I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: MARC ALMOND-“Glorious” (2001).

All the time that I had been seeing David Almond’s name I had been thinking of Marc Almond.  I don’t know how common a name Almond is, but it doesn’t seem unreasonable to think that it is not a very common name.  Or to think that a singer might  become a writer.  However, looking at photos of David, it is clear that he is not Marc.

I knew that Marc Almond was the singer in Soft Cell (you know, “Tainted Love”–which I didn’t realize was a cover), but I haven’t followed him at all since then.  His name has cropped up on songs from time to time, so i knew he was still singing and that he sounded mostly the same (a bit more glammy).  When I did a search I found this utterly fascinating video.

Almond has always had a strong, powerful voice.  And as his solo career has moved along it seems to have gotten even more operatic.  He can hold long notes and he can really belt those notes out.

“Glorious” is no exception, with the chorus being a big anthem.  What’s interesting is that the verses which are fairly simple keyboard notes have a slightly minor chord feel to them giving the verses a vaguely sinister feel.  I don’t know if that’s intentional (I feel not given the big chorus, but I sense it).  Despite all of the bigness and the disco ball video, this song is surprisingly not that catchy.  It certainly has a fun chorus, but the music itself is not instantly hummable.

But I have to respect Marc for that elaborate costume.

[READ: September 29, 2013] Mouse Bird Snake Wolf

I’ve known David Almond for a while but I’ve never seen his children’s books before.  I got this mainly for McKean’s art, which is as weirdly beautiful as ever.

Almond has apparently written a few children’s books and I rather assume that they are all kind of dark and “older” like this one.

The story starts in a world long ago and far away with three children, the eldest Harry, the middle one Susan, and the young one Ben.  There were marvelous things in the world but the children felt that there were gaps–things missing.

Then we see the gods (I love that the world below is in vibrant color and the gods are in shades of gray).  The gods were so pleased with all of things they had created (and they were indeed wonderful) that they basically sat around on their clouds praising themselves, drinking tea and eating cakes.

But the children are unhappy with things–there’s too many unsettling empty spaces.  They shout their concerns, but the gods ignore them. Then, one by one, the children begin imagining things that ought to be there.

First Ben imagines a mouse.  The children don’t know what that is and he describes it a “mousey.”  Then he gathers some grass and twigs and shows them what a mouse ought to be and when he thinks really hard, it begins to squeak and run around.  The children are delighted.  But the gods don’t notice.

Then Sue does the same with a bird.  Since the bird flies you’d think that the gods would take notice, but the only god who sees it assumes that one of the other gods made it.

Then it is Harry’s turn.  He thinks of something weird with no legs and sharp teeth.  (If you read the title of the book you know) it is a snake.  And he has to work extra hard to get it to move.  But when it does, it hisses at the children and they are frightened (justifiably), then it quickly slithers down a crack in the earth.  Since this one was so hard to get going the gods noticed what Harry was doing. They discouraged it but did not interfere and when he was done they told him to lie down and have some tea.

Finally Harry and Sue work together to create the fourth creature in the title.  This is a big one, a large mammal.  Ben is instantly frightened at the shape of the thing and even the gods seem mildly concerned about what the kids are doing.  Harry and Sue work work work very hard to conjure up the strength to make the wolf come to life.  And it does.  And immediately devours both of them, leaving Ben all to himself and the gods to gloat.  (I told you it was dark and the wolf picture is quite scary too).

Ben is the only one left and he yells at the gods, demanding that they help.  But they ignore him.  And it is up to Ben to see if he can save his friends.

As the story ends the gods discuss what happened and imagine the gaps that need to be filled. And they wonder if other people will be as powerful.

No offense to the story which is quite exiting, but the illustrations really do make the story come to life.  There is something vaguely disturbing about McKean’s art–the people are always askew and his color choices are vibrant and vivid which kind of makes things even a little weirder.  He loves to put unexpected angles and curves on the people’s faces and bodies–things that make them look weird or creepy or just not right and yet at the same time you know that they are meant to be beautiful.  I suppose it is the embrace of the peculiar.

I didn’t read this to my kids.  At least not yet.  I don’t think they’ll be scared by the story although I’ll bet they’ll think it’s weird.