Ronald Ventura, Pop!, Oil on canvas, 2009, 96” x 72”
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Fleet Foxes - Montezuma
So long, 2011! Without doubt, my favorite album of the year was Helplessness Blues from Fleet Foxes. While staying true to their gentle folky sound, they have managed to expand themselves tremendously in a collection of fantastic songs. Montezuma is a great example of these things, so give it a listen.
What makes me so happy about Feist’s fourth album Metals is that she has not sacrificed originality for popularity. This is a deeper, stripped down look at Leslie Feist’s true talent. She really shows her range, and I can’t wait to see what’s in her future.
Cults made up most of my summer soundtrack. Though they’re new to the music world, this cutey-pie duo already has made a huge impact. This album is fun, and that’s what makes it so likable.
Is it even possible to not mention Bon Iver on this list? Each song on this self-titled wonder comes with its own texture and sound. Something about this guy just continues to make him churn out hit after hit. Every song takes me to a different place in my mind, yet they have the continuity and fluidity of a river. The only word I can think of to describe how it makes me feel is nostalgic, without even really knowing why.
I have to admit, the first time I listened to the new Florence + the Machine album, Ceremonials, but after a few repeats, I’ve made up my mind. While Lungs had more cohesion, this album has enormous power and magnificent vocals. This is strength in musical form.
Some other artists you should check out that had hits this year:
The Black Keys
Bombay Bicycle Club
Foster the People
Ellie Goulding
New Study Says Large Regions of Mars Could Sustain Life
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The question of whether present-day Mars could be habitable, and to what extent, has been the focus of long-running and intense debates. The surface, comparable to the dry valleys of Antarctica and the Atacama desert on Earth, is harsh, with well-below freezing temperatures most of the time (at an average of minus 63 degrees Celsius or minus 81 Fahrenheit), extreme dryness and a very thin atmosphere offering little protection from the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation. Most scientists would agree that the best place that any organisms could hope to survive and flourish would be underground. Now, a new study says that scenario is not only correct, but that large regions of Mars’ subsurface could be even more sustainable for life than previously thought.
Scientists from the Australian National University modeled conditions on Mars on a global scale and found that large regions could be capable of sustaining life – three percent of the planet actually, albeit mostly underground. By comparison, just one percent of Earth’s volume, from the central core to the upper atmosphere, is inhabited by some kind of life. They compared pressure and temperature conditions on Earth to those of Mars to come up with the surprising results.
The paper is currently available for free here.
(via universetoday)
