Maybe it's the drugs talking...

So, this week, thus far, has been one of firsts (or seconds).  On Sunday, whilst trying to change the air filter in the HVAC the stool I was standing on twisted out from under my weight and my knee went with it.  Now, I've fallen before, but that wasn't the first.  The first was that, as my knee was twisting all righty-lefty, I felt something pop, pull, in the worst way. 

I immediately went into shock...and I knew that my body's reaction was one of special import...and it was time to call 911.  A couple of things.  I think, while writhing in pain, that I kept my cool enough not to worry Jude who was watching me squirm around on the ground.  Two, we live around the corner from the Police and EMTs and they were there in no time.  One stair-chair ride and then a transfer to the stretcher, I was in my second ambulance ride ever!  To Overlook Hospital I said through shivering teeth.  I got both sirens and lights.  Sara was able to follow thanks to quick kid-sitting maneuvering from my in-laws.  And, by 4pm, I was admitted, x-rayed and waiting for a diagnosis. 

Turns out I busted up my Tibia.  On my way down, my femur smashed into my Tibia so hard that it made a depression.  I was going to be transferred to Morristown Memorial for surgery where pins and plate would be installed.  Ooo...surgery...that's a first from an accident!  Standard surgical procedure: don't eat or drink anything from midnight on before you're cut.  Fair enough.  Arrived at Morristown at 10 and had a small snack.

They wheeled me into surgery at 8pm the following day.  Wha wha what?  OR was busy.  Sara put on her teacher voice and got my nurses to continually call and figure out when I'd go.  So, about 7:45 they started wheeling me down...Dr. Grob knocked me out, and the next thing I remember is seeing 1am on the clock and the world spinning.  Drugs are no joke.  I was worthless to the world until about 10am.  Now, I'm taking half the max dose of Percocet...aching all day, but at least my head is clear.  Waiting, again to see Dr. Grob so he can tell me, the patient how things went.  Sara spoke with him last night...but I'd like to hear it from the horses mouth, so to speak.

And that's it.  Robo-Herb to the rescue.  Half man, half machine...all klutz.  It looks like I may be discharged tomorrow or the next day based on what Doc says.  Let's hope it's a glowing report!

And that was my extended weekend.  Heal time: 8-12 weeks.  Right leg.  No drive-o.  See you in June!

 

Everybody "Ponos" This is Nowhere

I’m going to apologize ahead of time, because this conversation revolves a little bit around math (‘maths’ if you’re English).  But, before we get into the thick of the conversation, we’ll need some constants that we should be able to agree on: 

-Neil Young has played and recorded rock & roll since the 1960s (over 50 math years!)

-Rock & roll is recorded, typically, by studio engineers, and then remixed to represent the artists true intention (insert Phil Spector argument here)

-Bands are known to record at studios, in front of audiences, or even away from their band members, where instruments are recorded individually and then mixed at a later date

-Editors and engineers responsible for remixing the tracks have their own creative input (hello Phil Spector), which may include additional pieces or musicians outside of the artist’s original vision

-The resulting recording makes its way to vinyl, CD, and in this age, to the digital market

MP3s, while convenient due to their relatively small digital size, is a known lossy compression format, where the compression algorithm removes some music information so that the file-size remains small

-Tracks are frequently re-mastered for playback in noisy (i.e. car) venues to even the volume out so that every note can be clearly heard over the roar of the engine.  This flattening of the volume kills the softer moments of the song and would do a number on any true recording of Ravel’s Bolero.

-Neil Young is a Rock & Roller who is having a problem with people eff-ing with his music either by flattening the sound or by dumbing it down so that you can walk around with it on your phone.

So, what’s his proposed solution?  He’s teamed up with a bunch of sound engineers to design a portable music player and clearinghouse (read: iTunes competitor) dedicated to digital music that isn’t degraded at all, and represents the true intention of the artist.  The device on Kickstarter is called the Pono, which means "righteousness" in Hawaiian.  He’s already got a bunch of musical celebs to sign on that support this vision and device (Beck, Metallica, Arcade Fire, Willie Nelson, My Morning Jacket, Tom Petty, and on and on), and it’s a really ambitious goal, because even Microsoft hasn’t been able to dethrone Apple in the portable music industry. 

Seemingly, that’s not Young’s goal.  Instead, he wants to make a marketplace for serious audiophiles to be able to listen to some serious music the way it was recorded at CD-quality or better.  And, here’s my take as to while it will fail:

1. Completely making up this statistic, I would say that 90% of digital music purchasers don’t much care that they’re getting a pared down version of the song they just bought.  As long as it works with (insert your phone/music player here) and the corresponding software, then who cares? (40% of all statistics are made up!)

2. Those who do care have options already: FLAC has existed for YEARS and it stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec.  It’s an algorithm that does exactly what Young wants to happen.  People can use free, open-source software to rip CDs to this format.  Unfortunately, FLAC isn’t compatible with iTunes.  No worry.  If you’re going to rip your stuff to FLAC, then you can find a converter to get it to WAV or, ALAC…Apple’s Lossless Audio Codec

3. In other news: Apple has its own lossless audio codec?  In iTunes, you can change your settings so that when you buy something from the iTunes store it will be saved to your computer in the ALAC format.  Similarly, you also have the option to rip CDs into ALAC.  Files are bigger than MP3s or Apple’s AAC files, but, so what…your desire to have crystal-clear music means you already know that.

4. To get the most out of your lossless file, or even notice the difference between it and an MP3, you need a serious stereo system, or a pair of expensive ear buds/headphones…with high impedance (over 30 Ohms, optimally closer to 50 Ohms) and a headphone amplifier.  See previous entry: Solid Walls of Sound.

5. Finally, even if you’re serious, this is yet another device you’ll need to port around.  The Kickstarter price for those who want to pre-order and support the mission of Pono is set at $400.  Add to that the need to re-purchase your music at the higher quality…or, sit at the computer and re-rip your CDs (which, according to my argument above, you can already do into iTunes).  Plus, calculate in your new headphones and amp, and you’re running into at least a $700 investment starting from scratch.  Pretty steep since you probably already own an iPhone or Android cell…and terrible (albeit popular) Beats headphones where the bass is so muddy your sense of hearing is already impaired too much to notice an increase in tonal quality afforded by your new rig.

Since the model for purchased music is shifting again, where before it went from physical (CD, vinyl) to digital, due the popularity of Pandora and Spotify I think it’ll be a bit of an uphill battle for those looking to jump into an already saturated market that's moving away from the bits you're trying to sell.  Also, there's already free solutions on the market for this perceived problem...where, with a little know-how, can get you to where Neil would like you to be.  Still, good luck, Mr. Young.  I would love to hear your music the way you’d like me to.  Tell me this, though, as you continue to demonize the bastardization of your artistic intent, when will you be announcing that, due to your disgust for the medium, you’ll be pulling your albums off iTunes/Amazon/etc?  What?  A buck-a-song still puts money in your pocket?  Makes this seem like less of a "stand" than a "sit-and-rest/wait."  But, at your age, that's probably best anyway.

Audience Participation

Hey folks…so, now, a couple of times, I’ve hinted at music that I think you’d like…which is an absolute farce because I still don’t know my audience.  There’s about 15 of you who religiously read this (one from Germany, way to go international popularity!) and, based on my Northeast spin on life (i.e. random rants) I would guess that we’re similarly minded.  Doesn’t bother me.  I know diversity is the spice of life, but why would you continually read/react to something that you abhorred?

That said, it’s time for you, the reader, to weigh in.  Specifically, I’m looking for music…opinions, brief explanations, etc. of music that was released in 2013.  Last year I polled my extended family to see what they were listening to.  Turns out that there was some incredible music released in 2012 and I was only seeing the tip of that iceberg.  This year I’d like to open it up to you, the people…my people, to let me know what was good in 2013. 

But, before you go there, I’d like you to dig a little deeper than the obvious.  I’ve largely enjoyed Daft Punk’s album, which I consider (with it’s Grammy win) POP music.  I understand that it hits a couple of different genres…but, still, to tell me that Daft Punk is your favorite album of 2013 is a bit of a gimme.  In that category, which my brother-in-law would attest to, is Kanye’s “Yeezus.”  Having not heard it all the way through, I can’t attest to its potential longevity, i.e. place in musical history, but the kids seem to like them some Kanye.

For me, just because I didn’t buy many albums released in 2013, I guess the one that gets the most play on my iPhone is “Volume 3” by She and Him.  It’s not eye-openingly unique.  Other brother-in-law showed me the band Camera Obscura which largely hangs its hat on a similar sound: retro-pop.  But, I’m a sucker for Zoey Deschanel and feel that because I already owned Volumes 1, 2 and their Christmas album, that I should include Volume 3 in my collection.  Maybe it’s the allure of “New Girl” on FOX or her silver screen performances, but she holds a special place in my heart (because she looks like a hot neighbor I’d like to have).

So, what’s it for you?  Feel free to use the comments section below and let me know what was good in 2013.  Identify genre, artist and titles when applicable.  Thanks!

Do Whatcha Wanna

It’s Mardi Gras.  At my desk, it’s been a constant stream of New Orleans musicians playing.  If you watched HBO’s Treme then this week’s post will be mostly refresher.  For those looking to expand their American musical knowledge then follow through and read what I like to call “this is what I like; if you don’t like it then suck it.”  No disrespect.

An easy place to start is with something you already kinda know, and by that, you can’t go wrong with Malcolm John “Mac” Rebennack, Jr.  or Dr. John.  With his national success coming in 1973, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a classic-rock station that doesn’t occasionally play “Right Place, Wrong Time.”  That said, it’s a bit a product of its time…leaning heavily on pre-disco-inspired rhythms and post 60’s psychedelia.  A better album to get the full flavor of New Orleans music would be the predecessor of that album: “Dr John’s Gumbo.”  It’s a collection of reimagined New Orleans Standards done in a respectful, but obviously 70’s pop-influenced way but isn’t saccharine sweet about it.  Delish.

Something more modern perhaps?  Check out Troy Andrew’s (Trombone Shorty) 2010 release “Backatown.”  It’s a mix of big brass riffs and more urban lyrics with some hip-hop and a heavy dose of NOLA R&B and funk.  The entire album absolutely invites you to grab a beer and do some private dancing as it is heavily funkified and groovalicious.  Good driving music.  If you like big horn power chords and electric trombone then you will certainly dig on this album.

How about new plus old?  Louis Armstrong has long been synonymous with both Jazz and New Orleans.  Born there in 1901, Satchmo was the face of Jazz heritage in this country while he was alive not only for his horn playing, but also for his personality and that gravelly voice.  So important he was to NOLA that the jazz neighborhood (the Treme) in New Orleans is bordered on one side by a park named in his honor.  That said, you’d be hard-pressed to see him perform live since he’s been dead since 1971.  Instead, check out Kermit Ruffins.  Dude was just a horn player in the progressive Rebirth Brass Band, which was largely a bunch of kids playing music on the street after school.  While Rebirth is still around today, Kermit outgrew them and has succeeded as the front man of his own group, the Barbecue Swingers (name taken because Kermit can also cook some mean BBQ, and would, on Thursdays, before his shows at Vaughan’s).  Kermit largely plays standards, much like Louis Armstrong would, and has the vocal chops to carry the performances.  New York Times wrote, “Mr. Ruffins is an unabashed entertainer who plays trumpet with a bright, silvery tone, sings with off-the-cuff charm and never gets too abstruse in his material.”  While he ended his weekly gig at Vaughan’s in 2013, that’s still where I’d start.  Get a 2007 taste of Thursday nights with Kermit through his album coincidentally named “Live at Vaughan’s.”

The above is great recorded, but all absolutely will incinerate your faces during a live performance.  As will about 100 other groups I could mention here, but didn’t in the interest of pseudo-brevity (write me and I’ll hook you up with more NOLA music).  Once you tamp the flames down a bit, you’ll be able to fully appreciate how the recordings don’t do the performers justice…hence our periodic pilgrimage to New Orleans for their Jazz and Heritage Festival always held during the last weekend of April and the first weekend of May.  In addition to the “native” musicians, this year will be showcasing this guitarist from England who enjoyed a bit of 60’s, 70’s and 80’s popularity…oh, and 90’s and …it’s Eric Clapton.  Small San Francisco band Santana, and Vermont staple Phish will headline different nights as well, but there are hundreds of other performances including Mardi Gras Indians and gospel choirs and brass bands and jazz groups and folk musicians and…you get the point.  And, after the last trip where I ran my father-in-law and brother-in-law around southern Utah in a whirlwind tour of the National Parks there, I’m ready for a vacation! 

P.S.  If you’re at Mardi Gras and need a potty…check this out!

http://gizmodo.com/airpnp-connects-mardi-gras-partiers-with-places-to-pee-1536042121?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gizmodo%2Ffull+%28Gizmodo%29