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Archive for the ‘Authors’ Category

What I learned…(14) [Judging a book by its title]

Posted in Brock Clarke, Digression on September 19, 2007| Leave a Comment »

I was walking past the New Books shelf in our library last week and saw a book called An Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes in New England by Brock Clarke. What a great great title! How could I resist? Now, I know you should never judge a book by its cover (but of course I do), but should you judge a book by its title? We’ll soon find out, as I put aside the two other books that I had started (and by jiminy, there’s a new terry Pratchett coming out any minute too!) to dive into this wonderfully titled book. So far (70 pages in) it lives up to its title. We’ll see if he can keep it up, and we’ll see if I have a started a new superficial way of deciding books. Frankly, this title is quite a relief, after spending all day looking up books called Destiny (8 different authors in our library system) or Second Chance (8 authors…shame on you James Patterson and Danielle Steel) or Darkness (4 authors), and if nothing else, Clarke should be applauded just for the title. Of course, today, I saw a positive review in Entertainment Weekly, so I’m going to try and jump on the bandwagon before there is one.

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Cory Doctorow–“Scroogled” (Radar, October 2007)

Posted in Corporate skewering, Cory Doctorow, Dystopia, Pink Floyd, Short Story, Technology on September 19, 2007| Leave a Comment »

radar_magazine_cover.jpgSOUNDTRACK: PINK FLOYD-Atom Heart Mother (1970).

c834131hbdw.jpgI decided it was time to review an old album, just to mix it up with all the new stuff I’ve been listening to lately. And, so I went deep into the well, and pulled out Atom Heart Mother. Back in high school, we used to sit around and profoundly discuss music and TV, (but not books, see how times have changed!). Anyhow, turns out one of my friends’ brothers was a big Pink Floyd fan (as was I) and so my friend, although not a big Pink Floyd fan himself, knew enough to discuss them.

This album was always my go-to for an amusing conversation because he declared it was SDI–seriously drug influenced, his highest negative rating. I mean, duh, the cover features a cow’s butt! (more…)

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Alice Munro–“Fiction” (Harper’s, August 2007)

Posted in Alice Munro, Antony and the Johnsons, Bjork, Canadian Content, Digression, Harper's, Marriage Trouble, Short Story, The Sugarcubes on September 17, 2007| Leave a Comment »

harpers.gifSOUNDTRACK: BJORK-Volta (2007).

volta.jpgOkay, so Bjork is from Mars. Volta is her newest album. I’ve been a fan of Bjork since the Sugarcubes, way back when. I’ve also really enjoyed her solo recordings. I used to get all of her singles and videos and things, but in recent years she seems to have released a new full length reissue of a concert or remastered disc on a monthly basis. So, I had to go cold turkey.

Then Volta came out. I saw a live performance of two of the songs on Saturday Night Live, and they were pretty different, even for her. It seems like Bjork has had a unifying sound on each of the last few albums. On Volta, it is a horn section. This is a more organic sound than some of her recent electronic releases. And, overall, I find that it doesn’t work all that well for her.

Bjork’s voice is, and I mean no disrespect because I love her voice, but it has many similar qualities to a horn. It is loud, she can hold notes for a long time, and it can often be quite brash. And, she is an alto, which many of the horns are too. So, I find that her voice blends in too much with the music. Whereas on previous records, her voice really stood out. There’s a similar problem in the duet with the ubiquitous Antony (of Antony and the Johnsons). Their voices are so similar, that any sense of conflict or drama is really lost. (I’m not mocking Antony’s voice. It is quite sublime on his own records, but I feel that it doesn’t do much for “Dull Flame of Desire,” even though the song itself is great.)

(more…)

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Jasper Fforde–First Among Sequels [Book 5] (2007)

Posted in Adventure, Consumerism, Corporate skewering, Digression, End of the World, Funny (ha ha), Funny (strange), Jasper Fforde, Meta, Sci-fi, Supernatural, Technology, Time Travel, Tori Amos on September 14, 2007| Leave a Comment »

firstamong.jpgSOUNDTRACK: TORI AMOS-American Girl Posse (2007).

americandoll.jpgI had been pretty down on Tori records since Scarlett’s Walk, which I felt was kind of blah. The Beekeeper followed and it didn’t do that much for me either. So, I was basically not that excited when this latest record came out. I probably would have gotten it eventually, but then my wife bought it for me for my birthday. Thank you!

Because, this is easily her best album since From the Choirgirl Hotel. It has everything that I felt her last two albums were missing: real tempo changes, really powerful singing, and great, great hooks.

(more…)

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Jancee Dunn–But Enough About Me: How a Small-Town Girl Went from Shag Carpet to the Red Carpet OR But Enough About Me: A Jersey Girl’s Unlikely Adventures Among the Absurdly Famous [prepub] (2006)

Posted in Essays, Jancee Dunn, Memoirs, Rolling Stone, Rush, Set in New Jersey!, Team America: World Police on September 10, 2007| Leave a Comment »

but-enough.jpgSOUNDTRACK: RUSH-Snakes and Arrows (2007).

snakes.jpg

I’ve been a Rush fan since Moving Pictures, back in 1980. Some of my 8th grade classmates had made a parody of the song “Tom Sawyer” called “Father Sawyer,” (hilarious Catholic school humor!) and I thought it was funny, and that’s how I learned about Rush. In high school, my best friend was a big Rush fan as well; and then in college, my best friend and eventual roommate was a huge Rush fan too. After college, there was no one for me to hang out and talk Rush with (aside from these old friends, of course, but I wasn’t seeing them every day anymore), so I still bought the albums, but I wasn’t quite the maniac I was back in the day.

Rush went on hiatus for a few years. They came back with the fabulous, rocking Vapor Trails, and followed that up with an excellent concert tour. They seemed revitalized. And their latest, Snakes and Arrows, continues in this strong, rocking format. (more…)

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Terry Pratchett–Wintersmith (2006)

Posted in Adventure, Discworld, End of the World, Inverse Room, J. Robert Lennon, Supernatural, Terry Pratchett, They Might Be Giants, YA Books on September 5, 2007| Leave a Comment »

wintersmith.jpgSOUNDTRACK: INVERSE ROOM: Pieces for the Left Hand (2005).

inverse.jpgInverse Room is the musical alter ego of J. Robert Lennon, author of The Funnies, Mailman, and other works. A few years ago he wrote a collection of short stories called Pieces for the Left Hand. The book is only available in England as far as I can tell. This CD, available from his site, is a companion piece of sorts. I had enjoyed The Funnies many many years ago, and was delighted to see that he still had some works being published. It was only when I stumbled onto his site that I discovered Inverse Room.

This CD contains 99 songs (the reviews all say 100, so maybe the Part I and II song can count for 100.) Obviously, the songs are short. Very short, in fact. There are only a couple that are over one minute long.

So, what does it sound like? Well, everything, really. In what is an amazing exercise in creating melodies, Lennon has crafted 99 different songs in different genres and different styles. It is an incredible hodgepodge of music, and it is very fun. Song titles include: “Political Song for Barney to Sing” (very funny), “Set the Controls for the Heart of Denver,” and “Heavy Metal Summer Camp.” Most of the songs are funny (but a joke that doesn’t wear out its welcome in 23 seconds), some are instrumental, and Lennon plays everything.

But what does it sound like? Well, to be honest it sounds like They Might Be Giants. Lennon’s voice is very close to one or both of TMBG’s Johns. And, considering that TMBG did a similar experiment on Apollo 18’s “Fingertips,” this album is not unprecedented. And if you liked “Fingertips” you will love this CD. I guarantee it.

If you’re not familiar with “Fingertips,” then you’ll have to go with the description above: 99 songs, no two songs sound anything alike, and they’re all really short. Still not convinced? The CD costs $5 from his website. There’s bound to be one song you’ll like, right?

[READ: Fall 2006] Wintersmith

Terry Pratchett has written a million books or so, most of them focusing on Discworld. I’m not even going to try to get you up to speed on Discworld. For a nice synopsis and a list of all of the books in the series, check out the Wikipedia entry. But to sum, it’s like an alternative universe to our own except that the world is flat and is held aloft by four elephants that are standing on the back of a giant turtle floating in space. Got it? Good. (more…)

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What I learned…(13) [The British and WWII]

Posted in Black Adder, BritLit, Bruce Robinson, Digression, Fawlty Towers, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Red Dwarf, Richard Thompson, The Young Ones on September 5, 2007| 2 Comments »

I’ve been a fan of British entertainment, especially comedy, since I was a little kid. The first time I saw Benny Hill on Channel 9 at a past-my-bedtime hour, I knew it was something special. Not because it was particularly funny (which at the time I thought it was), but because it was unlike anything that the U.S. was making. Then I discovered Paul Hogan (true, an Aussie, but still under the UK banner). Then came the Comedy Holy Grail of Monty Python’s Flying Circus . I couldn’t get enough of Monty Python and of course, Fawlty Towers. This led to more contemporary works like The Young Ones and Black Adder and Red Dwarf, and I’m still hooked.

One thing that has been in the back of my mind for quite some time is the Brits’ constant use of World War II in their entertainment. Comedians, writers and musicians of a certain age tend to use WWII as a component of their work. This came up again in Bruce Robinson’s book. It is a constant in Richard Thompson’s work. It is essential to latter Roger Waters work, both in and out of Pink Floyd. Monty Python plays around with it, and many other comedians do too.

I think Americans lazily think of the British as pretty much like us. And this has been even more prevalent with the recent Bush/Blair relationship. And despite my love of British entertainment, I am guilty of imagining the Brits to have similar shared experiences (common language can do that I suppose). So, it made me wonder why we in the U.S. don’t seem to have WWII so ingrained in our cultural entertainment. Sure, we have our swing bands, and the iconic photographs and even Saving Private Ryan. But it seems like we have a “Mission Accomplished (for Real)” checkmark next to it, and we’re happy it’s over and that’s that.  Even in my family, my dad was in WWII, and yet it wasn’t really a big deal when I was growing up, or even in his personal history.  Weird.

It was then that my wife reminded me that the British were bombed in the war, that it really hit home for them in a way that it never did here. Even though Pearl Harbor was American soil, and we did experience air raid drills and blackouts, we didn’t have the impending threat and fear as directly as the British did. All of this is of course common knowledge, and I feel foolish for not thinking about it before. And yet, somehow I never put these pieces together. Of course, British artists were impacted by WWII because it directly impacted their lives, their towns, their families.

There really isn’t a point to any of this other than to stop wondering how come there’s another British song/story/joke about WWII. I’ll just go back to enjoying it.

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George Saunders–In Persuasion Nation (2006)

Posted in Canadian Content, Canadian Music, Consumerism, Corporate skewering, Dystopia, Esquire, Funny (ha ha), Funny (strange), George Saunders, Harper's, Luther Wright & The Wrongs, McSweeney's, New Yorker, Pink Floyd, Robson Arms, Sarah Harmer on August 31, 2007| 1 Comment »

persuasion.jpgSOUNDTRACK: LUTHER WRIGHT AND THE WRONGS-Rebuild the Wall (2001).

wright.jpgI first heard Luther Wright on an episode of Robson Arms, a weird, funny show on CTV in Canada. They were playing “Broken Fucking Heart” a fabulous country-punk song. So, I had to find out more about this guy, and it turns out he did a country-punk, but mostly country, version of Pink Floyd’s The Wall. It was with much trepidation that I dared into this most unusual of covers, because I don’t really care for country, particularly, shudder, new country. But, wow am I glad I did.

It’s hard to know even where to start, but it is amazing how well the songs translate into a country motif. I’ve loved Pink Floyd’s The Wall ever since it came out. I have very fond memories of reading the lyrics on the record sleeve when I bought it back in 1979, sitting in the back of my mom’s car as she drove myself and my aunt back from the mall. And, I have a fond memory of the resurgence that it had for me in college when evidently every angsty boy in my dorm felt the need to play it ritually.

I was prepared for the worst, but I never had any regrets of this cover version. I’ve even played it to friends who’ve thought it was really good as well. It all sounds like a joke, but the musicianship is top-notch (Sarah Harmer is back with great backing vocals), and the appreciation of the original is evident from the start. I encourage you to track down this album if you like the original. Give Luther some of your cash!

[READ: August 20, 2007] In Persuasion Nation.

This completes my recent spate of books that I read about somewhere, and can’t remember where. I maintain that it was in The Week by a former Simpsons’ writer, but I have to wait about a month before that issue gets online so I can confirm it (boo!). At any rate, I was led to believe that this was going to be a book of funny essays. And, well, it’s not. It skewers contemporary society, and it has moments that are definitely funny in a hmmmm, sort of way, but laugh-out-loud funny this is not. (more…)

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Chynna Clugston-Major–Blue Monday Vol. 3: Inbetween Days (2003)

Posted in Chynna Clugston-Major, Funny (ha ha), Graphic Novel, Oni Press, Set at School, YA Books on August 31, 2007| Leave a Comment »

inbetween.jpgSOUNDTRACK: RICHARD THOMPSON-Sweet Warrior (2007).

sweetw.jpgI recently posted a bunch of reviews of RTs back catalog, and here’s his latest release. I almost feel like it’s a waste of time for me to review this because, what can I say? It’s great. Strong songs from start to finish. Catchy rockers, bitter ballads, everything is fabulous. My only negative mark is that the third song, a slow ballad, is really long, about 7 minutes, and there’s nothing remarkable about it to justify that length. It’s a pretty enough song, but could have a few minutes lopped off of it. Otherwise, the album is great.

During his earlier releases, he seemed to have a hard time finding producers who could really capture a sound that suited him. I’d say his last two or three releases, including this one, have found him with excellent production values. They really capture a full sound of RT’s guitar and his vocals are always strong in the mix. This is a great place to start for getting into the RT catalog, and no doubt, half of these songs will become classics. Just looking at the track list, I see these outstanding songs:

Needle and Thread, Mr Stupid, Dad’s Gonna Kill Me, Poppy-Red, Bad Monkey, Too Late to Come Fishing, Sneaky Boy, Johnny’s Far Away, and Guns are the Tongues.

Stellar collection again, RT.

(more…)

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Neil Gaiman–M is for Magic & Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders

Posted in Jasper Fforde, Neil Gaiman, The Fratellis, Tori Amos on August 31, 2007| Leave a Comment »

misfor.jpgfragile.jpgSOUNDTRACK: THE FRATELLIS-Costello Music (2007).

costello.jpgI was watching the Brit Awards recently and The Fratellis won for Breakthrough Act (whatever that means). I didn’t think too much of it, but then I heard some great reviews of their album, so I decided to check it out… it is so much fun! Sarah and I have been enjoying it immensely since we got it. It’s easy to play “spot the influence” or “who does it sound like” and my first thought is that it sounds like early Supergrass. Perhaps not the most obvious sound-a-like (as clearly, there’s some Bowie, Beatles and Clash in there) but the attitude that Supergrass demonstrated on their first two records is here in spades. It’s brash, young, snotty and very very catchy. The sing-a-longs come fast and furious with swooping choruses. (more…)

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