Elephant9’s ‘Psychedelic Backfire I’: Where psych, jazz and fusion party in Norway

I’ve been listening to Elephant9 for a couple years now. Their song “Sojourn” played randomly while I was listening to Spotify and I was mesmerized by the song’s melancholy and moody sound. I immediately bought their album Arrival of the New Elders and haven’t looked back. I’ve since bought two more of their records, 2024s […]

Chill in the air

Today truly feels like the arrival of “real” fall, as opposed to the previous “fake” fall days that we’ve been dealing with on and off since September. You know, those days that are like a glimpse behind the curtain to what fall has in store for us. But then the next day it’s 85 degrees […]

Scores of Scores : Charles Bernstein’s ‘A Nighmare on Elm Street’

Soundtracks and scores have been a huge part of my listening diet. Music can make or break a movie, so getting the right composer putting sound to visuals is as important as getting the right actor, cinematographer, writer, or special effects person. You can have a solid movie ruined by a lousy score. I’m starting […]

Sheryl Crow : Pick You Up

You’ve come a long way, baby. If I ran into Sheryl Crow while shopping for groceries at Aldi that’s what I’d say to her. Or, maybe you’ve come a long way, ma’am. From her early days as a backup singer for Michael Jackson, to the blockbuster success of her debut solo record Tuesday Night Music […]

Dream House

I often dream of houses. I dream about my parents house, where I grew up, most of the time. Rarely do I dream about the house my wife and I built 30 years ago and where we raised three kids, 3 dogs, and a lifetime of memories. My dreams typically drop me off at my […]

Boards of Canada season is officially here. Rejoice.

Despite the fact that the great Scottish band Boards of Canada are perfect for year-round listening experiences, fall feels like the “official” Boards of Canada season. There’s something about their downtempo, low key, slightly psychedelic and slightly haunted sound that is perfect for overcast days. Slight chill in the air, a brisk wind that picks […]

Greta Van Fleet : Palace for the People

I will admit that I’ve never listened to a full Greta Van Fleet record. In fact, I’ve purposely avoided doing so because there are soooo many more great bands and albums to listen to that are worth one’s time. Albums by bands the Greta fellas seem to obviously admire and were inspired by. If I […]

Sick in the head…and arms, legs, back, shoulders, etc….

I love fall. I don’t love cold and flu season. They seem to walk hand in hand like the ying and yang of life. I wish we could move cold and flu season to, say, just a two week span in March then it goes away. Unfortunately I don’t have a say in when viruses […]

Tron, NIN, and nostalgia for a simpler time.

I have no feelings either way about Tron. I wasn’t blown away as a kid when I saw the movie(I didn’t actually see it till I was well into teen-dom). And when the 2011 sequel reared it’s retro-futuristic head my reaction was, “Mmm. Cool.” And so when the third film in this series of sci-fi […]

Old wounds die hard. Last call.

Nothing like an old injury creeping back up and reminding you that yes, you are indeed mortal. I’ve had lower back problems for the better part of 30 years. Thank NOT lifting with your knees, lifting things you shouldn’t lift, and working on cement floors for most of your adult life. In 2016 it all […]

Complex Distractions