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L. Frank Baum "American Fairytales" (author of The Wizard of Oz)

Blizz — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:00:34 +0000

American Fairytales is a collection of 12 fantasy stories written by L.Frank Baum. This book is not as well-known as Baum's Wizard of Oz or Father Goose but it is just as enduring as the two for its satire and dry wit, two startling elements for a fairy tale book. Baum abandons his trademark high fantasy for a nonsensical but wildly imaginative book about curious little girls, majestic polar bears, enchanted candies, and treacherous butterflies.

If you love classic fairy tales as I do, this is a must read! The stories are entertaining, like sparkling little gems, and obviously written for adults. According to Wikipedia, George M. Hill, Baum's publisher, "sold the serialization rights to the twelve stories in AFT to five major newspapers, the Pittsburgh Dispatch, the Boston Post, the Cincinnati Enquirer, the St. Louis Republic, and The Chicago Chronicle. The stories appeared between March 3 and May 19, 1901; the book followed in October."

Here's the list and a short summary of each story:

1. "The Box of Robbers." Martha opens a magical box to reveal greedy brigands who seek to rob her home.
2. "The Glass Dog." A greedy glass blower gets his just desserts as he uses a powerful wizard's magic to selfish ends.
3. "The Queen of Quok." The kingdom of Quok is financially ruined by the irresponsible and now dead king. Thus, a disagreeable old lady tries to buy the queenship and marry the impoverished boy king but unexpected fortunes save the boy.
4. "The Girl Who Owned a Bear." A little girl opens an enchanted book that brings to life the drawings on its pages. Will she be able to outwit them all?
5. "The Enchanted Types." Kooks are magical creatures that live forever. One of them unwittingly sets things in motion to please both birds and humans.
6. "The Laughing Hippopotamus." Keo is a merry hippopotamus that is enslaved by a greedy tribesman. Will he ever be released from this burden?
7. "The Magic Bon Bons." An ambitious and rich young woman tries to buy talent but the plan backfires when she leaves the enchanted candies on a store.
8. "The Capture of Father Time." What happens if you take Time as prisoner? A young cowboy finds out.
9. "The Wonderful Pump." Two humble couples are corrupted by sudden wealth from the King of Beetles.
10. "The Dummy That Lived." If mannequins were alive, how will they deal with this confusing world?
11. "The King of the Polar Bears." A strong and wise polar bear seeks to regain his rightful throne.
12. "The Mandarin and the Butterfly." With hate in his heart for little children, a Mandarin tries to use a butterfly to evil ends.

American Fairytales is now under public domain.

Macon Greyson "This Machine Kills Hypocrisy" EP

Blizz — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:00:32 +0000

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“The maturation process is always ongoing, but we as a band have finally grown up. We are not worried about where we fit anymore. We are what we are,” says Macon Greyson. Further affirming their identity as a band is the newest EP called "This Machine Kills Hypocrisy". The four-track album is a perfect mix of gritty rock and melodic country with no inhibitions and most importantly, no confusion. After nine years since its birth in a small bar in Dallas called Adair's, Macon Greyson has finally found the right balance between a 70's rock sound and a dollop of country dirt - true as ever to their Southern roots.

"This Machine Kills Hypocrisy" opens with "Pushing Strings", a strong, catchy song interspersed with big guitar riffs. "Where We Are" is a little more laid-back with focus on the astute vocals. "Villains Kill Heroes" has a trippy beat with emphasis on the smooth bass line. The last song, "The Family" starts with twangy guitar riffs that continue throughout the song. Definitely a fitting send-off to summarize this really nice album.

What the band is about, according to them:

Macon Greyson has managed to marshal a strong seventies rock sound that has been seldom heard since the end of the Vietnam era. They give up a little country dirt (which can be expected from any band hailing from the fore-regions of Texas), but they mostly rely on the ability to warp their sound into an irrationally abandoned genre that deferred with the advent of computers. Whether you live and breathe garage rock like AC/DC or whether you are more of a subscriber to poignant ballads, Macon Greyson covers it. Quite simply- if all bands had Macon Greyson’s natural ability to combine activist lyrics with catchy melodies, the world would be better for it.

FrostClick Special Sampler Mixtape by Enough Records

Blizz — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:05:26 +0000

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Enough Records compiled a sampler mixtape especially for Frostclick! Get a taste of the netlabel's best electronica, postrock, industrial, drone, and ambient by Sugar Overdose, Ikimashoo Aoi, Jenifer ? Åvila, Gilo, Nagra, Violet and the Mutants to name a few. The album is quick and dirty, with a lot of gritty vocals, heavy bass and electronic beats. The collection of songs is solid - everything works so well together since the sequence and combination of the songs is obviously well thought of.

The sampler mixtape starts with furious industrial/post rock songs, smoothly transitions to ambient, then moves on to fast-paced electronica. Overall, I think the album is a great mix of what Enough Records has to offer. If you liked this sampler, check out the other bands distributing their music for free with this up and coming netlabel.

This is Enough Records' manifesto:

Enough Records is a Portuguese netlabel. We promote and distribute music from artists who agreed to release through us - for free.

We feel the world has been littered and misguided with ergonomic pop formulas for too long. We can't really guerrilla market ourselves to popular stardom against the music industry, but we still strive to provide alternatives for artists and listeners who might share our taste in music. We believe music should be free.

We have a strong demoscene background. We slowly came to realize a special interest in electronica, IDM, postrock, industrial, noise, glitch, drone and dark ambient. However, we are open to other genres as long as it sounds good and clicks something inside of us. We are not an experimental music label but we like sound with a certain character, not more of the same. We do not follow a specific genre or aesthetic line, check the tags cloud if you're looking for something specific. Our plan for world domination is to simply release soothing sounds, emerging landscapes, from Portugal, Europe, World, into the cyberspace for whomever will listen. We do this for free, because we can. We believe the listener will find other ways to support the artists.

If you're a musician yourself who wants to share music for free, do send over some tracks. Details can be found on their website.

Go Home Robot "Candles and Bombs" - psychedelic pop/rock mixed to perfection with electronica

Blizz — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:00:36 +0000

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High-octane, intricate and frenzied - these are the best words to describe "Candles and Bombs", Go Home Robot's first ever album. The album is a polished mix of psychedelia, rock, pop, and electronica, with a healthy dash of mad experimentation that gives Go Home Robot a style that's truly their own. On top of that, these guys from Arlington, VA know how to make love to their instruments and you can feel their passion in every song of this - dare I say it? - work of art. If you're sick of bands who can't play a guitar to save their lives, now is a good time to listen to people who seriously know their stuff.

"Locusts", the opening track, sets the pace with feverish electric guitars and dynamic drum beats. "Candles and Bombs", the flagship track, starts with a solid acoustic riff and soulful vocals. It then builds up to slow, sensuous, layered rock that just takes you away. "Porcelain Dolls" builds up the momentum in the first few seconds and increases the tempo until the mind-blowing finish. "Safe In The City" is made up of smooth electric guitar riffs and a heavy bass line. Of course, how can I not mention how awesome the vocals are? VJ Hyde sings with a measured, modulated voice that never goes out of tune but still manages to convey the rawness and angst of rock and roll.

Go Home Robot is composed of VJ Hyde (guitars, vocals, keys), Eric Keller (guitars, vocals), Blake Surbey (drums, backing vocals), Rich Bernett (bass, vocals, cello) and Devin Ocampo (backing vocals, additional guitars). Here's a short explanation of the cool band name and their sound:

Go Home Robot is the name of a short film Rich made. We spent a year trying to come up with a name that didn't suck and blow simultaneously. Eventually, we gave up and went with Replacement Agents. One evening we were all looking at one of Rich's film projects and the words Go Home Robot flashed on the screen. V.J. said, "That's a good band name." The next day we changed our MySpace account, e-mail, Web site, had our matching tattoos removed, and it was official.

Our sound is one part heart, one part soul, two parts baking soda, and one full handle of whiskey. Imagine Syd Barrett locked in a mind-control battle with Robert Pollard. Now imagine all of the wasted psychic sludge pooled around their feet: That would be us.

"Candles and Bombs" was produced by Devin Ocampo and Go Home Robot and recorded at Inner Ear Studios, Arlington VA. The album is available for free at RockProper.com, an online music distributor committed to releasing new music in the form of free digital downloads.

Now, if you know what's good for you, download "Candles and Bombs" right this minute!

Art Punk Band "Zeno and the Happy Cats"

Blizz — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:00:12 +0000

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You think you've heard it all - why shouldn't you, when every single day hordes of musicians come out with their own interpretation of one or a dozen genres? Well once in a while you ought to come across a band like The Art Punk Band. They make absolutely no sense outside of themselves and their musicality is, at best, questionable. They sound really weird. However in a sea of nice-but-forgettable music, weird is good, if only to serve the purpose of expanding your mind and your musical tastes.

"Zeno and the Happy Cats" is the second album of Dr. T, Tha Baron, and Rev. Paul of The Art Punk Band. The core musical instruments used were keyboards, drums, electric and acoustic guitars, and tambourines to create a folksy sound. Other instruments played may as well be hollow trash cans or a piece of solid wood to provide the beat. It doesn't matter though. What really makes this band unique is the crazy, poetic lyrics, such as those from "The Park". Observe:

She spent fifteen wrecking years in the belly of a bank
Now her knees are on backwards, her tongue is forked
Her eyes more than blank
Such monstrous deformity can only
Come from prolonged, untreated contact with money
So stop spending your time around money
Just go to the park

"Hair Of Angels" is a song you might not want young children to hear:

Gonna build a ladder from the hair of angels
Gonna build a ladder
...and I'm gonna sell my kids to the jungle man
With his cooking pot and his cooking pan
I'm gonna sell my kids to the jungle man

If you want something more traditional, I recommend "Dances With Shadows" and "Happy Cat". Both have a happy, folksy sound and a nice melody to go with it. In fact I suggest you listen to these tracks first before the weirder ones in the seven-track album; it will get you acquainted with what the band is trying (or not trying) to do. Anyway, the more I listen to this hippie album the more I like it. Indeed, it's an acquired taste.

Therefore Repent! - a best-selling graphic novel by Jim Munroe and Salgood Sam

Blizz — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:00:10 +0000

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"Therefore Repent!" is a best-selling graphic novel written by Jim Munroe and illustrated by Salgood Sam. It tells of a world post-Rapture, when the righteous have all gone to Heaven as predicted by the Christian Bible. All that's left is a society split between those who believe that they will also eventually ascend to heaven if they do enough good deeds (Splitters) and those who think that a Christian-less society is as good as any. The world slowly spirals into madness as dogs talk, machine gun-toting angels murder the sinful, and humans gain magical powers and forms.

According to Jim Munroe:

Therefore Repent! is my take on the dark fantasy world established in the Holy Bible’s Book of Revelations...mine’s closer to Bible slashfic, what with the bisexual angels and nipple-clamp-enhanced demonic communion. I like to think I’m re-imagining the Bible franchise, like Frank Miller did for Batman.

The illustrations by Salgood Sam are top-notch with intense attention to detail. The story by anarchist freelance writer Munroe is fascinatingly unique, with characters that don't end up feeling stale and stereotypical. The insane post-Rapture world (if it were to happen) feels dark, foreboding, and real.

Some readers may find "Therefore Repent!" a little hard to follow. It's because there are prequels to the story, "An Opening Act of Unspeakable Evil" (which started from a fake blog) and "The Bold Explorers" with Michel Lacombe. You can access both from here.

Indeed, "Therefore Repent!" is one of those things that are too good to be true. It's an awesome graphic novel that has achieved critical and commercial success, yet, it can be read for free! It's good enough to make you want to buy a copy.

Fresh Body Shop "The Ugly Army" - a free & funky pop-rock album

Blizz — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:10:07 +0000

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The Ugly Army is the fourth album released by Fresh Body Shop just last June. Heavy bass riffs and snappy drum beats dominate the seven tracks of this new album while the vocals are kept husky, even whispery, but not really to the point of being annoyingly distracting.

Guitar and piano leads are kept to a minimum but they're cleanly and precisely executed. As for lyrics, they aren't fussy or overly angsty - you'll notice that they're not really the objective of this collection. The real goal is to showcase the (both real and synthesized) instrument skills of the artist.

But who are the people behind Fresh Body Shop? It's hard to say! The band is a relatively unknown one-man band based in France. He often plays with two other musicians in live gigs but it seems that the production of his albums (Make This End, Tasteless, Orgamilk, The Ugly Army) is handled mostly by him. Even with the obscurity, Fresh Body Shop's music speaks for itself.

My favorite track has got to be "My Artificial Sun". It starts with all-out drums, solid bass lines and heavy electric guitar strumming. "Never End Up Like This" is another favorite of mine. It is, for lack of a better word, funky. The opening bass notes will immediately catch your attention. A mix of electronic effects are thrown in the middle of the song, preventing it from being too bland.

Overall, The Ugly Army is definitely worth listening to. It's got an interesting layer of sounds from different genres but in the midst of all that, Fresh Body Shop has kept to its original industrial rock flavor.

The Natural Mind - Waking Up by Alan Macmillan Orr

Blizz — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:00:46 +0000

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"The Natural Mind - Waking Up" is Alan Macmillan Orr's 250-topic, 2-volume magnum opus into what it truly means to be human. The massive book took five years to write and covers diverse topics, from love to gambling, zoos, prostitution, supermarkets, banks, desire and so on. Orr drew from his personal experiences as he traveled the world searching for meaning, observing, and formulating opinions on the dire human condition. He shares what he learned through "The Natural Mind" and also encourages you, the readers, to contribute to the book's evolution.

The book is written in a light, friendly tone, much like how a friend would talk to you while in a thoughtful mood. Orr offers no religious, moral, or political views. The purpose of the book is not to brainwash you to mindlessly agree with him, but to just share his experiences and opinions and let you decide if they are of any value. The book aims to open a dialogue with the reader, in a way that books of its kind has never done before (more on that in a bit).

At its core is the idea that in order to find our purpose in life, we have to shift our perspective to one that refuses to accept anything that traditional agents of socialization (school, church, government, peers, etc) try to feed us. In other words, we have to change the way we think in order to truly change who we are - for the better, of course. This is a state that Orr calls The Natural Mind.

The author created the Evolving Book Project along with "The Natural Mind". The project basically allows you to log in and contribute to the book's content. All you have to do is choose a topic, write what you know and feel about it then save it. The book is re-published every year containing new content contributed by the readers. This way, Orr saves the book from being part of "dead" literature - those whose ideas are only by one person during one period of time.

Now, if you find the premise interesting, start reading! Don't be scared of the 2,000+ pages. "The Natural Mind" is written in such a way that you can read separate anecdotes and articles according to what interests you the most. There is no particular order. Once you start reading, maybe you can even share your own experiences to the world along with Orr.

The book is under public domain.

Notes & Scratches "Grace Park" - newest EP from a very friendly Chicago band

Blizz — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:00:32 +0000

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Grace Notes is Notes & Scratches newest release with four sad songs about departures. Speaking of departures, the band actually departs from its usual sound - the songs don't have a "celebratory feel", which is the band's trademark. For Grace Notes, they handpicked four songs which are melancholic, pining, and lonely. The album takes its time, like footsteps dragging where they don't want to go, with trumpets and viola on the background to set the mood. For sure, it's an album to listen to on difficult goodbyes.

Notes & Scratches has been around since 2005, playing acoustic/pop/rock and practicing on "a small very cold or very hot garage behind Robbie’s apartment in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood". Anika Balaconis plays trumpet, organ and vocals, Jason Eckerson on bass and vocals, Joshua Dumas on guitar, vocals and lyrics, Robbie Hamilton on drums and vocals, and Whitney Johnson on the viola and vocals.

Here's a quick interview with Joshua Dumas:

How was Grace Notes created?

Well, it is an in-between record. When we realized that our last EP (To the Other Side) seemed to have a kind of musical/thematic arc, that meant we needed to cut some the songs we'd been working on. And now, as we put the finishing touches on our upcoming record (In the Doubtful Sound) certain songs again, do not seem to work.

Grace Notes, is those songs. Oddly and fortunately, though they haven't fit elsewhere, they do seem to sound nice together!

What is the inspiration behind the four songs in the EP?

Hmm, talking about inspiration is always so difficult. I think region and landscape had a large influence on Grace Notes. These songs definitely feel like the American Midwest to me; in some songs specific midwestern cities are even mentioned. Though we live in Chicago we have been doing a lot of recording at Pieholden Suite Sounds in Rantoul, Illinois, which is a town of like 8,000 people surrounded by corn and dirt and wheat and cattle and more dirt. I think some of those sights found their way into the imagery of these songs.

And, like every song I seem to write, there is loss, travel, love, and memory in these songs too!

What's next for Notes & Scratches?
First up is a final recording session for In the Doubtful Sound. We've been working on that record sporadically since January and have just two days of actual recording left. Then we're working on a mini-tour in late October. And then we hope to release Doubtful Sound sometime in late November, early December.

Old French Fairy Tales - a public domain novel written by the Comtesse de Ségur and illustrated by Virginia Sterrett

Blizz — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:00:05 +0000

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If you're a fan of good triumphing over evil, of love conquering all and happily afters then you will love this charming little book written by the Comtesse de Ségur and illustrated by Virginia Sterrett called Old French Fairy Tales. It was published in 1920 and is now part of public domain. In it are five timeless fairy tales and eight breathtaking full page color illustrations dotted with smaller (but no less dramatic) black and white drawings for children of all ages - or even just children at heart.

Old French Fairy Tales begins with the story of Blondine, Bonne-Biche, and Beau-Minon. Blondine is the perfect, charming, sweet-tempered little princess who inspired envy in her evil stepmother and stepsister. She meets Bonne-Biche, a cat, and his mother Beau Minon in a dangerous enchanted forest. In their hands lie her fate.

Good Little Henry tells the story of a young boy and how he resolved to climb a treacherous mountain to save his dying mother. With the aid of a fairy, he tried to overcome many obstacles to obtain a precious plant which has the power to cure his dear mother.

Princess Rosette is scorned by her mean parents and nasty sisters ever since she was born. A kind and powerful fairy godmother is her only protector against the fury and jealousy of her spiteful family.

The Little Gray Mouse narrates Rosalie's insatiable curiosity. A vengeful evil fairy cursed her with this affliction and would make her a slave if she does not overcome it at the age of 15. Terrible things happen to those Rosalie loves most as she succumbs to the challenges of the evil fairy.The last story is about Ourson, who was born with the ugly hide of a bear and will not be free of this curse unless someone feels gratitude enough to willingly bear the curse.

I highly recommend this book for those who are into the genre - it's certainly a good read. The Comtesse de Ségur kept true to to the fairy tale tradition, but added a good dose of common sense in each of her characters. Sterett's work is remarkably detailed and well-executed. Aside from this book, she has done the illustration for Nathaniel Hawthorn's Tanglewood Tales (1921) and her most famous, Arabian Nights (1928).

You can find more download formats on the book's homepage on Arichive.org.