More than a fifth of all “austerity generation” UK children scarred by poverty.
Children bear the human cost of refusal to tax corporations and super rich.
Tories want to reimpose the two child benefit cap to fund defence. Reform want to do the same to cut price of a pint of beer.
Competition regulator allows additional 2% -4% increase in England water bills on appeal.
Regulators side with industry.
Companies to collect more money from captive customers, dump sewage in rivers, pay dividends, exorbitant exec pay.
Rip-off continues. Who protects people?
Ah, Amsterdam, never change.
The Ig Nobel awards (for science that makes you laugh and think at the same time) have traditionally been given in the US but this year they are moving because of concerns about safety of winners and journalists from Trumps regime
Original post: social.coop/@afewbugs/11...
Well, that's it for this Album Party. I enjoyed Tool's music. Read they are 'prog metal'. That's not a thing I'd heard of.
I like that they have a clear articistic voice - videos, rhythms, themes, etc. that are interesting but not mass appeal. I like when people are genuine instead of conformist.
Picking it up again today to finish off this #AlbumParty. Shouldn't take me too long to listen to this last album and the compose my reflections.
Another fine album. Quality. No complaints. But no strong memories of these songs from formative life periods, so they don't hook me like earlier albums.
Nevertheless, I persist. Fear Inoculum from 2019. Probably won't finish this today so will pick it up again and share final thoughts on Monday.
Maybe I need to listen to Lateralus more, but I didn't really recognise anynthing apart from "Schism" off that album.
Now, onto 10,000 Days from 2006.
Obviously, "Schism" is an amazing song ... track ... art moment ... Whatever you want to call it.
But I remember being absolutely tickled by this little video about how to clap along with "Schism". www.instagram.com/p/DK7VBHzAh2o/
"Third Eye" wrapped up Ænima strongly - almost 14 minutes of empassioned religious ephiphany... or something.
Now playing Lateralus from 2001. Starting off with "The Grudge" at over 8 and a half minutes. No actual criticism, but it doesn't speak to me the way other songs do.
The title track Ænima is so incredibly dynamic. It SOUNDS like movement.
Is there a word for that? The closest I can think of is onomatopoeia, which is a word that sounds a bit like its meaning (e.g. words like whoosh or sizzle).
Do you get what I mean? Or am I just being synaesthetic at you all?
I love that Die Eier von Satan is a really metal sounding song that is just a recipe for hash cookies in German.
Now Ænima, 1996. Tool had amicably switched bassists.
My favourite album? Lenticular album cover was FASCINATING. I live the contrast between spoken/softly sung parts & crashing noise.
Everthing feels driven inexorably by bass. A mixing effect makes the music sound like its moving toward or away.
Now playing "Sober" and watching the video. Same creepy stop motion, distorted figures video.
It is fascinatingly ugly, presumably on purpose. I'd say they did a great job.
This song, and also I guess the video. give me that horripilaton feeling. Love it.
I'd not seen the "Prison Sex" video. Per Wikipedia, it was quickly pulled as "too graphic". Probably more about the lyrics (which cover CSA) than the creepy stop motion, distorted, mechanical figures video.
Evyrone is now dealing with how discomfort around CSA lead to not silence instead of action.
That was fast. As expected from an EP. It was fine. The tracks were solid, obviously sounded like Tool because of Maynard's voice.
Only "Opiate" had the kind of rolling, discombobulating rhythms I think of as a Tool song. Also, it was over 8 minutes. Classic Tool.
Now onto Undertow from 1993.
Technically, I guess Opiate is an EP rather than an album but since there are not actually a huge number of Tool albums, I am going to include it.
Decided to do another #AlbumParty which is when I listen to all the studio albums from an artist or band in chronological order, no shuffling.
Today, Tool. Starting with Opiate from 1992.
Every news story is now “State Senator Randy Pervert (R-Springfield) was indicted on 8 counts of lewd behavior with a child under 12 and has been put on paid leave from his two jobs as Border Patrol liaison and youth pastor at First Presbyterian (PCA) where parishioners say they were ‘blindsided.’”
I liked Saviours & will try to play it again.
There's clear development in the 30+ years of Green Day. I liked them in the early 90's. I like them now. I've carried them with me through a lot of change and will continue to do so.
Now, can watch a video of their Super Bowl performance?
So far, pretty good. I think I could very well get into this album in a big way. Bobby Sox stood out. We'll see what the rest of the album has.
Sorry all. I didn't finish my Green Day AlbumParty last week. Father of All Motherfuckers deserves another listen, but my headache prevented me from really giving it my full attention.
Nevertheless, I am skipping a few re-releases, live albums, etc. and starting Saviours (from 2024) this morning.
So, nothing called out to me on Revolution Radio. It was fine. Now onto Father of All Motherfuckers from 2020.
Forgot to say that I really enjoyed ¡Tre! and will need to give it more attention in the future. "Missing You", "Dirty Rotten Bastards" and "99 Revolutions" all stood out as good songs.
OK. I'm skipping Demolicious (from 2014) as it's mostly alternative versions ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tre! songs.
Now on to Revolution Radio from 2016. I don't think I know this album at all. I had just made an international move and was a bit dazzled by all the change. Hooray for learning new things!
Finished ¡Dos!. Again, nice enough. Probably some songs I could get really into if I set out to listen to it a bunch. But nothing really moved me in the moment.
Now, ¡Tre!. Still from 2012. That is a big output for one year.
Can only recall* Kill the DJ today.
I finished ¡Uno! yesterday and it was fine. A few songs stood out, but I can only Kill the DJ today.
Today, I start with ¡Dos!, also from 2012. I think I can finish this today.
I think I may need to specifically listen to 21st Century Breakdown again. But for now, on to ¡Uno! from 2012.