In the last few months I have been introduced to a new television show. Whereas my usual programming fare includes serialized dramas, sitcoms, and generally any other form of narrative production, this one is a little bit different.
Alright its completely different. Its a car show. And it may be the best television show ever made. It is called Top Gear, and it is an inspiring look into the world of cars through the eyes of three british car nerds who somehow, through their celebrity and backing by Britain's major television network, have all the funding and support they need to drive whatever cars they want when they want to, and to do whatever they want with them.
And I mean do everything they want to with them.
Considering the fact that I've owned the same Japanese made 2 door car for the last 10 years, I never considered myself a huge car person. Now I do. I mean I'm not out spending money on a new exhaust or turbo charging my 4-cylinder engine, but I am learning more and more about the art form that goes into producing and driving both high performance and low end consumer grade cars.
In my short experience watching Top Gear, I have seen the hosts (Hammond, James May, and Jeremy) collectively or between them do any number of insane things. Including but not limited to: turning a car into a boat and driving it across the english channel, racing a car against a jet plane, racing a car against a man on a jetpack, racing a car against the Royal Postal Service, Racing a car against a train and a speedboat, and of course turn motorcycles into jetskis. Just to name a few.
Top Gear is on in America on BBC America at 8pm on Mondays, and I recently found season 10 on Instant netflix. It is worth checking out for anyone who is one of these three:
1. A person who drives a car
2. A car
3. A person
And so I don't leave you completely in the dark, here is a video of James May and Hammond turning a cheap European car into a space shuttle.
And of course to go along with that, I have some music. More particularly the exact CD that has been residing in my car for the last few days.
Emancipator: Soon it Will be Cold Enough (2007)
1. Eve (5:43)
2. Soon It Will Be Cold Enough To Build Fires (2:52)
3. First Snow (5:11)
4. Wolf Drawn (3:17)
5. Anthem (5:35)
6. Smoke Signals (3:45)
7. When I Go (5:34)
8. Periscope Up (2:58)
9. With Rainy Eyes (4:58)
10. Good Knight (5:05)
11. Lionheart (6:19)
12. Maps (4:20)
13. Father King (6:09)
14. The Darkest Evening Of The Year (2:19)
http://www.mediafire.com/?yqjfggtgmzm
I'll be honest with you. I don't know a lot about Emancipator, but since being recommended this CD and playing it, I've been unable to stop. It is great music for winter, as the title of the album might suggest. It is saturated with smooth electronic style grooves, mixed with a light jazz and standout vocals and sampling. And yet the album is versatile.
Driving around these last few nights the music has put me in a state of peace and calm, but there is a dirtier side underlying this feeling. There's a little more party in this album than I think it lets on, and its dynamic range is excellent. Overall, I think, a great thing to listen to when you are reading, or getting ready for a big night. I'll be checking out more of their stuff soon.
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