I thought it may have been 3 or even 4 weeks since I'd done this because I've been really busy over the weekends, but looks like it has only been a couple of weeks. Entries are short this week as I try and catch up. Went to a wedding interstate weekend just gone, and had a conference interstate the weekend before that so it has been a busy time. I've done very little travel, and this is the first time I've been to Melbourne. What surprised me was the quality of the Melbourne airport... compared to Adelaide, it was like walking into a warehouse that had been converted. There were even portable cabin dunnies. I suppose I was flying Tiger... Just seems like a different setup compared to Adelaide where every flight leaves from the same terminal.
Been reading State of Fear by Michael Crichton. I've never read any of his stuff before (though of course I have seen Jurassic Park). It's focused on environmental terrorist groups that are trying to influence media coverage on global warming, by creating events that seem to support that theory using hi-tech equipment. Interesting though, is evidence provided throughout the book that global warming may not be happening at all, and Crichton leaves references for all of his work. That said, it may be a bit like The Da Vinci Code; believable, but where does the science fact end, and the fiction begin? On a side note, Megan is a burns nurse, and one of the characters in the book receives burns from electrical charges. Another know-all character explains that the burns aren't thermal, and that putting ice on the burn prevents/limits the nerves from creating the response that causes blisters. This didn't sound right to me based on conversations with Megan, so I asked her. Firstly, all burns are thermal, whether they are from steam, flame, or chemicals. Secondly, ice is the worst thing you can put on a burn. When you are burnt, the heat is trying to escape. If you put ice on it, it prevents the heat from escaping in that direction, and it forces the burn to go even deeper. Running cool water over the burn helps to carry the heat away. Medical lesson over.
Anyways. So far the book is pretty good. Enough of the science fact to have you wondering about global warming and what it really means; how many of us think global warming exists without even considering any evidence apart from the general hypothesis and media claim that it is happening? But enough action and intrigue as well to keep you thinking about where everything is heading. On with the music!
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The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys Today! - 1965
Megan loves the Beach Boys. After this album, I'm not convinced of their greatness. Which isn't to say the album is bad either, and there are certainly songs here that I can sing along to. From a technical standpoint, it is impressive, with their harmonies laid over each other meticulously. It's easy to sing along to Do You Wanna Dance straight out of the gate. Help Me Ronda is likely to be the well known track from the album. The entry in the book indicates that this album has the worst track in the entire book, and on first listen I wasn't able to really establish what that might be. On further listens, I'm going to guess that it would be Don't Hurt My Little Sister. That song just sounds all kinds of weird. 'Why don't you love her, like her brother' sounds a bit wrong when it's aimed at a potential suitor/boyfriend.
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John Coltrane - A Love Supreme - 1965
Jazz is back! And I'm not really impressed. There are a few sections that I like, but at other times the album is cacophonous, as the experimental jazz just doesn't seem to work for me. I can feel structure trying to emerge but it never gets there. That may be part of the point of experimental, but it doesn't really work. I understand how dissonance and weird structures can work, but not here. There are only 4 tracks, but they all last over 7 minutes.
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BB King - Live At The Regal - 1965
Another live album in the mix. BB King is another name I've know for a great many years, but was never familiar with what the name meant. This album sounds to me like R&B and soul mixed with a little rock. There are some swinging tunes here, and BB King likes to entertain his audience, not just with his music but also some anectodes that are often tied into songs. His voice soars from time to time, and Sweet Little Angel would have to be a standout.