Wednesday, June 21, 2017

To John on the Summer Solstice

\
I agree with Steichmann that Ossoff's loss was not a doomsday event. Both sides invested significant resources, however, not only the GOP.
Mmmmm.. cream corn...
--
Uh, no, actually I am NOT drinking again. Thanks for your concern.
--
I think that if we propose to take over an institution, an organization or a private club, what have you, that means we aspire to be the establishment of said institution etc.
Attacking "the establishment" becomes attacking ourselves before we even get a chance at governing ourselves. This is problematic. I am open to your thoughts.
--

"We" needs to be defined, as well as, the policies to which "we" aspire. So far, that is not happening from what I am reading in the "papers" and for the last 90 or so minutes in this cesspool of human communication, i.e., Facebook.
No is not enough.
--
Status quo [our racist/classist society] has been enabled by our moderation policy agendas.
--
We should not be organizing against small businesses intending to improve local affordability outcomes.
--
A commons policy I can get behind is Land Value Taxation.
If you agree with that then you should also agree we need to organize for power at the state level.

In Ann Arbor, we need to stop spending so much time deliberating what to do with deer in the city and to stop overpaying professional police consultants to study us in order to better market police to us as the hyper-multifaceted public service/control that particular profession has become.

Across the USA, we spend way too much money on police and military.

We have a lot of parks in Ann Arbor. They're great. I love them all.
Negotiating zoning changes is a fucking drag. What a mess and waste of time. Why did we do this to ourselves? Oh, right, I forgot: White American Exceptionalism.
--
My prediction, regardless of any policy progress we can make, is that the USA will fail before it adequately remediates the wrongs of racism/classism/slavery. No illusions here, pal-ly.
--
I don't have all the answers and I am willing to listen to others. I am also willing to do my part, which for right now, consists of tending to those completely shut out of a fair deal in life. THAT is consuming my energy.
--
Social media equivocation, bickering and the like is not discourse and does not accomplish what some may state as their intentions.

--
Will the circle be unbroken?

#BeyondHRCandBernie #USA

Sunday, April 9, 2017

"August By Cake" The New GBV Double Album // Music Review for April 9, 2017

I remember reading an interview with Robert Pollard years ago in which he claims to write five songs every time he goes to the bathroom, three of which will be masterpieces.

Fortunately, most of the songs in his repertoire sound better than that image might indicate. With "August By Cake," Pollard has released his 100th studio album. Bandmates this time around include Kevin March and Doug Gillard, along with Mark Shue and Bobby Bare, Jr.

"August By Cake" is a double album featuring several tracks penned by band members in addition to the typical preponderance of Pollard pop gems. The sounds from this record are more diverse in nature than recent GBV releases and some hearken back to the sound & mix from 90's era releases.

There are likely several who might read this while rolling their eyes, "Another GBV album...zzzzzz," but I would invite you to check it out in spite of yourself and your hangups :)

I also invite you to check out the WCBN show I hosted July 3rd, 2016 if you are interested in the "classic lineup" era of Guided By Voices.

The new album begins with a magnanimous invitation/invocation from Pollard. Song highlights for me include, "Generox Gray," decidedly sluggish with a nod to political considerations of some abstract aging population. "West Coast Company Man" is one of the more inventive pop songs I've that I've heard from Pollard in years, featuring odd segues, dramatic climax affect and rugged individualism. "Dr Feelgood Falls Off the Ocean," is driven by drum machine-like beat in 3/4 time. "Deflect/Project," a song by longtime GBV lead guitarist Doug Gillard, employs minor scale harmonizing and soul beat.

Additionally, there are some good interlude tracks with the drone/feedback laden "Chew the Sand," an instrumental with voice samples and written by bassist Mark Shue. "Fever Pitch" is a song that begins engulfed by fuzz and distortion, leaving my ears ringing and my mind off center. I liked it. 

When they play on April 29 at the Pyramid Scheme and May 5 at the the Magic Stick, I hope to hear a good chunk of these songs.

Freeform DJ notes: No FCCs. Most of the songs fade into and out of each other, a consideration when "free forming" it with other musics.



01. 5° On The inside.
02. Generox – Gray
03. When We All Hold Hands
04. Goodbye Note
05. We Liken The Sun.
06. Fever Pitch
07. Absent The Man
08. Packing The Dead Zone
09. What Begins On New Years Day
10. Overloaded
11. Keep Me Down
12. West Coast Company Man
13. Warm Up To Religion


14. High 5 Hall Of Famers

15. Hiking Skin
16. Sudden Fiction
17. Its Food
18. Cheap Buttons
19. Substitute 11
20. Chew the Sand
21. Dr. Feelgood Falls Off the Ocean
22. The Laughing Closet
23. Deflect Project
24. Upon The Circus Bus
25. Try It Out Its Nothing
26. Sentimental Wars
27. Circus Day Holdout
28. Whole Tomatoes
29. Amusement Park Is Over
30. Golden Doors
31. The Possible Edge
32. Escape To Phoenix
Additional WCBN DJ reviews:
Animal Collective "The Painters" EP
Domino Recording Co. 2017
FCC on 1


A brief follow-up to the 2016 release "Painting With," this EP eschews the pop experimentation often present in AC releases for what I would describe as mid 80's Manchester-esque indie bounce pop. For example, think Happy Mondays. Pick any track for freeform radio. There is a sneaky FCC in the first track and their cover of Martha and the Vandellas [nothing special IMO], ends quite abruptly at 4:00. - D.W.C.B.N.

1. Kinda Bonkers "...What the fuck is happening?"
2. Peacemaker
3. Goalkeeper
4. Jimmy Mack ---- Ends abruptly.


Goldfrapp "Silver Eye"
Mute 2017
No FCCs


New release from this synth pop duo. This album starts out with some fuzzy electro pop disco polo tunes and trudges along to the end. I can see if you are into this, it could get you through the work day, but I am really struggling to write anything of note about this record. It's not that the record is horrible or anything, it just is very... medium. It will fit into any freeform set. - D.W.C.B.N.

1. Anymore
2. Systemagic
3. Tigerman
4. Become The One
5. Faux Suede Drifter
6. Zodiac Black
7. Beast That Never Was
8. Everything Is Never Enough
9. Moon In Your Mouth
10. Ocean

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Music Review and Seizure Experiment a-LIVE in April 2017

In April 2017, the Seizure Experiment [Sundays 10p-12mid on WCBN] will bring you at least two bands: BUBAK [Ypsilanti] and the Frick Boys. 

BUBAK is a stoner/doom metal duo from Ypsilanti featuring Jeff West on Bass and vocals along with drummer Justin O'Neill. The Frick Boys are a mysterious local act yet to reveal their musics, nor their intentions. 

BUBAK will play live on WCBN on April 23, Frick Boys on April 16. 

Additionally, if you are in Hamtramck this Friday March 31st, you can catch BUBAK live at Trixie's !! Looks like they have a new 4-song EP which you can choose to purchase at the show, check it out:

1. Bio-Grey'd
2. Hang 'em Higher
3. Space Weed
4. The Fall

This is a limited release so get them while they last! The band is selling the CDs at their shows, not yet available in stores.

################################################

In addition to hosting the Seizure Experiment and "engineering" the public affairs program "Grey Matters," I also review music for station WCBN FM Ann Arbor. I am one of many volunteers who keep this thing going. 

Below are the reviews from over the past two weeks. Feel free to comment with questions or additions! Happy Listening :) DJ-WHO-CANNOT-BE-NAMED

Meatbodies "Alice"
In the Red Records 2017
No FCCs

1. The Burning Fields [Abrupt end leading into track 2]
2. Kings
3. Alice
4. Creature Feautre
5. Disciples
6. Scavenger
7. Touchless
8. Count Your Fears
9. Haunted History
10. Gyre
11. Fools Fold Their Hands (Grievous Evils Under The Sun)



Second album for Chad Ubovich [FUZZ] and band. The album is framed as a "self-critical epic." Lyrics and songs do not tell the story from A to Z, but instead provide brief fuzz pop psychedelic excursions into the story. The Psych/Garage soup provided by Meatbodies on "Alice" is heavy on reverb and delay. Nothing groundbraking here, but some good heavy pop - D.W.C.B.N.


UNION ANALOGTRONICS X BLU "Cheetah in the City" 
Fat Beats Records 2016; FCCs in Bold

1.  LA Counting
2.  Whatever "Shit"
3.  Weekends
4.  Sleepin' interlude: patchwork of keys and lyrics
5.  Working' [Featring Joro] "fuck" and others
6.  Sunny
7.  French Kiss [Featuring Chat]; fade but ends abruptly
8.  One Two
9.  Don't Trip [Featuring Dam Funk]
10. Lynx
11. City Dreams [Featuring Oliver DaySoul]
12. Cheetah
13. [Bonus]The Factory [Featuring Erik Riko]


The box wave bass beat on the opening track of this record is not indicative of the rhythm section sounds from UA X Blu. Blu is a rapper raised in San Pedro, CA whose interests vary from people making "paper" to stories from a childhood in the ghetto. The sounds and beats from Union Analogtronics [from Paris, FRA] range from techno box waves to rhodes piano jazz fusion segues. The sounds are dense, layered and at times psychedelicized. UA seems to be fond of fuzzy box wave bass sounds. The combo of these artists provides great freeform radio material.  


Those Who Walk Away "The Infected Mass" Constellation Records 2017
No FCCs

1 Before the Beginning
2 First Degraded Hymn
3 First Partially Recollected Conversation
4 Second Degraded Hymn
5 Second Partially Recollected Conversation
6 Third Degraded Hymn
7 After the End






Winnipeg composer Matthew Patton presents a minimalist ambient concept album conflating the buildup to an airplane crash with internal human body functions. The mix includes choir voices, string quartet and sampled sounds including human blood flow, breathing and airplan cockpit sounds. You can take any piece out of context for your free form. This is also worth a listen from beginning to end - D.W.C.B.N.


Revolutionary Snake Ensemble
"I Want That Sound" Innova Recordings 2016; No FCCs

1.  Slippery When Wet
2.  Discoveries
3.  Higgins Hollow
4.  Nature
5.  I Want That Sound!
6.  Just Walk Closer
7.  Roohane
8.  John's Jailhouse Blues






A Boston area band jamming since 1990, the sound RSE brings New Orleans brass bad jazz together with funk jams and plenty of space for players to solo. There is also space here for experimentation and fun. The sound is definitely celebratory. Listening to this I could sense the collective joy of the players coming out of the songs and their solos. This would go well in any free form show in addition to "What it is" - a great way to get the party started! D.W.C.B.N.

Nnamdi Ogbonnaya "DROOL" Father/Daughter/Sooper Records 2017; Songs with FCCs in bold
1.    Cindy OsO Ft. mOrimOtO
2.    nO drOOl
3.    HWT//nO nEeD
4.    hOp Off
5.    dOn't turn me Off Ft. JD AKA   
       ThrashKitten & Mal Devisa
6.    drOOl//drink that Prod. By Liz 

7.    hOney On the lOw Ft. mOlly MallOy
8.    let gO Of my egO
9.    sHOULD hAvE kNOwN
10.  Think That Way Ft. Julia Steiner
11.  N0TICE
12.  Me 4 Me

13.  iVyTRA


Multi-instrumentalist Nnamdi Ogbonnaya from Chicago, IL with another in his long line of solo musics. His lyrical style is casual in delivery and at times awkward. The songs often feature soulful refrains in between extended raps. Wait a minute, is that a theremin? The sounds are soulful and quirky here. "You could never write shit like this!" I would say that any of it can fit nicely into any free form show, however his potty mouth prevents that with the exception of tracks 7 and 13 - D.W.C.B.N.

Debris of Titan "ASTRON: The Fallen" 
Self-Released 2017; FCC ON 10

1.  {Enter} - Astra [Genesis]
2.  Bridge to the Meadows
3.  Waves of Oblivion
4.  Ride On
5.  The Fallen
6.  Come My Way
7.  Night Walker
8.  {Run} - Astra
9.  Wonderland
10. Moonlight Shadow
11. The Lost and Damned
12. {Depart} - Astra [Lysis]

Dreamy Psyche-Pop from this duo with their second full length album, a loose concept offering featuring greek mythological character Astra/ Astron? who doesn't follow the rules of order and is now down on earth dancing around in the, wait for it.... Debris of Titan. It's funny to me that the band lists Tame Impala and Pink Floyd as influences on its facebook page. That is certainly evident, along with all the shoegaze bands from the 1990s. The most obvious influence left out: Deerhunter and or anything by Bradford Cox [the vocal textures are pure BC bliss]. This observation is not a dig on them, I thoroughly enjoyed this record. Even though ASTRON is a concept album, each song stands well on its own. Enjoy! D.W.C.B.N.







Tuesday, March 21, 2017

#RESIST #MICHIGAN #CorporateDems #USA

Daily Pratt for March 21, 2017

"Back in the 20th century, I learned one must never assume meaning from peoples' rhetoric and poetics. But, here we are anyway, or, at least here I am..."





































QUESTIONS FROM MARK WENZEL:

[ ] Is it important to get their sense of how the presence of weapons and SWAT tanks and combat gear actually might escalate a situation rather than de-escalate?

[ ] Do police feel that they’re being used by the elite to protect them (the elite) from those who strive to bring more and more justice to their lives?

[ ] Do police believe they have moral obligations to obey unjust laws & what would be an example of an unjust law to them?

[ ] The role of the ‘war on drugs’ and ‘homeland security’ on making the police more dangerous to their community

[ ] The cardinal values police seek to bring to the building of moral communities -vs- the actual practices

[ ] What do they think of the work which claims to show that the KKK has been infiltrating police departments since forever?






































FORTHCOMING FROM SEIZE YOUR LEISURE:

"Washtenaw Metro Special Weapons and Tactics [SWAT] HISTORY and PRACTICE"

#RESIST #MICHIGAN #CorporateDems #USA 

Sunday, March 12, 2017

RACE ROUNDTABLE FORUM LIVE ON WCBN TONIGHT 7PM, SEIZURE EXPERIMENT AT 10PM

Tonight WCBN will be broadcasting a live roundtable forum on race facilitated by WCBN DJ/ UM Student Jason Young and featuring UM student activists Lakyrra Magee, Leah Schneck and UM LEO Lecturer Ian Robinson. Tune in to learn about the circumstances on-the-ground regarding race and inequality with some ideas about how to work together and improve the cultural climate on the UM campus, in Ann Arbor and beyond. 

Tune in by dialing 88.3 FM on your toaster in Ann Arbor OR click HERE to listen online anywhere in the world. This broadcast will begin at 7pm EST.

[REMEMBER: we "sprung" forward so adjust your clock if you haven't yet already!]

After that, you may as well stay tuned because starting at 10pm sharp I'll have full control of the WCBN broadcast signal for another edition of The Seizure Experiment. I have a lot of new [to me] music including, but not limited to: Wormrot [Singapore Grindcore], Tsjuder [Norwegian Black Metal], Magrudergrind, Shitstorm and several more selections with special freeform segues and soundbites that will be sure to delight your ears and distill your anger and frustration with the human condition in these united states. 

The Seizure Experiment is a 2-hour foray into Thrash, Hardcore, Grind, Metal of all varieties and Noise curated and populated by a rotating set of hosts: Rev. Bomb Back, Minister and Administer of Noise, Kristin [of TIGHT PANTS], Marie, Chayne and yours truly DJ-WHO-CANNOT-BE-NAMED. 

COMING SOON to the SEIZURE EXPERIMENT: a live, in studio performance by Ypsilanti two-piece stoner/doom metal act BUBAK in April 2017 on a Sunday night yet-to-be-determined!!!! 



Thanks again to all who support WCBN by donating, sharing, listening and contributing content: WE LOVE YOU 

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Music Review For March 2017 & A Preview of Upcoming News Articles on Seize Your Leisure

In the next few weeks, I'll be posting news articles on the topice of Washtenaw Metro SWAT and also about the current digital platforms of Ann Arbor City Government and ways to improve timely information access so that residents can easily participate in Ann Arbor government bodies without having to submit FOIAs for information we should already have at-the-ready. Stay tuned for that 

In the meantime, let's revel in the new musics I had the privilege to review for the weekly music review sessions at WCBN-FM Ann Arbor. These review sessions, by the way, take place most Monday's [except during some student breaks] at 630pm in the WCBN lobby, which is located in the basement of the Student Activities Building on the Campus of the University of Michigan. It is through these types of volunteer activities that we remain on-the-air without paid staff, but with the latest music for our loyal listeners.

     WCBN is a student-run radio station licensed to the Regents of the University of 
       Michigan broadcasting at 200 mighty watts on your radio dial at 88.3 MHz in Ann Arbor. 
       You can also stream our signal over the internet by clicking http://www.wcbn.org/listen

The Luyas “Human Voicing”
Paper Bag Records 2017
NO FCCs


Fourth album for this Montreal pop quintet. The song structures are somewhat loose for pop but are held together by the drummer, who leaves plenty of space for the other players who shift between guitar, keyboards, French Horn, pedal steel and violin to experiment and push the envelope of pop song structures. 

Lyrically, Jessie Stein uses abstract imagery to describe the struggle of artists to make sense and to make “cents” [e.g. “Self-Unemployed”]. I wouldn’t call her delivery monotone, but rather “uni-tone.” The singularity in pitch and timbre of her voice and the backups stand in stark contrast to the imaginative and, at-times, improvised song arrangements. Not-to-be-missed, I thoroughly enjoyed this album from start to finish. Favorite tracks: 2, 4, 6, 7 

1. Dream In Time
2. Self-Unemployed
3. Dream Of Love 
4. Beating Bowser
5. All Of Everything 
6. No Domination
7. Fed To The Lions
8. Never Before

Here is a live version of "Self-Unemployed" from a recent online live session in which The Luyas were involved.


Allan Rayman “Roadhouse 01”
Communion Records 2017
NO FCCs

Toronto native Allan Rayman submits a second full length album, recorded and produced in Brooklyn, but likely written in an isolated cabin in Lost Springs, Wyoming, where Rayman currently resides. 

There is not much else known about Allan and according to a recent interview in Billboard Mag, he prefers to keep it that way. The songs on this record are well-thought out compositions, but flow like they were written on-the-spot. There are cryptic images, but the sounds convey a forlorn soul. There is also no format here. This album is classified as “funk/soul” but the songwriting has elements of country [esp. lyrics], pop/rock and hip hop. Play anytime, a great freeform record. 

1. Wolf
2. December
3. Sweetheart
4. Repeat
5. Shelby Moves
6. Jim’s Story
7. Left Alone
8. Faust Road
9. Hollywood/ My Way
10. Head Over Heels
11. 25.22
12. 13
13. God is a Woman

Here are a couple of samples from Roadhouse 01 showing the breadth of styles Rayman employs in his sound:




CCCRRCCSSLLRRKKRRSSS S/T
MEGAKUT CDS 2017
NO FCCs

ALL CAPS, NOT BECAUSE I AM YELLING, BUT INSTEAD FOLLOWING THE FORM OF THIS RECORD. THE NAME OF THIS BAND IS PRONOUNCED [SIRKUS-LURKERS] AND KEEPING WITH THAT THEME, THEY PROVIDE US WITH A CARNIVAL OF SOUNDS FROM THE FIRST OF THEIR 6 RECORDING SESSIONS. THE SESSIONS ARE AN UNREHEARSED PATCHWORK OF ELECTRO-NOISE AND MUSIQUE CONCRÈTE [NO, THAT IS *NOT* A REFERENCE TO STEPHEN MALKMUS AND PAVEMENT, STEPCHILD, LOOK IT UP :-)] 

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS RECORDING AND ITS ARTWORK. PICK ANY TRACK AND GO!

1. GAWNG STYLE
2. MIRAGE GARAGE
3. ACT LIKE YOU KNOW
4. GAFFLER
5. SECTAUR

Here is a link to the bandcamp stream for "Act Like You Know"

Zeal and Ardor “Devil is Fine”
MVKA Music 2017
NO FCCs

One of the more intriguing set of musics I had to review for this week, Zeal and Ardor describes their sound as Gospel/Black Metal. The sound is not a fusion of these forms, but instead they are strung together like red, white and blue christmas tree lights along a plantation road. 

Swiss-American, Manuel Gagneux, sings his version of gospel songs to Satan instead of the Christian god often revered in the gospel form. This is a conceptual album in which the songs flow from one to the next making it difficult to separate and play any individual track out-of-context.

Elements of Gospel, Metal, Delta Blues and even Electronic Dance Music [EDM] will connect with your ears when listening to this record. The Sacrilegium series and Children’s Summons are particularly creepy [which means “highly enjoyable” to me :)] Have a blast with this one. Even though I say it is difficult to play tracks out of context, I would play any of these in a free form radio set. Enjoy!

1. Devil is Fine
2. In Ashes
3. Sacrilegium I
4. Come On Down
5. Children’s Summon
6. Sacrilegium II
7. Blood on the River
8. What a Killer Like You Gonna Do Here?

8. Sacrilegium III

This album blew me away so I am including several tracks that show you why :)





Sunday, February 12, 2017

ROTOKILLER live on Seizure Experiment for WCBN FUND RAZOR: TUNE IN 10pm Sunday Feb 12, 2017 CALL 734-763-3500


HAY.

HAYYYYYYYY!

ROTOKILLER will be live tonight Feb 12, 2017 on the SEIZURE EXPERIMENT on WCBN. The band will be live sometime after 10pm.


Local Hardcore outfit ROTOKILLER will bring the noise to your ears tonight Sunday Feb 12, 2017 in hopes that you will bring your cash to support the only station in Ann Arbor that plays the music of local bands like ROTOKILLER

The Seizure Experiment is a show airing every sunday from 10p-12mid with a roster of rotating hosts including folks like Kristin [of Tight Pants], Marie, and Rev. Bomb-Back, Minister and Administer of Noise. We have a new host, Chayne, who will bring you sick sounds next week.
Listen to ROTOKILLER live on-the-air TONIGHT, Sun Feb. 12 
Feel free to tune-in and donate to the Seizure Experiment on WCBN-FM Ann Arbor. We accept donations in nearly all forms, so just call anytime after 10pm tonight and one of our Volunteer DJ phone operators will take your money and put it into the WCBN-FM general fund, which we can use to keep doing the radio sausage you have some to expect and to love so, so dearly. 

To donate, please call 734-763-3500 OR you can donate online at: http://wcbn.org/donate

WCBN-FM Ann Arbor is a University of Michigan student-run freeform radio station, broadcasting at 88.3 MHz covering Ann Arbor Area Airwaves. We also operate with help from community members like you and me. 

Listen to the Seizure Experiment tonight Sunday February 12, 2017 from 10p-12mid for ROTOKILLER AND MORE. You can contact the on-air DJ using iMESSAGE/HANGOUTS @ radio@wcbn.org 

BRING US YOUR ANGER, We will distill and return it to you in a musical package that cleanses your spirits.

---- DJ-WHO-CANNOT-BE-NAMED