SaveSave this storySaveIn the videos released before A Requiem, bodies assume strange poses, moving in slow motion if at all—otherwise hanging, suspended, like a museum piece or an effigy left behind after a ritual. Penelope Trappes’ music has the same energy tapped from some eternal source—like the Bandorai of the opening track a ritual invocation of the ancient Celtic priestesses On “Bandorai,” Trappes mourns the loss of the past while navigating the tumult of her present an uncomfortable push-and-pull that defines her gothy fifth album Most of Trappes’ solo music falls under the ambient umbrella. Her trilogy of self-titled records exploded dream pop into something cold and occluded—music that billowed outwards instead of inviting you into its seductive embrace the songs snap back into (soft) focus on an album that interrogates Trappes’ own cross-generational trauma and family strife having passed through a period of intense introspection and psychedelic therapy Trappes’ compositions are just as environmental built around an arpeggiated synth that sounds more medieval than modern underlining the song’s grotesque chorus: “Wash it down/With violent hope.” All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Try a different filter or a new search keyword The requiem is a Catholic mass that addresses the souls of the dead. On A Requiem, Penelope Trappes not only invokes that ritual figuratively ceremonial feel that aligns it with religious music But there is plenty personal wrapped up in these songs Trappes describes the record as being about generational trauma—or in her own words “an externalizing of the power and strength to fight the generations of abuse and darkness that my parents self-admittedly played out in their parenting and to keep it away from my own social patterns and my psyche.” Electronic music remains a core facet of Trappes’s music it primarily manifests not in the form of beats and basslines which she accompanies with her stark and emotionally resonant voice as A Requiem leans into spectral gothic dream-pop or—as on the stunning “Red Dove”—a shimmering reverie of retro-futuristic synths All this sound is but a vessel for communicating A Requiem’s central message which is ultimately a positive one: The act of exorcism as a metaphor for empowerment and self-acceptance The album’s first half feels impossibly tense—the death-march percussion and keening vocals of “Platinum,” the frozen-lake soundscapes of “Second Spring.” But as the record progresses while the closing “Thou Art Mortal” is straightforwardly beautiful Trappes’s voice arcing Enya-like over soft But the magic of A Requiem is in the way Trappes carries us with her—out of the darkness and into the light a series of shows centering the 'visual sonic arts' Trappes is pleased that her work may be part of an unspoken “cultural sine wave” “There’s definitely this strange global consciousness that we’re all sort of following and I'm more than happy to be one of the many that are embracing it,” says Trappes "I think it's something potentially to do with the idea of nurturing maybe because the world is getting so manic – the patriarchal sense of things is starting to crumble and it’s becoming obvious to some where we come from or what our experience of nurturing has been no matter how you identify in your adult life and I think society has neglected that for too long I think it's really cool that the creative world is holding the mirror up to it.” the sound produced by Trappes on Mother’s Blood attempts to recreate that Gone are the lyrical plots of the songs’ counterparts on Penelope Three replaced by expansive ambient soundscapes that are either wordless or filled with elongated howls Often the music seems to be coming from behind a membrane “Penelope Three was more autobiographical and very specific to me,” says Trappes about the differences between these connected works “It had been this ongoing story which I have put a full stop on for now I'm just gonna come out and tell it like it is what it means to come from my matriarchal lineage and try to convey those and hope that it would resonate then I felt somewhat liberated and freer to explore the leftover resonance of that story and that became less about having to be so verbose and obvious about it.” Mother's Blood Edition by Penelope Trappes Further separating Mother’s Blood from Penelope Three is its companion film with whom Trappes says she has a symbiotic and trusting collaborative relationship The accompanying film was born out of a strong and consistent visual element running through all of Trappes' work to that point “We’d been doing these photography sessions exploring the concept of female identity as a mature woman the concept of a nude and that shocking quality in that sense of non-conventional beauty,” she says “I'm very inspired by specific female artists from Cindy Sherman through to Louise Bourgeois and Francesca Woodman these women that were basically challenging identity and female perceptions So those have always sort of been going on in my work eventually we’re sitting over a coffee and going ‘alright This will be the focal point of Trappes’ performance at Sonica the film playing as she improvises with drone and samples If Mother’s Blood is an evolution from Penelope Three this live application of it will be a further evolution unto itself “It’s exciting me because it will even surprise me I’m getting into that meditative headspace and finding frequencies I feel like I might have to turn my back to the audience.” Trappes is committed to the ethos of Sonica in particular – the idea that music can be experienced in non-classical ways “It ties into this idea of shifting social and cultural waves,” she says “Now you don’t just have to go see a rock band in a normal concert venue The thought that someone could walk into my show and have an experience that they’re not used to because they’re more into visual arts and then get to have this whole other aural experience is very cool and could be really touching for them “Changing environments for live music is so important Penelope Trappes: Mother's Blood, Tramway, Glasgow 10 Mar, 9pm, £14 (£7) Part of Sonica, sonic-a.co.uk Contact General Enquiries: crack@crackmagazine.net Advertising: advertising@crackmagazine.net Family CC co Ground Work Simple Things Plinth Good Measure The Christmas Steps Information Jobs Diversity Policy Privacy Policy Terms of service Cookie Notice Landmrk Data An independent platform for contemporary culture Design and build by Plinth producer and multi-instrumentalist Penelope Trappes takes over this week’s Sunday Mix with an hour of experimental sounds that serves as the perfect prelude to her new album A Requiem – a project she describes as “a ceremonial collection of music” that helped her move through her own awareness of mortality and impending loss Curated by candlelight and featuring tracks by the likes of Boris this mix embodies Trappes’ deeply reflective mood on A Requiem as well as its engulfing sombre atmosphere a patch of forest on top of the hill I live on What: I find inspiration in looking into the mercurial shadows and darker aspects of life I tend to land in sacred pagan themes and as well as all aspects of nature Can you describe your ideal Sunday? My ideal Sunday would involve a lot of silence in nature with sunshine Ytterlännäs Gamla Kyrka – Organ rehearsal tape by Maria W How To Train a Happy Mind and The Circle Is Cast With the energy of the solar eclipse and the rapid shifting of time and energy this mix was collated and curated by candlelight the week leading up to the release of my album This mix is contemplative and dark with eternal timelessness mirroring my album’s themes of mortality amid sociopolitical and familial chaos I hope that this mix helps the listeners to dive deep within embrace the shadows and come out the other side transformed Penelope Trappes: A Requiem (One Little Independent Records) All Formats has released an ambitious set of little commercial intent but high artistic regard carries a weight of meaning to the artist and the world that makes the world shift a little Music of depth is not necessarily uneasy or difficult a slowing down of everyday motion to soak in its wonder an ageless lament for the post-industrial horrors of womanhood There are creatures at the bottom of the sea that can never see the light but they surely know that light exists because they create their own This music has little precedent in modernity an inarticulate speech of the heart raging into the night and whispering to the breaking morning An appropriate response to this music would be to recoil It’s monolithic insistence on its desires the way it seeks absolution in its every drawn string and haunted melody to avoid eye contact with private ghosts and public horror A Requiem is a new kind of ceremony for the old skin churchified in the extreme and art in the absolute It asks questions about adulthood and parenthood finds its solace in Mother Earth and Pagan tradition and sometimes sounds ancient and without time itself a mournful wail of cello and vocal that is eerie and captivating Backed mainly by wordless and beautiful near near-monastic voices It is a deliberately haunting statement of intent and while Bandorai has a monochrome backdrop of fire and darkened hallways a close-up of Penelope wherein her eyes tell the story as much as her voice a symbol of the ancient and modern feminine a life lived in pain and expected to smile you don’t always notice the minimalist approach as Platinum introduces drums that sound like tombstones closing great slabs of beats falling into each other a death dream for patriarchy or an ancient tale of seafaring resignation while the striking visuals that accompany it are an exorcism a Milton quote that becomes a blood pact/oath that becomes a protective circle drama laid bare and open by Maxine Peake and Kate Dickie and Penelope herself adding different interpretive layers to the songs already expansive world almost a resolution to the siren song of Sleep choral and wordless display of modern classical sparing in its actual accompaniment but full all the same Red Dove may be about the violently weighted expectation of adulthood/womanhood an arpeggiated keyboard that tracks like steamed bellows each repeat sounding hopeful and serene yet suggesting unrest Caro is a tiny but detailed voice composition that leads into A Requiem proper Mother Earth as both nurturing and vengeful joined by lighter strings and angel’s voices a ghost dance that emerges blinking at the morning light which could be the introduction to one of Pink Floyd’s more dystopian post-fame epics a heavily vocalised and ancient song of stone A work of pure cinematic art in the truest sense and a rollercoaster of nerve-shredding emotion Penelope’s Instagram | Facebook | Website All words by MK Bennett, you can find his author’s archive here plus his Twitter and Instagram Louder Than War is run by a small but dedicated independent team and we rely on the small amount of money we generate to keep the site running smoothly Any money we do get is not lining the pockets of oligarchs or mad-cap billionaires dictating what our journalists are allowed to think and write and we want to continue bringing you news on the most interesting releases the latest gigs and anything else that tickles our fancy just pure enthusiasm for a scene that each and every one of us is passionate about We do not charge artists for the exposure we give them and to many Subscribing to one of our paid tiers takes just a minute helping to keep the flame of independent music burning and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. SIDE-LINE and multi-instrumentalist Penelope Trappes will release her fifth full-length album “A Requiem” On April 4th, Brighton-based Australian vocalist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Penelope Trappes will release her fifth full-length album “A Requiem” It comes alongside news of her signing to London imprint A new single and video are out now: the title track, “A Requiem“ Penelope says: “A Requiem was written for my ailing parents it’s taken on another meaning as a connection with the earth under my feet here in the land that is my ancestral home Agnes Haus filmed me in the dead of night on a frozen field in a desolate part of East Sussex to capture the extreme cold and to honour the lonely darkness around two holy oak trees Penelope Trappes is a UK-based Australian experimental vocalist and soundscaper renowned for her minimalist and ethereal compositions She initially gained recognition as part of the electronic duo The Golden Filter she embarked on a solo career with the release of “Penelope One” via Optimo Music followed by “Penelope Two” in 2018 and “Penelope Three” in 2021 In between she also released several both experimental and more dreampop-oriented EPs was a vocal-free meditative reinterpretation of “Penelope Three” debuting with the album “Heavenly Spheres” and an old reel-to-reel tape deck during a two-week artist residency was released in 2023 on her own Nite Hive imprint 2024’s “Hommelen” was released on Paralaxe Editions More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising So you can see why we need to ask for your help Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute The donations are safely powered by Paypal Electronic Bodies - Nightside Sessions by Shane Aungst Electronic Bodies - Session 1 by Various Artists Electronic Resistance - Reconstruction by Various Artists Electronic Resistance - A Darkwave / Post-Punk Compilation From The Ukrainian Underground by Various Artists Become a friend of Ransom Note and support independent journalism Written in complete solitude in rural Scotland Trappes channels both personal and generational trauma into ten ambient soundscapes each acting as an incantation for catharsis and reclamation of power The album’s creation was deeply ritualistic – candle-lit sessions and an intuitive embrace of the cello as an extension of her voice – resulting in starkly intimate and hauntingly surreal Each track on ‘A Requiem’ is anchored in its own world of symbolism and emotional resonance drawing on everything from the legacy of female druids in Celtic spirituality to confront and exorcise inherited pain and suffering to the metallic grey of autumn its cavernous vocals and tenebrous atmospherics acting as a shield against daily battles and the pervasive sadness for those lost to fear and self-destruction confronting societal taboos around aging and the gender binary Its blackest-black soundscape and baroque potency evoke the liminal space between life and death grappling with the conflicting emotions of longing for peace for a loved one and the pain of impending loss The album balances heaviness with moments of release and transcendence meditations on humanity’s numbness and the hope embodied by innocence illuminated by the wisdom of those who came before Trappes’ broke down the album in detail below… A Requiem by Penelope Trappes Trappes is currently touring the album at the following venues and dates: Order the album here This website uses cookies to help it run smoothly Brighton-based artist Penelope Trappes has announced her fifth full-length album alongside the news of her signing to One Little Independent The announcement comes alongside her video for new single "Sleep" directed by Agnes Haus which features Maxine Peake and Kate Dickie “As ‘Sleep’ is about a dream my father had and had echoes of Henri Fusili’s The Nightmare I decided to bring that painting to life - me as the ‘sleep hag’ but I needed an actor to be the ‘sleeping victim’ I reached out to her about working together on it," Trappes explains I was introduced to Kate Dickie - who I am also a big fan of - and she was nearby and happy to get involved We all chatted about politics in the kitchen and filmed an unscripted pseudo-horror film about sleep paralysis in a bedroom - and it all worked out beautifully!” A Requiem is a musical service in honour of the dead a sanctuary Trappes built for herself to explore familial chaos and history “I was looking for an equilibrium between a ‘heaven' and a ‘hell’” she explains “screaming out to the wisdom of our foremothers - surfacing and leading me into true strength and beauty “It’s infinitely hard to even sing these words as it’s such a conflicting thing to think about - an oddly indifferent longing for your parents’ life to come to a close for them to peacefully escape their pain and be released," she says of the single "Musically the sound was heavier and more gut-wrenching than I have ever sounded before It was a drastic and extreme purge of emotion” A Requiem is set for release on 4 April via One Little Independent Get the Best Fit take on the week in music direct to your inbox every Friday Website by Make a Spectacle It is often a case with artists that try to take the routes not so often taken to have a solitary vision meaning they go out and do most of the creation by themselves This is the case here with Brighton-based Australian vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Penelope Trappes and her latest (fifth) album A Requiem except a solo cello contribution by Maddie Cutter on ‘Platinum’ as it seems to have suited the darker tone of her musical visions presented here as might have been expected by the album title that dictates its concept with Trappes presenting her views on that never fully defined space between life and nothingness that ensues “I was looking for an equilibrium between a ‘heaven’ and a ‘hell’” she explains “screaming out to the wisdom of our foremothers – surfacing and leading me into true strength and beauty Trappes relies mostly here on her vocal and string instrument explorations than on electronics that are understated here (except on turning into a set of nightly visions that do turn from dreams into nightmares and back Regular visitor? Please consider a small subscription to help us keep the site running. As little as £1 a month could make all the difference. Click here for more details. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site please consider supporting our Patreon and help ensure we can keep up the good work in to the future. More Info Website by Make a Spectacle Christoph Trappe Cedar Rapids Christoph Trappe The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Marion is assisting the family with arrangements He was a 1997 graduate of West High School in Iowa City and went on to attend the University of Iowa earning his bachelor’s degree in journalism Christoph also played football for the Iowa Hawkeyes during his college career He worked in marketing and enjoyed the dynamics of working with clients Christoph was a New York Yankees and Washington Commanders fan He liked being outdoors in the summer heat and working out he enjoyed attending his girls’ activities Christoph will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him Rachel Trappe of Cedar Rapids; two children He was preceded in death by his grandmother memorials in Christoph’s memory may be directed to the family for an educational fund for his daughters Please share a memory of Christoph at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries The Gazette has been informing Iowans with in-depth local news coverage and insightful analysis for over 140 years independent journalism with a subscription today © 2025 The Gazette | All Rights Reserved and multi-instrumentalist Penelope Trappes returns with her fifth full-length album “A Requiem” on April 4th via One Little Independent Records But before that she releases the single “Red Dove” She tells us this about the new single: “I felt like this dream was about humanity becoming numb The Red dove being a conduit of the world’s negativity yet held peacefully in the hands of an innocent child.” The track’s accompanying video by Agnes Haus is inspired by Werner Herzog’s 1993 documentary “Bells from the Deep: Faith and Superstition in Russia” Agnes Haus explains: “Penelope showed me the Herzog documentary and we had this idea that Penelope would play the cult leader of a sect called Red Dove We filmed the cult footage in a bizarre old Glasgow lawn bowls club and then bought an old VCR /TV and filtered video through it recorded footage to videocassette and re-filmed the TV but well worth it to really try to send Penelope back through time as an evangelical leader filled with regret over a dark event.” In between she also released several both experimental and more dreampop-oriented EPs, and released an album of reworks, “Penelope Redeux”, with contributions by Cosey Fanni Tutti Brighton-based artist Penelope Trappes has shared "A Requiem" as the latest preview of her fifth full-length album "A Requiem was written for my ailing parents it’s taken on another meaning as a connection with the earth under my feet here in the land that is my ancestral home and one long dead," Trappes explains of the single The forthcoming album is a musical service in honour of the dead 2025 at 9:45 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Two people were injured in a fire in Trappe overnight PA — Two people were injured and two animals were killed in a fire in Montgomery County on Monday that severely damaged a local home on the 300 block of Jefferson Court in Trappe but firefighters arrived to find thick black smoke pluming from the home The blaze was concentrated in the basement Trappe Fire Company’s Ladder 68-2 was the first truck on scene They searched the home and ensured all residents were evacuated while Collegeville Fire Company's Squad 34 and Upper Providence Fire & Emergency Services Squad 68 helped extinguish the blaze Crews attempted to rescue the pets trapped inside One of the residents was injured in the blaze as well as one of the responding firefighters Fire officials asked the public to keep an eye out for fundraisers and ways to help the victims of the blaze in the coming days Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. “All of the elements of my album are in this video Mourning of the growing distance between family Brighton-based Australian vocalist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Penelope Trappes has shared the video for second single from her forthcoming record A Requiem, and as with the video for lead-off single Sleep “It started with an idea of sitting completely still while a dancer spirit gracefully but chaotically moves all around me,” says Trappes It's about waking from a long spell - finding inner strength for the quest for empathy and love present and future all evolving at once into new forms of synchronicity.”Posting on Instagram she adds “Platinum - the chemical symbol is “Pt”… it’s pliable but not brittle; a silver and precious transition metal - one of the rarer elements in the earth.“Platinum is about finding inner strength to fight in immensely hard times To call on our ancestors when going up against the impossible The need to trust the stars and the moon and the transitions within our lives set for release on April 4 via One Little Independent Records is described as a musical service in honour of the dead featuring “incantations of dreams and nightmares as well as power and autonomy.”“I was looking for an equilibrium between a ‘heaven' and a ‘hell” says Trappes “screaming out to the wisdom of our foremothers - surfacing and leading me into true strength and beauty A post shared by Penelope Trappes (@penelopetrappes) features and interviews direct to your inbox Paul BranniganSocial Links NavigationContributing Editor Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal "Metal is the most positive thing in the world" “If you’re a Zep fan and really want to go see Zeppelin you might as well go and see one of the better tribute bands”: The epic life and career of John Paul Jones the heartbeat of Led Zeppelin and so much more Ghost's $130 Papa V Perpetua 'Ghildo' sells out in minutes – The town of Trappe has been awarded the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office SFY 2025 Edwards J This funding of $40,000 will increase patrols and improve coverage to reduce crime It’s been several years since Trappe had its police department Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble said the town needs the extra support “We’ve seen an increase in calls for service in the town but earlier in the year we saw a spike in some crime thefts.” the office will be more proactive in providing residents with a safe place to call home “We’re hoping that we can make even better inroads in the community we already go to the town council meetings and report every month on crime trends in the town I think this will give us more availability to the citizens.” Said Gamble One of the main goals of the Sheriff’s Office is to connect with the youth Gamble believes showing leadership to the young ones will pay off in the future “Maybe identify some kids that might need some extra attention Not necessarily from a law enforcement side but have someone in their life they can talk to or relate with.” Gamble and company are striving to work on the trust between law enforcement and residents “If you look at a small town like Trappe when they had a police chief that person was here for 40 or 50 hours a week He knew everyone and they trusted him and gave him information We’re hoping to build that trust to an even deeper level.” Trappe town administrator Erin Braband said in a statement “With this grant award the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office will help decrease crime and improve the safety of the town’s residents and visitors.” Because Local Matters – The 157th annual celebration of the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in Trappe Maryland is called ‘Nace Day.’ “Trappe is a little town between Easton and Cambridge And you think about it: there’s Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman the lead organizer for Scott’s United Methodist Church’s annual tradition She worked behind the scenes to continue one of the Eastern Shore’s longest-standing traditions Hudson Berry who works with the shelter is happy to have her group be apart of such traditions “He is known around here for starting and starting one of the first schools in Trappe for children of color.” The celebration began with Hopkins back in 1867 “He went to the town council here in Trappe and asked if he could have permission to have a parade and his children march in the very first parade.” Said is encouraged the Nace’s Day tradition will continue for years to come we still are trying to continue this same service to go on to show that we are celebrating the emancipation for the state of Maryland.” Thomas believes the area has so much more to offer and believes she is lucky to be a part of the community “We are in a very rich area in this little town of Trapp Why did we succeed when other hominins didn’t and can lessons from our evolutionary past help rein in our destructive impulses scientists are growing “Neanderthalised” human brain cells in a dish These cells form synapses and spark as they would have done in a living Neanderthal as she (they are female cells) foraged or breastfed or gazed out of a cave mouth at dusk That is the spine-tingling opening gambit of a book co-authored by one of the directors of the institute and the information that sets it apart from a host of popular science books that attempt to predict humanity’s future based on our evolutionary past A mere 90 genetic differences distinguish modern humans, Homo sapiens, from Neanderthals given the roughly 20,000 genes that make up the human blueprint Yet those 90 differences could explain why Neanderthals died out might adapt again before we destroy the ecosystems we depend on so-called brain organoids (the Guardian’s science correspondent describes them as “lentil-sized” and “incapable of thoughts or feelings”) Building these already poses a technical challenge and it will be a few years before they have completed the task Most of the rest of the book is given over to an update on the history of human evolution which is something of a moving target at the moment thanks to the 20-year-old technology that made it possible to extract and read DNA from ancient bones The story gets more complicated with almost every telling but one message comes through loud and clear: most branches of the human family were evolutionary dead ends The only one that survived to the present day The ability to build large social networks A utopian dream and a kamikaze approach to realising it Whatever it was made us aggressively expansionist and nowhere were our expansionist tendencies more impressive than in Austronesia our ancestors cast off from a succession of overcrowded islands with animals but no guarantee that they would glimpse the next piece of land within thousands of miles of ocean The time came when modern humans had occupied every last atoll then every last scrap of the habitable planet Now we’re looking hungrily to the moon and Mars finding that people lived sustainably there prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 19th century Krause and Trappe’s argument accommodates the Rapa Nui rethink because they claim that it was only in the 20th century that Homo sapiens became Homo hubris – when the exponential growth in human population mean global temperatures and biodiversity loss transformed us into an existential threat to ourselves That transformation happened so fast that it must have been the product of cultural rather than biological evolution but the capacity to adapt through culture ultimately lies in the genes The authors say there is no evidence that Neanderthals made art, which if true might imply that they were less capable of abstract thinking than us. Not everybody would agree with that but most would concede that Neanderthals differed from us linguistically and cognitively The question is: can we leverage those differences to rein in our avaricious impulses before it’s too late Can we mobilise culture to override biology that means coordinating the behaviour of 8 billion already-born for the good of the still-to-be-born Or maybe the real hubris is to think that we are anything other than a dead end waiting to happen The Neanderthals roamed the planet for nearly 400,000 years; we have been here for 300,000 who will be judged the winner (and who will judge) Free weekly newsletterThe only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns Hubris: The Rise, Fall and Future of Humanity by Johannes Krause and Thomas Trappe, translated by Sharon Howe, is published by Polity (£25). To support the Guardian and the Observer order your copy at guardianbookshop.com Cutwork for John Mayer by Isaac Faust Stiehly (1800–1869) — To celebrate the fifth anniversary of Historic Trappe’s Center for Pennsylvania German Studies (CPGS) executive director Lisa Minardi pulled out all the stops assembling from nearly a dozen private collections a selection that includes many of the “greatest hits” of Pennsylvania German folk art known In “Valley Culture: Constructing Identity Along the Great Wagon Road,” various forms of Pennsylvania German folk art — fraktur boxes and painted furniture — are explored to show how these artifacts of daily life were transformed by German settlers moving west from Perkiomen Valley in Southeastern Pennsylvania to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia Curated by Lisa Minardi and Christopher Malone who recently joined Historic Trappe as its curator the show received lead support from Downingtown with additional support from Jane and Gerald Katcher Peggy Pace Duckett and Brett Robbins and Renata Ferrari Evans and Associates sponsored the exhibition’s Tavern Night preview party on September 26 With its mission and devotion to the study of Pennsylvania German material culture and semi-permanent exhibitions that display every manner of objects from furniture to ceramics to ironwork and textiles the CPGS was uniquely positioned to be the ideal venue for the show who had long been hoping to do an exhibition on painted fraktur and painted furniture noted the timing of the show coincided with some key artifacts becoming objects available to borrow The exhibition is another feather in the cap of Historic Trappe and CPGS which received early support from Joan and Victor Johnson and William K as well as a critical long-term loan partnership with the Dietrich American Foundation The study of Pennsylvania German material culture has rich traditions in the scholarship of early American decorative arts and the exhibit not only breaks new ground but provides viewers with new perspectives “‘Valley Culture’ builds in part on several previous shows Pattern & People’ at Winterthur in 2011 but goes into much greater depth and explores additional locales not previously examined in earlier exhibitions It’s unique in comparing the distinct material culture of six different regions: the Perkiomen Valley The show moves from southeastern Pennsylvania to central Pennsylvania to western Pennsylvania and then Virginia following the Great Wagon Road that Pennsylvania German settlers took as they moved west and then south — bringing artifacts and ideas with them The combination of fraktur and furniture in the exhibition is also rare — most shows focus on one or the other but don’t give equal weight to both.” The importance of the show cannot be overstated as suggested by two leading experts in the field: Woodbury both of whom have been instrumental in handling many of the works in the show “This exhibition is very special,” Schorsch said “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen an assemblage in my life that has the depth and quality that’s in this show It’s remarkable that Lisa pulled it together in such a short period of time bringing in some great discoveries and iconic masterpieces and making groupings of things so you can make comparisons It really is a unique opportunity to see things that are largely privately owned To see these objects in commonality with other objects by the same makers is incredibly important and changes your perspective I was at the opening and it’s very impressive to see how much support Lisa and Historic Trappe have received from the local community; I don’t think you can underscore how important that is.” “Lisa and her staff have assembled a breathtaking exhibition of important regional folk art for this show some of which are on public view for the first time The proximity of the objects allows a rare opportunity to closely compare and study the ethnocultural aesthetics and symbolism of close-knit communities along the Great Wagon Road I would argue that the main folk art gallery exhibits more great paint per square foot than any exhibition ever mounted!” A few revelations occurred to Minardi during the course of pulling the exhibition together largely afforded by the opportunity to view numerous examples by the same artist or from the same region side by side Similarities between pieces made by Bucks County woodworker John Drissel (1762-1846) became apparent while differences between fraktur made by Henrich Otto and three of his sons was a surprise to Minardi These geographical regions created divisions within the show which runs through Central Montgomery County The valley was settled as early as the early 1700s by members of numerous faiths: Lutherans Notable artifacts from this region include a circa 1805 fraktur of Adam and Eve attributed to Durs Rudy Sr (1766-1843) Predating this by more than 40 years is an ink and watercolor alphabet attributed to Mennonite schoolmaster Christopher Dock (d 1771) who is one of the earliest documented fraktur artists His 1769 pioneering treatise on childhood education provided students with examples to copy and recorded his practice of rewarding good students with “a flower drawn on paper or a bird.” Birds and flowers are also seen as decorative motifs on a blanket chest made for Daniel Eisz in 1795 that is a particularly impressive example of a large group known “Adam and Eve Were Led Astray by the Snake in Paradise” attributed to Durs Rudy Sr (1766–1843) Cocalico Valley in northern Lancaster County encompasses 10 municipalities: the boroughs of Adamstown as well as the townships of East and West Cocalico First settled by the Lenape and Susquehannock people the area drew immigrants from Switzerland in the early Eighteenth Century Boxes — both large and small — are among the most well-known forms to survive from this time and region Some were made by an unidentified artist who used a compass to outline the painted decoration between circa 1820 to circa 1850 Others were embellished with detailed landscapes including those by Jonas Weber (1810-1876) A birth and baptismal certificate for Georg Miller attributed to prolific fraktur artist Friedrich Krebs (1749-1815) is a tour de force birds and cut out pictures of human figures and saints The exhibit continues into Tulpehocken Valley a 322-square mile area that extends across what is now Western Berks and Eastern Lebanon counties and is bounded by the Blue Ridge and South Mountains Prominent survivors from this area were blanket chests portraits by Lebanon County itinerant artist Jacob Maentel (1778-1863) and fraktur by Henrich Otto (1733-circa 1799) William Otto (1761-1841) and Jacob Otto (circa 1762-circa 1825) The Mahantongo Valley is represented by a newly discovered chest from the Knorr family that has never been published and is a standout of the exhibition; it features an unusual use of vibrant colors and the presence of female figures painted on the sides Scissor-cut pictures — known as scherenschnitte — are appealing survivors and several are featured including ones by Isaac Faust Stiehly (1800-1869) an itinerant German Reformed minister in Upper Mahantongo Township who was also a stonecutter The Great Wagon Road turned south in Western Pennsylvania Sparsely populated prior to the arrival in the late 1700s by the Mennonites Quakers and Brethren (also known as German Baptists or Dunkers) surviving objects reflect dazzling displays of shapes and color combinations The exhibition reaches a climactic conclusion in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley geographically defined by the Allegheny Mountains on the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains on the East and encompassing the Virginia counties of Frederick as well as Berkeley and Jefferson counties in West Virginia Two of the area’s most famous artists — Johannes Spitler (1774–1837) and Jacob Strickler (1770–1842) — are recognized for their bold occasionally abstract designs and a color palette with predominant reds A circa 1800 hanging cupboard made for Strickler and attributed to Spitler is the only known example of the form but the leaping stag decoration can be seen on a tall-case clock and other forms of Pennsylvania German folk art attributed to Johannes Spitler (1774–1837) When asked what she wants viewers to take away from the show “My hope is that visitors to this exhibition will be truly inspired by the beauty creativity and craftsmanship of the objects featured in the show Each piece is unique and exceptional in its own way Even those who think they’re familiar with Pennsylvania German folk art will come away with a renewed appreciation for these objects I also hope that the show will inspire people who know nothing about the topic to fall in love with these this genre — American folk art at its finest.” Constructing Identity Along the Great Wagon Road” will be on view in the Center for Pennsylvania German Studies at Historic Trappe until August 17 A catalog is in production and will be published by the end of the year Historic Trappe’s Center for Pennsylvania German Studies is at the Dewees Tavern, at 301 West Street, Trappe, PA 19426. For information, 610-489-7560 or www.historictrappe.org A Grand Reopening — The Frick Collection ‘Banners of Liberty’ Revolutionary War Flags Gather At Museum Of The American Revolution Turner Exhibition Reopens Yale’s Center For British Art TRAPPE, Md. – A man has been charged with attempted murder following a shooting at a Trappe gas station Tuesday morning at a gas station in the 4100 block of Ocean Gateway Troopers arrived at the scene to find the victim identified as 29-year-old Aigner Smith of Salisbury suffering from gunshot wounds to his arm and face Preliminary investigation revealed that Smith and the suspect are coworkers who arrived at the gas station in a van before the shooting After Bolden reportedly fled the scene in the van an alert was issued for police to be on the lookout Cambridge Police officers and Dorchester County Sheriff’s deputies found the van and saw Bolden trying to carjack another vehicle in Cambridge Bolden is charged with first degree attempted murder including reckless endangerment and firearms offenses Police are continuing to investigate this incident and are working to determine a motive Great new prog to enjoy from Penelope Trappes Six brand-new and diverse slices of progressively inclined music for you to enjoy massive congratulations to multi-national prog quintet Seventh Station who basically battled it out all week with Scots prog metallers Tiberius and with Don Airey's new solo single in third place The premise for Tracks Of The Week is simple - we've collated a batch of new releases by bands falling under the progressive umbrella and collated them together in one post for you - makes it so much easier than having to dip in and out of various individual posts The idea is to watch the videos (or listen if it's a stream) enjoy (or not) and also to vote for your favourite in the voting form at the bottom of this post Next week we'll update you with this week's winner and present a host of new prog music for you to enjoy If you're a band and you want to be featured in Prog's Tracks Of The Week, send your video (as a YouTube link) or track embed, band photo and biog to us here Jem Godfrey sprung a surprise on all Frost* fans earlier this week with the surprise release of a standalone single which featured as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of the band's recent Life In The Wires album was recorded with a totally different line-up with Jem joined by Randy McStine (Steven Wilson Mike Keneally (Devin Townsend) & Nick D’Virgilio (Big Big Train) It certainly makes for interesting listening "I sometimes wonder what would have happened had I stayed in bed 10 minutes longer than I did on Monday 11th of January 2010," laughs Godfrey "Perhaps my life would have gone in a completely different direction and Frost* would have ended up with the lineup of myself on keys Nick D’Virgilio on drums and Randy McStine on guitar and vocals French prog rock sextet Klone's most recent album has been winning deserved plaudits for the band as indeed they received for previous albums Le Grand Voyage (2019) and Meanwhile (2023) Big on atmospherics and with Yann Ligner soulful and impassioned vocal performances Here's hoping the wider prog community wakes up to their charms soon.. "It’s a contemplative piece which takes time to fully open up," Ligner explains of the title track from the recent album we tried to strike a delicate balance between melancholy and optimism and lyrically I tried to reflect the fleeting beauty of a vulnerable nature and the importance of embracing the present moment; whatever it may bring.” Norwegian art-rockers Dim Gray show their reflective side on new single Feathers which is taken from the band's upcoming third album whch the band release on their own Dim Gray Records on February 28 picked up the accolade for Prog's Tracks Of The Week towards the end of last year so undoubtedly hopes are high for their latest.. "I wrote Feathers when I was 20," explains lead vocalist/keyboardist Oskar Holldorff "Back then I thought it was the best song I had written but it didn’t match with what we were trying to do with Dim Gray I revisited the song a couple of years ago and tried to rework it into a more streamlined track The band really brought the song to life; and the size of the choruses and bridge really shows the punch we now pack as a five-piece I also had the great honour of working on this song with one of my favourite producers who inspired reharmonisation of parts of the song which helps keep the listener on their toes.” and multi-instrumentalist Penelope Trappes takes listeners on an intriguing journey Red Dove was written following what she refers to as an “Armageddon dream” that ended with the vivid image of a boy holding a red dove Trappes felt like this dream was about humanity becoming numb from Agnes Haus was inspired by a Werner Herzog documentary Trappes releases her fifth full-length album A Requiem through One Little Independent on April 4 "I felt like this dream was about humanity becoming numb and completely lost in their pain," Trappes explains The Red dove being a conduit of the world's negativity yet held peacefully in the hands of an innocent child." who have previously featured in Tracks Of The Week ahead of the release of their latest album Aftermath which is scheduled for release this Spring The new song displays the far-reaching appeal of the band who mix atmospheric prog the darker undercurrents of Cocteau Twins and up-tempo alternative metal into their sound "It isn’t hard to imagine Adele having a hit with this," muses the band's label "People tend to be divided and not to look beyond their own doorstep "This song asks if we are able to be less selfish and greedy to try and overcome this typical aspect of human nature or at the very least attempt to be better?" Young French quartet Liquid Bear describe themselves as "a new kind of prog rock" and it's not difficult to see what they mean with latest single Headless Whilst words like that probably strike fear into the heart of the purist Young bands inspired by our heroes - in this case largely King Crimson and creating vibrant new rock music of a very proggy persuasion The band have released two EPs thus far and their debut album "Second Life explores various aspects of the construction of our individuality and the influences of our social environment," the band state He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989 He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock is a mantra for the down-but-not-out generation trying to survive in this burning shitheap of a world Soundgarden's Kim Thayil names the rock and metal bands he believes should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the legendary prog band he can't believe hasn't been inducted already David Lee Roth announces first tour since announcing retirement from touring – One person is in custody following a reported shooting in Talbot County Tuesday morning Maryland State Police say the incident happened at around 9:10 a.m and there is no ongoing threat to public safety One victim was airlifted by MSP Aviation to Shock Trauma for treatment The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office and the Cambridge Police Department also responded to the incident