Library celebrates local authors

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Karen Schaufeld (center) reads from her book “Larry and Bob” to a group of children.

When Sandra Kovacs Stein noticed that ravens were building a nest on the Purcellville water tower near her home, she began taking pictures of them.

Karen Schaufeld would watch eagles carry fish and other small creatures back to their nest on her property near Leesburg.

Cheryl Somers Aubin was moved by a newspaper story about a Callery pear tree that somehow survived the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and was buried under the rubble of New York’s twin towers.

During a celebration of local authors and food sources at the Cascades Library in Potomac Falls on June 18, the three women told of how the majesty and mystery of nature inspired them to write their books for children. They were among more than two dozen writers who participated in the first “Eat Local, Read Local” event, which helped kick off the library system’s summer reading program.

Full story…

Washington Post, June 26, 2016

New mural for Leesburg garage

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Leesburg artist Kevin Dunn

With the help of some local high school students, Leesburg artist Kevin Dunn is adding a splash of color to one of the drab gray walls of Leesburg’s downtown parking garage.

Last weekend, several art students from Tuscarora and Heritage high schools joined Dunn in painting a bicycle-themed mural he designed to serve as a backdrop to some bike racks inside the garage. Dunn and other proponents of bringing art to public places hope the project will revive interest in creating a larger mural on an exterior wall of the garage.

Full story…

Washington Post, June 19, 2016

Preserving historic documents

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From left: Judy Hall, R. J. Hall, John Burcham and Diane Burcham, all of Leesburg, look at a restored book of records that had been laminated.

During downtown Leesburg’s First Friday event this month, scores of people got a glimpse of a war being quietly waged every day in the Loudoun County Circuit Court archives: the battle against the ravages of time, including mold, bookworms, rust and acid-laden cellophane tape.

About 160 people stepped through the doors of Leesburg’s 122-year-old courthouse — away from the sounds of al fresco diners and street musicians — to learn how the county’s historic records are being preserved and restored.

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Washington Post, June 12, 2016

Interview with Phyllis J. Randall

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Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) became chair of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors in January. She previously had a 26-year career as a mental health therapist, mostly in Prince William County, where she provided substance abuse services for offenders.

The Washington Post recently met with Randall, 51, to discuss her first five months in office and her goals for the rest of her term. The following are edited excerpts from that conversation.

Read interview…

Washington Post, June 5, 2016

Car Seat Headrest in the news – June 2016

“Toledo and his band are incredibly talented and, if there is any justice in the world, this will be the album that brings Car Seat Headrest to a much wider audience.”

–Rose on Everything Flows, June 30, 2016

“Many legendary songwriters took years to hone their craft (Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder), but at the ripe age of 23, Toledo has skipped the pruning process and jumped right in with two high-energy, infectious albums in under 12 months, both featuring insight and maturity far exceeding his age.”

Android50 in “The Top 20 Albums of 2016 (So Far)” on Bob Dylan Wrote Propaganda Songs, June 29, 2016

“A sad, brilliant journey, lyrically and musically.”

–Bob Boilen re: “Vincent” in “NPR Music’s 100 Favorite Songs of 2016 (So Far),” June 28, 2016 

“Albums are rarely this ambitious or executed this brilliantly.”

–Robin Hilton re: “Teens of Denial” in NPR Music’s 30 Favorite Albums of 2016 (S0 Far), June 27, 2016 

“Toledo responds with the warmest, brightest batch of songs of his career, precocious still…but finally angling toward a renown all his own.”

–Craig Jenkins in “The Best Albums of 2016 (So Far) on Vulture, June 27, 2016

“If you’re unfamiliar with Car Seat Headrest, you’d best get cracking…”

NME, June 25, 2016

“It is surging, fist-raising music, but its lyrical concerns are precise, introspective, and often near-political in criticizing how society treats the congenitally sad.”

–Spencer Kornhaber in The Atlantic, June 24, 2016

“…behind the thick-rimmed glasses lies a monstrously gifted, prolific (10 albums at 23?) musician – who backs his mystique up with a visceral, energetic performance.”

–Luke Forshaw on subba-clutcha, June 24, 2016

“I think CSH are like my Bright Eyes to some of the young lads in the room, a band [that feels] like yours, when you learn all the lyrics and find meaning in them that you can relate to, and those types of bands are so important.”

–Rich Walker on Silent Radio, June 24, 2016

“They may look like they’ve just stumbled out of a uni dorm into the big bad world for the first time, but watch out for these mis-matched, unassuming group of guys – they put on a core rattling performance and they’re gonna be huge.”

–Rhiannon Topham on Takes My Fancy, June 23, 2016

“Songs like Fill in the Blank, Destroyed By Hippie Powers and Something Soon weave from compulsive pop choruses to wail-along crescendos, dripping lyrics of wisdom and experience far beyond his Leonard Hofstadter demeanour.”

–Mark Beaumont’s concert review in The Guardian, June 22, 2016

“The May 2016 release of Teens of Denial marked something of a coming-of-age and the billing of Car Seat Headrest on the [Glastonbury Festival] Park Stage seems like a marriage made in a lo-fi heaven.”

–Tony Hardy on bestnewbands.com June 21, 2016

“…complete spiritual defeat has never sounded more thrilling than the way Toledo screams ‘I give up’ over conquer-the-world guitar swells that indie rock has thankfully started to remember how to do again.”

–Michael Tedder re: “The Ballad of the Costa Concordia” in Brooklyn Magazine, June 21, 2016

Teens of Denial is symbolic of the next step in Car Seat Headrest’s journey: from a cult-internet phenomenon to world renowned rock sensations.”

–Luke Pillar and Alex Miller on 1883 Magazine, June 21, 2016

“Toledo captures, with equal parts wit and poignancy, the freefall between losing your innocence and reclaiming your self-respect.”

–Andrea Domanick on Noisey Music, June 21, 2016

“Car Seat Headrest is indie rock as it should be, full of acute and witty observation but also able to provide emotional release.”

–Lou Ormesher on Brighton’s Finest, June 20, 2016

“Like Courtney Barrett, he comes off as a rock-loving child of alt-rock’s skepticism, working backwards towards something to believe in.”

Rolling Stone, June 20, 2016

“‘Teens of Denial’ is the record of the year.”

–Will Arnett on twitter, June 20, 2016

“Critically acclaimed and touring a new album, CSH are perfect for anyone looking for the next big thing.”

–Tom Bull in Brighton Journal, June 20, 2016

“Progressive metal from Car Seat Headrest’s album “Monomania”

–Dave re: “Misheard Lyrics,” featuring Nora Knight, on Oneironaught, June 18, 2016

“As soon as I saw ‘Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales’ on Car Seat Headrest’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert, I knew it’d be one of my favorites of 2016. Who knew they’d make 11 more just as captivating?”

–Riley in “Our Top 25 Albums So Far This Year,” The Alternative, June 16, 2016

Teens of Denial” manages to be a little of everything; raw but polished, heavy but clear, fun but honest.”

–Nathan Kowalski on cinemaspartan.com, “Five Albums for June,” June 16, 2016

“The momentous Teens Of Denial feels like a coming-out party for slacker music’s latest poet laureate.”

–Chris in Stereogum‘s “50 Best Albums of 2016 So Far,” June 15, 2016

“It’s a chorus that will be stuck inside your head all summer.”

–Adam Strong re: “Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales” in “Songs of the Week #46” on Nailed, June 15, 2016

Teens Of Denial, Car Seat Headrest’s twelfth album — or sixteenth, if you count his little-heard Nervous Young Men material — is a 70-minute indie rock odyssey chronicling a young person’s emotional tribulations through epic, life-affirming anthems.”

–Jeff Rerich in American Songwriter, June 15, 2016

“Toledo’s songs are sharp and complex, self-loathing without being self-pitying.”

–J. Edward Keyes on Bandcamp‘s “Best Albums of 2016 So Far,” June 13, 2016

“GG’s favorite album of 2016 thus far…”

For the Record podcast #44, June 12, 2016

“It’s like skipping through an indie rocker’s iPod, but with bizarre clarity.”

–Matt Miller in Esquire, June 10, 2016

“This is a really solid album from start to finish.”

–Mitto on First Listen, June 10, 2016

“Car Seat Headrest’s newest record is what all good indie rock should aspire to be.”

–Grant Rindner on Pretty Much Amazing, June 10, 2016

“True to the legacy of the loquacious rock troubadours who came before him — Dylan, Young, Malkmus — Will Toledo draws inspiration from a youthful disregard for authority.”

–Stacey Anderson in Interview Magazine, June 9, 2016

Will Toledo’s “It’s Better Live” playlist

Q Magazine, June 9, 2016

“…an unqualified gem.”

–Loring Wirbel re: “Teens of Denial,” in Colorado Springs Independent, June 8, 2016

Teens of Denial…is totally the most badass piece of music released so far this year.”

–Ian Anderson and Atticus Swartwood on Atypical Sounds, June 7, 2016

“Will Toledo battles his angst and bear hugs the world. The result: a perfect underdog anthem.”

Rolling Stone re: “Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales,” June 6, 2016

“I’m happy to predict that for years to come, we’ll still be talking about Beyoncé’s Lemonade and Car Seat Headrest’s Teens of Denial. Pick of the week.”

–Matthew Parsons on Overthink Anything, June 5, 2016

“The sprawl of the song, the multiple parts shifting and weaving into one another, represents something often amiss in indie rock – ambition. The pointed lyrics also get to the heart of what it feels like to transition from adolescence to adulthood.”

–Corbin Reiff re: “Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales” in “Top 25 Songs of 2016 So Far” on Consequence of Sound, June 3, 2016

“The honesty here is ridiculously refreshing.”

–Kalyn Oyer re: “Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales” on mxdwn.com, June 3, 2016

“The continuation of Toledo’s lo-fi sound benefits the song, giving the character within a real bite, as well as being rough around the edges.”

–Laurence Morgan re: “Fill in the Blank” in RAWS Magazine, June 3, 2016

Photos from Car Seat Headrest’s show at Paloma – Club, in Nimes, France

–Robert GIL in Photosconcerts, June 3, 2016

“Toledo balance-beams between self indulgence and depressive confession beautifully, and brings it together to do one of the most difficult, yet human, things one can do: ask for help.”

–Kevin McClary re: “Something Soon” on Sound Signifiers, June 2, 2016

“This album can make you feel 100 different ways. It took only a few listens for me to feel them all at once.”

–Robert Mays in “What’s the Best Thing That Has Happened in 2016” on The Ringer, June 1, 2016

“Last week at the Manhattan headquarters of Matador Records, employees chucked thousands of brand-new copies of an acclaimed album into a garbage truck, which crushed the CDs and vinyl records and carted them away.”

–John Jurgensen in Wall Street Journal, June 1, 2016

“Car Seat Headrest’s ‘Teens of Denial’ is Anthemic Indie Rock at Its Best.”

–Ross Finney in Atwood Magazine, June 1, 2016

Music aids recovery of stroke survivors

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After Ron Sipes had a pair of strokes in October 2012, doctors predicted he would never walk or talk again.

But Sipes has defied the odds. On May 18, in a voice clear and strong, he sang out the opening lines of a song made popular by Louis Armstrong…

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The Washington Post, May 29, 2016