Liam Sullivan's Ideas and Reflections
I’m participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge through all of April 2017. Every day (except Sundays), I will be posting a new, original photograph (or photographs) related to the letter of the alphabet.
“O” is for “Oars”
A familiar scene from the Charles River.
It’s more than halfway through April so it’s about time I get this post up for March.
Podcasts of the Month
99% Invisible – Church, Sanctuary part 1 –
Sanctuary churches have been in the news. Here is how it works in practice.
BackStory – Taking it to the Streets –
A history of mass protests in the United States.
Best of the Left – Living in an empire of lies (Propaganda)
Stepping back from the headline news and taking a deep dive into the history of propaganda in the United States.
To the Best of Our Knowledge – Every Time You Troll Me, A Scientist Gets Her Due
Emily Temple-Wood decided the best way to get back at misogynist trolls on the internet is to write a new entry about a woman scientists on Wikipedia every time they attack.
Radiolab – Shots Fired, part 1
An investigation into police shootings of innocent or unarmed individuals and the networks of the families and friends left behind.
Fresh Air – An ‘Intimate Portrait’ Of Dorothy Day, The Catholic Activist With A Bohemian Past
An interview with Kate Hennessy, author of a new biography of her grandmother, Dorothy Day.
Song of the Month
Frank Turner adds another song to the rapidly growing Resistance Mixtape, “The Sand in the Gears.”
Albums of the Month
Artist: The Feelies
Album: In Between
Release Date: 24 February 2017
Favorite Tracks: “When to Go,” “Stay the Course” and “Turn Back Time”
Rating: ***
The Feelies are a band that seems to have always been around, but this is only their 6th album in 40+ years. They managed to both influence R.E.M. and be beneficiaries of R.E.M.’s popularity in the 1980s. The jangle pop of this album is reminiscent of the 80s, not in the 80s Nostalgia Industry way but in the type of music you’d hear your older sibling’s cool best friend listening to in the car in the 80s. The songs appear laid back, but grow in lyrical and emotional intensity.
Artist: The Shins
Album: Heartworms
Release Date: 10 March 2017
Favorite Tracks: “So Now What” and “Cherry Hearts”
Rating: ***
The Shins return with their typical high harmonies and wall of sound arrangements. This album appears to do some genre hopping – ska to EDM to psychedelia – but all within The Shins’ framework. Definitely a good return to form after a long 5-year hiatus.
Artist: Peter Mulvey
Album: Are You Listening
Release Date: 25 March 2017
Favorite Tracks: “D.I.A.,” “Are You Listening,” “Just Before the War,” “The Details,” and “Oh, The Rain”
Rating: ****
Peter Mulvey is who I’d want to be as a singer-songwriter. On this new album produced by Ani DiFranco, Mulvey’s bass voice resonates and his profound lyrics are full of thought and emotion. Definitely an album you’ll want to check out.
Panorama of the Mountains 