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Archive for the ‘Marriage Trouble’ Category

A.M. Homes–“Brother on Sunday” (New Yorker, March 2, 2009)

Posted in A.M. Homes, David Foster Wallace, Drinking, Marriage Trouble, Matt Pinfield, Mott the Hoople, New Yorker, Short Story, Supergrass on March 12, 2009| Leave a Comment »

ny32SOUNDTRACK: SUPERGRASS-Diamond Hoo Ha (2008).

diamondI’ve enjoyed Supergrass since they were young whipper-snappers on their first album I Should Coco.  It was a mix of fast catchy pop about being young and foolish.   I was even more impressed with the expanded sounds on their follow-up In It for the Money.

Their last few albums haven’t excited me as much, (hard to believe they’ve only released six) but I heard an interview with them and Matt Pinfield, and it convinced me that this one was going to be great.

I was a little disappointed at first.  The disc wasn’t quite as all over the place as Money was, in fact the first five songs were pretty straight ahead rockers (and much more rocking than their past songs would indicate).  But after listening a few times, I’ve really started to get into it.

The disc is split in half.  The first five songs are such simple, basic rockers that I was initially bored by them.  They weren’t bad per se, they just seemed too simple.  After several listens however, I’ve found them to be delightfully catchy, heavy pop rock gems.  And that the simplicity is deceptive.  They sound like long lost 70s riff rock highlights.  The title track with its oddball break of “Bite Me” was once played on Chuck (the latest TV show which is the arbiter of cool music).

The second half comes in with “The Return of Inspiration…” (which may not be the best song title to put halfway through your record, especially when the second half sounds so much different than the first).  This half is much more in keeping with Supergrass’ sillier side.

We get some funk charged stuff (“Rough Knuckles”) and some overt pop ala Mott the Hoople (“Ghost of a Friend”).  Outright silliness even rears its head (the opening of “Whiskey and Green Tea” is a march/chant complete with crazy horns), which morphs into a solid rocker).

Because their first two albums are so great, I’m not sure I can really compare this to them, but Diamond Hoo Ha has many great, fun moments; it is definitely a high point of their catalog.

[READ: March4, 2009] “Brother on Sunday”

I have read a number of works by A.M. Homes, and I really enjoyed her.  I haven’t seen anything by her in quite some time for whatever reason, so it was good to see her back.  Because of The End of Alice (concerning a pedophile) I think of her as being something of  a grisly/controversial writer (she is also tied somewhat to David Foster Wallace since The End of Alice and Infinite Jest were two very talked about books in 1996).  But after reading this piece and realizing that it was similar in tone/theme to her book  Music for Torching, I realized that she is more an observer of bad behavior, not just grisly behavior. (more…)

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McSweeney’s #30 [Rejoice! Forge-Ahead/Throwback Issue]

Posted in Arrested Development, Beck, Bill Cotter, Catherine Bussinger, Drinking, Kevin Moffett, Marriage Trouble, McSweeney's, Michael Cera, Oddities, Pregnancy, Racism, Radiohead, Short Story, Superbad, Supernatural, The Flaming Lips, Threats, Wells Tower on March 4, 2009| 2 Comments »

30SOUNDTRACK: THE FLAMING LIPS-Fight Test EP (2003).

fightThe test begins NOW!

With the success of Yoshimi, the Lips put out a couple of multitrack EPs.  The first one was for “Fight Test.”  In addition to the title track, this EP features three great covers: “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” is a slow acoustic guitar/timpani version of the infectious Kylie Minogue hit.  Despite its slowness, the “La La La” part is still catchy!  Next is a cover of the Beck song “The Golden Age.”  It’s also an acoustic guitar version.  Finally is a cover of Radiohead’s “Knives Out.”  It’s not quite as manic as the Radiohead version but it’s still very good.

The next three tracks include a 9 minute dance remix of “Do You Realize??” which is fun enough, if you like that sort of thing.  “The Strange Design of Conscience” sounds like it could have been an outtake from Yoshimi.  It fits in quite well with the music and themes of the CD.  “Thank You Jack White (For the Fiber Optic Jesus That You Gave Me)” is a 3 and a half minute folk song relating the (presumably true) tale of a plastic Jesus that Jack White gave to Wayne.

It must be fun to be able to write a thank you song that thousands of people will hear.

Lots of times EPs aren’t really worth the time, but this is a very good one.  The covers are a lot of fun, and you’ll be La La Laing right along with Wayne.

[READ: February 24, 2009] McSweeney’s 30

This issue of McSweeney’s hearkens back to their initial three issues: a white paperback with words in a graphic design on the cover. The cover design is an homage to Obama’s presidency, and has some thoughtful as well as funny lines on it (You Can Take That Canadian Flag Sticker Off Your Backpack Now). It was also printed in Iceland once again (in a nice bid to help Iceland’s economy, which is actually worse than ours) by Oddi Printing.

The contents of the issue are also pretty straightforward: eleven short stories and some occasional art by Jason Polan which ties into the stories. (more…)

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David Garnett–Lady into Fox (1922) [THE COLLINS LIBRARY No. 3 (2004)]

Posted in David Garnett, Drinking, Fables, Funny (strange), Marriage (Happy), Marriage Trouble, McSweeney's, Paul Collins, The Collins Library, The Flaming Lips on January 31, 2009| Leave a Comment »

fox1SOUNDTRACK: THE FLAMING LIPS-In aPriest Driven Ambulance (1990).

priestThis is where the Lips really hit their stride.  While they are still experimenting with sonic noises, the dedication to songcraft takes precedence.  It’s as if they wrote cool songs first and then fiddled with them, rather than using the fiddling as the main focus.  The album is divided into two sides: Smile Side and Brain Side.  Amusingly all songs are listed as being 3:26 long, and yet none of them actually are.

“Shine on Sweet Jesus” is catchy as hell and also features some of the interesting effects that Wayne & co would really play with later (multi layered deep voices, etc).”Unconsciously Screaming” is another simply great thrashy song.

“Rainin’ Babies” seems like it would be a pretty harsh song and yet it isn’t.  Its got a catchy chorus (“this is my present to the world”) and is one of many highlights on the disc.  “Five Stop Mother Superior Rain” has pretty weird lyrics over a nice acoustic bit.  It sounds so innocent and yet it starts: “I was born on the day they shot JFK”.  It slowly builds to a singalong chorus of “You’re fucked if you do and fucked if you don’t.  Five star mother superior rain.”  Whatever that means.

Brain Side doesn’t start out too auspiciously with the rather meandering “Stand in Line.”  But it is quickly redeemed with the epic “God Walks Among Us Now.”  It’s squeals and squalling and distortion and it’s catchy as all get out, and it contains the wonderful chorus:  “Used to be alright then things got strange.”  “There You Are (Jesus Song No. 7)” is a more delicate ballad.  (It’s surprising how much acoustic work there is on the disc).

“Mountain Side” returns us to the rocking noise.  It’s another simple, catchy song with enough distortion to keep it interesting.  “What a Wonderful World” is a cover of the classic song.  It seems so much like a parody, and yet knowing Wayne’s later lyrical work I’d suggest it isn’t.  It’s done  genuinely, despite themselves, and you never get a sense that they’re snickering at all.

The two bonus songs are okay, but they tend to ruin the rather nice ending of the disc.  (But such is the problem with bonus tracks).

[READ: January 17, 2008] Lady into Fox

In the first few pages of this book, as the title implies, a Gentleman’s wife turns into a fox.  The fact that Garnett was able to write 78 pages about this and keep it interesting is pretty remarkable.

Basically, when Mr Tebrick’s wife turns into a fox–more or less before his eyes–he decides that he will bring her home in hopes that this will just wear off.  The story turns into something of a fairy tale, with Mrs Tebrick wearing a house coat and playing cards (although she cannot talk) and with them trying to lead a normal life. (more…)

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McSweeney’s#1 [Timothy McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern (or “Gegenshein”) Autumn 1998 “The Ski Instructor”]

Posted in 19th Century, Bill Clinton, Books about writers, Christmas on Mars, Consumerism, David Foster Wallace, Egyptology, Essays, Flash Fiction, Funny (ha ha), Funny (strange), Glasgow Phillips, John Hodgman, Komar and Melamid, Led Zeppelin, Marriage Trouble, McSweeney's, Meta, Neal Pollack, Racism, Rick Moody, Roberto Bolaño, Sarah Vowell, Short Story, Smarty Pants, The Flaming Lips, War, Zev Borow on January 13, 2009| 3 Comments »

mcsweeneys1SOUNDTRACK: THE FLAMING LIPS-Hear It Is (1986).

hear-it-isI’ve claimed that I love the Lips, but then I was very harsh about their cover of “White Christmas,” and I noted that I wouldn’t listen to the soundtrack of  Christmas on Mars very much.  So, I felt I owed them some love.  But my recollection of their early stuff was that it was pretty weird and hard to listen to.

And yet, I proved myself wrong.  Hear It Is is not the Flaming lips of the early 2000’s.  It’s almost like the bratty younger brother of that band.  Only Wayne and Michael Ivins are present, and the band is pretty much just guitar, bass and drums.  The guitar is distorted and noisy (except when it’s acousticy and mellow).  The album doesn’t sound too far out of place for a college radio record in the late 80s.

Except of course that Wayne and the boys are pretty out there. The music is psychedelic, acid inspired and quite punk.  So you get songs like “Jesus Shootin’ Heroin” a seven minute epic of heavy riffs and screaming, but also of background “Ahhhh’s”.  You also get “With You” a song that starts out like a pretty, acoustic ballad. “Godzilla Flick” is a ballad like no other.  And yet despite all of the freakouts and noise, really at this stage what you get is a Led Zeppelin inspired heavy garage band having a lot of fun.  To say that this is going to blow your mind would be unfair, but to anyone who says the early stuff is unlistenable, they are totally wrong.   Hear It Is is sloppy, punky and a little ridiculous, the ideal incubator for what will become the Lips of 2000.

This CD comes with a cover of “Summertime Blues.”  This disc was reissued along with their initial EP and some bonus tracks on the disc Finally the Punk Rockers are Taking Acid.

[READ: 1998 and January 10, 2009] McSweeney’s #1

I have been reading McSweeney’s since its inception.  (My copy of this issue even has the two page typed letter that explains the failure of Might magazine and the origins of this one. However, it’s been over ten years since I read the first issues.  Given my new perspective on McSweeney’s, and how I read just about everything they release, I thought it was about time to go back to the beginning and proceed through the issues until I meet up where I first started reviewing them.

Issue #1 has many features that are absent in later issues:

First is the cover.  This cover is simply filled with words; practically littered with them.  There are subtitles, there are jokes, there’s all sorts of things (I mean, just look at the full title of this issue).

Second is the letters column.  The difference with this letters column compared to most publications is that they are all (or mostly) nonsense.  One comes from an author whose piece is accepted into the issue (Morgan Phillips).  Another is a funny/silly letter from Sarah Vowell.  And there’s a letter to his cousin from John Hodgman (whose comic potential may not have been tapped at this point?). (more…)

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McSweeney’s #29 (2008)

Posted in Adventure, Fishbone, Funny (ha ha), Funny (strange), Joyce Carol Oates, King's X, Marriage Trouble, McSweeney's, Meta, Military, Outer Space, Roddy Doyle, Sex, Short Story, Smarty Pants, Threats, Unlikable main character, Violence, War, Yannick Murphy on January 11, 2009| Leave a Comment »

mc29SOUNDTRACK: FISHBONE-Give a Monkey a Brain and He’ll Swear He’s the Center of the Universe (1993).

monkeyI had actually forgotten about this album, because it was so overshadowed by Truth and Soul and Reality….. When I put it on I wasn’t expecting much (Fishbone had something of a precipitous decline around this time).  So, I was amazingly delighted with how much I remembered this album and how much I enjoyed it (which shows to me that I must have listened to it a lot back in college).

This album is much much heavier than anything they’ve done up to this point (I can’t speak for the releases that came after it).  It does have some variety of songs, but not nearly as much as their previous releases.  The other notable thing is that there’s no short songs on it.  There’s none of the one minute songs that they’ve put throughout their discs.

“Swim” was the single from the album and it is heavy and moshy.  The video, I seem to recall, was a lot of people crowd surfing.  “Black Flowers” slows things down a bit, but unlike previous ballads, this one is still pretty loud.  It’s got a great catchy melody, but it’s still  quite dark. “Servitude” reminds me of some of King’s X’s s darker moments, with their riffs and dark harmonies.  (This just shows how Fishbone is much more metal on this release).  Their first “lighter” song is the return to ska with “Unyielding Condition.”  It’s a nice let up from the heaviness, and is still catchy. “Lemon Meringue” is the other lighter moment, with a nice bass riff included.

Funk returns with “Properties of Propaganda” and the repeated chants of “Fuk This Shit on Up.”  “The Warmth of Your Breath” is hardcore insanity, the type of song that would have been about 2 minutes on another disc sort of overstays its welcome, although the often repeated line “may your dog’s colon be familiar with the warmth of your breath” while barely audible can’t help but raise a smile.  And even though “Drunk Skitzo” features Branford Marsalis, it’s still too long for such silliness.

So, it’s really the first half of the disc that I liked a lot…I guess some discs run too long.

I never got a Fishbone CD after this one.   The reviews were pretty lousy by then.  But of course, the reviews of this one were lousy too, so maybe I’m, selling their later output short.

[READ: January 3, 2009] McSweeney’s # 29

My cover for this book happens to be red.  Huh.

This issue comes as a hardcover book.  There are planets on the cover, including a die cut hole that shows the moon of the next page.

On the bottom of every page of the book are matchbox labels.  Most of them are Eastern European in origin.  They were collected by Jane McDevitt, a web designer in the UK.  Some of the images are available on her Flickr site: www.flickr.com/photos/maraid.  They are a pretty cool collection of images.  And, they brighten up all the work . (more…)

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Donald Antrim–“Another Manhattan” (New Yorker, December 22 & 29, 2008)

Posted in Christmas Album, Donald Antrim, Drinking, Funny (ha ha), Marriage Trouble, New Yorker, Short Story, Sufjan Stevens, Suicide on January 7, 2009| Leave a Comment »

TNY 12.22&29.08 cvr.inddSOUNDTRACK: SUFJAN STEVENS–Hark! Songs for Christmas Vol. II (2006).

harkIf we imagine that Sufjan had fun with vol. 1 one, then he must have had twice as much fun with vol. 2.  It’s nearly twice as long and full of a lot of short ditties.  “Angels We Have Heard on High” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” are short (less than a minute) instrumental versions (on keyboards which almost sound like a music box) of those songs (something that will become prominent throughout the series).  I love his version of “I Saw Three Ships,” the instrumentation is exotic and wonderful.

“Put the Lights on the Tree” is an original that sounds the most like Sufjan’s Illinois record.  It has those Michael Nymanesque fugue-like keyboard/orchestra bits and lots of backing vocals.  It’s only a shame it’s so short.  “Come Thou Font of Every Blessing” is a another mellow banjo folkie song that dates from the 18th century.  And “Only at Christmas Time” is another original, delicate and mellow.  I love that he can do such mellow songs even though he is known for his full orchestration.

“Once in Royal David’s City” (with lead banjo) and “We Three Kings” are sung by a guest vocalist: Vito Aiuto.  His voice is quite similar to Sufjans’s but is a bit more powerful.  “What Child is This Anyway” is a 6 minute keyboard-infused epic of the traditional song.  It’s very cool, with some interesting fuzztones on the keybaords.  And finally, “Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella”  is a subdued ending to the disc, sounding like it was recorded on an old phonograph.

It’s a nice progression from the first EP.

[READ: January 5, 2009] “Another Manhattan”

Some stories move along at a very brisk pace.  This is one of those stories.  Admittedly, in the beginning it was a little tough keeping the characters straight, but after a few paragraphs, it all falls into place.

The story is about two couples: Jim and Kate and and Elliot and Susan.  Jim & Kate are married, and Elliot & Susan are married.  (more…)

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Christopher Moore–Practical Demonkeeping (1992)

Posted in Adventure, Christopher Moore, Demons, Dreams, End of the World, Fishing, Funny (ha ha), Marriage Trouble, Supernatural, Technology, Threats on January 6, 2009| Leave a Comment »

practicalSOUNDTRACK: FISHBONE-The Reality of My Surroundings (1991).

realityThis was my first real exposure to Fishbone (except for John Cusack wearing the fish skeleton shirt in Say Anything, of course–which, no images available on the web?  How is that possible?).  At 60 minutes it’s one of  the first really long alternative discs to come out.  It does run a little long, but there’s so much packed into it that it’s easy to forgive their self indulgences.

Reality starts with the heavy, thrashy “Fight the Youth” an amazing guitar workout.  It’s almost not the same band as on Truth and Soul, except that all the Fishbone elements are still in there.  I listened to this album a lot in college.  I distinctly recall singing the line “Dooooo the Howwwwssssswork!” from “Housework” a fun return to the Fishbone of old.

But two other big highlights come near the end: “Everyday Sunshine” is just a beautiful song.  But even that doesn’t compare to “Sunless Saturday” a fantastic catchy and wonderful song.  It starts like a ballad but turns into a speedy rocker by the end, never too heavy, just perfect for what should have been a massive single.

The album has 18 songs, and interspersed throughout are silly songs that are about a minute each.  “Asswhippin” is 37 second of well, asswhippin.  But it’s the 4 “If I Were A…I’d” pieces that shows the band taking things they dislike and throwing them into a thrash song explaining what they’d do.  They were always fun back in the day, and even though, as songs, they are pretty silly, I enjoyed hearing them again.

This is a pretty massive record, and will always remain a favorite for me.

[READ: December 26, 2008] Practical Demonkeeping

After reviewing You Suck, I was inspired to read some more Christopher Moore (even though I have SO MANY OTHER books to read).  Anyhow, I put this book (his first) on hold, and it came much sooner than I expected. So, I decided to read this one instead of what’s next on my list.

But anyhow.

This book is set in Pine Cove, California.  A tourist trap that prides itself on being touristy.   As the book opens, one of Pine Cove’s residents is driving The Breeze around town looking for action. The Breeze is a small time drug dealer and trailer resident awaiting his big score tomorrow.  And so, he is obviously bummed not to make it through the night when he is swallowed by a giant demon. (more…)

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Peter Behrens–“Feel This” (The Walrus, December 2008)

Posted in Canadian Content, Cancer as plot device, Drinking, Fishbone, Marriage Trouble, Peter Behrens, Ska, The Walrus, War on January 6, 2009| Leave a Comment »

boniwalrus-dec08SOUNDTRACK: FISHBONE-Set the Booty Upright Bonin’ in the Boneyard single (1990).

This is a slight remix EP of their classic “Bonin’ in the Boenyard.”  The two remixes of the song (Bonin’ in the Jungle) and (New and Improved Bonin’) are okay (really nothing beats the original which is not included).  But the 3 other songs are fun b-sides.  “Love and Bullshit” is particularly good (even at under 2 minutes). It’s fast and furious.   “In the Name of Swing” is a jazzy romp with a few different sections for fun, and it features the nonsense that the band members talk and shout to each other in the background.

This is not essential by any means.

[READ: December 26, 2008] “Feel This”

This story about a brother returning from WWII has more depth than it might at first appear.  As we learn that the brother, Jack, has returned from the front under special circumstances, we see the family’s reaction to how he was discharged…honorably? …dishonorably? …or something else.

But really the story is about the family’s father, and how he handles disappointment (grief not really being an option for him). (more…)

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Chetan Bhagat–One Night @ the Call Center (2005)

Posted in Chetan Bhagat, Christmas on Mars, Consumerism, Corporate skewering, Foreign Books, Funny (ha ha), Marriage Trouble, Racism, Religion, Short Books, Supernatural, Technology, The Flaming Lips on December 20, 2008| 5 Comments »

onenightSOUNDTRACK—FLAMING LIPS-Christmas on Mars (film & soundtrack) (2008).

marsI’ve been a fan of the Flaming Lips for a pretty long time.  I first heard them with “She Don’t Use Jelly” (a novelty hit from 1993…who would have thought they’d have become so amazing) but I really got into them from the time of The Soft Bulletin (and Zaireeka).  Since around this time, Wayne Coyne and the Lips have been working on Christmas on Mars.  It is a “home movie” of sorts that the Lips and some special friends made in their home town (and their backyard).  They recently released the film on CD/DVD.

The film, based on the snippets I saw and everything I’d heard about it was nothing like what I expected.  wayneChristmas on Mars sounds like a cheesy/funny movie about, well, what Martians do for Christmas.  And seeing Wayne as a Martian seemed to confirm my suspicion.  But rather, what you get is a much less joyful celebration.

The movie is structured around a space station on Mars. There are only a half a dozen or so humans on board, and they are all going slowly crazy from a lack of oxygen.  Also on board is a “virgin” mother who is incubating a baby that was born on Mars.  One of the crew believes that the fate of the baby will determine the fate of the entire mission.

It is Christmastime on Mars, and there’s going to be a Christmas party.  But the Santa freaks out and runs outside just as a Martian walks up to the station.  The Martian is “captured” but he serenely walks around the ship, observing, mending and just being there.

There is very little dialogue.  There are really far out-trippy images.  There are lots of really creepy images (the people who let their baby be in the film were VERY trusting).  And there’s lots of vaginal imagery (in whacked out dream sequences) which makes me wonder what kind of MPAA rating this would get.

The film is a little dull at times (especially in the beginning)–although it could have just been that since I didn’t know what I was getting into, I wasn’t in the right mind frame for it…kind of like Eraserhead.  But it definitely picks up, and gets rather suspenseful.  It’s also nice that some “real” actors are in it, like SNL’s Fred Armisen,  AdamGoldberg (!) and Blue’s Clue’s Steve Burns (!!).

What’s most impressive though is the look of the film.  From interviews I read, I learned that Wayne was constructing most of the set himself (and that he got to use an abandoned processing plant for many of the scenes).  He very wisely films in low light and black and white, (with occasional splashes of supervibrant color) but the sets look really amazing.

The Flaming Lips are usually pretty upbeat and positive.  This film is overall pretty dark and negative, although there is always a ray of light shining through it.  I’m not going to give away the ending, though.

The CD is the soundtrack to the film.  It is not for the casual listener, or even necessarily for the Flaming Lips fan.  There’s no lyrics at all.  And the score is very befitting of a “lost in space at Christmastime” movie.  Unlike the typical Lips’ mood, the soundtrack is quite dark (and short at about half an hour).  The overall feel is ambient, but restless ambient.  And there’s very little in the way of tunes.  That’s not a criticism, as it is a soundtrack to the film, it’s just a warning for those expecting another “Waitin’ for a Superman.”  Although I admit it won’t be getting a lot of play in my house.

[READ: December 16, 2008] One Night @ the Call Center

A patron asked me to order Chetan Bhagat’s newest novel for her.  In the process, she told me that this novel, One Night @ the Call Center was very funny, and had finally gotten released over here.  I don’t always listen to patron suggestions, but for some reason this one stuck with me, so I inter-library loaned it.

As the title suggests, this story is set in a call center, and all the action takes place in one night (with some flashbacks).  The characters are six twenty-something Indians living in Delhi.  They work for Connections, a call center for an American appliance manufacturer. And their shift is from 10PM-2AM. (more…)

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Joshua Ferris–Then We Came to the End

Posted in Books about writers, Cancer as plot device, Consumerism, Corporate skewering, Funky Web Sites, Funny (ha ha), Joshua Ferris, Marriage Trouble, Michael Nyman, Pregnancy, Q, Sex, Smarty Pants, Technology, The Beach Boys, The Divine Comedy, Threats, Violence on December 12, 2008| Leave a Comment »

thenwecameSOUNDTRACK: THE DIVINE COMEDY-Liberation (1993).

libeartiuonThis is considered by many to be the “first” Divine Comedy album, even though Neil Hannon released a previous album under the name Divine Comedy (Fanfare for the Comic Muse).  He disowned that album, but, as you do, he reissued it several years later after much demand.

This is the second Divine Comedy album that I bought (after Promenade). And so, because I just reviewed Promenade, this review works as something of a comparison, which is of course, unfair, as Promenade should be compared to this, but so be it.

What I was most struck with, when listening to this disc after Promenade is how, even though the album covers are designed similarly, and everything about the discs suggests they should be similar, just how dissimilar the music is.  Not in a global “who is this band?” sense, but just in the particulars of the orchestration.

With Liberation, there’s no Michael Nyman influence.  Rather, you get some beautifully written orchestral pop music.  Although the orchestra is not terribly conventional: with harpsichord and organ being among the top instruments heard.

In a comparison to Promenade, Liberation is less thematically consistent but has more singles to offer.  “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” (the title of an F. Scott Fitzgerald story, so the literate songwriting is clearly in evidence) is a wonderful pop song.  As is “The Pop Singer’s Fear of the Pollen Count,” (“Even when I get hay fever I find, I may sneeze, but I don’t really mind… I’m in love with the summertime!”) the catchiest ode to summer this side of the Beach Boys.  “Your Daddy’s Car” speeds along on plucky strings and is just so happy, even when they crash the car into a tree.  “Europop” is a fantastic dressing down of Europop songs while still being hugely catchy.

Because I really enjoy Promenade (and Casanova) I tend to overlook this disc, but really it is just as good, and in some cases better than those two.  An air of pastoral glee pervades the record making it a real joy to listen to.  Especially in the summer.

[READ: December 8, 2008] Then We Came to the End

This book has the great distinction of being written in the first person plural (the narrator is “we,” for those of you who don’t remember eighth grade grammar).  This, of course, brings the reader into the story almost against his or her will.   Really, though, as you read it, you don’t think of yourself as being in the book, but rather, that the company that the unnamed narrators work for is something of a collective mentality.  And so it is.

The narrators work at an unnamed advertising agency in Chicago.  The time frame is the late 1990’s to early 2001 and there are lots and lots of layoffs.  Any time someone is laid off, “we” say they are “walking Spanish down the hall” (from a Tom Waits song).  And slowly they watch as one by one, staff are let go. (more…)

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