SOUNDTRACK: MUSIQUE FRAGILE 01 (2011).
Constellation Records released this 3 volume set of unsigned Montreal-based musicians in 2011. It comes in a package of three LPs or 3 CDs (the CD package is the same shape as the vinyl, with the 3 discs inserted into the front–see picture). Both version come complete with all kinds of cool artwork–posters and postcards–that really set the tone for each album. You can see the contents here.
Presumably if they have an 01, they’re planning on an 02, but in the meantime, we have this collection. The artists are Les Momies De Palerme, Khôra and Nick Kuepfer. I’ve been listening to the discs over the holiday break and I’ll write about each one individually over the next couple of days.
But in the meantime, you can hear a sample at the link above.
[READ: December 30, 2011] “Things Critics Do That Piss Me Off”
I said that I’d be writing about a whole bunch of Max Barry things from his website. I was going to focus on just the short stories, but there were only three. So I figured I’d write about all of the things he had posted on this page (assuming they were his favorite). He doesn’t write very often on the website/blog. A cursory view of the front page shows a post every month or so. So it’s not like he culled these posts from thousands. But that’s okay. They’re still interesting. And they’re a nice corollary while I read his new book Machine Man.
Of course, not every post will blow your mind. “Things Critics Do That Piss Me Off” is, as the title says, a little rant. Now since, ostensibly I am a critic (sad fact must be faced) I actually get to read this as the target of his rant rather than the audience for the rant. Of course, I always imagined I would write fiction myself, so I can also look at it from that point of view too.
Regardless of which side of the coin you find yourself, these are pretty good things to hear from a writer. And I’ll look at it as a kind of resolutions for 2012.
1) Reads my mind (his example is of a critic saying that Barry got bored at some point while writing the book). I think I have done this once in a while (not the bored part, just tried to guess the author’s mindset). It’s kind of fun to try to imagine what the writer is going through. But I don’t do it very often and I shall try to do it less.
2) Spots Plot Holes That Aren’t There (his example is of a critic misunderstanding when something happened in the story). This one is hard to know when you are guilty. I would never do this on purpose (who would?), but if I make a mistake, I always correct it.
3) Spots Plot Holes That Are There (his example: shut the fuck up). I admit I don’t often find plot holes unless they are glaringly obvious. I like to give the writer the benefit of the doubt. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 