SOUNDTRACK: WEED-“Silent Partner” (2013).
This song started off a recent All Songs Considered podcast and it starts with a bang–a big wall of fuzzy guitars and the vocals mixed way back in the song. It has a very early 90s vibe–a slow song despite the loud buzzy guitars.
It reminds me of a lot of bands from that 90s era–Swervedriver, Screaming Trees–although it has a few moments (bridges maybe) in which the guitars plays faster, almost a heavy metal riff. And yet the chorus is expansive (if still distorted)–bringing together a lot of interesting elements. And I love the way the song ends with nearly 30 seconds of feedback.
I definitely want to hear more from these guys.
[READ: August 9, 2013] “The Idiot President”
This story seems to be referenced in Alarcón’s recent short story “Collectors.” In “Collectors” we meet Henry, the author of the play “The Idiot President” and we hear how he was jailed for performing the political piece.
In this story, apparently written five years before “Collectors,” we meet an actor who has worked with Henry and who has acted in “The Idiot President” (which was well received by audiences, especially the big reveal at the end). They were in an acting troupe called Diciembre and for this “tour” three of them–Henry, the narrator and Paralarga–went to small villages to perform the play.
While Henry and Patalarga were in Diciembre for real, the narrator knew he was going to be leaving the country soon. His brother lived in California and promised him a visa…soon. So the narrator just assumed that nothing he did had any real consequence. And while traveling around and acting seemed like a good idea, doing it in the winter with very little in the way of provisions was not the best idea. He lost weight and was always chilled and sickly.
There are a number of brief episodes in this story (which I assume is actually an excerpt). The first involves Tania. Tania is Patalarga’s second cousin and Henry’s ex-wife (from many years ago). After their performance in Tania’s city, she sings for them during the after party (with a beautiful voice that the narrator falls in love with). It is clear that the narrator is bewitched by her–while the other two just seem bemused by everything. She takes pity on him and walks him back to his bed. And just when he thinks she is “interested,” she makes it clear that she was just walking him to his bed. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 