Summer Music Review

Throughout the summer I make mixes of the latest music I'm into for those road trips to the cottage or Grand Forks. I sprinkle both old & new tunes on these play-lists and by the end of summer I probably have at least a dozen different mix CDs that make their way through my vehicles stereo, along with pure albums from the past or present. Radio for me is ancient history other than the occasional talk radio or weather updates. IPod is the other medium but I still prefer hearing music rather than having it injected into my ears.

So what have I been listening to? I'll warn you it is all over the map eclectic. Here's a sample playlist that may give some idea:

1. Change of Seasons - Sweet Thing EP - Sweet Thing 2006
2. Clocks - Rhythms del Mundo: Cuba - Coldplay 2006
3. Get Your Way - Catching Tales - Jamie Cullum 2007
4. Grow Old With Me - Instant Karma - Postal Service 2007
5. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - Rhythms del Mundo: Cuba - U2/Coco Freeman 2006
6. Instant Karma - Instant Karma - U2 2007
7. Let Me Give The World To You - Machina II - Smashing Pumpkins 2000
8. Perfect World - Alligator - Guards of Metropolis 2007
9. Possession - I-Tunes Originals - Sarah McLachlan 2005
10. The Promise - Cities - Anberlin 2007
11. Real Gone - Cars Soundtrack - Sheryl Crow 2006
12. Something To Believe In - Memory Man - Aqualung 2007
13. Tarantula - Zeitgeist - Smashing Pumpkins 2007
14. Too Much Too Hide - Nuclear Daydream - Joseph Arthur 2006
15. Violetlight - Codes & Secret Longings - Raised By Swans 2005
16. Watching The Wheels - Instant Karma - Matisyahu 2007
17. The Way We Get By - Stranger Than Fiction - Spoon 2006
18. Whispering Pines - Endless Highway - Jakob Dylan 2007
19. Whole Wide World - Stranger Than Fiction - Wreckless Eric 2006
20. Winter Night - Sweet Thing EP - Sweet Thing 2006

ALBUM REVIEWS:

The Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist - 4 out of 5 Stars. I personally love this album and although it's not their best album it really drives well & lyrically in a whole new direction. 4 stars. Favorite songs - Zeitgeist, Bring The Light, Tarantula, & Doomsday Clock - lots of rhythm, lots of angst - meant to be played loud!

Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur - 4 stars for tracks downloaded. I bought a few songs from this album from I-Tunes that I highly recommend: U2's version of Instant Karma (strangely doesn't sound like them - hard to explain but great song), Matisyahu's Watching The Wheel's - reggae but still true to the original, Postal Service's Grow Old With Me - I could hear John Lennon in his vocals, & Imagine by Jack Johnson.

Travis - The Boy Without A Name - 4 stars. A great album that is worth the purchase or download. For fans of Radiohead, Coldplay or U2. Favorite tracks: Closer (5 star - powerful), Sailing Away (laid back & wandering), & Under The Moonlight.

Northern Room - Only Seconds EP & Last Embrace EP - 5 Stars. I love these guys, great soaring melodies, good drive with bass & drums, Coldplayish but have their own sound. Up and coming. Favorite tracks: Galaxy, Last Embrace, We're On Fire, Waiting. Both EPs are worth purchasing.

Spoon - GaGaGaGa & Spoon songs from the soundtrack for Stranger Than Fiction - 3 stars & 5 stars. I don't know why I haven't been exposed to these songs before watching Stranger Than Fiction because they have been around for awhile but for some reason that movie got me hooked into their melodic, trippy version of music. It is hook-laden and moving. Their latest album from my perspective is good but not as significant as the tracks they provided for the movie but it seems to be one of those albums that takes time to simmer before you fall in love with it. So it could very well become a 4 star one for me yet. Favorite songs from GaGaGaGa: Don't Make Me a Target, Finer Feelings, & Black Like Me. Favorite songs from Stranger: The Way I Get By & My Mathematical Mind.

The Album Leaf - Green Tour EP- 5 stars. If you like Sigur Ros or Explosions in the Sky, the Album Leaf is for you. Instrumental heaven with waves of emotion & musical electronic genius. Favorite songs: We Need Your Help & San Simeon.

Eisley - Combinations - 3 stars. They remind me of Sixpence None The Richer but with a more folky influence. Great vocals but like Tegan & Sara they suffer from sounding very similar from track to track. Favorite tracks include: Go Away, Invasion & Taking Control.

Beduin Soundclash - Street Gospels - 3 1/2 stars if you like Reggae Folk. A Canadian band that embraces a reggae style that grooves but still very emotive & moving. His vocal has a roughness that grows on you but still melodic enough that it doesn't distract. Favorite tracks: Walls Fall Down & Until We Burn In The Sun (I hear a little INXS here meets Bob Marley).

Silverchair - Young Modern - 3? Stars. I don't know where to go with this review as I've just sampled it really and not sure. I really love Straight Lines but it doesn't sound like Silverchair, in fact I give that song at least 4 stars - building but powerful once it starts going. The rest of the album I'm just not sure. Okay maybe I need to wait for a month before I review this album, but it isn't Silverchair.

Sweet Thing - Sweet Thing EP - 4 stars. A great little EP. First two tracks are amazing but the album slips a little after that but I'm guessing this is just a taste of what the band has to offer in the future. Great drive, melodies, lyrics, nice vocals, and over-all feel. Has a emo-influence but rock enough for it to get airplay hopefully. Favorite tracks: Winter Night & Change of Seasons (great intro to this song!).

More reviews to come this fall!

Another Team Body-Driven Ride

A good escape to the Sandilands with Pat & Ed - with my commute to Pat's & then ride in the hills I ended up with 14kms - not bad! Nice and fast spin at the end. Hope to do some riding in Pinawa next week on our faculty retreat.

Monday's Windy Ride

With winds around 30kms I wasn't sure how I'd do today but it turned out to be an excellent ride. 40kms and quite a fast pace again considering the wind. Paul & Pat joined me on yet another road ride with those skinny tires - hopefully get a good fat tire ride on the mtn bike this week too!

20 Km Sprint

Sprint & 20 kms normally don't go together when I ride mtn bike but I took the road bike for a spin just to keep the muscles going and I cranked it through some pretty big winds. Not a big workout but fun.

7:30am Sandilands Escape

Another early morning mountain bike escape to the Sandilands - no wind today, cool temps of around 15 degrees celsius, riding partners: Jason & Nolan, and nice quick 14kms. No yogis today just a puzzled buck staring at us loading our bikes up on the way out.

Another 16kms in the Sandilands

An early morning spin in the Sandilands is what the professor ordered and all was good. Had a decent spill after getting launched over a protruding but hidden stump. The trail was on the dry and dusty side with some sandy patches that give the area its name but thankfully most of the valleys were hard-packed, tight & windy. Started out at the St. Labre put-in and rode out to the Beaver dam hill section and back. Pat & Jason kept me spinning hard and it was just great to be out there again. Hoping for another ride on Monday.

July Holiday Images

The summer has been a good and for me with the beginning of prep now for college it means I won't be escaping as much with the family out on outings (at least during the weekdays). But I wanted to display some of the images of our summer. I actually posted the shots of Tinkertown & Grand Forks tonight but changed the dates to when they were actually taken. The cottage & home shots in this portfolio are mainly from July. SO here they are!

Our three kids: Chelsea, Aimee, & Zachary!

Zachary - the target of many, many photographs.Zachary & his lovely mom!

Aimee with her pooh bear towel after a run through the sprinklers.

July means long hot days and weekend at Star Lake as much as possible. Here are a couple shots from the Whiteshell park: Gotta love them sunsets!

Fireworks from the dock on July 1st - tradition rules at the Friesen cottage!

Sprinklers are a great way of entertaining kids and they actually keep the grass green!

Zachary can be quite the charmer with his smiles and coos!

Another grin from the Z-man!

My precious Aimee!

The girls love our play structure and are quite proficient in their swinging acrobatic routines already!

Kyle & Laura brought a couple kittens to the cottage last weekend and Chelsea enjoyed playing with them - she's got a soft spot for animals (once she gets over her initial fear).

Zach again all-smiles!

My free spirit dancing daughter complete with her gypsy wear!

More shots of my wandering Chelsea!

Roasting marshmallows at Star Lake.

Aimee exploring the shoreline at Star Lake.

Chelsea enjoying the view of some nearby ducks.

Aimee & her mom enjoying the play structure at the lake.

Chelsea sliding...

Aimee swinging...

Another close-up of Chels

And more swinging at Star Lake...

Meeting Yogi on Mtn Bike

I decided enough was enough - this heat has killed most of my riding attempts and so I braved the 27 degrees which was considerably cooler than the 35 degrees we've been having lately. I had a great 12 km ride from the Beaver Dam put-in and rode out to Suicide hill and then looped back. Along the way I met up with a medium sized black bear who was as startled as I - and the guy booted off as fast as he could go. Gotta love that hair lifting off the back of the neck - gives an extra kick of adrenaline for a ride and I have to admit got me going to race speed instead of leisurely "smell-the-roses" pace which I sometimes get into after some killer hill-climbing. All in all, a great ride and well-deserved. I did a little riding last weekend at Star Lake but again the heat & humidity just sapped me, and i was pulling Aimee in the Chariot for 7 kms along the Trans Canada trail. I hope to get a couple rides in on the weekend now that our weather is more seasonal...it's cooling off nice for night so maybe evening rides will be on the horizon!

Getting Back to Blogging

Wow - okay apparently it has been awhile since I've posted! Not sure why that it is other than the valid excuse of being pre-occupied by summer and spending time with family. My musings of course continue, as do my random thoughts & wanderings...but I admit to being a complete slacker for the past few weeks. We've done some traveling, cottaging, yardwork, cycling, photography, swimming, exploring the great outdoors and visiting local parks. I'll try and post some pics from the last month which I'm still sorting through...I know I've deleted well over a hundred (I do make some mistakes) and probably have about 400 shots that have survived my judgment (I am tough on my photos).

Wendy and I are loving our family: Zachary is continuing to be a growing joy in our lives (he's taken up karate or some form of martial arts along with smiling, cooing & wooing? to whoever he meets), Aimee is still my sparkling wonder who loves to be hugged, carried around, or pushed on the swing, and Chelsea loves exploring the limits of her balance, strength, & speed in whatever sport she's attempting (namely swinging, runbiking, swimming, & climbing). It is still hard to believe we are a family of 5 persons right now and it is admittedly yet more of a challenge loading up the Escape for our infrequent escapes to the cottage, the city, church, or visiting friends & family.

So yeah - August has arrived and my escape from the office is coming quickly to an end. I'm going to try and transition it all, already doing some reading & research, but yeah this ship is about to set sail for another year of education with a touch of revolution & hopefully inspiration!