2007-10-16 - 11:06 a.m. I encountered my first ringle today. New recording formats are pretty exciting, or at least noteworthy, but this latest one is only getting space here because of its goofy-ass name. The ringle! While the new Iron & Wine album possesses all the usual atmospheric negative space, it is quite oomphy--drums, guitar effects, even a vaguely cha-cha-ish number that sounds like an early Kinks tune. I like Sam Beam when he's like this. I'm not a big Annie Lenox fan--my feelings for her resemble the same generalized warmth I feel for celebrities who don't rub me the wrong way, like Sandra Bullock and that guy who gives house makeovers and makes people cry. But anyway, she is in very good voice on her latest album, which is heavy on those big soulful ballads she is known for. John Fogerty's new one also finds him in good, raspy voice, on a set of more than serviceable swamp-rockers and country tunes. Sundazed--who are currently one of my favorite labels/tastemakers for all their great garage-rock reissues--are releasing all the Moby Grape albums! Admittedly, the quality varies, but their first two records are famtastic. (Avoid the crappy and boring live-in-studio Grape Jam, though). I just noticed the typo in the above paragraph, and yet I like the sound of "famtastic," so it's stayin'. "...Possible side effects of mindfulness..." thoughts? (3 comments so far) previous - next blog archive contact