When you unbox the Source Turbo from Extract Craft, it's hard not to feel intimidated by how complicated it looks to make your own concentrates. For me, in all honesty, I gave up the blonde hair. I dyed mine blue-black just to make sure I could easily operate this unit. The blonde needed to go away so that a mad scientist could take her place.

In reality such a drastic makeover wasn't necessary to operate this baby. It's actually a very simple process, the machine itself. What you need most is patience and the ability to follow instructions (for all the steps!) before and after using the Source.

At the time of this writing, I have only made shatter and pull n' snap. I have not tried Jar Tech yet to make EHO (Ethanol Hash Oil) or edibles. This is the part that still intimidates me just a hair.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Reclaims ethanol
• Makes smokables and edibles
• Price

Cons:

• Process requires patience
• Ethanol required isn't legal in all states (check your local laws)
• Ethanol is expensive
• Loud

In A Nutshell:

Patience is something this Squirrel lacks almost completely. At the age of 10 I unwrapped all my Christmas presents and rewrapped them. Nobody was the wiser until I confessed many years after. Now nobody wraps my presents. The best I can hope for in the way of wrapping is the shipping box.

While waiting for your Source Turbo to arrive you have to watch and read all the documentation, maybe several times. Take lots of notes and make a "Flight check list" for all the steps you will need to take in prep, extraction and post processing of oil.

Here are a few helpful links:

• Source Turbo User Manual
• Video - How to User The Source Turbo
• Extract Craft Facebook Group
• Guides to Extraction

All the steps might seem intimidating and they are, until you do it the first time. Then you are wondering why this all seemed so complicated in the beginning. In my case it's probably because I barely passed Chemistry in high school, probably due to the fact I was smoking weed. So it's a bit ironic that weed is to blame in rekindling my interest in the subject I failed to excel in so many moons ago.

After my 3rd batch of making the THC oil with my Source I don't need my check list anymore. Everything is pretty simple. The only tricky part that I am still trying to master is when to actually end my process. Getting that sweet spot for the oil takes time and experience to get it right.

If you have the right friends perhaps you can get trim or shake to experiment with until you get the hang of making your shatter. The only downfall with using trim verses bud is that it tends to hold onto more of the ethanol during the wash portion. At least that was my experience. For my second attempt at washing trim I was able to get more ethanol out by letting the mason jar sit longer upside down in the measuring cup, for almost an additional 1 1/4 cups.

For this review I am going to focus more on the machine use verses the whole process. A detailed account of the steps, from prewash to finish with journal of my first few sessions visit my personal reviews site, Racky's Reviews. 

Extract Craft was out of their buchner filter and flask so I had to order on Amazon. Personally, this is a must have as it really speeds up the process with the Source's vacuum assist and gets your wash clean. Some people use mason jars with coffee filters to do their filtering with patience and success too.

The hose that came with my Amazon flask was horrible. I needed to be a descendant of Kâli to use the vacuum assist on the Source with this rigid short tubing. I couldn't find anything local that worked either. So the first two washes I relied on gravity to filter my "tincture".

After much frustration at gravity intentionally deciding to move much slower under my watchful impatient gaze, I started plotting ideas to make my own vacuum hose. For once being on oxygen had it's perks. With my "no crush" green tubing, a swivel O2 male connector and racers tape *aka duct tape* I made an ugly but amazingly efficient vacuum hose. What took hours with gravity now only took a fraction of the time. The vacuum assist on the Source is easy to use and works great.

Now I was ready to use the Source. First set altitude, which is super easy. Hold the green button for 10 full seconds. Click out your elevation at 1 click per 1000FT. If at 300FT round up to 1k. Yes, their rounding rules are weird.

The written instructions are slightly different from the video. I think someone may have been smoking some weed when they wrote them out. Per video you hold for 4 full seconds to start turbo mode. Unit will give 2 slow flashes. To stop press button once. Unit will give you 3 *not 2* quick flashes.

Use a timer because the Source does not fully shut off at the end of the 120 min cycle. The fan still runs so you might not realize your session ended. On turbo mode, wash filled to Fill Line, it took about 2 hrs and 45 min to get my oil to the consistency I wanted. The last 30 minutes watch carefully, checking every 5-10 minutes. 

Their app is another great way to monitor your time too. This app has to be the most fool proof software I have ever used. It automatically connected to my Source without me having to push anything on the unit.

This wonderful little machine is loud. I think I would hesitate to use this in an apartment. Especially if female. When the pump kicks on, it's pretty loud and who knows what dirty images that might conjure in your neighbors heads. They might get the wrong idea on why you are so happy all the time! Oh my!

However, if you like distillate and other concentrates you NEED this unit. What better way to get the flower and flavors in the concentrates you love than make your own? Plus you know what all is in your concentrates. You can even add additional terps with companies like TrueTerpenes line of products. Custom blended and super yummy.

The unit really is "So Easy A Squirrel Can Do It." It consists of one button and one screw "knob," not much you can screw up there. The prep and post process are a little more complicated but if you visit the links above and familiarize yourself with all the steps, it really isn't that hard. Make sure to make use of their FaceBook Group too. There is a huge wealth of knowledge there with very friendly and helpful users. 

If you grow your own flower and have the money I would highly suggest getting the ETOH Pro, although there is something very therapeutic about doing the smaller batches in the Source. It helps to get my fluffy biscuit up and moving about. 

This unit due to it's simple, quality design and ease of use earns it a Wacky Racky Seal of Approval.

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'Tis the year for green. Like, everywhere. We're talking about people partaking in the glorious ganj, the grass is green again, the trees are starting to bud new leaves, and you're saving cash on weed. 4/20 is a great time to celebrate the green!

As people gather at their nearest dispensaries on/around April 20th for the best 420 deals, it's best to save some time beforehand (especially in a year where things like lines are already slow, given the circumstances).

You might already know, but 4/20 in Colorado can get pretty busy, so you're probably trying to get in and out of your dispensary with some awesome weed deals as fast as you can. Luckily, you can save time with some 420 deals online.

We've paired up with a ton of different dispensaries in Colorado to give you the best deals you can find, in-store or online.

The busiest day for the cannabis industry, also known as 420, is right around the corner, and everyone is gearing up for marijuana’s annual holiday. Due to the COVID-19 global health crisis, 420 is going to look a little different with fewer live celebrations and more virtual ones. Despite the restrictions placed on this year’s 420, there is no doubt that weed lovers everywhere will still be celebrating their favorite plant (they just might not be passing their pieces and joints this time around). 

An exciting part about 420 this year is the number of online deals offered by dispensaries to help you stock up for your celebrations and festivities. Whether you’re a flower child, an edible lover, CBD enthusiast, or a vaping master, we have some great online deals for all types of cannabis consumers. 

Like, a lot of 420 deals that we've just updated recently, with a ton of new dispensaries and locations, so find your nearest dispensary. 

420 Deals at Your Nearest Dispensary

As one of the first states to legalize the recreational and medical use of cannabis, Colorado is home to hundreds of dispensaries -- It’s also the epicenter of 420 celebrations on this side of the globe. To get you excited for this year’s 420 festivities, dispensaries in the area are offering incredible deals on some of your favorite products, and it’s just the beginning. 

On the website, you can actually sort through our 420 deals by category. That means to say, you can select your favorite types of weed products (wax, flower, edibles, etc.) and search all the 420 deals we have going on with those category filters.

First, click on Categories and select "420 Deals". Then, once the 420 Deals filter has been selected, you can select all stores that have 420 deals.

Here, we'll start with some dispensaries in the Denver area that are offering some of the best online 420 deals:

The Lodge Cannabis on High St. and Federal Blvd. is offering deals on a selection of wax, shatter, pre-rolls and edibles.

Peak MJ is offering 2g Harvest Wax for $30! 

Check out Pure Marijuana Dispensary’s deals on distillate, wax, and shatter, like 25% off all edibles and 40% off all apparel.

The Stone has a variety of shake, pre-rolls, and live resin on sale!

1136 Yuma is offering $1 pre-rolled joints with any edible purchase! 

The Little Brown House in Denver is coming in clutch with deals on Spectra cartridges and live budder. 

Doc's Apothecary is offering $50 ounces, OTD (out the door) on 4/19 and 4/20 only. So go!

420 Weed Deals by Category

On the website, you can actually sort through our 420 deals by category.

That means to say, you can select your favorite types of weed products (wax, flower, edibles, etc.) and search all the 420 deals we have going on. 

Simply just select the "420 Deals" category under the Category (or Categories) dropdown.

From there, you'll see all of the deals we're featuring, from a very large list of dispensaries. It's definitely worth checking out.

Here, we'll help give you a head start with a few examples of some different categories you can expect to save on, from flower to edibles and everything in between.

Flower

There's nothing like enjoying a good nugg on 420, so we've given you a few examples of some deals on flower:

Pure Marijuana Dispensary

• $55 half-ounce deals on select strains

The Stone Dispensary

• 1/8 of flower are $10.33 during 4/20

Doc's Apothecary

• $15 for 1/8 of flower  OTD, 4/19 and 4/20 only
• $50 for an ounce of shake OTD, 4/19 and 4/20 only (don't hate on shake, here's what we have to say about it)

Pre-Rolls (Joints)

Sometimes buying by the joint can really help you save money on weed. Some of our featured stores are offering great deals on prerolls right now, like:

Golden Meds

• 2 full-gram joints for $6.99

Pure Marijuana Dispensary

• 420-infused Wonder Joint is currently 25% off (these things hit hard)

1136 Yuma

•  Joints are $1 with the purchase of any edible

Concentrates

When you buy wax, you're spending a lot less and getting a lot more (when it comes to grams, etc.). You can really make wax go a long way, so here are some of the best 420 deals on wax – and holy cow, do we have a good list of deals on concentrate:

Peak MJ

• 2 grams of Harvest Wax is $30

Golden Meds (Med Only)

• 1 gram of Viola live resin is $29.99 during 4/20
• West Edison wax or shatter is $10.85 per gram
• Need 14 grams of Viola live resin? No worries, it's on sale for $399.99

The Lodge Cannabis

• High-quality champagne wax or shatter grams are only $20 (no limits)
• 8 grams of White Moose wax/shatter is $110

Three Rivers Dispensary (Pueblo, CO)

• Select shatter and wax is $12.95 per gram

Edibles

If you're not looking to inhale your weed, you can always ingest it! Edibles are a safer, "healthier" alternative to smoking weed. Here are some great 420 deals on edibles:

Pure Marijuana Dispensary

• 25% off all edibles on 4/20

The Stone

• You can find Robhots Gummies (100 mg) for $14.30

Golden Meds

• NFUZED gummies (100 mg) are currently $24.99

More Deals on Cannasaver

Who doesn’t love a good deal?

Especially when it comes to a variety of cannabis products.

Here at Cannasaver, we want to light up your 420 celebrations by offering you the latest deals from local dispensaries.

These aren't the only deals on things like wax, edibles, and flower. Go and select "420 Deals" under the Categories to see all the weed options you can save on.

Make sure you browse the category and store selections from the dropdown menu, as there are so many more 420 deals you don't want to miss. 

Happy blazing!

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Shannon and The Clams' latest album, Year of the Spider, is not named in honor of the arachnid-rich campgrounds of High Cliff State Park on Lake Winnebago in eastern Wisconsin. Because that would be every year. 

Instead, Shannon Shaw said the title of the group's sixth LP came from reevaluating a lifelong fear of the silk producers during a period of time when her world was crashing down. In a post on the band's website, Shaw said, "I am terrified of spiders, but my mom always told me that they're drawn to me." The singer/bassist visited an astrologer and was told "to summon Durga when she felt powerless, a Hindu goddess who holds a weapon in each of her eight arms... The symbolism of the spider made a full turn in an interesting way. I was getting protection from the thing I feared the most." It also led to the quartet's most serious effort yet.

While it's difficult to find any reference to Shannon & The Clams without the word "garage" being used to describe their music, Year of the Spider is decidedly un-carport by the band's standards. If the production feels similar to the recently featured Introducing... by Aaron Frazer, the not-so-secret connection is Dan Auerbach, producer and occasional hired gun on both. On Year of the Spider, the Clams' edges have been smoothed, the raw energy toned down. Fortunately, the overall "what decade is this?" sound of R&B, doo-wop, and early rock & roll remains, punctuated by Shaw's voice, explosive as ever.

"Spiders destroy the bullshit bugs," Shaw came to appreciate. "Like mosquitoes. Who needs 'em?" As someone born where that omnipresent, obnoxious little fly is the unofficial state bird, I wholeheartedly agree. Safe to say, Year of the Skeeter is unlikely to be LP number seven, but coming from Shannon & The Clams, it would be a beautiful buzz. 
 

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Self-described as a "hardcore band" by lead singer Brendan Yates, one might have a hard time believing Turnstile resembles anything remotely close to that if only the opening 19 seconds on their third full-length are heard. That said, Glow On would also be easy to pigeonhole if glanced over. But as the following 15 tracks swiftly unfold on this 35-minute adventure, Yates' assertion oscillates between dubiousness and indisputability, and descriptions ranging from Incubus to new wave become applicable. Still, the Fugazi-ness undoubedtly lingers. That said, fuck the labels, this rocks. And so much more.

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While this album will be getting the full 50th anniversary super deluxe special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions treatment featuring a smattering of demos, alternate takes, live versions, etc., on, curiously, November 12, it was in fact October 1, 1971, when Cat Stevens gave the world Teaser and the Firecat, solidifying his genteel place in the industry, and building upon the success of the more-fondly remembered today Tea for the Tillerman, released just 10 months prior. 

Depending on your familiarity with Cat Stevens, aka Yusuf Islam, aka Yusuf, aka Yusuf / Cat Stevens, you'll likely recognize multiple songs. "Peace Train" is the enduring tune, but "Morning Has Broken," "Bitterblue," and "Moonshadow" may well spark memories for listeners in melody if not in name. 

There are no frills on Teaser and the Firecat and no grand desire from the songwriter to make art for any other reason than channeling that which he knows, a necessary release valve. Pureness is the pervading quality. There is also no filler, just top-notch songwriting across this 33-minute masterpiece. And although Teaser's predecessor is widely regarded as the Englishman's peak, to me this 10-song effort represents the pinnacle of a fantastic career and comfortably resides in the upper echelon of the folk rock genre. 

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We haven't done this since 2019's Nordic November, but it's time for another themed month: Obscure October. (Yeah, my absolute adoration of alliteration abides.)

Granted, there is some inherent difficultly in the proposition. Obscure is relative to all axes of proximity. Not to mention that for some, many records featured in Album Notes may already land in this category. That said, the idea is to dive deep and shed light on a few albums and artists that deserve far more attention than they have (at least in my mind) heretofore received. 

Obscure October Week 1: The Grandad Galaxy
Date: July 14, 2011
Location: Stourbridge, England
The Skinny: Half instrumental, half catchy Beach Boys/Beatles vibes. All good. 

What's in a name? The Voluntary Butler Scheme reads like something spit out of a band name generator. The musical product is far more intentional. Rob Jones released three albums under the moniker between 2009 and 2014. All are very much worth checking out, and while a favorite is hard to pick from the trio, The Grandad Galaxy stands as the best balance of production and songwriting. The 15 tracks are at once modern but old-timey, all the while dreamy and hypnotic. Whether or not the nonsensical name contributed to the lack of stardom, Jones delivered three quality records worthy of wider recognition.

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New week, even older obscure oddity, and one that is likely my favorite of the four that will be featured this month.

Obscure October Week 2: Familijesprickor
Date: 1980
Location: Uppsala, Sweden
The Skinny: There's nothing lean about the virtuosic prog rock excursions from this Swedish outfit that land somewhere between Zappa, Mr. Bungle, and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. 

I don't even know where to begin with Zamla Mammaz Manna other than to say that if you like the aforementioned artists, or pretty much any jamband from the 90s or 00s, or are curious about 70s Scandinavian prog rock, do yourself a favor and check out Familijesprickor. It is something that truly has to be heard to be understood. And even then the latter may prove difficult.

While changing their name from Samla Mammas Manna to Zamla Mammaz Manna and back again doesn't quite put them in John Dwyer of Orinoka Crash Sweet / OCS / Orange County Sound / The Ohsees / Thee Oh Sees / Oh Sees / Osees territory as far as trying to make cataloguing one band's releases as challenging as possible, the act of doing so, combined with the musical stylings, no doubt did little to help their broad appeal. 

Released in 1980, the Zam's seventh album comes across today as simultaneously dated yet fresh. Many of the keyboard sounds really are something else, for better or worse, while the songwriting is right at home with what a number of bands of a certain ilk have tried to accomplish over the past few decades. One could hear snippets, taken in conjunction with the song titles and band name, and assume these guys are from the school of those inspired by Phish. The difference between this and any number of jambands who attempt such aural adventures is that these Swedes are not only technically proficient on their respective instruments, but pen quality compositions to boot. Not to mention they rarely bother with trying to sing. Familijesprickor may translate as "Family Cracks" but there are no fault lines here. Only quality tunes and even better chops. 

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Obscure October Week 3
Date: June 4, 2001
Location: Japan
The Skinny: Ambient, piano-driven chill Japanese DJ does it his way

I have no interest in being verbose to describe a largely instrumental album. As someone who never felt at home in the electronic scene, I am the first to admit that the late Susumu Yokota may not qualify as obscure for serious fans of the genre throughout the 90s and 00s. "Ambient" is the label laid upon Grinning Cat, the prolific Japanese DJ's umpteenth release, but calling it such seems unfairly reductive to artist and craft. Yes, Yokota's wares frequently supply a calming effect that leave the listener in a state of contemplative bliss, but for years I've been struck by this record for reasons I can't explain. Something just keeps calling me back. 

Listening to Grinning Cat, it's easier to picture a painter taking stabs at a fresh canvas than it is to see a DJ splicing together that which results in these 13 tracks. An inventive, playful nature lies at the heart of the album from start to finish. One can easily imagine Yokota smiling like a Cheshire as he put the final touches on this set.

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As October comes to a close, so too does our themed month aimed at providing exposure to some lesser-known albums. Next week we'll return to our regularly scheduled programming. Whether that's to your delight or dismay, thanks for tuning in.

Obscure October Week 4
Date: February 19, 1971
Location: London, England 
The Skinny: The intersection of Jethro Tull, Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, and Pink Floyd

The 1971 debut from Comus quickly manifests mental images of words like "occult" and "pagan." While there is little difficulty in ascribing the sounds to the artists listed above, it is very much worth keeping in mind that First Utterance preceded a certain magnum opus, and, to those acutely aware of familiar chord formations and potential similarities on instantly recognizable Floyd albums, came out more than a year before recording sessions began for that lunar-themed masterpiece. Bonus points here, as always, for bands that have songs named after or directly reference the group that wrote it. If the comparisons to Comus' contemporaries don't completely fit your bill, more "modern" siblings would be peak Rusted Root and Sweden's Goat.

The album title speaks for itself in so much as it's likely the initial exposure for many to this relatively short-lived outfit, one who released a follow-up three years later, then disappeared until well after the dawn of our current century. First Utterance, final farewell to Obscure October.

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