Pawn Shop
Brothers Osborne
(EMI Nashville)
Three-and-a-half stars
Brothers Osborne open their first full-length album, Pawn Shop, with the slinky sting of John Osborne's slide guitar, set against younger brother T J Osborne's sinewy baritone, which finds a slow-rolling rhythm of its own.
Right away, on the song Dirt Rich, the duo from the coast of Maryland, a working-class area, establish a slyly funky style of their own.
Working with producer Jay Joyce (Eric Church, Little Big Town), the brothers create a distinctive sound rooted in bluesy country soul, yet wholly modern and engaging.
The duo previously released a five-song EP and had a top-five hit last year with the Grammy-nominated Stay a Little Longer, which is included here. So is Rum and It Ain't My Fault, which is as clever as any night-gone-wild tune that country music has offered since the heyday of Alan Jackson and Toby Keith.
The songs rely heavily on lighthearted wordplay, with a few exceptions.
The low point is wrapped in the shallow clichés of American Crazy, which can't be saved by T J's passionate performance.
However, Loving Me Back, a powerful duet with Lee Ann Womack, suggests there is plenty more to come from these admirable country upstarts.
artslife@thenational.ae
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
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How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
