Well, ok, not margaritas . . . margheritas. You know - Italian! We just couldn't resist the pun. This post comes exactly a week belated, as we really should have posted this blog on the 8th of September. Jobs, trips to Green Bay, and sloth have delayed our posting this week. Though our lives are chaotic, there is no excuse for slacking on important, moral-building activities like drinking wine, and we sincerely apologize to our many followers!
This post recaps our tasting last week, when we tried the Santa Margherita Brut Prosecco while listening to Eels' "Hombre Lobo." We love prosecco and find it to be highly underrated, so at the end of a long Wednesday at work, we were excited to get started with this tasting. It had been a long day, and we were a bit crabby and tired despite the beautiful autumn weather. We thought a typical Wednesday evening was the perfect occasion for a prosecco.
As for the CD, we really didn't know what to expect . . . but as soon as we popped in the disc, we were pleasantly surprised. For a band with members like "E", "Kool G Murder", and "Knuckles", Eels was actually quite low-key (though not mellow) and normal (though creative). The first song on the album, "Prizefighter," impressed us right away. We were instantly transported into the front seat of a beat-up Chevy on Route 66, roadtripping to Vegas with our windows down. We both admit, we had our reservations about this band, but as soon as the music started our eyes turned toward each other, smiles crept onto our faces, and we started bobbing our heads to the beat at the exact same moment. The song was just - pleasant.
Before we took our first sip of the prosecco, we noted that the nose held hints of pear, fizz, and butter. As the wine opened up for us, the buttery notes became fuller and more pronounced. Upon tasting the wine, we weren't disappointed. It was an Asian salad loaded with mandarin oranges and sweet fruits, combined with a little edge and a lot of kick.
As we moved on to the second song of the album "The Look You Give that Guy," the wine warmed up quite a bit. The buttery notes and the fruits combined to taste like a rich green apple. As for the music, Eel seemed to go from upbeat tune to deep semi-ballad with each song. The fast-slow-fast-slow pattern became pretty predictable, though the music was anything but. Nick thought certain vocals sounded like his idol Roger Miller (Maggie refuses to be aligned with that point-of-view). The third track, "Lilac Breeze," brought the beat back up again. At this point, we were starting to realize the influence of bands like The Who and The Doors, with an obvious modern twist.
The sixth track of the album deserves a paragraph of its own. Though the chord patterns sound strikingly familiar and unoriginal, "Longing" matures from its beginning to its end, and finishes as an achingly deep and uncomfortably raw long song. The simplistic and beautiful lyrics show the "Longing" of the artist for his muse. In all seriousness, this song needs to be heard through the end in order to be appreciated.
Did the audio and the vino compliment each other? Yes, in terms of the fact that they were both easy to like and had lots of subtle complexities. Neither were too serious, and both were unpretentious. After a long, busy Wednesday, both left us refreshed, hopeful . . . and a little buzzed.
Nicks Final Reviews
Audio
Nice, refreshing music. Nostalgic and very raw. The fact that "Hombre Lobo" sounds like it was recorded on a cheap kareoke microphone, combined with the fact that the vocalist sounded like a hybrid of Rod Stewart, Randy Newman, and Roger Miller kept the album rough and interesting.
With influences of The Who and a simple collection of instruments, I found myself ready to listen to multiple tracks a second time. Tracks 2 and 6, in particular. "The Longing" is a slow song that sounded a bit like a waltz, which added an interesting twist. It reminded me of one of those clay motion cartoons from the seventies, and I pictured a small child walking sullenly down a dark street. Track 6 is happy and upbeat, and reminded me strongly of "Walking on Sunshine." This just goes to show the range of Eels, and how they are capable of incorporating many different kinds of music.
Final Rating: 8/10
Vino
This prosecco has been given good reviews, and rightfully so. Bubbly being underrated, I jumped at the opportunity to drink it. I think a special occasion like a Wednesday night is perfect for a prosecco. As soon as I popped the cork, I could smell the typical fruits and pears expected from a brut. The front palate was light, with flavors of spring greens and fruits. The mid-palate had hints of mandarin oranges, which matured into green apples. The most pleasing part of this wine was the finish - it had nice minerality with a bit of crisp slate. At $14,99, it was definitely a great buy.
Final Rating: 90 pts.
Maggie's Final Reviews
Audio
Gotta say, I loved this one. It was neither too "out there" nor too tame. Eels intimidated me a bit at first, but they made me fall in love with them with their carefree road trip songs, intense raw emotions, and upbeat retro influences. There was a song on this album for everyone. From "Lilac Breeze" to "Longing," Eels drew a fine line between rarity and convention. Though many of these songs were intense, the album overall left me feeling pleased and at-ease.
Final Rating: 7.5/10
Vino
If I loved the Audio from tonight, it's nothing on how much I loved the Vino. As a beginner in the world of wines, I was able to understand this wine's appeal while still appreciating its subtle complexity. When Nick helped me to taste the "Asian salad," I came to agree that this was the perfect analogy for this wine. The bright mandarines, pears, and fruit were accentuated by the minerality and the green aspect of the wine. The buttery scent rounded the wine out and brought all the flavors together to create a fruity and edgy treat. This was a great wine in that the tastes and scents were easy to differentiate and helped me to appreciate the many facets of the prosecco.
Final Rating: 90 pts.
Before we took our first sip of the prosecco, we noted that the nose held hints of pear, fizz, and butter. As the wine opened up for us, the buttery notes became fuller and more pronounced. Upon tasting the wine, we weren't disappointed. It was an Asian salad loaded with mandarin oranges and sweet fruits, combined with a little edge and a lot of kick.
As we moved on to the second song of the album "The Look You Give that Guy," the wine warmed up quite a bit. The buttery notes and the fruits combined to taste like a rich green apple. As for the music, Eel seemed to go from upbeat tune to deep semi-ballad with each song. The fast-slow-fast-slow pattern became pretty predictable, though the music was anything but. Nick thought certain vocals sounded like his idol Roger Miller (Maggie refuses to be aligned with that point-of-view). The third track, "Lilac Breeze," brought the beat back up again. At this point, we were starting to realize the influence of bands like The Who and The Doors, with an obvious modern twist.
The sixth track of the album deserves a paragraph of its own. Though the chord patterns sound strikingly familiar and unoriginal, "Longing" matures from its beginning to its end, and finishes as an achingly deep and uncomfortably raw long song. The simplistic and beautiful lyrics show the "Longing" of the artist for his muse. In all seriousness, this song needs to be heard through the end in order to be appreciated.
Did the audio and the vino compliment each other? Yes, in terms of the fact that they were both easy to like and had lots of subtle complexities. Neither were too serious, and both were unpretentious. After a long, busy Wednesday, both left us refreshed, hopeful . . . and a little buzzed.
Nicks Final Reviews
Audio
Nice, refreshing music. Nostalgic and very raw. The fact that "Hombre Lobo" sounds like it was recorded on a cheap kareoke microphone, combined with the fact that the vocalist sounded like a hybrid of Rod Stewart, Randy Newman, and Roger Miller kept the album rough and interesting.
With influences of The Who and a simple collection of instruments, I found myself ready to listen to multiple tracks a second time. Tracks 2 and 6, in particular. "The Longing" is a slow song that sounded a bit like a waltz, which added an interesting twist. It reminded me of one of those clay motion cartoons from the seventies, and I pictured a small child walking sullenly down a dark street. Track 6 is happy and upbeat, and reminded me strongly of "Walking on Sunshine." This just goes to show the range of Eels, and how they are capable of incorporating many different kinds of music.
Final Rating: 8/10
Vino
This prosecco has been given good reviews, and rightfully so. Bubbly being underrated, I jumped at the opportunity to drink it. I think a special occasion like a Wednesday night is perfect for a prosecco. As soon as I popped the cork, I could smell the typical fruits and pears expected from a brut. The front palate was light, with flavors of spring greens and fruits. The mid-palate had hints of mandarin oranges, which matured into green apples. The most pleasing part of this wine was the finish - it had nice minerality with a bit of crisp slate. At $14,99, it was definitely a great buy.
Final Rating: 90 pts.
Maggie's Final Reviews
Audio
Gotta say, I loved this one. It was neither too "out there" nor too tame. Eels intimidated me a bit at first, but they made me fall in love with them with their carefree road trip songs, intense raw emotions, and upbeat retro influences. There was a song on this album for everyone. From "Lilac Breeze" to "Longing," Eels drew a fine line between rarity and convention. Though many of these songs were intense, the album overall left me feeling pleased and at-ease.
Final Rating: 7.5/10
Vino
If I loved the Audio from tonight, it's nothing on how much I loved the Vino. As a beginner in the world of wines, I was able to understand this wine's appeal while still appreciating its subtle complexity. When Nick helped me to taste the "Asian salad," I came to agree that this was the perfect analogy for this wine. The bright mandarines, pears, and fruit were accentuated by the minerality and the green aspect of the wine. The buttery scent rounded the wine out and brought all the flavors together to create a fruity and edgy treat. This was a great wine in that the tastes and scents were easy to differentiate and helped me to appreciate the many facets of the prosecco.
Final Rating: 90 pts.
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