My friend and Jon Harting and I, sometime around eighth grade, became obsessed with Better Than Ezra's hit single "Good." The pulsing bass line, the somewhat snarky lyrical delivery -- this was the pinnacle of popular music, in our opinion. We didn't know who Ezra was or anything else on Deluxe, where the song came from. We didn't really care. "Good" was enough for at least a summer's worth of music.
You can't really wear a groove in a compact disc, but we came close.
Nearly fifteen years later, I have found another BTE song to love, though it's not quite as catchy as the narcotic "Good." "Turn Up the Bright Lights" shows that the band has been influenced by more delicate indie styles and is as polished as ever.
Got bad news from a friend about a black IRO frame stolen earlier today from a North Campus home. You can reach the owner here.
Description:
- Black IRO Angus 59 cm frame
- Black bullhorn handlebars with yellow grips
- Yellow rims with black spokes
- Black seat post with yellow seat
- Navy blue chain
- Steel pedals
- Front and rear fenders
When I hiked John Bryan State Park several weeks ago, I found it to be one of the prettiest green spaces in Ohio. [Story] [Blog] Yet, at the end of the main trail was the entrance to Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, clearly a beautiful and expanse in its own right.
This weekend, tagging along with girlfriend's awesome family, I got to take that mysterious road leading into deeper, denser wilderness. It proved to be an amazing trip through: virgin forest; lush, mossy undergrowth; and water features that rival anything in the state.
Clifton's trails are easily accessible from multiple parking lots at either end of the gorge. I suggest setting up shop in John Bryan's Lower Picnic Area, walking the Pittsburgh-Cincinnati Stage Coach Trail to the foot bridge and entering there.
You'll see rapids, beautiful river pools, rock formations and tons of wildflowers -- spring beauty, columbine, jack-in-the-pulpit, trillium and others.
What's cool about the trail is that it narrows; as you walk along the rocky path, water begins to rush faster and harder. Watch for a few Canada geese shooting the rapids like lazy, feathered kayaks. At the northern end is the Clifton Mill, an old grist mill that once harnessed the power of the Little Miami River.
Emails last week informed press that noted country star Miranda Lambert released a song called "Dead Flowers," the first single from an upcoming album. Instead of a cover of the Stones' classic break-up work, she wrote a song of the same name herself. It's OK. I bet she could offer a really winning cover, though, since she's pretty, rich and talented yet, apparently, still prone to lots of dead-end relationships.
Got this great news from Mayor Michael Coleman's office, after officials rode from South Campus to the Statehouse to kick off Bike to Work Week:
The City’s new Share The Road initiative to encourage greater safety for bicyclists and motorists is the next step to make Columbus more bike friendly city. Mayor Michael B. Coleman was joined by City Council, Ohio State University, other local and state leaders and bicycle advocates today at OSU and the Statehouse to roll out the program and launch Bike To Work Week.
Share The Road will use new road signs and pavement markings called “sharrows” to remind motorists and cyclists they are legally required to share lanes. The signs and sharrows, unveiled today, will be installed this summer on North High Street between Nationwide Boulevard and Morse Road. The pilot project will be reviewed prior to possible use of the signs and markings across the city.
“We are introducing new signs and new markings on the roadway to remind everyone to be active, stay safe and share the road,” said Mayor Coleman. “It is important that motorists and cyclists alike understand how to get to work safely on our city streets.”
Share The Road signs and sharrows work will be funded through a partnership with the Ohio Department of Development. Share The Road is built around the four E’s: Education; Engagement, Engineering; and Enforcement. It’s the latest step in the City’s Bicentennial Bikeways Plan that calls for an additional 31 miles of off-street trails and 58 miles of on-street bike lanes and routes. The city currently has 87 miles of bike routes and trails.
Even though the topic of conversation is The Jesus & Mary Chain, this quote from High Fidelity is also applicable here:
"They picked up where your precious Echo left off, and you're sitting around complaining about no more Echo albums. I can't believe you don't own this f---ing record. That's insane."
Named after a 1980 Echo & the Bunnymen album, Crocodiles also borrow heavily from the Mary Chain and related things that were noisier on purpose, not just for the soothing, narcotic thrill of it. Summer of Hate is a great record that changes much from track to track.
When I spoke last week to Jeff Stephens, executive director of ConsiderBiking.org, he said bikers should definitely be on hand at the Statehouse Monday, around 8 a.m., for a big announcement from city officials and cycling advocates.
Stephens, Mayor Michael Coleman and others are riding from the South Campus Gateway to Capital Square to announce a great new share-the-road campaign that will put sharrows on a 6.5-mile corridor along Morse Road and North High Street. They'll arrive around 8 a.m., where booths will be set up to raise awareness about National Bike Month.
Maynard Ferguson's new-age jazz masterpiece is one of the most bizarre songs I've ever heard -- a Spanish-Western, space jam that could've been played to great result at a disco. It also made me realize that Maynard Ferguson was one of the coolest dudes making music in 1977.
International Migratory Bird Day, an annual celebration of the seasonal flyers that pass through North America, happens this year on Saturday, May 9. With the warblers and swallows back at Whittier Peninsula, I figured people would be itching to take a road trip up to Magee Marsh in Oak Harbor, one of the best spots in North America. It takes more than two hours to get there from Columbus, so I've designed a day trip that should allow you to spot numerous species along the way.
Thanks so much to Mike Williams, the staff photog for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, who took me on this fantastic voyage on last year. Here you go:
There's no reason to post this song today. On the other hand, there's no reason not to, especially on a day like today, one full of promise.
Drake, who lived sadly and died young, released better work during a career that was cut short by an overdose of anti-depressants at age 26. But this song is a small glimpse into the rare happy side of his genius, how he might've felt on a good day looking out the window of his parents' home in Warwickshire, where he retreated from the world and eventually died.
His reflective, somber side -- songs that are routinely called "autumnal" -- came easily. This song, it's safe to say, was a step of bravery by a man who was wracked by depression, insomnia and all sorts of dark thoughts that came across on record. To capture the rays of sunlight on Pink Moon, by someone prone to glasses half empty, took work.
