Long time no blog...we know, we know. A combination of working retail and a couple of head colds has prevented us from having days off together, which in turn prevented us from writing AudioVino. If you have any complaints, we strongly urge you to take them up with our superiors at work! Luckily, the holiday season is now over, and we are starting 2011 off with a bang. We wrote up an entry for Foxen Pinot Noir, but sadly lost it . . . so we are going to start 2011 with a bottle of Cline Ancient Vine Mouvedre and the punk rock/rap album "By The Throat" by Eyedeas and Abilities.
We decided to choose some music from the rap/R&B section for this week's AudioVino, and we may have chosen the album based on the cover art . . . but it may have been the misspelling of "ideas" that did it. It took Nick a few minutes to interpret the name of the band, but we won't hold that against him (he went to public college).
As we started our tasting tonight, it was difficult for us to name exactly what we were tasting, smelling, and hearing. In a lot of ways, "By The Throat" and Cline Mouvedre were a perfect match--because they were ridiculously difficult to label. As we sniffed the vino, it was surprisingly hard for us to figure out exactly what we were smelling. About halfway through the tasting, we started to wrap our minds around it--while there was a strong nod to violet and various florals on the nose, there was also a deep undertone of sweet, vanilla-y, almond-esque biscotti flavor. This turned out to be pretty consistent with the sip, which brought forth flavors of creme brulee, almond biscotti, and, surprisingly, black licorice on the finish.
As for the album, it was difficult to simply label Eyedeas and Abilities as rap. The album's title track, "Hay Fever" made this apparent from the start. With a guitar riff that wouldn't be out of place on a Papa Roach album and vocals that could be mistaken for Pharrell, the first song really threw us for a loop. However, we soon caught on--Eyedeas and Abilities was obviously going for a rap-that-defies-genre feel, with rock-driven solos, varied vocal qualities, and Eminem-esque rap. What was the verdict? Read on to find out!
Nick's Review
Audio
I liked this album, that is all! Just kidding . . . but really it was a nice change. Fans of Atmosphere, Nirvana, and most underground punk groups will enjoy this album. Traditionally I am not a huge fan of the real artsy and poetic style of rap but Eyedeas and Abilities changed my mind. The album was like a simplified version of Gym Class Heroes with heavily gained simple guitar and straightforward rhythms.
The neatest thing about the album was it's ability to evolve. In past AudioVino entries, we have given high scores to albums that had an ability to make each song sound unique, "By The Throat" makes each song sound different while retaining the feel of the album. What I mean is the instrumentation and effects remain consistent but their uses very.
For example, the album starts with "Hay Fever," which begins with a heavily gained rock riff that is very simple and sounds like a mediocre garage band. However, this simplicity and edginess compliments well with the vocalist.
The rapping by Michael Larsen is very edgy and the vocals are very out of tune. This has a neat effect of putting the listener on edge. You almost feel like you can't stay grounded while listening. The vocals lift you up in an uneven fashion, only to leave you dangling and then confused by why they didn't go where they had previously promised.
At times the instrumentals could be quite beautiful, in a simplistic way and I was looking forward to more out of them, which I unfortunately never seemed to find.
My favorite track was Smile, because of its catchy if not sad chorus.
I liked this album, I will probably listen to it again. Mainly what I got out of it though was a hope that they can do something else that I like more. I think this is a band to keep your eyes or perhaps your ears on, to see what else they can do.
7/10
Vino
Fun wine we drank tonight. Mouvedre is a grape commonly used in the southern Rhone and is commonly mixed with Grenache and Syrah, think GSM blends. It is dark in color but light in affection. This wine didn't disappoint. Cline carries some of the few remaining ancient Mouvedre vines of California and they make a gem for around $13.00.
The nose starts off with hints of sweet almond, violet and fennel. The violet will remind you of when you'd go shopping with your Grandma and she would take you to those craft stores, you remember like Hobby Lobby. It also reminded me of the "Lush" natural cosmetic stores, only much more subtle. Someone looking to experience a new pallet flavor of violet would appreciate Cline's Mouvedre.
The flavor is very articulate and attacks the pallet very straightforward. Even though it is labeled at 15%, most of the heat is found on the nose and not in the pallet, thankfully. Initially I picked up a hint of creme brulee. Like creme brulee done very lightly and not too burned. As we let the wine breath the light fruit that there was to begin with mellowed and the creme brulee became more pronounced, most likely do to the vanilla flavors from the oak.
The wine finished with a heavy dose of black licorice. This lingering finish was nice and chewy and had a nice fennel flavor, not that explosion of anise that can be too much....errr....yeah.
Definitely give this wine a try with some nice dinner fresh off the grill.
89 pts. (Again I need a broader base of Mouvedre to judge this wine better!)
Maggies Review
Audio
Hmm . . . wasn't so sure about this one. True, it wasn't unoriginal. As a matter of fact, it was the exact opposite--this group was definitely going for the "defying genre" idea. Rap vocals with a bit of falsetto gave a nod to Pharrell, while the rock background made me think of certain TI or Eminem tunes. I didn't mind the idea they were going for--at least it wasn't another super-bleeding-heart indie album without any creative content. I would be interested to see how these guys grow as artists, but they have a long way to go!
As an example of their rap-can't-be-defined-as-a-genre mentality, their second track "Spin Cycle" actually sounded a lot like 90's rock. The album was chalk full of semi-deep, Kanye-esque lyrics, and songs like "Hayfever" and "Time Flies When You Have A Gun" were perfect examples of their style. The album had a few standout tracks, like "Smile," which boasts much better vocals than the rest of the album, and "Burn Fetish," which showcases a very fresh-sounding beat and vibe. Altogether--liked it, didn't love it, would listen to this group down the road to see how far they've come.
7/10
Vino
Great wine tonight, and not just because it smelled like Lush products! Seriously though, this wine was a very different experience for me. In my experience with wine, I have noted some herbal scents and textures and have picked out some fennel and coco, but until now I have not had any real experience with florals. The violets on the nose were so pleasant to me, and really complimented the dessert-like palate.
The palate was just like Nick said--a soft, lovely bite of creme brulee on the tip of the tongue, followed by some punch-packing black licorice and almonds at the back, all wound together with the aura of violets created by the scent of the wine. The marriage of these three flavors was delightful, and made for a great drinking experience. What ultimately came to mind? Sitting in the garden in the morning savoring an almond biscotti!
90 pts
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