The Outer Edges

Listen to the podcast (31.84 MB - 34:44)

I’m tired and want to go to sleep, so no show notes for the time being. I’ll post them later on when I’m not feeling so exhausted.

Listen to the podcast (36.41 MB - 39:44)

About 24 hours later to you than first anticipated, but all for the better as I’ve done more work to have the recording levels mesh just right. Other tweaks are becoming a bit more apparent, like the new logo now on the page header.

In this spacey, rock filled episode we manage to also fit in some topical content discussion regarding network and media mergers, griping on MySpace, some well wishes to my friends and the usual kettle of fish you’ve come to expect.

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Listen to the podcast (32.53 MB - 35:32)

Not quite so live this time around, but still plenty of good tunes for your ears. The perfect soundtrack for a rainy day. Or a snowy one. Or a sunny one. Or….

(Note: I’ve gone back and re-mastered this episode to make the track levels better, a feat made easy by the new recording process talked about within the show).

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Listen to the podcast (26.23 MB - 28:38)

Welcome to the new year. Same as the last one, but with just a hint of pine freshness to it. Low volume accounts of my NYE plans, personal auto costs, football futility and bad album info lie in wait for you.

Seriously, you think I’d have pegged the mix levels by now. Then again, if you like the music more than my nuggets of wisdom and insanity, then you may find this to be an improvement. ^_^

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Listen to the podcast (26.74 MB - 29:12)

A lot of gum flapping over the end of the year, not to mention one resolution made at the end that will be hard to keep — gotta watch those slips of the tongue, I suppose. With that said, this was by far the solidest show recorded to date, and a good sign for things to come in 2006.

See you on the flip side of the calendar, kiddies.

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NY State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, having recently slapped the music industry over the resurrection of “payola” is now looking into the pricing of digital music, seeing if any laws might have been broken:

Aline van Duyn, writing for MarketWatch, reported on Monday that Warner and Sony have confirmed receiving the subpoenas but EMI and Universal representatives were unavailable for comment. A spokesman for Mr. Spitzer told her: “It is too early to call it an investigation. It is a preliminary enquiry for information.”

Listen to the podcast (25.14 MB - 27:27)

Holidaze indeed!!! I didn’t even make it out of the intro before flubbing — I pushed Christmas up a day on the calendar by mistake. Then I went and had this whole thing talking about my liberal use of the royal “we” — why? Especially since I didn’t do anything to stop myself afterwards.

Well, hopefully I was making sense at the end with my whole rant regarding the “War on Christmas”. Contrary to appearances, I’ve got nothin’ but love for the world at large — honest!

Merry whatever, folks!

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As the year starts to draw down and we prepare for 2006, it’s custom in our culture to start making up “best of” lists. And seeing as how I’m now pushing my musical tastes onto the public at large, I guess I should be doing this as well. So I give to you the best albums released in 2005 that have crossed my path:

The Benevento Russo Duo - Best Reason to Buy the Sun
This will go down as the year that the jam band world all found out who the Duo were. Those of us in the northeast — especially in New York City — were lucky to have been near the epicenter and had a sense that this was gonna happen sooner or later. I was lucky enough to be at Rothko for the album release party and the place was packed far beyond capacity. Follow that up with sets at the Jammys and Bonnaroo with Mike Gordon and there was no way in hell these guys were staying off the radar. Favorite cuts include “Vortex”, “Scratchitti”, and “Becky”.
iTunes | Amazon

Brothers Past - This Feeling’s Called Goodbye
This album was actually released twice this year: earlier as an independant production and then later in the year when Sci Fidelity Records picked up the band. And what a pick-up! While their live performances still tilted heavily twoards jamming, the album is chocked full of clean, consise and well written songs — most in the healthy 4:00 to 4:30 range. Favorite cuts include “Words Like Weapons”, “State Police”, and “One Rabbit Race”.
iTunes | Amazon

Corrosion of Conformity - In the Arms of God
Solid metal mainstays COC needed drum tracks for their new album. Front man Pepper Keenan asked casual acquaintance, jam band drum god Stanton Moore, to lay down some tracks. A few days later, out comes one mind-bending album combining two of my favorite acts of all times. The results were far better than my expectations, which is truly saying something. Favorite cuts include “So Much Left Behind”,”Dirty Hands Empty Pockets | Already Gone”, and “Rise River Rise”.
iTunes | Amazon

Gorillaz - Demon Days
Take all the hype that came around this album, the hit single played ad-infinium on iPod commercials, all things that usually kill and album in my eyes, and I still can’t get enough of this album. Or the group. Or the art. Everything about Gorillaz in my eyes is good — smart cathy hooks, great beats and infectious sounds. A great follow up effort to their debut, which cements them into the musical landscape. Favorite cuts include “Dare”, “Kids With Guns”, and “Dirty Harry”. And I could also listen to “Feel Good Inc.” on loop for hours if need be. ^_^
iTunes | Amazon

The New Deal - Gone, Gone, Gone
This one was full of unexpected surprises. At times more peppy and poppy than I was expecting, but in a good way. Then in comes the hard and fast drumming and the ultra-danceable grooves. Follow that up with some great tracks with guest vocals and I was sold wholesale. Favorite cuts include “Gone, Gone, Gone”, “Don’t Blame Yourself” and “VL Tone”.
iTunes | Amazon

For those digital artist out there who like to need access to free sound effects and loops, you’ll love this site: The Freesound Project. A whole collection of Creative Commons licensed materials up for use in your own works.

If I’m reading the site right, there’s over 12,000 clips in the collection already. From regular fare like a guitar and rainfall to the more abstract like this tibetan singing bowl.

Of course, still no automatic can opener sound effect. You’ll find out why soon enough.

Over at Gridskipper there having this award thing called “The Urbs” and
are letting readers decide the winners. Usually I could care less about things like this, but is seems as though good friend BrooklynVegan is up for an award, so I guess I can pay attention this one time.

Go vote and pad some ballot boxes. ^_^