My Way News – East Jerusalem housing gets preliminary OK
My Way News reports: “Israel gave preliminary approval Monday for 130 new apartments in disputed east Jerusalem, the area the Palestinians want as the capital of their hoped-for state. Monday’s decision by Jerusalem city authorities comes as peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians are at a standstill over building in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.”
My Way News – Pakistani court delays pardon for Christian
My Way News reports: “A lawyer says a Pakistani court has barred the country’s president from pardoning a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy before it rules on her appeal. Attorney Allah Bakhsha Leghari says the chief justice of the Lahore High Court, Khawaja Sharif, issued the order Monday.”
My Way News – Turkey gives orphanage to Ecumenical Patriarchate
My Way News reports: “The spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians was given back the deed to a historic building on Monday in a move hailed as a symbolic but important victory for the formerly dominant church in Turkey [...] Turkey, which is overwhelmingly Muslim and officially secular, has long been criticized by the EU and human rights groups for its dealings with its religious minorities, including the confiscation of property.”
Comment: Some bad news followed by some good news on the persecution front.
My Way News – Scientists trick cells into switching identities
My Way News reports: “Scientists are reporting early success at transforming one kind of specialized cell into another, a feat of biological alchemy that doctors may someday perform inside a patient’s body to restore health.”
CNN.com – Leaked cables point to vital, volatile U.S. relationship with Turkey
CNN reports: “Dozens of diplomatic cables released by the website WikiLeaks reveal a complex and often difficult relationship between the United States and Turkey in recent years, with persistent anxieties among U.S. officials that long-time Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is prodding the country in a more Islamist direction.”
My Way News – Israel says Arabs agree on Iran threat
My Way News reports: “Israel’s prime minister said Monday that newly leaked U.S. diplomatic memos provide clear proof that the Arab world agrees with his country’s assessment that Iran is the chief danger to the Middle East.”
CNN.com – WikiLeaks documents shed light on U.S.-Israel talks over Iran
CNN reports: “Diplomatic cables obtained by the website WikiLeaks show a continuous dialogue between Israel and the United States about the threat posed by Iran, with the Israeli defense minister and other Israeli officials suggesting that 2010 would be a critical year.”
01. New Breed – Umstrutz
02. Gomez Presley – The Letter
03. Malibu – Lust Or Love
04. Bubba & The Jack Attack – Pedal To The Floor [Dub]
05. Divine - Native Love [Step By Step] [Remix]
06. Oh Romeo – Once Is Not Enough
07. Banana Republic – Silent Scream
08. Bobby Orlando – She Has A Way
09. One Plus One – Love Is The Messege
10. Nadia Cassini – To Late [Get Ready]
11. Free Enterprise – Make It [On My Own] [Remix]
12. Hotline – I Hear Your Knocking
13. Lia – Fingers
14. Electric Theatre – The Clown
Bobby ”O” – LifeTime Collection (Vol 02)
01. Oh Romeo – One More Shot [Conduction 2-3]
02. Teen Rock – Make Up Your Mind [Dub]
03. Roni Griffith – Take Me Up
04. Ringo - Shoot Your Shoot
05. Tony Caso – Motorcycle Madness
06. The Flirts – Forgive
07. Fascination – Rock Your Baby
08. Tony Baxter – Get Up A That Think
09. Zwei Maenner – Don’t Go
10. Pet Shop Boys – One More Chance
11. Free Enterprise – I’m Not Afraid To Love You
12. Wow – Bring On The Man
13. Hotline – Fantasy [Dub Version]
14. Waterfront Home – Take A Chance On Me [Remix]
15. One Two Three – Falling In Love With Myself
Bobby ”O” – LifeTime Collection (Vol 03)
01. Waterfront Home – Rockin Reggae Rhythm [Dub]
02. Roni Griffith – Heart On The Line
03. Tony Caso – Desperate & Dangerous
04. Malibu – Look At That Boy
05. Fingers – I’m Not That Kind Of Girl
06. Bobby Orlando – Reputation
07. Band Of South – Sensitive
08. Divine – Love Reaction [Calypso Version]
09. Hotline - Fantasy
10. The Flirts – Just Another Kiss
11. Nancy Martinez – The Promise
12. Orlando Johnson – One Night
13. Oh Romeo – One More Shot
14. Teen Rock – Set Me Free
15. Pet Shot Boys – West And Girl
Bobby ”O” – LifeTime Collection (Vol 04)
01 Ronnie Goes To Liverpool – Fingers
02 Waterfront Home – Play That Jukebox
03 Miss Kimberly – DJ Girl
04 Boytronic – Killing Fields
05 Latin One Chooch – Catdog [Dub Version]
06 Hotline – Ready Or Not
07 Divine – Native Love [Step By Step]
08 Oh Romeo – Living Out A Fantasy
09 Free Enterprise – I’m Not Afraid To Love You [Dub]
10 The Beat Box Boys – Yum Yum
11 Tony Caso – Dancing In Heaven
12 Roni Griffith – Dancing Machine [Dub]
13 The Flirts – Helpless
14 Bobby Orlando – Whisper To A Scream [Remix '88]
Bobby ”O” – LifeTime Collection (Vol 05)
01. Waterfront Home – Rockin Reggae Rhythm
02. Bobby Orlando – German Girl
03. The New York Models – Fashion
04. Teen Rock – Spy Dance
05. Gina Desire – Breathless
06. Jonny Banckchek – The Runaway
07. The Flirts – Danger [Dub Version]
08. Roni Griffith – Love Is The Drug
09. Free Expression – Chill Out!
10. Oh Romeo – Living Out A Fantasy [Dub Version]
11. One Two Three – Midnight Fantasy
12. Miss Kimberly – My Boyfriend Is A Communist
13. Tony Caso – Love Attack
14. Claudja Barry – Work Me Over
15. Divine – Shake It Up
Bobby ”O” – LifeTime Collection (Vol 06)
01. Oh Romeo – Light Of Love
02. Bobby Orlando – I’m So Hot 4 You
03. Pet Shop Boys – Suburbia [Remix]
04. Malibu – Pleasure
05. Charlene Davis – Agression
06. Tony Baxter – Screamin [James Who]
07. The Flirts – Love And Desire
08. Nadia Cassini – I Like Boys
09. Girly - Working Girl
10. Nancy Martinez – For Tonight
11. Eric – Who’s Your Boyfriend
12. Waterfront Home – Take A Chance On Me
13. The Boys Brothers – Keep It Coming
14. Bonnie Forman – I Only Have Eyes For You
15. Divine – Shoot Your Shot
Bobby ”O” – LifeTime Collection (Vol 07)
01. Waterfront Home – Finger On The Trigger
02. Bonnie Forman – I Want A Man
03. The New York Models – Hot For You
04. Mc Fritz And The P. Rockers – Moon Rock
05. Pet Shot Boys – Why Don’t We Live Together
06. Bubba & The Jack Attack – Pedal To The Floor
07. Gina Desire – Love And Desire
08. Bobby Orlando – Givin’ Up
09. Oh Romeo – Lookin’ Out
10. Kinski Music – True
11. One Plus One – My Girl
12. Spooge Boy – D-Bop
13. The Flirts – Danger [Remix]
14. Tony Caso – Run To Me [Remix '88]
Bobby ”O” – LifeTime Collection (Vol 08)
01 The Flirts – Love Reaction
02 Tony Caso – Dancing In Heaven [Dub Version]
03 The Beat Box Boys – Give Me My Money
04 Yukihiro Takanaw – Dragon Lady
05 Boytronic - Man In A Uniformation
06 Oh Romeo – Only A Memory
07 Lilly And The Pink – Frustation
08 Hotline – Don’t Wait
09 Claus V – Mistery Man
10 Roni Griffith – The Best Part Of Breakin’ Up
11 Dressed To Kill – Crash Bam Boom
12 Orlando Johnson – With Just A Kiss
13 Bobby Orlando – Whisper To A Scream [Re-Remix]
14 Nancy Martinez – Can’t Wait
Bobby ”O” – LifeTime Collection (Vol 09)
01. Free Enterprice – Foxy Lady
02. The Flirts – Voulez Vouz [Remix]
03. Nadia Cassini – Obsessed
04. Waterfront Home – Teenage Girl In Love
05. Teen Rock – Make Up Your Mind
06. Ian Darby With Ya Ya – Stay
07. Miss Tammy Dee – Mysterious
08. Roni Griffith – Desire
09. Divine – Love Reaction
10. Fire And Ice – Danger
11. Beachfront – Once In a Life Time
12. Oh Romeo – Try It
13. The Flirts – Dancing Medley Backwards [Remix]
14. Bobby Orlando – Whisper To A Scream
Bobby ”O” – LifeTime Collection (Vol 10)
01 Lola – Double Trouble
02 Claudja Barry – Born To Love
03 Condo - Love Allowance
04 Wow – The Abc Of Love
05 New Breed – Umstrutz [Break]
06 Vision One – Stand On The Rock
07 Ronnie Goes To Liverpool – Trust
08 Tony Caso – Run To Me
09 Tony Baxter – Do Watcha Gonna Do
10 Montenegro – Sweet Love
11 The Colege Boys – I Get A Rush
12 The Flirts – Passion
13 Lifestyle - Keep Our Love Alive
14 El Coco – Cocomotion
+ Bonus Albums Talk Talk & Hazel Dean
Talk Talk – History Revisited
01. Living In Another World ‘91 [Remix Edit]
02. Such A Shame [Gary Miller Remix]
03. Happiness Is Easy [Dub Version]
04. Today [Gary Miller Remix]
05. Dum Dum Girl [Spice Remix]
06. Life’s What You Make It [Bbg Remix]
07. Talk Talk [Gary Miller Remix]
08. It’s My Life [Tropical Rainforest Mix]
09. Living In Another World [Curious World Dub Mix]
10. Life’s What You Make It [The Fluke Remix]
Hazell Dean – 12 Inch Mixes
01. They Say It’s Gonna Rain [Extended Remix]
02. Love Pains [Rawhide Bullwhip Mix]
03. Maybe [We Should Call It A Day] [12'' Maxi]
04. Better Off Without You [Touch Of Leather Mix]
05. Whatever I Do [Wherever I Go] [12'' Mix]
06. Searchin’ [I Gotta Find A Man] [12'' Version]
07. Always Doesn’t Mean Forever [12'' Maxi]
08. Evergreen [12'' Maxi]
09. Back In My Arms [Once Again] [12'' Mix]
10. Jealous Love [12'' Maxi]
11. Stand Up [12'' Maxi]
12. Danger [12'' Maxi]
13. ESP [Extra Sensual Persuasion]
14. No Fool [For Love] [12'' Version]
15. Better Off Without You [Lickin Mix]
16. Walk in My Shoes [Nightmare Extended Mix]
17. Who’s Leaving Who [Boys are Back In Town Mix]
Well, here it is.
Our first call for writers brought us the stellar talents of Penfold, who’s been regaling us with imaginative tales from the netherworlds of music writing. Add to this the recruited talent of Mr. Brownstone and the contributions of Ollie from the band Grifter, and the Ripple family has grown nicely.
But, we think we’re still a bit short.
The Ripple Effect is growing so big, so fast, there simply is no way for us to keep up with all the quality music that comes in. And now we could use just a little help.
We’ve got openings for one or two more writers. We’d love someone who has a mind for lots and lots of metal. We mean heavy, dirty, deathy, blacky metal. We could also use a great mind who loves emo, electro, and indy pop. If it happens that both those minds are in the same person, then so much the better.
So, if you’d like to write about music, get lots of free music to review, and have your column syndicated across everything from GuitarWorld Magazine’s website to USAToday, let us know. We can’t pay ya, other than in good music, lots of love, and a lifetime membership in the Ripple gang.
All it takes is a desperate passion for music and the desire to tell people about it. As fun as the gig is, we’ll only take people with a serious commitment to listening and writing. Nothing half-assed about the Ripple.
Send in a writing sample about an album you love, 5 or 6 paragraphs. Tell us why you love it, how it makes you feel and why the rest of the world should care. Create some ripples.
That’s what we do here at the Ripple Effect. Create some ripples.
Waveriders Beware!
Appearing unexpectedly, shockingly, in mail boxes around the world, The Ripple Patch arrives! At first, jettisoned to the rapturous applause of dedicated Ripple fans, there are plenty of patches available for waveriders left and right.
Under the Grand Designs of Pope and Racer, those who wish to enter the revered brotherhood of the patch are required to perform this simple rite of initiation. When your patch arrives, take a photo of the patch in any situation you desire; wearing it, not wearing it, feeding it, driving with it, jumping on the space shuttle . . . whatever moves you. Let your creativity flow and send us a picture. All pictures will be posted here on The Ripple Effect, Grooves and Ripples, and later on the official Ripple site, www.ripple-music.com.
For our first photo, we can see the devastating effect the Ripple patch had on a simple rehearsal for the band Mighty High. There’s the patch, right there, branded to the amplifier. Last we heard, no one was brave enough to start mouth-to-mouth.
So be ready, beware. When the Ripple patch arrives, don’t give into the fear. Enjoy and embrace your selection into the fraternal order of Ripple.
Long may the patch wave!!@!
So much good music, so little time. Let’s jump right into it then, shall we?
My Sleeping Karma – Tri
And there it was . . . Mt. Everest standing right before me.
It was 2006 that Mrs Racer and I took off, flew around the world and spent 3 weeks trekking across Tibet to Mt. Everest. Standing at basecamp, at 20,000 feet, the glory of Everest’s summit before me, the majesty of Rombuk Monastery behind me . . . it was a moment of pure magic.
I didn’t bring any music with me on that trip, but if I had, it would’ve been this new, mesmerizing album by Germany’s My Sleeping Karma. A while back, I wrote about my love affair with their second album, and I’m happy to say, that Tri is every bit as trance-inducing, hypnotic, powerful, and dynamic as Satya was. My Sleeping Karma don’t create soundscapes, they create sound universes. Alternate dimensions of Krautrock beats, undulating, snaking guitars, swirling, miasmas of melody. Each of these 9 instrumental tracks is capable of transporting me somewhere in place and time. Some alternate reality, some imaginative dimension. No one else has ever sounded like My Sleeping Karma, no else ever could. This is psychedelic, space rock at it’s finest.
“Brahma” is playing right now, and in my mind’s eye I see Rombuk monastery, the monk’s walking the grounds, the mountain before me. I feel the emptiness of being on the ceiling of the earth, the spiritual abandon of being this much closer to God. My Sleeping Karma can take me there. Just wait until you see where they can take you.
Boris Smile – Rockets EP
One of a long list of discs that’s been sitting way too long on my desk waiting for review. Boris Smile, a collective of young musicians fronted by singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Wesley Chung, bring a definite emo angle and modern twist to indy rock. Chung’s disaffected vocals are strangely magnetic, drawing me into this release with his earnest passion and heart-felt searching for truth.
Using the Rocket as a theme, Boris Smile traverses a spectrum of moods from the introspective to the robust., perhaps never more moving than “Apollo” which seems to imagine an Apollo astronaut saying goodbye to his wife and children before launching off on a mission. Delicate and touching, filled out with gentle strings and angelic harmony vocals, this song could just as easily translate to our current day soldiers leaving home for the unknowns of war. Like a modern retelling of “Space Odessey” Apollo strikes the heart of real emotion.
But Rockets isn’t a one-song pony. “Aurora” captivates with its loosely strung acoustic guitar and dreamy melody, while “Are We Alone,” sets the tone with the airiness of its spartan arrangement. This is a sincere album of lo-fi, acoustic emo. If you’re a fan of Pedro the Lion or Broken Social Scene, you should look deeply into Boris’s smile.
Buy here (mp3): Rockets EP
Buy vinyl: Smile [Vinyl]
Eastern Conference Champions – Santa Fe EP
I have to admit, it took me a little while to get into this twisted dab of dense folk drone, but once I got it, really got, I couldn’t get the damn thing outta my head.
Eastern Conference Champions are a trio who’ve already been kicking walls and knocking down doors, contributing songs to The Twilight Saga and appearing on “Last Call with Carson Daily.” But don’t let those accomplishments put you off. What we got here is hardly the commercial drabble you might associate with a film like Twilight. ECC play a deceptively folky, alt-country drone rock that sounds unlike any I’ve ever heard. Where a song like “Common Sense,” nearly flattens with it’s effects-heavy guitar riffing, Teutonic beat, and fuzzed bass, “Bloody Bells,” is just as deceptive with it’s twangy vocal and tinkering percussion. “Sideways Walking,” finds a new beauty in its spartan melody while “On Off,” crashes against the shore with another layer of muted guitar.
I guess the most reasonable place to look for inspiration here is Neil Young, because only he could effectively change up moods so quickly and effectively, rocking or folking out, while always sounding so distinctly like himself. ECC do that as well, and they do it damn well.
Buy here: Santa Fe
Floater – Wake
Talk about a band with a sound all their own. Floater take the muted heaviness of grunge, toss that into their witches brew pot, add in the musicianship of prog, some flourishes of psychedelic rock, spice it up with some pretty random time shifts, tribal percussion, and a singer who’s voice is achingly familiar (like a distant Michael Been of The Call). Stir that whole concoction up, bring that massive wooden spoon up to your lips, and the potion that results is surprisingly tasty. For those of you who like your rock a little unpredictable yet still familiar, progressive in scope but accessible in execution, heavy yet melodic, you just might find your own musical elixir here.
“Concrete” after it’s ambient, neo-Floyd intro bursts out as anthemic and full of bravado as much of the early Call material. Even the chorus “Now I can only say/that I’m alive/I’m alive/I’m alive” sounds like something that would’ve burst off the lips of the recently departed Mr. Been. And trust me, that’s a good thing. The Call were always one of my favorite bands. So take their passion and drive, meld that with some seriously prog-minded chops, toss in enough powerchords to light up a small nation and we’ve got a winner here.
“Cannonball,” follows suit, as does the rest of the album. This is big, big music played with intent and sincerity. Call it alt-prog, post-alt-grunge. Whatever. Call it good, and you’d be correct.
Buy here: Wake
–Racer
Following hot on the heels of the success of their Ripple Music debut split 7″ single, Grand Atlantic keep the pedal to the metal, building momentum and converting the uninitiated to the Grand Atlantic ranks.
Taken from Grand Atlantic’s massively praised second album “How We Survive,” the hot single “Used to Be the Sensitive Type” was remixed and remastered for inclusion on the Ripple Music split single which also featured the KEXP Top 20 hit by Sky Parade, “I Should Be Coming Up (But I Keep Coming Down.” Since then, things have only gotten busier for the Australian band.
Locked in the studio working on songs for their 2011 third album hasn’t kept Grand Atlantic from touring Japan and readying another US tour in 2011. With dates already set from coast to coast, including a four-day stay at SXSW, fans will have plenty of opportunity to catch Grand Atlantic’s heady, trance-inducing psychedelic pop single. And the US audience is definitely catching the Grand Atlantic wave. The first episode of season 4 of the hit TV show, Gossip Girl featured Grand Atlantic’s Until it’s Gone,” bringing in tons of new fans. The video for “Until It’s Gone,” featuring footage from the recent Japanese Tour garnered thousands of hits after the band’s Gossip Girl debut.
Check out the video and hear the song that captured the hearts of Gossip Girl fans everywhere.
Pressed in extremely limited quanties, the Ripple Music s 7″ split single (pressed on glowing orange vinyl) is still available through www.ripple-music.com and can be found everywhere on Grand Atlantic’s tour.
For Fans of: Oasis, Dolly Rocker Movement, Stone Roses, Big Star, Baby Woodrose, Dandy Warhols
“Gives Oasis a run for their money.” (Courier Mail, AUS)
“Grand Atlantic molds the psychedelic post-punk ethereal moods of their countrymen, The Church, with the shoegazing swirling madbeat of The Stone Roses, and toss in a touch of garage crunch a la Ripple favorites The Thieves just for kicks. The results of this combination of psychedelic distillery are intoxicating…”(The Ripple Effect, USA)
“…This is the excellent album Oasis should have done after What’s the Story Morning Glory but didn’t…”(Lucid Culture, USA)
“Grand Atlantic sure know how to write songs choc full of guitar driven rock/pop dynamics…” (thedwarf.com.au. AUS)
“Grand Atlantic has a sound masterfully blending driving modern rock riffs with smart pop hooks and spot on harmonies…”(Bill’s Music Forum, USA)
“Grand Atlantic’s second full-length album is chock-full of pop rock, with big sounds, singalong hooks and catchy melodies… How We Survive is a masterfully crafted record.” (Time Off Magazine, AUS)
www.ripple-music.com
