2011: The Year that Was

2011 was full of great music, wasn't it?  Let have a look at some of the great albums and bottles of booze that made this year so special.

Pallbearer - Demo.  Big thanks to DSFCB for introducing me to my new favorite doom metal band.  These kids are from somewhere in the deep south but damn if they don't sound like they are from England circa 1972.  The lead singer sounds like a young Ozzy so much it is crazy.



And he knew there's no hope of redemption!  Don't you want to cut your wrists listening to that?  Amazing.

Last spring I listened to Pallbearer constantly and drank Canadian whisky.  I enjoyed the 10 year version of Canadian Club.  Delightful stuff, really.  That was the spring, but moving on to the summer new jams were needed.  And what a hot summer it was.

Jan Hammer - Crockett's theme.  Felt hot like Miami this summer.



Just put it on repeat for a few hours.  Maybe open a bottle of Soberano brandy.  That was summer.

Summer was also a time of drinking bourbon and listening to Motorhead.  The classic album March or Die was my soundtrack.  For some reason it just fit.



In the thunder and heat!  Makes me think of the 90s and being young and full of vim and wanting so bad to taste the sweeter things in life like booze and women.  Sigh...good times.  Speaking of bourbon, I found an old bottle of Ten High 10 and it was pretty good whiskey.  Pretty cheap too.  If I make it back to the ghetto anytime soon I'll stock up for sure.

Moving on, this next gem is probably the only album released in 2011 that I actually bought.


Mithras - Time Never Lasts EP



Solid Mithras.  Enough said.

This was a good year for doom, wasn't it?  I can't remember who introduced me to this gem, but thanks for hooking me up with Lycus!

Lycus - Demo.  Another American doom demo?  We must be on the cusp of a great American doom metal awakening.



Reminds me of Ahab in many ways.

And finally, this was another great year for Bach.

The Emerson String Quartet - The Art of the Fugue.  This classic recording of Bach's 24 fugues from the Art of the Fugue is deft and wonderful.  I prefer the previous album of Bach fugues simply titled Fugues, but this is still solid work.



Starting this summer I had this set of Gymnopedie by Satie on repeat for hours.  Still do.  For those quiet moments.



That's kind of the year in music for me.  I didn't say it was the year in new music, because I am old and hate new things and there was very little new music worth hearing this year.

It was a good year for booze, particularly whiskey.  I'm not one of those whiskey snobs, we keep it real around here.  Real cheap.  In fact I am working diligently on a formula and a philosophy for making beer as good and cheap as possible.  Emphasis on cheap.  The sort of thing you could do in your dorm room if you had a sink, a hot plate, and a mini fridge.  Just don't forget to invite me to your next college party; I will show up with a fifth of whiskey and sit in the corner and drink and call people peasants and try to get in a fistfight with someone bigger than me.  Cheers.

Booze reviews: Michael Collins and Ironic False Cognate

First I'd like to share my two cents on Michael Collins blended Irish whiskey.  It was on sale for 20 bucks, so I bit.  If you are familiar with The Tyrconnel or Irish Manor then the flavors in Michael Collins will be familiar.  The same barley profile and lemony sweetness.  It is very similar to Irish Manor.  But it is not identical.  The difference is in the finish, which has a large almost chocolately toffee flavor.  It is, by my tongue, a rather long finish.  If you find it for 20 bucks I'd consider that a buy.  Also, they repackaged it in the traditional Cooley blend bottle, so it will now fit in your shelf where you store your booze.

Next up is Soberano.  You see the word sober immediately, but it is a false cognate.  Pan in Spanish is not a metal cooking thing, it is bread.  False cognate.  Likewise Soberano is not a sober dude, it is a Sovereign.  And how does it taste?  Surprisingly good, actually.  It is smooth and sweet.  I would rank the flavor profile close to the legendary Veterano.  The price point was good as well, 13 dollars.  Definitely a buy.  Much better in both price and taste than Terry Centenario.  Sad, because I wanted to like Terry.  Happy because I have a new go-to Spanish Brandy.  That bottle with the wacky netting...

Post Script:  Posting is infrequent and will probably continue to be so.  Life happens.

Smokey and the Bandit

Right now my life is the plot of Smokey and the Bandit.  I'm stocking up on liquor to take over state lines.



Eastbound and down!  Right now I have five bottles of Osborne's Magno, two bottles of Osborne's Veterano, one bottle of the ironic false cognate Soberano, and one bottle of Terry Centenario.









The boys are thirsty in Grand Rapids!  And there's beer in Texarcana.  No, wait, there's brandy in Logan's Square?  Help me out here...

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