#greymouth

AKA black matipo, kohukohu and tawhiwhi. The binomial translates as 'tarry-seeds' 'thin-leaves'.

An evergreen tree endemic to Aotearoa, growing up to 10 m in height, and growing in coastal and lower montane forests and scrublands over much of the country. I was a bit surprised to find it on the West Coast however, which is generally too wet for the species to do well. Thrives in disturbed areas, and widely cultivated in gardens. The flowers are usually dark red or dark purple, but not prominent, and are most strongly scented at night.

Widely used by the Māori, including many medical purposes, and the oils and resins for their fragrance. The branches have been used in ceremonies, such as welcoming visitors to a marae. Two of its common names, tāwhiri ("to wave to") and rautāwhiri ("to wave a leaf") refer to that use.

Here it is: my yearly summation of the small labels working through rising costs and punishing manufacturing delays, the artists making music unafraid of chance, and the freaks supporting all of it in spite of the daily consequences of a ruling class increasingly detached from reality. Lots more that deserve accolades from more prestigious publications, and I'm sure they'll get 'em, but these are records that were inseparable from certain points of my year, including now. Yeah, they were all kinda my favorite at one point, and could be again tomorrow, but Kilynn Lunsford is #1 for a reason. Glad to be back at shows, however sparingly, experiencing all the awkward camaraderie and room-silencing/room-flattening performances that come with them. It all feels more necessary than ever. Up and up in a world of lava. Happy New Year, everyone.

LP

Kilynn Lunsford, Custodians of Human Succession (ever/never)

Joe Colley, Deformation of Tone (Total Black)

Kitchen's Floor, None of That (Petty Bunco)

Thomas Bush, Preludes (Mammas Mysteriska Jukebox)

Hissing, Hypervirulence Architecture (Profound Lore)

Tim Goss, Afterfly (Penultimate Press)

Carla dal Forno, Come Around (Kallista)

Rose Mercie, ¿Kieres Agua? (Celluloid Lunch/Jelodanti)

Incipientium, Belastning (Förlag För Fri Musik)

Siobhan, Body Double (Nostilevo)

7"/12"/Cassette/CD

The Body & OAA, Enemy of Love CS (Thrill Jockey)

Brain Tourniquet, s/t 7" (Iron Lung)

CIA Debutante, "The Punch" b/w "The Garden" 7" (Digital Regress)

Cube, Proof of Bells CD (H&S Ranch)

Darksmith, Imposter CD (Throne Heap)

Gaoled, Bestial Hardcore 7" flexi (Iron Lung)

Greymouth, Twilight Furl 7" (Kashual Plastik)

Horrendous 3D, s/t 7" (Black Water)

Incipientium, Inhuman CS (Kashual Plastik)

Primitive Man, Insurmountable 12" (Closed Casket Activities)

RRR Band, s/t CS (Petty Bunco)

Sprite, Epic Sundry CS (Tropical Cancer Rort)

Stomachache, Hiss Noise Whir CD (Lagniappe Exposure)

R.I.P. Young Slo-Be

Rap

42 Dugg & EST Gee, “Thump Shit”

BandGang Lonnie Bands, Scorpion Eyes (Anti Media/TF Entertainment)

Denzel Curry feat. Key Glock, “Walkin (Remix)”

Earl Sweatshirt, SICK! (Tan Cressida)

Lil Durk & Gucci Mane, “Rumors”

Maz G x GuttaFoe, “Win Some, Lose Some” - what is going on in Milwaukee

Starlito & Troy Money, Cheap Phones & Turkey Bags (Grind Hard)

Billy Woods, Aethiopes (Backwoodz Studioz)

Young Slo-Be, Southeast (KoldGreedy / Thizzler on the Roof)

Z Money, Back 2 the Blender (self-released) - thx @raygarraty

Pictured: Angels of Mons

Live shows

The Body at 529, Atlanta, GA (May 17)

Primitive Man, Mortiferum, Jarhead Fertilizer, Body Void & Elizabeth Color Wheel at The EARL, Atlanta, GA (May 20)

Brain Tourniquet, Excavate & Thirdface at DRKMTTR, Nashville, TN (July 16)

Reeking Aura at the Brickyard, Knoxville, TN (November 11)

Bitchin Bajas, Maspeth & Angels of Mons at the Pilot Light, Knoxville, TN (December 11)

Five songs that made my daughter dance every time they hit the deck

Bitchin Bajas, "Quakenbrück" from Bajascillators

Can, "Halleluhwah" from Tago Mago

Rose Mercie, "Cats and Dogs" from ¿Kieres Agua?

Träden, "När lingonen mognar (Lingonberries Forever)" from Träden

This time, I've made a public transport style map for the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island

[ A metro style map of the West Coast. A red line goes south from Ngakawau through Waimangaroa, Westport, Charleston, Punakaiki, Runanga, Greymouth, Paroa and ending at Hokitika. A purple line goes east from Westport through Inangahua Junction and ending at Murchison. A yellow line goes east from Greymouth through Dobson, Taylorville, Stillwater, then north-east through Ngahere, Blackball, Ahura, Ikamatua, Reefton, Inangahua Junction and ending at Murchison. A green line goes south-east from Greymouth through Moana and onwards off the map towards Otira, Arthur's Pass, Christchurch

End alt text]

Some Thoughts

A lot of this rail infrastructure exists already. The only things that would be needed to be built for this is a line from Runanga to Westport, and a line from Inangahua Junction to Murchison, plus a couple of bridges to account for Taylorville and Blackball being on the other side of the Grey River.

Hokitika, Greymouth and Westport are the major urban areas on the west coast, so they are all connected on one line.

This area is larger, but less populated than the Christchurch map I made a while ago. The distance between Westport and Greymouth is over 100 kilometres, so these trains could be a bit of a mixture between long distance and commuter trains.

I know Springs Junction is included in the West Coast area, but theres no easy way to get rail there, unless it came from Murchison, and its kinda small, so I didn't include it on this map.

The green line would be regional between Greymouth and Christchurch, following the route of the current Tranz Alpine tourist train, however, additional services to Moana could be considered for commuters.

A line could continue south from Hokitika towards the Glaciers and eventually end up in Wanaka and Queenstown

Oh wow I'm guessing this is for the OC prompt? That was fast! Lemme think... other than one group, I'm probably going to rank them individually, because if they were in their written groups they'd all have a pretty fair shot. (we're going to have a whole mix of original writing and fan-characters. And in case you're not sure who each one is, I'll link their story/art/whatever I have of them in the titles!)

Thanks so much for the ask!

"4. Rank your OCs from most likely to survive the zombie apocalypse, to least."

1.) Candlewit (D&D):

Maybe it's because she's a warforged and the whole "flesh-eating" business isn't too much of a threat, maybe it's because of the wild magic seeping and crackling out of every nick-notch-and-scratch, or maybe it's her giant ice saw. But I wouldn't have a single doubt that she'd do just fine. Honestly, wouldn't be too far off from the regular. I should write about the time she nearly got bludgeoned (but didn't!) by a ghost because she didn't realize they were supposed to be fighting.

2.) James Brotz (Ghoul Parade)

Dude's magic. Dude's good** at magic. Dude's Most Likely to Befriend the Zombies and Make an Undead Army.

3.) Ardolf Folke Greymouth (Greymouth/D&D)

Ardolf's been surviving a lot for a while - not to mention the whole lycanthropy business. Between his medical knowledge and his actual abilities as an adventurer, I'd have faith in him. Though he'd absolutely be the sort of character who'd use himself as bait to distract a horde or something so his survival isn't 100%. Give him some kids to watch after, though, and he'd jump to the top of this list out of spite alone.

4.) The Greymouth Family (Bjarne [father], Sigfrid Torø [mother], Hlidowig Baard Mør [Grandad]. Þorir [youngest son], Roald Oddr [middle son]) (Greymouth/D&D)

I'm going to group all of these folks together since I haven't done a lot with them individually? But as one unit. Oh yeah, oh without a doubt. They'd be running their mountaintop clinic at top priority with running defenses and everything. The zombies wouldn't have a chance. Though since they're not exactly adventurers I wouldn't hedge my bets - specifically if the zombies got in.

5.) Dh’ie the Mist-minded (Skyrim)

Without any good cities to beg in she'd be left high and dry. She had some solid training from the Vigilants but that didn't exactly last long. So, unless one of those Daedric Princes she's messing around with decide she's too entertaining to let go of and help her out, she'd have a real rough time.

6.) Martin Finley (Ghoul Parade)

He's... he doesn't exactly count as undead. He's pretty good with a gun, but poor dude would do bad on his own. He might be in the business of getting the zombies to let them in their club, though. He about fits the part - they eat the same thing!

7.) Illistar Motts (D&D)

Unless he could convince himself into some already established camp (which... I'd have zero doubts he wouldn't be able to. Dude can talk himself into anything so-long as they don't mind tieflings), he'd be toast. Ilistar's a high charisma build and otherwise doesn't have much going for him. Plus, Heteroclite - his patron - would undoubtedly be the worst traveling partner. He'd tell Illistar to rush right into a horde because he'd want to see how they'd munch around the horns.

8.) Jo Marie (Ghoul Parade)

Look, he might be a vampire. And when he gets the hang of that whole business he might be pretty dang strong. But this accountant has barely gotten over the blood thing, let alone trying to cope with an apocalypse. If he were left to his own devices he'd die, or kind of die in a weird half-vampire way.

~ Disqualified ~

Alec Kahloon (Fallout):

He was born and raised in an apocalypse so I don’t think he counts. He’d survive without a doubt, though. Shark tooth medic man my beloved.

Gor’valdur Faelore (Skyrim):

He’s… he’s technically already undead so I feel like that’d be cheating. But like more undead than the Ghoul Parade guys.

GREYMOUTH

"Cut a crooked Track"

(7"EP. I Dischi Del Barone. 2020) [NZ]