The Clean - Modern Rock
I must admit, I'm a little late to The Clean—almost 40 years, really. I only started diving into their catalogue over the last couple of years after a Good Thing member (Hi Pete!) sent me one of their records in the mail. So I gotta say that this Merge Records reissue of Modern Rock feels like it’s arrived at just the right time. After disbanding in the early '80s, the band reunited for a tour in 1989 and continued to meet up sporadically to record when band members crossed paths over the next several years. Modern Rock, recorded over 9 days in April of ‘94, was one of those records. This return to the studio for The Clean definitely marked a change in sound for the band, still bringing some of the raw energy of their early days with a more refined, mature and over all 90s sound. Huh. Maybe that’s where the title of the album comes from... Anyway, if you’re already familiar, welcome back to The Clean! If you’re new like me, I recommend diving in even further and even indulging in some of their great side projects (The Bats are so good!) as well.
Gisoko - Cankuzo, Burundi
This is an exciting coffee for us as it includes a couple of firsts. Not only is it our first time working with the Gisoko washing station, it is also our first time buying coffee from the nice importing folks at JNP Coffee. Even more, this is also the first season that JNP is working with Gisoko. Members of Gisoko approached JNP founder, Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian, at a Rain Forest Alliance certification course. Always wanting to help out more farmers she tried their coffees and according to JNP, "Jeanine was delighted to discover that the flavors and notes of this coffee amazed her". We couldn't agree more. It's a sparkling cup with bright notes of berry and tamarind.
