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Turing's Cathedral: The Origins of the Digital Universe
Book
George Dyson's fascinating account of the early years of computers: Turing's Cathedral is the story...

Great Gothic Cathedrals of France: A Visitor's Guide
Book
Great Gothic Cathedrals of France guides readers on a tour of twelve French cathedrals that best...

Steve Fearon (84 KP) rated Is This Thing Cursed? by Alkaline Trio in Music
Sep 11, 2018
Good to be back, but not great.
Alkaline Trio are one of my favourite bands, combining my love of catchy pop-punk with dark (often horror) themes.
They have been releasing good albums for 20-odd years now, and their wry wit and ear for a catchy tune have made them a special place in my heart.
This new release is the first since Matt Skiba joined up with Blink 182, and is a reassuring return to their sound of recent years, with a focus on dark but polished pop-punk.
I have struggled to pick out many tunes that leap from the album and into a best of playlist, with most tunes being enjoyable without really standing on their own.
This may not be a bad thing necessarily, and it may just necessitate additional listens, but after 2 album long listens, I still maintain this position.
I think this is an album for the fans, one that consolidates their fanbase by giving them a solid, safe and unadventurous collection of songs that reassures them that the Trio are still around, but not wanting to risk being accused of changing their sound because of Skiba's involvements elsewhere.
A good album, a 7/10 at this point, but I may revisit later, as sometimes they can grow on you over time.
They have been releasing good albums for 20-odd years now, and their wry wit and ear for a catchy tune have made them a special place in my heart.
This new release is the first since Matt Skiba joined up with Blink 182, and is a reassuring return to their sound of recent years, with a focus on dark but polished pop-punk.
I have struggled to pick out many tunes that leap from the album and into a best of playlist, with most tunes being enjoyable without really standing on their own.
This may not be a bad thing necessarily, and it may just necessitate additional listens, but after 2 album long listens, I still maintain this position.
I think this is an album for the fans, one that consolidates their fanbase by giving them a solid, safe and unadventurous collection of songs that reassures them that the Trio are still around, but not wanting to risk being accused of changing their sound because of Skiba's involvements elsewhere.
A good album, a 7/10 at this point, but I may revisit later, as sometimes they can grow on you over time.

Catalytic Governance: Leading Change in the Information Age
Patricia Meredith, Steven A. Rosell and Ged R. Davis
Book
Although the information age offers individuals from all walks of life the power to make their...