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Avey

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Blog Entries posted by Avey

  1. Avey

    Folk Music

    By Avey,

    The last band I talked about (albeit 8 months ago!!) was The Mars Volta, and the genre of music that has gripped me of recent could not be any further away from the psychedelic rock of Omar and Cedric. I used to think of Folk as dainty music that was enjoyed by the 50+ whilst they landscaped a rockery in their garden. Boring.

    I've since realised that folk music entails all the ethos of punk and can be performed more energetically than any of the new metal garbage knocking around. A case in point is Frank Turner who has the ability to create an atmosphere from his voice and guitar that a quartet of amplified emo bands could only hope for. He writes the most beautiful love ballads, insightful political songs and entertaining examinations of life.

    Artists of similar ilk that I'm currently enjoying are Chris T-T and Beans and Toast. However, I'm well aware of folk musics long back catalogue and its greats. But where to start is the question I am faced with. Recommend me some folk, folks!
  2. Avey

    2 Months Have Passed

    By Avey,

    Since I last made an entry or even a post on GR.net. The reason is not that I have turned my back on GR.net or anything like that, it is simply because I have been unable to use the Internet regularly.

    I moved out in September and now reside in a house with three fellow students in Headingley, Leeds. Our Landlady is an old lady of about 70 and she doesn't much care for anything bar the basic requirements needed to rent a house out. The decor of the house is like a Retirement Home and the utilities just about get the job done. However, this is part and parcel of been a lazy-bum-student, and you get what you pay for.

    What does annoy me is that she refuses us permission to contract a company to install a telephone line for the house so we can use the net. Of course we would be paying for it all, and it would be another 'feature' for the house, she takes the viewpoint that it might spoil the appearance of the house/garden (like its anything special at the moment).

    So for now, I am only able to access the net at uni, and that time is limited to emails and the like. So just in case you were wondering where I was you now have an answer. Little disappointed there wasn't a 'Where is Avey?' thread though, see to it someone.

    Keep the Peace.
  3. Avey

    Amputechture

    By Avey,

    <div style="float:left; margin-right:5px;"><img src="http://www.scarletpage.com/images/recent23.jpg" width="254" height="150"></div>The Mars Volta were born out of creative frustration by guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala after tiring of doing 'straight-forward' rock with El Paso band At the Drive-In.

    Musically, the band mix multiple genres of music together to form a distinguished, unique sound. Album tracks often exceed the ten minute mark and live renditions can last up to thirty minutes with excessive ad libbing. Consequently they have a die hard fan-base who see the band as musical revolutionaries. Countering the fans are a large number of critics who find their music to be nothing more than musical masturbation. Something Awful did a rather good review of the album, with the latter opinion on the band!

    I have been eagerly awaiting the new album since the release was announced way back in the distant past, and I also feel good that I didnt succumb to temptation and download the album months ago when it leaked. The first album was accessible and contained "songs", in the traditional sense of the word. Frances the Mute, the second studio album only contained five tracks (split up to make 12 and thus be an LP and not an EP) making it harder to understand and digest. Amputechture is supposed to bridge this gap; be both accessible and diverse.

    Unlike the other albums, Amputechture starts of with three minutes of dexterous guitar and softly-spoken/sung words. Different from what I expected - I was waiting for it to 'explode' and hear Cedric shift up a gear - but its all good. The rest of CD continues in typical Mars Volta style with layered guitars and vocals combing with bass, drums, sax, keys and no doubt several other instruments all twined together to form a wall of immense sound.

    <div style="float:right; margin-left:5px;"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/47/Mvcasm.jpg" width="175" height="179"></div>Keep an eye (or ear?) peeled for the single 'Viscera Eyes' which I am sure will be under appreciated by both Radio/TV stations and the public. Probably the most accessible work The Mars Volta have put on tape, it contains a simple guitar part mixed with English and Spanish vocals, capped off with a sing-along chorus "Come on and give it to me, come on and die. In your Viscera Eyes!"

    Day of the Baphomets deserves a mention and stuck out as one of the best on my first listen this morning. Starting slowly but ending with a flourishing jazz and bongo explosion, it sums up The Mars Volta. You never know just what is around the next corner.

    I have only listened through the album once, but I think I will have to let it replay itself so I can pick up some sounds I may have missed on the first listen. Frances The Mute is one of my favourite studio albums, so Amputechture had a lot to live up to, however, I think it may have done more than live up to it.

    Rating:
    Some of the best music I have ever heard, Cedric and Omar are true geniuses. If Amputechture can stay in my CD player as long as Frances did, it will be awarded 5 stars.
  4. Avey

    Injection +1

    By Avey,

    So its been a whole 24hrs since we launched the Injection skin and overall I am pleased with how smooth it has gone. A few tiny issues have been resolved after I saw them, but I have recieved zero PM's regarding problems from other users. Whether this is because there isn't any issues with the new skin, or simply because people just haven't bothered to report them is yet to be seen.

    The main reason I am posting this entry is just to highlight a point I made yesterday. Please, please, please, if you own a blog on these forums go to your blog settings and choose a skin from the drop down list. Thanks.

    One last thing. Selecting one of the new Injection skins over the classic skins does not make you any less of an [Ghost Recon] / GR.net fanboy. I promise, I wont tell anyone you abandoned your roots.
  5. Avey

    Injection

    By Avey,

    As you are most probably aware, the forums have been blessed with a new skin, that comes in both old skool Ghost Recon green and another that is Advanced Warfighter bluey/turquoise. I hope that you like the new skins, and I also hope you appreciate the skin options that we have to offer here.

    One element of the forums that we were not pleased about (cosmetically) was the blog component. Rocky, and the other members of staff felt that the blog looked too similar to the rest of the forum. The blog section was not polished and contained quite a few glaring HTML/CSS errors that could put members off using the tool. With the addition of Injection, we hope that these problems have now been eradicated. Injection has been designed to look like a traditional blog with its clean, clear and simple design. We are hoping that this will help 'separate' the blog and forums, helping the former become more popular with the members.

    Blog Owners can choose to have their blog displayed in either colour from the new Injection set. This setting, and many more, can be changed from the Blog Settings page.

    Once again, I hope you like the skins. Now get bloggin'.

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