The College Crowd Digs Me

Neil Young's Greendale by Joshua Dysart Cliff Chiang (Illustrator), Neil Young (Adapted from) Vertigo (2010) Hardcover Graphic, 160 pages I really wanted to like this.  I hoped I would, anyway.  But Greendale is a bit of an octopus to read.  The story is based loosely on Neil Young's album of the same name released back in 2003.  The story follows a nature-girl named Sun Green as she tries to unravel her mysterious family's past while discovering just where she fits into the big picture.  And to grab some spice from the rack, there are some supernatural goings-on as well.  The artwork panels look really nice.  That would be  Cliff Chiang's  skillful doings.  But everything has a rushed "what to leave in, what to leave out" kind of vibe in the telling.  A lot of "i's" left to dot and backstories to connect in the limited amount of pages allowed.   Neil Young's Greendale (inside) Even Young prefaces his adaptation with a...

(4 For Friday) *   A cave expert demonstrates  crawling through a tight space  and it's not for the claustrophobic. *   Star Maker Machine gives the Electric Prunes a place to shine. *   Familiar movie locations then and now .  Strange how things change. *   Here are 9 Hidden Gmail Features  you might've forgotten about.  The first thing I did was change my "Undo Send" options. "Guitar Man" - Bread / "Guitar Man" (1972) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK

"Push Push" - Herbie Mann (1971) Herbie Mann wasn't some spring chicken that showed up uninvited to the annual barn dance.  Herbie had recorded nearly twenty albums in the 1950s alone.  I don't know how many in the 60s.  So let's get real.  The flautist could flaut!  And this time   Mann offers up a smooth, sometimes jamtastic, slice of jazzed-up soul-funk that's not bad at all.  Nothing too deep, mind you, but nothing to hurt your feelings, either. What makes  "Push Push"  an even more interesting spin is slide guitarist Duane Allman provides all the solos, sans one.  And they are wonderful as you might expect.  (Sadly, a few months later, we would lose Duane in a tragic motorcycle accident.)  But the rest of the cast are also notched  Muscle Shoals musicians who know their way plenty around a studio.  Best of all...you can find copies of this square for $2 or $3 dollars most any day of the week.  And it m...

"Population II" - Randy Holden (1970 - Rei 2020) “Population II” sounds like a natural progression that began when Randy Holden first introduced his guitar in the early psych garage band… The Other Half.  (1968)  Later, Holden's blistering guitar woke listeners back up when they flipped over side two of  "New! Improved! Blue Cheer"  (1969) causing fans to believe in the elusive number 11 on the ”1 thru 10” amp dials. And so fans were chomping at the bit to hear Holden's heavy amplified guitar crunch on his debut solo album… “Population II.”   Unfortunately, screwed-up distribution problems and equipment repossession put the kibosh on Randy Holden's star-rising shine. And what a shame.  This   debut effort doesn't disappoint.  Holden , along with Kak drummer Chris Lockheed , deliver up six heavy stoner and doom rock songs dusted with psych reminders to blow out your speakers.  The music is heavy and fresh and never drops off.  And ...

(4 For Friday) *   Hearing a  mountain lion scream  is like watching a college girl in a slasher movie. *   Pretty clever.  The White Stripes... "Seven Nation DEVICE Army"  by using things around the house. *   I had no idea.  The actual angle of the 2020 Olympic bobsled track . You're gonna wanna see this! *   Here are 20 rarely seen historical photos .  Many will give cause to pause.  "Debris" / "Ooh La La" - Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance / "In Concert at BBC" (1974) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK

The Outsider  by Stephen King (2018) Hardcover, 561 pages NO SPOILERS: The Outsider is about a terrible murder and a couple of detectives who find themselves caught up in an implausible conundrum of mystery.  The story is sprinkled nicely with a dose of Stephen King creepiness we've all come to love and expect.  It's filled with well-defined characters we care about, and though The Outsider is a bit on the long side...it never feels like the author's pushing. I was totally wrapped up in the story from the get-go and I couldn't wait to read a few more pages whenever I had the chance.  There is also a familiar character who makes an unexpected appearance in this story, but I'll leave that egg for you to discover.  The Outsider is one of King's better offerings and I do believe it has broken into my top-ten SK list.   "The Voice" - Alan Parsons Project / "I Robot" (1977) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK  

"Shaft" - Isaac Hayes (1971) "Shaft" is a two-record gatefold soundtrack composed by  Isaac Hayes.   Only 3 or 4 songs have any vocals, the rest are a tasty goody-bag of instrumental trips.  The songs range from groovy and funky.  Slinky and edgy.  Romantic and soulful. And yet the music is never allowed to drift too far away from the hustling, always bustling, downtown streets.  The album has plenty of replay value.  Out front or for some great background music.  Not a bad thing at all.  It's all groovy, baby.  No matter whether you're John Shaft or Austin Powers: Man of Mystery. "Shaft" (back) Favorites include the obvious thunderhead... "Theme From Shaft."   The 'antici........pation' never gets old listening to that one.  "Do Your Thing" is a nearly 20-minute piece of groovy soul-psych and it's the deep-track gem on this square.  "No Name Bar" and "Walk From Regio's" are both enjoyabl...

(4 For Friday) *   Remember the crazy sewer scenes from the Stephen King film... "It"?  Well, here's the set. *   Casey Kasem's Top Ten Numbers List with a little help from David Letterman . *   Let's check out Echoes In The Wind again as he revisits songs from the past.  This time...the record sitting at the bottom of the Top 40 chart in 1973.  Always an entertaining bit of time well spent. *   How to use the "hidden" reset feature when your AirPods refuse to cooperate. "Walking Slow" - Jackson Browne / "Late For The Sky" (1974) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK

"Changing Horses" - The Incredible String Band (1969) Not as strong as "5000 Spirits" or  "Hangman's Daughter."  The band's 5th album... "Changing Horses"... is still sprinkled with prog-psych dust here and there, but just not as much.  And the more interesting moments of prog-psych delight are sometimes fighting for purchase with occasional unwise musical ideas.  Like the sounds of...a kazoo.  Really?!  This knocks the album down a peg for me right there. Fortunately, the damage is in small measure.  "Changing Horses" is not a bad album.  It's not without its trippy head-pleasing ISB moments that remind us why we dig their stuff.  But this is not the first place I'd recommend ISB virgins dip their stick.   "Changing Horses" -  ISB (back) There are only six songs found here.  Favorites include the two longer tracks.  "White Bird" ... (not that  "White Bird" )...is an enjoyable early mor...

(a short jaunt) "1921" - The Who / "Tommy" (1969) "I had no reason to be over-optimistic But somehow, when you smiled I could brave bad weather." How very strange to hear this deep track apart from the rest of the album.  Like finding a lost puppy separated from its family.  This is a delightful fresh-ears experience.  A really clever song...and with fantastic harmonies.  Pete has a damn fine voice, as well.  The Who's fourth studio album. (OWN) "Seminole Wind" - John Anderson / "Seminole Wind" (1992) "Progress came and took its toll And in the name of flood control They made their plans and they drained the land Now the Glades are goin' dry" I'm a big fan of John Anderson . Love his voice.  Love the way he never drifts too far away from the cornbread.  Cool and effortless.  And he takes it to the house on this one.  It reminds me of the time I once heard someone take the gentle fade-out from this John Anderson...

(4 For Friday) *   What you read is what you hear.  "O Grover, Grover, wherefore art thou...?" *   Moe the bartender if he was real.  I want to know this guy. *   Japanese Commercials for Twin Peaks Georgia Coffee  directed by David Lynch in 1993.  Makes me want to grab a cup and watch the series again. *   An ominous  sign on a cemetery gate . "Disney's America" - Graham Parker / "12 Haunted Episodes" (1995) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK