#but the beauty of polish artistic education

[szczurherbacany]

still in the trenches, now with the realization that i no longer know how to use charcoal

[guiltyonsundays]

In defence of Will Ladislaw

George Eliot's characterisation of Will Ladislaw is one of the few aspects of Middlemarch that is not universally praised, with no less a person than Henry James commenting in 1873 that he lacked “sharpness of outline and depth of color”, making him the novel’s “only eminent failure.” And while Will's character is certainly not as clearly defined as some of the other characters in the novel, I believe that this was absolutely intentional on Eliot's part. Middlemarch is full to the brim of characters who believe they know exactly what they want—not least among them, our two protagonists, Dorothea Brooke and Tertius Lydgate, whose ardent ambitions and inflexible attitudes lead them into catastrophic errors of judgement and unhappy marriages.

By contrast, Will's lack of strongly defined goals and his changeability are almost his defining character traits. He's aimless and pliable, prone to rapid mood swings and drastic career changes, with even his physical features seeming to "chang[e] their form; his jaw looked sometimes large and sometimes small; and the little ripple in his nose was a preparation for metamorphosis. When he turned his head quickly his hair seemed to shake out light."

Will’s inscrutability is closely tied to his ambiguous status within the rigid class structure and xenophobic society of Victorian England, with his Polish ancestry and “rebellious blood on both sides” making him a target for suspicion. He is repeatedly aligned (and aligns himself) with oppressed, marginalised, and outcast populations—Jewish people, artists, and the poor.

He serves as a narrative foil for characters like Lydgate and Edward Casaubon, who prioritise specialist expertise above all and are consequently incapable of broad knowledge synthesis. He critiques Casaubon's life's work as being "thrown away, as so much English scholarship is, for want of knowing what is being done by the rest of the world." By contrast, Will serves as Eliot's defence of the value of a liberal education. One of the first things that we learn about him is that he declines to choose a vocation, and instead seeks to travel widely, experiencing diverse cultures and ways of life. He has broad tastes and interests, trying his hand at poetry and painting before eventually pursuing a career in politics.

He also functions as a narrative foil for Dorothea. Will is initially apathetic to politics, whereas Dorothea initially professes herself to be disinterested in art and beauty. This is perfectly encapsulated in their exchange in Rome, when Dorothea declares, "I should like to make life beautiful—I mean everybody's life. And then all this immense expense of art, that seems somehow to lie outside life and make it no better for the world, pains one", to which Will replies, "You might say the same of landscape, of poetry, of all refinement [...] The best piety is to enjoy—when you can [...] I suspect that you have some false belief in the virtues of misery, and want to make your life a martyrdom.”

By the end of the novel, Dorothea unlearns some of her puritanical suspicion of sensual pleasure, whereas Will becomes more serious, compassionate, and politically engaged, dedicating his life to the accomplishment of humane political reforms. They are both flawed individuals, who ultimately become more well rounded through their relationship with each other. Admittedly, Dorothea's influence on Will is more significant than his on her—and once again, I believe that this was intentional on Eliot's part.

In my opinion, the negative response to Will Ladislaw at the time of Middlemarch's publication (and in the centuries since) was and is profoundly informed by gendered expectations of masculine dominance in romantic relationships. Will's marriage to Dorothea has often been described as disappointing, with many readers and critics viewing the ambitious Lydgate as the embodiment of the ideal husband that Dorothea outlines at the beginning of the novel—a talented man engaged in important work for the betterment of humanity, to whom she can devote herself.

However, one of the central themes of the novel is that people are often mistaken in their beliefs about what they want, and Dorothea's marriage to Edward Casaubon certainly demonstrates that she would not in fact be happy living her life in submission to a man who does not respect her opinions. I firmly believe that Lydgate's misogynistic attitudes and expectations would have made it impossible for him to be happy in a marriage of equals with a woman like Dorothea. He is explicitly drawn to Rosamond Vincy because she has "just the kind of intelligence one would desire in a woman—polished, refined, docile."

By contrast, George Eliot made a deliberate choice to pair Dorothea with a man who is not ashamed to be influenced by her, and indeed looks up to her as his moral superior. Through Dorothea's influence, Will discovers his life's work. In turn, by marrying Will, Dorothea is able to pursue her true passion. As a result of their influence on each other, these come to mean the same thing—reform. Thus, George Eliot grants Dorothea Brooke a subversively feminist, politically progressive, and profoundly cathartic ending: a life of companionate marriage, sensual pleasure, and meaningful work, in which Dorothea can devote herself (within the limited means available to her as a woman in the 19th century) to the achievement of just and compassionate reforms that "make life beautiful" for everybody—herself included.

[plunderherz]

I wrote a few days ago that I am currently researching Adèle de la Prunarède. And I've actually found something. Something really cool. This post will be extremely long.

I always found it strange that you could find less about a woman who obviously had a reputation and was also a duchess than about my relatively boring peasant ancestors from the Polish hinterland. I haven't worked professionally in the historical sector for a long time, but I do a lot of genealogical research for myself and others...and sometimes the search for clues gets to me ;) I simply love it.

Besides, there seem to be only two pictures of her. A portrait and a miniature. The latter belonged to Liszt and is now in the Liszt Museum in Bayreuth:

There is always the same information about Adèle in Liszt biographies, most of which quote Lina Ramann (sometimes even word for word): ‘But in the Parisian salons Cupid was the charming, the flirting, and seldom the ‘terrible god!’ as Theocritus called him; his arrows did not always cling and wounded, and they struck only a few fatally. One of them, however, stuck more firmly than the others. It came from the witty and coquettish Comtesse Adèle Laprunarède (née de Chelèrd), the future Duchesse de Fleury, who sought to compensate herself in the elegant circles of the faubourg Saint Germain for the boredom she might feel in the country at the side of the already very aged Count, her husband-and she was still so young, so beautiful, so full of life, so esprit-talented!

It was not this arrow, it is true, but it was firm enough for a winter's length to lure him away from Paris to the castle-like castle in the Alps, where she lived with the count. Here he spent several months, probably a whole winter, alone with him and his young wife, as well as with an aunt of the latter, who was already old—a double prisoner. For not only did the fiery eyes, the coquettish, cheerful manner, and the literary and educated spirit of the Countess Laprunaréde hold him under their spell, but outside the weather was stormy, the winds howled, and the snow fell in masses. All the roads were covered with snow, and the inhabitants of the castle lived out of reach of others, like fairytale princes and princesses in an enchanted palace stared at ice, and waited for the spring whose warm breath was to unlock its closed doors. Inside, however, it was secret. The fireside crackled and crackled, and its sparks mingled with the sparkling verbal battles that sprang from golden youthfulness and sparkling fires of love. – They laughed, joked, read, made music. And when the approaching spring kissed snow and ice away from doors and streets, the young artist wandered back to Paris, his heart filled with the romance of love.An eager correspondence now developed between him and the countess—Liszt's first "higher stylistic exercises in the French language," as he later jokingly called it to us. In Paris, however, nothing was known of this tête-a-tête. His heroes preserved the deepest silence—the veil of sweet mystery."

Didn't @franzliszt-official himself dictate this to her beautifully? ;)

Other sources also state that Adèle was 15 years older than Liszt and that it was she who made him a man.

Unfortunately, I can't say anything about the latter (a pity really ;)), but I can say something about her date of birth. According to Généalogie 62 / Généalogie de la Famille Quarre, Adèle Joséphine Vivante Quarre de Chelers was born on 1st February 1808 in Chelers, Pas-de-Calais. That makes her 3 years older than Franz, but that's probably not as wicked as 15 ;) Her father has been a "Capitaine au 2ème Régiment de Carabiniers", her mother an English lady.

Then she married Fulcrand Henri Marie Eugène de Benoist de la Prunarède in 1827, who was 47 when Franz entered the winterly scene in Marlioz, which makes him not exactly as "elderly" as described by anyone else.

Then we meet Adèle again and again in the correspondence between Franz and Marie D'Agoult. Marie receives all the old letters that were exchanged between him and Adèle. Franz often has to justify himself. The de Laprunarède always hangs in the air between them, and at first I always thought: ‘My goodness, Marie, give it a rest now.’ In between, Adéle also turns up in Geneva, there's a juicy story about a riding crop and, at the end, Marie realises with satisfaction that Franz thinks she's somehow got fat.

That was the basis. And then I started searching both at Gallica and in the BNF's main archive. I found a court session from 1848 that left me open-mouthed. I then rang my French friend and asked her if I had understood everything correctly. I did. The whole text can be found here.

And I would like to sincerely apologise to Marie. This is way more than ‘Uh, you banged my boy, I'm jealous.’ Here's the short summary: Adéle was adopted and very protected as a young lady to maintain her market value. Unfortunately, she's young, rich and stubborn and has countless boyfriends. People in the background try to iron out all her escapades, they have to burn her letters and silence others. Then she marries her ‘elderly’ husband, who holds a position at court, and continues to cheat on him, largely undetected, until she accidentally becomes pregnant. Shortly before this, her aunt ( It's an aunt in the Liszt biographies. Probably the same person. Seems like she adopted Adèle.)) has moved in with the couple. In 1836, Adéle then pretends to go to a convent and stays there for a few months until she secretly gives birth in Venice. She then travels around the country with her aunt/mother, writes cheerfully to her husband, postponing her return again and again until she blackmails him, saying she will only come back if he adopts the child and they pretend together that it is his brother's daughter.

Real history is sometimes more awesome than any novel. That was a thrilling read! And since the world at that time was very small (it really was. So many connections everywhere!), I can well imagine that Franz and Marie also knew more than their correspondence reveals...

And the whole negotiation continues to escalate and becomes more and more obscure. It is clear that her husband then no longer felt like it, but he needed her money ;) Since June 1848, the two have been separated. After the death of her husband, she got Marlioz back because she made a clever marriage contract. By the way, my next step is to search the registers of Saconnez (now Saconnex) for her daughter Isidora de Faulat.

And if someone needs help with their genealogy, say something. I'm a freak. ;) I do it for free and have a lot of fun doing it. ;)

@scourgiez I am back with lots of sources...xD

[literaticat]

Are successful authors ever industry plants? Is nepotism big in this industry?

I read about certain authors being industry plants (Alex Aster) but I just don’t understand how that would work…or why they would choose someone that had already published books with underwhelming sales to be their plant?

I understand that wealthy people will always have advantages when it comes to access to higher education and not needing to work to provide for themselves and in turn having more time to work on their crafts. Is there more to it than that though?

I don't really think "industry plants" or "nepotism" are things that plague publishing to an unusual degree. This feels like a conspiracy theory with little basis in reality. So short answers: No, not really, it wouldn't work, that's not a thing, and no, there's not really more to it than that.

Longer explanation:

I guess, sure, as in any industry, there might be SOME "nepotism" around publishing. Like if your mom happened to be a high-powered agent or publisher or author, maybe you'd be more likely to get into the publishing business in some way yourself and get some kind of a boost from your/your family connections. But I don't think that's something that is happening A TON or anything -- because let's be real, for the most part, publishing is not the most lucrative of careers. It's just as likely, if your mom was an agent or editor or author, you'd be like "for the love of god, keep me AWAY from publishing, I would actually like to make money!" or your mom would say, "for the love of god, go to LAW SCHOOL or something!"

Yes, of course, as you say, a person with a lot of privilege/wealth generally probs does have a boost in publishing -- they don't have to have twelve other jobs to make ends meet, they have more time to swan around and go to parties and schmooze, they have more resources, a safety net, etc. But I don't think that is something peculiar to publishing, I think privilege helps in ANY industry. (And, it's also very possible to do well in publishing with ZERO previous wealth or "connections" etc. Plenty of folks do! Many/most published authors never knew anyone in the publishing industry before they were published!)

According to Wikipedia, "Industry plant is a term used to describe musicians who become popular through nepotism, inheritance, wealth, or their connections in the music industry rather than on their own merits." (Obvs we are swapping "author" with "musician" and "publishing industry" for "music" here!) Further,  "Artists described as industry plants often present themselves as independent and self-made, but are alleged to have their public images manufactured for them by record labels." (publishers)

The idea that publishers are out there "creating stars" is kind of laughable and gives them more credit than they deserve. Now, might a publisher give media training to an author so they come across more "polished" in interviews, or push a certain narrative about an author when they are doing a PR campaign? Sure, of course. Might a publisher choose to promote a beautiful and charismatic young author a little extra based on the fact that they are beautiful and charismatic? Probably, yes, tbh. -- but they aren't CREATING the authors out of whole cloth. Those authors still have to like, do the work, write the books, submit the books, edit the books, etc etc.

I don't know much about the author you mentioned, but I just looked up this "industry plant" theory about her and it doesn't really make sense to me.

Nepotism? Her family is not, as far as I can see, involved in publishing in any way, so that's nepotism off the table. Wealth? Is the accusation that she, or the publisher, somehow "bought" her way to popularity? That's just not how that works. It's extremely difficult to "buy" or manufacture virality -- if publishers knew how to do that, I promise you they WOULD do that, but they do not. (Hence why publisher marketing departments trying to Make Fetch Happen via tiktok or whatever other social media doesn't usually work at all!)

As far as I can see, this is an author who had a lot of rejections, decided to make tiktoks, went viral, then the book got picked up by a publisher, got a movie deal, etc. This is a lucky thing, and a somewhat unusual thing, but it isn't totally out of left field or anything, and I'm failing to see where "industry plant" comes into the equation. She got a book deal because her tiktoks went viral and that brought her to the attention of the publisher (and also, presumably, because the publisher thought the book was good/ cool and there was obviously an audience for it, see viral tiktok). She didn't "present herself as self-made" per se -- she WAS self-made in the sense that she wrote a book, and then it got published? And the publisher didn't "create her public persona", because she wasn't connected with the publisher until AFTER the videos went viral.

Basically, I think if people (not YOU, but other people) are out there saying that some author -- especially a young woman author -- is "an industry plant" and only got whatever they got because they are wealthy, or young, or pretty, or a nepo baby, or have a certain background, or whatever it is -- it's likely jealousy, and maybe some misogyny, fueling that kind of talk. Because while sure, any of those things certainly might not HURT an author's chances of becoming popular / successful, they still have to do the work. There has to be A BOOK that THEY WROTE at the end of the day.

[tilbageidanmark]

MOVIES I WATCHED THIS WEEK # 215:

2 OSCAR-NOMINATED GERMAN DRAMAS:

🍿 NEVER LOOK AWAY (2018) is an epic (3+hrs) drama diving into German history and art history, my second by "Florian Maria Georg Christian Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck". (He was born 20 years to the day after me - and his first Very Important Work was 'The life of others').

The first act is oppressive and intellectually-dense, as it tells of a beautiful young woman in the Third Reich who's lucky enough to hand Hitler a bouquet of flowers when his motorcade passes through Dresden, but who's later diagnosed as schizophrenic, so she gets sterilized and mercy-killed by the Nazis. It's dark and tragic, and hard to take.

But then the film shifts gears into a biopic of her little nephew who grows up to be a painter, loosely-based on the real and famous artist Gerhard Richter (still alive today at 93). Through 20 or 30 years of inner turmoils he finds his artistic truth, by harking back to his early memories of the aunt. This is the weaker part of the story. The movie was the only second German movie that was nominated for two Oscars, but in spite of its vast ambitions, felt too uneven.

With the magnetic Paula Beer as his muse. 7/10.

🍿 EVERYTHING WILL BE OK (2015) is about an 8-yo girl whose divorced father picks from her estranged mom, for his bimonthly visits. Things seem normal at first - but they aren't. Desperation & heartbreak - I know them so well! 8/10.

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KUROSAWA + SHAKESPEARE X 2:

🍿 First watch: The first of Kurosawa's three Shakespeare adaptations, THRONE OF BLOOD takes Macbeth and transports it into feudal Japan. It's the gold standard of five-star entertainment. Toshiro Mifune in top form, the delusional husband of a manipulative Lady Macbeth in Noh white-face. Murderous ambition brings tragic consequences. Filmed on Mt. Fuji in the fog, and (in the final scene) shot with real arrows. (Photo Above).

🍿 RAN, his re-imagining of 'King Lear', a magnificent epic with breathtaking cinematography, made when he was 75. What if Shakespeare was transported to 1985 and was present at a large screen performance of it, with English translation. I wonder how he would react. My majestic viewing of the week.

I've already seen his Hamlet adaptation, 'The Bad Sleep Well', a few years ago. (With the wedding scene that inspired the one at the beginning of 'The Godfather').

🍿

"...Life can be bright in America / If you can fight in America / Life is all right in America / If you're a white in America..."

WEST SIDE STORY (1961), another unorthodox, iconic Shakespeare interpretation, a musical adaptation of 'Romeo and Juliet'. It played out in the Upper West side of Manhattan, between a gang of young Polish delinquents and a gang of (brown-face) Puerto Ricans. The five classic numbers ('Maria', 'America', 'Tonight', 'I feel pretty' and 'Somewhere') were the highlights of the plot. A dazzling love story between a boy and a girl, written by four gay men (Robbins, Bernstein, Sondheim and Laurents) in the ultra-conservative mid-50's, it unapologetically included "Anybodys", an early non-binary trans character.

The Spielberg 2021 version was even brighter.

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I heard good things about the 1996 LAST MAN STANDING, in that it is a remake of Kurosawa's 'Yojimbo'. But then I heard wrong, because Walter Hill is no Kurosawa, Bruce Willis is definitely no Toshiro Mifune, and this sad, cliche-ridden story had nothing in it that merited a watch. Even the Ry Cooder score, and the scar-faced Christopher Walken couldn't save it from itself. 2/10 is too generous.

Next: Welles 'Chimes at Midnight'.

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"On the rung of employment, it's beneath taxidermy, it's beneath bellhop... Bellhops get uniforms..."

THE PARKING LOT MOVIE (2010) is a terrific, joyful documentary about a group of "insanely over-educated people working at a service sector job", i.e. students and graduates from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, many from the departments of Anthropology or Philosophy. Most are eccentric slacker-intellectuals and they put in their time at this small, independent corner parking lot as attendants / ticket-takers. One of the guys [I didn't realize it - but they were all guys!] ended up playing the bass for 'Yo La Tengo'. An oddball, entertaining and feel-good gem. This was the only movie directed by this Meghan Eckman. I wonder what other quirky wonders could she make, if this movie had became well-known. Highly recommended - 8/10. [*Female Director*] I discovered it via Kevin Kelly's Livestream.

🍿

3 DANISH THRILLERS:

🍿 KING'S GAME (2004) a Danish political thriller and my 3rd by Nikolaj Arcel. It's a traditional plot, seen many times before in various forms, about a new parliamentary journalist who cares too much about the truth for his own sake, and who discovers a conspiracy perpetuated by a politician at the Danish 'Folketing' who's about to become the next Prime Minister. Power struggles and the corruption of ideals but with a Scandinavian bent. With two smaller roles by my favorite Danish actors Nicolas Bro, as a background 'stringer' and Lars Brygmann as a helpless, depressed husband. 4/10.

🍿 THE ELEVATOR (2021), a 4 minute horror-thriller about a young man who is stuck in an elevator. 8/10.

More from the Danish-Bulgarian Toni Genov, 2088, a very low-budget "Computer-screen" thriller, [Like 'Searching' and 'Missing'] with two physicists in the year 2088 discussing the sudden disappearance of a college.

🍿

When I saw Bertrand Tavernier's dark 'Coup de Torchon' last week, I wasn't aware that it wasn't his first existential period drama with Philippe Noiret and Isabelle Huppert. THE JUDGE AND THE ASSASSIN (1976) also starred the mesmerizing Noiret as a complicated authority figure and Huppert as his 23-yo, mistreated mistress. This is a beautiful, strange and multi-layered story which was based on a real-life serial killer from the end of the 19th century. He was an insane vagabond who cruelly raped and murdered dozens of teenagers, as he was drifting around the countryside. Noiret however is an ambitious and duplicitous judge, and the plot drifts in and out from their cat-and-mouse pursuit into one describing a larger society in flux, a system of corrupt justice that is far from just, and morals that are complex, unclear and though-provoking.

(I also started watching his tremendous last work, 'My Journey through French Cinema', but at nearly 4 hours long, I'm still in the middle of, so I'll log it next week.)

🍿

TWILIGHTS (1994) are the surrealistic adventures of a young Japanese boy, maybe a ghost, who died at 3 o'clock of the 3rd of the month, but refuses to accept his own death, so he keeps running away from it. It's a 33-minute silent movie slapstick comedy, with endless modern cinematic tricks.

The final, extended 4-minute long shot (starting at 25:45) is alone worth the price of admission.

🍿

"David Lynch's Office Space..."

I'm waiting for the end of Season 2 of SEVERANCE, so that I can binge-watch it all in one gulp, as Dog intended. I have a general fond recollection of the first season, while not remembering any of the details from it, and so I re-watched the pilot, GOOD NEWS ABOUT HELL. ♻️.

I'm surprised that I only gave it a mediocre review in 2022: Apple’s new, much-lauded and compelling series, a speculative sci-fi mystery box, where weird conspiracies stay purposefully unexplained. Dystopian exploration of office life with sinister sense of Scientology-related cultist oppression (added no doubt by the Tom Cruise-lookalike main actor). With John Turturro, Christopher Walken, and Patricia Arquette, and a terrific final episode. It was very bingeable, but I doubt I’ll join them for the second season next year. (The Opening Credits Were Good). 5/10.

I think I may appreciate the new Season more.

🍿

The upcoming biopic 'Mr. Burton' (about Richard) doesn't look like it's gonna be any good, but I thought I'll try Welsh director Marc Evans' highest-rated previous film, SNOW CAKE from 2006. However, this TV-drama type romance was mediocre and predictable. Depressed Alan Rickman gives a lift to an eccentric youngster who dies when a truck crushes into them. He visits her mother Sigourney Weaver to apologize, and discovers that she's a high-functioning autistic woman living alone in a small town in snowy Ontario, Canada. Not knowing much about ASD, it felt like a stretch, not representing the impairment with any accuracy. 3/10.

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LOST KUBRICK: THE UNFINISHED FILMS OF STANLEY KUBRICK (2007), a trifle documentary that focused mostly on his Napoleon and Holocaust projects. Malcolm McDowell narrated.

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THE INDUSTRIAL-MILITARY COMPLEX / INTERNATIONAL ARM TRADE X 2:

🍿 THE INEXTINGUISHABLE FIRE (1969), my first by German Harun Farocki, an experimental anti-establishment documentarian and Brechtian theorist. This is an essay that examines the process of scientific R&D at a Dow Chemical factory, as they research and manufacture Napalm, to be used in Vietnam.

"First you’ll close your eyes to the images, then to the memory, then to the facts, then to the whole story...”

🍿 "War is a racket. It always has been."

The documentary SHADOW WORLD should have been catnip for people like me. It investigates the immense, secret profits of the international arm trade, the massive corruption and collusion between politics and industry, the need for a state of Permanent War to sustain a trillion dollar pipeline of death and destruction, and how fake are the public perception of 'security' and 'democracy'.

But with so much footage to support it, the movie just pulls random clips from all over the place, all covered by ominous soundtrack, and jumps from one phrase to another, from one postulate to another without any rhyme or reason. Also, even though it came out in 2016, it mostly re-litigates the war crimes perpetuated before and after 9/11. So it brings together Prince Bandar, the Iran-Contra scandal, Jeremy Scahill, Cheney's Halliburton, Obama Nobel Peach speech, Bush Jr. shoe thrower, Lawrence Wilkerson's Mea Culpa, The despicable Margaret Thatcher Tony Blair and other anti-heroes of the roaring 80's and 90's. It was just terrible. 1/10.

It was my first by Belgian documentarian Johan Grimonprez. I still want to find his FOUR CHAMBERS TO THE HEART (about Renaissance master-painter Sofonisba Anguissola!) - but I will probably skip now his Oscar-nominated 'Soundtrack to a Coup d’État'!

🍿

THE DRIVER'S SEAT (1974) was an off-beat Italian turkey, starring Elizabeth Taylor as a high-strung, insane spinster, looking for someone in Rome who will murder her. I learnt about it on an intriguing r/truefilm thread, but it was too demented for me. ⬇️Could Not Finish⬇️

🍿

2 BY DUTCH ANIMATOR NINA GANTZ:

🍿 Her latest, 'Wander to Wonder', is nominated for this year's Oscars. Her ZALIGER (2010) is a perfect B&W linocut-style short about a widower who still thinks about his wife.

🍿 EDMOND (2015) is a weird portrait of an awkward, suicidal man, possibly with cannibalistic tendencies dealing with his social anxiety.[*Female Director*]

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2 SPANISH SHORTS BY ALBERT PINTÓ:

🍿 NOTHING CO. (2014) is a brilliant black comedy: After 3 years of unemployment, a very short desperate man gets a job offer where he must sit alone in a chair and do nothing. "Do as you're told and collect a paycheck."

🍿 THERE'S STILL TIME (2014) is a young person fantasy about a guy who was dumped by his girlfriend, and is now stuck in a time loop. Every time he comes back, he's multiplying. 2/10.

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7+1 EARLY SHORTS OF GREAT DIRECTORS:

🍿 THE BANK NOTE (1907), my first by French Louis Feuillade, who was discovered by my crush Alice Guy-Blaché, and who went on to direct 800 (!) silent films, including the series of Fantômas and Les Vampires. This is a terrific story about a tramp who saves a robbery victim and receives as a reward a large note, which he can't redeem. Told perfectly in visuals - no need for any verbal explanation. 9/10.

🍿 THE BRIDGE (1929), the first silent film by Charles Vidor, (who went on to make 'Gilda'.) It's the first adaptation of Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" about a man about to be hanged during the Civil war, who sees his whole life flashing before him. I already seen the 1961 Oscar-winning French version. 8/10.

🍿 PEOPLE OF THE POE VALLEY (1947), Michelangelo Antonioni's very first documentary about the poor peasants and fisherman who live along the river. Neo-realism 1.0.

🍿 IT'S NOT JUST YOU, MURRAY (1964) was actually Martin Scorsese's second film [His first, 'What’s a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This?' was way too puerile]. It's a solid Film School crime-comedy, with many of his later obsessions already pronounced. First time he used his mom Catherine, the Felliniesque mobster world view, the joy of abundance. 6/10. [I still haven't seen 'Boxcar Bertha'.]

🍿 Because I'm a completist, I watched Alexander Payne's very first film school short, CARMEN (1985), the only one of his I haven't seen before. It's an offensive, silent slapstick experiment about a drooling imbecile who works at a gas station in the desert. NO! 1/10.

🍿 The omnibus INCOHERENCE (1994) was Bong Yoon Ho's first production after film school. The unrelated episodes tells of 3 respected members of society, a teacher who reads 'Penthouse', a jogger who steals milk from doorsteps, and a drunk expert who has to take a shit in the street late at night. In the epilogue they all appear on a TV talk show, and seem as normal as everybody else would.

🍿 FORCED HILARITY (2001) on the other hand was a much better Edgar Wright short with thought balloons, an early Nick Frost appearance and one dramatic plot twist.

🍿 (Not exactly the first or great, but) CAKE (2017) with Maxine Peake. 2 well dressed women at a barren end-of-the-line road don't want to wait for Godot, so they discuss the best way to die. Artsy.

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THROW-BACK TO THE ADORA ART PROJECT:  

Adora with Akira Kurosawa.

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(ALL MY FILM REVIEWS - HERE).

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 24/03/2024

Aphex Twin Snakes

Season 4 Episode 1 Featured on: SiIvaGunner's Highest Quality Rips: Volume L [Side A]

Ripped by Snowva

I suppose we'll round off this streak covering rips with sources I'm far too unfamiliar with, with yet one more that I, like Poké Village, discovered on my own. Yes, I admit it: I am uncultured, I am weak, and I am not yet properly educated on the world of Aphex Twin. Now, that's not to say that the artist hasn't had an impact on me all the same - it wasn't that long ago that I wrote about just how much the Season 1 rip Aphex affected me way back in 2016. So I do have a tenuous attachment of sorts to their music, yet its an attachment I only get reminded of through rips and other remixes. Aphex Twin Snakes is one of those reminder-rips, one I found on a whim just browsing the archives of the Volume L album - and it's an absolute banger.

I may not have actual investment into the Metal Gear franchise yet either, but its at this point impossible not to know of the most legendary music of the Solid series. There's of course the beautiful credits theme to Metal Gear Solid 2, Can't Say Goodbye to Yesterday - as performed by Bob Dylan (yes, by the REAL Bob Dylan!), and the long-overdue-for-coverage main theme for the series' third game, Snake Eater - but the main theme of Metal Gear Solid 2 has always felt like THE Metal Gear theme in my head. You can immediately tell something is changed in Aphex Twin Snakes - before the elements of Aphex Twin are even implemented, sound effects from the Metal Gear Solid series are sampled to create a far more prominent "beat" for the track, sort of in the vein of Banjostruck or the various Hideki Naganuma-inspired rips a la September. It's a fantastic way to transition the rip into the more jungle-y style of the Aphex Twin track used, which is Carn Marth if I'm to trust the Wiki - but attachment or not, its novelty as a jungle remix of such a proudly-orchestral piece is appealing all on its own.

The rip sells you in just the first 15 seconds alone as a distinctly different-feeling take to the legendary theme, but continues to impress throughout. I'm always caught off guard by how hard the intentional stutter in the track at little over 30 seconds in hits, and not long therafter the sound of Snake's iconic death sound from the series is used to amazing effect to punctuate the rip's change in tone. Midway through, we're even treated to a little bit of a "dialogue" in a codec call seemingly between Snake and Aphex Twin itself, only communicating through a change in music to the track Windowlicker. This is obviously not really the same thing as something like the canon-to-the-channel dialogue in Haltmanna feat. Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20, but it is a really fun surprise althesame - when Aphex Twin Snakes was uploaded, we already knew that Snake was to reappear as a character in the King for Another Day Tournament, and so this little moment of interaction from the character (or the Figment, if we're to be lore accurate) feels all too fitting, its as if he himself was shocked to encounter another source in "his" own track.

After this little interlude, Body & Blood by clipping. is added to the mix, giving the rip a vocal performance quite different in tone from the rip's first half. It was the first half that sold me, and though this shift in direction is certainly a form of escalation, it is maybe a bit too drastic for me - whenever I come back to Aphex Twin Snakes, it is the Aphex Twin part of the first half that I'm most drawn to. But I'm of course althesame thankful that we even get rips with such variety and risks taken in them (sort of like Metal Gear Solid 2 itself, hm?), and that the rip knows not to overstay its welcome. Each of these three sections of the rip get just enough time to land, and all three feel polished to a sheen. This is the first rip by Snowva I've covered on here, but if Aphex Twin Snakes is anything to go by they have an absolute knack for quality - and have helped remind me of yet another incredible artist that I need to start actually listening to.

[incomingalbatross]

Finished my first week (I don't go in on Fridays) of Commute Listening! (Plus a day technically because I did have to go in last Saturday.)

Here's the summary of the undertaking so far...and of just how much car/public transit time I've logged:

Bach's Brandenburg Concertos 1-6 My beloveds--the only classical music that IS for sure on my faves list, because in the period when I had a CD player in my bedroom and about three CDs, these were two of them. Still not sure how well I could identify them, but I recognized them once they started playing and greatly enjoyed them.

Artifexian podcast ep 1. Interesting! All about worldbuilding. Just far enough removed from my own interests (yes I love fantasy, no I don't enjoy worldbuilding, it took me years to process that) that I can listen as, like, a spectator, but also listening to two people who do love worldbuilding makes me feel more positive about it. Like the energy.

Several Masses by Haydn (St. Cecilia, Mass in B flat, Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin). Beautiful, obviously, but... did not grab me. Might just be that Masses and commuting are not the right combination. Might be my chant-inclined mind going "you're drawing out the words too much." Idk.

Art of Manliness ep 1, about Easy Company. INteresting and informative—a window into a subject I wouldn't have sought out on my own.

Out Alive ep 1. About a skier buried in an avalanche! Again, not something I would have sought out myself, but hearing the skier and the other people involved talk about the impact of a crisis situation and near-death experience, without any polish or dramatization... oof. Really interesting.

Reply All Billed as a "podcast about the internet," the first ep was about a social situation enabled by the internet. Also interesting as a window into someone else's personal experience that I don't think you'd quite get in any other medium than this unpolished interview format. This time about relationships instead of death, though.

In the Wind (album) by Peter, Paul and Mary. Branching aside from classical for some folk, since I was in the headspace for something between podcasts and instrumentals. Good! I recognized several of the songs but definitely not all. They also reminded me of several other country and folk artists I could listen to if I want to keep going down that road, in addition to listening to more of their work.

Vivaldi Concertos for Diverse Instruments GOOD. I loved these! They got stuck in my head afterward! Definitely want to try more Vivaldi. Also reinforcing my theory that any kind of music is good music if it involves violins going wild.

Mozart Violin Concertos 3-5 ALSO very very good. And I think I could hear the cleaner/plainer sound of Mozart as opposed to the baroque I'd just been listening to.

My Writing Sucks podcast ep 1, in which an author lovingly roasts her 14-year-old self's writing. Very fun. Endearing. Kinda makes me want to pull out my oldest, worst writing and approach it from an outside perspective, which I think would be Growth if my fragile ego could actually follow through on that. :P Maybe after a few more episodes of this.

Pints With Aquinas episode 1. This is an introductory episode giving background on Aquinas, as opposed to later episodes which will have more actual theology. Already good, though. Little harder for me to stay focused than some of the more fun ones, but I'll be coming back.

Classics for Kids Short and educational segment about classical music. Definitely told me things I don't know! A little short and a little flat in delivery for my needs, but good stuff.

Stuff You Missed in History Class ep 1. Interesting, but same issue as the above—it was just short. I need to check if episode length varies, and if they're all short I might load up six or so at once to give it a better trial. It was interesting but I couldn't get much flavor from one segment.

In conclusion, this project is definitely a success so far. I've been enjoying my commutes even when there's traffic, and I feel like I'm taking in things that I enjoy and are constructive in some way! It's fun for me. And I have a bunch of podcasts in store for next week that I haven't even touched yet.

[rabbitcruiser]

Public Art in Calgary (No. 4)

In Search of Gold Mountain (2000) by Chu Honsun

This five-tier stone sculpture chronicles the history of Chinese people in Canada and offers a serene focal point within Sien Lok Park beside the Bow River. The name, In Search of Gold Mountain, evokes the dreams of prospectors who arrived by boat in 1858, lured by the promise of gold in the Fraser River Valley. But the phrase can also be read more broadly as the quest for a better life.

The story is told in stylized images carved into the surface of three of the bands. The figures appear as polished shapes set in relief against a shallow background of pitted texture. In the lowest ring, the ship lands and the first generation sets to work logging, mining and building the railway. Their hard labour lays a foundation for successive generations. More educated and established, the figures in the next ring endure the restrictions of Canadian immigration legislation, the only laws in our history to limit immigration based on race and country of origin. The head tax and Exclusion Act are indicated simply with dates and names.

In the upper level, images of tai chi, dragon dancing and acupuncture represent a time when cultural expression is allowed. The tip of the cone is embellished with rows of small, raised knobs, akin to those on early Chinese bronze bells. The reference is a reminder of ancient Chinese culture and places the Canadian experience in perspective within an extensive timeframe.

Artist Chu Honsun (the artist’s name follows the Chinese custom of family name before given name) has a home studio out near Cochrane, where his sculptures are displayed in a field set against the backdrop of the foothills. Walking among them, he explained his admiration for the sculptors Henry Moore and Constantin Brancusi. “I like sculpture that is powerful, simple, strong and bold, without anything unnecessary,” Chu said. The same could be said of his work.

At the core of Chu’s art is an examination of the relationship between yin and yang. It is quite astonishing that an artist could use an uncompromising medium with such precision to convey a spirit of balance, but Chu certainly understands stone. After graduating from the University of Hong Kong in 1975, the Italian government offered him a scholarship to study art in Florence and Carrara where he learned from the master marble carvers. Well-respected in Hong Kong, where he has major works in public outdoor spaces and at the opera house, Chu came to live in Calgary in 1991 and moved to Cochrane in 2005.

In Search of Gold Mountain has been in its current spot since 2000. Many factors contribute to its enduring success: thoughtful design, pure geometric form and harmonious proportions, enduring and beautiful material (15 tonnes of distinctive yellow granite brought in from China) and content that continues to be relevant to Calgarians.

Source

[mybeingthere]

Beautiful paintings by Igor Moritz (b.1996, Poland).

"Drawing on the chromatic techniques of Van Gogh, Henri Matisse and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, in combination with the figurative compositions of Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon and Edgar Degas, Lublin-born painter Igor Moritz creates expressionistic portraits of contemplative figures in contemporary domestic spaces. “I think the main themes I see in my work are uncertainty and anticipation,” says Igor. As he sees it, “The people in my paintings seem to always be equally stuck in the present environment as they are inside their heads.”

Having attended the Norwid’s Secondary School of Fine Art in Lublin, where his love of painting was ignited by an open air painting trip in the Polish countryside, Igor opted to study industrial design in his higher education. As he says: “I wanted to keep painting as something that’s very personal and develop it without the involvement of any higher institution.”

There is an instinctive quality to Igor’s work that displays his willingness, as an essentially self-taught artist, to pursue his own painterly impulses without the inhibitions of an institutional approach. His current practice is about pursuing that impulsive approach. He tells us: “I’m definitely loosening up and not trying to control the way things look as much. The forms of objects are becoming freer and colour is moving down from the surface, deeper into the image. The forms of people and things are also becoming more un-fastened.”

https://www.itsnicethat.com/.../igor-moritz-painting-art...

[kwojciechowicz]

🏳️‍⚧️🌈🏳️‍⚧️🌈🏳️‍⚧️🌈🏳️‍⚧️🌈🏳️‍⚧️🌈🏳️‍⚧️🌈🏳️‍⚧️🌈🏳️‍⚧️This month you can win prizes if you donate to her fundraiser on GoFundme: https://lnkd.in/dZSD-VVJ 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈 Canadian author ✍️ K Kampeas-Rittenhouse talks more about the book and the prizes awaiting those who donate:

Here’s what my friend Dorothea Burn O'Craigie wrote about the book “Mara and the Bad Wolf”:

Thank you so much! ❤️🥰😁🙏

Dear Friends,

Please support and publicise this worthy fundraiser to help publish an LGBT-themed children's book.

My Australian-Polish artist friend, Kama Arts Kamila Wojciechowicz-Krauze is doing beautiful illustrations for this book, which is by a young Canadian writer Ké Kampeas-Rittenhouse.

The book is being published in English and has universal appeal. It will resonate with older children and teenagers in any country, including Australia.

Mara and the Bad Wolf is a novel for children aged 10-12 or over. The main character is a young vixen Mara (she is 11 in human years). While being looked after by a neighbour, Madame Lupassian, she meets the lady's grandson Seth, who is a trans wolf. She goes with him to a magic island where she discovers her true identity.

Mara and the Bad Wolf could be regarded as a modern version of Alice in Wonderland, while also containing elements similar to Zootopia, a film by Walt Disney. The book shows diversity, tolerance, sexual orientations and sexuality in a very sensitive and age-appropriate way.

It is a book full of magic and as such is a fairytale fit for children of our times. It aims to educate children that they should feel free within their body, that there is room for everybody and that the single most important thing is love. Citing the drag queen Ru Paul: Love is love”, and The Beatles: "All you need is love".

If you have any questions or ideas regarding the fundraiser and how you could help to promote it please contact me.

#gofundme #lgbtqcommunity #lgbtqia #kamaarts #childrensbook #maraandthebadwolf #kkampeasrittenhouse

[eclecticnaileducation]

Winter Nail Trends

What better way to bring in the winter/holiday season than by talking about the beautiful trends that you can expect?

Winter 2022 was all about chromes, rich or saturated nail polish colours and french tips. This year, there is a beautiful switch. This year we are welcoming brighter colours!!

According to celebrity nail artist Ellen Gerstein " there will be an uptick in fun colours including pastels and jellies. We would also see a resurgence in textured nails.

Jewel-tone Jelly

This translucent gemstone inspired nail colour will take center stage this winter as it provides a more modern and elevated look.

Sweater Textures

This simple addition has the ability to completely elevate and possibly create an amazing winter nail design.

Greens

The last nail trend that we would be talking about today is the universally skin tone complementary colour pine green. This pine green is said to be huge this year as it goes with eveything.

Please keep in mind i only went though only 3 nail trends for the winter, so as time progresses more trends would start therefore a continuation of this topic shpuld be done.

With that, the first Eclectic Nail Education post entitled ‘Winter Nail Trends 2023’ is concluded. 

Come back next time!

Thank you for reading!

Have a Fantastic Day everyone!!

[marketingprofitmedia]

YouTube's Hidden Treasure Chest - How to Make Money from Any Niche

YouTube, the world’s most popular video-sharing platform, has evolved far beyond being just a platform for entertainment and cat videos. It has transformed into a treasure chest of opportunities for those with a passion for creating content and a desire to monetize their efforts. In this article, I will unveil the hidden treasure chest that YouTube offers. In the following sections, we’ll explore why YouTube is an ideal platform for monetization, how to find the right niche, create engaging content, optimise for search engines, build a dedicated audience, and ultimately make money from any niche on YouTube.

My Best Recommended & Proven Way to Make $100 Daily — Watch THIS FREE Training to START >>

Understanding YouTube’s Algorithm

Before delving into the monetization strategies, it’s crucial to understand how YouTube’s algorithm works. YouTube uses a complex algorithm to determine which videos to recommend to viewers. The algorithm considers factors like user engagement, watch time, and keywords. To succeed on YouTube, you need to create content that appeals to this algorithm and captures the attention of your target audience.

The Power of Video Content

Video content is at the heart of YouTube’s success. It’s engaging, informative, and visually appealing. In a world where attention spans are shrinking, video has the unique ability to captivate audiences. According to a study by Cisco, by 2023, video content will account for over 82% of all internet traffic. This presents a massive opportunity for content creators.

Why YouTube?

YouTube’s large user base, specialised content areas, and variety of monetization strategies make it a very effective means of making money online. Its 2 billion monthly users make it an ideal platform for artists to monetize their work.

1. Vast Audience Reach

One of the key reasons YouTube is a goldmine for content creators is its immense user base. With over 2 billion logged-in monthly users, YouTube provides access to a massive audience eager to consume content related to their interests.

2. Monetization Opportunities

YouTube offers several avenues for creators to monetize their content. These include ad revenue, channel memberships, merchandise shelf integration, and sponsored partnerships, among others.

My Best Recommended & Proven Way to Make $100 Daily — Watch THIS FREE Training to START >>

Choosing Your Niche

One of the keys to success on YouTube is selecting the right niche. Your niche defines your target audience and the type of content you’ll create. It’s important to choose a niche that you’re passionate about and knowledgeable in. Here are some profitable niches to consider:

Gaming

Beauty and makeup tutorials

Health and fitness

Cooking and recipe sharing

Technology reviews

Travel vlogs

Personal finance and investing

DIY and home improvement

Education and online courses

Lifestyle and fashion

Remember that your passion and expertise will set you apart in YouTube’s competitive environment.

Creating High-Quality Content

Quality is paramount on YouTube. Invest in good equipment for recording and editing, and strive for high production values. Engaging and visually appealing content will attract and retain viewers, follow these content creation tips:

Invest in good equipment and lighting.

Script your videos to stay on point.

Edit your videos for a polished finish.

Be consistent in your upload schedule.

SEO Strategies for YouTube

To stand out in the crowded YouTube ecosystem, you must optimize your content for search engines. Research relevant keywords using tools like Google Keyword Planner or TubeBuddy to ensure your videos appear in search results. Here’s how:

Conduct keyword research for video titles.

Optimize video descriptions and tags.

Use compelling thumbnails.

Promote your videos on social media.

Building an Audience

Growing your subscriber base is essential for long-term success. As does engaging with viewers. Comments, live streaming, and other forms of audience interaction on digital platforms may help build a dedicated fan base. Consistency in posting and offering something of value to a certain audience is crucial to expanding your reach. Your channel’s viability and ability to generate income will increase in proportion to the size of your audience.

Monetization Methods

Monetizing YouTube provides several revenue streams. Start earning with Google AdSense and YouTube Partner Programme advertisements. To maximise revenue, promote relevant items via affiliate marketing, engage with sponsors for sponsored content, and offer merchandise or niche-related products, there are various ways to make money on YouTube:

Ad Revenue: YouTube shares ad revenue with creators based on ad views and engagement.

Sponsorships: Partner with brands for sponsored content.

Affiliate Marketing: Promote products and earn a commission on sales.

Merchandise: Sell your branded merchandise.

Channel Memberships: Offer premium content to paying subscribers.

Setting up Google AdSense is a crucial step in monetization.

Case Studies

Explore niche success stories. Learn from YouTube talent who turned their passion into business. Discover their secrets, methods, and dedication to inspire your YouTube adventure, Let’s look at a few examples of YouTubers who have successfully monetized their channels:

PewDiePie: Gaming content and merchandise.

Tasty: Food and cooking tutorials with sponsored videos.

TechCrunch: Tech reviews and sponsored tech product promotions.

Studying these examples can provide valuable insights into monetization strategies.

My Best Recommended & Proven Way to Make $100 Daily — Watch THIS FREE Training to START >>

Legal and Copyright Considerations

YouTube has strict copyright policies. To avoid copyright violations, it is essential to respect intellectual property rights by using royalty-free music and images and properly attributing sources. Understanding fair use, public domain, and YouTube’s policies on copyrighted content protects your channel from potential legal issues by ensuring a safe and compliant content creation voyage.

Analytics and Tracking

The success of your YouTube channel can only be gauged through the use of analytics and monitoring. Insightful conclusions may be drawn from metrics like viewing duration, CTR, and audience make-up. You may better understand your audience’s behaviour, develop more effective content strategies, and make well-informed choices about the future of your channel if you analyse this information on a regular basis.

Dealing with Challenges

The road of a YouTuber includes overcoming obstacles. The ability to bounce back quickly from setbacks, whether they be a lack of inspiration, criticism, or audience interest, is essential. YouTube artists may flourish despite losses so long as they are resilient, reflective, and open to feedback from their audience.

Scaling Your YouTube Business

In order to grow your YouTube channel, you need to think big. Among these methods are establishing several sources of revenue, building a team, and experimenting with new mediums. Profitability on YouTube may be maximised by capitalising on your existing brand and audience while maintaining high standards of production value and viewer participation.

YouTube Policies and Guidelines

As such, it is essential for producers to familiarise themselves with YouTube’s standards and guidelines. Avoiding punishments like demonetization or account suspension requires strict adherence to copyright, community, and monetization guidelines. Keeping up with platform updates and regulations is crucial to having a successful platform experience over time.

Transitioning to Financial Success

Transitioning to financial success on YouTube requires a combination of dedication and strategy. It involves optimizing monetization methods, diversifying income sources, and building a loyal audience. As you implement these strategies and consistently deliver valuable content, your YouTube channel can evolve from a passion project into a lucrative venture.

Conclusion

In conclusion, those who approach YouTube strategically can indeed unlock its hidden treasure chest. As SEO and copywriting experts, we have provided you with a roadmap to make your mark on this platform. Remember that success on YouTube takes time, dedication, and a genuine passion for your niche. So, start creating valuable content, optimising it for SEO, engaging with your audience, and exploring multiple revenue streams. The YouTube treasure chest awaits, and with the right strategy, it can become a source of substantial income and fulfilment in your life. Happy YouTubing!

My Best Recommended & Proven Way to Make $100 Daily — Watch THIS FREE Training to START >>

Affiliate Disclaimer :

This article Contain may be affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission at NO ADDITIONAL cost to you if you decide to purchase something. While we receive affiliate compensation for reviews / promotions on this article, we always offer honest opinions, users experiences and real views related to the product or service itself. Our goal is to help readers make the best purchasing decisions, however, the testimonies and opinions expressed are ours only. As always you should do your own thoughts to verify any claims, results and stats before making any kind of purchase. Clicking links or purchasing products recommended in this article may generate income for this product from affiliate commissions and you should assume we are compensated for any purchases you make. We review products and services you might find interesting. If you purchase them, we might get a share of the commission from the sale from our partners. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended.

Source : YouTube’s Hidden Treasure Chest — How to Make Money from Any Niche

Thanks for reading my article on “YouTube’s Hidden Treasure Chest — How to Make Money from Any Niche“, hope it will help!

[triposzt]

The Dreadnoughts - Roll and Go (2022) / Green Willow (2023) double album review

For the first English post of this blog, why not make a review of my new favourite band's last two albums? It's a bit late, I know, I originally wanted to make one about "Roll and Go", but never got around to do it, so when I heard that a new album is coming out this year, I thought "hey, now is the time to combine the two reviews into one post!" And I'm still freakin' late with this again!

But anyway, let's start the story from the beginning.

At least a decade ago, the first two songs I've heard from The Dreadnoughts were "Sleep Is For The Weak" and "Randy-Dandy-Oh" - no idea whether I found them randomly or someone showed them to me, but I liked both… and then kinda forgot to listen to any of their other songs for a while 😄 Then, fast-forward to approximately early 2020, when at work I was browsing for music, listened to one of the previously mentioned two and through the "related songs" links, found "Gintlemen's Club" (unsurprisingly from the same 2011 album "Polka's Not Dead")…and BAM! Immediately I was like "This is awesome, why haven't I listened to them for ages? Let's discover more!" And I did… and that's why I was anticipating the 2022 spring release of the new album Roll and Go even more. Let's see how it turned out:

ROLL AND GO (release date: June 24, 2022)

1 - Cider Jar [7/10] Hold up, a booze-infused version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"? That's ridiculously brilliant! 😃 Cider Jar serves as a short intro to the album and the closing "arr-oh-arr" just flows right on to the next track, which…

2 - Cider Holiday [7.5/10] …was the first track released from the album and in all honesty, did not hit me in the sweet spot back then, but has grown on me since. The prose-like bridge part gives it a unique flavour, and speaking of flavour, the song itself just makes me wanna drink cider or visit the West Country. Or both, preferably.

3 - The Rodney Rocket [8/10] You never know where artists can find an inspiration for a song. Sometimes, it might be a video about an old alcoholic Canadian fella having fun with some snowy extreme sports in Rodney, Ontario 😁 The Rodney Rocket is easy to sing (mostly due to its percussion-heavy background and the L-C-B-O chant in the chorus), plus the tempo changes well along with the story - the silly-sounding words in the lyrics (dickered, hullabaloo) and a callback to "Fire Marshal Willy" are just the icing on the cake. What's not to like?

4 - Problem [10/10] Second track to come out as a single and I instantly loved it. Somehow it's just perfect: the repeating "Problem" at the end of lines, occasionally replaced by various - and hilarious! - sound effects, both the beat and the inserted Polish lyrics obviously referencing Sleep Is For the Weak, the backstory of the song, it all just culminates in this masterpiece. The music video is weird enough, although it does not reach such heights, but anyway, who the fuck cares, we are here to listen to songs, not watch them. Problem?

5 - Brisbane Harbour [8.5/10] A worthy continuation of true sea shanties like "Whup! Jamboree" and "Eliza Lee", and one which surely makes any listener's fingers and feet tap to the rhythm.

6 - Battleford 1885 [8/10] The shortest "normal" track on the album, and its title was intriguing to me when I first saw it - turns out, music can be educational (duh), because Battleford 1885 sheds some light on a tragic event of indigenous people in Canada (here's the post about the background of the song). Oh, and the ascending drum in the background of the bridge is just… *chef's kiss*

7 - The Storm [9/10] Beautiful, just beautiful, equally eerie and empowering, with an instrumental break inspired by Greek bouzouki tunes. If the previous song was about the story of oppressed people rising up against their masters, then this one puts you right in those people's mindset. Well done. And I'll be forever grateful for the Substack post about The Storm for introducing Smokey Bastard's "Baba Yaga" to me, I fell in love at first listening.

8 - Vicki's Polka [7.5/10] Judging by the title only, I thought this was going to be the obligatory instrumental track, but then again, I might have been misled by "Clavdia's Waltz". Instead, Vicki's Polka is rather a love story spanning decades, featuring references to the band's 2010 hit "Polka Never Dies" and the popular folk song "Who Stole the Keeshka?". Assisted by some top folk musicians, the bounciness of this true polka track slows down only near the end, when it's time to say goodbye to the titular Vicki, sadly taken away by the Covid-19 pandemic. Goddamnit, 2020.

9 - Scrumpy-O [8/10] You've been listening to the songs of the album in order and you're missing the amount of alcohol in the lyrics for a while? Worry not, Scrumpy-O definitely has your back. Just grab some locally made and/or rough cider (that's what "scrumpy" means), learn the words to the chorus, and raise your bottle to the sky!

10 - Tuika [7/10] Now this is the instrumental track I thought Vicki's Polka was gonna be. The frequently changing speed of the song makes you imagine dancing arm-in-arm with someone at one moment, then jumping into a mosh pit at another. (P.s.: if anyone has an idea what the title means, let me know, I could only find a politician from American Samoa by this name.)

11 - Dusty Ground [9/10] One of my favourites from the album, a very well executed song. Listen to how the tempo decelerates almost into melancholy in the third verse and then turns back up for the last chorus, just fantastic. The lyrics… likewise. If I'm not mistaken, they are meant to convey the transience of life via a clever metaphor: the ever-thirsty ground, which swallows us up like water. Well, all right, I might have taken a peek at the origin story of the track ;)

12 - Bold Reilly [5.5/10] Honestly, out of the thirteen tracks, this is the song that resonated the least with me. I wouldn't say it's bad or anything, just… Too repetitive? Too slow? I don't know. Also, being "the worst song of a Dreadnoughts album" is still a pretty high level 😁 And it has a reference to Randy Dandy-Oh, nice!

13 - Roll and Go [8.5/10] For some reason, I classified the trio of The Storm, Dusty Ground, and this closing track as giving the same vibes - no idea why I feel the similarity, at the very least Dusty Ground is notably quicker. Anyway, all three songs are unique enough for me to love each of them. Roll and Go provides a fine closure to this wonderful album: the musical background resembles a marching band (here I am giving praise to the percussion section yet again 👏), the lyrics emanate the feeling of brotherhood, and the ending slowly fades with the promise of a "fine and lucky day". Amen to that!

Overall: this was easily the release of the year for me. Usually when I listen to an entire album for the first time, the tracks don't really have their own "identity" in the beginning, and the whole thing is just a raw, big mess. Not this time! A few tracks stood out instantly and I grew to love the rest even more. Roll and Go turning out to be that awesome, given the difficulties the band had to face while recording, just proves how talented these guys are. I'll be sure to mention this album when people ask me about my favourites. Verdict: 8.5/10

GREEN WILLOW (release date: March 14, 2023)

1 - We Shepherds are the Best of Men [8/10] A proper start to the album, with a great rhythm and an even better chorus. Apparently, it's an older folk piece, which has a few versions with different lyrics, but The Dreadnoughts are the first "modern" band to cover it. And oh boy, they did it well! (One small caveat though: the grammar nazi inside me is so bothered by the "We drinks our liquor freely and pays before we go" part every time 😅)

2 - Hej Sokoły (Zal za Ukraina) [9.5/10] I see two great reasons why this track was chosen as the initial single of the album. Firstly, this song is an absolute earworm. I mean, so dangerously addictive, it can be stuck in your head for a day! Secondly, it's dedicated to the people fighting for Ukraine, and whoever has listened to The Dreadnoughts' songs knows that Eastern Europe has a special place in their pool of inpsirations. Accordingly, Hey Sokoły covers a popular old Polish-Ukrainian folk song, and frankly, I just can't ever get enough of Polish lyrics in the band's songs - no wonder the band fell in love with the suggestion of this cover. Highlight: as the last verse slows down and then builds up into the energetic last chorus… goosebumps, goosebumps every time.

3 - Rigs of the Time [7/10] It's like a good worker who does not yearn for promotion but is never in danger of getting laid off - not necessarily oustanding in his field, but someone who is trustworthy and does his job well. It has a message and a great chorus. You need tracks like this on your album. (Ironically, the song is about dishonest tradesmen, but still, that's the metaphor I chose. Also, the whole "blaming the rising prices on the war" thing is too real nowadays.)

4 - Roll the Old Chariot Along [8.5/10] This song is apparently covered by a few artists, but I don't recall hearing it before I listened to the album - only since then, but for that, the almighty Algorithm might be the one to "blame". Anyway, I remember instantly liking it upon the first listening and my opinion remains unchanged: what a fantastic and catchy tune! "And we'll all hang on behind!" (P.s.: Lads, there's a missing verse - and some other confusion - of the lyrics on the Bandcamp page.)

5 - The Foggy Dew [7/10] A classic Irish ballad, full of historical references (one of which could even be meant as a hint to "The Bay of Suvla"), so far it was only familiar to me because Dropkick Murphys used it as the opening instrumental for their shows (The Chieftains version to be exact). The lack of repeated parts and intricate rhythm of the verses makes it very difficult to sing along, but nevertheless it's a beautiful rendition.

6 - Twankidillo [7.5/10] "Half of you are going to hate it, it’s fucking weird." That's the premise I've read before I even listened to the song… and I didn't even mention the strange title. 😄 *1st listening*: They were right, what the hell is this? *2nd listening*: Okay, it IS weird, but certainly catchy… *3rd listening*: "Here's to old coal, and to young coal and to no coal at aaaaaaaaallll!" Yep, it grows on you. It's another cover of a traditional folk song (like all tracks except one), and if you haven't noticed, the lyrics also contain a reference to the album name. Yay!

7 - Spanish Ladies [7/10] Sorry guys, I have absolutely been in love with Sarah Blasko's version of this song for years, and I don't think anything can change that. To be fair though, this cover is more sea shanty-esque, if you close your eyes, you can almost visualize the crew hauling ropes or heaving the capstan around.

8 - The Unquiet Grave [8/10] Upon seeing the tracklist, this was the title that stood out the most for me - and damn, it did not disappoint, especially storywise. This tale of love beyond the grave has been sung for centuries, I haven't heard it before, but I must say that The Dreadnoughts have really managed to capture the appropriate eerie vibe which surely gives you the chills. (Bonus funfact for anyone who's familiar with the band's discography: this track was first intended for the 2017 album "Foreign Skies".)

9 - Apple Tree Wassail [8.5/10] Don't believe Google Translate saying "wassail" is an Arabic word, this catchy track is actually a blessing ritual for apple trees in hope of a good crop to make cider from… although the mental image in my head is stuck halfway between an orchard and a mosh pit due to the song's fast pace. Hell, I hope at some point I'll have the chance to hear it live and jump around like a maniac. (Please come to Hungary!) (P.s.: The "Let every man drink up his glass" line is possibly a callback to "Spanish Ladies", am I right?)

10 - Roll Northumbria (Loud Version, sometimes called "Heavy Version") [7.5/10] Green Willow features nine covers of traditional folk pieces and a reboot of one of the band's earlier songs… yep, this closing track is the reboot one. What I said previously about Spanish Ladies, can be applied here as well - I like the original so much that no newer cover can surpass that, even if it's from the same band. Also, I think the original's slow and dark vibe is more fitting to the topic of the song, but if there's one place where the heavy/loud version could be used, it's concerts. The final drum beats provide a great ending to the album.

Overall: When I first listened to the entire album, I thought "maybe Roll and Go set the bar too high", although my reception of Green Willow has improved well since then, as it can be seen in the ratings. A shorter collection of tracks than its predecessor, but it has a bit of everything from patriotic through silly to haunting, while covering well-known and lesser-known folk songs. I know an album a year would probably be too much to ask, so I'll just patiently wait for some fresh stuff from The Dreadnoughts! Verdict: 8/10

Thanks for reading! 😊

[glamstudiosalons]

The Rise of Beauty Bloggers: Shaping Trends and Influencing the Industry

In today’s digital age, beauty bloggers have become some of the most powerful influencers in the beauty industry. From makeup tutorials and product reviews to skincare tips and beauty hacks, these content creators shape trends, educate audiences, and influence purchasing decisions worldwide. The rise of social media and platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok has given beauty bloggers a space to share their expertise and passion with millions of followers.

The Evolution of Beauty Blogging

Beauty blogging has evolved significantly over the past two decades. In the early 2000s, beauty enthusiasts shared their tips and product reviews through personal blogs and YouTube videos. Over time, the industry expanded as social media platforms provided new ways to connect with audiences. Instagram and TikTok revolutionized the way beauty bloggers engage with their followers, making content more visual and interactive.

Today, beauty bloggers are no longer just hobbyists—they are entrepreneurs, brand ambassadors, and even founders of their own beauty lines. Some of the most successful beauty bloggers have collaborated with global brands, launched their own makeup or skincare products, and built empires based on their expertise and influence.

Why Beauty Bloggers Are So Influential

The success of beauty bloggers lies in their authenticity and relatability. Unlike traditional advertisements, which can feel overly polished and scripted, beauty bloggers offer honest reviews and real-life demonstrations of products. Followers trust their recommendations because they see them as genuine and unbiased.

Additionally, beauty bloggers create personalized content that caters to different audiences. Whether it’s a budget-friendly drugstore makeup tutorial, an in-depth skincare routine, or a bold, artistic look, there is a beauty blogger for every niche. This diversity has made beauty content more inclusive and accessible to people of all backgrounds, skin types, and beauty preferences.

The Impact of Beauty Bloggers on the Industry

Beauty bloggers have transformed the way brands market their products. Instead of relying solely on traditional advertising, companies now collaborate with influencers to reach their target audiences. Many beauty brands send PR packages to bloggers, hoping for a feature in a YouTube review or an Instagram post. This type of word-of-mouth marketing has proven to be highly effective in driving sales and brand awareness.

Some beauty bloggers have even played a role in holding brands accountable. If a product fails to deliver on its promises or lacks inclusivity, beauty bloggers are quick to call it out, prompting brands to improve their formulations and shade ranges. This has led to a more transparent and customer-focused beauty industry.

The Future of Beauty Blogging

As technology continues to evolve, so does beauty blogging. Augmented reality (AR) makeup filters, AI-driven beauty recommendations, and interactive live-streaming tutorials are just a few innovations shaping the industry’s future. Beauty bloggers who adapt to these changes and embrace new platforms will continue to thrive.

In conclusion, beauty bloggers have become key players in the beauty industry, influencing trends, shaping consumer preferences, and fostering a more inclusive and diverse beauty community. Their impact is undeniable, and as digital platforms evolve, their influence will only continue to grow. For more details visit our website: www.glamstudiosuites.com

[corecreator321]

Unleashing Creativity: Resin Art Workshop in Jaipur by Core Creator

In the vibrant city of Jaipur, where tradition meets innovation, Core Creator offers a unique opportunity for art enthusiasts to dive into the mesmerizing world of resin art. Whether you're a seasoned artist or someone looking to explore a new hobby, our Resin Art Workshop in Jaipur is designed to inspire, educate, and empower your creativity.

What is Resin Art?

Resin art is a fascinating form of artwork that involves the use of epoxy resin to create stunning, glossy, and durable pieces. This versatile medium allows artists to craft everything from abstract wall art and decorative trays to coasters and jewelry. The beauty of resin lies in its fluidity, enabling endless possibilities for color blending, texture creation, and embedding objects like flowers, shells, or glitter. The results are often breathtaking, with a glass-like finish that adds a touch of luxury to any piece.

Why Choose Core Creator’s Resin Art Workshop in Jaipur?

Core Creator stands out as a premier destination for resin art workshops in Jaipur for several reasons:

1. Expert Guidance

At Core Creator, workshops are led by seasoned artists with extensive experience in resin art. These experts not only teach the technical aspects of resin art but also inspire creativity and innovation among participants. Their step-by-step guidance ensures that even beginners can create stunning resin pieces with confidence.

2. Hands-On Learning Experience

The workshops focus on practical, hands-on learning. Participants get to experiment with different techniques, tools, and materials under the supervision of experts. This interactive approach helps attendees gain confidence and master the intricacies of resin art.

3. Customized for All Skill Levels

Whether you’re a complete novice or an experienced artist looking to enhance your skills, Core Creator’s workshops are tailored to suit all levels. Beginners receive foundational training, while advanced learners delve into complex techniques and projects.

4. Premium Quality Materials

Core Creator provides high-quality materials, including top-grade epoxy resin, pigments, molds, and safety equipment. Participants don’t need to worry about sourcing materials, as everything required for the workshop is included.

5. Creative Environment

The workshops are conducted in a vibrant and encouraging environment that fosters creativity and collaboration. Participants not only learn from the instructors but also from fellow attendees, making the experience enriching and enjoyable.

6. Affordable Pricing

Despite offering premium-quality training and materials, Core Creator ensures that their workshops are accessible to everyone. The pricing is competitive, with various packages to suit different budgets.

What to Expect at a Resin Art Workshop?

Here’s a glimpse of what a typical resin art workshop at Core Creator involves:

Introduction to Resin Art

The session begins with an overview of resin art, including its history, applications, and various techniques. Participants are introduced to the materials and tools, along with safety precautions to handle resin effectively.

Demonstration

The instructor demonstrates key techniques such as mixing resin, adding pigments, pouring, and creating effects like waves, cells, and gradients. This live demonstration helps participants understand the process in detail.

Hands-On Project

Each participant gets to work on their own resin art project, such as a set of coasters, a wall hanging, or a decorative tray. Under the instructor’s guidance, attendees practice pouring, layering, and designing their unique pieces.

Finishing Techniques

Once the resin cures, participants learn finishing techniques, including sanding, polishing, and adding protective coatings. These steps enhance the durability and aesthetic appeal of the artwork.

Conclusion

Core Creator’s resin art workshops in Jaipur offer a unique blend of learning, creativity, and fun. Whether you’re looking to pursue a new hobby, enhance your artistic skills, or start a business, these workshops provide the perfect platform to achieve your goals. Don’t miss the chance to immerse yourself in the captivating world of resin art and create stunning masterpieces that reflect your individuality.

Core Creator workshop today and embark on a creative journey like no other!

[laminates-2024]

Homapal Laminates: Redefining Modern Interiors

In the ever-evolving world of interior design, Homapal laminates have emerged as a symbol of sophistication and innovation. Combining style, durability, and functionality, these laminates are redefining the way we envision modern spaces. From sleek metallic finishes to intricate textures, Homapal offers something unique for every design enthusiast.

Why Choose Homapal Laminates?

Homapal laminates are not just decorative surfaces; they represent a seamless blend of artistry and engineering. Here’s what sets them apart:

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Popular Applications of Homapal Laminates

Homapal laminates cater to a multitude of design needs and are ideal for:

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Discover Homapal’s Range

Homapal laminates offer an extensive collection of finishes and patterns to suit varied design preferences:

Metallic Laminates: These include real aluminum, copper, and brass surfaces for a polished and contemporary look.

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Conclusion

Homapal laminates are more than just a decorative solution—they’re a statement of quality and creativity. Whether you’re designing a home, office, or commercial space, these laminates provide endless opportunities to craft environments that are visually stunning and built to last. Experience the unmatched versatility and beauty of Homapal laminates today.