I bought a pound of their “Jumping Mouse“ recently at Central Market to give it a taste.  A Fair Trade coffee of Central American, South American, and African coffee beans.   Katz Coffees says that the name of the comes from the Native American legend of 7 Feathers.   I have tried to find out what the legend is about but, alas, google is not a help on this.

I have made some cold brew coffee out of it that I have not tried yet, but I made a pot of hot-brew to give it a whirl.  At first look at the roasted beans I thought Jumping Mouse was going to have a nuttier, stronger flavor than it does.  The flavors are not very strong, but in a good way.  A mildly fruity, kinda strawberry, first impression, light flavor, and  goes down smooth.  The aftertaste has a kinda fall spice flavor that I think makes this blend a good dessert coffee.

Over all I am very impressed with this coffee.  You can order your own online at Katz Coffee website.  They are running  a special where you order 3 pounds get 1 free.  What a Bargain!

I can’t wait for this album to come out.  Enslaved is one of my favorite all time bands.  The album recorded at three different studios in Bergen, Norway: Duper Studios, Earshot Studios (belonging to Enslaved members Larsen and lead guitarist Ice Dale); and Peersonal Sound (owned by Bjørnson). The album was mixed by Jens Bogren (OPETH, BLOODBATH, AMON AMARTH, ELUVEITIE) at Fascination Street Studios in Orebro, Sweden and mastered by Chris Sansom (MORTIIS) at Propeller Music Division in Oslo, Norway.

Enslaved played the doom Jotunblod at Roadburn this year it was pretty awesome.

“The first song on the EP is ‘Jotunblod (Doom)’. This is basically Enslaved ‘covering’ Enslaved.

“The original ‘Jotunblod’ can be found on the legendary ‘Frost’ album from back in 1994. The self-cover version, ‘Jotunblod (Doom)’, was initially specially made for the Roadburn festival 2010, where Enslaved were Artists in Residence (altogether the audience saw four Enslaved-related concerts that weekend).

“Why a doom version?

“This version was made to honor that festival and its goers for their open-mindedness on one side. On the other side: Enslaved wanted to challenge themselves by re-arranging one of their most iconic songs. The result was so effectual that the band wanted to make a one-off recording of the version; that is how it ended up as one side of this bonus 7″ EP.

“The song is based on the chaotic forces of the Giants, the Jotuns, from Northern Mythology.

via Enslaved Members Explain Axioma Ethica Odini Artwork and Bonus Edition Of The New Album | Roadburn.

Caribou Coffee’s Daybreak Blend

It is descibed by Caribou as coffee with:

…citrus tones of tangy liveliness balanced with mellow, sweet, nutty, undertones and delicate, floral high notes.

Whatever the fuck that means. Bottom line it is awesome.  Makes a great cold-brew coffee.  Made a batch last night and …BAM!  It was a taste explosion!

Smooth? Hell ya.  Sweet?  Yes indeed! Not sickeningly sweet but just enough to add balance to the nutty that is also not too overpowering.

I don’t see where they get the “floral high notes”.  It taste more fruity than floral.  But still, it makes a good cup of coffee.

I highly recommend it.

Caribou Coffee | Shop Online.

And what is the idea you ask?  A world in the future.  Were life as we know it has changed. For the better?  That is up to you to decide.   Each story showing people having to deal with the effects of climate change and what each of these areas of the world do to cope with their environment and live.

From the Pacific Northwest to Sweden, each story brings it’s own unique perspective on the world of the future.

Story one, In the Forests of the Night, set in the Pacific Northwest, features a city were Anarchism, in the true since, rules and governs a zero footprint – self-sustaining society.  Were scientist and activist work together to feed and protect a community living off the grid so to speak.

Two, Stochasti-city, set in Detroit is a story of a man who gets caught up in a life he did not expect to be in.  A bouncer who gets involved with a movement of people, very much like the folks in the Pacific Northwest, who want to change Detroit but come up against against a Blackwater type private military force that polices the city.

The Red in the Sky is Our Blood, also set in Detroit of a women who is asked to help a group of where every individual’s personal wealth, so to speak, is based on their actions.  The more they contribute the more personal wealth they have.

Utere nihil non extra quiritationem suis, John Scalzi’s contribution is set in a eco-friendly city/state.  The story of a slacker making his way through in life in a city where, if you do not take an aptitude test by the time you are 20 you get shown to the city border.  Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.  I think the idea is awesome.  The idea that each individual is given a job that is in there skill level but is very much a part of how the whole community works together.  It is a coming of age story too.  This one was probably my favorite story out of the bunch -  but I am Scalzi fan so what can I say.

And last, To Hie from Far Cilenia, a story of a investigator is asked to help Interpol track down some plutonium and how this leads him into a new society built on an “online economy” that also helps the individuals of the real world.   Pretty intreging story but I felt it the ending was little abrupt.

All in all it was a great set of stories.  It was a fascinating read.  Stories of survival, society and people working together to help make humanity about the WORLD community again and not the individual.

I highly recommend this book!

by Metatropolis at Amazon.com.

I hope it comes out on vinyl.

The first release from Neurosis since 2007’s Given to the Rising, this new live album was recorded that same year in Tilburg, Holland, at the annual Roadburn Festival, where Neurosis headlined to a die-hard audience. The album expertly captures as much of the band’s live experience as one possibly could on a physical recording, harnessing the monolithic flow and power of the band’s well-known sonically devastating live performances. The monstrous 78-minute record showcases this iconic band surging through hymns from their last few albums, including Given To The Rising, The Eye Of Every Storm, A Sun That Never Sets, and Through Silver In Blood.

more info:  Neurosis Live At Roadburn 2007 Details Announced | Roadburn.

When Yakuza vocalist/saxophonist Bruce Lamont talks about a great change and “something beyond ourselves” imminently about to occur, I don’t think he means apocalypse in the traditional sense, like he pictures some kind of catastrophic societal collapse nightmare scenario à la Cormac McCarthy‘s The Road, because, as he notes in our interview, it’s happened before. If you don’t think World War I was the end of the world, go back and read up.

Yakuza‘s fifth album (first for Profound Lore), Of Seismic Consequence, deals with these issues and has a sense of dread throughout, fully conscious of the impending but aware of the inevitability too. It’s a striking record for a number of reasons, its themes among them, but musically progressive as ever, Yakuza continue to be one of America‘s most unique and driven bands. Even a casual listen to Of Seismic Consequence from someone familiar with its predecessor, Transmutations (Prosthetic Records, 2007), will reveal a host of areas where the band has moved forward, Lamont‘s increased use of melodic singing being the most obvious.

But Yakuza has never just been about Lamont, however much his sundry guest appearances elsewhere, side-projects and solo work might make him the most recognizable figure in the band. Guitarist/vocalist Matt McClelland, bassist/vocalist Ivan Cruz and drummer/keyboardist James Staffel each play a central role in making Yakuza what they are in 2010. Sanford Parker‘s production work on Of Seismic Consequence didn’t hurt either.

After the jump, Lamont discusses his visions of the changes the world is about to undergo, how Yakuza came to work with Profound Lore, and just how great it is to scare the crap out of yuppies, which, no matter how you feel about the music, is something I think we can all agree on. Enjoy the Q&A.

Read the rest of the Yakuza Interview with Bruce Lamont: A Call to Observe Something Beyond Ourselves and a Call to Scare Yuppies | The Obelisk.

What is so unique about Mr. Munoz is that he was born with only one functional hand.  The other hand has no fingers on it.  But even with the set back, his playing is spectacular. Incredible to watch.  Flawless…

Frank lives at the Historical St. Anthony Hotel in San Antonio, Texas.  He volunteers to play there.  He was kind enough to play for me and my co-workers who were staying there on a business trip.  I was able to take a little film of him playing:

Chris Carter of Throbbing Gristle and Chris & Cosey at his Industrial Records studio, 1980. Chris recently tweeted, “WTF! I’ve just exceeded (by quite a margin) ONE MILLION views of my photos on Flickr – this image was tops at 10k+” From his Flickr stream

via Industrial music pioneer Chris Carter with gear, 1980 – Boing Boing.

They had these really pissed-off geese that hissed at you every time you walked by.

We went to the Safari Park there in Beekse Bergen the first day.  This has to have been the most human setting for live captivity I have see for animals.  Wide open spaces.  Minimal man made structures.   The animals appeared at peace.   We got to the African Wild Dog area and they were fighting over a carcass of some sort.  It was awesome!

Day One

So the first day of the festival was too fucking awesome.  We started off with Ancestors which was a highlight for me.  I could not get a great place to stand to film but it was epic!  I was in awe.  It appeared that Ancestors were just a stoked to be there too. The set was vibrant and atmospheric. After that we went over to the Midi Theater to catch Shining (NO) [Jazz shining not razor blade Shining.]  They were EPIC!  So played together so well and so precise it was incredible.  I was able to get a video for the song “In The Kingdom Of Kitsch You Will Be A Monster.

Next was Eagle Twins.  One of the loudest shows I have ever been to.  They played in the Bat Cave which was aptly named.  The sound was awesome but the room was way too damn small.  I was bummed at that.  Gentry Densley plays through two regular guitar stacks and a bass amp.  He uses the volume pedals to adjust the sound he wants to come out in various combination.   It sounds incredible. I got a great video of “The Crow Hymn”.

We went over to the main stage and caught the tail end of Eye Hate God.  Boring.  I do not get what people see in them.  They were mediocre at best.  I was bored off my ass.  Next was Enslaved.  Great show.  I have seen them over 10 times so I am kinda biased when it comes to them.  They played a song they don’t play that often live, “Return to Yggdrasil” and that was the highlight of the night for me.

Day Two

Day two started off with Church of Misery on the main stage due too “The volcano”. Fucking Incredible! Awesome live band.  They blew me away.  One of the best live performance of a band.  Great sound, great video show on the screen.

This was probably the day that everyone was really starting to get a little freaked out about the getting home.  There was a underlying current of “Hmmm, it is awesome to be here but I wonder if I’m going to get home any time soon…”.  But the show goes on.  Thorr’s Hammer was alright, but kinda boring.  I like my shows to be…showy…so to speak.  I think the setting should have been more somber. The lighting was too bright.  My opinion.

Comus was beautiful.   I love the Midi Theater!  It is an awesome venue for bands like this.  Comus had such a rich vibrant sound.  Incredible.

Trinacria have to be the best show I have ever seen.  It was mindblowing. I think they have taken what a lot of the post rock bands (Neurosis, A Storm of Light, etc) and taken it that next step.  I could have just gone home after that.  Awesome!

Day Three

I was starting to get worn the fuck out by day three.  We were at the Jungalos so walking all that way was starting to get to be a pain in the ass.   But the final day was awesome.  Astra was like taking a trip back in time!  It was prog lover’s dream.

Brant Bjork was pretty sweet.  I dig all his stuff.  But by the time we were getting towards the end of the day I was pretty worn out.  I just chilled out until the Armageddon Concerto with in Enslaved and Shining.  It was a nice end to a nice weekend. I got a little Video of Cato playing drums.  He is awesome.

Afterburner

So we went to afterburner but we were really burned out and i think I caught like a little bit of one band but by that time we just chilled out and talked with the people around us.

The week after Roadburn was spent touring Tilburg.  We were able to get a hotel in the Tilburg so basically we spent out time walking around.  It is a beautiful city.  All in all it was fun times all around.  Thank to all the cats who helped put Roadburn.  Cheers!

Zoroaster’s ‘Matador’ might be one of the most anticipated records this year — and it deserves to be. The sludge-bending trio is not holding back on their third full-length, for what seems to be not some new direction but a refinement of the various paths and experimentations the band has has over the years.

Noisecreep couldn’t be more excited to premiere ‘Ancient Ones,’ a true reverb-soaked hazy offering.

via Zoroaster, ‘Ancient Ones’ — Song Premiere – Noisecreep.