i forget to forget
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2 · 09
Richard Thompson: Dream Attic :: Music :: Reviews :: Paste
Minus the applause, you wouldn’t know that Richard Thompson’sDream Attic is a live album. The former Fairport Convention lead guitarist supposedly chose this setting for its inherent spontaneity, but the songs are played, produced and mixed with such flawless precision that they’re missing the color and blemishes of an actual live show. That’s not to say the album lacks spirit; it could just be that, after 40 years as a performer, he doesn’t make mistakes.Dream Attic, which contains all new material, was recorded over three nights at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco earlier this year. Thompson leads a minimally rehearsed band through an eclectic set of songs, from a snarling rebuke of Wall Street fat cats (“The Money Shuffle”), to a claustrophobic murder ballad (“Sidney Wells”), to a gospel-tinged tribute to deceased friends (“A Brother Slips Away”). Though devoid of wobbly notes and feedback echos, Thompson unleashes some of the most visceral guitar solos of his career, andDream Attic stands beside the best efforts in his catalog.
1 · 09
Welcome (back) to the Bundesliga!
Michael Ballack (Chelsea to Bayer 04 Leverkusen) Playing in a more forward midfield role earlier in his career, Ballack got his goals tally into double figures in four separate seasons: 200-02 and 2002-03 for Bayer Leverkusen and 2004-05 and 2005-06 for Bayern München. In 105 Premier League outings for Chelsea, he found the back of the net 17 times.
27 · 08
return of a classic encounter
Kaiserslautern take their home bow back in Bundesliga territory with a mouthwatering match against double winners Bayern München to kick-off Matchday 2 on Friday evening.
Based on ticket applications, the Red Devils could have sold out the Betzenberg four times over for this one and coach Marco Kurz confirmed that, "Everyone connected to the club, the players foremost among them, can't wait for this showdown with the record champions.” And despite the fact that they are up against "the best team in Germany”, Kurz has vowed that his men will stick to their forward-orientated principles, saying, "We won't be spending the ninety minutes defending.” Recent history on Bayern's sideIt's a bold strategy, given also that Bayern have not lost any of the last 14 meetings between the sides in the Bundesliga, winning ten and drawing four. With their exceptionally vociferous support behind them, FCK were however themselves quite a force to be reckoned with at home last season, winning ten, drawing five and losing just two games at the "Betze”. On the personnel front, Kurz has a close to full-strength squad to draw on, with new signing Jan Moravek (muscle problem) the only definite absentee. Tobias Sippel and Martin Amedick are both back in team training and Ivo Ilevic, who has had trouble with his knee, should be fit enough to take his place in the squad for Friday. Klose: "emotion and passion"Like Kaiserslautern (3-1 at 1. FC Köln), Bayern got off to a winning start on Matchday 1 courtesy of Bastian Schweinsteiger's last-gasp strike against VfL Wolfsburg. They will naturally enough be chasing three more points on Friday although striker Miroslav Klose knows better than most just how tough a task that could be. Local lad Klose made his name at Kaiserslautern and expects "raw emotion and a very passionate football match – which I'm looking forward to immensely.” One man who won't be travelling with the Bayern squad to the match is Martin Demichelis. "We came to that decision together”, coach Louis van Gaal said, explaining that in his view the central defender was still not sufficiently focussed after losing his regular first-team spot. Otherwise, the still-injured Arjen Robben aside, van Gaal has the pick of his star-studded ensemble to choose from, for what Kaiserslautern chief executive Stefan Kuntz readily acknowledges is, "THE game of the season for our fans.” Possible line-upsKaiserslautern: Sippel - Dick, Amedick, Rodnei, Bugera - Kirch, Bilek, Tiffert, Ilicevic - Lakic, Hoffer FC Bayern: Butt - Lahm, van Buyten, Badstuber, Contento - van Bommel, Schweinsteiger - T. Müller, Kroos, Ribery - Klose
