I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: LILY & MADELEINE-Tiny Desk Concert #330 (January 7, 2014).

Lily & Madeleine are a duo (surprise!).  But for a real surprise, they are sisters and at the time of the recording Lily was 16 and Madeleine was 18.  They sing beautiful folkie rock with fantastic harmonies.

That’s Lily on guitar and Madeleine on keys (and higher harmonies).

They play threes songs.  The first one, “Devil We Know” is amazing.  Their harmonies start off the song and it’s a beauty.  It’s an uptempo song that has a gorgeous verse.

“Paradise” features each sister singing an individual verse before the other chimes in with a harmony.  And while their individual voices are nice, when they harmonize it’s really something.

“You Got Out” sounds like a folk song from long ago–with the chord structure and harmony “ooohs.”

The duo is really great and they have just released a new record this year.

[READ: March 19, 2016] Moomin Volume 9

Moomin Book 9 and every subsequent book is made entirely of strips written and drawn by Lars Jansson.  These stories originally ran in the Evening News, London 1960-1975.  I have more or less caught up with the Moomin series at this point.  Book Ten has been released but my library does not have it yet.

This book tends to veer away from the Moomin family a little bit.  Of course they are still present, they just aren’t always the focus, as you might be able to tell by the chapter titles:  “Damsel in Distress” “Fuddle and Married Life” “Sniff’s Sports Shop” “Mymble’s Diamonds.”

“Damsel in Distress.”  In this chapter, Moomin finds a reel of film.  He doesn’t know what it is.  The only thing on it are the words “Damsel in Distress.”  So naturally he and Moominpappa set about finding the poor–no doubt beautiful–woman in distress.  They try to rescue several local women who just get mad at them.  And then they see someone who is clearly a villain–big mustache, black cape.  They are a little afraid, so they decide to hide behind a building they’ve never seen before–which proves to be a set.

The Moomins are still not wise, so they set a plan in motion to save the heroine.  When they see her tried to (fake) tracks, they go and rescue her.  She is puzzled by them and thinks it is a script change.  Meanwhile the villain takes the opportunity of there being no leading lady to say that he will quit film making for good.  Turns out both he and the leading lady have had it and want out.  They rather enjoy their “rescue.”

Of course Snork Maiden is attracted to the villain (until she realizes he was wearing a disguise and is actually quite ugly).  But the leading lady is a diva still and requests a four-poster bed.  At the same time the townsfolk all try to get into the film business–but the directors wants none of it.  How ever will the Moomins get the actors out of their hair?

“Fuddler and Married Life.”  This story is the first one that really focuses on someone other than the Moomins.  The Moomins are present but this story is all about the newlyweds, Fuddler and Jumble

They have just returned from their honeymoon in which they traveled the globe collecting buttons.  But when they plan to settle down, it turns out that Fuddler’s coffee can house has rusted.  Naturally they try to stay with the Moomins, but that doesn’t go so well. Finally Fuddler tries to build a house (which also doesn’t go so well).  Once Moomin builds them a house they care content, briefly.  Because that’s when someone asks if they are actually married–evidently they forgot that part.  So they are brought downtown to the register to marry.  And once they do, all goes downhill.  Being married means that they are now under each others noses and in the way.  And how come Fuddler doesn’t get a job and all other marriage issues.

Obviously Fuddler can’t hold down a job (many funny example bear this out).  But maybe a baby will bring them closer!  I really enjoyed the astonishingly quick ending of this chapter.

“Sniff’s Sport Shop”
Sniff inherits a sports shop from his aunt.  When they get there they find that it is quite isolated and has pretty much no business. Also the rent is way overdue.

The first customer that comes in wants to try out all kinds of things (most of which Sniff breaks), and then buys nothing.  So Sniff decides to try some advertising.  His first attempt is quite invasive. Then he tries to be more subtle (but still invasive).  Both of these were hilarious.

Then he thinks that maybe he should become a sportsman himself.  He runs through an Olympics of sports before realizing that he’s pretty useless. Finally, he tries to get Stink to rob him, but it turns out that Stink likes what he can get from the store and uses it to on other people instead.  The final result hinges on Stink’s thieving and Sniff’s not wanting to be involved

“Mymble’s Diamond” is one of those stories that takes a tiny idea and runs it to a logical extremes.  Mymble has been given a 50 carat diamond–much bigger than anyone else’s.  Everyone is jealous.  And they tell Mymble basically that she doesn’t deserve something so fine.  I mean, look at how she’s dressed.  This leads her to rethink her clothes.  And then her accessories.  And then her house.  Mymble is of course uncomfortable with all the new stuff, and naturally the ring proves to be not what it was believed anyway).  The plot of this one wasn’t so great, although I did enjoy all the little details of getting dressed and her hiding the ring.