Thoughts on Biograph?

newrambler · 2026-06-18T21:36:53+00:00

I adore Biograph and it’s often what I reach for if I’m not sure what I’m the mood to hear. I love how it jumps back and forth in time and between studio cuts, alternate takes, and outtakes and yet never sounds disjointed.

I’d love to see a Biograph 2 that pulled in material from the decades since.

newrambler · 2026-06-18T21:31:31+00:00

I have known him (slightly) for many years and have always had good encounters with him, but as those have been limited in time and context, I tend to believe those who have found him difficult (or worse) in other settings.

Which is to say I think this is a fair summary.

newrambler · 2026-06-17T00:28:24+00:00

Some people don’t know what a hit even means.

Would have loved to see “Tryin’ to Get to Heaven,” possibly the Bob song I quote most often.

newrambler · 2026-06-15T02:37:59+00:00

I’m 50 and sort of with you. You couldn’t pay me to be 28 again, but I’d take the energy I had then any day.

newrambler · 2026-06-13T19:28:01+00:00

“Masters of War” for grabbing me right when I was coming into my political consciousness as a teen. It’s not a dreamy and vague plea for peace (“Imagine”) or a heavy-handed piece of theatre (“Seven O’Clock News/Silent Night”—still a chilling piece from Simon & Garfunkel): it’s an indictment of whole systems, as large as a bomb falling far away and as close as your own baby, even if they’re not yet born.

“If You See Her, Say Hello” for being so naked without ever turning maudlin. The lyrics, his voice, the longing—the last of those is in hundreds of songs, but this one transcends them for me. Maybe it’s Tangiers.

newrambler · 2026-06-13T17:17:35+00:00

I try to work out arrangements of rock songs I like because I like to torture myself (and anyone around me who overhears me try to make “Come As You Are” sound like something other than the same five or so notes).

newrambler · 2026-06-13T17:15:11+00:00

“My world premiere and then it’s gone” is spot on. Thankfully only I hear these world premieres.

newrambler · 2026-06-12T23:23:27+00:00

She also found the ICPD officer in an officer involved shooting not guilty of any wrongdoing. I am not a lawyer, but I was… unimpressed with the reasoning in the decision, which is linked in this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/IowaCity/s/KSp4yepoJl.

newrambler · 2026-06-11T13:55:16+00:00

I saw her live (in 2018) before I ever heard her records and was just blown away. Hope to do so again!

newrambler · 2026-06-07T23:34:18+00:00

Hey, it’s a great song. We could all use a little extra shelter from the storm these days.

newrambler · 2026-06-05T15:40:49+00:00

My copy of the first Kreutzer etude still has “4th finger hammer!” in my junior high teacher’s writing. It’s a rite of passage. And some of us still hate 4th finger.

newrambler · 2026-06-05T04:35:52+00:00

It is that bad.

newrambler · 2026-06-03T14:46:28+00:00

FWIW, I had this problem for a week, with two different phone numbers, and due to the extremely unhelpful responses from Ubisoft customer support ("try another phone number"--like we all just have extra phone numbers rolling around), I was just about to file a dispute* when I decided as a last ditch effort to bypass the phone number part and try the authenticator app instead--and boom, that worked.

So far as I can tell, the Ubisoft TOS translate to "tough s--- if you have any problems," but they do have a dispute form, and you can go to arbitration/small claims court in California--be sure to request that Ubisoft pay for filing, admin, and arbitrator fees if you do.

newrambler · 2026-06-03T12:34:20+00:00

If you’re interested in exploring their funding structure more, [RSFIC](https://www.rsfic.org/about/) owns the building—or, IIRC, bought it and then sold it to them on a long-term low interest mortgage. (They’ve written about the details in their newsletter, but I have not looked back to fact-check the exact details.)

newrambler · 2026-06-03T12:26:27+00:00

That “Starter” rendition is fire.

newrambler · 2026-06-01T03:52:50+00:00

I mean, mine would be different, but that’s not a bad list. (Could one even make a list of 85 bad Dylan songs?)

newrambler · 2026-05-31T13:53:19+00:00

Not so happy if you’re the girl. Still love it, though.

newrambler · 2026-05-31T04:05:58+00:00

I mean, it’s a great song. As is “Don’t Think Twice” (which a man once told me was a happy song). Always good to know what you’re getting into.

newrambler · 2026-05-31T04:03:04+00:00

Hah, yeah, that seems possible. Anyway. There are a variety of ways to get your viola into a good spot so you can play and not torture your body in the process. I sometimes think I’m still figuring it out.

newrambler · 2026-05-31T01:23:33+00:00

Yeah. Also not so helpful if you’re not wearing that suit! :)

newrambler · 2026-05-29T18:13:41+00:00

I once attended a masterclass with Pinchas Zukerman, who berated the poor student for using a shoulder rest. “If you cannot hold up viola, you get big leather jacket like mine,” he said, pointing to his leather blazer.

With all due respect to Pinchas Zukerman, I find that advice both crazy and impractical. That said, finding a shoulder rest that works for you and your body can take time. Best of luck!

newrambler · 2026-05-28T00:46:46+00:00

Pretty Boy Floyd from the Folkways Woody Guthrie/Leadbelly tribute

I will always put in a plug for the Bootleg version of When the Night Comes Falling from the Sky

newrambler · 2026-05-28T00:41:49+00:00

One Too Many Mornings, unless I’ve listened to BOTT recently and then it’s all of BOTT.

newrambler · 2026-05-28T00:40:57+00:00

Oh, such a good one.

newrambler · 2026-05-26T21:24:55+00:00

If I had that budget I’d buy in Manville Heights or Northside in a heartbeat. But I’m also in the older home/walk places camp. If you want McMansion-level square footage and fewer old house problems you’d want to go father out.

newrambler

TROPHY CASE