The College Crowd Digs Me

"Silver Apples" /  Silver Apples (1968 - Rei 2021) The Silver Apples'  debut self-titled album is an electronic psych-groove treat.  Seriously experimental for its time.  The music is a mix of occasional vocals surrounded by wonderful heady flutters, bloops, whooshes, drumbeats, and of course, oscillations.  Joined together, the songs throw off really nice trance-like vibes.  Each song maintains a similar level of aura, and yet I notice something interesting and different every time I spin it.  I just put the record on and my mind disengages...and away I go. Made up of two New Yorkers... Simeon,  tweedling and sliding knobs on his self-built one-of-a-kind oscillator gizmo and Danny Taylor providing the drum beats.  It's all a groovy, trippy experience and a must-own album for psychedelic fans who totally dig stretching the boundaries. "Silver Apples" / Silver Apples (back) Favorite songs include "Oscillations" ... "Lovefingers" ...and...

(4 For Friday) *   Watching a few Buster Keaton stunts never gets old. *   "Sweet Sweet Connie" (Connie Hamzy)  was the real deal and she has left us at age 66. I did not know that! *   Here is  The Velvet Underground — Official Trailer. *   A real surprise how good this film is. "Call Of The Wild"   (1935) Worth the time! (free-YouTube) "Under The Boulevard Lights" - Chuck Francour / "Under The Boulevard Lights" (1980) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK

"Through high times and no times. Been around the block so many times... they should've named it after me." ~ Tony Carey ~ Some musical artists get pigeon-holed rather quickly.  Wined, dined, and quickly defined.  Not necessarily a bad thing.  But it can often stifle other directions they might want to travel.  Tony Carey has always been a blazer of his own trails.  He creates music his own way and on his own terms.  Satisfying the fans, while keeping true to his own space.  Whether laying down the crazy good keyboard rushes all over the heavy hard rock album "Rising" (1976) ...arguably Rainbow's best album.  Or the excellent pop-rock albums of his own...one which includes perhaps his most anthemic song... "A Fine, Fine Day."   Or maybe it's the spacey, atmospheric synth-driven direction Carey takes on his groovy  Planet P Project albums that have created their own groundswell of diehard fans.  Each phase of Tony Care...

(4 For Friday) *  Early footage of  Emerson, Lake & Palmer: “From the Beginning” (1972) at Progography . *   There's gotta be one that'll change your life. Interesting (20)  lifehacks worth knowing .   *   A short clip of a  human white blood cell chasing a bacteria bastard in your body. Go, team! *   Here is another new Stranger Things Season 4 trailer to whet your pallet. "Stone Cold Sober"   - Crawler / "Crawler" (1977) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK

"On Time" - Grand Funk Railroad (1969) I'm a fan of this little ol' band from Flint, Michigan and already have several of their albums, both studio and live, but for whatever reason...I could never find a nice playable copy of this out in the wild.  I knew I would eventually, so I held off until I found my own copy before having my first taste from  Grand Funk Railroad's debut.  And now I finally own a very nice good playing copy.  I was not disappointed.    It's heavy hard blues rock with plenty of tasty wah-wahs and fuzz-burns and thumpin' bass runs and drum poundage to carry the cargo with very little trouble.  This is the classic Mark, Don, and Mel power-trio we've all come to know and love.  There are a few classic staples on this debut you will recognize, but it's the deeper track gems that really tinkle the chimes.  Just as heavy and fun a spin as I hoped it would be. "On Time" - Grand Funk Railroad (back) Favorites include... ...

"Every book is a new book if you haven't read it!"    And so, let us begin. The Cabin At The End Of The World  by Paul Tremblay (2018) This “cabin in the woods" horror tale involves an adopted girl and her two dads who spend a weekend at a cabin far removed from cell phones and FaceTime. The story has its dark moments and surprises. Reads fast, but moves slow. (full review) Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (2017) The Osage Indian Nation was forcibly moved by the U.S. government to a piece of squat in Oklahoma and unexpectedly discovered the Osage Indians were sitting atop one of the richest oil veins in the world.  This set off a meticulously drawn-out killing spree of dozens in the community.  The actual number is unknown.  Plenty of photographs and well-written. (full review) The Last Oracle by James Rollins (2009) A novel to reach for when you just want to curl up and burn some pages with a good adventure. This mystery adventure is filled with p...

(4 For Friday) *  Frank Sinatra  chillin' out in one of his music rooms in 1965. *   Some more killer vinyl finds over at the Burnout Shelter.    Satisfies that record-digging itch. *   AM, Then FM offers some various shades of "Shaft."   Has it been 50 years ago?  Nah!  Good stuff. *   I subscribe to a handful of YouTube channels.  Tom Scott is a must.  Episodes are short (less than 10 min) and posts are a manageable 3 or 4 a month.  It's all about amazing curiosities and places that need a second look.  Tom Scott is likable and unassuming and makes even the mundane interesting. "Children Of The Sun" - Billy Thorpe / "Children Of The Sun" (1979) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK

"The Silkworm" by Robert Galbraith (2014) Hardcover, 456 pages NO SPOILERS: Let me put to bed the first mystery.  I enjoyed this novel quite a bit.  It reads like a highway drive.  The pages almost turn themselves.  The story has a nice, confident flow that allows you to relax knowing you are in good hands.  And more importantly, Robert Galbraith plays fair with the clues.  None of those outta-the-blue last-minute tricks some mysteries lazily throw in to quickly wrap up the story.  The author plays on the level. The protagonists are Detective Cormoran and his assistant Robin, both likable with their own backstory that's interesting, but never takes over.  As for "The Silkworm" plot...word has gotten out that author Owen Quine is planning to release an extremely offensive and spiteful book about a small circle of authors and publishers he runs with.  Each one is included in his book in the most unflattering terms.  Needless to say, Owen...

(a short jaunt) "Mercy Street" - Peter Gabriel / "So" (1986) The album was nominated for “Best of the Year” (Lost to "Graceland") but I never owned a copy.  And don't believe I ever listened to "So" in its entirety.  For whatever reason, I mostly lost interest in Peter Gabriel .  And I easily pass on Phil Collins ' stuff.  I loved Genesis  though...while they were still the golden egg...but then it cracked.  "Mercy Street” is nicely atmospheric and dreamy... and sounds important.  Probably a grower and an album I should give a fair shake.  This was Gabe's fifth album. (NEED) "Hard Lovin' Loser" - Judy Collins / "In My Life" (1966) You'll find no hints of “Send In The Clowns" with this song, my babies.  Judy's not sad this time.  Here, Judy is having fun and getting down with her bad self.  And daddy likey.  This was already Judy Collins' sixth album. (NEED) "Need Your Loving Ton...

(4 For Friday) *   This looks...promising!  "Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road" - Official Trailer . *   Gather up your children, people!  Classic underground metal melter  Manilla Road  is on the horizon courtesy of  Shitty Turntable, Wonderful Records . *   First...I didn't know surfing was a thing in 1910 .  And second...those are some whacked-out surfboards! *   A bit of a cool film noir gem.  Quicksand (1950) .  Mickey Rooney digs himself a hole and can't stop digging. It's an entertaining burner. (free YouYube) "Please Forgive Me" - David Gray / "White Ladder" (1998) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK

"Green Eyed God" - Steel Mill (1972 - Rei 2019) Here is some good early 70's hard rock with prog-psych dustings scattered about.  Steel Mill was a five-member band that offered a mixture of heavy riffing with the occasional flute and sax skulking around giving everything a dark and ominous vibe.  Almost every song morphs into something different and unexpected.  Not unlike what Sabbath liked to do.  To be sure, this is by no means a Sabbath wannabe.  Steel Mill brings their own attitude, but it all works just the same.  "Green Eyed God" is certainly an entertaining square and has been earning its share of "frequent spinner" miles.  One of my favorites this year. "Green Eyed God" - Steel Mill (back) Favorites include the gloom-driven "Black Jewel Of The Forest"  that is both sinister and portent.  The epic "Green Eyed God" is an amalgam of groovy vibe changes and tempo sneakeries and sounds fantastic.  As does  ...