I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: FEIST-Let It Die (2004).

I’ve recently discovered Feist through Broken Social Scene.  I know that she is huge (and “1,2,3,4” is a really great song that we used for our son’s 4th birthday video), but it took me a while to catch on.

This first album (technically her second, but her first was released only on tour in 1999 and is out of print) is, to me, shocking that it catapulted her into fame.  Not because it’s bad, but because of what a strange amalgam of songs, none of which are indie rock, are on this “indie rock” record.  The opening songs are sort of mellow rock, but really they strike me as more of a mellow jazz or maybe torch singer-style.  And then there’s all that disco!

The exception is “Mushaboom” which is an amazingly catchy song that defies categorization, at least on this record.  It’s sort of folky but dancey and has an absurd but defiantly fun chorus.  After some folky bits and some jazzy torch songs, the disc morphs into something of a disco album.  Not modern R&B but actual 70’s disco.  I mean “Leisure Suite” sounds like it could be played in the background while men with thick mustaches lie in front of the fireplace with their woman of choice.  And then there’s the genuine disco song: a cover of the Bee Gees’ “Inside and Out.”

I was really taken aback by the disc because it was nothing like what I expected.  But once I got used to what the style actually was, I found the album really compelling.  Feist has a great voice.  It’s seductive and very pretty. In many ways the disc reminds me of Fiona Apple (although I think Fiona has a stronger more interesting voice and a better selection of background instrumentation).

But comparisons aside, this is a really solid record, one that I have enjoyed many times.  Oh, and once again, the British cover is more interesting.

[READ: January 2007 (and earlier)] Amelia Rules

I first discovered the Amelia Rules comic at The Joker’s Child in Fairlawn, NJ, (one of my favorite comic book shops).  There was something about the art work…a weird amalgam of simple lines and computerized coloring that really grabbed my attention.  But it’s the story that kept me coming back.

Amelia is a young girl whose parents are getting a divorce.  Amelia and her mom move to a new town in the country, away from the city where she grew up.  She winds up spending time with her Aunt Tanner, a former rock goddess (and there’s a cool subplot about that later on) turned country recluse.

Amelia tries to make friends in the new neighborhood.  And the boys she hangs out with are Reggie (whose goal is to become a superhero) and Pajamaman (the one unrealistic character in the story, although he does achieve more depth than just the “weirdo who wears pajamas all the time” as the comic continues).  Amelia also gains a nemesis, Rhonda, who has a thing for Reggie but who is generally too cranky to do anything but snark about everything).

So I started reading this comic and managed to go back and get every issue.  Although at some point I missed issue #11, I think because when I moved, my new store didn’t carry the single issues.   The issues have been compiled in four books (I’ve read three, as I didn’t know #4 was out).

Book one is The World’s Gone Crazy The Whole World’s Crazy (issues 1-5, plus extras).  [UPDATE: It’s absurd and embarrassing to have given this book the wrong title when A) I had the book in my hands as I typed it and B) there’s two pictures of the cover in the post.  But it’s even more embarassing to have it pointed out by the author.  Mea culpa].

As the series opens we meet Amelia and all of the characters in the story.  Amelia turns out to be the perfect main character for this series: she is smart (but not a brain), very funny, and with a clever wit.  She reads people pretty well, but she’s still a young girl who makes major goofs. There’s a gym class issue, a great Halloween issue and a surprisingly touching Christmas issue (where Pajamaman gets his depth).  There’s also a very good arc of Amelia trying to deal with her dad now that he’s not living with them anymore.

The second book, What Makes You Happy (issues 6-10 plus extras), introduces us to G.A.S.P., Reggie’s superhero gang and their rivals, the Park View Terrace Ninjas (who have uniforms!).  [UPDATE: As the comment below correctly points out (duh), G.A.S.P. (which stands for the Gathering of Awesome Super Pals) appeared in Volume 1.  But they really gain prominence in Volume 2].  This volume also features the excellent Tanner back story.  And we meet one of Amelia’s old city friends, Sunday (and how weird it is to hang out with someone you miss but haven’t seen in a long time).

The third volume, Superheroes (issues 11-16 plus extras), sees Amelia passing 4th grade when she’s told that they are moving.  Again.  There’s also a very humorous plotline in which the kids decide that everyone named Steve is nothing but trouble.  And G.A.S.P. goes on the attack. And finally, we meet  Amelia’s new friend Trishia.  We learn later on that she is suffering from Venticular Septal Defect, a very serious heart disease.

So as you can see, the stories vary from the ridiculous to the serious.   Amelia is a warm and totally winning character.  And she deals with each crisis in a reasonable and really human way.  It’s an emotionally rewarding series, and it’s appropriate for all ages.

My only gripe comes with the whole HUH nature of figuring out just what is going on with the series. Even the website which is beautiful, offers very little in the way of information about the series.  There’s no information about the single issues.  There’s precious little information about the beginning of the series, and just forget about trying to figure out what books are available.

At least it seems to get updated a little more frequently now (Oct 5th is the last update), which is nice.  But it’s a shockingly incomplete resource for information.  I tried to contact them/him a few years back to see about ordering the last single issues that I’m missing, but I never got a response.  I’m delighted that the issues are in trade paperback now, but I’m still not sure what the state of the individual issues is.

And how weird that the Books link on the website lists only three books. The front page says that book #5 is due out soon.  But there is no mention of  Book #4 When the Past is a Present (issues 17-19 plus extras) which according to Amazon has been out since 2007, but which seems out of print now, but is being reissued in 2010.  So much chaos here!  (In some way to explanation, the trades were issues by one publisher and are being reissued by Simon and Schuster, but seriously Ameliaverse, let us know this.  I kept coming to your site waiting to see if Book 4 ever came out but it never got mentioned on the Books page!  Gah! Even if the book is not available, the least you can do is tell your fans about the books and what’s happening with them!

I’m also unclear if Gownley is actively writing anything in the series anymore.  Does volume 5 contain new stories?  The Ninja Christmas issue sort of does).  Are there any regular issues coming out? And don’t just post this information ala a blog.  This basic information should be easily accessible somewhere.

I understand the difficulties involved in making a comic and making a successful one at that.  I would think that Jimmy Gownley would want people to know as much as possible about this fantastic series (and his previous one, Shades of Grey, as well).  I’m just surprised what little information is available from the source’s mouth.  (Wikipedia makes things a little, but not much, clearer)

But for heaven’s sake, don’t let any of that stop you from reading the books.  They’re really great.  And even if you can’t find them in print, check them out at your library.  (They’re probably near Bone, another great comic).

Whether you’re 10 and living the life of a 4th grader or are older and remembering what it’s like to be a kid, Gownley doesn’t look down on anyone.  It’s a rare find.  And an emotionally enjoyable one, too.