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Wine Ebooks:
| | The Complete Grape Growers Guide. |  | | A Complete Guide For Growing Grapes. Converts Very Well At A Reasonable Price! Growing Grapes And Making Wine Is A Very Popular Topic Right Now.
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| | Fool-Proof Wine Values. | | | Learn How To Easily Find Wines Of $50 Quality For $10 Or Less. Impress Friends With Your Expanded Wine Knowledge. Eliminate Your Dependence On Wine Salespeople. And Take The Hassle Out Of Buying Wine.
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| | Making Wine From Home. | | | A Fun And Very Informative Book On Home Wine Making. The De Facto Standard For All Home Wine Enthusiasts With Recipes, Advice And Tricks.
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Blogs & Sites:
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[11/19/2007, 17:58]
The Search Continues | | Just thought I'd share a few of the keywords in searches that have lead viewers to The Wine Chicks: Vomiting chicks yuntrip That's how I roll Vin Diesel italian hash ... and a disturbing number of image searches for Edie Brickell and Shaggy from Scooby Doo... | | | |
[12/14/2007, 21:00]
Planta?e Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 | |  This is another dry red wine from the sunny ?emovsko valley near Podgorica, Montenegro. We’ve covered a few wines from the Planta?e winery in the past and this is probably the poorest of their wines, without much character. Enjoyable only with a meal.
The difference in perception of this wine and the Dulka Cabernet we just covered is quite huge - the wine makers from Fru?ka Gora do seem to know how to add some magic to their wines and add a special touch to it (OK, it costs twice as much, but is well worth it!). Score: 5/10
Price: 240 RSD (?3)
Retailer: Widely available in Serbia and Montenegro Technorati Tags: Montenegro, Montenegrin Wine, Podgorica, Cabernet, Cabernet Sauvignon | | WorldWine Tags: Montenegro, Montenegrin Wine, Podgorica, Cabernet, Cabernet Sauvignon, | | | |
[07/12/2008, 05:50]
Finding a wine that has aged well? | | Hi all. First time poster, long time drinker.
My parents' 25th anniversary is next week, and I thought it would be nice to give them a bottle of a 1983 vintage to mark the occasion. I've managed to find some online in my price range (less than $100), but I don't know what's aged well and what hasn't. There seems to be a lot of ports out there, but my parents aren't really into dessert wines. They aren't wine snobs by any means (my mom likes Yellow Tail, bleccchh), but I want to get them something that doesn't taste like vinegar.
Thanks in advance! | | | |
[08/29/2008, 03:21]
Focus on Spain's Regional Varieties: Serious Verdejo from Rueda D.O. in The Export Markets | |  It seems appropriate that the mythical figure of the phoenix should enter my imagination when searching for metaphors that could describe the variable fortunes of Verdejo throughout Spain's history. Wine production in general suffered during particularly crippling plague outbreaks, the Moorish Invasions, Reconquista, Wars of Succession and more recently under Franco, among several other trials. Not unlike the development and refinement of viticulture in Burgundy and the Rheingau, however, Verdejo cultivation in the Iberian Peninsula has distinct monastic roots. This is not by coincidence either, as the Castillian countryside, including the more important towns such as Segovia, Ávila and Valladolid gave Europe culturally transcendent figures such as Sts. Juan of the Cross and Teresa of Ávila.
Famous saints aside, the Sanz family has been involved extensively since the revitalization initiated in the region since the 1970?s and 1980?s, along the likes of larger houses such as Marqués de Riscal. Rueda wines, having achieved D.O. status around that time, in 1980, allow for Verdejo to be blended with other local and international white varietals. Sanz produces another (orange label) Con Class Rueda, which represents this type of blend, though I personally find the 100% Verdejo much more exciting and interesting.
I?m quite thrilled that consumers in export markets are now able to find stand-alone bottles of Castillian Verdejo from resurgent Spanish D.O.?s such as Rueda. Along with the producers? adoption of a more updated, state-of-the-art approach towards regional varieties that the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX) people are striving to convey to foreign markets, I find it altogether more noteworthy to see the producers? attitudes themselves skewing towards their own tastes when it comes to the fork in the road that producing for said markets represents. The producer wonders: "What balance do we strike between what we believe regional, indigenous varieties such as Verdejo can achieve, and what North Americans or say, the Chinese and Japanese markets prefer in terms of taste and style?"
Argentines like myself are keenly aware of these issues, particularly when contemplating our neighbors from across the mountain range. The progressive viticultural methodologies and embrace of technology in and of themselves are assets that ultimately yield no rewards if utilized to please foreign sensibilities only. Heavy investment and updated production methods, in this case, however, have done well by Rueda producers?really well in fact. Wines like my pick for this week?s recommendation strike the balance needed to please all palates as well as embody the regional pride that has become a winning formula for many Italian and Portuguese producers (Vinho Regional and IGT appellation schemes, respectively). These artisan producers craft impressive wines where the regional varieties play center-stage roles, and more importantly, in which the style of the wine?s expression is crisp, delicious and sincere?pleasing to local and open-minded foreign palates alike.
My notes follow for the 2006 Con Class Verdejo Rueda D.O. by Sitios de Bodega:
This fine Rueda shows through as a clear lemon hue in the glass. The nose is pronounced and clean, staying true to the nature of this aromatic varietal, with green treefruit (green apple and pear), lively citrus, fresh grass, slight minerality, spice and floral hints. Don?t be fooled by the nose, this wine is from Castille and not Marlborough. Bearing in mind its aromatic profile, though, I?m not at all surprised that wines like this Verdejo are often blended with Sauvignon Blanc. Palate-wise, this one packs a serious amount of flavor into a pale, unassuming little transparent lemon appearance, with thick glycerin and ripe green apple slashed through with intense, lime-citrus acidity. The perfumey floral and grassy fumes here are not to be taken lightly, as they mimic an Altoids-like strength and shoot up behind the nasal passages and subsequently haunt the afterbreath. The lovely finish sticks around quite a bit, with added minerality, warm spice and a grassy angle of pear-green apple flavors lingering in the afterbreath. My last impression that I?d like to convey would be to think twice before pairing this beautiful, personality-packed Verdejo with a crab dish or some other white meat that doesn?t intrinsically hold up much in the way of concentrated flavor.
This wine's U.S. importer is Eric Solomon/European Cellars Selection. It is distributed by Polaner Selections in the Northeast. | | | |
[11/12/2008, 18:20]
Pisco Doesn?t Always Have To Be So Sour | | | The Pisco Sour is one drink that comes and goes and almost has its day in the sun… Why do people like it so much? It’s the egg white, stupid. Some where back in the 80’s bartenders stopped using egg whites in their sours, but they had bigger problem with the pre-made bottles of sour [...] | | | |
[03/06/2008, 00:51]
Hardys announces that the race to the bottom is over; now for the hard work ... | |  By Campbell Mattinson
Publisher, The Wine Front
IN A DRAMATIC change of focus the Hardy Wine Company today announced that it was taking a great leap backwards - and changing its name. From the end of this month the Hardy Wine Company will be known as Constellation Wines Australia. This is an attempt to change the perception of the Hardys wine name from that of a corporate giant to, more simply, a regional winery 'known for quality and craftsmanship'
While this change is largely window-dressing, it is important. It marks a significant shift in thinking at Hardys. In recent years its super-premium portfolio has been sadly neglected, to the point where many premium wine drinkers (and wine media) today query whether the Jack Mann, Houghton Gladstones, Hardy's Tintara and Thomas Hardy super-premium labels still exist. The Hardy Wine Company has become known for good quality, cheap, non-region-specific fighting varietals. It has been at the forefront of the much maligned 'race to the bottom'. And for a long time this strategy has been widely perceived as puzzling and myopic - like defecating in your own nest.
Hardy Wine Company President John Grant said today that ‘This is a pivotal time for our company as we embark on a range of activities to move our company to higher ground. From 31 March ... we aim to showcase to the world regional winemaking at its finest. ‘By drawing on Constellation’s global resources and tapping into our generational traditions, we aim to become Australia’s regional wine champion, recognised for our quality brands and winemaking excellence.’ ‘Changing our company name provides greater freedom to shine the spotlight on the real heroes of our business - the outstanding regional wines. In particular, it allows the Hardys brand to return to being a winery, known for quality and
craftsmanship, rather than being known as a corporation.’ ‘We will be adding to our diverse regional offering and continuing our exploration of Australia’s premium wine regions’, he said, ‘as well as strengthening our front line staff, with additional personnel, tools, resources and training’. Constellation Wines Australia brands include:
Amberley, Banrock Station, Barossa Valley Estate, Bay of Fires, Berri Estates, Brookland Valley Estate,
Chateau Reynella, Goundrey, Hardys, Houghton, Leasingham, Moondah Brook, Omni, Redman, Renmano,
Stanley Wines, Starvedog Lane, Stonehaven, Tintara, Yarra Burn.
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[11/07/2008, 16:15]
Time for tea in Zionsville and Carmel | |  Two new teahouses are now open for business just north of Indianapolis, Serendipity in Carmel and Serenity in Zionsville. Both are operated by Occasions Divine, which is owned by Karin Glass, a gourmet cook who is a regular vendor at the Binford Farmers Market.
Glass operated the Curator?s Café at The Sanctuary in Zionsville from March of this year until mid-August, when Sanctuary owner Nancy Noel decided to contract with Elements owner Dennis Dunn to operate the space. Glass? operation had been quite successful, and she quickly found a newly-vacated space on Main Street to move into. In the meantime, she also found a spot in Carmel, and opened Serendipity there on September 7. After two months of remodeling an old (circa 1868) Zionsville double into a restaurant space, Serenity opened yesterday, November 6. (Talk about a busy few months! She must have some incredibly soothing teas in stock.)
Serendipity and Serenity both are open for lunch, English tea and Sunday brunch. The menus are similar but different ? I plan to try Serenity?s lobster BLT next week (lobster and bacon ? how could that be bad?), and the L. S. Ayres Chicken Velvet Soup at Serendipity eventually. Both locations will offer twelve days of holiday teas featuring traditional Scottish recipes beginning December 6. | | | |
[12/23/2007, 02:21]
December 22, 2007. Christmas time is here | | 
It's hard to believe that a year has almost gone by and Christmas Time is here. In getting into the holiday rhythm, I went looking for some music only to find most of it unsatisfying (surprise, surprise). There are exceptions, and here I think is one of them.
December 1965, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" was aired and became an instant standard. Most people will remember the Charles Schultz cartoon along with the catchy tunes. Upon listening to the recent 2006 re-master of this album by Fantasy records, I was amazed. This is so much better than coming out of a 14 inch mono TV. Arranged & composed by Vince Guaraldi, there is an underlying quality of happiness and cheer to the music. Perhaps it brings back happy memories of my childhood but I think it is intrinsic to the music. Guaraldi to me, has the lyrical qualities of Bill Evans together with the rhythm and swing of a Dave Brubeck - it is a shame he died of a heart attack at an age of 47 between sets at a jazz club. Thought I would share this one with you, the album code is FCD-30066-2 in case some of you are interested.
Merry Christmas, good health, peace on earth and may joy come over the world. | | | |
[12/06/2007, 15:15]
The Results Are In! | | And apparently, Yulia is the Upset Queen. She's adept at bringing $7 bottles that end up winning blind tastings. Either that or we all have cheap tastes... not quite sure. So last night was the Mourvedre/Monastrell showdown. And honestly, it was pretty disappointing. We blind tasted 5 wines and none of them were particularly stellar. As per my normal accuracy, I guessed 3 out of 5. I knew we had 2 cheap Spanish, 1 pricier Spanish, Cline's Ancient Vines, and Thomas Coyne. I did not know the vintage of any of them. Wine #1: Blackberry/blueberry nose, with a touch of herbs. A bit of funk wafting through. Tight tannins. Thin fruit, but very ripe. Smoke on the finish. I guessed it was a cheap Spanish from 05. I gave it 2.5 out of 4 stars. Wine #2: Smells exactly like sweet boysenberry pancake syrup from IHOP. Blast of fruit on the opening palate and then... nothing. Kind of gross, really. I guessed another cheap Spanish from 05. I gave it 1 star. Wine #3: Much lighter in color (the previous two were densely purple-red). White chocolate and sweet cinnamon on the nose with blackberry/raspberry fruit. Same fruit on palate with spicy-herbal finish (sage, thyme, cinnamon). Lingering cocoa. I guessed a CA from 05, and I figured it was Cline. I gave it 2.75 stars. Wine #4: Ripe blackberry, some astrigency on the nose - kinda like band-aids. Also lighter in color than the first two, more red than purply. Cassis fruit, smoke and lots of herbs. Lingering tea. I guessed a CA from 03 or 04 based on color and herbality. I guessed it as Thomas Coyne and gave it 3.25 stars. Wine #5: Smelled just like... dish soap? Seriously. Or cheap rose perfume. Sweet raspberry also present. On the palate, pretty tasty mulberry fruit with mint and thyme. I guessed it as the pricier Spanish and placed it as an 05. I gave it 3 stars. So, it turned out that: #1- Cambra's 03 Uno! Shit, we all got that one wrong. And quite frankly, it is NOT worth the price. #2- Chonchelo 06 - Cheap Spanish, indeed. We just poured this straight down the sink. #3- Cline 05 Ancient Vines Mourvedre - Got it right, but it's not as good as I recall. Much lighter and much leaner on herbs. #4- Thomas Coyne 04 Mourvedre - Pretty good stuff. I'd feel ok about recommending this. #5- Finca Luzon Verde 06 Monastrell- And with that, Yulia's cheap Spanish trumps us all. This is a great bargain. | | | |
[10/30/2008, 07:58]
Serious Sonoma Syrah | |  Often when you think of Napa and Sonoma, the big corporate winery showcases come to mind. Palatial wineries costing tens of millions of dollars surrounded by gardens that compete with Versailles and gourmet kitchens better equipped than three star Michelin restaurants. Yet some of California’s most exciting wines are not being made in such wine palaces.
Working in leased space, crammed in with other small producers sharing space and equipment, some young winemakers are making a dramatic new generation of California wines. Some of the most compelling wines I tasted during a visit to Sonoma last weekend were some bottlings of syrah produced by some low tech, but high passion winemakers. I say this is a new generation because these are not the huge raspberry fruit bomb syrahs with little varietal character you  have come to expect from California. These are big wines, just as they should be, but layered in with all that fruit was real complexity as they exhibited that earthy, butcher shop character that defines the finest wines from this variety. Morgon Peterson at Bedrock Wine Company is crafting some of the most fascinating American wines I’ve tasted in some time. He’s making a tremendous range of single vineyard syrahs and a dramatic sauvignon blanc/semillon blend. Neighbor Phillip Staehle is making some compelling wines under the Enkidu label. His Odyssey Russian River Syrah is proof positive that the best syrah is made in cooler climates than conventional wisdom has called for in the past. In the picture above, Peterson presses wines using a muscle powered basket press. Yes, he really makes wine that way. There’s a growing group of young winemakers in California who are well educated not only on winemaking science, but on the traditions that made European wines the standard for greatness in the past. They are on the cutting edge of California winemaking not because of their use of the latest technologies, but by their return to the methods of the past. They are making textured, complex wines that don’t bury the characteristics of the variety under excess and manipulations, but that proudly and clearly show their California personality. For me, these wines were nothing short of exciting. As you might expect, very little wine is produced at wineries such as these. I’d suggest you get on the mailing list now. Technorati Tags: wine, California, syrah | | WorldWine Tags: wine, California, syrah, | | | |
[04/29/2008, 21:10]
Restaurant Review: Cyrus in Healdsburg, CA | | 
We return to Cyrus after a couple of years and have a truly great meal. Prices are up but our recent experience definitely justified the Michelin two stars. The food sets the highest mark in Sonoma county, but we'd still like to see more focus on local purveyors. If elaborate dining is what you seek in Sonoma, Cyrus is the perfect destination for indulgence.
You must not miss the excellent cheese cart... 
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[10/28/2008, 13:30]
Wine Book Club #5: Wine Politics | |  By the end of Tyler Colman's excellent book, Wine Politics: How Governments, Environmentalists, Mobsters, and Critics Influence the Wines We Drink, I could only come to one conclusion: it's a miracle that we are able to find anything at all that is decent to drink.
Welcome to the 5th Edition of the Wine Book Club, the online book club for wine lovers who also like to read. I'm the host for this month's event, and for my theme I was inspired by the season. What better way to celebrate September and October than to read a book written by a genuine PhD (September is back to school month) about wine and politics (we are in the midst of an election)? This idea was even more appealing given that the author may be better known to those of you who read wine blogs as Dr. Vino, the award-winning wine blogger.
Colman's book compares the way that politics has shaped wine culture in France and America. One of the most striking things about the story he tells here is that, along with politics, there are two other "P"s that have played an equally active a role in determining what you drink: phylloxera, the louse that destroyed grape vines all over the world in the 1870s; and Robert Parker, the critic who began telling us what we should drink in the 1970s. Phylloxera, it turns out, led to such a collapse in the worldwide wine business that it opened the door to greater governmental control and intervention as people sought to limit fraud, graft, corruption, and lost income. And Parker helped people to wade through seas of indifferent wine with misleading labels at a time when Americans were still drinking like it was Prohibition and they'd rather mainline the hard stuff than drink a glass of wine with dinner. The ripples he sent out from his one-man business in Monkton, Maryland in the 1970s now threaten to engulf us in wave after wave of homogeneous wine made to please Parker's influential palate.
 I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable about wine history, but I was surprised again and again by the nuggets of historical lore and sharp analysis that Colman includes here. Lately, I've been wondering why we don't buy wine in bulk here in the US like they do virtually everywhere else in the world. Turns out it's due to a combination of Prohibiton (and the resulting patchwork of legislation) and something called the Office of Price Administration that was established in World War II. Until then, wine was shipped in tanker trucks and on the rails to 1500 bottling facilities studded all over the country. And thus the enormous carbon footprint of wine began!
Colman's message is sobering, even though his book is a delight to read with its clear prose and fluid style. The bottom line is this: when money, egos, and bureaucracy collide--as they do in the wine business--it becomes almost impossible to do what is best for consumers, the environment, and the winemakers themselves. With everybody taking a cut in wine sales, from the bottle makers to the distributors to the retailers to the government, it really is astonishing that anyone bothers to make wine at all. And in case you're thinking the situation is better in France, let me assure you it isn't--it's just different.
If you enjoy Colman's blog, you are in for a treat since this book is written in the same direct, engaging style as his blog posts. The book has great graphic features (like a comparison of how politics shapes French and American wine blog labels) and informative sidebars that offer the reader opportunities to pause and consider the issues from a fresh perspective.
I highly recommend this book, especially if you find yourself wondering why you don't know what grape is in a French bottle of wine, or why it is that an American wine is labeled "Cabernet Sauvignon" when 25% of the grapes in it are Syrah. The answer to both questions is simple. Wine Politics. After reading this book, you'll never think about the relationship between the two in the same way again.
Tyler Colman's Wine Politics: How Governments, Environmentalists, Mobsters, and Critics Influence the Wines We Drink was published by the University of California Press, who sent a copy of the book to me for review. It retails for $27.50, but you can buy it on Amazon.com for $18.15.
If you are participating in this month's online club, please leave comments and/or links to your own posts below. You can also leave links at the Wine Book Club site, or on our mirror site on Shelfari. | | | |
[04/23/2008, 07:01]
Some quick notes | | Domaine Weinbach Schlossberg Grand Cru Cuvee St.Catherine Riesling 2004 (375mL)
Peaches, pears, orange peel and marmalade on the nose. A rich, viscous and weighty palate with excellent texture and length. Bold, but balanced.
92/100 Domaine Fourrier Les Goulots 1er Gevery-Chambertin 2003
A nose of red berries, candy, violets, chocolate and cinnamon. Touch of stalk to the medium bodied palate. Decent length and structure. Nice.
88/100 P&C Bonnefond Cote Rotie 2001
Licorice, dark chocolate, raspberry and coffee aromas. A juicy, ripe palate with the elements of the wine well integrated. Very good.
90/100 Taylors Vintage Port 1977 (375mL)
Vanilla, jasmine tea, licorice and cedar. Palate is smooth and of medium length, but doesn’t have the complexity or depth I expected. A bit of a let down as it is meant to be amazing.
88/100 | | | |
[10/14/2008, 08:44]
Wine Collectors Eye Cellars for Liquidity | | Sad sign of the times: collectors are resorting to selling their precious wine in order to raise capital. Lisa Baertlein (reuters.com) writes: 
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Wine cellars have been taking a hit from the global credit crisis and it isn't because the owners of rare bottles are drinking more -- it's because they have been selling to raise cash.
The selling started with mortgage brokers and has moved to Wall Street as owners turn their collections of coveted vintages into liquid assets.
"People need money. Even richer people need money sometimes," Vinfolio.com founder and Chief Executive Stephen Bachmann told Reuters on Monday.
In the last few weeks, private collectors submitted offers to sell $10 million worth of wine to Vinfolio, a San Francisco-based company that buys and sells wine online. Normally the company has about $6 million offered to it.
» Full Story Tags: melgab, wine, collection, recession, funds, south-africa, South Africa | | WorldWine Tags: melgab, wine, collection, recession, funds, south-africa, South Africa, | | | |
[11/07/2008, 19:39]
Is A New Wine Tax Hike Looming? (Wine Spectator) | | | No one wants his or her taxes raised. Yet given the enormity of the fiscal challenges that lie ahead for this country, is a new tax on wine in order? I don't think so, and certainly hope not. But in the past, anti-alcohol lobbies have eyed a tax increase on wine and spirits. | | | |
[06/20/2007, 22:05]
All Canadian, All the Time | | | Over May 13th, 14th and 15th 2007, thirty wine writers, sommeliers, and industry professionals from across Canada and the U.S. met in Windsor, Ontario to judge the 27th annual All Canadian Wine Championships. More than 850 wines were submitted from... | | | |
[04/01/2008, 22:23]
Great Cheese Find: Abbaye de Tamie | | 
Yes, monks can make great cheese. Abbaye de Tamie is such an example. It's a washed rind raw cow's milk cheese. It's not so easy to find, but worth the hunt.
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[11/07/2008, 09:17]
2002 Botromagno Gravina | | After weeks of fiddling around with game, organ meats and arguing in Spanish about whether or not the package contains gizzards and hearts, I felt like taking things back to basics. Roasted chicken with creamed spinach, cornbread, and macaroni and cheese, the sides coming from Fresh Market.
 I used the "Stretch's Chicken" recipe from the latest issue of Saveur, which involves putting a hard cheese/herb paste on a cut-up chicken and browning the parts in a cast-iron skillet before roasting it all at high temperature in the oven. For simplicity and because it's my favorite for this kind of cooking, I just used a pack of leg/thigh quarters. Defat the pan and deglaze with red wine vinegar and you've got a tangy sauce to go with the chicken. It's ridiculously simple but really flavorful.
For the wine I took a gamble with the 2002 Botromagno Gravina from the bootheel of Italy in Puglia. $15, 12% abv, 60% Greco, 40% Malvasia. I'm not sure how long this wine was supposed to age, but it's become amazing over the years. There are rich aromas of dates and golden raisins as well as violets. Flavors of dried apricots with a foundation of lemony acidity round out the package, and it's got a beautiful amber hue to it.
Looking at this plate, you could easily find the ingredients in a TV dinner or cafeteria lunch menu. Just put a little love and attention in the preparation and find the right wine to make it special. And, of course, eat it at the table surrounded by friends. | | | |
[11/19/2008, 17:27]
Circle | | Circle: No beginning and no end, and when you think you?ve come upon the conclusion you?re back at the start. Perhaps this describes Circle?s compositional work ethic more than anything. Circle is a west coast rock band, the west coast of Finland, that is. They live in a city called Pori, further north than the capital, Helsinki, and Stockholm, Sweden to the east. With a large student population, and its own jazz festival, Pori also is home to Finland?s most visible underground rock band, Circle.
Their latest in a long line of innovative recordings, Hollywood, lists them as a "new exciting band from Finland." To most people, this is true enough, but to those paying attention, Circle has been making some of the most original modern rock music since the beginning of the ?90s. Formed by bassist/guitarist/vocalist/creative wildman Jussi Lehtisalo, the group has been on an endless journey of musical exploration since they began. Besides being consummate players, the band are avid music collectors and enthusiasts; hence, Circle music and records have many stylistic touchstones, most notably Krautrock, artrock, avant garde, prog, and cinematic post rock. Just when you think you?re getting a handle on them, though, you see they also have a deep love of heavy metal, particularly from the 1980s, all manner of punk rock, as well as Velvet-style droning and even country and folk music. (Their love of metal forged their now infamous tagline-NWOFHM. Get it?) Some have called them Finland?s mighty masters of metallic hypno drone rock. Whew!
 In the USA, San Francisco-based record retailer Aquarius was one of the first to champion the band. They have noted: ?We'd always wondered why they weren't the latest post-rock big thing...well maybe it's 'cause they're so dang weird! Which, of course, we like. Bands that sing in their own made-up languages (a la Magma) and do other unashamedly "prog rock" and sometime metal things too are definitely cool with us. But does that get them signed to Thrill Jockey or Matador? No. Not yet anyway.?
Well, yeah, not yet, but fortunately for us there is the band?s own label, Ektro, run by Circle ringmaster Lehtisalo. It?s through Ektro (distributed by Southern in the US) that Hollywood will be released early in 2009. This hour-long album takes Circle fans on a different trip yet again. Back up a few years when Lehtisalo tracked down L.A. musician/producer Bruce Duff via the internet. Duff was the frontman of ?alternative metal? band Jesters of Destiny, who in the mid-to-late ?80s were signed to Metal Blade Records. Lehtisalo arranged through Duff to release an expanded version of Jesters of Destiny?s album Fun at the Funeral on Ektro. An email friendship followed, and soon enough Circle and Duff were exchanging DVD files across thousands of miles of oceans and began collaborating on recordings.
The first music to arise from this joint venture was an EP on Philly-based label No Quarter, entitled Earthworm. As reviewed in Collective Zine, ?Whoa. Shooting out the traps in totally manic mode, bass and drums locked down in their inexorable search for the ultimate groove whilst a |
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