Virginia Governor Race

Simple. McDonnell just ran a better campaign.  The ads were a lot more value oriented at the end.  Deeds’ seemed to be mostly mudslinging.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2009/11/robert_mcdonnell_your_next_gov.html

SWP

Have you ever actually looked at the Sherwin Williams Paints logo?  Their intentions are plainly depicted.

DROWN THE EARTH WITH PAINT

The 495 Fake-Out

-or, The Beltway Bluff-

I don’t want this to sound like I’m not in favor of running the length of your ending merge lane before actually merging.  I support that move and I think it is the most efficient way to move traffic along.  What the Fake-Out involves is an exit lane from the highway or a left-turn lane that runs parallel up to the intersection with a few right-hand-turn lanes.  The Fake-Out requires relatively heavy traffic in the main lanes and, typically, a more-or-less open turn or exit lane.  The fake-out candidate proceeds as far as possible in the exit or turn lane before looking for an opening in the jammed main lanes.

Here’s where the bluff comes in: the fake-out candidate cannot let drivers in the main lanes know what they are about to do because no one likes people cutting in line.  In most lines we are not afforded the anonymity and distance of automobile enclosure, so we are less likely to act like jerks.

On the highway, drivers in main lanes wait testily — wanting nothing more than to get home and out of their cars — and upon seeing a fake-out artist craning his or her head over their shoulder, turn signal on, inching over the white dotted lines, will slam open the throttle and make sure they cannot cut the line.  It’s the grown-up version of saying NO BUTTING and guarding the space in front of you like it was something fragile.  That’s why the Beltway Bluff was invented over 30 years ago when traffic was invented and that’s why it’s still used today.  And it’s a real art: one must keep ones head pointed straight ahead while spying potential openings in the jam out of the corner of the eyes, and then, at the last possible moment, scooting the nose of the car in just enough to prevent any block.  Genius.

Soon I will take a picture or a video and share it here.  Until then, it’s time for:

THE BELTWAY EXPERIMENT!

Inspired by my wise friend Brandon, I haven’t put the tachometer on my ten-year-old Toyota sedan over 2,000rpm in over 2 weeks.  This means staying under 60mph on the Capital Beltway.  This means taking off slow and leaving lots of room ahead of me in traffic.  This means succumbing to and, yes, even inviting in those fake-out drivers above mentioned.   It also means saving some money.

I started this to see how much my fuel consumption would decrease from driving with what William Kallfelz called ‘beltway syndrome driving’.  Last week I realized, though, that I feel different during and after my commutes now.  I’m more relaxed.  I feel centered.  I don’t feel wound up as I sometimes did after sitting in volume-based traffic jams, pissed off.  And it gives me something to think about while driving (keeping the tach’s needle below the 2,000 mark) instead of just the radio and/or the monotony of the trip.

I’m trying to save my gas receipts & mileage to make a graph or something.

Kris Kristofferson Review

Speaking of fall music, Kris Kristofferson’s new album Closer to the Bone is about as crisp & pleasant as a misty October morning in the country.  I wasn’t sure what to expect besides having read that it is a folk album.  Of course the first thing that stands out is Kristofferson’s spent voice–-smoker-raspy, at times strained, but sincere throughout—which is surprisingly listenable and even soothing (think Johnny Cash’s voice on Hurt).  The production is simple and clean and the playing is reserved and smart.

The title track is a jangly, relaxed start to the album with clever lyrics and simple, pleasant harmonies that sets the pace for the rest of the album.  Nothing about this record says ‘rushed.’  The instrumentation is subtle & still upbeat with hints of acoustic bass, slide acoustic guitar, accordion, & mandolin.  Oh, and his harmonica, which is mixed at vocal levels and played in a Dylan-chord-blast fashion.

Some of the tracks are haunting (‘Hall of Angels’), some are romantic, and ‘Good Morning John’ channels Cash all over again.  Closer to the Bone’s interesting stories and sophisticatedly understated musicianship all nod to one underlying truth found in many places in our lives: there’s something about experiences related by the ancient, weather-beaten voices of older people that is inherently powerful.  They carry the weight of time and can pluck at a deeper heartstring, like the scenes with the old lady reminiscing in Titanic.

Kristofferson moves at his pace on this album.  When he talks about heartbreak or the end of a decades-long relationship you know he’s not in the throes of something immature or raw.  You can tell that if he takes the time to sing about it he probably really means it.  He’s a little cynical and lot real.  He’s not surprised by much because he’s seen it all before, dozens of times over.

That feeling, the feeling that is captured so well on this record, is exactly why you sit down for a few hours and listen to that person so many years your senior tell about their life (or lives, as it sometimes seems).  That’s why many times you’re a little more moved by their words and expressions and tears than by those of someone younger.  You know that the hurt in Kristofferson’s voice and words and guitar is there because the hurt is there, and has been for a long time, aging, becoming weathered, calloused, and even grand.  And he doesn’t care if you don’t listen, cuz it happened all the same and life is too short, its problems are too small, and tired old eyes have seen enough to know better.

And this fitting quote from the title track:

Ain’t it kinda funny?
Ain’t it just the way it goes?
Ain’t you gettin’ better
Runnin’ out of time?

Fall movies

What movies are ubiquitously autumn? I’m not talking about horror flicks or just any film with a prominent Halloween story component. I’m talking about films that exude Fall, make you feel it and sense it and smell it. Two that I thought of immediately were E.T. The Extra Terrestrial and Donnie Darko. Maybe Fern Gully? I might just be imagining that one…

Music is probably more associated with seasons in my mind but that’s another post. (Check out my fall-inspired music at myspace.com/sonofbevcrusher.)

What movies remind you of fall?

Saturday Reverb Tank Issues…

Plugged in my Fender Blues Deluxe today and NO REVERB.  I cannot have NO REVERB.  Thus, this handy post:

….{click photos to see full size via Frickr}….

The last time I took this apart was to figure out what a rattling sound was.  One of the reverb tank support posts had come loose off of its poorly-made mount and was just rolling around inside, making crash and clatter sounds occasionally.  After other wiring-quality issues I’ve had with this otherwise wonderful amp I had an idea of what to expect.

(*SAFETY SHIT* unplug power cable first) Remove rear cover, unscrew reverb tank mounting screws, and then carefully extract the tank from the amp body.  Remove the tolex cover and RCA cables, and, if you want to live on the wild side, don’t label which came from where:

After a quick inspection the culprit was identified:

This probably happened during the few days that it was bangin’ around in the trunk of my car.  With that in mind, how could this happen?  Shitty Mexican wiring job.  There is enough lead and spring travel to prevent any strain on the solder joint… moving on:

Clean out the old solder and leftover lead wire strands.  In my case the wire was still long enough to work with.  Strip the end of the wire, and solder it back on.  Below is an example of a very ugly job… let’s blame the fact that all I have with me is car-wire-guage solder).

Before assuming you are finished you should give it a test.  Reconnect the RCA leads to the tank and plug in amp.  Set reverb knob to Ventures territory (12) and plug in guitar or other signal-emitting unit.  In my case, I got a resounding: YES REVERB.  Place tank back into its cover:

To close it back up: place tank gently back into amp body and bolt it down.  Replace back cover and move over, My Morning Jacket, this thing is washin’ out!

Drive-By Truckers Review

The Fine Print: a Collection of Oddities and Rarities 2003-2008

Released the first of this month, this is a collection of covers, outtakes, and leftovers that didn’t make it to previous albums.  While it doesn’t fit the mold we’ve come to expect from these guys — a cohesive, flowing, novel of an album — it’s a hell of a lot of fun.  

 

a younger, undoubtedly drunker No-Show (+ flattop)

The first track immediately perked my ears: it’s all about George Jones and livin’ fast.  This was especially noteworthy because the night before I had seen No-Show Jones on Mike Huckabee’s late night Fox News show.  He played a song (with his drummer playing what looked to be a fully electronic kit), and even mentioned his drunken car crash and how that changed him.  George Jones has one of the sweetest voices in country music, but he sure has gotten old.  My dad saw him in the early 90’s and said even then he looked like death warmed over.  Keep kickin’, George. 

 

Anyway, from the first track on I couldn’t stop marveling at how much the Truckers have matured from album to album.  The songwriting has been consistently strong from the first albums, but song structure, musicality, and the depth and boldness of the storylines have all grown immensely.  On top of that, and to my delight, is their gradual shift to more traditional country song structure and instrumentation (Johnny Neff’s pedal steel), which, in my mind, only adds to their legitimacy and listenability as an alt-country act.  I thought I heard some Telecaster *twang* on the first few albums, but after Southern Rock Opera it sounds like the band’s guitarists picked up the Skynyrd torch and played their humbucker-equipped Gibsons through tall, British-built stacks.  Mike Cooley, to my delight, played a custom-looking Telecaster on this year’s Live at Austin City Limits, which was a nice surprise after having seen him live last wielding a slew of Les Pauls, Flying V’s, and a Firebird II.

Mike Cooley is another standout from this album.  I have come to realize what a secret weapon he is, both as a songwriter & singer (“Where the Devil Don’t Stay,” “Zip City,” “Daddy’s Cup”) and as a chicken-pickin’ country-rock shredder (the entire Austin City Limits discs).  I saw these guys last in 2005 while Jason Isbell was still with them, and I don’t think Cooley was as advanced then as a lead player.  

I was pleased to hear Isbell’s voice and words featured on three of the tracks on Fine Print.  “TVA” is his standout.  And while I’ve read some critics –probably rightfully so– question the existence of yet another Bob Dylan cover, “Like a Rolling Stone” is an important track if for nothing more than sentiment.  Having had four singers in the 2003-2008 period is yet another singularity that sets the Drive-By Truckers apart from other hard-working touring bands.  That, and their colossal, engrossing catalog.

John Engle

A jangly, full, utterly bright timbre tucked away within subdued, depressed chords and fuzzy bass melodies, all played at the slowest tempo possible. The individual strings sometimes sounded like piano wire (a tone I think Mogwai also employs to Slint-dynamic success). This is Codeine’s “The White Birch”, the classic early 90’s indie record and band that pushed the limits of oppressively slow sad-bastard music. And here’s how to make that tone ooze from your very own fingertips!

Steps:
1. Set Telecaster pickup selector to middle position.
2. Turn Twin Reverb bright switch to ‘on’.
3. Em9 chord.

RIP Jamie Lloyd

We’ll miss you, Jamie.

falltime

autumn is my favorite season.

 

some leaves are already falling.

 

a book i liked when i was young was about a small town that was flooded when the river was dammed.  it was fall in the book and i remember reading it in the fall.  i want to hike & backpack in the fall.  my birthday is in the fall.  leaves are beautiful in the fall.  romance happens in the fall.  i remember last fall when we weren’t able to see the trail we were riding on from the leaves.  i remember two years ago when we rode the shenandoah fall foliage festival.  it was beautiful, i was by myself, climbing, breathing cooler air.  that year or the one before we hiked old rag.  this year i’m with jen and we have a to-do list: haunted forest walk, national zoo, hiking old rag, halloween party.  pictures at each.

 

maryland is beautiful in the fall.