Edward's October 2016 Monthly Mix

It’s been an unseasonably warm autumn which is never a bad thing. Halloween this year was like summer, and definitely the warmest Halloween I ever remember. Yes, I’m still working a lot of overtime, ah, the complications of launching a new car line. And I’ve become hooked on Company of Heroes multiplayer all over again with my friends, Vic Berwick and Phil Harvey. I’ve got it bad . . . so badly in fact I’ve been playing hookie on the exercise bike just to come home and get on the game. You’ll notice this mix is shorter than others simply because I’ve spent so much time on this game!

1.      The Music Welcome to the North on CD: Of all of their albums, in my opinion this one is the best, and it truly is a magnum opus. Robert Harvey, the vocalist is one of the best singers I’ve ever listened to. Discovering them on Pandora back in 2004, the band hit me somewhat reminiscently like Big Wreck did back in 1997. They sound like a young alternate version of Led Zeppelin. But then there’s the Incubus vibe as well. (They actually toured with that band for a spell, appropriately.) For a taste, I suggest Youtubing “Guide,” or even better, “Into the Night.”

2.      Penny Dreadful on Netflix: After finishing Season 4 of Hell on Wheels I wanted to try something different. I think I hit the jackpot with Penny Dreadful starring Josh Hartnett.  Being a fan of Gothic and classical horror, this series which hosts vampires and Frankenstein’s monster is a perfect conglomeration and a homage to the old monster posters that adorned my wall as a kid. I’m only on the third episode, but wow, what a ride so far. I’ve even got to meet Dorian Gray. The show reminds me of the movie, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (which I didn’t particularly like.)

3.      Strangeville by Kenneth Tingle: A man drives up a mountainside to kill himself, but he had chili for supper. And he’s afraid that once he does the deed his bowels will let go in an awful way and the authorities who discover his body will be so disgusted they’ll simply leave his body there for someone else to pick up. And so the guy changes his mind, turns around for home, gets lost in the fog and runs out of gas. His mobile phone gets no reception, so he starts walking. And he gets lost. He eventually stumbles into a small town named Strangeville, and so begins a zany book complemented with characters named Vonsleestack and Smedley McDoogle. The man tries to leave the next day but the mayor and his two assistants threaten to have him locked up if he tries to leave. Then he meets Delilah and suddenly leaving is the farthest thing from his mind.

4.      Assetto Corsa on PC: I’m still in the GT BMW Z4 GT3 Series which puts me behind the wheel of a monster BMW road course car, and I haven’t touched the game so much this month since I’ve been playing so much Company of Heroes, but I just picked up the Porsche Dream Pack which consists of 3 sets of Porsche automobiles through the years. I can’t wait to dive into these packs.  

 

5.      The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton. This woman’s writing continues to amaze me. Our main character is getting married to a skinny guy with beautiful hair and bad teeth. He’s not working but promises to find a job and take care of her. Carson McCullers once said she loved to return to the south to renew her sense of horror. Come to think of it, this novel reminds me of something Carson McCullers would have written. I have a feeling it’s going to be one of those books I never want to end.

6.      Company of Heroes on PC: I’ve said it here before, but I believe this is the best RTS ever made. And now Relic is releasing a new Dawn of War game, oh joy. I’ve been playing multiplayer with friends including Vic Berwick and Phil Harvey. I kind of feel lucky for introducing Phil to the game and it’s marvelous to see how much he likes it. And I must admit that online we make a pretty good team. But the true joy for me is still the game itself with its muddy graphics and award winning sound design. It’s like being in a war movie in which you are the star. PC gaming with friends doesn’t get any better than this.