Posts by craigm
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Geonet website has the latest monitoring info on our volcanoes and earthquakes. Out of interest only half of Taupo is actually the volcano (the northern half). The southern half is the bit that fell into the hole left after the Oruanui eruption 26,500 years ago. This erupted around 500cubic kilometres of magma. (Mt St Helens in 1980 erupted only about 3 cubic km's). The 186AD Taupo eruption was about 30km cubed, and then there were another 26 odd smaller eruptions between these 2 big ones.....
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I think GNS do things better now
Considerably better if i do say so myself. (although keeping gear running on an actively erupting volcano as White Island was during the 80's and 90's takes a far amount of effort).
Prior to GeoNet it took several days to locate an earthquake - which often involved farmers sending in data tapes from the backblocks. Now days we update a realtime shaking map every minute on the GeoNet website and often have an earthquake location out within 20mins of it occuring. -
but visions of heaven aren't the only shared things that are hard to come by.
Nice one..... :)
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Rob, Songs from the front lawn is definitely in my top ten. "Andy" is probably my favourite, beautiful in every way. I think ABle Tasmans win for favourite live act, just like a big happy family gathering playing all your favourite songs. I remember at their final show they played Sour Queen sung in Spanish. I prefer the earlier comp, "Cuppa Tea and a Lie Down" to Hey Spinner, although Hey Spinner does have some standout tracks, Hold Me 1, being one of them. Humphreys and Keen is well worth buying, I have it and really like it. It's kinda able tasmans stripped bare. As a slight tangent, there's a great little LowPowerFM radio station in Taupo called BitterFM (88.7). I heard sour queen on it the other day while driving and had to pull over to listen to it. I think it's the first time i've ever heard it on the radio! Made my day. :). Yes I think musical taste should be the deciding factor for any cohabitation arrangements!
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Rob looking forward to hearing your list. I hope Hogsnort Rupert isn't on it! :)
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If all it takes is one sentence or one paragraph, then that's all you need to write
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This got me thinking. There's really only one album that persistenly uses such economy of lyrics to express raw emotion which when combined with utterly original music make a unique album. I'm sure i cant my thoughs on this album as succinctly myself but here goes.
The Chills, "Brave Words" (1987)
The opening song Push is only 1:30 long and starts with such a quietness and spareness of a single strummed guitar on a slightly dissonant chord that you'd miss it if you werent paying attention. The song details the give and take of a strained realtionship, each push emphased with a hiss, like a shhh be quiet, i have something to say so you better listen. Martin Phillipps voice barely rises above a whisper yet the power of his lyrics resonate. Yes you sure know
how to make life hard. As soon as you realised the song is there's it's over, a lost snatch of feeling.Rain is more upbeat with a jangling guitar and piano entry, although the subject matter is bleak, possibly about the suicide of a friend But what i want to know is did you scream and fall __what were you thinking, didn't you ever think of giving me a call__. Phillipps voice this time is more up front often jumping an octave and again he's not afraid to only sing in snatches and let the lyrics speak for themselves, (as brave words). In the middle section the guitar drops out to let him clearly voice his feelings about the friend he is singing about. The song ends with the full band back in on a rousing piano lead finish.
Speak For Youself again only two minutes longs is guitar driven with Phillipps voicing almost shouting this time in anger at lovers and teachers and home breakout and speak for youself for the times are running over you more brave words. The song jangles and swirls with the monochord guitar and organ creating a mesmerising whirlpool of sound with a stand up and be counted message.
Look For The Good in others... is old fashioned punk with a positive outlook, the odd fa fa fa faa thrown in, but later the knife twists l've learnt just who my friends are and no-one really cares
Wet Blanket is one of those near perfect unrequieted and understated love songs, well i'm not in anyone, but i could fall in love with you The rolling bass line and 12 string guitar drive the song along with Phillipps voice in full flight covering the octaves, i've got nothing to say to anyone, except to you i love you all over in 2:40.
Ghosts (4:30) is the closest thing to an epic on the album, but again it starts out so quietly with just a single note picked out on a 12 string that you're unsure if the song has really started. By the end of though you've been through the whole house of horrors. The song swirls around the organ and 12 string but isnt afraid to step down a notch mid way through in a delicate icicle like picked section where the bass moons and soars while the 12 string gradually picks up the crescendo until the whole band laucnhes back in and Phillipps appeals for help from a primeval forace help me help me help me ghosts he begs.
Dan Destiny charts the comic book character so common in many Chills songs, a song about growing up and leaving home, again brave actions, spoken bravely.
Night of Chill Blue returns to the quiet unassuming start before building into a rousing crescendo. Another song about love and loss it's all been said in other songs and if i try to say it new i'll say it wrong Night of chill blue evokes wandering the dunedin hills at night staring the sky wondering if your lover is watching and feeling the same emotion. It's the night of chill blue and i hope to god you feel this too
16 Hearthrobs again deals with the death of a friend__Jayne with a why why why__ and is almost dirge like in feel with the carnival organ lending a slighlty surreal tone to Phillipps sneering but optimistic voice snivelling relatives a the feet of another mosit corpse __remember the good times will you jayne__
My personal favourite is the shortest song on the album (1:30) and the title track. Brave Words is a short sharp shout of optimism in the face of adversity cos i'd rather go trying to battle, battle the doubts inside instead of watching the wrinkles grow deeper, noticing varicose veins Brave Words indeed, sung with conviction and passion. The end of each stanza emphasised by a slightly discordant few notes that draw attention to the phrase and the march like urgency of the drumming make this a statement of intent i mean does apathy come with age.
Dark Carnival reminds me of Robert Johnson wanting to sell his soul but not quite getting up the guts to do it, the icy keyboards playing a repeatitive phrase matching the opening Dark Carnival chant We were waiting at the crossroads, sitting at the side feeling tired and wired, but you never get a ride when the cars come and you hide
Creep wraps up the album with an optimistic offering of the hope of eternal life, a fitting way to finish what is such a raw emotional yet ultimately uplifting album. Songs of love, love lost, life and death and above all hope. your the answer to a prayer time after time year after year
This album certainly has been that for me over the last 20 years.
Each listening brings renewed hope for the future and a reminder never to loose sight of your dreams and to stand up for what you believe in. After all isnt that what rock 'n' rolls all about.