia isn't blogging anymore, she still keeps her website up to date with bulk shopping options and a treasure trove of nuts-and-bolts tips for living plastic-free.

The Daily Greens- Accessible and encouraging, Abbey focuses on practical steps for a lower-waste life.

Sustainable in the Suburbs- Sarah blogs about eco-friendly life with children in a "cookie-cutter neighborhood." A great resource for families, especially those who live in (you guessed it) the suburbs!

Rob Greenfield- This environmental activists engages in extreme life experiments to prove important points about the way we live on the earth. Great for anyone wanting to stretch themselves beyond the easy swaps.

Leah Stella Payne- Interviews, recipes, and practical tips for cutting your waste.

What are your favorite environmental blogs/Instagrams/YouTube channels/podcasts?

Want to support my work? You can send a few bucks via my Ko-Fi page, or check out my illustration work for sale on Zazzle. Thanks!

Sunday, July 5, 2020

Plastic Free July: Why Is Plastic So Bad?

An illustration of my roommate's cat checking out my plastic-free farmers market haul

(Read all Plastic Free July posts here.)

As you may have noticed, there is a lot going on in the world right now. We as humans can only keep up with a couple things at a time, and it may seem a bit weird to try to care about plastic pollution at this particular moment.

But I wanted to do a quick run-down of the reasons that I'm doing #plasticfreeJuly, and why I believe that plastic matters, especially now.

1. Plastic factories are harmful to people. In the U.S., plastic is manufactured in incredibly polluting factories, negatively affecting the communities around them with respiratory issues and cancer. See this article and this one for more about "Cancer Alley" in Louisiana. Factories are overwhelmingly placed in communities of color, so plastic is a racial issue. And speaking of racism…

2. Our plastic trash harms people in other countries. The U.S. sends a huge amount of plastic waste (supposedly for recycling) to other countries, where it creates huge health and safety hazards and often isn't recycled at all. Read more about that process here.

3. Plastic harms wildlife. Plastic never decomposes, but it does degrade, breaking into smaller and smaller pieces. These, along with microplastics (threads of polyester, microbeads from cosmetic products, etc.), wash into waterways and are eaten by fish and small creatures, sometimes starving them because their bodies can't process it.

Although plastic has improved our lives in countless ways, especially in the medical field and for accessibility (and I'm particularly grateful for plastic technology in backpacking gear, too), the vast majority of plastic goods— polyester and flatware, microbeads and bottles— could be scaled back significantly. If we only used plastic where it was really important, the waste would be easier to deal with and the need for factories would go down. We can be part of making that happen.

What motivates you to reduce your plastic waste?

Want to support my work? You can send a few bucks via my Ko-Fi page, or check out my illustration work for sale on Zazzle. Thanks!

Friday, July 3, 2020

Plastic-Free July: A Late Start

Hello friends!

July definitely sneaked up on me this year, and I realized a bit too late that Plastic-Free July— an international month-long challenge to refuse single-use plastics— was already underway. No matter, though, I'm doing my own version of the challenge anyway!

If you want to play along at home, here's my basic process:

1: Start collecting all the plastic waste that I accumulate in one spot.

2. At the end of each week, catalogue all the plastic and analyze where it came from, how it can be reused or recycled, and whether or not I can avoid it in the first place.

3. Start making a couple swaps to reduce some of the plastic. (For instance, I want to make produce bags so we can buy fruit loose instead of bagged.)

4. Challenge myself to make some of the harder swaps.

This week I'm focusing on just collecting plastic, without any shame or blame or change of habits, to see what I end up with. Next week, I'll start focusing on changing my habits to reduce it.

I'll be sharing tips, info, and helpful articles about plastic both here and on my Facebook page, as well as posting about my plastic consumption and what I learn along the way. It's going to be a weird challenge with all the Covid stuff going on, but I'll do my best!

Would you like to do the challenge with me? If so, leave a comment below so we can cheer each other on!

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Notes from a Civil Rights Movement

Dear Black friends,

I love you, am listening to you, grieve with you, and support you. I repent of my silence and my apathy, and promise to dive into the hard work of unlearning the white supremacist script I've read all my life, and to fight alongside you. Your lives, your success, your flourishing, and your right to joy matter.

Love, Lisa

Dear white friends,

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Six Ways to Help Mitigate Flooding

Frontier Park, St. Charles, 2017

A couple weekends ago, the St. Louis area experienced a flash flood caused by an ungodly amount of rain falling all at once. The ground couldn't hold it, the storm drains got overwhelmed, and three inches of water gushed up from the drain into Zach's and my basement, destroying a whole lot of our roommate's stuff. Our house smelled like wet cardboard for a week, and it got me thinking about flooding.

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Thoughts from a Pandemic

When I was a child, and we were studying the Great Depression in homeschool, I realized that I knew someone who had lived through it: my Great Aunt Goldie. The next time we visited her, I asked her what it was like to live through that time, as the images of bread lines and scrappy children from my schoolbook flashed through my head. I leaned forward, eager to hear all her amazing stories.


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Lynn and Moustakas found new homes this week

While the Cleveland Indians are far and away the favorites to win the AL Central for a third straight season this year, the gap in the race for second place has widened this offseason, with the Minnesota Twins going all-in on their 2017 Wild Card appearance. At the same time, the Kansas City Royals have lost two of their franchise cornerstones in Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer and were only able to bring back Mike Moustakas after he remained unsigned into the second week of March.

The latest move in what has been a brilliant offseason for Twins General Manager Thad Levine was bringing in starting pitcher Lance Lynn on a one-year, $12 million contract. With Ervin Santana unlikely to join the Twins rotation until late April or early May, it isn’t crazy to think that Lynn could immediately slot in as the Twins new ace. After rejecting a one-year, $17.4 million qualifying offer from the St. Louis Cardinals, Lynn’s market, along with Jake Arrieta’s and Alex Cobb’s, never quite developed this offseason. The contract makes a ton of sense for both sides, as a year after going 11-8 with a 3.43 ERA and 2.8 WAR in 186.1 innings pitched, Lynn gives the Twins an innings eating, front of the rotation starter, as he has averaged 188.6 innings pitched in his five full seasons in the MLB. From Lynn’s perspective, he has found himself on a legitimate postseason contender, and can now hit the free agent market again a year from now with no draft pick compensation attached to his name. For his career, Lynn has a 3.38 ERA and appears fully recovered from the Tommy John Surgery that cost him all of the 2016 season.

Lynn’s signing is another stellar move for the Twins, who have also added Logan Morrison, Zach Duke, Michael Pineda, Addison Reed, Fernando Rodney, and Jake Odorizzi for a total of $57.95 million. In Morrison, the Twins stole a 3.6 WAR player for the middle of their lineup whose market never developed despite numbers last season that included 38 HR, 85 RBI, a .868 OPS, and a 135 OPS+.  In the bullpen, Duke had a 1.036 WHIP and .197 BAA a year ago, while Rodney is coming off of a 39 save season in Arizona and brings the closer’s experience that comes with having over 300 career saves. Between Duke, Rodney, and Reed, the hard-throwing righty who has a 2.40 ERA, 0.996 WHIP, 9.8 K/9, and a 5.96 K:BB ratio over the past two seasons, the Twins have added three reliable arms to a bullpen that ranked 22nd in the MLB with a 4.40 ERA a year ago. While Odorizzi is not the front a true front of the rotation arm, he provides the Twins with another solid starter behind Lynn, Santana, and Jose Berrios, having gone 10-8 with a 4.14 ERA and 1.242 WHIP in 143.1 innings last season. Once fully recovered from Tommy John Surgery of his own, Pineda could add another electric dimension to the Twins rotation, as despite his career 4.05 ERA, he has struck out 9.1 batters per nine innings with a 4.38 K:BB ratio in five seasons, and should only benefit from calling Target Field his new home, and moving away from Yankee Stadium. All told, the Twins have added 10.2 WAR from a season ago, which at the current theoretical value of $11 million/WAR, represents a huge bargain for the team.

Down in Kansas City, the Royals offseason has been a mixed bag of results. Gone are Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer, the team’s two most valuable players, AL wins leader Jason Vargas, and team’s most valuable relief pitcher, Mike Minor. Additionally, the Royals will be without their projected starting center fielder Jorge Bonifacio, who was suspended for 80 games due to a failed PED test. At first base, Lucas Duda was signed to replace Hosmer; while Duda does have some power, with 30 HR and a .496 SLG a year ago, he has struck out over 135 times in three of the past four seasons, and carries with him a career .242 AVG. With Bonifacio and Cain out of the picture, Alex Gordon will shift over to center field for the first time, a position that he has played a total of 15 times in his 1421 games in the MLB. Not only is Gordon playing out of position, but the Royals will miss having him in left field, where he has 110 career Defensive Runs Saved, including 15 a year ago. With Vargas gone, the #4 and #5 spots in the Royals rotation belong to Jakob Junis and Trevor Oaks, who have a total of 20 big league appearances between them. While Jon Jay should help in right field as a career .288/.355/.383 hitter with 4 Defensive Runs Saved at the position, he is more of a role player, and not someone you’d expect to have anywhere near the production of Cain or Hosmer.

Which brings us back to Moustakas, who has been the saving grace of an otherwise tough offseason for Royals fans. A year after hitting a team-record 38 home runs with a .835 OPS, Moustakas rejected the Royals qualifying offer expecting to field multi-year contract offers in the $80-100 million range. Instead, he watched as the Angels signed Zack Cozart, the Yankees acquired Brandon Drury, and the Mets signed Todd Frazier, drying up the third base market significantly. Moustakas did hit free agency coming off of a career year, but it is likely that his market dried up due to the fact that even in a career year, he only produced 1.8 WAR thanks to his .314 OBP, and -8 Defensive Runs Saved.  Additionally, with Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson, and Nolan Arenado all hitting free agency within the next two years, it didn’t make sense for teams to break the bank on Moustakas, a good, but not great player. Add in a career line of .251/.305/.425 and a career high of 43 walks in a season, and you’re left with a talented, but flawed player. As a result, Moustakas ended up right back where he started, agreeing to a one-year, $6.5 million deal with the Royals with up to $2.2 million in incentives based on plate appearances. Amazingly, Moustakas was left to take a $2.2 million pay cut just to remain in Kansas City and is the strongest cautionary tale of a free agent market that has been amongst the slowest in baseball history.

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New Course at Hugo House

A bedroom at night. A bed partially illuminated by a brassy gold lamp.
photo: Jp Valery via Unsplash

but somehow the chrysanthemum
is budding.

(Bashō, tr. Robert Hass)

This summer I'm leading a one-day workshop on writing illness and disability at Hugo House in Seattle. We'll practice expressing what feels inexpressible and examine the way great writers from Virginia Woolf to Ada Limón have pulled it off. We'll navigate the web and history of ableist language. We'll talk about rest as revolutionary action. We'll rest.

Want to join us? Details are here.

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Why No One Talks About Anymore

Qualities of the Right Family Photographer to Hire

Finding the right service provider in the field is not easy. The main reason why most people in the field hire fraud service providers is that they do not the qualities that a provider should possess. Most people choose service providers randomly in the field. If you choose a family photographer randomly in the field, chances are high that you will choose a fraud one. To avoid doing this, you will have to take note of some things. In this article, you will learn the features that an ideal family photographer should possess in the field. the tips are discussed as follows.

First, the best family photographer to hire in the field should be one that has good communication skills. Communication between a service provider and the client is important. The client needs information and direction from the service provider, whereas, the service provider will need the feedback from the client to improve its services. Therefore, the right family photographer to choose should be one that has good communication skills. For instance, if a company is going to maintain its services such that some services will not be available to the clients, the provider should communicate to the customer early. Therefore, the client will have alternative preparation, this is why one needs to hire a family photographer with good communication skills.

Second, an ideal family photographer should also have good customer care services. Clients like family photographers to offer them good customer care services. A family photographer that is experienced, with good communication skills but lacks good customer care services will not have many clients. An ideal family photographer is one that should be in a position to offer good customer care service. Customers will be attracted to companies that are offering after-sale services like free demos, transportation, and so on. therefore, before you hire any family photographer, make sure it has good customer care services.

Third, another quality that an ideal family photographer should possess is a good history and reputation. If you want to hire an ideal company in the market, you will have to take note of its history and reputation. The history of a family photographer will help you to determine if it is a good one to hire or not. If you want to choose an ideal family photographer in the field, select one that is located within your locality. Companies near you have a well-known reputation and history, therefore, choosing the right one should be easy.

Fourth, a good family photographer to hire should also have a high level of expertise. No one can wish to partner with a family photographer that is less experience in the field. Therefore, if you want to choose the right family photographer in the field, you should select one that is experienced in the field. An expert family photographer in the field is one that has got skills, knowledge, and unique abilities and therefore able to make better services in than less experienced ones.

These are some of the qualities that an ideal family photographer should possess.

Finding Ways To Keep Up With

A 10-Point Plan for (Without Being Overwhelmed)

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As President Xi Jinping takes Chinese influence to every corner of the world, there remain corners of his own country that his government struggles to control.

The big picture: The Chinese Communist Party has no tolerance for dissent from ethnic minorities, and fears it could be damaged if word of human rights violations against those groups spreads outside China’s borders.

The intrigue: Some U.S. lawmakers, including Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, are pushing the Trump administration to take a harder line on human rights violations. “We should not be quiet on this in exchange for a better trade deal, and we should not be quiet on this in exchange for their cooperation on North Korea.” — Rubio, in interview with Axios The human rights violations

The regions of concern for the Communist Party are Xinjiang — populated by Muslim Uighurs — and Tibet. China has a long history of repression of the Uighurs and has tried to squash opposition to Chinese rule in Tibet, including by exiling the Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhists’ spiritual leader.

What’s happening: Tension between Chinese officials and Uighur separatists in Xinjiang have often led to violent clashes, and nearly 150 Tibetan monks have protested by self-immolation.

Citizens of Xinjiang and Tibet are under strict surveillance and subjected to propaganda campaigns.

In Xinjiang, officials are collecting mandatory DNA samples and fingerprints from citizens under the guise of a free health care program, says Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch. Hundreds of thousands of Uighurs are also detained in political education camps that push propaganda about Chinese identity. In Tibet, “local officials [from the Atheist Communist Party] have intruded into core decision-making about how monasteries and nunneries are run,” Richardson says. And local schools in Tibet heavily emphasize Mandarin Chinese, stripping children of Tibetan language and culture.

China also tries to surveil and pressure Uighur and Tibetan refugees who have left the country and, in some cases, become foreign citizens.

In April, Swedish authorities indicted a man for allegedly spying on Tibetan refugees for the Chinese government. Per Richardson, “Usually, governments will want to say, ‘Good riddance, go.’ China says, ‘You’re coming back.'”

The Communist Party’s fears

The party worries about two scenarios, according to Yun Sun, who runs the Stimson Center’s China program:

Enough dissent could prompt political reform that would challenge one-party rule. Ethnic autonomy could lead to secession of Xinjiang and Tibet — a de facto disintegration of China.

The stakes: Secession “is not a political scenario that the central Chinese government can afford,” Sun says. “It would lose its legitimacy in front of the Chinese people.”

Yes, but: “Given the reality on the ground, I don’t think its possible or likely that [either region] could secede or declare independence,” she says. America’s role

While past U.S. presidents have made China’s domestic policies a central issue in the bilateral relationship, President Trump has prioritized trade and North Korea. “Even the Chinese acknowledge that the Trump administration has not targeted the domestic politics of China,” says Sun.”They feel that there’s not pressure from Washington.”

But Rubio — one of the co-chairs of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, an organization created by Congress to monitor human rights in China — co-wrote a letter urging U.S. ambassador to China Terry Branstad to visit Xinjiang and take action against human rights violations.

“We need to raise it … The Chinese prefer it to be done in private,” Rubio says.

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text:
Ihmisen kuolema I. Ihmistieteet vailla ihmistä

The Death of Man I. Human Sciences without Man

The article explores the theme of death of man in the French Thought of the 60’s and especially in Michel Foucault’s book  Les Mots et les Choses. The book as the event of thought is explored in its relation to the discursive fields  (philosophical, methodological, scientific, historical)  that constituted the conditions of possibility of its own discourse. The book is also related to Foucault’s overall project of Kantian-Nietzschean critical philosophy. Here the book is seen as a special experience of order, which became transformative experience for Foucault’s own thought and set it to move towards a new form of critical history of thought.

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