Blog — Page 68 of 278

Beethoven: A life

University of California Press

There is no shortage of books dedicated to the life of a composer whose legacy has never ceased to reverberate and impact music at large. Released to commemorate the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of his birth, what sets this biography apart in terms of authority is partly due to the unprecedented access Beethoven-Haus Bonn has granted for this tome. The other contributing factor is due to the author Jan Caeyers is both a musician as well as a scholar, who dedicated his professional life to the study of Beethoven.

The result is a complex and nuanced examination of not only Beethoven’s oeuvre, but his private life, trials and tribulations, which via meticulous analysis offers new insights into how it all contributed and how he transitioned to become the artistic icon we have come to appreciate.

Eloquent, accessible even for the uninitiated and engaging in nature, Caeyers expertly highlights not only how Beethoven was changed and influenced by his circumstances and both the political and philosophical status quo, but how he eventually impacted the trajectory of history and redefined music.

By incorporating different and at times opposing viewpoints, Caeyers’ succinct elaborations are a rewarding and eminently readable addition to the Ludwig van Beethoven biographical canon, as they present an intriguing and never glorifying perspective of what talent can achieve if backed by determination, hard work and a deluge of passion can achieve in music.

Beyond Reason: Wagner contra Nietzsche  

University of California Press

It is a known fact that Friedrich Nietzsche adored Richard Wagner and his oeuvre.

Karol Berger examines the relationship by structuring his tome in four major parts. Starting with a prologue focussing on Wagner’s principal worldviews, the author takes an objective approach by critically evaluating the merits of Wagner’s emissions at face value level, to then carve out his well-researched interpretations and arrives at interesting conclusions, such as e.g. the claim that Nietzsche’s Wagnerian takeaways are partly based on misunderstandings, especially when it comes to the ideology that the music dramas have been infused with. 

Things get interesting when Karol Berger digs into the dramaturgy of Wagner’s compositions and positions them within the canon of a range of school of thoughts, as he arrives at the conclusion that the relationship between Nietzsche and Wagner and how it is commonly perceived is fundamentally flawed.

No matter if you harbour an appreciation for either of the two protagonists, Beyond Reason is worth an investment for Karol Berger’s knife-sharp insight and brilliant and well-researched arguments.

A fascinating read.

Water of Life – Limeburners and Earp Distillery

Over the last ten years, Australia has firmly established itself on the map of nations that produce quality malt whiskies. Slowly but steadily, rye whiskies created on terra australis have been making a splash on the scene with quite a few distilleries crafting their own incarnations of American style rye whiskey.

I favourite Australian rye whisky of mine is Tiger Snake, which we covered in a previous instalment so needless to say, I was enthused to learn that two new variants have been released, each of which promised to be taste-intensive expressions from a long way off.

Tiger Snake’s Eye of the Tiger clocks in at a punchy 55% ABV and being a marriage of rye and pale malts along with the fact that the twice distilled result has matured in a melange of old and new American oak casks, it promised to be a multi-layered experience.

What tickles the nostrils upon approach is on the sweeter end of the spectrum, with citrussy vanilla nuances being dominant, backed by lemon grassy highlights.

On the palate things get interesting as the malt characteristics come to the fore, carried by what the nose promised in terms of vanilla but upping the ante with spicy nutmeg, hints of pickles, counterpointed by oaky rye notes.

The finish of this small batch shows the refined way the drop has been matured with grainy, chewy sweetness and floral notes leaving their imprint. If you like Tiger Snake or rye whiskies in general, this should definitely make your must-try list.

Now, things get exciting with the next expression, i.e. Tiger Snake Cask Strength. 

Based on a mash bill comprised of malted barley, rye and corn and a similar maturation process as the aforementioned Rye of the Tiger, the first aromas one catches upon approach are of herbaceous nature.  In many aspects, it feels like additional facets to the core version are added with vanilla being dominant, yet flanked by silage, citrus notes and spicy-peppery highlights.

On the top of the mouth, sweetness reigns supreme before morphing into oaky rye, toffee and brown sugary territory.

The elongated finish is a beauty as it weaves its way traversing herbal, sweet and finely balanced spicy territory.

A wonderfully rich expression, with each batch being based on a single cask and an average age of seven to ten years.

Now, Limeburners Directors Cut series is the crème de la crème of what the distillery has to offer, with expressions being curated by their master distillers and chosen for their exquisite quality and outstanding taste and aroma.

I was majorly excited to be able to try a peated version at cask strength, i.e. 61% ABV from barrel M354. 

Hand distilled in small batches and peat smoked with had foraged peat sourced from the Valley of the Giants in Albany, Western Australia, to then mature in second fill American and finished in a Sherry oak cask,  this is exactly the decadent flavour bomb one could hope for.

I usually prefer sipping whiskies neat, but with a few drops of water this baby starts to really sing as a world of nuanced flavour is unleashed adding malty and oaky nuances to the initially spicy and fruity notes. What I love about this expression is the subtle smokiness that is the cherry on top of a drop which is to be savoured with each sniff and sip. 

Another true Limeburners masterpiece.

Let’s travel from Western Australia back to Australia’s east coast, Newcastle to be specific:

Earp Distilling Co. evolved from the business George Frederick Earp founded well over one hundred years ago and saw the family business transition from being purveyors of goods to becoming creators and infuse the world of distilling with their family values.

From the get go, Earp Distilling’s approach has been to doing things differently and taking things to the next level in the process. Questioning the norms of traditional distilling, Earp focussed on creating their stills from high-quality, chemically inactive stainless steel instead of copper and setting it up so they can be run in different modes with coils to create reflux when needed, which enabled them to not have to relegate to one spirit but the option to create anything no matter if it is gin, run, whisky or liqueurs.

Earp’s set up not only ensure a stable distillation run, but more control over the consistent calibration of flavour nuances, with the added benefit that the innovative design aids to operate in a much more energy efficient manner.

Paying homage to the deities of the Greek antic with the nomenclature of their stills, Earp Distilling derives inspiration from Greek mythology and gives it contemporary relevance when it comes to how they channel their alchemy in distilling.

My first exposure to Earp’s creations was their marriage of their No. 8 Dry Gin and a six week maturation period in vintage Hunter Valley fortified casks. What tickled the nostrils was a lovely, piney aromatic scent with highlights of floral, slightly tart nuances. On the palate, juniper is the backbone on which mild, creamy cinnamon flavours blend in with cardamon, coriander and a culmination in a tangy and crisp sherried finish.

A fantastic gin infused with unique flavour nuances from the fortified casks, which gives an indication of Earp’s expertise when it comes to leveraging their long-standing relationships with leading cooperages and the sourcing of quality oak. Given that Earp seems to have a veritable arsenal of barrels ranging from Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez via ex-Bourbon to Australian vintage casks, I cannot wait for them to release their first whiskey expression.

Now, things get interesting with a spirit that is not too often found on terra australis, i.e. absinthe.

Clocking in at 60% ABV, Earp’s Absinthe Minded expression signifies their descent into the debauched backwater of bohemian times.

Based on the traditional foundation of wormwood, Earp’s delicate infusion of botanicals not only infuse the mysterious spirit with a pink hue but nice lemony, cinnamon and fennel highlights. While the traditional French absinthe ritual is fun, it speaks volumes about Earl’s refined approach that the involvement of a sugar cub is not a necessity, as sipping neat with a bit of water to trigger the louche effect is enjoyable as well.

The fact that Earp Distilling’s creations come in aesthetically appealing ceramic bottles to pay homage to the family’s core business they started out with, does not hurt either.

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images from company websites

The Formative Years – Rugby and Canterbury

I’ve covered the mecca that Washington DC proved to be as a hotbed for hardcore and punk as part of this series before, however, missed to shed light onto one of my favourite releases from the 1980s era, i.e. the vitally important split LP of the short-lived bands The Faith and Void. 

While The Faith channelled a leaner version of their 70ies punk roots and infused them with their idiosyncratic melodic and emotionally tinged edge to hint at what later on evolved in form of bands like Rites of Spring, Void was the wonderfully mayhemic and chaotic counterpart.

To this day Void remains one of my favourite hardcore bands as ever since I first heard them, their dissatisfaction with the status quo of suburbia resonated with me, especially as a juvenile delinquent. While I loved sports like soccer, Void’s “Organized Sports” nailed it as far as my sentiments of jock like behaviour and elitist club culture were concerned. 

On the German front, Karl Nagel’s attempt at channelling his own version of the Bad Brains with his first band Preussens Gloria delivered the Teutonic equivalent with their “Rugby” 7”.

Funnily, it the same year that I acquired the aforementioned sarcastic “Rugby” 7”, I was introduced to one of the variants of gridiron football during a school trip to Edinburgh. While I was sceptical and dismissive, once I immersed myself in the game, I  fell in love with the game not merely for the resilience and strength building benefits but for the camaraderie, team effort and sense of togetherness it fostered.

Fast forward two decades and I found myself in a country where rugby union is hardwired into its national psyche, i.e. New Zealand. 

Through local contacts I was lucky enough to be invited to participate training sessions of local teams in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch plus I witnessed New Zealand’s national team, the awe inspiring All Blacks incarnate on home turf, of which all players need to have their Māori ancestry verified before selection in the team. 

These impressive experiences only deepened my appreciation for the sport, which I eventually commenced on terra australis.

Gear-wise, a rugged and uncompromising sport like rugby demands crafted products that are built to last, which I found represented in the brand known as Canterbury. 

While I found other sports brands to look fashionable, Canterbury’s point of difference has always been that they invest the time to investigate the nature of rugby in a borderline forensic manner and learn directly from the players as to what is needed on the pitch.

The result of Canterbury’s investment in precisely crafted gear culminates in technical innovations like layered bases, loop necks and rubber buttons, which are not only geared towards optimisation of performance but have become an integral component of their product range, while still preserving a respect for the history, DNA and tradition of the sport. 

With Canterbury’s collection expanding beyond match day gear for rugby, I found their training kits with their focus on comfort and freedom of movement to be optimal for other sports as well and, e.g. for running and gym related exercise.

The fact that Canterbury’s designs are easy on the eye and stylish in a contemporary sense without falling prey to the necessity to create loud and declamatory designs does not hurt either, au contraire - their subtle casual range lends itself well to be worn in public without running danger of looking like a chav.

Essentially , Canterbury and the gear they produce caters to every facet of the community and thereby embodies the inclusiveness not only of rugby, but the essence of qualities that bands like Void set out to fight for.

The Formative Years – Hardcore classics pt. 1

With ZAP magazine playing a pivotal role in promoting and covering everything New York Hardcore related in a pro-active and prominent manner, Europe and specifically Germany have always been prime markets for hardcore emanating from the Big Apple. 
The result was that “NYHC” became a veritable label and trademark and almost guaranteed especially in the early to mid-1990s that the bands being categorized under it the opportunity to instantaneously tour Europe and find a captive audience ready to lap up their musical emissions and releases.

Agnostic Front had firmly established their deserved standing as one of the all-time greats on the firmament of hardcore bands, and when Madball released its first 7”s in 1989 and 1992 with Roger Miret’s little brother on vocal duties, at the time it seemed like an interesting side-project band not much more than that.

Everything changed in 1994 when stars aligned and the conglomerate comprised of singer Freddy Cricien, bassist Hoya Roc, drummer Will Shepler and guitarists Vinnie Stigma and Matt Henderson created something much bigger than the sum of the constituents would suggest, i.e. one of the musically tightest hardcore records I have heard to this day. Released via Roadrunner Records, one was initially suspicious that it could be a tamed, sterile mass compatible major label release, but the final result could not have been further from that.

Set it Off encompassed the epitome of the pre-gentrification New York - both musically and lyrically. 

Sonically, the production was calibrated at the perfect level and set new standards for powerful hardcore records – it was snotty, yet beefy and crisp.  It highlighted Matt Henderson’s bouncy, chug-rhythmic riffing and momentous breakdowns backed by Shepler’s bouncy drumming and seamlessly blended in Cricien’s vocals with their idiosyncratic hip hop tinge, which infused the record with a choppy groovyness without ever running danger of lacking in rawness and aggression.

A landmark record and milestone of 1990s hardcore.

The Formative Years - Ebullition Records 

The first time I heard about Ebullition Records was when there was talk around the campfire of that a gentleman that was known to me as a Maximum Rock’n’roll / No Answer zine contributor, i.e. Kent McClard, was planning to release a full length of one of my favourite bands from Orange County, California, i.e. Inside Out. Having evolved from the more rudimentary Hard Stance, Inside Out channelled everything I love about hardcore from NYC and DC as they further infused it with their idiosyncratic skewed riffing and the way Zack de la Rocha delivered his manically sincere lyrics.

Unfortunately the full length on Ebullition Records never came to fruition and Inside Out released its only 7” on Revelation Records instead , however, it put Ebullition Records firmly on my radar and when the first release on the label saw the light of day, I was not disappointed: Downcast’s fantastic debut 7” “Hate comes easy” set the tone. Accompanied by the ninth issue of No Answers zine, it was the perfect combo to herald the advent of Ebullition Records and unleash an array of genre-coining releases by bands that stylistically traversed territory between screamo, emo and contemporary hardcore punk, with the common denominator being a commitment to DIY ethics.

Having honed his craft by writing for MRR and No Answers, Ebullition Records eventually launched its own fanzine Hearattack in 1994, which was not only affordable and served as a thought provoking forum to not only introduce the labels’ new bands and releases, but the label’s ethos and quickly ascended to become a veritable mouthpiece and thinktank for a new wave of bands and that set out to counteract the commercialisation and infiltration of punk in the wake of Nirvana’s success.

Meeting some of the protagonists on trips to the US and during the first European tours of Ebullition Records’ bands only intensified my interest along with the fact that Kent McClard took a hardline stance against distributing his or other records with barcodes to not have his releases become available through mainstream chain stores, which necessitated for the listener to find Ebullition Records and its bands as it deliberately operated off the grid in a bid to keep unwanted mainstream attention out of the picture and keep things within a self-defined microcosm.