Making its last stop in the United States before heading to Europe, the Vochol — a 1990 Volkswagen Beetle hand decorated with more than 2 million glass beads — rolled into Denver International Airport last week.
The first time I heard Two Tone Wolf Pack it was in their prior incarnation as Munster Boogie at a show at 3 Kings Tavern. Their line-up has changed somewhat since then and over the years I’ve seen them play on the street for the First Friday Art Walks on Santa Fe and on the 16th street mall here in Denver. Two Tone Wolf Pack knows how to hold a crowd with their swamp boogie sound.
Here’s a few reasons I’m enjoying this new EP…
It’s super catchy without being monotonous. The multiple non-harmonizing voices make me feel like I’m singing along even though I don’t know the lyrics yet.
The sound is honest and engaging. It seems like they placed a stereo mic in a room and played. There are a few vocal effects here and there, like an old radio transmission quality to “Old Cripple Crow,” and the mixing is good and feels entirely natural.
The drumming is driving and interesting with a slow swampy beat and subtle variations. I especially like the snare accents toward the end of “Hickory Hill.” The drummer’s style sets the whole thing into a drunken intensity.
I would like to see this EP as a soundtrack to a zombie film, especially the last track “Dead Man Hangin’ from a Tree.” A lot of great dynamics here and a beautiful hollow, woody sound to the whole thing.
Can’t picture your face, but remember how you smell. Have pictures of you, but can’t look at them because they don’t smell like you. Have a shirt that wish had never washed.
Wish you would read this. Wish you would walk in door, unannounced, with your face displayed above a body more familiar than family and hold how vines hold trees.
Wish all things would mend and sadness wouldn’t wake at early morning, prompting to write requests of greek muses, to open random bible passages, to see horoscopes and seek oracles in every turn of transparent curtain.
Dreamt of you in stomach, breathing inside, woke to absence and felt jealous of the air around you, wherever you are now.
Today at the Occupy Denver rally, the Police decided to send out riot police to ‘crack down’ on the protesters and clear the square. I filmed and photographed the people in attendance, people of all ages and walks of life - all there to peacefully protest and march. In fact as you can see in this video, the speakers spoke out forcefully about remaining non-violent. At the end of the video is a group of kids I included that were there to protest but also to have fun - expressing their freedom of speech and assembly -part of being a free American citizen. I included them because, well, LMFAO is awesome, and these kids were near the front of the capitol where the Riot police were standing. I assume they were met with the same force. I hope they are OK. And watch the people in the video, young and old, including mothers with infants and Vets - were these people deserving of this?
here was the police’s reaction to the request to occupy the steps of the Capitol
Was that necessary for a lady wanting a job?
A vet?
A mother and child?
this dangerous mob of regular folks?
This is the guy who was trying to explain to the police that their permit included the Capitol Steps.
These regular cops were polite, and even when the first riot police arrived, it seemed innocuous.
I left the rally then, frankly because the speakers doing the Mic Checks were telling the people that there would be no march up the Steps and that everyone should keep protesting back at Veterans Park. So what happened Denver Police - Tell me why these people deserved bully clubs, guns and riot gear? Does that do you city proud? Is there Honor in this?
Oh, and it turns out a contributor to the Mayor and Governor was seeking to co-opt the Occupy Denver movement by seeking a patent for the naming rights - but has now withdrawn it.
Friendly advice to the Denver Mayor, our Governor, and the Police - watch what’s happening to Mayor Quan of Oakland. This is not going away, it cannot be co-opted or beaten down.