RUINEDNATION

Sucksville, USA

Invasion of the Body Snackers

Wait, Wait Don’t Drain Me

Breakfast Is Tiffany

I will make no bones about it, I am going to vote for Obama in November. Yes, I am a democrat but I also feel it’s time to put someone in office who is going to give speeches that inspire. In fact, I would like to see someone in office who can actually speak in complete sentences. For 8 years now we’ve been bludgeoned over and over in incoherent sentences about fear, terrorism, fear, terrorism, and did I mention fear. But it seems like they forgot that there is an actual country to run. Wall street may have been “drunk” but Bush has been asleep at the wheel for two terms now. And don’t see things getting any better with John McCain aka Sir Crankypants. He is starting to remind me of Waldorf and Statler from The Muppet Show but not as funny.

While Obama is giving speeches about personal responsibility, energy ideas, improving relations in world at large, McCain goes around complaining about the press (well maybe you should get a better event coordinator - really a German sausage house, really), having people on his call Americans “a nation of whiners” (I know Graham was let go), called Social Security a disgrace, silent when asked about why should insurnace companies pay for Viagra but not pay for contraceptives and repeats “Obama voted against the war” over and over and over and over. Well guess what, Sir Crankypants, he wasn’t the only one. Oh I forgot we’re still playing the “A vote against war is vote against America” game. Damn, I just voted against America. Is it my turn again? Ok……Oops, I did it again. Wait is that McCain’s new favorite song. Oh, nice ad. I like the fact that you blamed Obama for over 20 years of bad energy policies coming home to roost. Wait, how long has McCranky been a senator?

During the spring my wife and I went around to some of the monuments and memorials and I stuck by some the quotes at some of them here’s a short list of the ones that really got to me:

Theodore Roosevelt Island:

“The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased; and not impaired in value.”

“Conservation means development as much as it does protection.”

“A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be great or a democracy.”

Frankin Roosevelt Memorial:

“Men and nature must work hand in hand. The throwing out of balance of the resources of nature throws out of balance also the lives of men.”

“In these days of difficulty, we Americans everywhere must and shall choose the path of social justice,the path of faith, the path of hope and the path of love toward our fellow men.”

“I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, and ill-nourished. The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”

“We must scrupulously guard the civil rights and civil liberties of all our citizens, whatever their background. We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization.”

“The structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man, or one party, or one nation. It must be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world.”

These are the things that I would like our next president to say and feel, as it is my view that the president sets the tone the country and we need someone to inspire and give us even a glimmer of hope.

Actions may speak louder than words but there can be no action without the words.

Recently I’ve been looking to add a Firewire audio interface to my studio, so that I can make the transition to Mac at some point and also because I would like an interface with built-in preamps. Historically I have always gone with M-Audio but after a little digging around it seems to me that after they were aquired by Avid the quality of a lot of their products have been less than stellar. That’s when I came across T.C, Electronic’s Konnect 8 (the smaller brother of their Konnect 24D interface) and read a lot of good things about it. SoundOnSound gave a pretty decent review and there were many forum postings along the same lines. So while I was looking at both the M-Audio Firewire 410 and the Konnect 8 (both priced the same) at my local music shop , the staff member I was talking to quickly pointed to Konnect 8 and said the preamps were unbelievable and I would not reget it.

Sadly, I have since regretted it. As great as the preamps are in the Konnect 8 I found their drivers to be poor and the mixer control panel to be seriously lacking any sense of usefulness. It’s a firewire box with 2 firewire ports - uou can chain up 4 devices. TIP: make sure that you use a Firewire card with a chipset from Texas Instruments. Other chipsets cause issues of reliability. Two Multi-format jacks in the front for plugging in mics or instruments it also has two switches to chose between the two switches to select between the front jack and the back 1/4″ jacks. Unfortunately you can’t record/monitor with the front and back jacks at the same time (very weak). To make up for this deficiency they put in an aux input but for monitoring only. Output is two 1/4 jacks (so no Surround Sound mixing unless you use the digital coax out jack). I found the Aux channel be helpful but nothing beyond that assessment. The front jacks were indeed very nice and preamps did an excellent job in picking up guitars and mics and it’ll also work without a firewire cable hooked up to it. Very helpful if you want to use it has a preamp for a show. Overall, physically found the Konnect 8 to be very good and has great potential for musicians who play live and record in studios.

The software and drivers, however, is the Achilles heel of the this product. Installing it was simple enough with the CD that came with it and it informed me that an updated driver was available and it also updated the firmware too which is very helpful. I then downloaded that new drivers and it uninstalled and installed them with I thought was no issue, however upon looking at TC’s forum it turns that out that you should also manually search and delete the driver files before installing the new drivers (really - making an uninstaller is not that difficult).

So with that done, I fired up Sonar and loaded up song that uses some pretty heavy VST synths (Vanguard, Gladitor, Acoustik Piano, Stylus RMX) and also has couple of loops and midi track for my Alesis QSR, but my Delta 44 handled this without much issue and it almost 6 years old. With in the first 10 seconds static and sound slowed to a crawl, so I adjusted ASIO timing from 64 (which was what I used from the Delta) to 128. About a minute the same thing. Adjusted to 256 major sound problems solved but big pops and clicks abound and my dual-core cpu spiking. Re-adjusted to 512 spiking solved but still pops and clicks. So I switch to WDM/KS and tooling with the latency I was able to find a decent setting at 12 - 15 msec (there is a slight delay in midi but it okay for laying down track ideas). But I then noticed that while I was playing the and song making adjust to tracks every blob I clicked on would cause the song to skip, click or pop. I found that making adjustments will cause to DAW software to lockup and crash the computer and also depending on the app if you click ASIO Control Panel nothing happens. Also I noticed that on the available inputs and ouputs I could only choose TCNear 1, TCNear 2, TCNear Stereo what was missing was the digital input and output.

Upon having this many problems I decided that maybe it was time to start fresh so I back everything up and did a complete reinstall hopefully that will clear up these issues. It actually got worse. I installed the new drivers and started Sonar again and loaded the same song and make adjustments once again to the latency and I noticed something new….this time while the sound was fine I kept thinking that something was off and sure enough the course of 4 minute song everything went from starting in sync to ending with the midi tracks about 40 - 50 msecs behind and that was with a latency setting of 256 and 512. Also the TCNear Midi drivers were missing and so again the digital ins and outs. The solution for the missing midi was to install the driver and software, go to Windows Update, download and install the TC Electronic driver update from their site sans the control panel, re-install the driver and software. For the missing digital ports it actually took installing Amplitube to get these to show up, I can only assume that Amplitube’s ASIO control panel I guess either rewrote or made changed to the way the drivers were listed.

And finally there’s the Mixer/Control Panel software. The front page is basic and just has the available channels and next page is where all the routing is supposed to happen but every conceivable routing option did not work for me, and the last page is the system setup where you can change latency. I found their mixer to be completly worthless and pining to return to M-Audio’s control panel.

But regardless it really boils down to latency and I’ve found this device to be an extremely poor performer and very frustrating. The hardware itself is very nice I found the front panel to extremely useful for playing on the road. But I cannot recommend this product to anybody and it’s going to back today for a M-Audio 410. My two other cards are M-Audio and despite their cheap construction these days for me it’s all about the software. And while it’s a clunker it’s own right at least when I make a change to the input and output settings I can tell. Also it will allow me to turn my Delta 44 into a external effects processor mixer so I can take advantage of Sonar 7’s new external fx features which in which I can use the effects in the Ensoniq ASR-10 and Yamaha FX500 along with my array of VST Effects.

Maybe I’ll post about my experiences with M-Audio 410 in the next couple of weeks.

Just when you thought the music industry was finally coming to terms with it’s past hairbrained schemes, lawsuits, and slowly figuring out that selling DRM free music is actually a viable buisness. The RIAA comes back with vengence. Here this weeks list of RIAA vs The World tatics:

PRO-IP Act:

Passed last week by the House of Representatives, PRO-IP Act is a billed written as a complete overhaul of the concept of Intellectual Property in the US and is directly in favor of groups like the RIAA and MPAA under a vieled effort to as a spokesperson from the MPAA states “to strengthen our nation’s economy and generate more jobs for American workers by bolstering protections for intellectual property.” The bill is designed create a new division within the Justice Department, as well as a cabient level post to run it (dispite warnings from Justice Department officals that such a position would undermine its independence). People caught under this act can have their property seized by federal law enforcement and face huge fines, although not fines the RIAA originally pushed for in the orginal version of the bill (up to $150,000 per song). You know every time I buy CD I check the news to see if we’re out of Bush’s recession, so far not yet - maybe a box set will do it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/30/AR2008043003360.html
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/05/house-passes-controversial-pro-ip-act

DRM not dead:

So unlike the big record labels who have ditched in some form or another the sale of digital rights managed tracks. RIAA technology unit head David Hughes at a recent conference came up with ” list of the 22 ways to sell music and 20 of them still require DRM.” All of which center around some form of subscription model or pay-per-listen advertising. He goes on, “I think there will be a movement towards subscription services and they will eventually mean the return of DRM.” If that’s true then why not help out services like Rhapsody, which already employs a DRM subscription model. I’m assuming that at least half of his 20 brain farts of genius envolve copying what Rhapsody already does. And if the other half is related to pay-listen advertsing, then good luck. Any site that is going to use this form of media distribution should ignored and reduculed for the half-assed idea that it is. I’m curious about this list Mr. Hughes has come up with and just how removed from reality the RIAA is regarding online distribution.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080508-if-music-drm-is-dead-the-riaa-expects-its-resurrection.html

RIAA and Education

On the tail of a month in which colleges has seen an sharp increase in the number of DMCA letters it’s recieved (George Washington University alone recieved over 120 letters in a week), the group unleashed to they new stategy of forcing college campus to play by their rules. The RIAA is looking into using state legislatures to force they will upon college and univeristies. Tennesse has already past a measure that requires all higher education institution to “develop and enforce a policy that prohibits its students, staff, and faculty from committing copyright infringement” and also “make “reasonable” attempts to prevent copyright infringement on their networks if they receive 50 or more infringement notices during a preceding year.” Illinois has a smilar bill work through the state legeslature now that would make univeristies “undertake reasonable efforts to install and implement a technology-based deterrent system to attempt to prevent the infringement of copyrighted works over its networks if it receives at least 10 infringement notices in a given year.”

And currently under debate in Congress is the College Opportunity and Affordability Act with an added provision buried in the bill that requires colleges to “develop a plan for offering alternatives to illegal downloading or peer-to-peer distribution of intellectual property as well as a plan to explore technology-based deterrents to prevent such illegal activity” and in circles failure to do so could mean a college or university that does not meet the RIAA meaning of provention could lose federal loan money. Hey, you know junior college isn’t that bad for your file sharing kids.

http://www.bizorigin.com/2007/riaa_nuclear_option
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9940361-7.html?tag=nefd.top
http://www.p2pnet.net/story/15884

History is brought to life in Jucifer’s new release L’Autrichienne. Instead sticking to same sound and concepts of their past two releases If Thine Enemy Hunger and I Name You Destroyer, Jucifer unveils their interpretation of the fall of Marie Antoinette. On top of this concept album, the duo Amber Valentine and Edgar Livengood also employ playing more instrustments than their basic drum and guitar setup. In what would be enough instruments for 12 piece band to play, Guitarist/Bassist/Singer Valentine is credited with playing timpani, piano, Hammond, violin, cello, mellotron, and knife sharpener. While Drummer Livengood also played piano, trumpet, trombone, and flute. This also marks a release where instead of recording and sequencing with Pro Tools, they instead record drums, bass, guitar, banjo, and vocals live to 2″ tape. The result of this does seem to add a bit more spontaneity and warmth to the music. Finally in a brilliant move, in place of the lyrics Jucifer opts to describe the historical context about what each song is about.

L’Autrichienne tells the story of Marie Antoinette in first person interpretation and opens with “Gunpowder,” an strong indie rocker about the King and Queen’s attempt to escape capture and begins the Queen’s descent that would ultimately lead her to the guillotine. Genre-wise Jucifer is like no other band in defying the genre that’s always been labeled to them. Without effort they go from indie (Gunpowder, Behind Every Great Man, Window - Where the Sea Falls Forever), bone crushing sludge metal and hardcore (Deficit, The Mountain, Procession a la Guillotine, Traitors, Armada) to ballads of betrayal and innocence (To the End, L’Autrichienne, Noyade).

Performance wise this is probably Jucifer’s most brilliant record yet in their career dating back to 1994. Amber Valentine once again shows total command of the guitar and renews my belief that she is her own peer (I absolutely think there’s no contest that she is a much better player than the one trick pony guitar playing of Jack White). Vocally, Valentine’s ability to transform from the sweet, sugary innocence of a young girl who happens to be a Queen and not fully understanding her current surroundings to the angry, bitter and spiteful mob that in the end calls for her head is just as seamless as the music, to make these interpretation even more poignant a handful of these songs are sung in French. Edgar Livengood is I believe the live embodiment of John Bonham as I have not heard or seen any one hit the drums as hard as Bonham does until I got I Name You Destroyer and saw them later on that tour. Also I enjoy listening to the rhythm of Livengood’s drums as specifically on the slower song it reminds me of the classic Swans albums Cop/Young God and Greed/Holy Money.

The only downside to this record is the hardcore influenced songs and this really just my one over problem with their albums in general. I have never like Valentine’s voice when playing hardcore as it just seems like a little too forced to go that deep and also Livengood’s drums are so heavy that they tend to dominate the mix and it gives the illusion that the two are out of sync. But other that this absolutely the most original work they’ve done yet and also that I’ve listen to in years. It reminds of when I was in high school, I had to do a presentation on Samuel Taylor Colridge and chose Rush’s Xanadu based off the same poem. So if your kid needs a presentation aid just get this CD and they’ll have both a great CD and something useful for history class. Now my interested in how they translate this to live performance as if you have not seen them live, you have not really seen Jucifer.

I’m currently listening to some new releases getting ready to do some reviews in next couple of weeks. So here’s my new release Top 5 and one classic:

Machine Head - The Blackening: So far on initial listen I think this probably by far the best album they’ve done yet.

Jucifer - L’Autrichienne: It’s shame that they are on a predominately metal label, because this one of the most interesting albums I’ve listen in awhile and Relaspse really only markets to metal fans. It’s hard to describe this record in a short blurb. But I will say this just to inflame you Jack White drones….Jucifer easily blows away the White Stripe wannbe crap Pixies/Blues drivel.

Dirtbombs - We Have You Surrounded: I think I like it but it’s no Ultraglide in Black, which was a fantastic record.

The Detroit Cobras - Tied and True: This is on par with everything else they’ve done but the did do a great version of one my all time favorite soul hits “Nothing But a Heartache”

Devil Doll - Return of Eve: A lot more blues and country than jazz on this one but so far I like it.

Classic:
Rollins Band - End of Silence Demo Sessions: EoS is still Rollins’ most significant release and although I like it, after listening to Demo Session, I’ve come to the conclusion that this is the version of EoS that should have been released. It’s a lot rougher, the songs a bit shorter, and the definitions of the instruments are a lot cleaner as the Imago release just sounded so glossed over.

More a bit.

EJ

The many ways George W. Bush says we’re not in a recession.

“…..we’re in challenging times…”

“it is clear that growth has slowed”

“our economy obviously is going through a tough time”

“Losing a job is painful” (he would know because…..)

“It’s clear our economy has slowed”

“the uncertain price of gasoline creates more uncertainty for you as you plan your future” (No, it’s the uncertainty that your company will exist for another year)

When he was told that some analysts are predicting gasoline could go up to $4 a gallon - His response “That’s interesting. I hadn’t heard that.”

“We’ve got some short-term issues to deal with. Fourth quarter growth slowed to .6 percent. In other words, there are signs that our economy are slowing.” (Really it seems to me that short term as been the ENTIRE LENGTH FOR YOUR SECOND TERM).

They say denial is the first step……

EJ

So the Universal Music Group says the throwing away CDs is illegal, but what about putting in them the microwave. Back when Blender was a CD-ROM only magazine they had great piece on how to get back at your ex. One the ideas listed was to put a CD in the microwave on low for about 5 - 10 seconds. Supposedly it would blank out the information but leave the CD physically intact. So off this idea my friend/band mate Greg and I went through our large stack of promo CDs (I was co-owner of small record shop and did CD reviews, and Greg worked at different record store) and tried this idea out. It worked about 50%, the other half either were unscathed or the aluminum coating shattered, though it looked pretty.

This is really nothing new, for years labels have tried to sue used CD stores that sold promo copies and they have been largely unsuccessful. Usually they went after stores like mine because they usually don’t have the resources to fight back. Never once I have heard of them going after stores like Amoeba or Rasputin.

Maybe if the promos they sent out are actually good then that would solve this issue. I remember when I was doing reviews for newspaper we had beg to get advance copies of Radiohead, Blur, Green Day, and other high profile bands. But they had no problem sending us crap by the truck loads of acts like Warrant, Motley Crue, Skid Row, and the root of all evil Winger (how metal can you be with an name like Kip Winger…..really?!?!).

I say just put in recycling cause maybe then they can be turned into something useful. I’d drink from a bottle made with 10% of The Best of Ray Parker Jr.

UMG Says Throwing Away Promo CDs is Illegal (via EFF.org)

EJ

Artist: Schlong
Album: Tumours
Label: Very Small Records
Year: 1995?

This week I present you with the hard find and quite excellent Tumours 7″ by Schlong, a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours in it’s entirety. It was released around 1995 on the long defunct Very Small Records.

I remember seeing these guys around that time in Albuquerque and the talent of these guys very impressive and a lot of fun as well. They also played a short set as their bluegrass punk alter-ego 3 Finger Spread and did an awesome version of Slayer’s Epidemic complete with a ukulele and a bango.

What set this record a part from most cover albums is that even though they were slightly mocking Fleetwood Mac, it sounds like they painstakingly listened to the original album over and over to make sure they got it right and that every song was recognizable. There are way too bands who do sloppy covers because either they need a filler or they think with their egos and try to make it their own.

Sadly Schlong broke up many years ago and most of the catalog as now out of print. Except for Punk Side Story, an awesome punk version of West Side Story.

Schlong - Tumours

I did a little mastering to the files because it’s from the 7″ and I played it a lot over the years, but I tried leave it as close to the original sound as possible.

Enjoy!

EJ

We were watching the New Hour and they did another Honor Roll of soldiers killed in Iraq. They listed 15 names and least 10 of them were under the age 25 and I’ve come to realize that by the time this is all over we’re going to have an entire missing generation. Being in Iraq is a good idea because………..

Also we’re watching Bush’s War and man that dude should have impeached the first day he took office. Of course that would leave us in the hands of Darth Cheney and he would probably would have killed us all by now.

EJ