March 24th, 2023 - Sun Smack'd And Moontanned

 

Hello rockers, roller, and craft beer fans!  Happy Friday!  The Meista here grooving to Golden Earring's classic "Moontan" (Remastered & Expanded) and a tasty and very crushable Sun Smack'd Blood Orange Blonde Ale from Great Basin Brewing Company!  Oh yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Golden Earring
• Title: "Moontan" (Remastered & Expanded)
• Recorded: 1973 at Phonogram Studio Holland in the Netherlands
  Release date: original July 1973; Remastered & Expanded September 2021 (9th studio album by Golden Earring)
• Record company: Tracks Records / MCA Records
• Production: Fred Haayen and Golden Earring
• Album cover art: Ronnie Hertz (photography)
• Personnel: Barry Hay (flute, saxophone, percussion, sound effects, and lead and backing vocals), Rinus Gerritsen (bass, Minimoog, ARP 2500 synthesizer, piano, organ, accordion, and sound effects), George Kooymans (electric and acoustic guitars, sound effects, and lead and backing vocals), and Cesar Zuiderwijk (drums and percussion)
• Additional musician: Bertus Borgers (saxophone), Eelco Gelling (slide guitar on "Radar Love"), and Patricia Paay (vocals)
• Musical style: Hard rock, progressive rock with elements of blues rock and jazz
• Sound: Wonderfully complex and rocking, "Moontan" is one of the great rock EP albums of the 1970s.  The songwriting is incredibly solid, the musicianship is fantastic, and the execution is flawless!
• Major themes: Love, lust, desire, strippers, shame, rock and roll,
• Tracks: 

Disc 1: Original album version remastered plus bonus tracks.

1. "Candy's Going Bad"
2. "Are You Receiving Me"
3. "Suzy Lunacy (Mental Rock)"
4. "Radar Love"
5. "Just Like Vince Taylor"
6. "Vanilla Queen"
7. "Big Tree, Blue Sea" (1973 version)
8. "Candy's Going Bad" (single version)
9. "Radar Love" (single version)
10. "The Song Is Over"
11. "Instant Poetry"
12. "From Heaven, From Hell" (1974 version)

Disc 2: The Moontan Session

1. "Vanilla Queen" (early version)
2. "Radar Love" (basic track)
3. "The Song Is Over" (basic track)
4. "Are You Receiving Me" (basic track)
5. "Candy's Going Bad" (rough mix)
6. "Vanilla Queen Part 1" (rough mix)
7. "Just Like Vince Taylor" (alternate mix)
8. "Big Tree, Blue Sea Part 1" (rough mix)
9. "Radar Love" (instrumental mono mix)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Great Basin Brewing Company (Sparks, Nevada)
• Website: https://www.greatbasinbrewingco.com/
• Brew: Sun Smack'd Blood Orange Blonde Ale
• Style: Blonde Ale / Fruited Ale 
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• IBUs: 5
• Pour: The Sun Smack'd pours a slightly hazy, golden yellow with a bright white, firm, half-finger head that dissipates slowly and leaves a nice, foamy cap with soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, fruity, slightly sweet, and crackery.  There are aromas of orange peel, blood orange juice, pith, lemons zest, vanilla bean, crackery biscuit, wild summer grass, wildflowers, and cereal grain.
• Taste: The taste, like the nose is characterized by bright, citrusy, sweet, and grainy flavors.  There are notes of cracked wheat, doughy bread, blood orange juice, orange peel, lemon zest, soft vanilla, light caramel, and a hint of honey. 
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium in body and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Sun Smack'd is very crisp, smooth, and easy drinking with a dry, clean, and crisp finish.

Overall pairing: The rock and roll prowess of Golden Earring's definitive "Moontan" album is a must own in my opinion and the listening experience is enhanced ever so wonderfully with the tasty and smooth citrusy punch of Great Basin's Sun Smack'd Blood Orange Blonde Ale!  'Nuff said!

Cheers!!  Proost!!  Gezondheid!!