Aug. 30, 2022 - Penultimate
#GEMsOfWisdom / #RawHoggin
Really good shave today. I'm at that point in the month with the MMOC where it's still a noticeably more aggressive razor than I prefer, but shaving with it feels like I'm on autopilot.
Also, the Zenith Scrubby is starting to yield a ton of lather. It took a while to get there, but this knot feels great, and is using soap efficiently. I expected it to eat a ton of soap but I haven't needed to load that heavy after the first week or so with this brush. It is still a touch more scrubby than I'd like for daily face lathers, but I bet it will be perfect for more of a 50/50 Precision Loading™ approach.
I also want to try the u/USS-Spongebob Method™ for breaking in boar knots after tomorrow's shave. Looking closely at the tips of this knot, there's still plenty of splitting in their future. I'm curious to see if the hairdryer makes a dramatic difference after 31 daily face-lathers.
| Date |
Soap Before (g) |
Soap After (g) |
Usage (g) |
Loading |
| 8/1 |
235.5 |
232.5 |
3 |
◊ |
| 8/2 |
232.5 |
228.0 |
4.5 |
◊ |
| 8/3 |
228.0 |
227.0 |
1 |
◊ |
| 8/4 |
227.0 |
223.3 |
3.7 |
◊ |
| 8/5 |
223.3 |
220.3 |
3 |
40 seconds |
| 8/6 |
220.3 |
218.8 |
1.5 |
30 seconds |
| 8/7 |
218.8 |
217.9 |
0.9 |
40 swirls |
| 8/8 |
217.9 |
216.5 |
1.4 |
40 swirls |
| 8/9 |
216.5 |
215.9 |
0.6 |
40 swirls |
| 8/10 |
215.9 |
215.6 |
0.3 |
50 swirls |
| 8/11 |
215.6 |
213.9 |
1.7 |
60 swirls |
| 8/12 |
214.7 |
213.0 |
1.7 |
60 swirls |
| 8/13 |
213.0 |
211.5 |
1.5 |
60 swirls |
| 8/14 |
211.5 |
210.5 |
1 |
60 swirls |
| 8/15 |
210.5 |
209.0 |
1.5 |
60 swirls |
| 8/16 |
209.0 |
207.2 |
1.8 |
60 swirls |
| 8/17 |
207.2 |
205.9 |
1.3 |
~62 swirls |
| 8/18 |
205.9 |
204.4 |
1.5 |
60 swirls |
| 8/19 |
204.4 |
203.3 |
1.1 |
60 swirls |
| 8/20 |
203.3 |
202.8 |
0.5 |
70 swirls |
| 8/21 |
202.8 |
202.0 |
0.8 |
60 swirls |
| 8/22 |
202.0 |
200.5 |
1.5 |
60 swirls |
| 8/23 |
200.5 |
199.2 |
1.3 |
60 swirls |
| 8/24 |
199.2 |
197.9 |
1.3 |
65 swirls |
| 8/25 |
197.9 |
196.3 |
1.6 |
80 swirls |
| 8/26 |
196.3 |
194.4 |
1.9 |
80 swirls |
| 8/27 |
194.4 |
192.9 |
1.5 |
80 swirls |
| 8/28 |
192.9 |
191.9 |
1 |
80 swirls |
| 8/29 |
191.9 |
191.0 |
0.9 |
80 swirls |
| 8/30 |
191.0 |
◊ |
◊ |
◊ |
| 8/31 |
◊ |
◊ |
◊ |
◊ |
⁂
#sidetracked u/Teufelskraft
I started this month of #sidetracked blurbs with a contemporary cover of an '80s tune, so as we wrap up Austere August, I'll to return to that decade.
While Vince Clarke is more well known for his work with Depeche Mode, his 1981 duo with Alison Moyet should be a big name too. Yazoo—apparently also known as Yaz in North America—only released two albums, but packed those full of synth-pop gems, including their 1982 torch song "Only You." Clarke gave Andy Fletcher and Martin Gore a chance to record the song, but I'm glad they passed on it, because I can't imaging how "Only You" would have sounded without Alison Moyet's robust, bluesy, soulful vocals. She's outstanding here. And I love how this ballad could have only been recorded in the '80s; the bouncy synths we now associate with vintage RPG soundtracks; the twinkling production over sparse instrumentation; the gated drum sound; the "nursery rhyme simplicity" and classic arpeggios.
Yazoo - "Only You"
Vancouver's new wave act Strange Advance only made it one album farther than Yaz, before going dormant after their 1988 release The Distance Between. They recorded a number of great songs, but I'll point you to the gorgeous, cinematic title track of their debut—Worlds Away. This exquisitely-produced single is one of my favorite evening headphone listens. The starlight intro sets the mood before a few tentative drum beats pull the song into its steady tempo, Darryl Kromm's voice heavy with emotion, and the guitar solo around 4:30 streaks through the night sky in neon '80s splendor. "Worlds Away" should be up there in the pantheon with "Glittering Prize," "Blue Monday," "The Chauffeur," "More Than This," and "Don't You Want Me."
Strange Advance - "Worlds Away"
sotd.djudgement_invitations: [<DjudgementInvitation 4111>, <DjudgementInvitation 4039>]