SOUNDTRACK: PJ-Tiny Desk (Home) Concert #33 (June 12, 2020).
I understand that coming up with a stage name has to be tough, but there’s too many artists who try to go by one name when t hat name isn’t unique enough. I mean, the rapper Dave? C’mon. PJ is another one. That is such a common nickname there’s really no way you can claim it.
However PJ (whose real name is Paris Jones) has apparently made a name for herself. Usher, Wiz Khalifa and more. These songs come from her debut EP–I’m fascinated by the people who write hits and then eventually decide to sing. Why did they give their songs away instead of singing them? Is it a good way to establish your cred and make some money? Probably.
Anyhow, I expected these songs to be much more pop-friendly and hook-filled. Rather, they are pretty songs and PJ’s voice is really nice as well, but they aren’t earworms.
Backed by Drin Elliot on the keys, the Los Angeles-based North Carolina native breezes through two tracks off of her new EP, Waiting on Paris, from quarantine digs complete with mannequins, floral arrangements and radiant artwork.
I like the sound that Elliott gets from the simple setup (but I guess you can program synths to do a ton of stuff at the press of a button).
PJ is now the third singer in a row to have a song on the soundtrack for HBO’s Insecure. I am now really surprised that I haven’t heard of it, even in ads.
For the final song and with the biggest grin on her face she “switches vibes” with the upbeat and anthemic “Element,” from this season of HBO’s Insecure. Here, her energy is nearly impossible to harness as she exclaims “quarantined but in my element!”
Strangely, I don’t find this song all that anthemic. It’s kind of catchy, but then I haven’t found any of the Insecure songs to be all that super catchy. Maybe it’s an understated soundtrack.
[READ: June 19, 2020] The Okay Witch
This graphic novel was wonderful.
Set in Founder’s Bluff, Massachusetts, this story is about witches (duh). But there’s a fun twist with a mother-daughter/generational issue that definitely goes beyond witchcraft.
Middle schooler Moth (no explanation given for the name) lives with her mom, Calendula. They own a second hand shop that was once owned by a nice old Jewish man named Joe Laslo. (The Jewish part is relevant only because of what happens later–it’s funny).
As the story opens we learn that Founder’s Bluff has a long, beloved history of witch persecution. Judge Nathaniel Kramer made the witches leave the town. In 1692, women were accused of bewitching Kramer’s son Peter, and they all “disappeared,” taking Peter with them. Kramers have been in charge ever since (the Mayor is a descendant).
Moth is very unpopular (I’m tempted to read some kind of racism in the story, because of the colors Steinkellner uses but I don’t think there is meant to be any, it’s a fairly multicultural school, I think). In an early scene, when two boys are mocking her, she gets angry and suddenly finds their mouths on her palms. She looks at them and they have no mouths. Woah. (They get them back shortly).
Most graphic novels have fun with background scenes. I love that in Moth’s room, she has posters for “Magic Cutie Academy” (manga) and “Can You Believe I Go Steady with a Witch.”
Moth freaks out about the whole mouth thing and tells her mom who… guesses the problem (I like that it didn’t take chapters for her to tell her mom). Calendula tells Moth that she is a witch and Moth freaks out–you know how much she loves witch stuff. Why didn’t you tell me? Calendula says she didn’t want to frighten Moth.
But she explains that what happened at school was First Magic a spell that you can’t control. Moth is so excited, but her mom downplays it, saying that being a witch can put you in danger, that people persecute witches. She then reveals that she was born in 1676 and was persecuted by Nathaniel Kramer.
Wha?
Turns out that Moth’s grandmother, Sarah Hush, came to America with other witches who were evading persecution from Europe. Peter Kramer thought the witches were great, but his father did not.
The witches traveled up and down Massachusetts, but Kramer’s men followed them. Finally, Sarah called upon Hecate to create a safe place for the witches. And they left this world.
Moth thinks it sounds amazing, but Calendula was bored out of her mind though and kept returning to the real world. She actually interfered with history (although she was never seen). I love that it was Calendula who saved a town hero who everyone thought was amazing because he saved himself.
When Sarah learned that Calendula wanted to return to earth, she banished her daughter from their safe haven and Calendula began to age again. Calendula had a somewhat normal life and got pregnant with Moth. But when Sarah found out, she made Moth’s father forget who they all were. Calendula raised moth on her own with Laslo’s help.
All of this info is about a third of the book. Some other plot ideas are that Laslo’s spirit comes back in a cat (with a hilariously old Jewish man voice). There’s an annual play going on about Nathaniel Kramer and Moth is the costume director. But the play is terrible–the witches are stereotypes, and the Kramer are heroes.
There’s also a new boy in town, Charlie, who befriends Moth. They have a lot in common–they love the same manga. When Charlie wants to try out to be Nathaniel Kramer in the play, he really doesn’t have a chance because a jerky boy always gets the lead. But Moth puts a tiny spell on him to make him an amazing lead man and he gets the part.
But just like Moth keeps her secret from him, he has a secret of his own.
There’s some obvious conflicts set up here, but Steinkellner handles them in interesting ways and brings up an occasional fun twist. Plus I love her art style. Her characters are warm and funny without being over the top cartoony.
On a personal note, I don’t exactly understand the style (I don;t know if it s a trend) of making people’s noses a different color. I’ve seen it before and I suspect it’s a shadow effect, but I find it very odd. It works better on Moth whose skin is darker than on Charlie in which his nose is like three shades darker than the rest of his face. But that’s a minor quibble compared to how much I enjoyed the rest of the style and look of this book.
There’s some interesting mother daughter dynamics, a surprising LGBT romance (G Rated–it’s a children’s book) and a lot of humor.
Great stuff.
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