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Gary, Author at The Panic Manual

Song of the Day: Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, Sonicwonderland

Posted on November 19, 2023 by Gary in Song of the Day | Leave a comment

Submitted to your attention for grading, a recorded game session starring the musicians playing with the jazz pianist Hiromi. Please disregard aphysical changes in gravity and cohesive theme, as well as the free pilfering of no longer IP-protected elements from Super Mario Bros., 1942, and numerous other legendary NES gems. Sonicwonderland is out now via Concord Records.

Album Review: Spiritual Jazz 14: Private (2023, Jazzman Records)

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Gary in Albums | Leave a comment

Where do the fans go when the FTPs and ICQ of yester-years have long since gone dark? Wherever do we find satisfaction now that Spotify supplies the pressure to an infinite variety of musical firehoses without the tiniest speck of care and regard for us on the other end, slaking (or I gather, just subsisting) like patients on feeding tubes? Well, if it is to be anything and everything, then I might as well insist it be more analog, more … →

Song of the Day: Ren, Money Game pt. 3

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Gary in Song of the Day | Leave a comment

“A Welsh rapper? Now I’ve seen everything.” I did not study Historical Hip Hop Humanities at Oxford, but to me, Ren Gill‘s stuff recalls an earlier lyrical, musical, even spiritually philosophical stage of rap. A new album, Sick Boi, with a staggering 18 tracks recently came out and I thought this track a genuine, if naïve, take on the struggles of the stereotypical Man. Sadly, regardless of how many times the contents have been repeated ad infinitum, many people will … →

SXSW Review: The Orielles, March 18, The Courtyard

Posted on April 2, 2023 by Gary in South By Southwest | Leave a comment

Connecting instrumentals with lyrical singing is not always simple. The Orielles are an interesting band in their apparent lack of attempt to blend these two components. The instrumental aspect, particularly the synth, is the mainstay, but the singing is dosed in and used as an instrument. There is a free-wheeling carefreeness to the way the vocals are delivered. Since the voice does not need to hold up a melody, there’s no need to be pitch perfect nor sustain long lyrical … →