Top Tunes of 2007

I actually reviewed a lot of records this year, here's my top.

1.Fix speed of twisted thought cd reissue(touch and go).
2.Dan Higgs Metamppsychotic Melodies CD (holy mountain)
3.Versoma Life during wartime CD (robotic empire)
4. Merciless Death Evil in the Night CD (heavy artillery)
5.Prodigy Return of the MAC
6.East of Underground (waxpoetics)
7.White Lace and Strange Compilation (psychic circle)
8. Bovachevo S/T CD
9 amy winehouse back to black
10.Bone Awl meaningless leaning mess (nuclear war now)

On the Bubble.
Manzuran LP,Ted Leo Lp, Black Cobra Bestial CD,Snake Apartment LP,Amnesty CD,Watain CD,Villians, Dead Child,Pissed Jeans, Cloak/Dagger,Neurosis, Jay Z, Ghostface,Wu-Tang, all the other Psychic Circle Comps, Jabaldav

What did I listen to the most? Both Clipse CDs,Lil Wayne mixtapes, classic rock reissues, and krsna rock nuggets. If I made a list of top singles or most played, not much of my top ten would be on it. "Whamp, Whamp" would most likely be number one.

Tragically it was a year without Wrest/Leviathan/Lurker of Chalice. Hopefully some grim masterpieces await for 08

Gone Epic Trilogy CD

For every timeless SST Band there was an oddball or junkball band or side project release. Gone was Ginn's instrumental project. Flagish for sure but no vocals. 2 records on SST. Fast forward to 2007 and Gone is back with a 3 song double disc**. Not three songs over 2 discs like ELP or something, but the same 3 songs twice. Once instrumental and once with HR singing. HR as in Bad Brains/Soul Brains/Internet rumor king.
The opening track gives Ginn some room to stretch out, but he lays down some Flagish shredding around the 6 minute mark. Most of the track has almost an All/Descendents type feel with a weird breakdown(reggae failure?) in track one. Despite the length the first track gets the thumbs up. Despite the reputation for "getting gone" it is pretty straight ahead rock.
All three songs are over 15 minutes and they all have everything but the kitchen sink thrown in. At times it veers into a NoMeansNo/late Dead Kennedy's type sound.
Once again on track two, some Flaggish noodling emerges at about the 6 minute mark and disappears just as quickly.

As far as the HR vocals, his opening salvo of "yummy,yummy,yummy,yumpcious" would be enough to make you think he has been watching too many TV commericals. It is amazing that he keeps scatting and singing for almost the entire song. They don't ruin the tunes, but I would be unlikely to pick this disc over the insturmental version. HR is a living legend, but his vocals here lack the power of some of his classic performances.

**According to their website Gone have released over 10 records, that was news to me as I have only seen the 1st two.

Gregginn.com and sstsuperstore.com if you are interested. Or of course myspace....

Burial Chamber Trio 10"

Another release from this doom supergroup. Like their LP, this is low and slow with some demented vocals. Music sounds like heavy objects being pushed along a floor at times, but is allegedly all bass, guitar, and analog effects..... Vocals are creepy and sparse. Think random Melvins fucking with the crowd low end feedback,drone, and scrape.
Somehow this manages to be more arty and kult than SUNN, but more enjoyable to me.
Costumes for the stage show are probably heading to a more Peter Gabriel than WickerMan level and they might not hold up as well as the music over time.
Graphics are totally over the top and impressive. Picture disc 10", multiple layers on clear backgrounds. Skulls, Worms, killer.
Sounds good on 45 or 33.
Their infrequent gigs are documented on Youtube for those of you without frequent flyer miles.
Grave Temple too for all you necro doom drone completists.
Rock on Southernlord.

Cycling Year Wrap Up

Top Moments of 07
1.O'Grady wins a dusty Paris Roubaix and survives a heinous crash and then comes back to win a track race before the end of 07! Harden the Fuck Up!
2.Ballan wins Flanders. I had him picked for something special-maybe a Het Volk win or something, but he comes up big
3.Riccardo Ricco, the Schleck Brothers and other young guns starting to win. Hopefully some fresh faces to close the door on the EPO generation.
4.Kemmelberg controversy in Ghent Wevelgem. The crash was no highlight, but this stretch of road needs to stay in the race. Remember back to when Cipo bridged up to a breakaway containing Hincapie to win on this stretch? History.
5. Jens Voigt. Period. Like Jackie Durand, but with tactical savy and the ability to win races.
6. Zabel stepping up to support Altag and admitting to doping. Stand up move.
7.Monte Paschi Eroica. White Gravel Road Race in October in Italy. Cool. A lot of newer races don't seem that exciting, but this is something I want to see again. Kolobnev's performance here and at the worlds was impressive.
8.Bettini caps a not so good season and last minute political fury with a commanding win at the World's. Italian team rode as a team and set it up nicely.
9.Pavel Brutt and Mikhail Ignatiev from team Tinkoff battling at the Giro. Tinkoff seems like an idiot and his signing of tainted older riders was a bad move, but these two guys have promising future. Hopefully these 2 Russian maniacs are not going to follow the Eugeni Berzin example and flame out.
4.Slipstreams power moves for the future??? They have grabbed a curious array of riders, but what can they do with it? Big Maggy in argyle? Bring it on. The expansion concept seems a little shakey but maybe some luck at Pari Nice or Roubaix will help them. Millar better ask Mike Jordan about the whole onwer/player problem.
5.Svein Tuft in Virginia at US Open Championship or whatever is was called. Hard Man for Hard Day. Snow and cobbles in Virginia?
6.Het Volk not cancelled due to bad weather.


Worst
1.Watching the O6 tour on the trainer and realizing all the strong performances of Gonchar, Mazzolini, and Sinkewitz were chemically enchanced.
2.Rock Racing. The big mouth on the owner is bad, but signing Botero and Hamilton is a joke. How is Hamilton going to stay upright in the crit based US racing scene? How long til they sign Kasheckin or worse? Maybe a Dario Frigo or Rumundas Rumsas could come out of retirement.
3.Horner to Astana. Don't know why, but it's a bummer. Kinda like Han Solo joining the Empire.
4. DiLuca has the season of his life tainted by drugs. Hard to not be suspicious as he is the right age to be part of the asterik generation.
5.Sinkewitz running into a dog being the primary media highlight for this years TDF.


I know I am missing out on several things but this is it for now

"Aging" Tubulars Fact or Fiction?

Sitting on the bike in the basement during long winter nights, a variety of things pass through your mind as you try and keep yourself from getting bored.
I am a big fan of the Belgian Logic series on Velonews, and I wondered what other myths might be out there needing to be debunked.
There have been articles and news clips about "aging" tubular tires. Mechanics storing them in basements for a year or two to properly "cure" them for use. True/False? Works? Who knows. Tubulars like embrocation, leg shaving, etc have a mysterious romantic element that is as much fact as fiction, so in search of the truth, I posted the question to a couple cycling forums(#1, #2). Thanks to all who responded. Don't get to see the word shibboleth used too often. Even a quick search of Sheldon Browne's web world has Jobst Brandt shooting down the aging process as mythMakes sense to me, modern tires do not benefit from aging. Game over.

Starting the day of annoyed. Record Reviews that suck!

Sometimes bands make oblique references to their influences and sometimes they throw up giant fucking neon signs. The "new" Jon Spencer Blues Explosion comp on In the Red records for example. The cover is a tribute to the Crypt Records Back from the Grave garage punk comps.
How does someone miss that? If you are reviewing this how can you not be aware of the BFTG series? Today's annoyance is Pitchfork's review of this record. Not the music just the failure to know this. If you don't even get the cover, your review of the music is just as pointless. A basic name check of Stooges,Stones, and Howling Wolf is about as lazy as you can get. Come on it wasn't like he chose to mimic artwork from a a Desperate Bicycles or Space Negros record. Back from the Grave is music geek 101.
Maybe it's my fault for being old and spending most of the cash I've ever earned on records, or maybe I shouldn't read record reviews first thing in the morning, but this set me off. Remember you are dealing with a hairy old grump and I think it is always better to keep your mouth shut and keep people guessing if your an idiot than to open your mouth and prove it.

marzuraan solid wood lp

I was expecting drono doom boredom, but this slamming lurching beast would have been right at home in boston in the early 90s on a bill with Red Bliss, Kudgel, or Luca Brasi. Tortured Screams and drum work remind me of Burning Witch but it has a melodic edge and some hooks. Songs all keep your attention whether plodding or pounding. Harvey Milk are another band that comes to mind. Guitar sound also makes me think more of Hammerhead than Hellhammer. 4 songs
Packaging is awesome-killer artowork, printed insert, and nice sleeve. Dedicated to Piggy from Voivoid-kill trends.
Kult of nihilow #12 recorded in 2005, limited to 515 but still available. Band has a record coming out and is still active.