Posted in Canadian Content, Canadian Music, Corner Gas, Graphic Novel, Jamie S. Rich, Oni Press, Pulp Fiction, The Kinks, The Tragically Hip on June 5, 2007| Leave a Comment »
SOUNDTRACK: THE KINKS-Come Dancing with the Kinks (1986) & THE TRAGICALLY HIP-World Container (2006).
THE KINKS-Come Dancing with the Kinks: I’m not sure if I’m getting older or more maudlin, but I recall being younger and really disliking “Come Dancing,” the song because it was wimpy. Then as I got a little older I liked it because it was fun, with the surprise “swing” section in the middle. Now, I find I’m really moved by the song. So, yes, I’m getting older. That’s okay.
Posted in Adventure, BritLit, Digression, End of the World, Funny (ha ha), Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett on June 3, 2007| 1 Comment »
I Just read here that editions of Good Omens now comes with a “Pratchett on Gaiman” and a “Gaiman on Pratchett” addition. Sometimes the cachet of having an older edition of a book simply pales in comparison to getting a newer edition with extra stuff in it. This would be similar to buying the indie label version of a kick-ass album and feeling really smug about it when you hear it’s going to the majors, and then you discover that the major label release comes out with a bonus disc of unavailable b-sides and a DVD of a full length concert. Where’s my cachet now?
Posted in Alison Bechdel, Battles, Boston Phoenix, Boston, MA, Funky Web Sites, Graphic Novel, LGBTQ, Memoirs on June 2, 2007| Leave a Comment »
SOUNDTRACK: BATTLES-Live from Chicago (2007).
This is the very rare online soundtrack that I am actually listening to as I type this. My friend Lar sent me a link to the concert, and since I’m at home with a computer with speakers instead of my silent “work world” I can actually enjoy the tunes. I’d never heard of this band, and upon reading up, I see that the drummer is from Helmet, and one of the other guys is from Don Caballero. Its very noisy and math rock-y. Very, very cool and unorthodox. Thank you, Lar. I’ll definitely be checking these guys out some more!
[ACTION: Today] I went to BEA today. It was simultaneously over- and underwhelming. (more…)
Posted in Boston Phoenix, Boston, MA, Canadian Music, Funny (ha ha), LGBTQ, Neil Young, Rheostatics, Stephen McCauley on June 1, 2007| Leave a Comment »
SOUNDTRACK: RHEOSTATICS-Greatest Hits (1987) & ROGUES GALLERY (2006).
RHEOSTATICS-Greatest Hits: I first found out about the Rheostatics many many years ago on a driving trip to Niagara Falls & Toronto. I bought Introducing Happiness and really liked their weird sensibilities. They don’t really sound like anyone else (except perhaps one or two of Neil Young’s phases); whether it’s Martin Tielli’s alto voice, the meandering guitar work, or the harmonies of Bidini and Vesely, the Rheostatics are uniquely them.
Posted in Big Books, Digression, Funky Web Sites, Heather McGowan, James Joyce, Leo Tolstoy on May 31, 2007| Leave a Comment »
Obviously, I’m stealing my book and album cover art from Amazon.com. I could scan them myself, but let’s face it, no one has that much time. So, I’m sorry for the Search Inside logo, which I suppose I could crop, but I’m simply not going to. Not if I’m going to have time to write anything, anyway. Just the fact that it bothers me should display enough anal-retentivity for anyone. But the point I was getting at is just how weird it is for me to be posting covers that are not the cover of the book that I read. In fact, I would say that over half of the covers no longer reflect the jacket in my house or from my library. How weird is that. It makes me feel like I didn’t even read it. Frankly, the cover of the Duchess of Nothing (below) is appalling, and nowhere near as interesting as the cover of the book I read. Weird.
In the same breath, however, album covers never change. And despite the ineluctable (thanks James Joyce) connection between the music and the unchanging album cover, it is the music that you can now download with no art at all. Although now, you can go to http://www.dailylit.com/ and have a chapter (or at least a chunk of pages) of any number of classic works (including Mr. Joyce) sent to your Inbox daily. Fascinating. It would be like getting THE BEST WRITTEN EMAIL EVER! (more…)
Posted in Deftones, Funny (ha ha), Funny (strange), Heather McGowan, Tom Waits, Unreliable narrator on May 31, 2007| Leave a Comment »
SOUNDTRACK: DEFTONES-B-Sides & Rarities (2005).
The Deftones are fascinating. They play some really really heavy metal, and yet they have a softer side, like Sears. One of the all-time great metal songs is the Deftones’ “My Own Summer (Shove It)”, it has a dynamic loud-soft interplay and an excruciating chorus. Sheer madness. And then, you get their B-Sides collection and find out that they do an awesome cover of the Cocteau Twins’ “Wax and Wane.”
Posted in Adventure, Children's Books, Graphic Novel, Oni Press, Ted Naifeh on May 29, 2007| Leave a Comment »
[READ: June 2007] Polly and the Pirates.
This is a pretty cute graphic novel. Stylistically it is somewhat unique, in that Naifeh’s style is idosyncratic and odd (see his Courtney Crumrin books and note that Courtney Crumrin has no nose!). This tale is of a young girl in a boarding school who is captured by pirates who believe that she is the daughter of their former pirate queen! Intrigue, treasure, dashing heroines, and all in a for-all-ages format. Good fun!
Posted in Big Books, Boston, MA, David Foster Wallace, Essays, Funny (ha ha), Funny (strange), Gilmore Girls, Meta, Tom Waits on May 29, 2007| 2 Comments »
SOUNDTRACK: TOM WAITS-Orphans (Bastards) (2006).
This is the piece de resistance of the Orphans set. All of the really, really weird songs by Waits get thrown together on this disc. Weird and wonderful, including a crazy cover of “Heigh Ho” from Snow White.
[READ: Summer 2006] Consider the Lobster.
When I was living in Boston, and going to graduate school, (more…)
Posted in Funny (ha ha), Joshua Braff, Set in New Jersey!, Tom Waits, Unreliable narrator, Veronica Mars, Vikram Chandra on May 26, 2007| Leave a Comment »
SOUNDTRACK: TOM WAITS-Orphans (Bawlers) (2006).
The thought of Tom Waits singing lullabies is a pretty scary one. The strange thing is that his lyrics and melodies are really quite beautiful, I’m just not sure I want that voice in my kid’s head at night.
[READ: May 2007] The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green
After the heaviness and length (I’m sure Gaitonde would appreciate THAT beginning) of Sacred Games, it was nice to kick back with a comparatively light, and yet thoroughly enjoyable book like this one. (more…)
Posted in Memoirs, Richard Brautigan, Trout Fishing in America, Unreliable narrator on May 24, 2007| 3 Comments »
SOUNDTRACK: TOM WAITS-Orphans (Brawlers disc) (2006).
People either love or hate Tom Waits. My wife, bless her, hates him, but was kind enough to get me this great 3 disc set for Christmas. The Brawlers disc is full of noisy raucous story/songs from the gravelly voiced troubadour. There’s some great pointed political songs on this disc, and then some simply weird stories. Great for playing loud in the car to see the way the people in the next lane look at you.
[READ: Summer 2006] Trout Fishing in America.
I finished this book right after Oranges as (more…)
I Just Read About That... 