Music of the Week – Zakk Wylde – Lost Prayer

2016 hasn’t been a very easy year, but fortunately there have been some nice surprises too. One of them is the return of the acoustic/introspective version of Zakk Wylde (of Ozzy Osbourne’s and Black Label Society fame) with a direct sequel of Zakk’s first solo album, Book of Shadows, released twenty years ago.

I didn’t expect much (very rarely sequels are better of or on par with the original) but I have been very surprised to hear an excellent and fresh album. Of course, there is nothing really new on it, but it’s a traditional blend delivered in a very personal and heartfelt way. Exactly like the first Book of Shadows was…

This is one of my favourite song on it, Lost Prayer. Hope you’ll enjoy it.

Suggested Reads: Brain and Deep Learning

“The Brain vs Deep Learning Part I: Computational Complexity — Or Why the Singularity Is Nowhere Near”

http://timdettmers.com/2015/07/27/brain-vs-deep-learning-singularity/

A very detailed and rich dissertation about AI and it’s comparison with human intelligence. The article confronts (and refuses) the singularity hypothesis and, doing so, offers an excellent panoramic on the current state of research in many fields: AI, biology, neurology. The author himself is a researcher in the field of AI. It’s definitevely one of the best articles I’ve ever read on the subject for the richness and variety of it’s scope and offers a lot of food for tought. Even the comment section is very interesting to read. Highly reccomended.

Read it if you’re interested in: AI,informatics,biology,philosophy,neurology and problems about the concept of the mind.

A new section: suggested reads

Time for a new section here on Illusion City…I’ve decided to share, over the time, some of the most interesting articles and reads that I find during my time spent on the net. They will cover all my main interests (science, philisophy, art, music etc) and some oddities and novelties. I will also soon collect all of these suggestions to a single page on the site too.

The first of these reads, is dedicated to the memory of Leonard Cohen which sadly passed away six days ago, on 7th November, aged 82…may he rest in peace.

“St. Leonard’s Passion”

http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/music/89715/leonard

A fond and passionate recap on Leonard Cohen in occasion of his (sadly) last album. It has a very strong anectode from a difficult concert on the Wight island in 1970.

Read it if you’re interested in: music, Leonard Cohen, poetry

Music of the Week – Maria João Pires – Chopin – Nocturne No. 13 in C minor Op. 48 No. 1

Time for some music of a very different kind from the composition that I usually post here…for the first time since the inception of illusion city, I’ll share some classical music to you, which I listen fondly but rarely share or talk about.

This is one of my favorite composition from Chopin’s Nocturnes played by one of the best interpreters. The whole suit was recorded in 1996.

Enjoy!

If you want to listen to all the nocturnes (1h 52 min):