SOUNDTRACK: THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH-Live at KEXP (September 8, 2012).
The Tallest Man on Earth is Kristian Matsson a Swedish singer songwriter. His albums have a very full sound, but when he plays live, it’s just him and his guitar. And man, is he a compelling performer. His guitar playing (primarily classical-sounding but often heavy and mostly rocking) is gorgeous–fast and pretty. And his voice is gravelly and powerful. I’ve enjoyed the studio songs I’ve heard, but he is transcendent live.
This set opens with a buzzy guitar that sounds like the show is not recorded well. But that quickly goes away and the songs shine. Matsson is a charming and self depreciating performer and when he has a malfunction as in “Love is All”and at the end he says “that was kind of embarrassing.” But he not bothered by it and plays on with a great, short set.
The set includes some (then) new songs and a few older ones as well: “A Field of Birds,” “King of Spain”, “Tangle in This Trampled Wheat,” “Thrown Right at Me,” “The Gardener” and “Like a Wheel.” It’s a great introduction to the guy and his amazing voice. which you can enjoy at KEXP.
[READ: August 20, 2013] Miss Wyoming
I first read the book during my trip to Vancouver on the eve of Y2K (the best flight I’ve ever had—mostly empty and we were given champagne). I started reading it on the plane and then in the second chapter the heroine is in a plane crash. So I stopped reading. I’m sure I finished it later, although I didn’t remember much of anything about it.
I read it again now and I was a little disappointed when I started reading it. The first few chapters are so full of similes it is insane. The word “like” is tossed around at an incredulous pace. Like:
- John’s teeth were big and white, like pearls of baby corn
- …his skin like brown leather.
- His eyes looked like those of somebody who’s lost big.
- They crossed San Vicente Blvd, passing buildings and roads that once held stories for each of them, but which now seemed transient and disconnected from their lives, like window displays.
- Susan was wrapped in a pale light fabric, cool and comfortable, like a pageant winner’s sash.
- John was sweating like a lemonade pitcher,
- …his jeans, gingham shirt and black hair soaking up heat like desert stones.
- John felt as close to Susan as paint is to a wall.
- Staring at the pavement, like Prince William behind his mother’s coffin.
- This man with sad pale yes, like snowy TV sets
That’s all in the first chapter!
Now, I have come to see that the story is cyclical and it’s about people looking for their real selves. So it’s possible that the simile heavy beginning is meant to reflect the fact that the protagonists are looking for themselves—they have no substance so they can only be compared to other things. But man, it is hard going with that many comparisons.
The other major problem I had with the story was the really aggressive use of coincidence. Susan and John both end up eating out of fast food dumpsters; just as Susan’s mother wants to sell their house, a pile of garbage from an airplane falls on it. Right after we learn of a guy hoarding gasoline, the house explodes. Again there are arguments for why these things might happen in this story (numerology is an important aspect of the book), but it seems too…easy.
But once the story starts moving the actual plot is really interesting and compelling. (more…)
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SOUNDTRACK: THE PLANTS-“Aziphrale” (2013).
The Plants are Kids Corner favorites. And why not they are Philadelphia locals. I have enjoyed several of their songs but I wasn’t familiar with this one. And so I was surprised that it made the Top ten Kids Corner Countdown.
I Just Read About That... 