music - Third Alien Shore

Best heater ever!

On Fri October 1, 2021

I’ve moved, and in my new digs, Kitty has discovered the best heater ever, perhaps besides the electric blanket. Feast your eyes:

IMG_3898.jpg: iPhone12, back camera @ 4.2mm, 1/12, f/1.6, 640 ISO

She started lying on top of my power amplifier so I had to do something. You see, the top of the amp is covered with vents to let the heat out. Vents her hair might end up dropping into. Can’t have my amp clogged with cat hair!

Many years ago I had a piece of glass cut to protect the amplifier from dust, but dust wasn’t such a big issue so I stopped using it. The cat sleeping there is a big issue so I resurrected the glass and hunted up four hockey pucks to act as spacers so the heat could escape more quickly than placing a piece of glass on top of the amp would allow.

Everyone’s happy now.

NB: Yes, my cable management is a mess. I’ll get to it. I’m still unpacking and I certainly needed music before worrying about tidy cables.

Cinema Strangiato: R40+

by Rick

On Wed August 21, 2019

In me, movies, music, review

So Julie and I attended a show this evening.

It was terrific. No recording is like being at a live show but this was pretty darn good, having much of the live R40 concert. Not only was it better than any seats I’ve ever had, but it was more than enough to remind me of the good times I’ve had at their shows. The mix of live performance, interviews with other musicians, and the band’s goofiness was ideal. With all of the Rush-related ads at he beginning (the ad for Geddy Lee’s Big Beautiful Book of Bass alone must have been 15 minutes long), it was 2½ hours in length. I thought it was great but I felt bad for Julie. She wanted to come with me not because she likes Rush, but because she likes me! Although I’m pretty sure she doesn’t dislike Rush, I can understand that it could have been a lot to take since she knows little about them and their music.

They’re not touring any more but it was a lovely walk down memory lane. Recommended!

I don’t know who owns the copyright on the marquee poster. Probably Anthem Entertainment, but who knows.

Ms. Rõivassepp, I presume?

by Rick

On Thu January 31, 2019

In art, music

I’d like to present to you the coolest album cover I’ve seen in quite some time.

As you can see, it’s Dance of Sounds by the Karmen Rõivassepp Quartet. Rõivassepp is the vocalist for the quartet, and I assume that’s her on the cover, but I really don’t know. The band is from Denmark though she’s Estonian. They don’t have much of a presence on the web so that’s pretty much all I know.

Yes I bought the album … in high res, even. No, I haven’t listened to it yet.

Thank you for today

by Rick

On Tue August 28, 2018

In music

Death Cab for Cutie’s new album, Thank You for Today, arrived from Amazon yesterday. I ripped it last night and it’s playing as I write this.

Initial impressions are very good. “Gold Rush” is a real stand-out. It’s no surprise this track is the album’s first single.

My only real disappointment is the production of the album in regards to dynamic range. It’s yet another victim of the loudness wars. The album as a whole scores a poor DR6.

Even despite the terrible dynamic range, my impression of the material itself is very positive after my first listen.

The music carries me away

by Rick

On Sat September 16, 2017

In art, funny, me, music

So there I am. I’ve never listened to this CD I have. Claire-Marie Le Guay plays, among other things, Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 4 in B‑flat major, K.570. The Allegro starts, and even though I’m at my desk, I close my eyes and just listen. The playing is so gentle and measured. So incredibly lovely. I don’t even hear my mother come downstairs.

At least until starts unloading the dryer and she starts talking to herself about losing a sock. “Where could it be?” She has no idea. “Surely a sock can’t just vanish into thin air,” and so on.

Talk about being pulled forcefully back to earth. But a short moment away is better than no moment.

In a struggle to be happy and free

Category: music Page 1 of 15

Best heater ever!

Cinema Strangiato: R40+

Ms. Rõivassepp, I presume?

Thank you for today

The music carries me away