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A.A. Milne–The Red House Mystery (1922)

June 6, 2023 by Paul Debraski

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus

[READ: June 6, 2023] The Red House Mystery

In Peter Swanson’s mystery Eight Perfect Murders, his narrator makes a list of eight perfects murders in fiction–not the best books, just the perfect setup for murder.  These books are:

Agatha Christie’s A. B. C. Murders, Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, Ira Levin’s Death Trap, A. A. Milne’s Red House Mystery, Anthony Berkeley Cox’s Malice Aforethought, James M. Cain’s Double Indemnity, John D. Macdonald’s The Drowner, and Donna Tartt’s A Secret History.

And yes, A.A. Milne, the writer of Winnie the Pooh, is one of those authors.  Swanson’s narrator kind of dismisses the story saying that it’s a quaint mystery and that the murder is perfect (meaning the killer would never get caught), but almost with an asterisk.

What’s all that about?

Well, the story is set in an English country manor, the Red House.  The kind of place where other rich folk would come to stay for a few weeks, drinking, playing gold and generally enjoying themselves as rich English folk apparently did at the turn of the century.  The owner of the house is Mark Ablett.  He is a single man.  However, he informally adopted his younger cousin as an opportunity to pay forward a good deed that was done to him when he was a young lad with limited propsects.   The boy (who is now in his late 20s) is named Cayley and is (now that he has been formally educated) more or less Mark’s right-hand man.  Mark doesn’t seem to do anything without consulting Cayley.

Mark is generally liked (he is no snob), but he can go on a bit.  As the book opens, Mark is hosting some people: Major Rumbold, a retired soldier; Bill Beverley, a youngish man about town.  There was also Ruth Norris, an actress “who took herself seriously as an actress and, on her holidays, seriously as a golfer.”  Finally there was Betty Calladine (18 and eligible) and her widowed mother (keen to get her settled).  Continue Reading »

Posted in A.A. Milne, Eight Perfect Murders, Guns, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Sherlock Holmes | Leave a Comment »

Pierce the Veil / The Used / Don Broco / DeathbyRomy (The Rooftop at Pier 17, New York, NY, June 5, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 5, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 5, 2023] Pierce the Veil / The Used / Don Broco / DeathbyRomy

My son has been into Pierce the Veil for a while.  When they announced a show last year we were going to go, but they weren’t the headliners, and it seemed like a lot for just 45 minutes of music.

So here they were, possibly headlining (certainly co-headlining) this Creative Control tour with The Used.

There were literally FIVE shows that we could have gotten to for this tour.

This was the first one.  And the least likely for us to attend.  A Monday night show on the Rooftop at Pier 17, thank you, but no.

The second one was at the Skyline Stage at the Mann Center.  Not a great venue to drag to on a Friday night (we would’ve certainly missed at least one band).  But I already had tickets to see Pixies.  I would have given those up for this show, but was happy I didn’t have to.

The third show was at the Stone Pony and that’s what we got tickets for. Continue Reading »

Posted in DeathbyRomy, Don Broco, Girlfriends, New York City, Pierce the Veil, The Rooftop at PIer 17, The Used | Leave a Comment »

Grandson / K. Flay / Jack Kays (Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, June 4, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 4, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 4, 2023] Grandson / K. Flay / Jack Kays

Last year my son and I saw grandson and he was great.  It was a stellar show.  So when he announced a new tour this year I grabbed us both a ticket.

Last year I know he was really into the grandson album, but I hadn’t heard him talk much about the music this year.  He had seemed excited about the show when I told him about it, but as it drew close I felt like maybe he didn’t fell like going.

It turns out that the school was going to Great Adventure the next day and he didn’t want to be tired for it.  Which is fair. I happened to do a ton of yard work during the day and the last thing I wanted to do was stand for three hours in Franklin Music Hall.

Even though I’m sure grandson kicked ass.  And maybe if I liked his openers more next time I’d see him again.

Jack Kays is a 22-year-old musician from Cincinnati, Ohio, here to raise awareness for mental health, drug addiction, and redemption—situations and obstacles he personally has faced, gone through, and overcame. Blending the genres of hip-hop, alternative, and folk, Jack carves his own unique lane and sound, while touching the masses with his remarkable story.

The one song I listened to was all acoustic guitar and intensity.  I rather liked it.  He’s also apparently a trained chef!

K. Flay (full name Kristine Meredith Flaherty), is an American singer, musician, songwriter, and rapper. Her debut album Life as a Dog was released in 2014.

Her singing style reminds me a lot of grandson’s actually.  They seem like a perfect fit.  In fact, when the tour was announced I wasn’t sure if the two of them would be performing together or separately.  I mean, the official tour name was Grandson & K.Flay Present: I Love You, I’m Trying Tour.

I wish we were more up for going.

Posted in Franklin Music Hall, grandson, Jack Kays, K. Flay, Philadelphia, PA, Wax Trax! | Leave a Comment »

Edgar Camacho–Super Trash Clash (2022) translation (2022)

June 3, 2023 by Paul Debraski

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus.

[READ: June 2023] Super Trash Clash

This graphic novel reminded me of Scott Pilgrim, but more for the drawing style than for the video game connection.

I have to admit I was a little confused in the beginning.  A young woman is walking down the street and she sees a video game in the window of…a pawn shop?

I misunderstood the jump cut.  Obviously, the woman is now opening a chest, but I read it as a dumpster–that she had found this video game in a dumpster.  This seemed further confirmed when she plus the game in and her initials are there.

Okay, so I misunderstood, but that’s more on me, I think.  Because the entire rest of the story is the flashback to her having the game in the first place.

We see Dul (for that is her name) saying she can’t go to the arcade wit her friend Misa because her mother needs her.  When he mother gets home, Dul reminds her (again) that it is her birthday coming up and she really wants a new video game because she mastered Italian Bros like a thousand times.  Her mother reminds her that she is not made of money. Continue Reading »

Posted in Edgar Camacho, Eva Ibarzabal, Graphic Novel, Huh?, Humiliation, Parenting, Top Shelf Productions, Translation, Video Games | Leave a Comment »

Panchiko / Horse Jumper of Love / LSD and the Search for God (Brooklyn Bowl, Philadelphia, PA, June 2, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 2, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 2, 2023] Panchiko / Horse Jumper of Love / LSD and the Search for God

The story of Panchiko is absurd.

The band first received public attention in 2016 when their 2000 demo EP D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L was discovered by a 4chan user in a charity shop in Sherwood, Nottingham and shared online. The EP’s status as lost media led to a dedicated cult following and a community devoted to tracking down its band members. This was unbeknownst to the band until 2020, when Davies was found and contacted by a fan through Facebook.

Panchiko has since released two compilation albums remastering their older music: a reissue of D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L combining their first two EPs and Ferric Oxide (Demos 1997-2001). In December 2021, the band performed their first show in over twenty years in their hometown of Nottingham, after which they embarked on their first tour in the United States.  In November 2021, they amassed over 10 million streams on Spotify.

I mean, not to mention that the word they are talking about is actually Pachinko.  But whatever.  I listened to the EP back in 2019 or so and liked it.  I considered seeing them when they came around in 2022, but it fell through for some reason.

I didn’t actually hear about this show until a few days ago and it was too late to make plans to go. I haven’t even really listened to the new music to know if I wanted to go, so no big deal.

Back in 2021, when I looked up Horse Jumper of Love, I discovered

They play downbeat, rather depressing mope rock.  With occasional flares of noise attached.  I’d hope they’d be more lively in concert.  But I doubt it somehow.

LSD and the Search for God are pretty interesting.  I listened to a few of their songs and really liked them. And then, just as quickly, I got tired of them.  Drugs, huh?

LSD and the Search for God hit the Northern California coast in 2005–seemingly from another space and time–dosing San Francisco’s underground psychedelic music community with hypnotic live shows built upon swirling guitars, otherworldly drones, fuzzed-out pop hooks, and youthfully flirtatious male/female vocals.

I suspect they’d be very good live.

 

Posted in Brooklyn Bowl, Horse Jumper of Love, LSD and the Search for God, Panchiko, Philadelphia, PA | Leave a Comment »

Mike’s Dead / The Haunt / Crucial Device / Death Valley Dreams (Warehouse on Watts, Philadelphia, PA, June 2, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 2, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 2, 2023] Mike’s Dead / The Haunt / Crucial Device / Death Valley Dreams

The only reason I know about this show is because my friend Ryan Williams is in Death Valley Dreams.  He’s a great guitar player who has been bouncing around with bands for a while.  I’ve never actually seen him play live, and this was one where I thought I might be able to make the show.

But a Friday night show one very short notice (I found out two days ago) was really hard to secure.  So it didn’t happen.

I have never heard of Mike’s Dead.  His bio says:

Combining elements of legendary industrial/ hard rock groups such as Rammstein, Nine Inch Nails, & Limp Bizkit with modern trap/ electronic elements,  American rapper & producer, Mike’s Dead, has paved his own lane as a multifaceted artist.

Had I gone to this show, I probably would have left during this set.  Or, maybe he pulled it all together in a way I might have liked.

I have seen The Haunt open for The Hu and frankly I’m surprised that they weren’t the headliners.  But maybe they’re not that famous.  About that 2021 show,  I wrote

The Haunt, formerly known as AnastasiaMax are from South Florida. The band consists of siblings, Anastasia Grace Haunt (lead vocals), and Maxamillion Haunt (vocals, guitar and production).

Anastasia has an amazing voice–really power and diversity.  Max sang lead and harmony vocals and their voices sounded fantastic together.  The set was great and I felt like they really won over the audience.

Crucial Device is a ‘synth-punk’ band formed in 2022 by Steve Saputelli, leader of the 90’s industrial-cyberpunk originators Punch Drunk.  According to his bio, he is an active multi-instrumentalist and production enthusiast, he also built and performed with his own animatronic, signal controlled band members!

I’d totally want to see them if t here were animatronic players!

I only found out that Ryan was in Death Valley Dreams a few days ago.  I hadn’t even heard of the band before that.  Their bio (from before Ryan joined–I think he’s just a touring keyboard player at  the moemnt) says

Death Valley Dreams combines haunting guitar textures, infectious melodies, dark and thought-provoking lyrics, pulsing grooves, and almost nostalgic-sounding synth atmospheres. As one fan described, “It’s as if The Cars got David Bowie to sing and played something that could have been on The Lost Boys soundtrack.” The sound is familiar yet fresh and unique.

That Cars/Bowie thing is pretty accurate actually.

Posted in Death Valley Dreams, Mike's Dead, Philadelphia, PA, The Haunt, Warehouse on Watts | Leave a Comment »

Silversun Pickups / The Backfires (Xcite Center, Bensalem, PA, June 2, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 2, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 2, 2023] Silversun Pickups / The Backfires

Silversun Pickups were doing a four date mini-tour and I was sure I could finally get to see them.

I’d have preferred to see Silversun Pickups at Parx (even though I’ve had some really bad experiences there lately) because it is easier to get to.  But tickets there were $30 more than at Starland.  So the hell with that.

Anyhow, I have thought about seeing Silversun Pickups a few times and it never materialized.  They have two songs that I love and a few others that I like quite a lot.

I bought a ticket for NJ so I wasn’t likley to go to Parx as well.  Even when I didn’t go to Starland.  Alas.

The Backfires are a band from New York (and the lead guy lived in London for a few years).  They are a rocking alternative band in the Arctic Monkeys vein.  I enjoyed most of their recently released EP.  Word has it that they are going to be the next big thing.  Let’s find out.

Posted in Bensalem, PA, Silversun Pickups, The Backfires, Xcite Center | Leave a Comment »

Silversun Pickups / The Backfires (Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ, June 1, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 1, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 1, 2023] Silversun Pickups / The Backfires

I tend to dislike Starland Ballroom, primarily because it can take forever to get into the building.  I missed an entire opening act while waiting online outside.   I’d have preferred to see Silversun Pickups at Parx (even though I’ve had some really bad experiences there lately) because it is easier to get to.  But tickets there were $30 more than at Starland.  So the hell with that.

Starland has acknowledged their shitty check in process by now instituting a $15 VIP/skip the line ticket.  So, reward them for being shitty at their jobs.  No thanks.

Anyhow, I have thought about seeing Silversun Pickups a few times and it never materialized.  They have two songs that I love and a few others that I like quite a lot.

This show was during a week that I had no other shows and during which nothing big was going on.  And, my friend Brendan was going to be there.  So I waited until the day before the show to buy a ticket.

Then I got home and life caught up with me and I had things to do and couldn’t go.  Alas.

The Backfires are a band from New York (and the lead guy lived in London for a few years).  They are a rocking alternative band in the Arctic Monkeys vein.  I enjoyed most of their recently released EP.  Word has it that they are going to be the next big thing.  Let’s find out.

Posted in Sayreville, NJ, Silversun Pickups, Starland Ballroom, The Backfires | Leave a Comment »

Colleen AF Venable, Stephanie Yue–Katie and the Catsitter: Secrets and Sidekicks (2023)

May 30, 2023 by Paul Debraski

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus

[READ: May 20, 2023] Katie and the Catsitter: Secrets and Sidekicks

I have enjoyed everything I’ve read by Colleen AF Venable.  I really enjoyed the first book in the series and was excited for the second.  But apparently I missed it completely, because when I was reading this, I didn’t really know who all the characters were-or what their past together was.

Despite that, I was still able to fully enjoy this story and am looking forward to reading Book 2 to fill in the gaps.

Once again the artwork is by Stephanie Yue who also drew her Guinea P.I. books and it is a perfect match.

In this story Katie has been fully deputized by The Mousestress although her mother (who works nights) had no idea what she gets up to.

(Beth was the girl that Katie was best friends with until camp tore them apart in Book 1.  It’s nice they’re back together) would love to train with Katie and Mousestress.  But Mousetress wants her to be older (or have her mother’s permission) before she does any training.  Even though she is the same age as Katie–but Katie’s mother says it’s okay (except she doesn’t actually know).  Ironically, Beth’s mother is super hero Stainless Steel (the revelation to Beth’s father is pretty darn funny).

They have a mutual friend Jess (who I didn’t recognize).  She is dating the son of the CEP of Buttersoft Bionics, a company whom the Mousestress believes is up to seriously no good.

Apparently The Eastern Screech (aka Owl Guy) has escaped from jail and that is taking up much TV news time.  A photo on the screen shows that Mr. B (their beloved bodega owner downstairs) has a brother Benito and he looks exactly like Owl Guy (at least according to Katie–no one else can see it). Continue Reading »

Posted in Cats, Children's Books, Colleen AF Venable, Cute, Funny (ha ha), Stephanie Yue, Summer, Superheroes, Unfinished series | Leave a Comment »

Brian Level, Ryan Ferrier, Kate Sherron, Crank!–Silk Hills (2022)

May 29, 2023 by Paul Debraski

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus.

[READ: May 9, 2023] Silk Hills

I haven’t been reading that many graphic novels lately.  My daughter made the excellent point that our local library has an excellent graphic novel collection but that it hasn’t been updated in quite a while.  So I was pleased t o see this book at work, especially since it was from Oni Press, a reliably weird publisher.

I don’t know any of the contributors: authors Brian Level (has written for Star Wars and Marvel) and Ryan Ferrier (has written lots of indie books and written for Marvel and DC).  Crank! is Christopher Crank who has done lettering for just about everyone.  Kate Sherron has a very distinctive visual style (which I see a lot of people don’t like).  I thought it was pretty cool and unusual–it reminded me a bit of Jeff Lemire’s style.

I have been listening to a book of short stories from The X-Files, and this book immediately made me think of the X-Files.  It’s also the kind of story that either should have been longer or should have had fewer hallucinatory passages and had more explanatory pages.

Beth Wills is a former Marine turned private investigator.  She lives in New York City but is sent to an unnamed rural community called Silk Hills.  It must be pretty far, as a gas station attendant remarks on her New York plates, but we don’t know exactly where Silk Hills is.

I enjoyed the interactions with Wills and the gas station attendant also a former military man (out six years). Continue Reading »

Posted in Brian Level, Crank!, Death, Deer, Drugs, Graphic Novel, Guns, Huh?, Humiliation, Kate Sherron, Moths, Oni Press, Ryan Ferrier, The X Files, Violence, Yuck! | Leave a Comment »

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