SOUNDTRACK: SONSEED-“Jesus is a Friend of Mine” (1983).
My friend Nick sent me a link to this song. And he said that it would have been the theme song to his radio show back in college. (We went to a Jesuit school, so it could be taken seriously as well). Of course, knowing him, he absolutely would have played it as his intro music.
Anyhow, I listened to it and enjoyed the video in the spirit of gentle mockery that it was sent. But I found myself listening to it quit a lot and I have concluded that I now enjoy it irony-free. And how can that be?
Well, first off, Christian rock generally sucks. In addition to many other reasons, it’s often played with a style that is inappropriate to the message. And Gawd, forget the bombast of arena Christian rock bands (who shall remain nameless).
What I like about this song is that a) the musicians are really good. It’s a live song (I assume–they wouldn’t lip synch on Christian TV show would they?) and they are tight. Also, the music (ska!) is upbeat, just like the message. Finally, while lyrically not very clever (most of the lyrics are pretty laughable), they are sincere and not aiming too high.
And, I hate to say, it’s catchy as hell (although I suppose you have to like ska to like it).
Evidently, I’m not the only one to be transfixed by this strange group (and, it seems I’m at least two years late to the party, as there is already a great deal of chatter (and even controversy) about this video). So, let me be the umpteenth person to post it on his blog.
[READ: September 2, 2010] McSweeney’s 35
This new issue shocked me because I noticed that it was printed in Canada, not Iceland. I’m not sure when this switch occurred, but I feel somewhat saddened for the Icelandic press!
The cover is a (softcover) foldout (with two flaps). The front shows two people crossing a street, but even more shocking than the Canada thing is the cover itself…something I didn’t notice until I left it out in the car. The black of the cover (see above) is actually heat sensitive. When it gets warm, it reveals a secret underworld to the picture. Very very cool! I was really confused when I picked up the book and it was no longer black but green with fishes swimming around, and I couldn’t imagine why I ever thought it was black. Pretty sneaky, sis.
This issue features a newly revised letter column (although “letter” is a subjective term here). There are four longer stories, and the rest of the book has two sections. The first is comprised of an awesome photo series of lunch bags (which I will attempt to emulate for my kids when they begin school). The second is “a Portfolio of Stories from Norway.” The Norwegian Stories are great, and really show the strength of literature coming from the country.
LETTERS:
DAN KENNEDY-Writing to his sister Trish, Kennedy is on assignment for GQ to interview a man who built a homemade submarine. Letter two, about the cab ride in Honduras, was my favorite (drug humor can be very funny) . In Letter three we actually see the submarine. In Letter four, they go underwater!
ELLIE KEMPER-Ellie is asked how come she gives such great maid-of-honor wedding toasts. Very funny stuff.
KENT WOODYARD-Extols the virtues and wonders of Temecula, CA in an attempt to get McSweeney’s to do an event there.
BENJAMIN COHEN-Observes his insurance salesman neighbor with unexpected and humorous results.
SARAH WALKER-Hates Love, Actually. Boom. Let that sink in.
JIM STALLARD-A hilarious story about a misadventure with an inflatable sex doll.
PASHA MALLA-Cryptic (and humorous) emails from Malla’s mother lead Pasha to think that her mother is stranded in Portugal.
BEN GREENMAN-Has a bad dream.
TEDDY WAYNE-A funny letter about Amazon Associates and the Kindle titles that were also purchased by people who enjoyed Wayne’s other recommendations.
LEON SANDERS-Will compost anything. Anything! (It’s like Wild Kingdom in his yard).
BRIAN BEATTY-Makes handmade greeting cards. Most of them say “Hello!”
MIKE SACKS-Remember that guy?
STORIES:
RODDY DOYLE-“Local”
The “local” in the title refers to politics. In this story, Chidimma Agu, an African woman, runs for local office for the Fianna Fáil party. It helps to know about Irish politics (about which I know little) to really get this story. Although the nutshell is that Fianna Fáil are in power now (and are consequently in trouble). The opening conversation shows a man who says that she can’t be for Fianna Fáil because she’s black (although Wikipedia says they are further left than Fianna Gael), so there’s clearly some local politics at play here.
At any rate, the story is more about her, and her dogged persistence in canvassing despite the fact that she really has no chance. It’s mildly amusing, (especially when they try to make her like Michele Obama), but mostly it’s just a solid story.
HILTON ALS-“His Sister, Her Monologue”
This is the biography of Richard Pryor’s sister: porn movie voice over actress and opinionated woman. As I read this, some of the details of Pryor’s life that the story mentions I knew to be true, but I have no idea if he has a sister or not. so I don’t know if this story was researched or not. The piece is very long and very detailed. It is also quite funny (not Richard Pryor funny, mind you, but funny). But I think it may have been too long. By the time the piece got to the Cancer Bitch (lots of bitches in the story), I felt like it had gone on a bit long.
The story redeems itself when the narrator tells the entangled story of her friends Gary and Fran. They are married, but Fran walks all over Gary in almost every conceivable way. This sub-story is fascinating, especially for its insights into human relations. The overall piece is still pretty long, though.
STEVEN MILLHUASER-“Phantoms”
This “story” is actually a series of sections about the Phantoms that live in the narrator’s town. The townsfolk happen upon the phantoms who universally see the townsfolks, turn around and walk away, where they disappear. But everyone in the town has seen them at some point or another. And so, the story is set up as a series of “points” about the phantoms: Case Studies, Analyses, Explanations etc. But the piece is never dry. It is more fascinating. Especially in the last section when the narrative voice changes and things take on a new aspect. It’s an intriguing piece, and one that I enjoyed quite a lot.
PATRICK CRERAND-“The Glory of Keys”
This is a surreal story that quickly falls into an absurd believability. Brian Sullivan doesn’t feel like going to school anymore, so he sends his Pontiac Sunfire in his place. The Sunfire does okay academically, but it really shines on the sports field, in football and in track. In fact, it becomes a very popular student indeed. But as with lots of stories of meteoric rise, the fall is inevitable. What I enjoyed about the story was that the end grew even more absurd as it brought it back down to reality.
ROBERT BARNES-“1,000 Lunch Bags”
I loved this idea. During the years that his girls were in school, Robert Barnes designed their lunch bags every day: he drew pictures on them and made a big show of all of them. And then he saved them and photographed them. A sample is included here, but there are 1,000 in total. Very cool.
JOHN ERIK RILEY AND MIKKEL BUGGE-“Entry Level Norway”
These two compiled the stories included here. The essay itself is interesting in its basic understanding of Norway. It’s very informative and fascinating. (And even mentions the black metal church burnings!)
HANS HERBJØRNSRUD-“On an Old Farmstead in Europe”
The story goes back to the 1600’s and an old woman named Blind Margjit who died on what is now the narrator’s property. The story recounts the history of Blind Margjit and the folklore that has grown around her. It is a fascinating blend of short story and oral history and (if the intro is to be believed) brings a cool look at Norwegian folklore. [Translated by Liv Irene Myhre].
JOHAN HARSTAD-“Loophole”
This surreal story was fantastic. The premise is a simple one: a man on vacation with his family swims in the ocean. He sees a mysterious hole in the water and swims through it. Then he appears in a new place. Quirky and weirdly delightful. And the way the story ends is wonderfully unexpected. [Translated by John Erik Riley].
LAILA STIEN-“Out in the Open”
This strikes me as particularly Norwegian. A couple goes out into the hinterlands for some alone time on a hiking vacation. Everything goes wrong, especially when they realize that the mosquitoes are swarming and they are the only people for miles. Darkly humorous, but more dark than funny. [Translated by May-Brit Akerholt].
ROY JACOBSEN-“Alarm”
An old man, stubborn and resilient, finally agrees to have an emergency alarm installed in his house in case he falls. When he is told he needs to wait to actually get one, things go bad quickly. But the final sequence is darkly glorious. [Translated by May-Brit Akerholt].
TOR ULVEN-“Interlude XXIV”
A one page story about a man who has forgotten the last one thousand years. [Translated by John Erik Riley].
INGVAR AMBJØRNSEN-“Another Star”
This story feels particularly Scandinavian too. Two young men go for a hike in a winter storm. They don WWII Italian pilot outfits and make a camp in a snow bank on a residential street. It’s pretty cool! And then they are discovered, and the hospitality they receive affects them more than they might think. [Translated by May-Brit Akerholt].
GUNNHILD ØYEHAUG-“Two by Two”
This is a sad story about a woman who waits for her husband to return from work. Although the ferry is late and there is a ton of snow on the ground, she is convinced he is late because he has (once again) gone to have sex with his supposedly ex-lover. She forgave him once, but not this time. A great story of anger and redemption and fate. [Translated by Kari Dickson].
FRODE GRYTTEN-“Small World”
A one page story about the power of Google Earth. [Translated by John Erik Riley].
PER PETTERSON-“Like a Tiger in a Cage”
Another story about an unhappy marriage. Although this one focuses on the couple’s son. He has just seen a picture of his mother when she was young, and he just can’t imagine what has happened to her. He wants to stop time from doing the same to him.
NILS-OIVIND HAAGENSEN AND BENDIK WOLD [FLAMME FORLAG]-“Computer Love”
This section of the Norway titles is comprised of several short pieces–poems and flash fiction–that deal with the realities of the internet and technology in love stories.
AUDUN MORTENSEN-“NOBODYREADSPOETRY2.DOC [COMPATIBILITY MODE]” “EVERYTHING I SAY IS A EUPHEMISM” “THE SONG ‘AS WE GO UP, WE GO DOWN’ BY GUIDED BY VOICES” “READING THE WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE ON AGYNESS DEYN IN THE LIBRARY AFTER THE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN TURNED OFF”
4 enjoyable poems.
RANNVEIG REVHAUG-“Extreme Makeover Sims Edition”
An amusing story about virtual love.
OLE-PETTER ARNEBERG-“Kid Icarus (1987)” “Banjo” “XLIII. Le Galant Tireur de ‘Duck Hunt'”
The first two stories feature video game directions in them (arrow up) (arrow left etc). Number three is considerably darker.
VICTORIA DURNAK-“Create a Profile”
Young people in love online.
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This was another strong collection from McSweeney’s. The Norway section was a wonderful surprise, and the rest of the pieces were all very good.
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