Michael Rault

I need to start off with a brief yet formal apology to the artist on which this post surrounds. It seems it has been a week since I saw, met and subsequently promised Michael a blog and an honest review of his performance. Unfortunately, and I'm not one for excuses, I have been sick and away from the keys for a few days. So for your patience I thank you, please enjoy...

As so often is the case, I find myself in the sanctity of the little cafe on Douglas Street, a destination that offers a great deal to me without so much as a request. Sometimes I will be in the middle of a crowded room, conversing with a friend over a cold beer, while other times it will be relaxing in the solitary pleasures of a book and a warm cappuccino. But on the most fortunate of circumstances, on days like this, I am here to enjoy the entertainers; musicians whose style either fit perfectly with the existing atmosphere, or are powerful enough to change and shift it, always for the benefit of both audience and performer, and as for the former, the steadily growing reactions to the music of Michael Rault do not prove as exception.

This Edmonton entertainer got his musical start playing in local punk and garage bands, earning his chops on guitar, while at the same time gaining more practice and notoriety with a second local band by the name of The Rault Brothers. As popular and fun as both bands may have been, it wasn't long before he decided to venture out and master his own unique sound, a move which did not fail him. Through local magazines, radio, news and hype, he began to pick up a lot of attention for his abilities on the strings and his presence on the the stage. From there it didn't take long for Michael to head into the studio, allowing his audience to grow and media buzz to cause waves in surrounding areas. Be it popularity amongst local clubs or radio stations, he's obviously doing something right, because three albums later he's back again, touring for his latest release Crash Boom Bang.

As a new listener I decided that before taking in the show downtown I would scope out his web page, as well as a few other resources at my disposal. Not so much to go in with expectations, just to know what style I should be prepared for; and after listening to the evolution within his writing and playing, the product was certainly impressive enough for me to head out with intent.

I should be perfectly honest with you in regards to the show and inform you that I was bothered greatly by the audience at this event. Next to me sat a group of ladies who decided to resort to yelling over the music so that they could carry on their conversation, rather than exiting to the adjacent room where they could speak freely and without consequence to others. Don't get me wrong here, I don't begrudge people sharing a conversation; I've been to many concerts, and I understand the necessity to raise your voice if wanting to ask your neighbour a question, but there is still a certain respect required for the performers on stage and so it is done so only when needed and usually in comment to the music; these ladies, however, were carrying on and on, trying hard to actually drown out the music. It was distracting and rude, but what impressed this listener was that even though it bothered me, it didn't seem to bother Michael. Instead, he belted out through the microphone and speaker box that lay behind him, quieting the chatter and filling the room with an energy that no one could ignore; the tables on either side of me were instinctively dancing in their seats, the discusions amongst the guilty faded into nothing.

This brings me to the subject of his sound. It is influenced by some of the greatest musicians that history has to offer. Picking up on Bo Diddley, The Kinks, Bob Dylan, and even a touch of gospel via The Staple Singers, he is R&B as it's meant to be heard. Clearly he has grown up with an impressive ear for music and it translates through his performance seamlessly. Although his solo show was incredible, with no percussion to back him, save for the tambourine strapped to his leg, I would love to lay witness to the growing rave reviews of his full band. As a lone performer he plays to the limits of his art, a further distance than most tenured musicians can claim, and I can only imagine what he's capable of with backup.

There is no doubt you will hear from him again, his tour is spreading across the country so keep listening, and for a list of performances and a sample of his talents go to the link which follows.

Recommended listening:

Sidewinder
Honey Bee
Pretty Thing

http://www.myspace.com/michaelrault

.....that's just to start you off, keep digging because there's gold to be heard

Cheers for now
Phil

Battle Sushi - Methodology

Becoming a true sushi master in Japan is a decade long achievement, filled with strict and disciplined teachings from the masters who precede masters. From handling the knife to knowing the delicate temperatures, life spans, spawning habits and even the proper angles of slicing the fish to release or trap its essential oils, a student must dedicate their lives to the art. In Japan the sushi master's tenure with the craft results not only in a great product, but also demands great respect for the care and tradition in which they bring this food to the plate. Here in Canada, however, they offer a two hour course at Superstore which can pretty much get you going with the basics you need to know.

So comparatively is it worth it then? Does all that training pay off on the plate and on the palette? Well, to be honest with you I'm not sure if I know. I mentioned before that I've eaten fair shares of sushi, but I don't know that I've ever had it prepared by a master, though I'd like to think that the difference would be obvious to me if and when that happens. With that being said, what I have experienced pitted against what I haven't, their are processes that remain the same, and while I've witnessed the spectrum of pretty to disheartening, and oh what a difference the aesthetic can make for taste, we don't need to dwell on the bad. Instead, I'm going to quickly touch base with what exactly it is that appears in front of you so prim and proper on the plate; colourful and curious, that painters palette to be methodically enjoyed...but how?

First, the obvious star, the sushi itself. It is layered with texture, colour and flavour and is the Mona Lisa on the plate and therefor should be front and center, never in my opinion to be outshone by anything else on the table; simple as that. I'd love nothing more than to give you a lesson on preparing the sushi, but that kind of thing is left best for hands on learning.

In compliments to the Da Vinci, you will likely find a small dab or rosette of some pretty green paste. If you've never eaten this before, don't go picking this up with your chopsticks and shoving it whole into your mouth, as I can promise you will be sorry if you do. It is wasabi paste, and if prepared honestly, it is made from the root of the wasabi japonica plant, taken from the same family as horseradish, and it is hot. Not in the way you may find, say a jalapeno pepper that lingers on the tongue for long periods of time, the wasabi paste penetrates through the nasal passages, and though it doesn't last nearly as long as the capsaicin component of the pepper, it can still have you cursing and crying for a short while. In fact, the effects of the odours of wasabi are so strong that Japanese scientists have invented a "smoke alarm" for the deaf which releases streams of wasabi essence into a room, waking the denizens from potential danger; the testing for this device as proven quite successful. In other words, tread lightly to start, you can always add more.

OK, so now you know what it is, but what do you do with it? Well, mixing the wasabi in with soy sauce will dilute both the intense potency of the wasabi* and the saltiness of the soy. Since salt quite literally opens up the taste buds and wasabi does the same for the nasal passages, this well balanced condiment into which you would dip your sushi or sashimi, actually rounds out and heightens the flavours and aromas, bringing them to life and culminating in an exalted dance for the palette.

*Note - if you find the wasabi too intense, the best way to cut back the heat is with water, not like peppers where milk is the best suppressant.

Finally, there should be one more item on your plate, light pink in colour, these somewhat translucent slices are actually pickled ginger. The purpose for its place is to cleanse the palate between bites of sushi so that the flavours don't blend and mask one another. Personally I am not a fan of this item, no matter how many times I've tried I just can't acquire the taste, so instead I will often ask for sliced radish, which I find does the job equally as well, although I'm sure the true masters would scald me for my trespasses.

And that's it, the seemingly very basic and very simple construct of a sushi platter. It is colourful, appealing to all the senses, and put together with distinct and well thought reason. These items on your plate are not just pretty garnish, they are a part of the dish, a puzzle without missing pieces. While it may look like an easy thing to just throw together, remember that the people behind it may have been perfecting its balance for the past ten years, so savour the everything in front of you, stop to enjoy the craft and the flavours should speak for themselves.

Chapter Three - Hockey Sushi

We went out for dinner in search of a restaurant to help me place the previous experience behind me. Having heard of another well reputed place in the Grange and Victoria neighbourhood, we sought out redemption within its walls. When we pulled up I will admit to two things: first, that Hockey Sushi is an odd name (whose meaning I still can't seem to track down) and second, they had a banner out front advertising an all you can eat buffet and after the Fuji Sushi experience, all you can eat admittedly worried me. But, being fair to the project, we entered just the same.

Atmosphere: very clean, polished tables, swept floors, ambient music and inviting for a party of any occasion. The sushi bar seemed to be in good order, but the bored looking chefs and wait staff took a bit of the elegance away.

The menu: it was well put together, laid out with an actual flow. They offer many of the mainstay sushi choices, though I was disappointed that, even on the a la carte take out menu, some important selections were missing, such as the elusive Toro that I'm still craving. Tuna belly aside, they still had quite a bit to choose from and we weren't disappointed.

Food and Presentation: very well presented, properly tempered (thankfully, because I couldn't handle warm sushi again) and quite flavourful. Save for the chicken teriyaki, which was more like chicken sinew teriyaki, I think we were all pretty satisfied with the flavours and balance of each dish. I think the only qualm I had was that the portion sizing was inconsistent, but that's just me being nit picky. All in all, for a buffet, this place ranks pretty high for flavour.

Service: I guess every restaurant has its downside and Hockey Sushi's is in its service. When we arrived they were not yet busy. It was 5:30 on a Saturday, so you would think that they'd bring on the a-team and get ready for a full on slam in the dining room. Instead, we felt like our presence was an interruption on their evening. When they did show up at our table to take our orders, they were hard pressed to smile and I don't think anyone we talked to was able to fully explain the dishes to us, eliciting such "helpful" answers such as "It is fish. Sliced fish" or "I think that is spicy-crunchy salmon." On top of that, on more than one occasion we received orders that we hadn't even placed - and I'm quite serious when I say that for this reason it is a good thing none of us had any food allergies. All in all, the food was still quite enjoyable.

For a $20.95 weekend dinner buffet I will return. I was ultimately happy with the experience, but my hunt still goes on for the best joint in town.

3 out of 5 (points taken for lack of service and omitted menu selections)

Phil

259 Grange Road

Guelph, Ontario

Battle Sushi - Origins

Taken from the Kanji, the characters above, which are used today for the word sushi, translate literally as "fish" (on the left) and "delicious" (on the right). The Kanji, you may be wondering, is actually a lettering system that originated in China and wasn't adopted by Japan until sometime in the 5th century. As such, and interestingly enough, if we were to trace back the first days of sushi, we would be standing not in Japan where we assume its origins to root, but rather the heart of China; if we were to eat said sushi, what we would taste and see would differ drastically from what we understand and love from so many restaurants today.

As I am sure you are aware, in the 3rd century the kind folks who invented this dish did not have refrigerators at their disposal, and with fish being a plentiful resource, they needed a way to preserve their food for long periods of time, specifically through the cold winter months to avoid famine. Initially this was done by using large amounts of salt and heavy stones to press and preserve the gutted fish between layers of fermented rice, and it worked quite well, though the flavour of the fish was somewhat sacrificed. Flavour aside, the bigger concern with this method was that it took months to achieve and, when faced with freezing temperatures and hunger, it was risky business if the process didn't take. If done properly, however, the fish could be enjoyed and kept as long as needed, and the rice was discarded, namely because it had by this point turned quite soggy and undesirable; that was until poverty struck and the actions of such food waste was deemed foolish, and so it began that the rice and fish we eaten together; ah, the sushi we know today starts to take shape...

Intrigued by this process and known for its rice cultivation, it is believed that sometime around the 7th century sushi was introduced and carried over to Japan, where it slowly transformed from "food" to "cuisine", which is to say that the presentation and process of combining the fish with various vegetables and seaweed (known as nori) became more of an experience than a necessity. It carried on in tradition until, if we jump ahead to the mid 17th century, by applying basic knowledge of chemical reactions, people learned that by wrapping the fish in rice which had been soaked in vinegar, a much quicker preservation took place, in a matter of only days. This procedure of curing the fish carried on until the 1800's when it is estimated we saw the shift from completely preserved, to raw and fresh fish, eaten quickly before losing its natural clean flavour; and thus the invention of fast food sushi carts in Japan.

Considering its history, the sushi we know is actually quite young. Though it may have been locally popular, it wasn't until an earthquake in the early 20th century forced many Japanese food vendors to spread out and seek employment in other parts of the country, showcasing their skills and abilities with the art behind the food. It was because of this natural disaster that sushi became wide spread and popular, considered by many to be the healthiest of fast foods, and sparking great interest and a still growing trend in the Americas.

While its evolution has taken centuries, sushi and its practical origins are still in the works today, with the salted and fermented varieties still available, though an acquired taste is certainly required for this extremely overpowered version of the dish. It goes by many names depending on the locale in which you research, but no matter which one you look up, the most common misunderstanding today is that sushi means raw fish. Thanks to a layered history and evolution of practices, however, the true definition is that sushi is the combination of rice and vinegar; the addition of fish, be it raw or cooked, is completely optional, so for those a little weary of uncooked tuna, there's no need to fear (though I have to say, toro is so incredibly worth trying at least once in your life).

Finally, while we consume many varieties of sushi, the three most popular types to identify yourself with are as follows:

Sashimi: sliced raw fish, served alone and without rice (by true definition, this is technically not sushi at all!)




Nigirizushi: sliced raw fish served on top of an oblong ball of rice





Makizushi: rice and various vegetables and fish rolled around or within a layer of nori





And that's your history lesson for the day, now let's get back to the battle:

Chapter Two - Fuji Sushi

This was actually the first sushi restaurant I heard about in this fair city. Its name was buzzing about work one day and was actually recommended to me as a great place to fill up. I guess I went in with pretty high expectations, and I understand how they can so easily be let down, but as I look back on the dining experience a day later, I think I should have prepared myself differently, maybe then I'd have been impressed.

Location: Downtown, Carden Street

Atmosphere: It was pretty full when we arrived, only a few free tables amongst the 50 or so seats that they host. The decor is the standard I described in chapter one, only not very clean and pretty lackluster; the carpets seemed to contain a lot of stains, as did the chairs, and the entire place smelled of something gone bad; definitely not much to say for first impressions.

Presentation: plastic cups, plastic chopsticks and plastic dipping trays (for soy and wasabe) led me to believe that the dishes weren't entirely clean. I can't fully explain to you my reasoning behind this belief, I guess plastic dinnerware in a restaurant implies to me a level of laziness and I'm not entirely trusting that dishwasher is doing their job. As far as presentation of the food itself, it showed up looking okay at best, clearly the guys putting it together were trying to keep up with a large number of orders, and were most likely in the weeds, that being said, allow me to describe the food.

Though they offer a la carte dining, it is designed as a buffet restaurant. When you sit down they hand you sheets of paper with numbers correlating to the pretty pictures on the menu. You tick off the numbers you want, hand the sheets over to the server, and moments later you have food at your table. For $18.99 (or $17.99 with the cash discount...?) you can fill out as many of these sheets as you want, for no more than an hour and a half. The food was edible, though a couple dishes were pretty questionable, and it may have even been better than some sushi I've eaten in the past, remember that word "safe?" But, with the project in mind, this was not the caliber of food I'm in search of. Actually, if I compare to Sushi Choice, I have to wonder how I went from three good dishes costing me $23 to an unlimited number of dishes for $17.99 (yes, I took the cash discount price...). Is it because Sushi Choice is overcharging? No, it's because the quality of food at Fuji Sushi is below grade. No properly operating restaurant is going to give you quality food for less than their cost, and this sacrifice was quite noticeable in the textures and temperatures of their product. The nori was cheap and though the fish was fresh, it still wasn't of good quality and did not have that "clean" taste; also, as a fan of properly chilled sushi, this was more on the "above room temperature" side of the scale.

So, bang for your buck? - I guess you can go for it, you will leave full on mediocre food. Dining experience to relive? - Not so much for me, that smell made me feel dirty while I ate.

1.5 out of 5 (points only given for the average quality food being plentiful enough to fill me up)

-Phil

Fuji Sushi
78 Carden Street
Guelph, Ontario

Battle Sushi - Prologue

I love sushi. Just about everything you can list to describe the Japanese staple is appealing to me. The beautiful presentations that come with each dish are completely unmatched in the culinary world, as specially trained chefs put their art and pride onto the plate. Delicately balanced with salty, sweet, spicy and buttery in every bite, it is a totally satisfying arrangement for every one of the five senses, I salivate at the very thought. Because of my love of this delicate food, I have, in my days, eaten more varieties at more restaurants than I can remember, and as such I feel as though I have developed a pretty fair and respectable palate on the matter, one that I am about to put to the test.

It seems to be that no matter what city you are in, there are vastly different opinions on "the best joint in town" for sushi, and Guelph is no exception to this rule. I have asked around work, inquired with friends, researched the Internet and perused numerous menus, and it seems that at every turn I am faced with polar opposite recommendations and warnings to heed. So with such drastic, and sometimes heated differences of opinion, how then do I make my way to a good and safe place to eat? I stress the word safe because if you've ever eaten bad sushi, then you will know that it can take a while to gain back the courage and stomach to try good sushi again.

So, horror stories and bad memories aside, if one person, for example, states that Beano Sushi is far and away the best place in town and then someone else tells me that Beano Sushi serves the garbage that other sushi restaurants throw behind their dumpsters because it's simply not good enough to share space with the rest of the trash, then how am I to know who is right? Well, it seems to me that the only clear cut way to figure it out, is to start a Sushi Battle Royal - cue the epic musical soundtrack. That's right, a no holds barred, gloves off, raw fish and rice fight.*

*I feel it important to state here that, while sushi contains many ingredients, a very common belief is that all sushi contains raw fish. This, however, is incorrect as many selections are available with cooked fish and perhaps even more common are the completely vegetarian choices that a menu can offer.

So here I go folks; hyped up and hungry, I'm diving head first into a world of varrying opinions and ideas; a world where it seems only individual tastes can truly determine the good from the bad. By comparing my existing knowledge of the culinary underbelly that is sushi culture to what I'm about to experience in Guelph, I will try to crown the best spot in the city to eat. Of course, time is something I can't bring to a halt, and so even though I would love to tackle this project all in one evening, I don't think even the most famished sumo wrestler could fit in honest amounts of food from every establishment in one go, and so I will, as best I can, dedicate my out of home dining experiences over the next short while to this challenge, gather my findings and of course post them back here.**

**Yes, I do realize that, based on my previous statements about vastly varying opinions and ideas, and that it's ultimately at the hands of the individual to make up their sushi driven mind, this is ultimately a redundant project, but hey, I'm hungry and I'm gonna do it anyway.

Not wanting to waste anymore time on the presentation of this idea, the first of these local restaurants, Sushi Choice, has been in my sites for some time, and the experience went as such:

Chapter One - Sushi Choice

It's a small establishment to say the least, containing six tables of four, a two seater by the prep station and another two bar stools by the front window, which is subsequently where I chose to sit. It is located in a place that most people wouldn't look without purpose, down Cork Street next to a sports shop and an auto repair center/large parking lot, which is unfortunate for those who don't know about this place.

The atmosphere is honestly not much different than most other sushi restaurants I've been to: light coloured wooden tables, bar top and framework, with matching white walls and floors. The art was predictable - paintings of koi, ancient sailing ships and bamboo. To sum it up, if you close your eyes and envision the set of Wok With Yan, then you have the personification of sushi decor; and yes, I do know that Stephen Yan is not from Japan but my example still stands.

They were by no means busy, but it was also 8:00 on a stormy Tuesday night, and so on this subject I feel it unfair to judge their popularity. Other than myself and a full four top, the place was empty and so I took my seat, as I mentioned, by the window, which felt absolutely perfect for watching the rain and passersby.

Service was great (though I would hope so with nobody else to wait on) and I had a chopstick setting in front of me within two minutes, my beer followed moments later. The menu was pretty extensive and perhaps even a bit crowded, a trend that is common in a lot of sushi joints and I unfortunately see this as a negative since it can tend to overwhelm and even confuse the diner. So after flipping through the pages I asked for personal recommendations from the waitress and was advised to get the maki set, which, as appetizing as it sounded, contained portions far too hearty for me to eat on my own, so I instead tried ordering Toro (tuna belly) which they were out of (for most places this is not surprising as it is an expensive item to stock and so once more I feel it unfair to judge this topic) so instead I ordered the Tai sashimi (red snapper), Sake roll (salmon) and Butterfish sushi (white tuna).The chef's presentation was above par, with very pretty, methodical and creative plating; clearly he has his talents. So far so good.

Now then, the big one: taste. I was extremely happy with the salmon roll, the fish was very fresh and clean, as was the rice, and texturally it was extremely well prepared, which I have to say is key when it comes to sushi; it also had a very good balance and ratio of ingredients, with high quality nori, which can sometimes be a cheap cutback in some lower grade reastaurants, so kudos to that. The red snapper wasn't bad, but it also wasn't great; as fresh as it may have been, it didn't wow me or really contain a lot for the palette and I likely wouldn't order it again. The white tuna, however, melted away the moment it hit my tongue, filling every one of my senses with sheer pleasure. In fact, the whole purpose for going out tonight was made worth while by these two unbelievably clean bites of fish; and while I ordered it sushi style, it wasn't completely necessary for the rice to be there and so in future would likely stick to a sashimi presentation (more on this later). To be completely honest, I would actually put this dish above par with many sushi dishes I've tried in the past, white tuna or otherwise.

Price-wise, for three "mains" and a drink I spent $23 and was comfortably full, which isn't bad at all for the level of food and service I received. All in all I would rank this high on the scale of sushi experiences to date in Ontario (I am omitting my BC experiences from all comparisons because that would just be unfair to all Ontario restaurateurs)

Will I eat there again? Absolutely. Would I recommended it to others? Without a doubt. Is it the best Guelph has to offer? We'll just have to see.

3.5 out of 5 (points lost for cloudy menu selections and snapper dissapointment)

Sushi Choice

45 Cork Street East

Guelph, Ontario

The Avett Brothers

For years too lengthy to tally, medical science has studied the naturally unnatural genetic abilities of siblings. The biological capacity for families to feel each other's physical and emotional pain or joy, or to know the thoughts of a twin in the other room, is a connection that's shrouded in mystery and has been both a study and a debate that would seem only those directly involved can truly, and without explanation, understand. We've all felt it with someone, the conversation held within a nod, the total understanding of an other's emotion simply by their presence, or lack thereof. While this ability, what some call genetic ESP, is a great tool for understanding the trials and triumphs of a loved one, imagine this ability brought to the world of music. Imagine if not only were you able to finish the sentence of the person next to you, but you could actually harmonize it; what if you could go beyond finding the perfect tones to match that phrase and also tap into the exact emotional inflection of the words involved? Then, take the unbelievable ability to create symbiotic vocals and throw in a banjo, a guitar, a stand up bass and a cello. Well, such imagination is by no means beyond the talents of The Avett Brothers.

Seth and Scott Avett, born, raised and musically bred in North Carolina, originally played in a rock band under the name Nemo, until deciding to explore and tap into their roots and the acoustic side of life after the group disbanded in the year 2000. In 2002 they were joined by bassist Bob Crawford and they released and toured their first studio attempt, Country Was, bringing with them a lot of hype and excitement from record execs and happy listeners. Shortly after touring they hit the studio again where the songs continued to naturally pour out.

I could go on, giving you the history of the band and explaining to you how they became who they are today, but I feel that unnecessary. The only thing you need to know about the then and now of The Avett Brothers is that, at any point in their career, their music is worth listening to.

They are a little bit country, a little bit bluegrass, a little bit folk and a lot bit crowd pleasing. Familiar with their albums, I have come to know them as, I almost want to say mellow-mood entertainment, which is not to say that their tunes are not uplifting and fun, they're simply produced as more laid back studio recordings, and that's completely fine by me. Watching them take the stage at The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, however, opened up my eyes and eardrums to an entirely different side of this band, one that had my friends and I constantly turned to each other in awe.

Emotionally it was powerful, with the sweeter side of Seth's voice weaving in and out of the outbursts of Scott's projected lyrics, and then the two switching roles to show that they could each, respectively, let out what they need to say and you need to feel. On top of this they brought an incredible wall of sound and noise from their acoustic instruments, which I could have sworn at times they were plugging into full on over-driven stacks, but no; there stood only an acoustic guitar, a banjo, a stand up bass and a cello (quite frequently on tour they are joined by cellist and friend Joe Kwon).

Often times I worry when I go to live concerts for bands whose understanding and collection I know only from their studio work. It can be hit and miss as some groups just aren't cut out for the stage, and it's quite disappointing when that happens. Sometimes the harmonies are off, or the leads aren't quite as polished and clean as on the album. Maybe the venue isn't right for the band; the acoustics are wrong or the sound guy is too drunk or deaf from so many gigs to do his job; so many factors can throw a concert off its course, none of which happened here. Everything, from perfect harmonies and balancing sound, was spot on and above.

They are continuing to tour right now, promoting their new album "I and Love and You", and, as a believer that this is a group about to make more "bands to watch lists" than any other artist this year, I urge you to keep your eyes and ears open for their next big gig; and as far as picking an album to start your relationship with this band is concerned, you can't really go wrong, though if you are looking for something a little more polished, the Rick Rubin produced "I and Love and You" is a good place to start. Lyrically and musically it's an impressive collection of songs, intelligently orchestrated and written. "I wanna have friends that I can trust/that love me for the man that I've become and not the man I was," a line taken from The Perfect Space, arguably my favourite song on the record, is a line that resonated through the crowd of The Horseshoe and through my computers speakers as I write.

And so on The Avett Brothers: Enjoy them for who they are, love them for what they're about to become.

Phil

Recommended Listening:

Murder In The City - this song was the first I heard and I was a fan from the opening notes.
Salina
The Perfect Space
When I Drink
I and Love and You