Since I rambled a bit about Centurion in this space, I thought it might be apt to talk a bit about a film I liked significantly more. In this case, it’s Winter’s Bone, which I saw at BAM a few weeks ago. It’s impressive: the acting is uniformly top-notch, from familiar faces (a couple of …
Two days, two Vol.1 pieces invoking Cometbus. Can’t go wrong with linking that, really.
Most recently, Jason Diamond’s essay “A Kaddish for Jewish Zines.” And yesterday, my review of Jamie Iredell’s Prose. Poems. A novel.
Which, I’d say, also serves as a reminder to myself that I really need to make it over to Book Thug …
One: Matthew Perpetua on Stuart Murdoch’s God Help the Girl project.
Two: Stephen Rodrick on the same.
Three: Jason Diamond on Morrissey and the upcoming anthology Heavy Rotation.
Following last week’s discussion of leaks and release dates, this Idolator piece on the reaction to Grizzly Bear’s new album leaking in a low-quality version makes for a surreal coda. Added bonus: it’s by Thursday Agitation interviewee Christopher Weingarten.
Saw Idiocracy last week. I find myself thinking it would make a fine double bill with WALL-E: each depicts a future in which aspects of modern culture have spun out of control, leading to mammoth piles of garbage, an unholy fusion of big business with government, and an agriculturally barren landscape. One’s a cult classic, …
Lately, I’ve been reading MobyLives, the recently revived blog run by the folks at Melville House. There’s a generally contrarian angle to some of the coverage of publishing — particularly on the impact of electronic readers — which makes for a valuable perspective. In particular, their post on Google’s agreement with the Author’s Guild and …
Attendance, the flyer said, would be capped at 90. I’d guess that the chapel in New York’s Church of Sweden — on 48th Street just off Fifth Avenue, unobtrusive among financial offices and gleaming glass hotels — seated 75 at most, and a few songs into her set, Frida Hyvönen suggested that those standing come …
Coming very soon: a writeup on Ms. Hyvönen’s show tonight at the Swedish Church on 48th Street. For now: a live version of her song “Birds”.
I’m feeling pretty good about America right now.
[Postscript: this isn't something I say often: what Ross Douthat just said.]
Amy Phillips on Iceland Airwaves.
Molly Templeton on Twilight, and its soundtrack.
Cause Co-Motion on, among other things, wings. No, seriously. Well, kind of.
Picked up the debut full-length from High Places a few weekends ago. Both the CD and LP come in nifty gatefold packaging, which is definitely a plus. What threw me momentarily, though, was the lack of any sort of band information inside. I was reminded of picking up the second Sunny Day Real Estate album …
Heading out of town for a wedding. Posting will become more steady upon my return on Tuesday. Until then, this may amuse you.
Last Wednesday’s Rick Moody reading at Greenpoint’s Word Books was a fine example of the literary/musical intersection I’m fond of discussing. When he’s at his best, Moody’s work pulls off things that I can’t dream of doing: “The Carnival Tradition” (from Demonology) remains one of my favorite pieces of short fiction, and his essays on …
Pianos on a Friday night is a strange place to be. The bar portion, which one has to traverse in order to get to the venue in the back, was on this particular night full of well-dressed, well-off types making loud conversation. The actual performance space, which had added a bar since the last time …
Sitting on my desk right now is School of Seven Bells‘ debut full-length, Alpinisms. It’s a promotional copy, coated with black-and-white photographs of the band, contact information for relevant parties, and information that the album will be released on October 28th of this year.
I’ve only had time to give the album an initial listen. I …