Two Words, One Answer.
last week
 I CLEANED MY HOUSE LAST WEEK, SORRY YOU MISSED IT Ladies T-Shirt White Large $23.99 The Design/Saying is printed on the front of this T-Shirt, we use the newest & best technology to print the design with great inks that are cured into the product. This new high tech way of producing garments is very fade resistant. WE DO NOT USE TRANSFERS. It is great, since you dont have that thick transfer feeling. The feel is very smooth and comfortable. T-ShirtFrenzy offers over 30,000 designs on tons of products to offer millions of variations. You can search our store for something for everyone on your gift list or shop for yourself (our personal favorite). Please contact us with questions.  A tousle headed 25-year-old named Joe Yule Jr. and Mrs. Yule, the "Miss Birmingham Alabama of 1944," showed up at a Hollywood premiere last week. Joe Yule, known to millions as MICKEY ROONEY, was one of the last of Hollywood's big names to be released from Army Service. ..... 1946 LIFE Magazine Picture, A4003A. $12.99 This Item is an original Magazine picture, taken from a vintage magazine of the year indicated. The picture is suitable for framing and displaying in your home or office. The scan of this item was taken through plastic film, however it is an accurate representation of the item. The nominal size is 10.5 inches by 14 inches.  Two Weeks Last Summer $32.98 Well, it is a nice, quiet day at the castle. I know many of you have written to me asking me what I listen to when serenity abounds. Many things my people. How many fish are in the sea? How many birds in the sky? How many grey strands in Metamorpho's hair? (Wait a minute! I told you not to go there! ...Oops, I did!). Mental note: must remember to be more kind to me- no one else will take on this daunting task! Anyway, what we have here (and one of the answers to the above question) is a fine solo album by David Cousins. He is still an acquired, esoteric find, but, nevertheless, after many years out of print, or just plain lost, I finally got this album and have evolved because of it. David was (and still is) the main voice and leader of that exquisite, progressive rock band The Strawbs. Throughout their career there have been many personnel changes, however, the quality of musicianship has remained astoundingly high. David's vocals (which I have determined to have some off-center brogue accent) may be off-putting to some. But there is no question that he is totally unique and, given half a chance, you too may be mesmerized by his magic. The songs contained herein are folk tunes, sprinkled with some rock, sauteed in poetic landscapes that harken, at times, to the Romantics. However, that said, he frames so much of this to shades of mood (sometimes with an English countryside flair) that make the whole project enriching to hear. The diversity is akin to going to a museum and coming away with a different aura and emotion after viewing. Yes, this is the Cousins song museum. And you thought you were at another circus of mine. Hah! We begin with "Two Weeks Last Summer" which is a swirling soundscape of rememberences. Ethereal and outerworldly, it conveys the edges of memory perfectly with a lovely guitar thematic change. "October to May" is a sparse dirge with only vocals that resonate, slowly, to the death and rebirth of the seasons in human terms. I close my eyes and see myself back in 1200 England. I swear he writes with a wise, older guide by his side. We then come, to my mind, the masterpiece of this album. It is "Blue Angel" which, with each listen, I am even more taken with it's beauty. Cousins employs superb musicians on this, especially Rick Wakeman who flows so eloquently with his keyboard talent. It is a surreal, English court tragedy about being unable to connect with his true love. At least, that is what I think. There are 3 musical motifs and changes within this song - all lush and majestic. And he sings dripping with raw emotion. I am also taken with some of the lyrics; "The best of questions have no answers, the best of answers need no questions". What a nice mind enigma that is! Going forth we have the short musical piece "The World" with piano and flute. It moves into a sad "That's the Way It Ends". Regrets. Some things in life are regrets. "The Actor", consequently, moves with the speed of a greyhound. Cousins is not allowing you to rest at your leisure. A song about the actor who, as opposed to ones who know their true worth, never glimpses his own soul since he can be everyone and then no one. Interesting. We then come to the heartfelt "When You Were a Child", a sparse piano song to wispful lost connections. Lovely. The next two songs "Ways and Means" and "We'll Meet Again Sometime" lend themselves to imagery of natural wonder and heartfelt honesty at connection. Cousins is very good at this sort of thing. The divine in nature. The closing song "Going Home" rocks, but rocks at the expense of the woman that he is grateful for leaving. I love the line "I'm going to frame you as a memory, And hang you on the wall". This is a line that could have come out of Metamorpho's handbook! Bravo Cousins! In closing, if you are looking for something out of the mainstream that you will feel good about knowing (and not many people do know), you owe it to yourself to investigate this album. He and, most definitely, The Strawbs have a treasure trove of folk-pop-rock-prog music that is superior and outshines many mainstream groups. 4 1/2 stars. Now let me go - before my hair turns more grey! (not nice people!). the alarmingly prolific ---- Metamorpho ;) |
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