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Saturday November 7, 2009
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Sports


High School Football
Hoosac Valley beats Drury in Saturday action. More photos on Monday
Thursday, Nov. 06

Boys' Soccer: State Vocational Championship Game
McCann Tech 3, Keefe Tech 2

Girls' Soccer: State Vocational Championship Game
Blackstone Valley 8, McCann Tech 0
Fall Basketball Clinics

Election

Barrett Reflects on Accomplishments with Capital News 9
Alcombright's Victory Speech

Which election's more important?
Pittsfield
North Adams
Neither, nothing will change
  
pollcode.com free polls

Trying to remember who won what and why? All the information is right here.

Daily Digest


This is Jake
He's been lost in Pittsfield for weeks but frequently sited. He was last seen heading toward the fire station on Peck's Road. He's tired, dirty and needs seizure medication. He's chipped. If you see him, call Julie at 413-537-5616, the vet 24/7 at 413-499-2820 or animal control at 413-448-9700.
How Much is Heating Oil this Week?
It's breaking $2.50 but still cheaper than gas.
Thanks to Gabriella Bond for sharing her memories of the Quincy Street house torn down last week.
Send press releases and announcements to info@iberkshires.com. Need to contact someone at iBerkshires? Here's how.

What's Playing


The popular anime character "Astro Boy" searches for acceptance on the big screen.


'Serious Man':
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Confounded
Movie schedules and times

Obituaries

Milton E. Pharr, 75
Alice R. Filiault, 87
Lucille Burt, 92
Ellen E. McCarthy, 98
More obituaries
Mary M. Hanlon, 82
George F. Sarrouf, 73

Sales Fliers

 
 

 

Bazaars

Nov. 14

Berkshire Community Church, Richmond
10-4; Crafters, bake sale. Contact Evelyn Goggia at 413-445-5747

Lanesborough Elementary School annual Fall Craft Fair from 10 to 4. Free admission, huge variety of arts and crafts, raffles, food and more. Proceeds go to sixth-grade trip to Cape Cod.

Vendors can contact Deb at 413-738-5349 or debhutton@aol.com or Lori at 413-499-0065 or lorittod@yahoo.com to secure a spot.

Dec. 12-13

North Adams Country Club, crafts 9-4; food from That's a Wrap from 11-2. Contact Sheryl Morehouse at 413-822-3329.

Planning a bazaar this season? Submit information to info@iberkshires.com to have it listed here.

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Pick of the Week: Astronauts of Antiquity

By Kevin Liedel
Muzikreviews.com
09:56AM / Sunday, June 21, 2009

Rocket Science For Dummies

"Cool" is an underrated concept in modern music, where seemingly every other indie band is lining up to replace the chic with the goofy. Thankfully, some out there are still carrying the dapper torch — the experimentally jazzy Astronauts of Antiquity, for example, whose sophomore release "Rocket Science For Dummies" is like some lost hybrid collaboration of Hooverphonic, The Bird and the Bee, and Everything but the Girl. 

As their ironic name might imply, the Astronauts are a heady mix of eclectic urban genres and ultra-cool lounge swagger. Armed with a healthy dose of funk, polished production, and a whole hell of a lot of handclaps, Rocket Science succeeds in being both innovative and accessible, allowing eager listeners to catch an aural glimpse of the Astronauts' fast-paced, rhythmic world.

Of course, it helps to have a vocalist as dynamic and cocky as India, who, fortunately, often comes across as a self-indulgent, crooning jazz songstress rather than some pop star wannabe. Clearly, the foundation of the Astronauts' aerodynamic package is built around her teasing persona — a less-prickly version of Garbage's Shirley Manson, for example. The results are smooth and fearless: songs waste no riff or transition in their glide, compacted into nothing short of cafe-infused pop brilliance that swirls and twists around India's advisory muse. 

Genre: Alternative Pop Label: RevCon Records   Web site  Amazon Link
Source Link
Tracks
01. Everywhere 08. Emo Healing
02. Strangest Places 09. Breakthrough
03. Sup A Soul 10. Sup du Jour (F. Cee Knowledge)
04. Rocket Science 11. Love Is All Around
05. Sweet-Tooth 12. Dance Until Dawn
06. Beautiful Fate 13. Love Is A Mantra (Dub Remix)
07. Miss Caroline    
Perhaps the real key to "Rocket Science's" success is the fact that it maintains an authentic, jazzy pulse throughout, no matter how glossy the production gets. Indeed, tracks like "Everywhere" pulse with a clubbish, urban rain, owing nothing to standard radio fare, while "Strangest Places" brims with a bebop soul that outstrips any coffee house-bred singer/songwriter ballad.

The album thus prevails because it is both familiar and yet exotic, melding the habits and techniques of lesser-known musical styles with a tried-and-true sensibility. Such is the method of "Beautiful Fate," which plops alternative guitar, electronica flourish, and rhythmic euphoria into a gigantic blender and goes to town on the highest setting. Whereas some other band would get unrecognizable glop, the Astronauts get a tasty shake. 

In the end, "Rocket Science For Dummies" is alluring because of its unending strive toward slick perfection, and in turn, listeners will recognize the effort and self-discipline that emanates from Astronauts of Antiquity's sonic offerings. Then again, perhaps it's not that complicated — perhaps the album is simply the musical equivalent of an unbridled car race, too damn fun to peel away from despite its mindless entertainment. Yet that, too, is a misnomer, as "Rocket Science" possesses an ample brain to go along with its considerable heart.

Kevin Liedel is a senior staff writer at MuzikReviews.com. For guestions or comments on this review contact him at kliedel@muzikreviews.com.
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