Mignonette by The Avett Brothers

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The album Mignonette by the Avett Brothers is undoubtedly a great album. These guys have amazed me since I first heard A Carolina Jubilee many years ago.

I once heard a quote from these guys: “If we don’t leave the stage covered in sweat, then we haven’t put ourselves into our show.” I’m not sure if they still feel the same since they’ve become bigger, signed by Sony, worked with Rick Ruben, and toured the world a few times by now, but they still give me the same sweet sensation whenever I hear their music.

To me the Avett Brothers signify good music. Layered with banjo, double bass (standup), easy percussions, soulful guitar, and sometimes the piano, this music just…. Yes, is the best thing in the world.

This album, Mignonette, starts off with the cd title track in a sentimental version, which somewhat sets the mood for the whole album. Although it immediately kicks into a somewhat more upbeat song right away with Nothing Short of Thankful, the whole album cuts into very… sentimental corners throughout the entirety.

Songs like Signs ring forever in my ears with Scott and Seth Avett’s harmonies.  It’s just something extraordinary that cannot be faked.

My favorite is how they always have songs starting with ‘Pretty Girl from…” or “Pretty Girl at… ”

Please Pardon Yourself is just a meander through a valley with a girl on your arm. Pleasant and pleasing, there is nothing more enjoyable to me than to hear the Avett Brothers pluck those strings and sing this kind of a song. They caress the emotionalism with every bite, and do it good at that. I cannot stress how much they rule.

The Day Marvin Gaye Died is another great song. Really, they are all finger licking good songs if you haven’t got the point yet.

The Avett Brothers play on a never ending loop in my head. They play acoustic songs, that are more empowering than most electrified acts can even dream about. They can stop in an instant and give you the feeling of looking up in the middle of a mosh pit covered in sweat for a few glimpsing moments of bliss, and then just as quickly kick the double bass of Bob Crawford kicks in and gets you hopping around once more like the heat of a bluegrass jubilee.

Check out the record and let me know how you enjoy it!

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Baby Darling Dollface Honey by Band of Skulls

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I had the pleasure of experiencing this dynamic trio, Band of Skulls at the Venue in late April, and what a show it was. This album is all that in a pre-packaged little gem of wonder for me to carry with me everywhere.

Baby Darling Dollface Honey is what new rock has turned into for me. The album epitomizes what its all about. Killer crunching guitar riffs that explode at times, but seek the most soothing lines at others filling up the spaces with rhythm that one wishes they could dream up, or is it that we dream up as it plays, its hard to tell.

The first few songs push you into a three piece galaxy that you’d think was experimental orchestrations with distortion pedals so fat the couldn’t make it through the studio doors so they had to be blasted from outdoors. Russel Marsden is really an amazing guitarist, and seeing him live really proved to me that he loves to play guitar, and has talent more than enough to make it sing.

Then as Fires and Honest come to the speakers, it slows down into melodic numbers that make me want to swirl around my room dancing like I was lost in heaven. I love Emma Richardson singing on Honest, its one of my favorite songs out there.

Soon though, it clicks back into tracks like Hollywood bowl that make you understand that this band is for real, a rock band, with all the love that goes on in it.

Get this album, its a doozie.

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Fixin to Thrill by Dragonette

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So recently I’ve got my hands on Dragonette‘s most recent album, Fixin To Thrill. It has, and will continue to amaze me with its dynamic sound, filled with reverberations of all sorts of genres.


Fixin to Thrill comes packed with punches of grunge, oozing with coolness like a casual saunter through a beautiful but sketchy park.

Throughout the entire album, I found myself constantly saying, wow this is good. Its a side step from a lot of music coming through these doors as of late, that are folk blues artists.

The lead singer, Martina Sorbara completely packs the sexyness and prowess that a flashy rocking band like Dragonette requires, her voice is simply groovy.

Dragonette is a Canadian act, rocking since 2005, according to Wikipedia, and this is their third album out. Second one on their record label Mercury Records, the first being Galore (2007). Their first a self titled EP released in 2005.
Galore is also a great album, but, Fixin to Thrill just steps it up to a whole new level.

There are electronic grooves that keep the songs all pumping, but then fat bass lines sink into the listener, both taking the ears on a grooving roller coaster.

To me this proves that the Synth is very far from dead.

If you have not heard it, check it out.

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Journey Down the Oregon Coast: Highway 101

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The Oregon Coast is one of the most beautiful drives my car wheels have ever rolled me to. Coming down from Canada, I passed through the border cross with actually pleasure. The border crossing guard recommended to me to head to the coast at Kelso-Longview exit, and that is exactly what I did. It seems to me, now that I’ve looked at a map, that that was the best route to take. This way, I was able to drive along the inlet, and go through Astoria, which were both very scenic.

I was lucky that I had nice clear skies for most the route, which allowed me to stop and take pictures at almost every pullout! So many beautiful views of the scenic coastline that made one just want to stop and breathe in to understand the true severity of life on this planet, if that can even be comprehended.

The first night was spent in a little hotel with a stunning view right on the ocean, in Lincoln City. I was mesmerized by the sunset I got.

The next night I rolled into San Francisco late at night, and had booked a hotel with price line, which concluded my trip along the Oregon Coast.

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Brothers by The Black Keys

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I got the word that the Black Keys new album was out, Brothers.

To start off with, I totally love it. I’ve been a fan since the day I heard them in a basement apartment the morning after rinking so much I was able to pass out fully clothed. Pretty much simply a love affair.

The album starts off with killer killer groove so fat you could shake a stick at it, with Everlasting Light.

Dan Auerbach belts out them lyrics like he fits right in. Something about this band just blows me away. Patrick Carney knows where its at, when he’s talking serious with the drums. They match up like ketchup and mustard; beets and grooves that make sense.

The album feels like they’ve spent a lot of time getting to know the instruments, and toys to play around with. I like that. Its rock but its rocked, if you will. Theres this kazoo maybe in Howlin’ For You, which reminds me of what I’ve heard so many times of Jimi Hendrix, how he just pulled out a kazoo and made it killer. When do they really fit in one may digress.

On She’s Long Gone the distortion on the guitar is like Jack White is holding a conference with John Lee Hooker. Or maybe even RL Burnside is over for some tea, just lacing in some harmony.

I get feelings that the Black Crowes would have been of something like this if brothers were a two man band. The Black Keys are filled with soul, they’ve got groove, they’ve got style, and they’ve got sound.

The Only One gave me moments of recognizing what I’m used to hearing from the band. Not that its always sounding like one thing, but it just gave me that feeling.

The later songs on the album put you into a pleasant place as well. Somewhat stepping you onto Groove Street, filling your bowels with organs that will walk you ahead like an old lady with a walker needs.

Really, if I had to sum up the album, its as it should be. The Black Keys will stun you off the bat, drawing you to them with their sound, make you feel good and in a comfortable place. Its one of those albums that you’ll kinda sit back and enjoy to listen to. Its as much of a mixed tape as it could be, clearly drawing from inspiration all over the place. Proving that this group of veterans still listens to music, and still finds soul within them.

This album will be one of my favorites.

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Pacific Coast Highway

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Technically speaking, they call the Pacific Coast Highway the road that stretches all along the coast of Oregon all the way down to the south western tip of California. Its the US101, and sometimes its the US1.

This is one of the most scenic, beautiful, and curvy drives in the world. It curves and weaves its way along the coast like a roller-coaster at times, and at other times its as straight as an arrow; at nearly all times directly along the open coast of North America.

For me it was pure pleasure; there were pull outs around every corner that I was able to stop and pull my camera out to snap a few scenic beauties off. I would be willing to bet that this road gets worse than the Jasper highway (between Jasper and Calgary in the Jasper National Park of Canada) in peak times of the summer, crowded with tourists in their RV’s, the whole way driving slower than a snail crossing a sidewalk. But, on my trip in early May, it felt like I was the only one on the highway outside of the cities.

The first stretch, in the north west corner of Oregon beside Portland was very beautiful. It was most of the same scenery that I’m used to living in the rain forests of Vancouver, but it was so much less populated that it was easier to feel like I was going to find a ginger bread house around the next bend, huddled in amongst the trees.

Early on in the drive there were a few towns like Long Beach and Rockaway Beach that were slightly surfer town-ish that had a few surf shops littered about, all along the ocean with great beach access that you could enjoy the surf in. However, it was fairly windy, and talking to locals, at this time of the year its either windy or foggy. So I was happy with the wind because it meant that I could see and take cool pictures!

The drive lead me directly into San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge, which is beautiful and magnificent, inspite the $6 (or was it $8) toll for going across it. Unfortunately for me, it was nearly midnight when I crossed so I got the city lights instead of scenic San Fran bay, which I guess wasn’t that unfortunate after all for the beauty was all in its own.

The drive into San Francisco was pretty cool, always being on a downhill slope, and the 1 takes you directly through downtown San Fran. Its always fun to take the trip right through the heart of the big cities. That’s what trips are all about in the end aren’t they?

Once through San Fran, I found myself a bit off the coast, so it required a little bit of winding to make my way back to the coast. I B-Lined it over to Pacifica so I could get right back onto the US1 and the coast to capture more scenic photographs, which was the goal of my trip; do the coast the entire way.

By this time one notices that the landscape is slowly turning to more dessert type vegetation, and for me I saw my first palm trees about 1km outside of the California State border. Its weird how that goes.. Although, when I was driving along the coast everything was still very green, but once the road took me in land a while, there were signs everywhere for the dunes.

Santa Cruz is a cool town, which the US1 takes you directly through. I stopped here for to find a grocery store that could supply me with the vegetables and fruits that I needed to stay alive! I’ve started big time to support Clif Bars, which give amazing nutrients, cheaply, and organically.

I soon found myself in Big Sur, weaving through this beautiful stretch of heavily forested & beautiful coastline view roads. I must have pulled over once every km or so to stop at the turn out and take pictures. It was so amazing, and if I ever have a chance to retire from the regular way of things, I think I will choose an area like Big Sur to live. As long as I’d get a nice patch of land to grow my veges on! Apparently its one of the top areas in the world that scientists say will be gone soon. They say because of the rising tide, but really, there were very big cliffs at spots to get down to the water.

After rolling through Big Sur, I ran into a big parking lot that had a tonne of sea lions beached, just chilling there; relaxing with each other and enjoying the surf. It was an amazing thing to see from this close, since usually the only exposure to the animals is either in a zoo, or from a boat thats about 20ft off a rocky island that idles safely at a distance. I literally could have walked out and amongst the giant animals, but I choose to stay on the human side of the fence…. segregation?

The highway soon smoothed out, and pleasantly I cruised on along towards the final destination happy and content with the warm sun beating down through the sun roof in the car.

Totally content so far on the trip, I was feeling lucky and rather blissful. It may have just been the drain of entering into the land of the sun, but I think it was due to the enjoyment I was having on the trip. Going down the coast, seeing all these sights and beautiful coastline photos was literally fairly dreamy. I hope I will remember all that I saw, and all that I went though, but I also have lots of photographs to remember it by.

You all should do the trip.

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Asparagus Wrapped in a Blanket

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Tonights great snack came to me through a Easter party from a friend showing off! She wrapped slightly boiled asparagus in bacon and threw them on the bbq, and oh my goodness were they ever good. So, I am going to tell you how to make them.

First off, wash and chop the ends off the asparagus. Then starting at one end, like taping the end of a hockey stick, wrap the bacon around the asparagus. The trick here is to wrap it almost around once to hold the starting in position, and then wrap it tight, so the hands do get a bit dirty!

When your done it should look like this:

Now, put them either on the bbq, or in a frying pan and get them pigs sizzling! Remember that you want the bacon to cook all the way through, although it is a myth that pig is dirty and if you don’t cook it till crispy it will kill you, it still tastes better if it has brown to it.

Enjoy this easy delight!

For some ideas on how to get a more healthy snack or meal, check out Exercise and Mind

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A La Porte

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Served tonight on my camping gear was a portobello explosion. I managed to do it all on my pint sized pots designed for compactness, and not for extravagances like I think my cooking is!

To begin the ordeal, rice goes into pot to bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 min (yes I have white jasmine rice) with equal amounts of water to rice, rinse the rice a few times before to get rid of some of the shells etc.

I can’t help taking a few seconds to contemplate the logic of wasting water to rinse rice….. hmm… Is this the fight I should start?

Wash the vegetables chosen for this gourmet delight, which are portobello mushrooms, green pepper, tomato, onion, and garlic.

Portos are sliced into equal slices, tomatoes are diced into chunks, onions are chopped into small bits, as is the garlic and green peppers.

Put the portos into the frying pan, with some butter for extra taste, I used extra virgin olive oil and put the heat on medium. Add the onions and garlic shortly after, or even at the same time.

I used some ground ginger, coriander, and poppy seeds, which I add now.

After this has fried for a short while add the green peppers to give them a little softening and finally the tomatoes at the very end to warm them up a little. I like my tomatoes to stay fresh still in my dishes.

As the frying finalizes, it should be timed perfect with the rice, and both should come to fruition at nearly the same time.

Love to hear how this turns out for you, and remember to eat with chop sticks!

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Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

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Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse is a fiction book, but has so many situations and influential ideals that it shouldn’t be considered fiction. Its more of a spiritual book, and a great book at that.

The books I’ve been picking up lately are finding themselves to be spiritual journey type books and this one definitely takes the cake. It follows the travels of Brahmin’s son through his journey of life, and speaks from Siddhartha’s mind in the first person, explaining how he learns to find peace in everything around.

It starts off when young Siddhartha listens to his own voice, which tells him he must leave home to find what he’s looking for. Of course, as all fathers would be, his dislikes the idea, but with Siddhartha’s patience, his father understands that it is what must happen, and blesses his son on his journey.

I was sad at the end when Siddhartha has a moment of reflection about how he never does return to his father, but I will leave that for you to be moved by in your own way.

Siddhartha goes from being a Brahmin’s son, to living with the Samanas in the forests begging for food, then leaves to seek Buddha, but finds that what Buddha is teaching, is the same thing that all the rest have taught him, and what he has been searching for his whole life is something that only he can find himself.

Soon after this realization, he leaves his lifelong friend to stay and practice as a monk under the illustrious Buddha to let himself become a Businessman, seeking wealth & love, which in themselves bring many more extravagances. Let it be known that Siddhartha could not keep happy in such a direction.

I found it compelling and very interesting at every new leaf that Siddhartha turns over, every new discovery about his path that he realizes. Its always amazing to take what you learn from such a book and apply it to ones own life, for it makes a lot of strife so much less important in the scheme of things. This is, I assume, what most people who are searching, are looking for.

Read this book, no doubt about it. It will become a book you will reach for again and again.

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Red Circle Underground Show @ AC Supper Club, Venice, CA

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On Friday night I had the pleasure of watching Red Circle Underground rock out at the Air Conditioned Supper Club in Venice, California. Yes, I have had a little road trip!

It was my first introduction to the LA scene of music, so it was super cool to begin with, without the bands even starting. The club was a fairly tiny place, but inside its had a pretty cool vibe.

Shattered Sons opened up the night; they were pretty cool. They had moments of coolness,  so I gotta support them.

Costa Nova also played before RCU. They were also pretty good, definitely with some more moments of greatness as well. I liked them more than Shattered Sons. They all rocked it pretty great, and they also totally supported all the other bands playing as well, which was super cool to see.

Then came on Red Circle Underground. My friend that invited me to the show had previously played me some of their stuff, and I was already a fan, but when I heard them sing live and got to see them right there, I was amazed. To me, they stood out from the rest easily. Just their sound, creative juices you could feel. Props to all the fellas of the band, you guys killed it.

Kevin J. Witucki on the drums was just amazing. Rattling off very cool beats that most definitely weren’t something you buy in plastic wrap. Jonah Grey on vocals also took the stage with the same fury. He has a killer set of chords that I think take this band higher.

They did however share a lot of the vocals, and Ali Mills, who by the way had some killer moccasins on, added a very good twist, further amazed me with the quality in Red Circle.

Jonathan Stipp held the band together with some very solid bass, squished into the corner with Britton Sparkman killed it on lead guitar that when mixed with the harmonica of Dylan Grey gave RCU not one moment of suck, purely enjoyable music these guys and gal put out for my ears.

I felt this venue was to small for this band to be honest. Their sound is way larger than what they were packed into, and they needed more space to fully explode their sound, and let it fully be heard. I can’t wait to hear more from these guys. However, due to the size of the venue,  I was able to hang with a few members of some of the bands afterwards. Totally great group from RCU and Costa Nova which I totally felt all the love that these guys have for one another and the scene they are apart of. So much support, I’m amazed with and happy to see.

After Red Circle played their set, a few burlesque dancers came out and did a couple fansy numbers. I’ve never seen this before, and I think that this is something that should be done a lot more in more venues. Totally adds a whole new spice to the show, and makes it super cool in between sets, while the band takes down and sets up for the next. I want to make a note now also of apainter who was doing live paintings as all the bands and the hubbub was going on around him, right in the club, who was eager to talk to me. His art was super cool, and I’m definitely going to be watching his stuff gain in value. I wish I would have been able to buy one of his works that he did, totally had a Bua feel to it.

Nu Savant came on after. They had some moments of glory where they totally nailed it as well.

To be honest, I felt that Red Circle Underground stole the night. I’m super excited for what they’re doing, and am proud to call them my friends. Can’t wait till they come to a town closer to me!

All the coolness of the night was bottled and packaged by a crazy cool photographer  Angela Holtzen, who took some amazing photos, that you must all check out. The photographs on this page are all hers.

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