via Old Chum
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Monday, 30 August 2010
NORDEN
Ida's mum recently found this bad boy tucked away in her garage and when she asked Ida if she wanted it, we jumped at the chance! It's a topograhpical map of Scandinavia from 1954 and is my new favourite thing! Perfect for planning road trips on and daydreaming about the amazing places we're going to see! Ida's mum also apparently has another map of Northern Sweden/Norway/Finland in the same style...not sure if we have room for it just now though!
LISTEN: Dylan Leblanc
Orörda Vatten/Untouched Waters
Between June and September, I will spend 100 days in a territory where very few people go. The area is sometimes called Europe's last wilderness though it's a cultured landscape as well, influenced by human presence for thousands of years. In this region, there are seven national parks where fifteen mountain Sami villages have their reindeer pastures. During the days, I will take pictures, go on hikes and fly fish. I will cover all shorter distances on foot and longer ones with the help of Arctic Heli that will pick me up and drop me off at different locations during the 100 days.
The objective of the trip is partly to direct attention to Sweden's untouched land and waters. Hopefully, I can contribute to a discussion about development of watercourses in the north of Sweden. But more than anything, I wish to shoot beautiful pictures to show the world.
Sunday, 29 August 2010
Trollveggen, Norway
The Troll Wall (Norwegian: Trollveggen) is part of the mountain massif Trolltindene (Troll Peaks) in the Romsdal valley, near Åndalsnes and Molde, on the Norwegian west coast. Troll Wall is the tallest vertical rock face in Europe, 1100 meters from the base to the summit at its tallest. At its steepest, the summit overhangs the base by nearly fifty meters.
Be sure to check out the short documentary on Trollveggen below. It includes some really stunning images!
SUNDAY SOUL: Willie Mitchell - Solid Soul (1968)
This album, or at least the track 'Groovin'', which was sampled are both '4th Chamber' and 'Liquid Swords' on Gza's album 'Liquid Sword', are probably quite familiar to both hip-hop heads out there and soul fans. The album is packed with tight grooves and every track is a winner.
Willie Mitchell - Trumpet
Charles Hodges - Organ, Keyboards
Leroy Hodges - Bass
Mabon "Teenie" Hodges - Guitar
Al Jackson, Jr. - Drums
Charles Hodges - Organ, Keyboards
Leroy Hodges - Bass
Mabon "Teenie" Hodges - Guitar
Al Jackson, Jr. - Drums
Willie, who died earlier this year, was also a record producer and arranger, and ran Royal Recording in Memphis, Tennessee. "He was probably best known for his Hi Records label, which released albums by a large stable of popular Memphis soul artists, including Mitchell himself, Al Green, Syl Johnson and Ann Peebles."
Read more about the album here.
COMING SOON: DJ MUGGS VS ILL BILL
Can't wait for this! Just in time for Autumn! Muggs vs Gza soundtracked the winter of '05 and this looks set to be a winner too! I remember picking up Muggs' 'Dust' in Paris too and everytime I listen to it it'll always take me back to the huge Virgin I bought it in back in 2003. Hopefully I'll have some new memories for this one!
(via 2dopeboyz)
Friday, 27 August 2010
Original Soundtrack: The Royal Tenenbaums
Wes Anderson's films always have great soundtracks, and this one is no exception. This is also one of my favourite films. A great autumnal film that I'll definitely be pulling out in the next couple of months. It's actually hard not uploading the entire soundtrack, as it's that good, but here are 4 tracks for your listening pleasure.
BOOK: I Björnland by Bo Kristiansson (1978)
"Här i skogen kan man i skymningen höra uven ropa. Här hör man slagugglans dova rop om natten. Här spelar tjädern om våren, och här stiger björnen ur sitt ide. De flesta av dagens skogar är påverkade av människan och kan inte visa upp det växt-och djurlive som en levande skog kan visa - när naturen själv får skapa miljön. I den här boken vill jag försöka skildra ett land, där ännu så länge allt fungerar. Här finns både lodjur, björn och många flygande vänner som alla spride liv omkring sig. Det här landet ligger mig varmt om hjärtat, och jag hoppas att boken kan påverka flera att värma om det. Väl mött i björland!"
WATCH: Raga: A Journey into the Soul of India (1971)
“Originally released in 1971, Raga: A Journey into the Soul of India documents the life of sitar master Ravi Shankar in the late 1960s and early 1970s… Fully narrated by Shankar himself, Raga reveals music as the soul of India and of Shankar’s life.”
(via Arthur Magazine)
(via Arthur Magazine)
A new remastered version is to be re-released 17th October.
VIDEO: Julian Lynch - Just Enough
Julian Lynch "Just Enough" from OLDE ENGLISH SPELLING BEE on Vimeo.
Check out this great video for 'Just Enough' off Julian's excellent album, 'Mare.'
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
VIDEO: Yesterday's Obsession - The Phycle (1967)
Just discovered this beauty over on Wild Mercury Sound. Great track!
Andrew Cedermark - Moon Deluxe
Like an avalanche of foamy beer rolling through the mountains of Hokkaido, Moon Deluxe traps you in a cabin.
Penned with friends and strangers alike, the shrill sound of natural destruction soundtrack the conversation.
Mr. Cedermark hails from Glen Rock, New Jersey.
Moon Deluxe was recorded in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Penned with friends and strangers alike, the shrill sound of natural destruction soundtrack the conversation.
Mr. Cedermark hails from Glen Rock, New Jersey.
Moon Deluxe was recorded in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Ducktails - Hamilton Road 7"
These guys really can't do anything wrong in my eyes! Alex Bleeker, Ducktails, Real Estate, Julian Lynch...such a talented group of guys! Plus now we have a Seinfeld reference thrown in! It doesn't get any better! An alternate version of 'Art Vandelay' will appear on his upcoming release, 'Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics', this autumn. Click the album link to listen to the title track off this 7".
Buy it here.
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
Howard Weamer
Winters of My Life is a portrait of Howard Weamer. For the past 35 years he has spent his winters as a hutkeeper in Yosemite's backcountry. He fills his days writing, reading, photographing, and being an ambassador to mountain culture. This is a brief look into his world and why he chooses to stay.
via Cold Splinters
Monday, 23 August 2010
Dâm-Funk - Never Tongue In Cheek
Track description?....self explanatory.
*I'mma just keep 'humbly' Funkin' U.
No funny business....just Funkin' U.
That's all I wanna do....period.
1
- D-F
*I'mma just keep 'humbly' Funkin' U.
No funny business....just Funkin' U.
That's all I wanna do....period.
1
- D-F
ONE TO WALK: John Muir Trail
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir
Yes - Sweetness
The John Muir Trail (JMT) is a long-distance trail in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, running 211 miles (340 km) between the northern terminus at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley and the southern terminus located on the summit of Mount Whitney. The only other points where the trail passes near a road is in Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park and at Red's Meadow near Devil's Postpile National Monument. For about 160 miles (260 km), the trail, named for naturalist John Muir, follows the same footpath as the longer Pacific Crest Trail. It also passes through Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Park.
Sunday, 22 August 2010
SAMPLE SET: Gza - Liquid Swords
I love Hip-Hop Is Read and in particular I love their sample sets. They just posted up this old classic and I had to share it! This sample set also includes all the original kung-fu film samples too, from classics like Shogun Assassin and Dragon on Fire. While I'm at it, why don't you remind yourself just how GOOD this album is, with these 3 videos. Damn! I miss 90s hip-hop...
Kevin Greenspon
The first song I played by Kevin Greenspon instantly made me think of Lost in Translation and that particular atmosphere. Being in a big city, with neon-lit signs and too many people late at night. Of course, the soundtrack to Lost in Translation played a massive part in creating this atmosphere and in particular the music of Kevin Shields and My Bloody Valentine.
Kevin Greenspon inhabits a similar world and the few tracks I've heard wouldn't have been out of place on the soundtrack. People also seemed obsessed with trying to label music as either summer or winter music these days and if I had to pick, I guess you could go either way, but looking at the picture at the top of the page (off Kevin's Myspace), and maybe just because I'm looking forward to autumn/winter I'd go for winter. The songs, 'Eyes Forward Still' in particular, also kinda remind me of Low's music and in particular a review from an Amazon member of Low's 'Secret Name' which pretty much sums up Kevin's music too:
"It is snowing outside and this stupid city is for once silent.
This is a Low moment.
The vocals of Mimi Parker and Alan Spearhawk are drifting around.
I'm going to bed."
Kevin has also run Bridgetown Records (home to Weed Diamond ) since about 2008. Kevin will be releasing his 'Common Objects' LP on Family Time next month and will contain the track 'Threshold', which you can listen to below, along with several other tracks off previous releases.
Saturday, 21 August 2010
LISTEN: Sufjan Stevens - All Delighted People EP
All Delighted People is built around two different versions of Sufjan’s long-form epic ballad "All Delighted People," a dramatic homage to the Apocalypse, existential ennui, and Paul Simon’s "Sounds of Silence." Sounds delightful, yes! The song was originally workshopped on Sufjan’s previous tour in the fall of 2009. Other songs on the EP include the 17-minute guitar jam-for-single-mothers "Djohariah," and the gothic piano ballad "The Owl and the Tanager," a live-show mainstay (and Debbie Downer if you ask us; what’s it doing on a "Delighted" EP?).Well this has appeared out of nowhere! You can listen to the hour long EP for free here and/or download it for $5! I'm still on the first track and with it's choir, borrowed lyrics and changes in tempo it's pretty damn epic, not to mention beautiful! Can't wait to hear the rest!
WATCH: Heimo's Arctic Refuge (VBS.TV)
In 1980, Jimmy Carter established the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in the Alaskan Interior, cutting off 19 million acres of prime boreal wilderness from the mitts of fur trappers, oil tycoons, and would-be lodge owners alike. Only six families of white settlers were grandfathered in and allowed to keep cabins in the refuge—of them, only one still stays there year-round living off the land. His name is Heimo Korth, and he is basically the Omega Man of America’s Final Frontier.
Raised in suburban Wisconsin, Heimo set off in his teens to the Alaskan Bush to pursue the Davy Crockett lifestyle in more or less the only place it was still possible. Amid numerous setbacks and misadventures, Heimo gradually learned how to master his terrain, provide for his Eskimo wife, and rear children in one of the most inhospitable environments in North America.
In this premiere edition of Far Out, we take a bush plane to the middle of nowhere, Alaska, to catch up with Heimo and his wife, Edna—now reaching their golden years. Over the course of our ten-day stay, the Korths show us everything you need to know about fur-trapping, caribou-hunting, caribou-eating, river-crossing, boredom-staving, bear-avoidance, and bear-defense to live happily over 100 miles from the nearest neighbors. Vegans, you have been warned. Heimo’s epic journey and adventures have been documented in the critically acclaimed book, THE FINAL FRONTIERSMAN, written by Heimo’s cousin, James Campbell.
BOOK: Alaska by Bern Keating (1969)
My mum, sister and her boyfriend were recently over visiting and I took them on a day trip to Lund. Lund's full of great second hand book shops and I found this beauty whilst browsing in a shop and had to have it! On the inside of the book there's a hand written note that says "Thore, Though you might like this. Kevin. 17/1/77." The book is called 'Alaska' and was released in 1969. The one thing that struck me whilst reading the book was how refreshing it was to read about the people of Alaska. I love Alaska's wildness and the natural beauty, and don't get me wrong, the book covers plenty of it, but it was so nice to read about the people that live there, from Fairbanks, to the Eskimos and Aleuts. It was especially interesting also, to read about Alaska at the end of the 60s. So many things have changed since it was written, but Alaska's beauty and it's wild ruggedness still remain, which in this day and age is quite an achievement.
"On a recent visit to Alaska I discovered theat the 49th State is both an enchanting and a frustrating land. Enchanting in its immense beauty, size and variety, and frustrating for much the same reasons - the average visitor, with only a few days or weeks to spend, sees only a tiny portion of its 586,400 square miles. Whatever the portion, it is likely to be memorable. Mine included a solitary evening beside a small lake in the southeastern, or panhandle, region and a five-pound rainow trout that arched from the still water to take a fly.
There are other memories, but far too few of them; I want a great deal more of Alaska. So, too, do thousands of members of the Society, judging by their letters urging publication of this book on our largest state. In response, the Society has produced this richly illustrated volume that to me presents the enchantment without the frustration - its 208 colorful pages ARE Alaska.
To capture Alaska in all its breadth and detail, the Society commissioned a gifted free-lance author, Bern Keatin, to roam the 49th State with George Mobley, one of the National Geographic's ablest staff photographers. Four months and 11,000 miles of travel produced some startling discoveries on Mr. Keating's part, at least one of them a source of modest profit back home in Mississippi. Since his return he has won a number of bets as to the easternmost point in the United States - not Eastport, Maine, but Pochnoi Point on Semisopochnoi Island in the Aleutians, which lies just beyond the 180th meridian and thus in the Eastern Hemisphere.
Mr. Keating found that Alaska today reflects many chapters from the Nation's past. Homesteading that stimulated settlement of the early West continues in the 49th State. Railroads and highways have barely penetrated the vast interior. An industrial revolution threatens to trap native populations - Indian, Aleut, and Eskimo - in a cultural squeeze between the proud past and an uncertain future. The historic lure of gold has given way to a rush for oil on Alaska's rich north slope.
During my visit I flew by floatplane north from Ketchikan in the panhandle into the vastness of Tongass National Forest. My companion was Pete Cessnun, a veteran bush pilot with a consuming urge to share the grandeur of his state. Within an hour we landed on the edge of a small lake, 100 miles from the nearest traffic jam, shopping-center, neon sign, and - for all I know - fellow human being. Only the rustle of the woodlands sounds and the lap of water against the shore disturbed a peace that I have come to think of as distinctly Alaskan.
Alaska is the only state in the Union without an official nickname, But I can understand the dilemma of the phrasemakers - what catchy saying or slogan could capture the majesty of Alaska?" Gilbert M. Grosvenor
Friday, 20 August 2010
Weed Diamond Demos
Weed Diamond have made two demos of new songs available, but nobody seems totally sure if they'll be on their next record or not or if they have one in the pipeline. The songs are both pretty awesome though, so I guess that's all that matters!
Thursday, 19 August 2010
COMING SOON: Real Estate - Out of Tune/Reservoir 7"
My favourite band of last year are back with a new 7", 'Out of Tune'/''Reservoir', which will be released on the 12th October on True Panther Records. :-D
The Greatest Soundtracks of All Time
I've been playing around a lot with the Chart function on RYM and thought I'd see what soundtracks/film scores ranked highest. I've listed the Top 10 below, but you can click here to see the rest.
1. Ennio Morricone - Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo/The Good, The Bad & The Ugly (1966)
2. Curtis Mayfield - Superfly (1972)
3. Ennio Morricone - C'era Una Volta Il West/Once Upon A Time in the West (1968)
4. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
5. Prince - Purple Rain (1984)
6. Various Artists - The Harder They Come (1972)
7. Various Artists - Amadeus (1984)
8. Ennio Morricone - C'era Una Volta in America (1984)
9. Ennio Morricone - Giu la Testa/A Fistful of Dynamite (1972)
10. Yasunori Mitsuda - Chrono Trigger (1995)
11. Angelo Badalamenti - Soundtrack from 'Twin Peaks' (1990)
12. Yann Tiersen - Amelie (2001)
13. Various Artists - A Clockwork Orange (1972)
14. Danny Elfman - Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
15. John Williams - Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
16. Bernard Herrmann - Vertigo (1958)
17. Clint Mansell - The Fountain (2006)
18. Maurice Jarre - Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
19. The Seatbelts - Cowboy Bebop (1998)
20. John Williams - Star Wars (1977)
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
US Forest Service Historic Photos
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
VIDEO: James Taylor - Fire and Rain
I'm currently listening to James Taylor's 'Sweet Baby James' album and this track just came on and even though I've heard it a million times it still gives me goosebumps.
Syd R Duke
I just came across this guy over on The Committee to Keep Music Evil's forum and as soon as I watched the video for 'Welcome to Society', I was hooked. The videos are also pretty great. 'Truth' kinda reminds me of Belle & Sebastian. Elsewhere I hear hints of Cohen and Simon & Garfunkel. Check out his other videos here.
COMING SOON: Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart
Wilderness Heart, the new album by Black Mountain, is packed with succinct rock songs that pulse and pound with startling precision: it pummels you and you ask for more. This is arguably the band's tightest, most concentrated venture, but there's still plenty of raw rock energy at work. "It's our most metal and most folk oriented record so far," McBean says. "I'm not gonna say it's our best record or the album that we always dreamt of making 'cause that's what everyone says. It's all about where we were at the time the machines were rolling. You can't control the electricity or how your limbs were moving that day. You have to erase the visions and just go along for the ride."
(via jagjaguwar)
Monday, 16 August 2010
Amen Dunes - Murder Dull Mind EP
"Recorded while Damon McMahon was living as an expatriate in China, Amen Dunes presents seven new stunning works of sunlit haziness. During the two years he lived abroad, he lived most of the time in an apartment on the north end of Beijing. He tracked these songs one summer in that apartment. With the exception of “Diane” and “Murder Dull Mind,” all of these songs were recorded in one take and are completely improvisational; on repeated listens though, there is a pop-ness to these songs amidst the improvisation. The title track in particular, a melodic mantra-like work could certainly function on its own as a single. Although the songs have a bit less pre-written structure than Amen Dunes’ previous work on the Locust label, they are still every bit as miraculous. The geographical influence on his work central to both writing and recording conditions is evident here as these songs are way more open, and generally more free than his debut Dia (recorded in 2006 in a Catskills cabin) was. A bit less psych freak out and a bit more dark folk vibe throughout."(via wfmu)
VIDEO: The Mantles - Don't Lie/Bad Design
I've already posted the video to 'Don't Lie' before, but it's so god damn good I thought I'd post it again along with 'Bad Design.' These aren't the official videos, but they should be! Be sure to check out the other videos made by the same user on You Tube!
http://www.myspace.com/mantles
http://www.myspace.com/mantles
Jotunheimen National Park, Norway
The Norse word Jotunheimen means "The Home of the Giants" – and there is a good reason for that. It is a mountainous area of roughly 3,500 square kilometres in Southern Norway and is part of the long Scandinavian Mountain range. The 29 highest mountains in Norway are all in Jotunheimen, including the very highest - Galdhøpiggen (2,469 metres).
The Jotunheimen area contains the Jotunheimen National Park, which was established in 1980 and covers an area of 1,151 square kilometres. The mountain range Hurrungane is also inside the national park with the sharpest peaks in Jotunheimen. Adjacent to the national park border is Utladalen Nature Reserve which covers the valley Utladalen and the mountain Falketind, amongst others.
(via Visit Norway)
Louis L'Amour
Whilst on the island of Hönö over the weekend I visited Klåva Second Hand and whilst browsing through the English section I came across a couple of Louis L'Amour books, as well as a collection of Throeau's writings and a Mark Twain book. All for the bargain price of only a few English pounds! Louis L'Amour was born in 1908 and died in 1988. During his time he was known primarily for his western novels, which he apparently called 'Frontier Stories.' Several of his books have been made into films and at his time of death all 105 of his works were still in print.
Friday, 13 August 2010
The Alaska Highway
The Alaska Highway was constructed during World War II and connects the contiguous U.S. to Alaska through Canada. It runs from Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Delta Junction, Alaska, via Whitehorse, Yukon. Completed in 1942, it was 2,237 km or 1,390 mi long, but is becoming shorter due to rerouting. The historic end of the highway is near milepost 1422, where it meets the Richardson Highway in Delta Junction, Alaska, about 160 km (99 mi) southeast of Fairbanks.
One day I WILL drive along The Alaska Highway!
Also, be sure to check out this free online book called 'The World Famous Alaska Highway' over on Google Books.
Thursday, 12 August 2010
THE WEEKEND: Hönö
Well, it's nearly time for the weekend already and I've taken today and tomorrow off as my mum, sister and her boyfriend are visiting and today we're going to the historic city of Lund, before heading to the beautiful island of Hönö off the coast of Göteborg/Gothenburg to stay with my fiancee's grandparents in their summer house. Have a good weekend!
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
The Rapa Valley, Sarek National Park, Sweden, 1981
John Fahey - How Green Was My Valley
"Rapadalen (The Rapa Valley) is one of the most visited valleys in Sarek. I walked here as early as in 1981, but I took very few photos, and wrote no diary. I have tried to refresh my memory the best as I can...." Read more here
The Rapa Valley (Swedish: Rapadalen, Sami: Ráhpavágge) is a 35 km long valley in Sweden and the largest in the Sarek National Park, part of the Laponian area.[1] The Rapa River runs through the valley, which is surrounded by steep mountains.
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Yosemite Nature Notes
Yosemite National Park have made their own series of nature films, with each episode focusing on specific aspects of the park. I have only been in Yosemite once and that was when I was 14 years old, so my memories are pretty hazy. The one lingering memory I have of it was a car door that had been peeled open by a bear on the hunt for food in the car park we had parked in. Episodes include Wildflowers, Yosemite Falls, Wilderness, Half Dome, Snow, Maps, Tuolumne River, Snow Line, Frazil Ice and Rock Fall. All well worth watching!
View all TEN episodes here.
Monday, 9 August 2010
VIDEO: Black Mountain - Wucan
"There's one song, Wucan, that's about the dance that children do at a funeral around the fire while the bodies are being burnt to protect the spirits from the evil people who try and pull their souls down to purgatory - it feels like a lot of the record is about trying to break free of all the things that tie you down and keep you from doing what you want."
Monge Waterfall, Norway
At 2540ft high, Monge Waterfall in Norway is the fourth highest waterfall in the world.
Sunday, 8 August 2010
Trangia or Pocket Rocket?
(picture taken from cyberjunkies)
I'm looking to invest in a new stove for camping/hiking and have just borrowed a Trangia 25-1 (aluminium version) off a friend, which although designed for groups of 3-4 people, will hopefully give me a good idea of what they're like. We're due to go on a canoeing trip in a couple of weeks, so it should see some use fairly soon! Trangia do produce a slightly smaller, more lightweight version (Series 27) designed for 1-2 people though, which would probably be the one I'd buy if I decide to go for a Trangia. Ida's dad has had a Trangia is whole life and swears buy it, as they have it all and are fairly compact (considering it comes complete with two saucepans, a frying pan, upper and lower windshields, a burner, a pan grip and strap!), so I guess they can't be too bad!
The other main contender is the MSR Pocket Rocket, which is exactly what it says it is. It only weighs 85g and whereas the Trangia comes complete with a whole array of pans, this is just a stove. So technically, all you need is to combine this with a lightweight pan/pot of some sort and you're laughing.
So do I go with the slightly more expensive, tried and tested classic Trangia, complete with everything you need or the more modern, lighter, cheaper Pocket Rocket?
What do you recommend??
Saturday, 7 August 2010
Leonard Cohen x McCabe & Mrs. Miller
What a combination! One of my favourite films of all-time alongside one of my favourite singer-songwriters of all-time. Perfect! Along with 'The Stranger Song' (above), the film also uses 'Sisters of Mercy' and 'Winter Lady.'
Thursday, 5 August 2010
BOOK: Images of the Wild
When I came home from work today Ida said she'd bought me a little something from Myrorna. My surprise turned out to be 'Images of the Wild' by Carl R. Sams and Jean Stoick, which she had managed to find for a bargain 25kr! (3.5USD/£2) The book is a collection of photographs of wildlife from Northern America and Canada and contains short anecdotes on how/where/when these magical moments were captured. The images include deer, wolves, bison, falcons, grouse, foxes, turtles, wildflowers, loons, owls, porcupines, moose, bears, and egrets.
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