Diana Tierney

Rashaya & Resistance Cruisers

admin — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:47:00 +0000

Matt Weston’s album Rashaya is a fantastic piece of modern art. It is unique in that it is not a standard drum performance one would find at a symphony or pop music concert. Listening to Weston’s music is a different experience in and of itself; there is a variation in the sounds that is reminiscent of the Broadway show Stomp. The tracks have a surprising amount of expressive emotion produced from the unique instruments. Listening closely, there is an underlying accompaniment of sounds that are unusual, but add positively to the piece at large, even though you can’t quite put a finger on what instrument it is. Just when you think he is going one way with the rhythm the song goes in a whole other direction.

This album is not for the novice music listener. I recommend this for those who have a love of percussion-based music. Also I recommend it for those people, like myself, who enjoy having a little bit of everything in their musical library.

I was disappointed not to hear as much percussion on Matt Weston’s album Resistance Cruisers. It is more cacophonous electric noise than interesting and expressive percussion. The first track “It’s your Career” is the only likeable piece on the album. This piece finds balance in the mix of unique percussion with noise, which is tolerable, but becomes tedious by the end of the piece. Perhaps it is the guitarist in me, but the electric solos on this album sound like serious damage is being done to an electric guitar. During the track “Rose is the Color of my Envy,” I wanted to cry. It sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

Experimentation with music is good - that’s what I liked about Weston’s album Rashaya. However, the Resistance Cruisers experiment failed. This album crossed the line from edgy and new to obnoxious.

Written by: Diana Tierney, June 22nd 2007

No Need to Be Downhearted

admin — Thu, 24 May 2007 19:43:00 +0000

By Electric Soft Parade

Better Looking Records

The latest album from Electric Soft Parade, entitled No need to be Downhearted, is fantastic. The album has a mix of easy listening pieces that are perfect for a relaxed evening and fun light hearted songs that can put a smile on just about anyone’s face. As the band’s name suggests the music has a soft, electronic accompaniment that rounds out the music, along with catchy beats, enjoyable guitar and meaningful lyrics. My favorite track on the album is “Have you ever felt like it’s too late.” The lyrics are great and the rhythm is fun and catchy. Electric Soft Parade avoids the pitfalls that some bands fall into, where every song sounds the same. Each piece on the album is different, yet has the distinct sound that allows the listener to be able to immediately recognize what band it is. I highly recommend this album to anyone who is a fan of the 80s music genre, brit pop and intelligent pop music in general.

Written by: Diana Tierney, May 24th 2007

Lipstick Jungle

admin — Wed, 23 May 2007 14:35:00 +0000

By Candace Bushnell

Hyperion

Lipstick Jungle is the latest installment of literature from Candace Bushnell. Three very powerful women attempt to not only survive, but to succeed in the cut throat business world of New York City. Victory, Nico and Wendy are all at the top of the respective fields (fashion, media and movies). Though they may be at the top of their game, it doesn’t make life easier. Each must make difficult decisions to keep their families together, advance their careers and find their own independence.

The book is filled with Bushnell’s classic feminist perspective; that women can do the same things that men can do in both business and love. The theme throughout the book is that women can do whatever they put their minds to, no matter what they are doing with their life. Even though we are in a modern society, where everything is supposed to be better than how some of our ancestors had it, this is not necessarily the case. In many ways women have to work harder and prove themselves far more then men do. I highly recommend this book; it’s a light-hearted, guilty pleasure that is perfect for summer reading by the pool or the beach.

Written by: Diana Tierney, May 23rd 2007

The Films of Su Friedrich, Vol. 4: Hide and Seek

admin — Wed, 02 May 2007 12:42:00 +0000

Directed by Su Friedrich

Microcinema / Outcast Films

Hide and Seek is a brilliant movie that explores the real life stories of lesbians' self actualization of who they are during their childhood interwoven with the story of one little girl who - though on the outside she is just like the rest of the girls in her class - she knows that there is something fundamentally different about her. There is also some very interesting footage of very old 1950s-style biology documentaries on homosexuality.

Are we a product of our genetics or are we a product of our environment? This is the question that is debated amongst many leading psychologists and sociologists. Friedrich’s answer to this question is that it is a matter of genetics, using actual accounts of how women at young ages found themselves attracted to those of the same sex and always knew there was something different. Friedrich puts a face to the debate. These are not just statistics or abstract labels; these are actual people with feelings and life experiences.

The movie also gives some insight into this world for those of us who are not homosexual and allows us to connect with our lesbian kin at a very feminine level. Through those very fragile pre-teen and post-pubescent female years, many experiences are shared: the same the games, the social struggles and the desire to feel comfortable in our own skin.

I highly recommend this film to anyone who has struggled with their identity, and to family members of those who have recently “come out.” This movie is a valuable tool in breaking down the negativity that has plagued the lesbian community.

Written by: Diana Tierney, May 2nd 2007

Sounds of Your Name

admin — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 17:25:00 +0000

By Nate Powell

Microcosm Publishing

Sounds of your Name is an anthology of comics written and drawn by Nate Powell. The collection is fantastic for anyone who is a fan of Powell, or of classic newspaper comic strips. The stories are well drawn and deal with serious political issues. The artistry itself is very good, characteristic of this genre. However, it doesn’t have much appeal to the teenage age group that has been spurring the comic book market. The stories are more adult in nature and require a person to pay attention to what they are reading. Being a military wife I found the first comic “Nineteen” regarding a soldier’s job to be the most poignant for me. “Company” was an especially touching piece on how people should take those who are mentally disabled more seriously.

The overall organization of these pieces is lacking. The book is divided into sections, but each piece is not always separated from one another, making it hard to follow in most cases. For a person who is new to Powell’s work I found myself reading into another story not realizing that the one I had started with had ended or actually getting lost mid-story and having to go back and reread some pages. Even though not every comic had a title it would have been good to have a date or something that signified a separation in stories. I recommend this book for those people who are adept in this genre or are fans of Nate Powell’s work.

Written by: Diana Tierney, February 19th 2007

Mini Classic Personal Pleasure Tin

admin — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 13:11:00 +0000

By Mad BJ

Absolutely adorable! Roughly about the size of an Altoid box, this tin has it all. Each container comes with three different types of lubricant, mints, condoms and a trash baggy for easy clean up (the original version comes with chocolate sauce). Each tin can be customized with the type of essentials that you prefer such as the condom brand, type of lubricant and even a few added toys designed for people on the go such as a flashlight mini vibrator that can go on your key chain. Each tin comes with a collectable position card, a series of sixty nine; these cards explain positions and their variations. The Personal Pleasure tin can be taken anywhere, it fits conveniently in a purse or backpack and is discreet enough to not be an embarrassment in case luggage is searched while traveling. The only suggestion that I would have would be to add personal wipes to help with clean up. Still, the Personal Pleasure Tin is a must for “people with a discriminating, yet voracious sexual appetite,” as the website says.

Written by: Diana Tierney, February 13th 2007

Delicate Moisture Body Oil

admin — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 13:55:00 +0000

By Suki Pure Skin Care

At first sniff from the bottle, the scent is not the best. However, the Delicate Moisture Body Oil from Suki has one of those scents that are best in application. It has a wonderful, earthy scent that is not overpowering, but light and relaxing, especially when applied to the skin. As well it is perfect in the bathtub. Though it says only a few drops are needed for the bath, I found that it was a much better experience with a little bit more than a few drops. What makes this oil so great is that it isn’t just some chemically-induced scent made in some factory. Suki products are all natural and 100% vegan. Not only can you understand the ingredients, you can recognize them as well. The Delicate Moisture Body Oil has such ingredients as organic apricot and natural oils such as grape seed, rose, sunflower and Vitamin E. All of these are noted for being indispensable for healthy skin. This product is highly recommended. The body oil was so enjoyable that I have already placed an order for facial cleanser. These products not only make you look good, but also make you feel good knowing that you have also had a positive effect on the environment. This was my first experience using Suki, and I am hooked.

Written by: Diana Tierney, January 23rd 2007

Raising Your Voice… Trying to Stop an Echo

admin — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 19:13:00 +0000

By Hammock

Darla Records

The latest album by Hammock, Raising a Voice…Trying to Stop an Echo, is a beautiful compilation of piano and electric guitar that stretches across genres showing mass appeal to many different audiences. All eighteen tracks on this album enrich you with a cascade of sound that is perfectly harmonious. The songs flow seamlessly from track to track making it seem more like an orchestrated concert just for you as opposed to just another album. Listen closely and you can hear beautiful string accompaniments and steady percussion.

This album is ideal for relaxing after a long day of work, guided meditation or to add a little enchantment into the everyday. Many times when listening to albums of this genre a rock n' roll die hard such as me has a tendency to cringe. However, this is one album I will definitely keep in my collection for years to come. I look forward to future albums by Hammock.

Written by: Diana Tierney, January 13th 2007