Not Trip Hop, but definitely a trip
924126
I guess that this album is classified as a "Trip Hop" album, and Trip Hop lovers will probably buy it. I'm a trip hop lover, and I bought this album of course, and found out it is not trip hop. Still, it's a  fanatastic album.
Trip Hop uses the drums and sinths of Hip Hop to make  sound more like ambient. This album doesn't have this sound. It doesn't  sound like Portishead, Massive of Mono. It sounds like Hooverphonic : a  sound that is almost pure acustic (they use orchestra) but still will be a  favorite of electronic sound lovers.
The album begins quite fast, with a  strange drum & bass beat over slow string tune ("Battersea")  and kind of slowing down until a noisy break in the middle  ("Lung") and then goes down to slower and a very darker  sound.
Three tracks in this album have a male vocal. That's an  interesting thing, because most of the bands usually have one leading  vocal, and it adds to the diversity of sounds.
Pay attention to  "Club Montepulciano" and "This Strange Effect", which  are, for my opinion, the best tunes in this album, listen to the voice of  the singer almost breaking every glass in the house, and be hypnotized -  like I was.
1508424
Still dealing with her mother's tragic death, Anna sets off on a road trip with her best friend, Kat.  The girls follow their wanderlust, under the guidance of a book by Jack Kerouac, searching for life and proof of God's love.  Along the way, Anna confronts her fears, her emotions, her relationship with her father, and her entire concept of love.

This is your typical road trip story, only involving teen girls.  I am not sure many parents would allow their teenagers to take a road trip like this, but given that Anna's father is mired in mourning, I am willing to suspend disbelief on that detail.  In general, I found the characters of Anna and Kat to be a little flat and boring.  I never really felt like we learned much about them, nor do I feel like their characters were really pushed to confront themselves, or each other.  The questions and situations the girls encounter are pretty standard; religion, sexuality, drug use, love. And I felt in terms of those issues, this book really did not bring anything new to the table.

One thing I did actually like about this story was the exploration of love, romance, and sexuality in a way that was not limited to gender or conventional labels.  In a world where we are so quick to pigeonhole someone as gay, straight, or bisexual, it was refreshing to see a young adult book that indicates those labels do not matter quite so much, and love matters so much more.

I think a lot of young adults will like this book, and it will certainly appeal to readers with wanderlust of their own.  If you like road trip stories, this is a great book for you, I personally just found it a little boring.
3639291
David Byrne really is kind of an ordinary guy.  And if you find him interesting, from his music and the other things hes been involved in (including his activism for cycling), youll be interested in this book.  Its a David Byrnes eye view of the world, often from the perspective of a bicycle rider.

I would never classify this as a memoir  its actually more of a travel book.  Byrne doesnt strive for objectivity  he offers his own special experience of each of the cities he visits (and Byrne is a city person).  Hes very attentive to the distinctive aspects of each citys social life and how it is both reflected in and influenced by the citys architecture.  Cities like New York offer, in some neighborhoods at least, walkability and cycling access, making for lively street life.  Other cities, like Los Angeles . . . not so much.

Byrne is right  its hard to casually drop in somewhere thats not really reachable without a plan.  In so many cities, the culture and architecture of the highway imposes considerable friction on spontaneity in social life.  Spontaneity and deviation from thenorm is clearly something that Byrne values, and contributes greatly to the kinds of cities and architecture he likes and finds having a positive influence on people and art.

Art and creativity in general are core to Byrnes view of the world.  Where art thrives, people thrive.  Creativity is viral  it lives in the social life of healthy, vibrant people.  And the design of the spaces in which we live can either kill or contribute.

Byrne doesnt really speak as an expert.  Hes certainly an activist for cycling accessibility, and Im sympathetic with him there.  Cities and streets that force you into a car, either because of the distances between heres and theres or simply because of safety, are confining, lacking anything recognizable as a neighborhood.  They don't encourage divergence from the norm  they seem to force us all toward the norm.

This is not a hit-you-over-the-head book.  Its as if you were standing beside a surprisingly down to earth, straightforward guy who happens to be (or have been) a rock star, as he told you what he thinks.  I did enjoy hanging out with him.
2177177
"Share the Road" provides a view of America you need to see.  Even if you're not a biker (I'm not), this is a road trip worth taking.  This documentary gives us a 60-mile- a-day rather than 60-mile- an-hour look at the American landscape, a pace at which, as one of the narrators says, "You can find the real America."  What a refreshing break from the fear-driven CNN this-just-in disaster reports we're pummeled with through the media.  I found "Share the Road" a genuine breath of fresh air.  The story is good.  The scenery is gorgeous.  The original soundtrack for this film is exceptional.  (They should release a CD with just the music.  Great stuff.)  If the spirit of freedom, fun, and adventure captured here doesn't stir you just a little - you might want to check your pulse.
2089366
I don't want to mislead anyone with any implications that this is a re-tread of Coastal Grooves; it certainly is not. Rather, this is an interesting example of a follow-up to one of my top five favorite albums, which threw me an insane amount of curve-balls, but ultimately did not disappoint me at all. That being said, I did have to adjust to it a bit. The addition of two songs with rappers was surely the most drastic shift from the first album, but I was already a fan of Despot (which is hard to be since he never put out a single album), and I don't dislike the UK grime scene that the other rapper reminds me of (albeit without the distinct grime type beats/synth in this example). I also really like Clams Casino, who contributes a drum section, even though he is not really being himself in this example (he's mostly know for huge swells of atmospheric noise over somewhat trap-oriented drums). It's hard for me to single out all the other curveballs here, but this is one of those albums where the first two songs are so generous, that it should leave the listener in a forgiving mood towards all the things Blood Orange tries later in the album. After nearly ten listens, the only part I'm not wild about is the last song when he flatly rehashes lines from hits on the first album, but it's a small gripe because I still don't skip that track, and I get that he was trying to do a sort of extended coda type thing like Michael Jackson used to do when he wanted to pad out the end of an album a little. I am not an R&B type of guy, even though Frank Ocean opened me up to a lot of the new breed of artists, but Blood Orange oddly managed to steer clear of anything that is really trending right now, and just shoot strait for a lush sound rooted in the best R&B of all eras. I expect to pick this up at any time and it still age well. I'm totally satisfied, after insurmountable anticipation.
716392
Contemplative movie.  Partly about loneliness and feeling out of place.  We experience, through the actors, the real sense of disorientation from being dropped into a strange place with a different culture whilst jetlagged.

Not an action movie, and not for the impatient. This is more character driven and setting-location driven rather than plot driven.

This is not one of those movies that is consistently upbeat, "feel good"; but not a total downer either.  It is entirely believable.

Interesting scenes of modern Tokyo nightlife and and a glimpse of just some Tokyo lifestyles.
4885678
I'm not a connoisseur of electronic music, but I love this album. Using those funky, cold voices ( speaking in code, perhaps? It's very strange) on the first track, "Adding and Subtracting" hooked me into investigating what this album was all about. It's full of energy, yet I don't find myself getting up to dance to any particular track (but that's more likely due to my always being at my computer). It seems to my mind to be more complex than other artists I've heard. I put it on and enjoy an hour of original compositions while being able to do other things. Sometimes I find electronic music jarring - a certain section will just go straight through my head and drive me crazy, but I don't find that in any track here. I can keep it on repeat and never become bored, or fail to notice something I missed before. If this is his debut (as I believe it is), I look forward to seeing what he puts out next!
908438
It's easy to underestimate Dreaming Bhutan.  You would be forgiven if, at first glance, you thought this was a picture book with some side anecdotes.  After a few pages in you can't help but get the feeling that "something is different" and that feeling only grows the deeper you journey into Bhutan.  In this I mean Nicole has an uncanny way to pull you into the experience itself to the point where you feel you're on the journey as well.  It's hard to explain but, in a very subtle and simplistic way, you come closer to Bhutan than any other way other than visiting in person yourself.  Why dream about Bhutan when Dreaming Bhutan takes you there?  It's a beautiful journey that should not be missed.
661050
I don't typically listen to jazz, but I heard a sample of this album during a KQED radio report, and I was transfixed.  This album is worth a listen.  It's immersive and imaginative and... I don't know, I don't really listen to jazz, so I don't have anything to compare it to; it is just really quite good.  This is now my go-to album when I head out for my weekend long run.
2420946
Loved it!  A bit more of a mind trip than typically like, but still, five stars!
3722745
This is an album which both restores original rules in Hip Hop culture,  yet it also explores new regions of creativity.  This is nothing short of a  work of genius, from all three members of the group.  A combination of both  complexity and abstractivity, the best way to describe this piece of work  would be to say it's a hybrid of the musical concoction of a bad acid trip  (in the tradition of Hendrix and Funkadelic) with the lyrical equivolent of  a Dennis Miller rant.  This is not an album that a person of average  intelligence should casually listen to.  To understand this work takes deep  concentration, and probably a little bit of studying (I won't even lie to  you, you might end up looking more than a few words up in the dictionary  just for most of it to make sense).  But it's all worth it.  I've been  listening to this album for more than three years, and I still have yet to  explore it's full depth.  In fact, I think it's quite safe to assume that  they're probably far ahead of the rest of Hip Hop in terms of sheer  creativity, and we're years away from catching up to them.  They don't try  to be different, they are.
585801
The beauty of a road trip is the opportunity to reflect, veg and ultimately evaluate as the miles go by. I thought I was going on a road trip with Shawn and his family, but this book took me on my own personal trip. I 'came home' excited, worn out, and having been given the space to reflect on my own journey.

I can't find the adequate description for the style -- it's not pure travelogue nor memoir, yet there is a reflective aspect to it I hadn't expected. Shawn has created a new category: road trip. This is one to be saved, savored, and revisited.

(p.s. I rarely give four stars. This is high praise from me. High.)
818563
This album is a bit of a puzzle. It captures Ride, the stunning proto-shoegazer band of the early 90's, in the typical almost-live setting of the BBC music studios. The BBC sessions are great in that the band get the chance to maybe do a couple of takes, but that's about it. These might as well be live recordings (the final 3 tracks are indeed live).

So-here's the conundrum: as essentially live recordings, the songs here are much more direct and raw. They also are lacking that glossy sheen that was typical of much of Ride's studio work. This proves to be a huge benefit for the Going Blank Again tracks (Time of Her Time, Not Fazed, and especially Mouse Trap), which I think on the album lose some of their power with studio flourishes. Here, though, they are simply stunning. And, along with the Pale Saints cover, Sight of You, are the album highlights.

However, with the case of Dreams Burn Down and to some extent, Birdman (a distinctly different version than that found on Carnival of Light-none of the experimental studio overlays on the opening or mid-section), this proves to be somewhat of a drawback. The guitar lines on Dreams Burn Down simply don't have the beauty of the original version, and the wall of sound portions of the song and just plain weak here. As for Birdman-it's such a different performance, it's a bit of a surprise. The jangly rhythym guitar lines, though, seem to drone on forever, with no change in volume or texture. So while it's nice to hear the song presented a little more straight-forward, it could have been worked on a little, possibly.

With all that said-Waves is still highly enjoyable for a Ride fan. With the obvious change in style from shoegaze/noise-pop to psychedlic/60's pop just over halfway thru at Birdman, you can choose which portion of the album to listen to, since it all runs chronologically. While not much of a fan of the last two albums-presented here, some of the later songs have a bit more appeal. In particular, the schmaltzy I Don't Know Where It Come From is performed *without* the atrocious children's choir. Severance, a Dead Can Dance cover, is a subtle beauty. Sight of You is amazing-too bad it didn't make it ono an e.p. or something. And Perfect Time and All I Can See have significantly different arrangements than those found on the Smile collection.

All in all, a sure bet for Ride fans, but if new to the band, start out with either the Nowhere Import or the Going Blank Again import, then venture to Smile and this album of BBC gems.
3723962
I read travel literature whenever I get the chance and Sean Elliott's alert perceptiveness and his imagination are contaminating. The quixotic allusion that immediately comes to mind feels a bit confining for the wild and modern vibe of this book. It's very tempting, but I don't want to compare him to Bukowski, either, because the author may have to be a bit *more* sexually flamboyant and addicted to a counterculture that openly challenges the mainstream. It's Sean Elliott's independent adventurous spirit and his creative curiosity that stand out. If you are familiar with Alan Booth's "The Roads to Sata" or Will Ferguson's "Hitching Rides with Buddha", this book will naturally provide you with an interesting counterpoint. Although it is more eccentric, nonchalant, and boundary-free, it also offers you an inside view of Japan 'off the beaten track' that pierces through stereotypes and shapes an original and insightful perspective. It will also delight you with a fine comedic style.

 The author focuses on lifestyle aspects and individual quirks he comes across rather than more general cultural issues such as customs. The aim of the book is not drawing distinctions or creating some 'expat drama' due to culture clash. This is quite refreshing when you are bombarded with travel books that center on culture shock or soul-searching. Sean Elliott's travel memoir can charm you through an almost dizzying succession of intriguing places and curious incidents on the road across Japan. The author notices fine nuances and details about people's lifestyle and mentality and always presents things from an interesting angle. Skateboarding across Japan (from Cape Soya to Cape Sata) adds an original twist to the classic travel narrative. It brings a sense of risk and bravery. Even Kerouac would have liked this take 'on the road'. The reader can enjoy an extremely humorous and hearty style throughout the myriad adventures of a freedom-loving personality.

The cover is evocative of the playful, easy-going, youthful, and lively atmosphere in the whole book. Besides, it makes me think of what Elliott says in the end about the way he senses the passage of time and the long distant road left behind him while he manages to stay cheerful and open regardless of any hardship along the way. I also liked the whole design of the book and the visual insertions. They are well-chosen and add flavor even when they're not only glimpses into the beauty of Japanese life, but also proof of bloody fingers, fierce crabs, huge colorful spiders, and other signs of wildness. The epilog is both insightful and provocative. On the one hand, Sean Elliott reflects upon what he learned along his journey. He feels more mature in a way and better prepared for life's challenges. On the other hand, he cannot resist signaling the (slightly less orthodox) influence he has over his pupils. It sounds as if he knew how to instigate people's minds.

  The book is naturally a good read for people who love traveling or discovering new information and facets of exotic places through the eyes of a Westerner (an obviously captivated one...). It's also fun for those who have a weakness for autobiographical texts and surely catching for readers who enjoy more or less eroticized writing. The style is raw and real, sometimes blunt, but fluid, lighthearted, spontaneous, and always funny.
2621463
Journey Without Maps is a non-fiction work filled with reflections, character sketches, and sometimes dreamlike images. It's not easy to compare it with any other book, for me; it's essentially a travel diary, an account of a rather irrational trek across Liberia that Green undertook in 1935, accompanied only by his cousin and the team of hired bearers who carried their hammocks, water filtration gear, etc. The book is fairly short and episodic, though it occasionally drifts into memories of England; even a couple of the author's dreams are included, nor do they seem out of place; the recounting is largely chronological, but it's always in limited detail--these are sketches--and much of what Greene recalls here is strange, perplexing, suggestive--these are, after all, a man's memories of far-away places, in a time before the Second World War. While the journey is occasionally dangerous, this is not a thriller: the danger comes mainly from local politics. For the most part, the journey is simply exhausting--especially near its end. The trek doesn't end up "proving" anything; it simply happened.

The treat here of course is Graham Greene's prose. It's a constant frustration to me (and surely others!) that his novels aren't offered yet on Kindle (except as audibles), so the chance to re-read, at very least, Journey Without Maps on my Kindle was a very welcome surprise--but, at the same time, it does remind us we can't yet enjoy The Comedians, Brighton Rock, etc., on Kindle. Still, this is English writing of the very finest sort, so straightforward and unembroidered, and yet of (somehow) such near-magical lucidity--if you've read Greene before, you will know what I mean; if you haven't, well, at least there is now this little bonbon available. I expect to read it many more times.
3392070
This album is good when I'm in the mood for somethig different. I liked the song "Baby, I Know That You Know," so I thought I would search them out. What I found was a CD with a lot of unique music, much more than I thought would be on this album. I like Trip Hop stuff to  a certain degree, but a lot of it seems to go in one ear and out the other mostly because the songs are litte more than drum tracks with some vocal and instrumental noodling. Where Spicehouse really shines is their ability to write some really memorable, biting songs. I love the way they blend good beats, electric guitars, sax and a nice voice. Beautiful and hypnotic, it has dance tracks as well as music to just chill out and get in a good mood. I could do without "hell to Pay", it's kinda boring.
2330426
Truthfully, it's not Discovery, so let's just get that out of the way. Not every track is a gem, nor are all of them the kind of thing you'll put on and make the uninitiated into Daft Punk Converts.

That all being said, once I got past my expectations, I actually really enjoyed the CD as a whole. You know how, when you listen to something over and over, you tend to start skipping tracks because you get bored? The only two that I do that with on this CD are Motherboard and Within.

The strongest track by far is actually Doin' It Right. A close second is a Lose Yourself to Dance, followed by Instant Crush. This is all opinion of course, and I have nothing to back it up by my feelings.

In general though, while I was a bit let down (I'm a huge fan of Discovery), I don't regret this purchase at all. A bit of time with the CD and what I initially was disappointed by I started to appreciate.