Sunday, March 4, 2007

Joss Stone

I have not been as on top of Blogging as I would like recently, I have a couple of heavy issues that I think need talked about that I just have not got to yet. and its sad because the two reasons I have not been on top of things are Fantasy Baseball (which will not rule my life this summer, damn it!), and adding new tunes to iTunes. Well I guess as a stopgap I will write about one of those artists I listened to for the first time recently, Joss Stone:

First A Little Backround Info:

Joscelyn Eve Stoker (born April11, 1987), best known by her stage name Joss Stone, is a Brit Award- and Grammy Award-winning English soul, R&B, and blues singer, songwriter, and occasional actress who has sold over nine million albums worldwide.

Discography:

The Soul Sessions was produced by Miami soul singer Betty Wright and S-Curve Records CEO Steve Greenberg. She worked with veteran Miami soul musicians Benny Lattimore, Little Beaver, Timmy Thomas, and Wright herself. She also worked with contemporary musicians such as neo soul singer Angie Stone and hip-hop group The Roots.

Joss Stone told MTV News that she felt intimidated by the credentials of the musicians that worked on the album. "It was weird because they've worked with so many great, great singers I'm talking the best. I kind of walked in, just like this little girl and started singing". By the end of the session, she had impressed everybody with her talent.

Mind, Body & Soul is her second album, released in 2004 (see 2004 in music). The album was Joss Stone's most successful album to date in both the UK and the U.S.; the album reached number one in the UK, making her the youngest female singer to hit number one on the UK Albums Chart (previously held by Avril Lavigne), and peaked her at number eleven on the U.S. Billboard 200, where it went Platinum. Even though the album was successful, none of the singles from the album had managed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the album's third single, "Spoiled", had managed to peak at number fifty-four on the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The album was also nominated for the Grammy Award for "Best Pop Vocal Album" in 2005. It was the UK's thirty-ninth best seller of 2004.

Introducing Joss Stone
is her third studio album. Stone began recording her third studio album, Introducing Joss Stone in Barbados in May 2006. Introducing Joss Stone was released on 12 March 2007 via Virgin Records. Producers include Raphael Saadiq, and collaborations include Lauryn Hill, Novel, Mix Master Mike and Common.

Virgin Records describes it as "an electrifying mix of warm vintage soul, '70s-style R&B, Motown girl-group harmonies, and hip-hop grooves"

Stone herself describes it as "truly me. That's why I'm calling it Introducing Joss Stone. These are my words, and this is who I am as an artist". The first single from the album, Tell Me 'Bout It debuted at number one on the U.S. Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles.
Not only is Joss Stone quite easy on the eyes, buy she has the voice to back up the hype that has surrounded her. Her first two albums take advantage of her Etta James-Like, soul singer voice with vintage rare soul tracks and other various songs that play to that strength. Unfortunately, Introducing. . ., despite a lot of press saying how this album was more under her creative control (something I usually like) seems to take a creative step backward. The song is full of mid-tempo R&B-Lite Pop songs, which do little to highlight her talents. Why would such a great singer like her want to impersonate Britney Spears? Its kinda sad. that said, I dont follow many female music artists, especially ones that aren't pure rockers, so she must have something special to garner my interest. Joss Stone is someone I will keep an eye on in the future, I hope her promise pans out.

TomC

Top 100 Red Sox Blog Project: 101 - 50!



What a great project being worked on. Who cares if it is correct or not, the discussion alone makes it worthwhile.

http://top100redsox.blogspot.com/

"Red Sox bloggers unite to chronicle the Top 100 Boston Red Sox players in their storied franchise history."

I present to you, THE FIRST HALF OF THE LIST:

#101 - Wally the Green Monster
#100 - The 2004 Red Sox
#99 - Jody Reed
#98 - Sparky Lyle
#97 - Tom Burmeier
#96 - Ira Flagstead
#95 - Roy Johnson
#94 - George Winter
#93 - Lee Smith
#92 - Dick Gernert
#91 - Greg Harris
#90 - Brian Daubach
#89 - Butch Hobson
#88 - Jesse Tannehill
#87 - Ray Collins
#86 - Freddy Parent
#85 - Jim Tabor
#84 - Buck Freeman
#83 - Bill Dinneen
#82 - Rick Ferrell
#81 - Jeff Reardon
#80 - Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd!
#79 - Roger Maxwell “Doc” Cramer
#78 - Tom Brewer
#77 - Ike Delock
#76 - Keith Foulke
#75 - Ernie Shore
#74 - Bill Mueller
#73 - Frank Sullivan
#72 - Chick Stahl
#71 - Tom Gordon
#70 - Tony Armas
#69 - Marty Barrett
#68 - Rube Foster
#67 - Ray Culp
#66 - Carl Mays
#65 - Troy O'Leary
#64 - Jimmy Piersall
#63 - Rich Gedman
#62 - Larry Gardner
#61 - Ellis Burks
#60 - John Valentin
#59 - Mike Timlin
#58 - Jerry Remy
#57 - Billy Goodman
#56 - David "Boo" Ferris
#55 - Jim Lonborg
#54 - Joe Dobson
#53 - Duffy Lewis
#52 - Ellis Kinder
#51 - Johnny "Judas" Damon
#50 - Rick Burleson

I submit for your approval, Sox Fans, the first half of their project! Discuss away. Comment on their site, the deserve your appreciation for this undertaking, whether you agree with the listing or not. We also have a lively discussion going at Stogie Chat about the list, which is a credit to thier endeavor.

TomC

Elijah Craig 18 Year Old Single Barrel


Name (full): Elijah Craig Aged 18 Years Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Barreled Date: September 12, 1983

Barrel #: 629

Proof: 90

Price: $29.99 per 750ml @ Toddy's, Bardstown, Kentucky.

Bottle: A rather elegant but unassuming flask shaped bottle with whispy smoky blue labels. the front label lists the name and proof, while the back label says: "Aged for 18 years in a single charred oak barrel. It offers you a rare opportunity to enjoy the hearty, full-bodied flavor of a true Kentucky classic.". Distilled & Bottled by The Elijah Craig distillery Co., Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky 4004.

Color:
Burnt Sepia with rosy highlights. What I used to imagine the inside of a bourbon barrel looked like.

Mash Bill: From what I can gather all Heaven Hill Bourbons are Corn 75% Rye 13% Malted Barley 12%.

Nose: plum, vanilla (just a touch), smoke, menthol, burned molasses, nutmeg & allspice, peppermint, CHARRED. Diluted: pretty much the same, some cloves & baked praline pecans as well. A little sweeter.

Taste: charred barrel almost to the exclusion of anything else (but thankfully not completely), dark sweetness like dates, tart like bitter cocoa, a tiny bit of the nutmeg taste carries over. Diluted : menthol (Heaven Hill Distillery Character) more noticeable, bergamot tea with lemon.

Finish: Long, smooth , dry, & coating with BARREL & rye spicy notes, more bitter cocoa. Barrel aftertaste lingers with you for quite awhile after you have finished drinking.
Mouth feel: thick, explodes warmly onto the palate, rather large after that. Warm feeling for a 90 proof bourbon, tingly ( almost mouth numbing, my wife said). This bourbon seemed viscous and clinged nicely to the glass.

Conclusions: I have to say I enjoyed the experience of this bourbon. It is not something I could drink everyday, mind you, but once in a while a bourbon aged this long is a good counterpoint to some of the great younger bourbons I have tried (having lined it up against OF 86 for example, the differences are STRIKING). I can see why some people think it is over aged (it tastes a LOT like barrel and can be overly tannic), and I would agree with it being overpriced (though I feel I got a deal !) especially compared to Elijah Craig 12 which is still more interesting and the expression I prefer. What it is though, is the PERFECT counterpoint to a medium to full bodied cigar! It is strong enough to tackle the bold flavors, and a good cigar seems to smooth out some of its more tannic notes! I know this is a very specific usage for a rather pricey drink, but its usefull tho me and such an amazing match, it neede to be mentioned. All that said I am glad I bought this bottling and I know that it will get finished, maybe even savored. If you can catch it on a deal, you just might want to try it too!

TomC

Project Plus Revisited

On February 18 I posted an article about Project Plus, a group that seems to be against birth control. You can read that article here. I thought I would catch you all up on my stunted correspondence with them and then editorialize a little now that I know a little more. some of this can be read in the comments area of that last post.

Brittany Shankle, from project plus responded:

Just a correction. Project Plus is not a specifically Christian campaign. We do not promote any Christian based message, only education and awareness of the harms of Artificial Birth Control methods. See our website for more information. www.theprojectplus.com. thanks for the article!

To which I responded:

Okay, fair enough. I happen to find the article as a christian news wire release on a Catholic blog, I guess I made an unfair assumption. feel free to continue to elaborate on your stance here. specifically I am curious what your groups stance is on sex between unwed couples having intercourse. Do we believe in abstinence or is there a third stance here I have no considered. I am sure other readers would be curious to know.

I was really hoping to start a public discourse on this site to get a good feel for why they are opposed to contraception and what they felt the alternatives were. Unfortunately all I received in response was a personal email directing me to their site, http://www.theprojectplus.com/.

The site is vague and confusing. It does not seem to offer an alternative to safe sex practices, or what their stance on unwed pregnancy or STD's is. They provide what they see as facts to prove that contraception is harmful, and that the media perpetuates un truths: The lies they say are perpetuated include:

That humans can't be happy without sexual involvement.

That it is unhealthy to not want to have as many sexual partners as physically possible.

That the best way to stop the spread of a sexually transmitted disease is to have more sex (just make sure it's protected).

That long term use of potent chemicals that have been linked to the deaths of several women will have no negative side effects on our health.

That having all natural sex is stupid and old fashioned.


The first three postulates are patently ridiculous. You go to any planned parenthood program in this country and before being given condoms you will get a pamphlet, and before birth control, most likely a talks discussing those three exact points. That sex is not needed for happiness. That clearly in the post free-love, AIDs epidemic society we live in that not only is it not healthy to have a large number of partners, but clearly promiscuity is not a healthy practice.

I will admit, it is sad that side effects from pharmaceuticals do have adverse effects on people, and this is a very regrettable occurrence. This is not limited to birth control. Following this line of thought, should we stop practicing modern medicine? Everything from penicillin to acetaminophen causes a reaction in SOMEONE. This is why you should be in touch with your medical professional (and be brutally honest with them regarding the circumstances) when considering a life change such as becoming sexually active so they can find the solution that is right for you. You should also voice whatever concerns you have with contraception with them, and I am sure they will work with you to find the correct answer. The alternatives, listed below, are not much better and statistically much more possible than adverse reactions.

What the Project Plus "lies" do not address is the segment of society who is going to have unwed or non monogamous sex anyway, and whether you find it sad or not, this is going to be a significant number of people. Having all natural sex is not stupid and old fashioned, but having all natural sex in a college setting with multiple partners is a dangerous risk. A 2004 UNC Study says that 1 out of every 2 college students that is sexually active will contract an STD by the age of 25. Among others of importance to women in particular, there were 4.6 Million cases of HPV reported in 2000 with the number continuing to grow. Effects of this disease include genital warts and, if left untreated, it can lead to cervical cancer.

What are we to do for all of these students? Are we to expect them all to suddenly become abstinent? "Natural" birth control methods, like the "Rhythm Method", or "The Pull & Pray", while possibly effective against pregnancy, offer NO such guarantees against STDs at all. But there is no alternative, other than suggesting that people can be happy without sex (which IS true) there is no stance state on the site, other than "Birth Control is Baaaaad, MMmmkay. . .".

What do you suggest for the sexually active among us Project Plus? We would sure like to know.



TomC