SOUNDTRACK: SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS-Tiny Desk Concert #497 (December 21, 2015).
To end out the Tiny Desk Christmas season, I chose this year’s entry. And for this year’s Christmas show, they went all out. There’s lights strung around the office, there’s twinkling gold tinsel behind them, presenting a wall of glitter, and a sign that says Dappy Holidays.
I don’t love Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (I often feel like I am the only person who doesn’t). I’m not a big fan of the blues or of soul music, so there is that. But then I heard her blues version of “Silent Night” and it is a travesty. “Silent Night” is a beautiful tender song. If done right, it can make you cry. But this is just dreadful. You don’t make “calm” a ten syllable word. You don’t sing “talkin ’bout a Silent Night.” You don’t make this song fun. You don’t show off you crooning skills with this song. You just sing it. Perfectly.
When she’s not tinkering with classics, though, Jones has some good fun with two originals. The first is the fun “8 Days of Hanukkah” She sings about all the things they’ll do on each day–spin the dreidel, roll out the latkes, and the best: “we’re cooking up the brisket the kosher butcher sold my uncle Saul,” It’s a lot of fun (when the horns launch into the dreidel song amid their jamming it’s a good time). This is the kind of soul that I like–lots of swinging horns and good times.
And Sharon herself seems like a fun person–she asks for help remembering the lyrics to the final song and plays it off in a fun way.
“Big Bulbs” is another original. It’s also funny with the lyrics, “Baby you got them big bulbs flashing in your windows tonight.” IT seems like it’s a double entendre but I don’t really think it is, it’s just fun.
Despite my aversion to the first song, she totally won me over with the second two songs, and I’d happily add those to any holiday mix.
[READ: December 10, 2015] Drama
I really enjoyed Telgemeier’s Smile and Sisters. But I enjoyed Drama even more.
This story is an ode to everyone who works behind the scenes at the drama club. But it’s also a chance for the stars to shine and the shy kids to come out too. All done in Telgemeier’s delightfully simple yet effective drawing and storytelling style.
Callie is in love with the drama club. She works late on sets, she loves seeing things come to completion. She also knows she has no talent to be on stage.
And things are good. Until the drama arises. Greg and Matt are her friends. Greg is a little older and Callie has a crush on him. When Greg tells her that his girlfriend Bonnie broke up with him, she is pretty excited. And they share a kiss. But from that moment on, not only does Greg avoid her, but Matt is a jerk to her, too. Not bad for the first few pages. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 