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I've decided not to do an official numbered list this year. There are already too many divisive things happening and why divide a group of mainly independent musicians, some of whom struggle to express themselves or to make ends meet or both. That isn't to say there aren't a couple on this list who are more prominent (like Bjork) but I always try to support artists that aren't getting a massive amount of marketing behind them and have a great deal to offer the world. As in every year, I should also continue to put a disclaimer that quite often I find out about an album or a band or musician way after I have created this best of the year review. This happens quite frequently to me so always feel free to share your own favorites with me and to keep in mind if I didn't include one of your favorites, it might be because I just don't know about it.
The Dears: Times Infinity Volume Two
The Dears have been a favorite band of mine now since they released No Cities Left in 2003. Murray Lightburn (pictured in the above photograph) has a voice that is passionate and radiant both. There is such a depth of emotion every time he opens his mouth and a sincerity that hangs on every note. Though melodramatic popular song isn't really a genre of music people talk about, it's how I've always described The Dears because I think it fits. It's interesting how there is both a structure to his songs and yet also an evolution within each of the harmonies and the way his voice works with the voice of his wife, Natalia Yanchak, is pretty phenomenal. These are the deepest riches melodies and harmonies. They create songs you feel deeply so much that you might find even impossible after a few listens to not sing along to. There's such a gravity in the way Lightburn sees and feels each moment and his voice soars so effortlessly in expressing these moments. Well, a huge thank you to this band for existing and giving their best effort and even going on tour again. Incidentally, I have seen The Dears several times throughout the years and was ecstatic to see they are coming back to Schubas Tavern on March 21st, 2018. If you live in the Chicago area, you can find tickets here:
www.lh-st.com/Shows/03-21-2018+The+Dears
Here's a link to the album to listen to (please support all of these artists if you can by buying their life's work):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql73dvnObxk&list=PL3sSbOWtBq7...
Here's a link to their official site:
Incidentally, when I photoblogged about their 2011 album release Degeneration Street being my favorite, that photo became my most viewed photo of all time. This album is still well worth listening to as well and there are several links for this here:
www.flickr.com/photos/kirstiecat/6666672209
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Alvvays: Antisocialities
At first, I was just so annoyed with this band for the two v's thing. I know it sounds silly but I just thought that was too hipster or something but then I realized how clever it actually was when I went to do an actual Google search. Antisocialities is a work of lovely nostalgic feeling pop songs. I don't know why the music reminds me so much of growing up but it really does especially in the production of it. It's a little more polished than their 2014 self titled release but still has the same level of genuineness and feels very comforting and, at the same time, quite catchy.
Link to the album to listen to:
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZqsyBiYZFQ18jd6yFr-eqZGZD...
Official site:
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Jlin: Black Origami
Jerrilynn Patton is a footwork Goddess. Hailing from the unlikely town of Gary, Indiana (though to be fair, the city was the hometown of Michael Jackson/The Jackson Five). Footwork and electronic music in particular is a genre that is heavily male dominated and so it's nice to see how adept a woman like Patton can develop unique and vibrant soundscapes that will challenge all different areas of your brain if you listen via headphones or a decent headphone system...even piecing together and finding an organization spatially in an auditory context to the sounds requires an active sort of listening. I can't think of another album this creative that came out this year. Though I enjoyed Dark Energy from 2015, this is a whole new level of mind blowing amazing consistently throughout the record. Very Highly recommended:
Listen to the whole album here on Bandcamp:
jlin.bandcamp.com/album/black-origami
Official facebook site:
www.facebook.com/jlintheinnovator/
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I initially forgot to include The Magnetic Fields: 50 Song Memoir which is literally a song for each year of Stephin Merritt's life with all kinds of wit and intellectualism. It's not for everyone but, if you like the 69 Love Songs boxset, you'll probably love this one just as much!
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Shannon Wright: Division
I really detest when I am reading a review and the reviewer compares the musician/artist to another well known musician/artist so forgive me for doing so here but Shannon Wright really reminds me of a PJ Harvey that has all the delicate qualities of White Chalk with all the edginess of Rid of Me. There's such an urgency in the way she plays guitar and in her singing style and yet also a deep and rich sense of melody. I recently saw her perform at the Hideout Block Party in Chicago this past fall and was really astounded by how amazing her live performance was as well. Wright captures melody in a way that is haunting and gets into your head more easily than you can get it out of your head but then plays with a sense that she could bring down an entire city of skyscrapers with the power of her guitar. Such an interesting force in the universe-also check out her collaboration with Yann Tiersen.
You can hear some of her songs and watch some of her videos for this and other albums on Youtube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAjW1Hpw364
Official Facebook Site:
www.facebook.com/shannonwrightmusic
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Nhung Nguyen: Ordinary Narrative
Delicate and wondrous is Nguyen's album. There's a real carefulness to each melody and an overall reflective mood that is created. There's nothing ordinary about something as heartfelt as these songs. These mainly piano based instrumental arrangements do show a measure of technical depth but even more so it's the weighing and timing of each note that is important. So, if you are feeling thoughtful and want to meditate or just ponder all of the different moments you've lived, look no further than this album.
Official Bandcamp site:
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William Basinksi: Shadow in Time
Though this album has only two tracks, they are both ones that are brimming like an auditorium, empty for thousands of years and now suddenly filled with the weight of human emotion once again with all of the joys and sorrows that we can fit inside of us. The waves of sound that envelop the listener are cathartic and add a new weight to the air surrounding your head space. You could dance with these notes but it wouldn't be a fast tap. It would instead be a slow languid dance that you would remember for a lifetime. And though you have to wait patiently, the songs also evolve into something that seems mysterious and strange but also makes a lot of sense.
williambasinski.bandcamp.com/album/a-shadow-in-time
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Cinchel: Music For a Wedding
Full disclaimer here that I am married to this human and so I can't help but enjoy so many of the things he creates. Music For a Wedding is, like all of his music, an instrumental (no vocals) work and it has an emotional complexity and depth that brought much joy to the couple it was performed for on their wedding day. It has a great deal to do with the nature of memories but the melodies themselves are rather swirly and like a layered lullaby. I can't help but think of how Brian Eno wrote Music for Airports, for example and this music is for an occasion that shows the breadth of longing two people entering into this point in their relationship might actually feel. This may sound corny but actually there is such a brightness and such a soothing optimism here within the pieces that I think it also works if you aren't in a relationship but want that warm feeling to surround you. This is another great album to meditate to.
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Bjork: Utopia
This definitely seems like the most mainstream release on this list and, though it will do just fine without any additional promotion, I still have to admit I am always a little more than merely captivated by what Bjork still puts out year after year and how she manages to put so many unique sounds together in her songs. This album is definitely one of her brighter ones and one senses that she's in a good place emotionally when you hear these songs. They are astounding in their beauty and her voice seems the most accessible that it has ever been with layering that effectively adds another level of depth along with the instrumentation. It's always really exciting to see where these songs go as they progress and to follow this talented woman.
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Julie Byrne: Not Even Happiness
I left Buffalo, NY in 2001 thinking that just about anywhere else was better but that was before I heard music like Julie Byrne. I went to coffee shops many nights when I studied at university and was subjected to the upstate NY folk singer but none of them could ever hold a candle to Julie Byrne. Buffalo, NY is also the home of Mercury Rev (amazing band!) The Goo Goo Dolls (Oh God, my ears make it stop!) and Ani DiFranco (No, I can't take you to her house.) But there's a splendor in the way that her finger plucking works with her vocals..it's a timeless sound well mastered in this modern age but possessing a timeless quality that makes one think these tracks could have been created decades ago and will stand the test of time long after the apocalypse comes. Perhaps we'll soothe ourselves with remembering glimpses of her melodies and lyrics after all the electricity and our computers and ipads die.
Bandcamp:
juliembyrne.bandcamp.com/album/not-even-happiness
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C. Reider: Listening After the End
Using a mixture of harrowing and delightful sounds, this album takes one through quite an intriguing and sometimes tumultuous sound journey in its two lengthy tracks. There are sounds that make one think of industry and other sounds that make one think of nature being covered with a blanket of static. Between the thuds and the chimes is a kind of wonder of the power of our hearing to change our thoughts and minds and an appreciation of the range of all the sounds one might hear in any day if one only pays attention closely enough. The world is sometimes its own song.
c-reider.bandcamp.com/album/listening-after-the-end
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Juana Molina: Halo
Halo is consistent with Juana's other many stellar albums and offers up her typically innovative song constructions which are quite engaging and filled with sound textures. There's something about her voice that instantly soothes me with its enchanting Spanish lullabies. She has a way of changing up rhythms and mixing up the harmonies she does with herself that is always impressive and makes one long for more . And so, even though there are plenty of amazing Juana Molina albums to choose from already, Halo is a nice edition to the mix and will leave you feeling utterly complete and satiated with sound.
Full record on Bandcamp:
juanamolina.bandcamp.com/album/halo
Official site:
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Vagabon: Infinite Worlds
Strong soul and a sense of delicate lyrics and chords that end up turning out triumphant. The way that Laetitia Tamko sings and composes music expresses a kind of interesting versatility and shows an undeniable talent for pushing the envelope in the indie rock/folk department. The songs are poetic and still pack the kind of punch that forces you to really pay attention to what Tamko is expressing and doing with her music. For as much as it's energetic and engaging, it has its real fragile moments that draw you into the heart of the author. Tamko is indeed a mighty wonder. Also, as a real plus, if you follow Tamko's tweets and some of the mentions in interviews, it appears she might also be vegan! :)
Full record on Bandcamp:
vagabon.bandcamp.com/album/infinite-worlds
Official site:
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Eloïse Decazes / Eric Chenaux: La Bride
Decazes has such a lovely singing voice in her beautiful French. It's a little like Lætitia Sadier of Stereolab (who also put out a solo record this year called Finding me Finding You that is worth checking out) but the music accompaniment is a little stranger and also quite interesting stylistically. There's a solemn and haunting feel to the vocals but an almost sense of ceremony at times to the instruments. Definitely worth checking out if you love French female singers especially!
Some of their music on Bandcamp: eloiisedecazesericchenaux.bandcamp.com/
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Le Berger: A Somewhat Perceptible Transition
Though both of the releases Le Berger put out this year are worth listening to, I tend to prefer this EP length release which has a very warm and organic sound to me. Though it's short, it continues to grow even more on you for further listens and provides a real solace to the soul, which has definitely been needed more than a few times this year. These are gentle fulfilling wonders and gems in our postmodern consciousness searching for a sense of relief.
leberger.bandcamp.com/album/a-somewhat-perceptible-transi...
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Colleen: A Flame My Love, a Frequency
Cécile Schott is a French multi-instrumentalist who creates these intricate little surprises that enhance the collective consciousness of us all. It's impossible not to be enchanted by these treasures and by all of her albums. Like Juana Molina from Argentina, both women have led solid careers that highlight a radiant creativity that doesn't ever seen in short supply. At times, we also hear her lovely voice enveloping us and adding even more to the layers of sound. She's quite the chanteusevapor
colleencolleen.bandcamp.com/album/a-flame-my-love-a-frequ...
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Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Luciferian Towers
Is there any band in the world quite as powerful, as genuinely amazing as GY!BE? It's a tough call. I listen to every one of their albums and, even the ones I've heard several times each year for two decades, like F#A#infinity I am still quite transfixed by. This postmodern orchestra will revive your faith in the creativity of humanity and give you one more reason why the aliens shouldn't destroy the Earth when they ask you from their spaceship. Brilliant and unyielding, the band is as strong as ever with this new release. I'm excited to also see they are returning to Chicago with two nights at the Cabaret Metro March 18th and 19th, 2019. You can buy tickets to see them here: www.etix.com/ticket/p/6046219/godspeed-youblack-emperor-c...
Full album: www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7t049ff9-c
Official website:
*All photos are copyrighted. Please don't use without permission*
April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse. Taken part way through totality – high thin clouds subdued the view of the solar corona, but may have enhanced other features such as the large prominence which was visible to the naked eye.
Macro shots of insects on my back porch taken at night with my 200mm micro lens & flash.
Chicago, Illinois
The two most prominent buildings in Shanghai's famous Bund row. View them large on a black background.
Left: The former Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. This building was built between 1921 and 1923 and has a steel frame with a neo-classical outer style. Reflecting the seasonal variations common to Shanghai, the building was the first in Shanghai to have both heating and cooling systems. After the liberation in 1949 the building became the home of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government until 1995. Now it houses the Pudong Development Bank.
Right: The Customs House was built between 1925 and 1927, replacing a smaller Customs House which stood on the same site. The clock in the tower was the largest in Asia when it was built, its face measuring 5.4 metres in diameter with a 3.17 m long minute hand. It still houses the Shanghai Customs department.
Shot from the Lujiazui Riverside Promenade on the opposite side of the Huangpu River.
To see these two buildings with all their neighbours in a complete Bund panorama, please click here.
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Happy International Women's Day!
I'm way behind with all your streams for which I apologise but I will get there!
Wish you all a wonderful weekend.
Built between 1868 and 1888, this Second Empire and Renaissance Revival-style building was designed by Alfred H. Piquenard of the Chicago-based architecture firm Cochrane and Garnsey to serve as the Illinois State Capitol, replacing the then-31 year old former state capitol in the middle of Downtown Springfield, which had become inadequately sized for the rapidly growing population of the state. The 361 foot (110 meter) tall building, the tallest non-skyscraper legislative building in the United States, is the sixth building to serve as the Illinois State House. The capitol stands on the tallest natural point of land within the city of Springfield, and is the most prominent feature of the skyline of the city. The building features limestone exterior walls, with mansard and gabled roofs and a dome clad in zinc, a tall drum with arched and oxeye window bays, a lantern atop the dome, corinthian columns and pilasters, rustication at the base of the building, double-hung windows, two-story porticoes at the eastern and northern facade of the building, porticoes at the lower level of the drum below the dome, stone balustrades, and dormers at the mansard roofs. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. The building was restored and had its systems updated during a renovation in 2011, and as of 2023, is undergoing a major renovation to its north wing, which will restore this portion of the building and further update the building’s internal systems.
Camera: Voigtländer Prominent (ca. 1953)
Lens: Voigtländer Ultron 2/50mm at f 11
Film: Rollei Superpan 200 in Rodinal
Digitized with a Panasonic Lumix GH4
Motorcycle: Adler M2011, german one cylinder two stroke. 200cc ,built in 1954
I am very pleased with the pictures of the Voigtländer Prominent i bought about a week ago for 45 € with the wonderful Ultron 2/50mm lens. As you can see the camera works fine and the Superpan 200 (also a first try for me) offers quite a pleasant tonality and grain
photo rights reserved by B℮n
Tbilisi is the capital and largest city of Georgia, located in the eastern part of the country along the banks of the Kura River. The city has a rich history that spans over 1,500 years and has been influenced by various cultures and civilizations over the centuries. The old part of Tbilisi, known for its charming architecture and unique atmosphere, is one of the most fascinating areas of the city. The minaret of the Juma Mosque is architecturally significant and reflects the influences of both Persian and Ottoman architectural styles. The mosque is built of red bricks and has beautiful arched entrances and windows. The interior is richly decorated with Islamic art and calligraphy. The baths in the center of the city are a major historical and cultural attraction. These baths, mostly known as the sulphur baths, are located in the Abanotubani district. The history of the sulphur baths dates back to the founding of Tbilisi itself in the 5th century. According to legend, King Vakhtang I Gorgasali came across the hot springs during a hunting trip, which led to the founding of the city. The baths were influenced by oriental bathing culture, similar to the hamams in Turkey and the bathhouses in Iran. The bathhouses have characteristic domed roofs, which are partly underground to keep the heat in. These roofs are often covered with bricks and small windows. Inside, the baths are tiled with mosaics and have several rooms, including private bathrooms and communal areas. The water in the baths contains a high level of sulphur, which is said to have medicinal properties. The water comes naturally warm from the ground. The sulphur baths are praised for their health benefits, such as relieving skin conditions, muscle pain and arthritis. Historically, the baths played an important role as social gathering places. People came here not only to bathe, but also to chat, relax and do business.
The baths in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, are a major historical and cultural attraction. These baths, mostly known as the sulfur baths, are located in the Abanotubani district. Historically, the baths played an important role as social gathering places. People came here not only to bathe but also to chat, relax, and conduct business. Today, the baths are a popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors from all over the world who want to enjoy a traditional sulfur bath experience. King Erekle's bath has been operating since the 18th century. Initially, it was the private bath of the famous King Erekle II, but it is now open to everyone. The small river that flows through the Tbilisi Botanical Garden, called the Tsavkisis-Tskali, also flows past Erekle's bath. The Tbilisi Juma Mosque has a prominent minaret that forms an important part of the skyline of the old city. A striking aspect of the Tbilisi Juma Mosque is that both Shia and Sunni Muslims use the mosque together. This is quite unusual, as these two major branches of Islam usually have their own prayer halls. The shared use of the mosque is a symbol of religious tolerance and harmony in Tbilisi.
Tbilisi is de hoofdstad en grootste stad van Georgië, gelegen in het oosten van het land aan de oevers van de rivier de Koera. De stad heeft een rijke geschiedenis die meer dan 1.500 jaar teruggaat en heeft door de eeuwen heen vele invloeden ondergaan van diverse culturen en beschavingen. Het oude gedeelte van Tbilisi, bekend om zijn charmante architectuur en unieke sfeer, is een van de meest fascinerende delen van de stad. De baden in het centrum van de stad zijn een belangrijke historische en culturele trekpleister. Deze baden, vooral bekend als de zwavelbaden, zijn gelegen in de wijk Abanotubani. De geschiedenis van de zwavelbaden gaat terug tot de oprichting van Tbilisi zelf in de 5e eeuw. Volgens de legende stuitte koning Vakhtang I Gorgasali op de warmwaterbronnen tijdens een jachtpartij, wat leidde tot de stichting van de stad. De baden werden beïnvloed door de oosterse badcultuur, vergelijkbaar met de hamams in Turkije en de badhuizen in Iran. De badhuizen hebben kenmerkende koepelvormige daken, die deels ondergronds zijn om de warmte binnen te houden. Het water komt natuurlijk warm uit de grond. De zwavelbaden worden geprezen om hun gezondheidsvoordelen, zoals het verlichten van huidaandoeningen, spierpijn en artritis. Historisch gezien speelden de badhuizen een belangrijke rol als sociale ontmoetingsplaatsen. Mensen kwamen hier niet alleen om te baden, maar ook om te praten, te ontspannen en zaken te doen. De Tbilisi Juma Moskee heeft een prominente minaret die een belangrijk onderdeel vormt van de skyline van de oude stad. De minaret van de Juma Moskee is architectonisch significant en weerspiegelt de invloeden van zowel Perzische als Ottomaanse bouwstijlen. De moskee is gebouwd met rode bakstenen en heeft mooie boogvormige ingangen en ramen. Het interieur is rijkelijk gedecoreerd met islamitische kunst en kalligrafie. Een opvallend aspect van de Tbilisi Juma Moskee is dat zowel Sjiitische als Soennitische moslims deze moskee gezamenlijk gebruiken. Dit is vrij ongebruikelijk, aangezien deze twee grote takken van de islam doorgaans hun eigen gebedsruimten hebben. De gezamenlijke gebruik van de moskee staat symbool voor religieuze tolerantie en harmonie in Tbilisi.
the Week is the spiral galaxy NGC 2566, which sits 76 million light-years away in the constellation Puppis. A prominent bar of stars stretches across the centre of this galaxy, and spiral arms emerge from each end of the bar. Because NGC 2566 appears tilted from our perspective, its disc takes on an almond shape, giving the galaxy the appearance of a cosmic eye.
As NGC 2566 gazes at us, astronomers gaze right back, using Hubble to survey the galaxy’s star clusters and star-forming regions. The Hubble data are especially valuable for studying stars that are just a few million years old; these stars are bright at the ultraviolet and visible wavelengths to which Hubble is sensitive. Using these data, researchers will measure the ages of NGC 2566’s stars, helping to piece together the timeline of the galaxy’s star formation and the exchange of gas between star-forming clouds and stars themselves.
Several other astronomical observatories have examined NGC 2566, including the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope. The Webb data complement this Hubble image, adding a view of NGC 2566’s warm, glowing dust to Hubble’s stellar portrait. At the long-wavelength end of the electromagnetic spectrum, NGC 2566 has also been observed by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). ALMA is a network of 66 radio telescopes that work together as one to capture detailed images of the clouds of gas in which stars form. Together, Hubble, Webb and ALMA provide an overview of the formation, lives and deaths of stars in galaxies across the Universe.
[Image Description: An oval-shaped spiral galaxy. Its core is a compact, glowing blue spot. A bright bar of light, lined with dark reddish dust, extends horizontally to the edge of the disc. A spiral arm emerges from each end of the bar and follows the edge of the disc, lined with blue and red glowing patches of stars, to the opposite end and a little off the galaxy. Blue stars are scattered between us and the galaxy.]
Credits: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker; CC BY 4.0
Voigtlander Prominent II
Film Ilford FP4+
w/ posemeter Sekonic Twinmate L-208
scanning from 35mm negative
..a sunny day
Camera Voigtlander Prominent II
Letter boxes, Chicago Board of Trade building. which is considered an art deco masterpiece. The art deco motif is prominent throughout the entire building.
Prominent Las Vegas store selling high-end art, jewelry & collectibles in an opulent atmosphere.
Located in: The Grand Canal Shoppes
Address: 3377 S Las Vegas Blvd #2060, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR, Boyton Beach Fl
The whip like projections are really its anal prolegs which are curled up over the body and flung about when alarmed. Its also capable of spraying acid from a gland on the venter of the first thoracic segment.
North Antrim - July 2025. I see this species much less frequently than the Lesser Swallow Prominent. Usually I only see one or two a year locally, so it was nice to have this one in the garden recently.
Three Legged Cross, East Dorset
Pebble Prominent [Notodonta ziczac] - 71.013
LEPIDOPTERA > Notodontidae (Prominents and allies) >
Notodontinae
I went searching for puss moth cats again and failed again, but instead I found three caterpillars that were new to me on sallow. A little research suggests they are pebble prominents, given their binomial by none other than Linnaeus himself, calling them ziczac because of the zig-zag pose typical of the larva of this species of moth.