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Ross (3282 KP) rated Anthology of American Folk Music by Various Artists in Music
May 26, 2020
Rolling Stone's 278th greatest album of all time
I had hoped this album would be a 1-disc compilation of the likes of Bob Dylan and maybe some of the San Francisco bands. Sadly, it turned out to be a 6-disc set of a diverse range of musical styles prevalent throughout young America in the late 1920s and early 30s.
Some of this was good, the more typical blues songs much like Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. There were a number of Cajun songs which were listenable. There were also a number of fairly poor early gospel songs which were really hard to suffer through.
This is an important album historically, showing some of the earliest musical recordings, and chronicling the range of musical style, that could almost be mapped across the USA.
Interestingly, "King Kong Kitchie-Kitchie-Ki-Me-Oh" is a variation of the old Scottish song "Frog Went A-Courting", written about various French suitors to Scots nobles. I found it interesting that this song must have travelled across the Atlantic and been adapted to suit the tastes there.
Some of this was good, the more typical blues songs much like Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. There were a number of Cajun songs which were listenable. There were also a number of fairly poor early gospel songs which were really hard to suffer through.
This is an important album historically, showing some of the earliest musical recordings, and chronicling the range of musical style, that could almost be mapped across the USA.
Interestingly, "King Kong Kitchie-Kitchie-Ki-Me-Oh" is a variation of the old Scottish song "Frog Went A-Courting", written about various French suitors to Scots nobles. I found it interesting that this song must have travelled across the Atlantic and been adapted to suit the tastes there.
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated The Blemished (Blemished, #1) in Books
Jan 12, 2018
I received this book as a give away as part of a compilation [Shattered Worlds]. I have decided to give each book it's own review as I finish them to give the authors their due.
The Ministry had genetically created the perfect person. The are called GEMs and the rule society. Those who were not created perfect are called "Blemished" and are used as slaves for the upper class. Not all blemished are happy with this situation. Mina has a special gift that could help her but also be very dangerous to herself and those she loves. She will do anything to protect them and herself, as well as avoid the "operation" that all blemished girls get so they can not have children but often drives them mad as well. Secrets are kept, laws broken, lives risked and saved all fro freedom.
This was a well written novel. I could have done without the love triangle aspect because I thing that has been over done especially in YA literature and the characters were a little predictable. Overall the story flowed well and the action kept the plot moving along.
The Ministry had genetically created the perfect person. The are called GEMs and the rule society. Those who were not created perfect are called "Blemished" and are used as slaves for the upper class. Not all blemished are happy with this situation. Mina has a special gift that could help her but also be very dangerous to herself and those she loves. She will do anything to protect them and herself, as well as avoid the "operation" that all blemished girls get so they can not have children but often drives them mad as well. Secrets are kept, laws broken, lives risked and saved all fro freedom.
This was a well written novel. I could have done without the love triangle aspect because I thing that has been over done especially in YA literature and the characters were a little predictable. Overall the story flowed well and the action kept the plot moving along.
Britt Daniel recommended track Bring It to Jerome by Bo Diddley in His Best by Bo Diddley in Music (curated)
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Trees Grew Because I Bled There in Books
Apr 14, 2024
71 of 220
Book
The Trees Grew Because I Bled There: collected stories
By Eric LaRocca
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Eight stories of dark fiction from a master storyteller. Exploring the shadow side of love, these are tales of grief, obsession, control. Intricate examinations of trauma and tragedy in raw, poetic prose. A woman imagines horrific scenarios whilst caring for her infant niece; on-line posts chronicle a cancer diagnosis; a couple in the park with their small child encounter a stranger with horrific consequences; a toxic relationship reaches a terrifying resolution…
This was a compilation of stories from a very talented authors. You get taken on a journey with these short stories. A few stories stood out from the crowd! The Strange things we become a story of how cancer destroys everything it touches and plays with the mind.
You’re not supposed to be here l, I think this is my favourite of them all a parents worst nightmare and a dark tale of secrets and desperation.
I’d also mention Where Flames Burned as Grass, would you sacrifice your child on the word of a complete stranger?
Really enjoyed these stories and the writing style.
Book
The Trees Grew Because I Bled There: collected stories
By Eric LaRocca
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Eight stories of dark fiction from a master storyteller. Exploring the shadow side of love, these are tales of grief, obsession, control. Intricate examinations of trauma and tragedy in raw, poetic prose. A woman imagines horrific scenarios whilst caring for her infant niece; on-line posts chronicle a cancer diagnosis; a couple in the park with their small child encounter a stranger with horrific consequences; a toxic relationship reaches a terrifying resolution…
This was a compilation of stories from a very talented authors. You get taken on a journey with these short stories. A few stories stood out from the crowd! The Strange things we become a story of how cancer destroys everything it touches and plays with the mind.
You’re not supposed to be here l, I think this is my favourite of them all a parents worst nightmare and a dark tale of secrets and desperation.
I’d also mention Where Flames Burned as Grass, would you sacrifice your child on the word of a complete stranger?
Really enjoyed these stories and the writing style.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Beth in Books
Feb 20, 2024
32 of 220
Kindle
Book sirens review
There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Beth
By Mark Towse
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There's Something Wrong with Aunty Beth' is a collection of my favourite horror journeys, the best of the best I've taken to date. Twenty terrifying tales with something to suit all horror fans, from straight-up dread to signature Towsey weird. You'll never be the same again, and that's a Towsey guarantee. Within these haunted pages, you'll also find my new novella, 'Mother Dearest.'
Mother: A word that should summon trust, loyalty, love, and protection. But what if something begins eating away at such security, slowly transforming said Mother into something else entirely?
This is a compilation of short stories and everyone of them is dark, haunting, frightening and fun to read if you love horror. I always manage to find stories in these kind of books that I don’t like and end up skipping through but NOT this one! I recently discovered this author and I’m so glad I did his work is just brilliant. Do as Aunt Beth tells you!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Kindle
Book sirens review
There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Beth
By Mark Towse
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There's Something Wrong with Aunty Beth' is a collection of my favourite horror journeys, the best of the best I've taken to date. Twenty terrifying tales with something to suit all horror fans, from straight-up dread to signature Towsey weird. You'll never be the same again, and that's a Towsey guarantee. Within these haunted pages, you'll also find my new novella, 'Mother Dearest.'
Mother: A word that should summon trust, loyalty, love, and protection. But what if something begins eating away at such security, slowly transforming said Mother into something else entirely?
This is a compilation of short stories and everyone of them is dark, haunting, frightening and fun to read if you love horror. I always manage to find stories in these kind of books that I don’t like and end up skipping through but NOT this one! I recently discovered this author and I’m so glad I did his work is just brilliant. Do as Aunt Beth tells you!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Gordon Gano recommended Can the Circle Be Unbroken by The Carter Family in Music (curated)
Bobby Gillespie recommended The Original Singles 1965-1967 Volume 1 by The Byrds in Music (curated)
David McK (3207 KP) rated A Darkling Plain (Mortal Engines #4) in Books
Dec 20, 2021
Final part in Philip Reeve's steampunk Predator Cities/Mortal Engines quadrilogy, finally closing off the story of Tom Natsworthy and Hester Shaw alongside that of their daughter Wren.
This particular entry opens on the character of Theo Ngoni, who here and throughout plays a much larger role than he previously did in Infernal Devices. Theo Ngoni is not the only character to return from previous novels however: Fishcake (yes, that's the name he is given) also plays a large role and finally gets a decent end to his story, as does Professor Pennyroyal (still providing the comic relief), the Stalkers Fang and Shrike (with the latter also finally getting a decent pay-off in the last chapter), and both Oenone Zero and General Naga also returning.
I also have to say that I found this to be the longest of the four stories in the quadrilogy: I'm not sure whether that is because it actually is (I read it as part of an e-book compilation, which makes it hard to compare relevant lengths), because I'd read it back to back with the previous entry, or simply because I was beginning to get tired with the series as a whole!
This particular entry opens on the character of Theo Ngoni, who here and throughout plays a much larger role than he previously did in Infernal Devices. Theo Ngoni is not the only character to return from previous novels however: Fishcake (yes, that's the name he is given) also plays a large role and finally gets a decent end to his story, as does Professor Pennyroyal (still providing the comic relief), the Stalkers Fang and Shrike (with the latter also finally getting a decent pay-off in the last chapter), and both Oenone Zero and General Naga also returning.
I also have to say that I found this to be the longest of the four stories in the quadrilogy: I'm not sure whether that is because it actually is (I read it as part of an e-book compilation, which makes it hard to compare relevant lengths), because I'd read it back to back with the previous entry, or simply because I was beginning to get tired with the series as a whole!
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Conor McGregor: Notorious (2017) in Movies
Apr 22, 2021 (Updated Jul 4, 2021)
Your standard sports doc - and if there's anyone in the sporting world right now who *isn't* standard, it's Conor McGregor. The general rule of thumb I use for these is whether or not it's more insightful than what I can find from ~10 minutes of research, this is not. For following this guy around for 4+ years you'd think there would be something under the hood but there isn't a single for-the-doc interview in this - just a broken collage of quick 5/10 second conversations that rush right past anything half interesting. I swear this is like 90% B-roll footage. Seems like it's in such a hurry to be another generic, surface-level rags-to-riches documentary for people going into this already knowing they're going to love it. I'm not saying you have to deflate the guy's ego, I like the guy - but if you're going to make a puff piece like this at least make it a good one. It would be so easy to sit back and just let this unique, caustic, energetic performer breathe rather than cutting his screen time to shreds - let it be 3 hours who gives a shit? Would have much preferred a 90+ YouTube compilation of his famed trash talk + fight footage over this "the world isn't going to stop me!" snooze. Should have been a miniseries.
Darren Fisher (2447 KP) rated Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) by Brian Eno in Music
Dec 18, 2020 (Updated Jan 15, 2021)
Eno On Peak
In the 80's I got into Brian Eno via Talking Heads (with the excellent Remain in Light alvum) and David Bowie (Low, Heroes and Lodger), rather than through early Roxy Music.
My first introduction to Eno's solo work was the compilation More Blank Than Frank in 1986, which after listening to, was enough to convince me that I really needed to check out more of his work. I found Taking Tiger Mountain on cassette in the bargain bins at Our Price (I think). No inlay card but it was going cheap. Taking a punt I got it home and was instantly blown away. Musically upbeat for most of its duration, the lyrics told dark, humorous and downright weird tales about espionage, Limbourg Asylum and the rape of a woman by a crazed machine. There's also a lot of references to China (as the album title suggests).
So obssessed by this album I once recycled my smashed up electric guitar body in to a 'skinning up' table (with coaster bed legs so you could push it from person to person). The main centrepiece of this 'table' was a big mound of wax which I attempted to mould into my own Tiger Mountain... Damn the drugs were good back then hahaha 😎✌
Album Highlights:
Burning Airlines Give You So Much More
Third Uncle
The True Wheel
My first introduction to Eno's solo work was the compilation More Blank Than Frank in 1986, which after listening to, was enough to convince me that I really needed to check out more of his work. I found Taking Tiger Mountain on cassette in the bargain bins at Our Price (I think). No inlay card but it was going cheap. Taking a punt I got it home and was instantly blown away. Musically upbeat for most of its duration, the lyrics told dark, humorous and downright weird tales about espionage, Limbourg Asylum and the rape of a woman by a crazed machine. There's also a lot of references to China (as the album title suggests).
So obssessed by this album I once recycled my smashed up electric guitar body in to a 'skinning up' table (with coaster bed legs so you could push it from person to person). The main centrepiece of this 'table' was a big mound of wax which I attempted to mould into my own Tiger Mountain... Damn the drugs were good back then hahaha 😎✌
Album Highlights:
Burning Airlines Give You So Much More
Third Uncle
The True Wheel