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A Wicked Company is a worthwhile celebration of the Enlightenment’s more radical figures: Holbach, Diderot, Hume. With remarkable foresight, these avowed atheists anticipated sociobiology, evolution, psychology in their philosophical beliefs; they celebrated sex and sensuality, held progressive views on women, and decried slavery and colonialism. The book positions these “protagonists” in opposition to Voltaire and Rousseau – whose fame and influence, Blom argues, unjustly eclipsed theirs.

Blom provides concrete examples of Rousseau’s tortured religious, sexual, and social hang-ups as well as Voltaire’s craven allegiance to the aristocracy and convention, and questions the relevance of their arguments to a scientific, modern society. Blom is excessive in his demonization of Rousseau and the book sometimes reads like a histrionic philosophical death-match between Diderot vs. Rousseau. But the point the book makes about the importance of the human being as a social, empathetic animal resonates on both a micro and macro level, especially as Rousseau’s isolation from the so-called ‘wicked company’ of his former, more progressive salon friends, fed into the paranoia, absolutism, and dangerous irrationality of his romantic philosophy, whereas the deeply social community of Diderot, Hume, and Holbach had a steadfast moral stake in the development and promotion of democracy, natural rights, and utilitarianism.

By revisiting the competing philosophers and their philosophies, Blom implies a through-line between Rousseau and Voltaire’s influence and the religious dogma, economic subjugation, sexual conservatism, and tyranny of both the French Revolution and our modern era. Imagine a world, Blom, implies, where Diderot and not Rousseau commanded more philosophical respect and wielded more influence. Though Blom dramatizes the conflicts repetitively, the colorful, flawed personalities that he describes throughout are distinctive and the implications are fascinating.

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09/08/2011 -The BPC
Multicultural Welcome Concert Presents: ECHOREV & TRS (Tension Release Suite)
7pm.
Open to Berklee students (present ID) – Contact us for special entry
The Berklee Performance Center / 136 Mas. Ave. Boston, MA

09/11/2011 -The Lily Pad
FIND NORTH CD RELEASE SHOW @ The Lily Pad
Doors @ 8pm / $15 with a merch-grab including a copy of Find North
The Lily Pad / 1353 Cambridge St. Cambridge, MA

09/13/2011 -Pete’s Candy Store
ECHOREV ACOUSTIC SHOW
10pm / FREE FOR ALL
Pete’s Candy Store / 709 lorimer street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

09/18/2011 -Rockwood Music Hall
Monkey Rock Presents:
ECHOREV, Tamsin Wilson, and Kelly & The Hermanos @ Rockwood Music Hall Stage II
Doors @ 7pm / Free / 21+
Rockwood Music Hall / 196 Allen St. Ny, Ny

09/22/2011 -Café 939
Doors @ 7:30PM / FREE For Students / $10
w/ MRS DANVERS and Megan Lui
Café 939 / 939 Boylston St. Boston, MA

Henry Kyemba, one of Idi Amin’s right hand men, wrote this book while in exile – a year before Amin’s regime collapsed in 1978. Kyemba, a career bureaucrat, describes the havoc Amin wreaked upon Uganda with sober, straightforward accounts of his atrocities, corruption, and uniquely sociopathic personality.

Kyemba recounts Amin’s direct role in the executions of any and all perceived political enemies, including two American journalists investigating a prison massacre; the Ugandan Archbishop and two highly-ranked Ministers; and countless other prominent members of the professional and bureaucratic class. Particularly chilling is how flagrant – even smirking – Amin was in covering up the crimes. His propaganda radio and television machine would broadcast multiple conflicting explanations for the disappearances or “accidental” deaths of particular officials, embellished with self-aggrandizing praise for Amin and thunderous admonishments towards the dead.

Kyemba portrays a sadist with literal bloodlust who orders the brutal beating of his wife and the murder of a wounded elderly woman (the Israeli hostage, Dora Bloch), and mutilates, tampers, and even consumes the corpses of his victims. The grotesque details would be too sensationalistic were Kyemba’s tone not so measured, and his exploration of complex historical, political details not so thorough.

Kyemba describes how post-indepedence, Imperialism’s haphazard at best, nefarious at worst, drawing of boundaries disenfranchised the Southern Sudanese and Nubians, and set the stage for Amin’s exploitation of them as his mercenary army. Bribed with luxury goods (think Housewives of OC//MTV Cribs in terms of decadence), they controlled the state security apparatus and were installed in in the civilian government, robbing, murdering, and raping with impunity, and carrying out the tyrant’s destructive policies, including “Ugandisation” – the de facto deportation of all Asians and the seizure of their businesses and property, which left the economy in shambles.

Throughout the book, Kyemba makes a persuasive argument for the international community’s complicity in perpetuating Amin’s regime. He blames the US for supplying and servicing Amin’s planes; USSR for providing arms; Britain for importing coffee from Amin and fueling his unimaginably corrupt economy; Israel for supplying arms (until Amin alienated them out of economic opportunism); Libya and Saudi Arabia (who later harbored Amin until his death in 2003) and the Arab world in general for backing him with steadfastness. He also has harsh words for American Blacks, who misinterpreted Amin’s unhinged antagonism towards former Imperial powers as bold leadership and pan-Africanism. That other African countries responded to Amin more with detached irony than outraged condemnation, Kyemba sadly argues, is evidence of their own Amin-like tyrants and tactics – and lack of moral standing.

Aside from humanitarian concerns, attempts by foreign powers to exploit him for ideological purposes were futile. Amin lacked the vocabulary and basic understanding of government that necessitates patriotism, Marxism, pan-Africanism, Islamization, capitalism, democracy – all ideologies he has cynically co-opted at various times to bribe foreign powers.

A State of Blood is a valuable first-hand account of Amin’s violence against both people and state, and admirably functions as a then-urgent plea for international intervention. Though hardly a mea culpa, the book mitigates Kyemba’s moral culpability in the crimes against humanity he witnessed and participated in by providing devastating information that necessitates action. Ultimately, it was the Ugandan people (with the help of the Tanzanians) who deposed Amin during his disastrous border dispute against Tanzania. Though the Pearl of Africa has recovered reasonably well economically and politically, its violator was never brought to justice; he lived the rest of his life in luxury and leisure first in Libya with his friend Gaddafi, and then in Saudi Arabia, who harbored him til his death in 2003.

Raw from Canada’s rejection, we ran into the open arms of Vermont and found that the state which brought us Ben and Jerry’s, the only socialist U.S. Senator in history, and the best maple syrup in the country– is, perhaps as to be expected, pretty damn awesome. In a fortuitous turn of events, we were able to secure a rehearsal space at a 19th-century concert hall, The Opera House in Enosburg, Vermont. We owe the honor of using this space to the Opera House manager, Suzanne Hull-Parent, and Ward and Cheryl Heneveld, all of whom are the embodiment of hospitality and generosity.

The Opera House is about three stories high and has a large, wooden stage raised about five feet off the hardwood floors. It has been providing a a great sonic space and the rare opportunity to rehearse the performance in addition to the music. The building has a lower level and is lived-in, with quirky artifacts and props from recent community productions, several pianos, a full kitchen, and a huge lawn that spreads out next to the barn nearby and makes for great break-time lounging.

Conveniently, the Opera House is located in the middle of Enosburg, which has all the amenities you need and some really good, affordable food: we have already hit up Halvy’s, Kit Kat Diner, and Flying Discs, the latter of which is a coffee shop as well as catch-all miscellany shop that sells guitar accessories. We also all have a crush on the waitress at Halvy’s. If you’re reading this, we heart you.

Situated across from the Opera House is also a beautiful trail that spans through a mere sample of the area’s vast scenic attractions: sprawling pastures, a beautiful river, and lush crops that provide stunning accompaniment to runs and hikes. As we drank a six pack of Long Trail Ale last night, a great Vermont ale, it occurred to us that the company’s image of rolling hills, gurgling rivers, and mountains on the packaging indeed reflect the reality of Vermont, at least as we have come to know it over the past several days

Our living space is outside of town, on a dirt road: a one-bedroom cabin perched above a picturesque meadow, which slopes down to the foot of a mountain. We even have our very own pond. Recent stories from locals about leeches in the swimming holes will certainly prevent us from swimming in said pond.

We are playing at least two shows while we are here: The River Fest this Saturday, August 27 in Montgomery, and a fundraising concert for the Opera House on September 2nd. We are looking forward to collaborating with local musicians in throwing the latter show.

Vermont is certainly a welcome departure from the gritty urban environs we’ve been living in. We have two weeks remaining here, and cannot think of a healthier, more ideal atmosphere – both in our living and working spaces – for us to accomplish the task of preparing for our 3-month tour. THANK YOU, VERMONT.

After two failed attempts to enter the country, ECHOREV has decided that Canada doesn’t like us. Which is too bad because we still like them…the land of so many good bands, cool social policies, and adorable accents — can spurn us once and even twice, and not deter us from wanting to visit — which we will do…at some point…in the not-so-distant future. : )

The Border Patrol found us suspicious — though it’s difficult to know exactly what kind of demonic, terroristic activities they believe us capable of? We know America started this whole nonsense with the Patriot Act, and, like detaining and torturing Canadian citizens and all, but it was shocking how unyielding and intrusive the process was. We thought Canada was a warm and cuddly yet noble grizzly bear of a country — a place, in contrast to the U.S., where gay people can get married and the population can afford a dental checkup.

Maybe Canada is protective of how nice it is, but unfortunately, Canada got a bad impression of us, an impression informed by some harmless clumsiness on our part, like we spilled a drink by accident on its favorite sweater, and it continued to freak out even after realizing the drink we spilled was water. That’s our metaphor for what happened, the details of which we would go into depth about were they not laden with uninteresting minutiae.

We do want to be crystal clear that there was no suspicion or presence of drugs. Whatever clumsiness we exhibited can be attributed to the confusion regarding whether or not you can play shows in Canada. Words of advice to fellow musicians: you CAN play shows in Canada as long as they are not in a restaurant or bar. Carnet lists and letters from those you are playing or staying with in Canada may be helpful or they may not. Inconclusive on that…

Canada may have left us feeling rejected and depressed, but the town of Cape Vincent, NY, on the border lifted our spirits in the form of friendliness, good drinks, and good times after our final denial. It’s a super-cute older town filled with a multitude of friendly pubs, tree-lined sidewalks, green lawns, and a stunning view of Lake Ontario. It has been an idyllic place to be stranded. But today, we leave the border drama behind, and embark on a last-minute backup plan improvised by Johnny, departing to Enosburg, Vermont, where we will be rehearsing for 3 weeks in their Opera House!!! The spot in Canada would have been tremendous, and we are so grateful towards our Canadian friends and family who tried to facilitate our visit. Nevertheless, ya gotta keep moving, and we all feel pretty excited about going to Vermont and having such a beautiful, majestic sonic space to rehearse. So, THANK YOU!!

Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
The book explores the absurdity of how banal, decidedly ugly personalities, in their casual ignorance/indifference, threaten civilization. Its black comedy derives from the contrast between the enormity of civilization and the seemingly meaningless, nonchalant forces that threaten it.

The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene
The book creates an undeniably seductive atmosphere where upper-crust English characters (and their traditions and cultural trappings) interact with the African coastal environment – with varying degrees of dominance, submission, and indifference. I just didn’t think that the central romance was believable; it felt forced, and the book frequently flirts with racist characterizations, despite its arguably nuanced view of European imperialism.

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
Written with economy yet great psychological insight, this book is, in my opinion, a minor masterpiece. Proceeding from its first page with tragic inevitability, Wharton shows deep sympathy for the struggles of the poor in her thorough descriptions of opportunities deprived of the titular Frome (and via coincidence and prescience, offers a portrayal applicable to the U.S. health care crisis). Wharton respectfully conveys Frome’s inarticulate love for Mattie, but crafts an ending that devastates in how it reveals the sad behaviors implied in the characters’ natures all along.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
I was not a huge fan of this book, particularly the second half. The story’s mythic power is undeniable but as a work of fiction, it lacks narrative pacing, believable situations, economy of description, and truly vivid characters differentiated by unique personalities and manners of speech. It’s grotesque and horrific, and the imagination of the plot itself makes the book interesting and readable.

Grendel by John Gardner
A brilliant, funny, fucked up exploration of misanthropy, the hypocrisies and beauty inherent to civilization, and the eternal struggle to connect and find meaning. From Unferth to Hrothgar to Beowulf to the Shaper, Gardner expresses man’s desire for violent superiority, glory, security, and peace — as well as spiritual inspiration stemming from myth and archetype. Grendel is both detached existentialist observer and participant, fabricating meaning for the humans via his violent rampages.

ECHOREV – Cycles of Dreamers (Official Video) from ECHOREV on Vimeo.

In this video conceptualized by Johnny Nicholson, edited/illustrated/shot by Henri de Trogoff, Fionn McCabe, and Bobby Nicholson (w/ Sean Stromsoe), respectively, you will experience beautiful abstract imagery that captures the song’s optimism in change and progress, and criticizes the evils of media manipulation and violent authority. You will also see me rocking out on bass and some symbolic colorful visuals.

Check out our Kickstarter for funding Find North and our badass new website.

Here’s the gorgeous album art by Fionn McCabe