June 21, 2016 - Indica And The League Of Gentlemen

Good evening!  Your pal the Meista here tonight pairing an Indica India Pale Ale from Lost Cost Brewery and the self-titled debut album by The League Of Gentlemen!

Album Info:

• Artist: Robert Fripp
• Title: "The League Of Gentlemen"
• Recorded: July 1980 through December 1980
  Release date: February 1981 (debut album by The League Of Gentlemen)
• Record company: EG Records
• Production: Robert Fripp
• Album cover art: Danielle Dax
• Personnel: Robert Fripp (guitar) with Barry Andrews (organ), Sara Lee (bass guitar), Jonny Toobad aka Johnny Elichaoff (drums on "HEPTAPARAPARSHINOKH" and "DISLOCATED") and Kevin Wilkinson (drums)
• Additional musicians: Danielle Dax (vocals on "MINOR MAN") and J.G.Bennett (vocals samples)
• Musical style: Post-punk, new wave, art rock
• Sound: Complex and melodic with interesting tempo changes and odd timing, although also more raw and straight-forward, the sound on "The League Of Gentlemen" is simply mesmerizing and sonically challenging (as is everything of Fripp's!) 
• Major themes: Although an instrumental album, there are socio-political messages laid over the tracks in the form of vocal samples.
• Notes: All tracks were purposely written in all caps.
• Tracks:   

1. "INDISCREET I"
2. "INDUCTIVE RESONANCE"
3. "MINOR MAN"
4. "HEPTAPARAPARSHINOKH"
5. "DISLOCATED"
6. "PARETO OPTIMUM I"
7. "EYE NEEDLES"
8. "INDISCREET II"
9. "PARETO OPTIMUM II"
10. "COGNITIVE DISSONANCE"
11. "HG WELLS"
12. "TRAP"
13. "OCHRE"
14. "INDISCREET III"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Lost Cost Brewery (Eureka, California)
• Website: www.lostcoast.com  
• Brew: Indica India Pale Ale
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 6.5%
• Ingredients: "Columbus hops, then dry hopped with generous amounts of Willamette and Centennial hop flowers" 
• Pour: It pours a hazy, dark golden-yellow with a 1-finger, off-white head that dissipates slowly and leaves a thin ring.
• Nose: The nose is a blend of strong floral, fruit, and malt aromas.  There are notes of wild flowers, hops, grapefruit, tangerine, lemon zest, and sweet caramel.
• Taste: Like the nose, the taste of the Indica is a well-balanced blend of floral, citrus, and malt flavors.  There are notes of grapefruit rind, tangerine, mango, grassy hops, wild flowers, baked bread, and sweet caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Indica is crisp, bitter, and refreshing with a somewhat dry and slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The wild new wave/punk sounds of "The League Of Gentlemen" requires a brew that is both very drinkable and also complex and somewhat bitter... thus the Indica India Pale Ale from Lost Cost Brewery!  Fripp's boundless guitar work is perfect for those wonderfully dominate Columbus hop notes!

Cheers!!