"Gassing civilians is unacceptable" according to democratic leaders.
I'm led to believe that these people find killing humans through more conventional means, bombs and bullets IS acceptable. Because, so far, they have not reacted, but once poison gas is mentioned they are mobilising.
I must've lost a meeting with civility...since when did the act of taking a life is secondary to the means used? You just bomb them or shoot them in the back-it's OK, but sarin gas or chlorine gas?
Same with someone throwing a hand grenade to the other side, and the other side replies with a barrage of rockets...."The analogy of the response was disproportionate" is their jargon.
They put a price on everything. Unfortunately, the price they put on human life is too low...
Well I hope you live long now, I pray the lord your soul to keep
I think I'll be going before we fold our arms and start to weep
I never thought for a moment that human life could be so cheap
'Cos when they finally put you in the ground
I'll stand on your grave and TRAMP THE DIRT DOWN
"Tramp The Dirt Down" (ELVIS COSTELLO)
History is short, the sun is just a minor star
The poor man sells his kidneys in some colonial bazaar
Que sera sera
Is that your new Ferrari car
You don't have to be a Jew to disapprove of murder
Tears burn my eyes
Moslem or Christian, Mullah or Pope
Preacher or Poet, who was it wrote
Give any one species too much rope
and they'll fuck it up...
"Too Much Rope" (Roger Waters)
So you think the majority of politicians are smart people?
Actually the majority of politicians are conniving halfwits and unless they take and publish IQ tests, I can't be arsed to spoil my Sunday plans for a trip to a polling station...
Consider this...if the Turkish Cypriots demand to share the spoils of the natural gas that exists in the Greek Cypriot "zone" of the Cypriot EEZ, doesn't that defeat the purpose of the bi-zonality terms of the sought after solution?
Just a question from a simpleton...to the conniving halfwits from both sides.
When you plan politics it is important, if not crucial, to take into consideration the factor of TIMING.
Maybe the timing is wrong for a solution to the Cyprob?
What with the despicable dictatorial NeoSultan Erdogan who is slowly (but surely) descending into the realm of madness.
The most half assed coup in the history of the world...we're still laughing are asses off all the way to Kingdom Come.
And then a few days ago...
"She has a Turkish flag in her pocket. If she becomes a martyr, inshallah, we will drape the flag on her. She is ready for everything" Deranged Tyrant Erdogan Well, why don't you strap a bomb on her fragile chest, while you're at it you scum-of-the-earth, and shove her all the way to Afrin... you scumbag... If this is not the "sign of a madman losing his control" (Demon)...... After the dogs have feasted on what is left of his flesh (that has been previously ripped off by his own people), that would be the right timing (I categorically deny fandom to horror movies). Historically, most dictators had the same fate...
"History repeats the old conceits the glib repeats the old defeats keep your finger on important issues with crocodile tears and a pocketful of tissues" "Beyond Belief" (ELVIS COSTELLO) "Madman Across The Water" includes one of the best songs Elton John has written. "Tiny Dancer"...but the geographic madman across the water, the world can do without. And all we can do is await for his inevitable demise...
"Someday even grey walls crumble And every idol ever raised falls" "Ashes To Ashes" (STEVE EARLE) Revisit the mighty leader's song...
There have been many albums about loss but none like this. Phil Elverum who mostly lives and creates "far from the madding crowd" like a hermit, lost his wife Genevieve to pancreatic cancer.
Instead of describing the pain (like others do) he just recollects vignettes of his life together with Genevieve or sends shivers down the spine when he comes across one of her personal everyday items, like a toothbrush...
The LP lulls you into its world and you are teetering on the thin line between cold reality and perpetual trance-like grief. Plaintive vocals and spare guitar.
Phil is now raising their little daughter and the memory of his partner still lingers in the air, the sunshine, the rain, the fog...
Sweet kid, we were watched and followed and I thought of Genevieve
Sweet kid, I heard you murmur in your sleep
"Crow" you said
"Crow" I asked
"Are you dreaming about a crow?"
And there she was...
EXQUIRLA "Para Quienes Aun Viven"
One of the outstanding european bands, Toundra (Spain) team up with flamenco singer Nino de Elche to form Exquirla, a project that creates a new direction in progressive rock, passionate, modern and yet, primordial at the same time. Exquirla is nothing less than exquisite...
THE DEVIL AND THE ALMIGHTY BLUES "II"
Heavy Blues Almighty, Amen! Classic heavy rock with flourishes of psychedelia from Norway. On this second album they have tapped on newfound potential which bodes well for the future. Astonishing LP and "These Are Old Hands" is a monster...
SUN KIL MOON "Common As Light And Love Are Red
Valleys Of Blood"
Mark Kozelek has definitely found his voice in recent years.
His unique stream-of-consciousness lyrics and rat-tat-tat delivery is unmistakeable an, at times, chilling...
ROGER WATERS "Is This The Life We Really want?"
The question is : "Is this the production to a Waters LP we really want?" What a terrible choice for a producer. Godrich may have worked wonders for Radiohead but this is Roger Waters. Totally different class! Don't get me wrong, Radiohead are good but do not belong in the Pink Floyd stratosphere. Lazy production has turned great songs into merely good ones. Washes of synth strings sound cheap and undeveloped. FX that have already been worked to death in the past. So much for originality Mr Godrich...
Lay Down Jerusalem (If I Had Been God) became Deja Vu and reduced to a dwarf and, if you're familiar with the full poem "Is this
the life we really want?" which is epic in its scope and length...well,
I cringe at it's final duration. I shall refrain from discussing absent
guitar solos. A potentially stunning album reduced to Good LP
status all because (with Waters' consent) the producer "didn't like
his or that bit". Maybe he has a short attention span and can't
follow a 12 minute song. Maybe he don't like guitar solos. Maybe
Mr Godrich doesn't agree with great moments in music history...
REBECCA KARIJORD "Mother Tongue"
This LP is heavily influenced by Rebecca's experiences of pregnancy and the premature birth of her child. Glad to hear that she has moved away from her previous more "pop" direction to make this album which, despite its minimal instrumentation shows a great depth once the listener immerses into this masterful singer/songwriter's world.
ARRAYAN PATH "Dawn Of Aquarius"
I know the boys in the band personally. This is their 6th album. What I'm trying to say is I could've included any of their previous releases in my year-end list. I did not, I'm not biased (I think)...
There is so much fake passion, overblown posturing, pompous
mediocrity and inane lyrical approach in metal these days. Arrayan Path have progressively reached the pinnacle of their career. They are seasoned musicians making mature music. This album will reveal more with each listening session. Musically it sounds effortless. Lyrically it makes sense storywise but the words are
placed in such a way that they become weapons in frontman's
Nicholas Leptos' armoury. He bites on them, chews them up
and spits them out -dead- on the pavement. One of the greatest
vocalists in metal music today. This album shows that strong
melody is still relevant to power metal. This album has the
character to devour your senses with its haunting melodies.
Nicholas once told me that he would like Arrayan Path to be
remembered by its haunting melodies, well, my friend, I think
you and your cohorts have achieved it!
Kudos to all involved. Bravo! (although I doubt you will be
knighted by her Majesty) Well done Pitch Black Records too...
LARKIN POE "Peach"
The Lovell sisters excel whether it is stunning renditions of blues standards or striking new compositions, all delivered with the urgency of a garage band. Gritty vocals from Rebecca and gripping lapsteel guitar from Megan, these girls are going places...
ROBERT WALKER & THE CENTURY BAND "Year of the Dog"
Walker, a little known blues rocker based in Germany, has been kicking about since the 90's. Accomplished songwriting and stirring musicianship feature in one of the unnoticed gems of the year. I think was only released electronically.
GRETA VAN FLEET "From The Fires"EP & "Black Smoke
Rising"EP
Young exciting band, sort of like a "baby Zeppelin". They released
two EPs in 2017. They will be massively huge by 2020. If they can keep their feet on the ground...
SONG OF THE YEAR : RAY DAVIES "Poetry"
The legend that is Sir Douglas Raymond Davies (The Kinks), from his 2017 solo LP "Americana".
Great songwriters never fade...they just get better with age.
"Maybe I'm missing something but I'm too blind to see
She settled for someone who isn't too hard to please
Where is the poetry?"
