Category: Features

Posted on: February 4, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

THE TWO MAKING THE C.R. ECKER BAND MOVE FORWARD

The first time Charles Ecker and Michael Stanton worked together was when Stanton sang  Ecker’s tender love ballad, “When God Created You.”  That song is now in final contention for “2013 Song of the Year” at Independent Music Network breaking a record of six straight months on the Top 30 Countdown. Both have just co-written two new country love songs – “No Turnin’ Back” and “One More Night with You…

Posted on: February 3, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 2

Rewind India Pale Ale

The beer opens with a strong hop nose, and pours with a light, vibrant copper color. There is a small amount of off-white head that is present, while the beer has a solid amount of effervescence that sticks with the beer long after its initial pour. The lacing continues to inch its way down the glass with subsequent sips. Bits of malt and grain can be discerned alongside the hop-forward…

Posted on: February 3, 2014 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Eureka California / Good Grief Split 7”

Athens, GA indie pop band Eureka California take up right where Pavement left off after Stephen Malkmus realized he didn’t want to get along with anyone any more. Like their fellow 90’s rock obsessives Good Grief, Eureka California have a slacker pop sound that comes off uncontrived, but down right infectious. The pair, each contributing two songs to this split (“Turn on Autopilot” and “DC Sniper” for Eureka California and…

Posted on: February 2, 2014 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Treme – The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)

        Despite the massive build up to the debut episode, the HBO series Treme never really managed to catch on with viewers like some of the other appointment-TV shows the network has offered up over the past decade. Part of this can be attributed to the impossible to achieve expectations that had been saddled on the show and its creator David Simon, with fans and critics expecting…

Posted on: January 29, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 2

Lakemaid Frosty Winter Lager

The beer goes in a slightly different tank than the other winter efforts that we have received. The beer has hints of grain and malt alongside a slight hop bite. The complexity of the beer yields a different variety of flavors each time an individual has a sip. The sweetness that ties together these two elements keeps individuals wanting more; taken together, the Lakemaid Frosty Winter Lager is a beer…

Posted on: January 28, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Hundred Yard Dash Fresh Hop Ale

The hop flavor is very light on the palette, while the slight sweetness of the beer plays nicely. The Hundred Yard Ale is something that provides hints of spring even as the temperatures stay cold. While the beer is fueled through a decent dollop of alcohol (6.8%), the overall tenor of the beer is such that one will be able to polish off a Hundred Yard Dash easily. The beer…

Posted on: January 27, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Dylan Connor Blood Like Fire (Songs For Syria) CD Review

Blood Like Fire is a track that links together 90s indie and alternative rock with a more classic singer-songwriter style. The production of this introductory effort will immediately draw listeners in, while the smart instrumental arrangements will increase the track’s (and by extension, the album’s) replay value. Feza Feza is bolstered through the presence of Omnia Hegazy as a backing force during the song’s chorus; the track takes a considerably…

Posted on: January 23, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Cold Snap Beer Review

      Cold Snap is a very hazy and bubbly effort from Samuel Adams that looks to showcase the change from the heavier and darker releases to the more fruit and sweeter efforts of the spring season. The beer separates itself from other white ales on the market as it has a sweeter, almost caramel-like aspect to the flavor. This provides additional complexity to what is already a heady…

Posted on: January 23, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 1

Namaste Beer Review

Namaste is a beer that a wide swath of imbibers can appreciate. The beer pours with the smallest amount of whitish head and a light, hazy color. The beer has a nose that yields hints of bananas, fruits, and a slight bit of an alcohol nose. As the beer continues to warm up, the sweeter elements of Namaste come into view. This means that the wit beer style starts to…

Posted on: January 22, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Andy Ferrell I Was Born EP

On the Road blends the sixties singer-songwriter genre with hints of classic country. Ferrell’s vocals are rich and road-wizened, while the arrangements similarly show a maturity that belies his age. Ferrell’s I Was Born EP shines based off the equal focus given to the vocal and instrumental side of things, while The Ring represents another track that feels destined for play on radio rotation. The track is built off of…

Posted on: January 20, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

KJB SleuthGear Zone Shield Night Vision Clock Radio – SC8000

Alarm clocks are so commonplace in houses and hotels that one would not expect that a camera would be contained within. The SC8000 has a tremendous amount of functionality beyond its obvious notification mode. The camera is able to record high-quality video even in low light / darkness – the 30 frames per second level ensures that one is provided with a fluid video rather than a choppy collection of…

Posted on: January 20, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Wahl Lighted Detailer Lithium Power

Many of the extra tools that come with household shavers attempt to allow individuals to detail their nose, eyebrows, and neckline. However, I feel that Wahl’s Lighted Detailer is able to have a single, unitary focus and succeeds at providing individuals with shapely necklines, brows, and sideburns at a very approachable price (the detailer is available online for around $15-20).The detailer is powered through one AA battery, and has a…

Posted on: January 20, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Smirnoff Sorbet Light Pineapple Coconut Vodka Review

Smirnoff’s Sorbet Light line is one of the few [product offerings that allow imbibers that want to have a diet beverage the ability to have it both taste delectable and still be wholly walloped by the alcohol percentage. The brand has a new offering – Pineapple Coconut – that contains 30% ABV. The vodka contains 78 calories in each shot (1.5 fluid ounce serving size), meaning that one will be…

Posted on: January 19, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 1

Alaskan ESB Beer Review

The beer pours with a very bright copper color. The head that pours from the bomber is fairly substantial and with a slight off-white tone. An initial mouthfeel is fairly substantial and provides imbibers with a slight amount of carbonation; the light bubbly touch allows for a much greater gradient of flavors to be present in the ESB. The nose of the ESB links together hops with a sweet blend…

Posted on: January 18, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Young Detective Dee Rise of the Sea Dragon Blu-Ray Review

Young Detective Dee Rise of the Sea Dragon is a 2013 film that works as a predecessor to Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, and provides fans of the initial film with ample backstory and a plot that is at least as alluring as the first film. Mark Chao (Dee Renjie) and Carina Lau (Wu Zetian) step into their previous role, while the cast is further bolstered…

Posted on: January 17, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

The Following The Complete First Season DVD Set

The Following is one of the hottest shows on TV, looking to reinvigorate the cat-and-mouse, criminal and lawman genre utilizing hints of crime fiction, police procedural, and mystery genres.  The absolutely star-studded cast (Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, Natalie Zea) took to the air early in 2013, and have captured a considerable viewer share throughout its initial 15-episode run. The dynamic that is present between the serial killer Joe Carroll (Purefoy)…

Posted on: January 17, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Abbey Dubbel Beer Review

The sweet notes that are presented to imbibers are moderated through the presence of a warming alcohol touch. The 9.1 IBUs of the Abbey Dubbel allow for an absolutely approachable effort that is much more meaty and fulfilling than more hop-heavy efforts. The fruit elements (banana, dark fruit, apricot) provide additional facets to the beer. The bold elements of the beer are refreshed through the presence of tart notes, raisins,…

Posted on: January 15, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Henrik Åstrom Interview

Can the music that you composed for Cowboys and Indians be enjoyed outside of the setting of the film? Does the context in which one listens to your music change based on how they experience the compositions? I always intend for the scores I write to stand on their own outside of the film. It is usually a challenge since most film scores need to be very subtle and can…

Posted on: January 14, 2014 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Sneak Attack Saison Beer Review

Effervescent without having some of the more dank and earthy notes typically present in the farmhouse ale format, Sneak Attack Saison has a tremendously easy flavor that dissipates quickly. The pour yields a very hazy, straw color with no head or lacing. 6.2% ABV is moderately perfectly by the warmer elements of the beer, while the 38 IBUs provide imbibers with additional complexity to the effort. Hints of pepper, spice,…

Posted on: January 14, 2014 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

The Art of Metal: Five Decades of Heavy Metal Album Covers Book Review

Metal may be the most maligned musical genre out there. But regardless of whether you think its rep is well-deserved or wholly unfair, there is no denying the powerful visual images that have been associated with it from the beginning, seen everywhere from album covers to black concert T’s. From the iconic Zombie-like figure of Eddie, Iron Maiden’s mascot, to the Misfits skull beaming from the front of t-shirts going…