tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687498096768474442024-03-04T23:24:10.507-08:00Your Insipid Record Collection/Adult BooksTimmybearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09892276346644554626noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-868749809676847444.post-15372330607996018302017-11-08T20:24:00.003-08:002017-11-08T20:24:57.808-08:00Your Insipid Record Collection #4/Adult Books #2, late fall 2017<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION #4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">PUT
THE NEEDLE ON THE RECORD...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Marc
Almond, SHADOWS AND REFLECTIONS lp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Brix
and the Extricated, PART 2 lp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Dream
Syndicate, HOW DID I FIND MYSELF HERE? lp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Explosions
In The Sky, THE WILDERNESS 2xlp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Jad
Fair & Kramer, THE HISTORY OF CRYING lp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Lemon
Twigs, DO HOLLYWOOD lp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Limpwrist,
FACADES lp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Monks,
HAMBURG RECORDINGS 1967 ep<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Noise
Addict, 10 000 KIDS WITH GUITARS 2xlp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Pere
Ubu, 20 YEARS IN A MONTANA MISSILE SILO lp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Planetarium,
S/T 2xlp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Laetitia
Sadier Source Ensemble, FIND ME FINDING YOU lp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Jackie
Shane, ANY OTHER WAY 2xlp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">The
Waterboys, OUT OF ALL THIS BLUE 2xlp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">John
Waters, MAKE TROUBLE 7”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px;">________________________________________</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">THANK YOU TO RECORD PURVEYORS(Bill, Sunrise Records,
ZAP, Brian’s Record Option, Now & Then)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">AND HERE’S A MESSAGE TO THOSE WHO SAY ‘YOU STILL LISTEN
TO VINYL?’ (yes) OR ‘THEY STILL MAKE VINYL?’ (apparently) OR ‘HAVEN’T YOU HEARD
OF STREAMING OR DOWNLOADING?’ (yes, beautiful and valid choices, with which I
occasionally experiment, but my heart belongs to the RCA pup)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">yirc.blogspot.ca<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><a href="mailto:timjohnmurphy@bell.net">timjohnmurphy@bell.net</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">if
you are the type who sends (preferably non-explosive/non-boobytrapped)
correspondence via post, ‘e’ me for the address.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">(c)
Tim Murphy (editor/writer/caterer/fluffer), late 2017, for Does A Bear Woof In
The Woods? Press</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: Batang, serif;">________________________________________</span>PUT
THE NEEDLE ON THE RECORD...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marc
Almond, </span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">SHADOWS AND REFLECTIONS lp (BMG)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> At 60, Mr. Almond’s voice has
thickened and deepened, but that is a distinct advantage on this collection, as
he croons his way through somewhat melancholy, but not bathetic, selections.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> It consists, with one exception, of
covers of 60s songs from artists as diverse as <i>Timi Yuro</i> and <i>The Yardbirds</i>.
Three or four of them are vaguely familiar to me, but many of them may either
be cult classics or songs that simply did not chart in North America.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> These pieces are lush and
well-arranged without being grandiose, and considering that the basic tracks of
several are done by two people, seem quite organic. Unlike some of his originals
in this style or his previous covers of <i>Jacques
Brel</i>, the strings and other exotic touches are restrained, and the backing
vocals are similarly tasteful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Even the one original is in the same
tone and mood. Though he may have missed the boat in terms of the
lounge/exotica trend, it is an enjoyable and engrossing LP for the most part.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">________________________________________</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">PUT
THE NEEDLE ON THE RECORD...</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Brix
and the Extricated, </span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">PART 2 lp (Blang)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> After years running a store, and
occasional forays into online music releases, <i>Brix Smith Start</i> returns with an LP at last. Even better, the rhythm section consists of
her former Fall-mates, Steve and Paul Hanley, and Steve Trafford, one of her
two co-guitarists, was in another line-up of the Fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> It is a tasty collection of
indie-pop-rock, with a hearty attitude and energy, and includes re-visits of
Fall tracks <i>LA, Hotel Bloedel </i>and <i>Feeling Numb</i>. Given that the latter two
were created from songs she wrote before meeting Mark E Smith, she has a very
firm claim on them, and <i>LA</i> and <i>Hotel Bloedel</i> had her on lead or co-lead
vocals in the original takes. They’re fairly faithful to the original takes,
though a little more pleasant in pitch and sound than the previous
interpretations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> In terms of the new compositions,
‘Damned For Eternity’ has a sprightly garage-pop strut to it, and ‘Moonrise
Kingdom’ is sparkly and shimmering, a bit like late <i>Lush</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Guitar-driven, with strong hooks, and
vocals that are both endearing and forceful. A brilliant return to form and the
spotlight, which proves it is never too late to be a rock diva again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> And no, there does not appear to be a
Part 1 out there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px;">________________________________________</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">PUT
THE NEEDLE ON THE RECORD...</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dream
Syndicate, </span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">HOW DID I FIND MYSELF HERE? Lp (Anti-)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">Nearly thirty years after its last album,
original members <i>Dennis Duck </i>(drums)
and <i>Steve Wynn</i> (guitar/vocals), as
well as <i>Mark Walton</i> (bass, who
replaced <i>Kendra Smith</i> after the first
album) and <i>Jason Victor</i> (guitarist
who worked with <i>Wynn</i> on the latter’s
solo material for years), release this eagerly anticipated new one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> The inclusion of <i>Chris Cacavas</i> on keyboards adds a psychedelic and vaguely jazzy
component to several tracks, and <i>Linda
Pitmon, Steve’s</i> wife, adds additional percussion to a couple of songs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> The eight songs stretch out over
nearly fifty minutes, so the arrangements are very relaxed and expansive. The
tempos are a little less frantic than <i>The
Days of Wine And Roses</i>, and the title track is an intricate affair of
nearly eleven minutes, while <i>80 West</i>
has some passages that recall <i>Neil Young</i>
at his most corrosive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> <i>Steve’s</i>
voice retains the Dylan-meets-Lou-Reed quality of the past, though a bit warmer
and more playful with the passage of time.
The music is rootsy and prone to tasteful white noise and fuzz. <i>Dennis</i>’
drumming in particular is more subtle and laid-back than in the past. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: Batang, serif;">________________________________________</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">PUT
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> The biggest surprise here, though, is
the re-appearance of <i>Kendra Smith</i>.
After she left the band, and following a relatively low-key solo career and a
stint in <i>Opal </i>(which became <i>Mazzy Star</i> shortly before she left,
though she is on none of those records), she disappeared into the woods of
California off the grid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Evidently, she could be reached,
however, as she contributes vocals and lyrics to the closing track, <i>Kendra’s Dream</i>, whose title is reflected
in the somewhat meditative music. Her voice has become even deeper over the
years, resembling <i>Nico</i> more and more.
She did not elect to re-join the group, but this piece was a welcome treat.
Perhaps we can hope she will produce more in future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> In short, if you like rootsy Americana
with a kick, you will probably adore this record.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Explosions
In The Sky, </span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">THE WILDERNESS 2xlp (Temporary Residence)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif;">When this band started out, they were roughly in the post-rock category, given that they did longer pieces without vocals, but they were very much a two guitar, bass and drums outfit at that point, albeit featuring drums that were more in the military/press style in the early days.</span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif;">As time has gone on, and especially on
this three-sided release, they have expanded outward to include more
electronics and altered sounds, especially on the drums.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> There isn’t much in the way of the
epic guitar noise of some of their past records – it is much quieter and
introspective, occasionally almost orchestral a la Rhys Chatham in terms of
six-string sounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> A gentler, if not necessarily
soothing, experience, and an interesting evolution that has been gradually
unfolding – a bit like how Eleventh Dream Day evolved from Neil Young freakouts
to a more sedate, spacey feel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jad
Fair and Kramer, </span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">THE HISTORY OF CRYING lp (Shimmy-500)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> In their first collaboration for over
twenty years, these gents throw a few curves. First of all, it has electronic
elements, though not in a high-tech way, with guest tasteful guitar solos from
Paul Leary of the Butthole Surfers. Second of all, and most shocking, Jad
actually sings! Tunefully! (with backing from Kramer)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> The liner notes inside this LP
document the discussions said to have resulted in this platter. Some of it
sounds improbable, but they are both odd fellows, so it’s possible it did
happen that way. It’s an enjoyable read, at which I laughed out loud several
times.</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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THE NEEDLE ON THE RECORD...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Twelve tracks of odd pop. If you are
looking for the noisy clatter of Half Japanese, you will be disappointed, but
it is endearing and sweet, and has had heavy circulation on my Radio Shack
imitation-wood turntable. How could you not love titles like ‘I Miss My Analog
Warmth’ and ‘I Won’t Eat ‘Til You Come Back To Me’?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> If you search on Vimeo, you will find
several trippy videos made to promote this record, such as ‘Red Red Sun’, the
opening track, which definitely has the prettiest vocal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Shimmy-500 has a strict policy – 500
colour vinyl copies, vinyl only, no fucking CD’s (shocking, but I quote) and no
downloads (until the vinyl sells out). So if you don’t have a record player,
you may have to limit yourself to those videos, or (gasp!) befriend one of
those scary people who still plays the big CDs.</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Lemon Twigs, </span></i><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">DO HOLLYWOOD lp (4AD)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Batang, serif;">Between them, <i>Michael </i>and <i>Brian D’Addorio</i> play virtually all the instruments and voices (including violins, cellos and trumpets), barring one guitar</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">solo, some electronic percussion and backing
vocals, and pay modern tribute to some of the best, knowing pop of the 70s, be
it <i>The Partridge Family, Sparks, Wings </i>or
<i>Big Star, </i>in a very relaxed fashion (to the extent, like the Beach Boys, that there is patter captured in some of the songs).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">________________________________________</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">PUT
THE NEEDLE ON THE RECORD...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">In fact, there is even
tape hiss, which means it is not a digital affair (it was apparently recorded
in the front room of their producer’s home).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Every possible Seventies cliché, from
prog synthesizer flourishes to the falsetto styling of <i>Russell Mael</i>, with brushes at the catchy melancholy of <i>Emitt Rhodes</i> (which only makes sense in
the multi-instrumental overdubbing context), is here, but in the service of
well-written and quirky songs. My personal faves are the sugary confection of
“I Wanna Prove To You” and the T-Rexy oddity of “A Great Snake”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> They have a new EP out now, on which
there is an actual band, as opposed to this demo sound. I hope it retains much
of the same mad fizz that the LP displays.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Limpwrist,
</span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">FACADES
lp (La Vida Es Un Mus)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">Nine years since their last LP, this
hardcore quartet return with their most polished and even catchy/hooky work
ever, including a track which exceeds the </span></div>
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duration of some of their 45s. It’s
still less than half an hour, but that’s long by comparison to some past
products from the band. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Batang, serif;"> As usual, their material focuses on
liberation, queer politics and a call to arms against the conformity and
conservatism of the gay community, with selections such as the title track and
‘Wrap Yourselves In Me’ being especially pointed in this regard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Side A, though it does not list a
producer, is presumably done by the band itself, while the B-side, consisting of three longer
selections, is produced by the guitarist, Scotty Moore, and mixed by Don Pyle,
which may account for its greater clarity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> I may be getting accustomed to the
speed and ferocity of their delivery, but it seems that the tunes and vocals
are easier to discern now than I found them to be in the past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> The record comes with a big ‘zine
which contains the lyrics of Side A’s tracks, and numerous testimonials,
polemics and history lessons as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> It’s fierce, in both senses, and
definitely worth having, even if, as Hunx puts it, ‘you don’t like rock ‘n’
roll’. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Batang; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-hansi-font-family: Batang; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">________________________________________</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">PUT THE NEEDLE ON THE RECORD...</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Monks,
</span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">HAMBURG
RECORDINGS 1967 ep (Third Man Records)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">This band of American GIs based in Germany
had a certain built-in destruct mechanism, inasmuch as once they were posted,
they would probably have had to break up. They put out one classic album, BLACK
MONK TIME (1965), and a couple of singles after that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Their original, very fierce sound was
driven by minimal drums, organ, electric banjo, and lyrical/vocal bad attitude.
They actually had something of a following in Germany, and even appeared on
some pop music programs, though the audience tended to look bemused after they
performed, and it was very difficult to dance to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> By this point, they had mellowed a
bit, perhaps because of a desire to be more successful or maybe just an
evolution as they aged. “I’m Watching You” was an extra track produced during
the same sessions of the 1967 single “Love Can Tame The Wild”/”He Went Down To
The Sea”, while the other four tracks were recorded after hours in a club they
frequently performed at, and even included an instrumental.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> It is far less fierce than that first
LP, but it’s still an interesting little collection of oddities, and probably
the very last vestiges of the group’s unreleased material, so definitely worth
having for completists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Noise
Addict, </span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">10 000 KIDS WITH GUITARS 2xlp (Numero Group)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">Aussie kids who started out in the mid-90s
as just into their teenage years and barely being able to play – comparisons to
the Shaggs are not entirely unjustified – and ending with a sort of adolescent
Pixies/Sonic Youth pop thing going on, and even incorporating a female
guitarist on their last tour (leavening the bro overlay), which isn’t that
surprising given a demo produced by Thurston Moore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Their little homage to Evan Dando,
entitled “I Wish I Was Him” (appearing here in both acoustic and electric
versions), shows ambition, naivete, jealousy, and a bit of a pout.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">On the subject of naivete and ambition,
they cover Jonathan Richman’s deeply twee “Back In Your Life” (for contrast,
they also do “Let’s Lynch the Landlord” by The Dead Kennedys).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Much as the Ramones inspired so many youngsters
in the 70s, this band shows what happens when you have a steady diet of
Pavement, Lemonheads, Sonic Youth and the Pixies and decide to fake it until
you make it. Charming and odd, in equal measures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> I don’t happen to have any chalk
handy, but the promotional material on the label’s website suggests the cover
can actually be used as a blackboard, so perhaps you could write “I Love Kim Gordon”
about a million times on the cover. And the 16 page<o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif;"> ‘zine inside tells you just about everything you could want to know about the ‘kids’. It should surprise no-one that they broke up kind of ugly and immaturely. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Pere
Ubu, </span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">20 YEARS IN A MONTANA MISSILE SILO (Cherry Red)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> From the very first track, one can
tell one is in the presence of a much more energized Pere Ubu – possibly
because it’s now a nonet, with three guitarists. In fact, it sounds a bit more
like the until-recently-reactivated <i>Rocket
From The Tombs</i>, except with the mutant EMS synths squatting on the
property. It also comes in at under 35 minutes, the shortest Ubu record in
recent memory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> “Monkey Bizness” has a repetitive
guitar figure, probably inspired by <i>Kristof
Hahn’s</i> time in <i>Swans</i>, and a
growling vocal that sounds more like <i>Tom
Waits </i>and <i>Captain Beefheart</i> than <i>David Thomas</i>’ more typical piercing
whine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> The next couple of tracks have more of
a speak-sing thing going on, though his voice is very clear and energetic, and
even amused. The bizarre synth noises float around in the background behind the
intricate guitar interplay and riffing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> “The
Healer”, on the other hand, is almost like a folk-rock or Genesis ballad, with
whooshing synths, a clarinet, a wistful vocal, subtle steel guitar noises, and
very little in the way of percussions. Its mood is promptly broken by the brief, guitar-driven stomper "Swampland", which has moments not entirely unlike The Stooges if they used synthesizers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">________________________________________</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">PUT
THE NEEDLE ON THE RECORD...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Batang, serif;"> “Plan From Frog 9” sounds more like
the last couple of records, with percolating sequencers and synth beeps and a
woozy rhythm to it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> “Howl” resembles Martian blues, with a
crawling tempo, odd clarinet and chugging and crying guitars. And yes, David
actually howls impressively here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> “Red Eye Blues” continues in that
mode, except with twangy guitars and a much faster pace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> “Walking Again” moves along at an
ominously slow clip, with much moaning and a corresponding drone to the music.
One synth sort of creaks, while the other occasionally plays a very small range
of notes. Dare one speculate it is a joke on their notoriously difficult album <i>The Art Of Walking</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> “I Can Still See” opens with a
forcefully thumping drum, odd electronic sounds, and an only moderately faster
tempo. Once in a while, a female voice, who is presumably Roshi, speaks or
sings the title line. There is not much tune to speak of – just more
speak-singing, with a vaguely melancholy or troubled tone. As it moves along, a
noisy guitar starts to play a vaguely metallic, or even PiL-like, lead, which
is the closest thing to a hook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> “Cold Sweat” is not a James Brown
cover. That would have been fun, and it would certainly have changed the
plodding feel, but it continues on this closing number. The steel/slide guitar
and clarinet provide a bit of a tune, but not much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; text-indent: 36pt;"> After</span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; text-indent: 36pt;"> 16 albums and nearly 42 years, it is
nice to see David Thomas and his collaborators have new tricks up their sleeves
and can manage some energy and vim, even if the album does rather lag with
three dirges in a row.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> RIP Paul Hamann – either he or his
father engineered virtually every Ubu recording.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">________________________________________</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">PUT THE NEEDLE ON THE RECORD...</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Planetarium,
</span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">S/T
2xlp (4AD)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">A collaborative effort between Sufjan
Stevens, the Christian indie-pop darling; Nico Muhly, most noted for string
arranging for various artists; Bryce Dessner of The National; and drummer James
McAlister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> It is a grandiose and lush cycle of
songs more or less inspired by the solar system and phenomena therein, with
electronics and orchestration fighting for prominence, and occasional
flourishes of guitar. It is probably the only time Stevens’ voice is heard
through vocoders and autotune, not always to its advantage,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Some trimming might have been to its
advantage, as it comes in at close to 80 minutes long, but it’s definitely an intriguing
production.</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Laetitia
Sadier Source Ensemble, </span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">FIND ME FINDING YOU lp (Drag City)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">Laetitia produces more electronic-tinged,
proggy pop with Latin overtones, aided by her new, awkwardly named group of
collaborators.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> That alto voice – the repetitive but
catchy structures – it’s not entirely unlike Stereolab, her previous band. It
could hardly fail to be reminiscent of it, just because of the lyrical and
musical components. The main difference is a much more laidback, mid-tempo
feel, and a lack of strings or horns, which often adorned later material by her
former group.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> If you feel an absence of
Marxist/Situationist lyrics set to mellow, vaguely jazzy pop, you will get your
fix here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jackie
Shane</span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, ANY OTHER WAY 2xlp (Numero Group)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> For many years, <i>Jackie Shane</i> (born 1940) was an enigma. After a performing and
recording career spanning 1957 to 1971, with some of it spent by the
American-born artist in Canada, featuring a handful of singles, one of which
was a regional hit here up North (twice), and a live album to her name, she
disappeared from sight. Rumours flew as to what occurred, including murder and
AIDS. Around 2005, it became known she was still alive, as someone tracked her
down in Tennessee; by the next year, though, the number was disconnected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> This record, whose title track was the
hit, documents most of her output, though there are a few oddities out there
not included.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> For the early 1960s, she was
astonishingly outspoken, including the knowing turn on ‘tell her I’m gay’ in
the title track, especially on the live album (though it was released in 1967,
it consists of material from 1963 or so, and no-one else in showbiz was being
quite that bold in terms of innuendo and overt attitude). In fact, the live
tracks are probably the highlight, as her singles were mostly released from
hasty sessions over several years. Except for her final single in 1969, the
material was covers, though her monologues are her own. She did, however, have
a hand in both production and arrangements, so her stamp can be detected, and
even in the lower ranges, her voice is both gripping and soulful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Batang, serif;"> The record includes an enormous
booklet full of vintage photos and posters, capturing, among other things, an
obnoxious </span><i style="font-family: Batang, serif;">Toronto Star</i><span style="font-family: Batang, serif;"> column from
1967 in which they cornered/asked her if she was a boy or a girl, in response
to an alleged question from audience members. It is full of anecdotes from both
Ms Shane, who has now resurfaced, and others on the Toronto scene then, most of
whom are respectful of her transgender identity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> As both history and r&b, this
release is eye-opening and crucial.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tuns,
</span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">S/T
lp (Royal Mountain Records)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> So a Superfriend, an Inbred, and a Sloan
walk into a bar...and proceed to make music before anyone can presume this is
the setup to a hackneyed, if oddly Gaelic, joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> <i>Matt
Murphy </i>(guitar/vocals),<i>Mike O’Neill</i>
(bass/vocals) and <i>Chris Murphy</i>
(drums/vocals) create a catchy and focused set of 9 songs in 27 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> I would say it’s sort of Dad pop-punk,
but unfortunately they’re all younger than me, so I can’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> What it is is mostly jangly power-pop
trio material with excellent vocals (lead and backup), whose brief but fully
formed songs will stick in your heads for days, like the best songs of their
respective bands (though the average listener is sadly not going to remember
the Inbreds much or have even heard of the Superfriendz – Sloan is still going
strong, however).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">________________________________________</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">PUT
THE NEEDLE ON THE RECORD...</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Waterboys, </span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">OUT OF ALL THIS BLUE 2xlp (BMG)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">In which our hero discovers hip-hop,
disco, r&b and goofy love, relatively late in life, in addition to his
usual concerns with mysticism and the like.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> One thing which comes to mind in
listening to this sprawling 96-minute release (there is apparently a bonus disc
edition that adds another 40 minutes) is that, like Patti Smith whom he
celebrated in <i>A Girl Called Johnny</i>,
is that he is very much in love. Whereas Patti expressed her sentimental and
slightly goopy side primarily with her children on <i>Dream Of Life</i> (yes, there is “Frederick” on <i>Wave</i>, but it had a catchy, lively tune), <i>Mike Scott</i> here celebrates his new-found romance and marriage with
Japanese artist <i>Rokudenashiko</i>, in a
song named after her and in another (Payo Payo Chin) with an endearing
expression from her native language. Both are adorable, admittedly, but it is
somewhat of a departure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> The strings and horns that adorn
several tracks give it a bit of the Van Morrison feel he has had in the past,
and he continues to produce music full of pomp, in the best possible way.
However, this time it has beats and electronic stuff added. An intriguing
release, at its best.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John
Waters, </span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">MAKE TROUBLE 7” (Third Man Records)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">This is the commencement speech he
presented at the Rhode Island School of Design, in which he makes a case for
his being the perfect speaker (bad taste in clothes, marijuana, criminal
history) and a role model for artists and other creative people (he wakes up
every morning and does what he loves). And this being a studio recording,
rather than the original, means we get to avoid annoying whoo-hoos, possibly
insincere and fawning introductory remarks, coughing, sneezing, camera clicking
and general crowd noise (which even if they aren’t on John’s hate list, are on
mine).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Just a few of his gems (which I would
have preferred ever so to the boring organ solo played at my graduation – I
don’t recall there BEING a speaker...).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Batang;">(1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">He advises the would-be artist to make
sure to pay attention to what causes chaos and is disapproved of, because that
is where true creativity emerges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Batang;">(2)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">Re-invent yourself as a new version of
your worst enemy – the insider. Waters, after all, is an insider, and is as mad
as a hatter. He regards ‘Hairspray’ as his most subversive film, as it
infiltrated mainstream America. ‘Pink Flamingos’? Preaching to the converted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Batang;">(3)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">Humour is the best defense. Make an idiot
laugh, and they may stop and listen before they do something stupid (to you).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Batang;">(4)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">We need some rich people. Who’s going to
back our movies and buy our art? Hate the poor...of spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Batang;">(5)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">So what if your daughter tattooed her
whole face? Maybe she’ll open a fancy tattoo parlour in Paris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> So many bon mots. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> ‘Go out in the world and fuck it up in
a wonderful way.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> It is a surprisingly warm and cuddly
speech for something that essentially encourages subversion and being yourself,
no matter how frightening that might be to even Mr. Waters himself. And he
encourages parents to love and support their children, as his did, even if,
again, they scare the shit out of you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> There is a digital download available,
and a book of it as well, but this 7” has the great advantage of his amused and
rounded tones, which you would not get from the publication.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">_________________________________________________________________________________
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%;">RECITALS/REISSUES
ROCK<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: #EEECE1; font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Kate Bush, <b>BEFORE
THE DAWN </b>4xlp</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> – </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">Documenting
one of the shows from her mammoth 2014 Hammersmith Apollo residency (her first
‘tour’ since 1979), it is a gorgeous sounding release with an equally stunning
booklet. She cheats moderately, in that her synth and piano parts were mostly
pre-recorded and then played during the show, and anyone looking for a greatest
hits package live would be disappointed, as it is a very conceptual performance
and focuses on <i>The Ninth </i>Wave from <b><i>Hounds
of Love </i></b>and recent material in a loose narrative/theatrical framing.
However, she is in excellent voice, if somewhat lower than in her first shows,
and supported by a sympathetic and skilled band, including her son <i>Bertie</i>. Also available on 3xcd, for an
admittedly more reasonable price.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: #EEECE1; font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Gun Club, <b>LIVE AT
MANILA CLUB, FLORENCE, ITALY NOV. 26 1983 lp</b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">
– </span></b><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">Jeffrey Lee Pierce,
Patricia Morrison, and crew rage through roots rock, with the sort of force
that tends to rip up roots. Mostly FIRE OF LOVE and LAS VEGAS STORY material.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #EEECE1; font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Patti Smith
Group, <b>JAZZ WORKSHOP BOSTON JAN. 9, 1976
</b>2xlp</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">–
</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">In which our sweet and
sensitive flower horrifies the radio station that broadcast the show, by using
naughty language. In the end, John Cale literally brings the roof down by
putting his bass through the ceiling during ‘My Generation’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #EEECE1; font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Velvet
Underground, <b>LIVE AT BOSTON TEA PARTY,
JANUARY 10, 1969/JULY 11, 1969 </b>2xlp</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> (each) – </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">Well recorded sets at what practically
became their home base during semi-self-imposed exile from NYC. It was
interesting to hear “Jesus” live (pretty much a Xerox of the studio take), and
to hear a tiny bit of ‘The Murder Mystery’</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">tossed into a long take on ‘Sister Ray’.</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">Maureen, as usual at this period in
concert, shines on the drums as she never really got to do on record. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%;">________________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%;">RECITALS/REISSUES
ROCK</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #EEECE1; font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Dorothy
Ashby, <b>THE HARP IN A MINOR GROOVE </b>2xlp</span><b><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> – </span></b><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">The
liner notes say she was not the only jazz harpist, though one cited was in a big
band, not the bass/drums/flute/harp lineup heard here. She plays glistening
guitar-like lines, or piano-like chimes – not much in the way of the dramatic
glissandi many people think of with the instrument. Traditional jazz, in the
sense of being melodic and, when it’s a cover, hewing close to the original -
but very catchy and hypnotic, and the harp does add a touch of the exotic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #EEECE1; font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Jerry Yester
and Judy Henske, <b>FAREWELL ALDEBARAN</b>
lp</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">
– </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">In its use of
electronically altered vocals (the destructive sounds of a rogue comet – now
THAT’s an interpretive challenge!) and a mellotron choir with a heart full of
mischief and bile, this very odd 1969 record might have stood out, but instead was
ignored at the time, and out of print for many years. This is its first official
re-release on vinyl, and its first-ever release on CD format (again,
officially). While “Snowblind”, on which Judy growls like a feral Grace Slick
(her low range can rattle speakers), got a little airplay and is not entirely
unlike other radio fare of the time (and features Zal Janovsky from the Loving
Spoonful, who also owned a restaurant in my town for years, on guitar and bass),
other material such as the mocking “St Nicholas Hall” (I don’t imagine it’s on
the Pope’s iPod) and the deeply troubling “Lullaby” (apparently, the mother of
one of the pair called and asked if everything was all right, after hearing the
song) sounds out there today. But at least it’s OUT THERE, today. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Batang; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-hansi-font-family: Batang; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">________________________________________</span>
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%;">DEIGNING
DIGITAL DISCUSSION<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #EEECE1; font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Hidden
Cameras, <b>OUR HOME ON NATIVE LAND </b>cd</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> – </span><i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Joel Gibb</span></i><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">, after years of
grandiose orchestral ‘gay church music’, strips way down to sparkling
folk/rootsy style, including a remake of ‘He Is The Boss Of Me’ from ECCE HOMO,
as well as excellent covers of ‘Dark End Of The Street’ (which I mainly know from
<i>Diamanda Galas</i>’ take – the Cameras’
video for this was directed by <i>GB Jones</i>,
and is mostly shot around morose and somewhat isolated buildings in the Toronto
area that were slated for demolition) and the NFB film theme ‘Log Drivers
Waltz’, as well as catchy originals ‘Had A Feeling About You’ and ‘The Day I
Left Home’. And a great album title, to boot. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Batang; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-hansi-font-family: Batang; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #EEECE1; font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Gene Howard, <b>LOVE IS A DRAG </b>cd</span><b><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> – </span></b><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In 1947,
the producer of this record happened to be in a gay bar, and heard a male
singer do standards probably intended for women to sing, without changing the
words. 15 years later, he convinced the singer and band, said to all be
straight, to record this set. It’s probably a good thing he was alive during
the time this re-issue was being planned, as only he knew all the names
involved. It was said to be a great favourite of Liberace, Frank Sinatra and
Bob Hope at the time, but it could barely be found, as it was initially on a
gay exploitation label. Back then, no names appeared on the record in terms of
the musicians involved, but that has clearly changed. You know you want to hear
“He’s Funny That Way” (yes, they do resist any camp or knowing turn) and “Mad
About The Boy” sung a la supper club by a straight man, backed by
guitar/clarinet/drums/bass/piano. A bit of an oddity, but a very nice one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Batang, serif;">________________________________________</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%;">DEIGNING
DIGITAL DISCUSSION</span><span style="background: #EEECE1; font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #EEECE1; font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Andy Northrup,
<b>MAKING MY WAY </b>cd</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">– A
tasty collection of rootsy/country rock from this Alberta
singer-songwriter/actor, his third release. The lyrics are often on the
melancholy side, but are usually framed in hooky and lively tempos and beats.
He has a lovely, warm voice, and, yes, he also happens to be easy on the
Bearish eye. On which point, though there’s only one song with an explicit
gendered pronoun, he is queer, but it’s a collection of touching numbers that
could have universal appeal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #EEECE1; font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Baby Dee, <b>I AM A STICK </b>download</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> – </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This
artist has produced a variety of material, from vaguely classical instrumentals
to lively piano-pounding material verging on the blue. She has been known to
play piano/organ/harp/accordion, but focuses here mainly on keyboards. If you
like cabaret a la Tom Waits, you will probably love this intricately arranged
set. The vocals are a bit idiosyncratic, sometimes even approaching David
Thomas territory (which isn’t surprising, given she is from Cleveland), but
this is probably some of her best singing. It is also available on CD and might
still be on LP, but finances led to me finally making this wonderful and valid
choice for the digital download format. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px;">_______________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%;">DEIGNING
DIGITAL DISCUSSION</span><span style="background: #EEECE1; font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #EEECE1; font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Little Annie,
<b>TRACE </b>download</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> – </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This
chanteuse has also displayed considerable range over the years, from tape
collage material to guesting on post-rock records to just piano and vocals.
Here, the material focuses on the jazzy, though ‘Bitching Song’ has a creepy
electro-dub groove, and her fractured vocal style occasionally approaches
Billie Holiday territory. In fact, I could genuinely picture the late jazz
legend singing ‘My Old Man Trouble’. Lyrically, the record is less soothing,
but the music frames it and softens the blow enough to broaden the appeal.</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #EEECE1; font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Pylon, <b>LIVE</b> download</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">– I
would have first heard Pylon around 1983, when this recording was made, thanks
to ‘The New Music’ playing the video for ‘Beep’. They did not last much longer
after this, though they subsequently reformed for another album, and toured a
bit some years later, until the unfortunate death of the guitarist in 2008.
This captures them at their ferocious, funky, punky-dancey height, and even
includes some tracks that were never done in the studio, such as a very
idiosyncratic take on ‘Batman’ and an original called ‘Party Zone’. All the
‘hits’ are here too, such as ‘Beep’, ‘Crazy’, ‘Cool’, and ‘Stop It’. Sadly, not
‘Read A Book’, which I used as the title of the literary section of my old
‘zine NOISE QUEEN – but one cannot have everything. ‘Chomp’ and ‘Gyrate’ were
re-issued a few years back on DFA, with bonus tracks, if you wish to seek out
their studio material.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">_______________________________________</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ADULT
BOOKS #2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvr7RCvViYpUka9e2De-3plktof-W6o9L2H-PsDhRSuDVNrtXyt1eC5c3_RX-ikrQYsYG8r-xnvabrQ4-GrP__Xz1jkuA5RH_U6FRhgdkF3BGh3d4_mzE1_X0RuNcCC4Iz_CVFkHIY9vN/s1600/readingtiedup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvr7RCvViYpUka9e2De-3plktof-W6o9L2H-PsDhRSuDVNrtXyt1eC5c3_RX-ikrQYsYG8r-xnvabrQ4-GrP__Xz1jkuA5RH_U6FRhgdkF3BGh3d4_mzE1_X0RuNcCC4Iz_CVFkHIY9vN/s1600/readingtiedup.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">THANK YOU TO NOVEL IDEA, RICHARD,
AND EVEN AMAZON FOR MY LITERARY FIXES.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Nothing more
rapidly inclines a person to go into a monastery than reading a book on
etiquette. There are so many trivial ways in which it is possible to commit
some social sin.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">(Quentin
Crisp)<i><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">That’s
when I want – some weird sin – just to relax with – yeah, some dumb weird sin. </span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">(Iggy
Pop)</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px;">________________________________________</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">DOG EAR A BOOK, GO TO JAIL. IT’S
THE LAW<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Ed. Stephanie Chambers et. al., <i>ANY OTHER WAY: HOW TORONTO GOT QUEER<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Robert Forster, <i>GRANT AND I: INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE
GO-BETWEENS</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">David Keenan, <i>ENGLAND’S HIDDEN REVERSE</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Duke Miller, Aaron Louis
Asselstine, JT Twissel, <i>WRITING FOR THE ABSENT READER<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Curran Nault, <i>QUEERCORE: QUEER PUNK MEDIA SUBCULTURE<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Christopher Samuel, <i>CONFORM, FAIL, REPEAT: HOW POWER DISTORTS
COLLECTIVE ACTION<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Ed. Dave Stewart and Laura Chapin,
<i>FEAR FROM A SMALL PLACE<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">John Waters, <i>MAKE TROUBLE<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px;">________________________________________</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">DOG EAR A BOOK, GO TO JAIL. IT’S
THE LAW</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="_x0000_i1046" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:107.25pt;height:141.75pt'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image043.jpg"
o:title="anyotherway" grayscale="t"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ed.
Stephanie Chambers et. al., <b>ANY OTHER
WAY: HOW TORONTO GOT QUEER</b> (Coach House Press Books, 2017)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">This book opens with a foreword that
discusses <i>Jackie Shane</i>, whose most
famous recording gives it its title, and documents an interesting moment in the
evolution of queerness in Toronto the Good. Jackie was astonishingly forward
and confident at a moment in time when it was still illegal to be gay in
Canada, not to mention transgender.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> It sets the tone for a book that
collects first-person anecdotes, histories, political activism and official
responses to the evolving queer culture in Ontario’s capital city, and allows
these diverse voices to speak for themselves. For once, it is not the story
only of white men (or women).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> One particularly telling item, I was
convinced it had to be a parody. It was a sociological invasion of a gay bar,
ca. 1955-1956. The language and tone was deeply patronizing and objectifying,
and I somehow pictured pith helmets and khaki outfits on the part of the
interlopers. Describing Queens in terms that are normally reserved for
observations of gazelles or chimpanzees was tasteless. </span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; text-align: center;">An earnest exploration of a culture
steeped in artifice, misdirection, and survival strategies in a straight world
is almost destined to come across as too funny for words, which the</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">________________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">DOG EAR A BOOK, GO TO JAIL. IT’S
THE LAW</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">article does. Given that it wasn’t published until 1962 or so, it was
already somewhat dated when it emerged. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> On the subject of transgender issues,
the section about what people had to go through to be considered for surgery
was infuriating and illuminating at the same time. I was certainly aware of the
need to live as ‘the opposite sex’ for a time, but one doctor seriously
over-stepped bounds by demanding that if a person was married, they had to get
divorced before he would consider working with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> It might have wanted to expand outward
slightly to discuss Project Guardian in London, Ontario from the early 90s, but
I can understand why it chose not to. It does cover the bathhouse raids from
1981 and the Pleasure/Pussy Palace police actions very thoroughly, with primary
sources and participants cited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> All told, a very approachable and
diverse study of the formation of identity and community, which avoids academic
language or attitudes quite effectively.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">_______________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 20pt;">DOG EAR A BOOK, GO TO JAIL. IT’S
THE LAW</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1047"
type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:108pt;height:143.25pt'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image045.jpg"
o:title="grantandi" grayscale="t"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">Robert Forster</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">, </span><b><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">GRANT AND I: INSIDE AND OUTSIDE
THE <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">GO-BETWEENS</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">(Omnibus Press, 2017)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif;">This volume explores the lives of the author and his friend <i>Grant McLennan</i> (1958-2006), both within
and without the band they formed together in 1977 in Australia.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">It is not sparing of the truth, without being catty or sensational, though
it is a bit disappointing that there isn’t more deep insight into why Grant did
not get along well with <i>Lindy Morrison</i>,
the band’s drummer from 1980 to 1989. It is true that they had very different
styles, judging from contemporary and subsequent interviews, but introverts and
extroverts have gotten along famously in the past. I suspect, though the book
doesn’t really address it much, that there was some measure of jealousy, as
often occurs in power dynamics within a relationship, even when there is no
romance as such involved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> Unlike
many rock biographies, there are few pictures included, but those can be found
in David Nichols’ <i>The Go-Betweens</i>,
another excellent book, if you are so inclined. Forster’s memoir provides the
final few years missing from Nichols’ publication, which was updated once after
the group reformed with a different line-up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px;">________________________________________</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">DOG EAR A BOOK, GO TO JAIL. IT’S
THE LAW</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">A witty and touching biography of a group and a relationship, which I
recommend highly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1051"
type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:118.5pt;height:135pt'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image047.jpg"
o:title="ehr" grayscale="t"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">David Keenan, <b>ENGLAND’S HIDDEN REVERSE</b> (Strange Attractor Press, 2016)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">This book is a dense portrait and history of the bands Current 93, Nurse
With Wound, and Coil, experimental groups/projects with considerable
cross-contamination and collaboration, working in a range from folk to
industrial noise, sometimes within the same band.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> It
is heavily illustrated and consists almost entirely of primary documents,
reminiscences and interviews, with the occasional use of varying accounts to
show how complicated documenting projects which mostly worked underground and
within closed circles can be. NWW and Coil rarely played live, and Current 93
did so intermittently, because of <i>David
Tibet’s</i> bouts with illness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> Along the way, it also
mentions other fringe acts in their environs, such as Whitehouse, Lemon Kittens
and Psychic TV. The anecdotes regarding the latter tend to reinforce, either directly or indirectly, <o:p></o:p></span><i style="font-family: Batang, serif;">Cosey Fanni Tutti’s</i><span style="font-family: Batang, serif;"> accounts of </span><i style="font-family: Batang, serif;">Genesis P-Orridge’s</i><span style="font-family: Batang, serif;"> conduct and personality.</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px;">________________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 20pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 20pt;">DOG EAR A BOOK, GO TO JAIL. IT’S
THE LAW</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> This
is a second edition, the first having appeared in 2003; as a result, the voices
of <i>Jhonn Balance</i> (1962-2004)<i> </i>and <i>Sleazy</i> (1955-2010) from Coil are basically ghosts as
we read them now, which gives the book a melancholy overlay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">However, it is a very informative book, and while it would certainly help
if you were a fan of at least one of the groups, I could see it appealing to
those adventurous spirits who like to learn about things that were previously
outside their experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1048"
type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:111.75pt;height:139.5pt'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image049.jpg"
o:title="wftar" grayscale="t"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Duke
Miller, Aaron Louis Asselstine, and JT Twissel, <b>WRITING FOR THE ABSENT READER </b>(John’s Motorcycle Storage and Rare
Book Disposal, 2017)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">Other than Tom Verlaine and Richard Hell
doing a poetry book together in the Seventies, I can’t think of many split
volumes of short writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">However, these three authors have compiled
pieces done in a blog into a single volume, split between them, though Aaron
and Duke take up the most pages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> It’s
an intriguing and surreal collection. Aaron tends to write dark stories leavened with humour; JT’s material seems the
closest to ‘mainstream’, a blend of noir and modern urban fiction (which is an
accurate depiction of most city life nowadays); Duke's selections show a Beat influence, especially that of Burroughs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px;">________________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">DOG EAR A BOOK, GO TO JAIL. IT’S
THE LAW</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">in terms of both
cut-up and morbidity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">Certainly not light reading, any of them,
but an interesting compilation that is definitely worth checking out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1052"
type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:102.75pt;height:153pt'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image051.jpg"
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Curran
Nault, <b>QUEERCORE: QUEER PUNK MEDIA
SUBCULTURE</b> (Routledge, 2018)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> This short but informative document
explores the roots, practice(s) and legacy of queercore, a movement largely
based around music in the general public perception, though also recorded and
transmitted through ‘zines and film.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> It is published by an academic press,
but it manages to be very accessible and does not require a degree in queer
studies to be appreciated and understood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> It also does not pull any punches in
occasionally critiquing some of the movement’s composition and make-up, and
productively examines the responses to those limitations around race, class and
strategy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> At the moment, the volume is only
available in a rather expensive hardcover and electronic format, but it will
come out in paperback in 2018.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">________________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">DOG EAR A BOOK, GO TO JAIL. IT’S
THE LAW</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Definitely worth reading and learning
from. Many thanks to <i>Richard</i> for
providing me with his review copy so I could, in turn, promote this important
work. Straight boys aren’t entirely useless after all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="_x0000_i1049" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:106.5pt;height:154.5pt'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image053.jpg"
o:title="cfr" grayscale="t"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Christopher
Samuel, <b>CONFORM, FAIL, REPEAT: HOW POWER
DISTORTS COLLECTIVE ACTION</b> (Between the Lines, 2017)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">(Disclosure: I know the author, and cannot
pretend to be entirely objective regarding his intellect and insight. Have had
many an interesting discussion)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> I do have a university degree, but I was never very good at
academia, especially when it comes to jargon – it often seemed unnecessary, or
I would look up a phrase and think: ‘But I learned this in Grade Eight!’. This
book is not lacking in specialized language, but it makes a point of explaining
them fairly well, and dare I say it, queerly (defining the concept of <i>habitus</i>, used by Bourdieu, a philosopher
Dr. Samuel cites throughout, as like the thought process behind programs such
as <i>What Not To Wear</i>, in which
subjective norms and aesthetics are viewed as inherent and universally
desirable, was a good touch – as a Marxist, this sounds like cultural hegemony,
which I characterize as ‘we have always done it this way, and it will never
change’).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">_______________________________________</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">DOG EAR A BOOK, GO TO JAIL. IT’S
THE LAW</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">In exploring the LGBT+ movement and
alterglobalization, through the likes of the G20 protests in the latter
instance, the volume examines the problems, challenges and benefits of
assimilation vs. liberation/anti-capitalism vs. neoliberalism and cooperation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> As someone who has not been very good
at success, since internalizing society’s values and conventions is very
awkward for me, I appreciated the analysis Chris gives to reform and radicalism
and their relative costs and benefits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Anyone who knows me might be surprised
at this, but I do think conformity has distinct advantages. Not necessarily
conformity to the habitus, though you can’t get much done if you utterly ignore
it, because you will be literally unspeakable, as the publication’s arguments
state, but some degree of unity and agreement on tactics. Mindless destruction
will also leave you outside of the discourse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> In the end, creativity and flexibility
are possible tactics to address the contradictions and complexity of activism
and progress today. As Madeleine L’Engle said: ‘A sonnet has a set structure,
but there is freedom within it to say what you want.’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">________________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">DOG EAR A BOOK, GO TO JAIL. IT’S
THE LAW</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="_x0000_i1053" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:111pt;height:147pt'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image055.jpg"
o:title="fearfromasmallplace" grayscale="t"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ed. Dave
Stewart and Laura Chapin, <b>FEAR FROM A
SMALL PLACE </b>(Graphcom Publishing, 2017)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: Batang, serif;"> I feel it is best to disabuse you of any
presumptions at the outset. You will not find killer potatoes,
radiation-mutated giant lobsters, or zombie Anne Shirleys within the pages of
this book.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> You <b>will</b> encounter a wide range of horror/terror/weird/eerie stories by
people either born on Prince Edward Island, adopters of the sod, or expatriates
with a tie to the red mud nevertheless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> There is even a story based on real
events from the Island’s lively and contentious past. It is nowhere near the
sleepy, quaint place some people feel it to be. I suppose its size and small
population fool unwary tourists and observers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Some of the stories fall more into the
realm of the surreal or the existential nightmare that everyday life can
resemble, but not to worry – there are also some bone-chillers, gross-outs and
Twilight Zone visitations to balance them out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> In short, give this literary
collection a chance, all the while aware that the Lake of Shining Waters may be
that way because of luminescent horrors that lurk beneath its placid surface.</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: Batang, serif; font-size: 32px; text-align: center;">________________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;">DOG EAR A BOOK, GO TO JAIL. IT’S
THE LAW</span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1050"
type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:124.5pt;height:126.75pt'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image057.jpg"
o:title="maketroublebook" grayscale="t"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John
Waters, <b>MAKE TROUBLE</b> (Algonquin
Books, 2017) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";">The book form of the download and 7” of
John Waters’ commencement speech at the Rhode Island School Of Design.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> It has to recommend it the demented
illustrations by Eric Hanson, as well as the fact you can hold it in your hands
and enjoy it, unlike the digital download. Yes, you can, I suppose, hold the
sleeve of the 7”, or even the record, but the first just looks kind of awkward
and the second, unless you have phonographic hands, would be pointless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Plus, of course, for those without a
turntable or who do not wish to pay for or steal the digital file, and for
those of us who still go to libraries, this is also very useful and accessible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> As John Waters said elsewhere, “If you
go home with someone and they have no books – don’t fuck them!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Batang","serif";"> Go to your local library, especially
if you live in a small conservative town where people are offended by the words
<i>Vagina Monologues</i>, and ask them to
get it! I did. Or, if you have no books, perhaps you should buy this in the
name of your sex life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Timmybearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09892276346644554626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-868749809676847444.post-62008630899048366352014-08-15T12:54:00.002-07:002017-09-02T14:00:10.845-07:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KWYvLpvHl01Vd7x92WiQZZRbZX5ehL6c-5jjcYSsZdf0b9myPrD7F1mxF-5vLiPtUWeNDMYx_981zIhWPI3DdE6iyGd0-oOVbK1IC3nGlNEDv7fLaL7XiEQvEhzLX0vtbPjpwyzEabBJ/s1600/bearrhythmguitar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KWYvLpvHl01Vd7x92WiQZZRbZX5ehL6c-5jjcYSsZdf0b9myPrD7F1mxF-5vLiPtUWeNDMYx_981zIhWPI3DdE6iyGd0-oOVbK1IC3nGlNEDv7fLaL7XiEQvEhzLX0vtbPjpwyzEabBJ/s1600/bearrhythmguitar.jpg" width="289" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 26.0pt; line-height: 115%;">SUMMER/FALL
2014 </span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 26.0pt; line-height: 115%;">____________________________________ <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><u><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">REVIEWS<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><a href="http://deathfromdetroit.com/">Death</a>, <a href="http://www.dragcity.com/products/death_iii">III</a> lp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><a href="http://www.fuckedup.cc/">Fucked Up</a>, <a href="http://fuckedup.merchtable.com/lps/glass-boys-vinyl#.U8a7lZRdWSo">GLASS
BOYS</a> lp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><a href="http://www.thejulieruin.com/">The Julie Ruin</a>, BRIGHTSIDE/IN THE
PICTURE 7”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><a href="http://www.residents.com/">The Residents</a>, <a href="http://www.superiorviaduct.com/collections/the-residents/products/the-residents-santa-dog-2x7-inch">SANTA
DOG</a> 2x7”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Riverrun/637493792951839?fref=ts">Riverrun</a>,
TOMORROW ISLAND lp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><a href="http://theverymost.bandcamp.com/">The Very Most</a>, THINGS TOO OBVIOUS
TO SING <a href="http://mylittleowlrecords.bandcamp.com/album/things-too-obvious-to-sing">7”</a>/<a href="http://mylittleowlrecords.bandcamp.com/album/things-too-obvious-to-sing">download</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bernard mt condensed" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="mailto:timjohnmurphy@bell.net">timjohnmurphy@bell.net</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To Mr.
Marty – another furry Muse...<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">___________________________________________________________</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3</span></b><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bernard mt condensed" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_t249nveNSU7JDseYCSp3PBSLrtxKUXweafFJGCeeDH70nhaSAttvRnp4nXrOBrVE6M0cWle-72RV_UGOwR-WOQdWDVDx6spmQYQcRd46FMUkub5eiNFN_K-vGgJ4Wzu7dWTaPo3EdeCK/s1600/death.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_t249nveNSU7JDseYCSp3PBSLrtxKUXweafFJGCeeDH70nhaSAttvRnp4nXrOBrVE6M0cWle-72RV_UGOwR-WOQdWDVDx6spmQYQcRd46FMUkub5eiNFN_K-vGgJ4Wzu7dWTaPo3EdeCK/s1600/death.jpg" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.dragcity.com/products/death_iii">III</a></span></i></b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, <a href="http://deathfromdetroit.com/">Death</a> (<a href="http://www.dragcity.com/">Drag City</a> lp)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .05in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <i>Death</i> was a Detroit proto-punk band, originally consisting of the
brothers Hackney (Bobby on bass and vocals; David on guitar (died 2000); Dannis
on drums). At first they were a funk
band called </span><i><span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">RockFire Funk Express</span></i><span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">, and became a gospel band named <i>The 4<sup>th</sup> Movement</i> after <i>Death</i> disbanded. There have been three posthumous records
(there was only one single released during their lifetime, as the group were
dropped by <i>Clive Davis</i> when they
refused to change their name) of various demos, home recordings and studio
outtakes (<i>For The World To See</i>
gathered up all the recordings done for <i>Davis</i>
in 1975). With their new guitarist, <i>Bobbie Duncan</i>, they have made a new
single as <i>Death</i> and are evidently
working on an album.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .05in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> <i>Spiritual.Mental.Physical</i>,
from 2011, gathered some fragmentary material, including bass and drum
solos. This is a more fully realized
collection, dating from 1975 to 1992, mostly in the early part of that range
(two recordings from 1980, and two from 1992).
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .05in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">_________________________________________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3</span></b><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bernard mt condensed" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .05in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Introduction By David”, from 1975, is
just what it sounds like – it’s a very noisy, distorted, <i>Hendrix </i>meets <i>Stooges </i>fragment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .05in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> “North Street”, from 1980, is a tasty
piece of wailing blues-rock with a cutting lyric about poverty and the mean
streets of <i>Detroit</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .05in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Open Road” has an interesting
stop-start rhythm, almost math-rock in its push-and-pull, and also dates from
1980. It is an ode to freeing yourself,
though it is not surprising, in light of the group’s imminent change, that the
path is the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .05in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> “We Are Only People”, from 1976, has a
wild echoplexed guitar, followed by some softly chiming chorused guitar
chording and a choral vocal. At about
halfway through its 9-minute length, it takes on a slightly funky groove not
entirely unlike “Coney Island Baby” by <i>Lou
Reed</i>. It also calls for the
importance of freedom and surviving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .05in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Restlessness”, from 1980, has a firm
and rapid beat and a bluesy rock arrangement, and more <i>Hendrixian</i> soloing. It is
nearly four minutes long, and could carry on at greater duration if it had
wanted to. A solid groove with some
interesting staccato guitar chording at points.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">“Free”
from 1975 seems to be a home recording, and has a nicely phased</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> guitar and an
impassioned vocal. I think there is some
very light drumming, but <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">_________________________________________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3</span></b><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bernard mt condensed" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .05in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">the fidelity
is on the low side, and it unfortunately ends abruptly at 2 minutes, as though
tape had run out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .05in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Yes He’s Coming” is not that
surprising in its subject matter, from 1992, but the dubby echo on the vocals
and the gentle groove of the drums elevate it above the somewhat
undistinguished guitar strum and muddy mix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> “First Snowfall in Detroit”, from
1975, is a delicate and downright lovely jazzy/bluesy instrumental ballad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> The record concludes with “We’re Gonna
Make It” from 1992, which is also in the recent documentary <i>A Band Called Death</i>. It is, oddly enough, almost a country song,
with a twangy guitar and a 6/8 beat. It
features all the brothers singing, joined by a trumpet, from the sound of
things, though it could be a synthetic addition. It is a heart-warming and touching number,
though the fact that <i>David</i> did not,
in fact, make it to old age gives it a bitter-sweet quality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> This is the last archival release, and
is probably the strongest one in terms of sounding like it could have been a
full album on its own, though its long gestation clearly prevents that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">If you want them more savage, try <i>For
The World To See</i>. If you enjoy the
instrumentals or the less polished material, select <i>Spiritual.Mental.Physical</i>.
Heck, I’d recommend all three!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3</span></b><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bernard mt condensed" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnC6Fv9KMcPBKL2SEssR0LeUTHO1-KEfQW6J6azb0PlX6R28u-z54UUG0tL9FDyhQjguGyFyDd0QszGbcJ3vEOuXbuYhNiwVftEkxE12lv6jkO3-fS37FRFndzrckvN6qvzvAS_TnE2FP/s1600/FuckedUp-GlassBoys-CoverArt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnC6Fv9KMcPBKL2SEssR0LeUTHO1-KEfQW6J6azb0PlX6R28u-z54UUG0tL9FDyhQjguGyFyDd0QszGbcJ3vEOuXbuYhNiwVftEkxE12lv6jkO3-fS37FRFndzrckvN6qvzvAS_TnE2FP/s1600/FuckedUp-GlassBoys-CoverArt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://fuckedup.merchtable.com/lps/glass-boys-vinyl">Glass Boys</a></span></i></b><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, </span></i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.fuckedup.cc/">Fucked Up</a> (<a href="http://store.matadorrecords.com/glass-boys">Matador</a> in US/<a href="http://arts-crafts.ca/releases_spotlight.php?search=AC092&artist=Fucked%20Up">Arts
and Crafts</a> in Canada lp)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> After
the relative pop of <i>Chemistry of Common
Life</i> and the prog rock-opera of <i>David
Comes To Life</i>, this record is a bit more back-to-basics for this Canadian
hardcore ensemble. Interestingly, for
whatever reason, it actually lists the members by their real names, whereas in
the past they have used pseudonyms which have occasionally even changed for
some of them from record to record. The
instrumentation is kept within the group this time, other than <i>Gord Downie</i> from <i>The Tragically Hip, J Mascis</i> from <i>Dinosaur Jr., </i>and <i>George
Pettit</i> late of <i>Alexisonfire</i> on
guest vocals, one track each, with the drummer also playing guitar and piano,
one guitarist also playing keyboards and bass (thus supplanting <i>Sandy</i> on three tracks), and two members
also providing backing vocals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> As usual, the lyrics are divided between <i>Damian Abraham</i> and <i>Mike Haliechuk</i>. Oddly,
though they have said they have differences which have resulted in tension
within the group, I don’t notice any dramatic stylistic <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3</span></b><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bernard mt condensed" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">distinction, and would never have known from
looking at the lyric sheet who wrote what.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> One
sign of evolution between records is that, while <i>Damian</i> still has the domineering, harsh voice I would cherish in a
top Daddy, his enunciation is clearer and it is not always as necessary for me
to pull out the insert (yes, I know I’m getting dangerously close to being my
parents who kvetch about how they can’t make out the words in modern songs, but
it CAN be a problem at the velocity and sonic clarity of much hardcore to pick
out anything other than choruses or shouted hooks), other than maybe on “Led By
Hand”, which is a wall of noise (not surprising as the track with the guy from <i>Dinosaur Jr</i>. on it, as that band played
perhaps the loudest concert I have attended to date)).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Actually,
that is another variance here. In
general, the parts are more distinct and the tempos are more deliberate and
measured. In the past, that toy piano
that opens “Echo Boomer” would probably have been buried beneath the wall of
guitars. Nowadays, it’s easier to pick
out details of rhythm and riffs, probably because the guitarist and drummer
were involved in the production and mix.</span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> It
is, in my estimation, the record closest to how they sound live, which is kind
of ironic. In concert, at least the time
I saw them, they benefit from a relatively tidy balance of chaos, and, to be
all Bear-creepy for the second time in this issue, the visual hook and
commanding presence of <i>Damian Abraham. </i>Though that is clearly not an option on
an LP (though if you peer really close between the grooves in just the right
way, just as with those potato chips with Jesus’ face on them, you can
see...yeah, made you look...), the clear production and positioning of his
voice here makes him easier to appreciate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> It
is, in the final analysis, an interesting mix of democracy and ‘make me louder’. Other than the bass, which is, as with much
hardcore, not pushed far forward, though it isn’t buried here, everyone is
distinct. Far from a pop record, but
still approachable in its gruff, poetic-punk way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span><b style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCurzdscBHJt8wDcRrNWRpnYeW4IyBZoRec11TwRKL5MLOYJOPl2jMSL6J4pa3rJWkfMbwHXTvkJg29Mj56cr_nM_XHYM2Crl3-0gif5T1pYKlLImp19AMcoCqJUQ6XjwWzPAc2jUeleK/s1600/julieruin45.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCurzdscBHJt8wDcRrNWRpnYeW4IyBZoRec11TwRKL5MLOYJOPl2jMSL6J4pa3rJWkfMbwHXTvkJg29Mj56cr_nM_XHYM2Crl3-0gif5T1pYKlLImp19AMcoCqJUQ6XjwWzPAc2jUeleK/s1600/julieruin45.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Brightside/In The Picture</span></i></b><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, </span></i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><a href="http://www.thejulieruin.com/">The Julie Ruin</a>
(<a href="http://www.thejulieruin.com/">Julie Ruin Records</a> 7”, RSD release)</span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> It
may be somewhat difficult to find this, as it was a Record Store Day single
consisting of tracks NOT on <b><i>Run Fast</i></b>, the debut album from <i>Kathleen Hanna’s</i> new band, but it’s
worth tracking down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> The
A-side has a driving, vaguely martial beat with dramatic backing
‘oh-woah-oh-ohs’ and a catchy shouty lead vocal, with a brief super-phased
guitar solo and simple, beeping keyboards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> The
B-side opens with a heavily reverbed guitar and a much sweeter, soft vocal from
<i>Kathleen</i>, backed by droning organ and
melodic fragments of piano, as well as a slightly more complicated drum
pattern.</span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></b><b style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 200%;">YOUR INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">While neither song is as
political as <i>Bikini Kill</i> or as
danceable as <i>Le Tigre</i>, they are both
pronouncements of female perspective and empowerment in their subtle way.</span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> I
can see why neither track made the album, as the first one is a bit
under-arranged and the second a tad too delicate, but they are glimpses into
the diversity of the quintet’s musical aspirations and ability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <b><i>Run
Fast</i></b> is fierce, in both literal and slang sense, and I give it mad
props as well, but it was out nearly a year ago, and we must move on from the
distant past. (Yes, I’m being sarcastic, though I find it wearying how quickly
pop culture sometimes declares art to be ‘over’ or ‘back in the day’).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3</span></b><b><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqvxXcsZcqr8ooEBY65DMOCAB1rfJQsflA_YelL0Z0bdJSWRY8PY9i_Hkhd8k20H7Rlm4ucGcCW4Uf2EhAnDit4mdwsPmkRKTmWdUf5cp7sXPDR-UPuZ9C5MyBsVCdIj-SOo0erYqTRWW/s1600/santadog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqvxXcsZcqr8ooEBY65DMOCAB1rfJQsflA_YelL0Z0bdJSWRY8PY9i_Hkhd8k20H7Rlm4ucGcCW4Uf2EhAnDit4mdwsPmkRKTmWdUf5cp7sXPDR-UPuZ9C5MyBsVCdIj-SOo0erYqTRWW/s1600/santadog.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></b><b><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.superiorviaduct.com/collections/the-residents/products/the-residents-santa-dog-2x7-inch">Santa
Dog</a>, </span></i></b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.residents.com/">The Residents</a> (<a href="http://www.superiorviaduct.com/">Superior Viaduct</a> 2x7”)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <i>The Residents’</i>
theory of obscurity applied even in 1972, when the band barely existed and this
record was first issued. This double 45
from that year (which they sent to the White House, only to have it returned
‘refused’) has a conceit that each track is by a different band. Hint – the future eyeball boys lie!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> ‘Fire’
has an oddly catchy, if dissonant vibe, and the hook is the chanted/crooned
line ‘Santa Dog’s a Jesus fetus’, though the guitar line has a mutant jazz/funk
scratch to it. Once it’s over, you may
find yourself droning and <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">cheesing along, though you may not like yourself
for it. Thank you, <i>Ivory and the Brain Eaters!</i></span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> ‘Aircraft
Damage’ is attributed to <i>Arf and Omega,
Featuring the Singing Lawn Chairs</i> (<i>Arf
</i>and <i>Omega</i> are the conjoined twin
wrestlers in <i>The Residents’</i>
uncompleted film <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whatever_Happened_to_Vileness_Fats%3F">Whatever
Happened to Vileness Fats</a>?</i>). It
consists of the <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 200%;">YOUR INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3</span></b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">wrestlers’ self-aggrandizing rants and
nonsensical ramblings, with barking dogs and a <i>Residents</i>-and-friends chorale about kicking a cat (today). The music is martial drums and a warped
keyboard sound. It follows the principle
of calculating how much mayhem you can endure and then giving you twenty more
seconds than that, though it comes back for a pretty coda.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> ‘Explosion’
is blamed on <i>The Delta Nudes</i>. It has troubling wordless ‘doo doos’,
severely free saxophone, appealing if repetitive violin, though the brass/reeds
and clanging percussion tread on it, and it’s over in two minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">And ‘Lightning’ gets
associated with <i>The College Walkers</i>. It starts with some whistling, copied and
then usurped by an organ/mellotron, tympanis, sticks, and odd vocal
noises. And then there are the distorted
dada pronouncements that emerge towards the end. Stuff about the future, cranberries, females
and...well, you won’t be able to make literal sense of them.</span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Certainly
an oddity, especially as the voices don’t sound like the usual crew, though
that lends credence to the statement that there really ARE no <i>Residents</i>. Many people thought it perverse
anti-publicity, but it may be true it is whoever is available, though the
instrumental core seems steady (well, from 1972 to 1982).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Buy and/or die, to paraphrase
the old <i>Ralph Records </i>catalogue. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR INSIPID RECORD
COLLECTION 3</span></b><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bernard mt condensed" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TXgPBH_slegn_qOqy3sqQ8VTF52AHCUX2jCN5GiCXlpeLiSME1m_CihFkq5vEix9jWpDr_-YWQkQa82M4zncdJlbot56Rd42PZUnWqLoBjbM6gi4qGzt_GjMhaEQf8ZXmo6oRP7V0IJI/s1600/riverrun---big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TXgPBH_slegn_qOqy3sqQ8VTF52AHCUX2jCN5GiCXlpeLiSME1m_CihFkq5vEix9jWpDr_-YWQkQa82M4zncdJlbot56Rd42PZUnWqLoBjbM6gi4qGzt_GjMhaEQf8ZXmo6oRP7V0IJI/s1600/riverrun---big.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 26.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1029" type="#_x0000_t75"
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<b><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tomorrow Island</span></i></b><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, </span></i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Riverrun/637493792951839?fref=ts">Riverrun</a>
(self-released lp/digital download)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> This
Toronto-based ensemble (<i>Tom Richards, </i>keys
and electronics; <i>Peter Lutek</i>, space
clarinet; <i>Scott Peterson</i>, bass and
electronics; and <i>Jake Oelrichs</i>,
drums)passed through my town in July and performed a sidewalk gig in front of a
downtown record store, on a very, very hot day, in advance of its evening
engagement at local venue <i>The Artel</i>. That show was performed unplugged with bass,
trombone, clarinet and minimal drums, and sounded like slightly mutated New
Orleans jazz. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> This
record, and presumably the full show later (I did not go – I’m just not much of
a night owl...), is something else entirely.
It is not entirely unlike <i>Tortoise,
</i>inasmuch as while it is instrumental and has certain textural and
compositional similarities to jazz, it is more akin to prog or experimental
free music, though clearly composed and mostly planned but then processed to
within an inch of its life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">_________________________________________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3</span></b><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bernard mt condensed" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> It
consists of four pieces, averaging ten minutes each, and opens with ‘Kui’,
which is eerie and has some languorous clarinet and broad piano chords stating
the melody, but the drums also dominate and are treated rough, though they
seemingly enjoy their torment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Firmitas,
Utilitas, Venustas” follows and features some interesting clarinet alterations,
truly earning the credit for it given on the sleeve. It almost ends up sounding like a violin at
certain moments, which should give you an idea.
It is pretty much the lead instrument here, barring some electronic
swooshes, electric-piano-like noodling and chording, and droning sounds that
resemble over-heating machinery off in the distance, though there are some
outbursts from timbale-like drums and cymbals and sticks. It’s the ‘pop song’ here, as the only track
under 10 minutes, but that’s enormously relative.</span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Side
B opens with “Settlement”, and sets out on its way with a fairly straight,
plaintive clarinet theme, underlaid with gentle drums and an upright bass. It doesn’t start that way, as the bass begins
to make some odd, manipulated noises and the clarinet becomes rather abstract
and then makes some Wookie-like complaints, and the electric piano chords
provide accompaniment. More ring-
modulated electronic sounds begin to splay themselves across the soundscape,
and both the bass and reeds become decidedly ‘out there’. Even when the clarinet <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">_________________________________________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3</span></b><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bernard mt condensed" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">and percussion return to a melodic, rhythmically
conventional approach, the scary electronics still hang around and
intrigue/alarm the listener some more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Tangent”
closes things, and while it has moments that do sound like supper-club or
late-night-jazz, the processing and the electronics still keep you on your
toes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> A
very intriguing record, and certainly not easy-listening, but for the
adventurous soul, it has its rewards, and it never fails to be at least
attention-grabbing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bell mt" , serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 37.33333206176758px;">_________________________________________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsSbiOlkZnR68GuyfW-Sqfrr_bPRI3pQQBTkabAsAUMqc1B09gtU0K2PFgbCgyNDtC6beIbeDbnKz4nyw6knTUqohmBK5VZrSu9bu4162xbksF5v6bbaRguc_xUzQOFZa8YHiLhb6qB13/s1600/too.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsSbiOlkZnR68GuyfW-Sqfrr_bPRI3pQQBTkabAsAUMqc1B09gtU0K2PFgbCgyNDtC6beIbeDbnKz4nyw6knTUqohmBK5VZrSu9bu4162xbksF5v6bbaRguc_xUzQOFZa8YHiLhb6qB13/s1600/too.jpg" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://mylittleowlrecords.bandcamp.com/album/things-too-obvious-to-sing">Things
Too Obvious To Sing</a></span></i></b><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, </span></i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/theverymost?fref=ts">The Very Most</a> (<a href="http://mylittleowlrecords.bandcamp.com/">My Little Owl Records</a>
7”/digital download)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> What
do I know about <i>Boise, Idaho</i>? It is
referenced in the Canadian artist <i>Susan
Jack</i>’s song “I Thought Of You Again” as a place to which you can always get
back before you die. And now I know it as the hometown of <i>Jeremy Jensen</i>, the mainman of the
veteran indie-pop band <i>The Very Most</i>
(on this particular record, it’s largely him on his own).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> I
first happened upon the band due to its song “Jonathan Richman”, and in my watching
the video/slide show, <i>Mr. Jensen’s</i>
not being hard on the furry eye was a factor in me doing more exploring, though
I enjoyed the ditty as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Wondr’ing”
opens with a warm chiming organ, and then goes into swirling string and
woodwind sounds, woodblock, and <i>Jeremy’s </i>rich
vocals backed by three guests (<i>Vinnie
Ransome, Adam </i>and <i>Darcie Sanders</i>). It concludes with a brief chorale in <i>Beach Boys</i> style.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">_________________________________________________________________</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3</span></b><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bernard mt condensed" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Oh
Maisy” has a firm backbeat, twangy guitar, female backing vox from <i>Gia Trotter </i>(she sings on all but the
first track), a hooky keyboard part and a clever lyric about the title
character’s interesting ideas about the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> “About
Forgetting” has an emphatic guitar-and-drum-downbeat akin to a <i>Smiths </i>song, though the Hammond Organ is
more like a <i>Zombies</i> number. The flute-like fills and the phased vocal
also recall arty British music of the 60s, though the staccato ending puts us
back with <i>Morrissey’s</i> crew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> The
title track plunges us into a busy arrangement, on which one <i>Astrid Wiezell</i> sings fetchingly and
airily. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> All
told, a delightful confection of four songs, pairing slightly pointed lyrics
with hooky tunes, as it should be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "bell mt" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Timmybearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09892276346644554626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-868749809676847444.post-47880807540210621072014-08-09T19:39:00.002-07:002014-08-09T19:39:37.948-07:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Bell MT","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 36.79999923706055px;">ADULT BOOKS 1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<img alt="image" src="http://media.tumblr.com/8c84db945f2a1aa9df4560b3175009e6/tumblr_inline_na2jw13bkl1qatlod.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 470px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong>SUMMER/FALL 2014 </strong></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong>________________________________________________________________________</strong></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong>ADULT BOOKS 1</strong></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<img alt="image" src="http://media.tumblr.com/fd35729c4ebf193f6bd94461768944b9/tumblr_inline_na2jxeNVhz1qatlod.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 470px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
“Read a book – don’t be afraid – no, no, no, no.” <a href="http://www.wearepylon.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PYLON</a></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong><u style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">REVIEWS</u></strong></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/Sorrowfulface" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">AaronLouis Asselstine</a><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, <a href="http://booktrope.com/book/taxicab-to-wichita/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Taxicab To Wichita</a></em></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://blackfrancis.net/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Black Francis</a> and <a href="http://www.therealjoshfrank.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Josh Frank</a>, <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/9780062220790/the-good-inn" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Good Inn</a></em></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
ed. <a href="http://akpressdistro.tumblr.com/post/77087609424/editor-q-a-with-ryan-conrad-of-against-equality" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Conrad</a><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, <a href="http://www.akpress.org/againstequality-5365.html" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Against Equality: Queer Revolution, Not Mere Inclusion</a></em></div>
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<a href="http://ivanecoyote.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ivan E. Coyote</a> and <a href="http://www.raespoon.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rae Spoon</a>, <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://arsenalpulp.com/bookinfo.php?index=398" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gender Failure</a></em></div>
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<a href="http://www.iwilldestroyyou.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tom Neely</a> et. al., <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/2669/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Henry &amp; Glenn Forever &amp; Ever</a></em></div>
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ed. <a href="http://www.tctolbert.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">TC Tolbert</a> and <a href="http://epc.buffalo.edu/authors/peterson/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tim Trace Peterson</a>, <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.nightboat.org/title/troubling-line-trans-and-genderqueer-poetry-and-poetics" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Troubling The Line: Trans and Genderqueer Poetry and Poetics</a></em></div>
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<a href="mailto:timjohnmurphy@bell.net" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;">timjohnmurphy@bell.net</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #4b55b2;"><b>________________________________________________________________________</b></span></div>
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<img alt="image" src="http://media.tumblr.com/6cf9cbe3dd1bfc5b38a33cf9583afb2f/tumblr_inline_na2jxwyIUx1qatlod.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 470px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.wattpad.com/user/Sorrowfulface" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Aaron Louis Asselstine</a><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, <a href="http://booktrope.com/book/taxicab-to-wichita/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Taxicab To Wichita</a> </em>(<a href="http://booktrope.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Booktrope</a>, Seattle, 2014)</div>
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Local author and musician <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Aaron Louis Asselstine</em> releases his debut novel (well, second written, but first one published) and produces a warped and wonderful road trip story.</div>
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I do wish it were something more original than the story of a junky taxi driver conveying a bank robber from Ontario to Kansas. Where is the adventurousness and risk-taking in narrative? (Yes, sarcasm)</div>
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Along the way, they encounter unusually sentimental Customs officers, thieves with a penchant for Chinese food, and Youtube entrepreneurs, as could only reasonably be expected.</div>
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Some of the similes and metaphors in this book are just so out there that they remind me of the Internet meme of ‘bad’ comparisons written by high school students, many of which I wish I had penned and used. A reference to an ‘evil little air conditioner’ just about made me spit up my ginger ale.</div>
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I am not going to ruin the ending, except to say that the author’s style and unparalleled narrative voice managed to make it a surprise, which is not common when it comes to me (I realize that sounds egotistical, but I’m just that kind of reader), particularly in light of the book’s ample foreshadowing.</div>
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If you want <strong><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">On The Road</em></strong> as written by the love child of<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thomas Pynchon</em> and <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">David Foster Wallace </em>(and you know you do), I recommend this volume to you whole-heartedly.</div>
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<img alt="image" src="http://media.tumblr.com/5dbbae2531a9dacf8d94c9aaee3ce786/tumblr_inline_na2jyx11fD1qatlod.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 470px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></div>
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<a href="http://blackfrancis.net/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Black Francis</a> and <a href="http://www.therealjoshfrank.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Josh Frank</a>, <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/9780062220790/the-good-inn" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Good Inn</a></em> (It!/<a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">HarperCollins</a>, New York, 2014)</div>
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There is some tradition in rock music of fake tie-ins to movies. <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Stuart Murdoch</em> of <strong><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Belle and Sebastian</em></strong> did an album of songs for a movie called “God Help The Girl” in 2009 (though as irony would have it, the movie has FINALLY been made, and is to be released in September – but it was ‘fake’ for a long time…); <strong><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Acid Mothers Temple</em></strong> did a purported soundtrack for a Russian porn film (I’ve not been able to find any proof the cinematic work exists, but the LP/CD does); <strong><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naz_Nomad_and_the_Nightmares" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Naz Nomad and the Nightmares">Naz Nomad and the Nightmares</a></em></strong>(the <strong><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Damned</em></strong>) performed a score for an imaginary 60s film called “Give Daddy The Knife, Cindy”. There are doubtless others (<strong><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Prince’s </em></strong>contributions to “Under The Cherry Moon” don’t count, because that film sadly DOES exist).</div>
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Leave it to <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Black Francis</em> of <strong><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pixies</em></strong> fame, with assistance from collaborator <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Josh Frank</em> and illustrator <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Steven Appleby</em> , to complicate matters even further, by creating a script/book for an imaginary cinematic masterpiece at least tangentially inspired by a lost film from 1908, <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">La Bonne Auberge/The Good Inn</em>, which has the arguable distinction of being the first explicit stag film (there were peep-shows and the like before then, but rather tame ones). It wouldn’t be the surreal work of a musician who has referenced Bunuel (who appears in the novel) if it didn’t contain alternate universes (one with <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Soldier Boy</em> and <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nicole</em>; one with <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">George</em> and<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nicky</em> (not that the two remain neatly separated)), time travel, doppelgangers and characters bursting into song (<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Francis</em> in fact made instrumental demos for some of the songs, which would be used for the resurrected <strong><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pixies</em></strong> soon), not to mention a tie-in to a battleship that blew up in 1907 while carrying nitrocellulose, which is the material from which film stock was made, (not so) coincidentally enough.</div>
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If you are looking for a coherent, linear plotline, you clearly have not followed the work of <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mr. Francis</em>. However, it is a wild ride, and the illustrations are nothing if not lurid, darkly funny and suitably off-kilter. You will most assuredly not be bored…</div>
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<img alt="image" src="http://media.tumblr.com/d4dc5e565744840efb4446d3c18c11b2/tumblr_inline_na2jzoAwMP1qatlod.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 470px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></div>
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ed. <a href="http://akpressdistro.tumblr.com/post/77087609424/editor-q-a-with-ryan-conrad-of-against-equality" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Conrad</a><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, <a href="http://www.akpress.org/againstequality-5365.html" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Against Equality: Queer Revolution, Not Mere Inclusion</a> </em>(<a href="http://www.akpress.org/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">AK Press</a>, Oakland, 2014)</div>
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This volume compiles three publications by the Against Equality Collective on three hot-button issues: queer marriage; the lifting of DADT; and the prison-industrial complex.</div>
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The original publications consisted of reprints from various sources, both print and online. While some of them are dated now, they are still documents of their moment in time and continue to contain thought-provoking perspectives and news not covered by mainstream media.</div>
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The section on the prison-industrial complex was particularly interesting to me, as someone who lives in a town which, until recently, was a major plant of that business, and also because it documents some truly horrific cases of which I was perhaps shamefully unaware.</div>
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However, there are some very interesting ideas in the other two sections, which have largely been neglected or dismissed by the gay-mainstreaming movement. </div>
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I highly recommend this to anyone who, like myself, has looked at the whole “you can get married, join the army and make sure only ‘good’ queers get to walk the streets” package and said: “I have some questions about this, and I don’t think it makes me homophobic or ‘against progress/equality’ to ask them.” The book is mostly written in approachable, non-academic language, which should broaden its appeal and widen the broadcast of ideas that need to be contemplated in the wake of increasing homogeneity disguised as ‘freedom’.</div>
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<img alt="image" src="http://media.tumblr.com/e4634309885d4bd99cd1ff0b2cc48c84/tumblr_inline_na2k28UTdk1qatlod.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 470px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></div>
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<a href="http://ivanecoyote.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ivan E. Coyote</a> and <a href="http://www.raespoon.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rae Spoon</a>, <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://arsenalpulp.com/bookinfo.php?index=398" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gender Failure</a> </em>(<a href="http://arsenalpulp.com/home.php" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Arsenal Pulp Press</a>, Vancouver, 2014)</div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ivan E. Coyote</em>, noted author, and <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rae Spoon</em>, singer/songwriter/recording artist, produce a volume of meditations, observations and thought-provoking essays about/against/questioning the gender binary.</div>
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As a person whose body happens to correspond to his identity, it provided me with perspective on what it can be like to know that one’s gender does not match one’s body/acculturation, or that gender itself is a repressive, simplistic, non-applicable concept. I was pleased that <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rae</em>, in one of their entries, proposes an opt-in plan for those who may feel relatively comfortable in their bodies/categories, but who have reservations and would rather NOT be lumped in with the likes of <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ted Nugent</em> , <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Donald Rumsfeld, Liz Cheney</em> or <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Condeleeza Rice.</em></div>
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With humour and autobiography, the authors provide a poignant and highly enjoyable read worth contemplation and consideration.</div>
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<a href="http://www.iwilldestroyyou.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="image" src="http://media.tumblr.com/a8e9a1c49e0342d8c568af9e3fa17b3f/tumblr_inline_na2k2z5Y2V1qatlod.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 470px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.iwilldestroyyou.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tom Neely</a> et. al., <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/2669/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Henry &amp; Glenn Forever &amp; Ever</a></em> (<a href="http://microcosmpublishing.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Microcosm Publishing</a>, Portland, 2014)</div>
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The basic premise of this collection of several comic issues (supplemented by bonus material, alternate covers, pin-ups, etc.) is that <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Henry Rollins</em>, the noted singer/actor/spoken word artist, and<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Glenn Danzig</em>, singer of <strong><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Misfits</em></strong> and <strong><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Samhain</em></strong> (and famous cat owner), are a gay couple whose neighbours are <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hall &amp; Oates</em>, who happen to be Satanists (so there is some basis in reality).</div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Glenn</em>, whose issues with his mother have certainly been documented in his work, is blessed/cursed with that kind of sweet, Christian parent who some not entirely unforgiveable part of you wants to lock in a vault under the ground forever. <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Henry</em> is similarly coupled/burdened with <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Glenn</em>.</div>
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The earliest work in this comic is not exactly narrative – more disconnected and somewhat surreal (and this book avoids one or two of the more contentious images from the original publications) – but it does eventually become an oddly endearing domestic black comedy (well, if your idea of endearing includes S&amp;M, a <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Satan</em> who is resembles a late camp British hard rock singer, and a <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Charon</em>who is <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cher</em>).</div>
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With a foreword by <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rob Halford</em> that is vaguely threatening to conceptualist/artist <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tom Neely</em> (it should not be surprising to anyone that I found that a turn-on), this book is an edgy but darkly funny tribute to two of the more visually and outward-personality-wise foreboding figures in Los Angeles punk.</div>
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In case you were wondering, <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Henry</em> is aware of the comic’s existence and has said he approves, though claims not to have read it. <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Glenn</em>, not so much.</div>
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ed. <a href="http://www.tctolbert.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">TC Tolbert</a> and <a href="http://epc.buffalo.edu/authors/peterson/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tim Trace Peterson</a>, <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.nightboat.org/title/troubling-line-trans-and-genderqueer-poetry-and-poetics" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Troubling The Line: Trans and Genderqueer Poetry and Poetics</a></em> (<a href="http://www.nightboat.org/" style="border: 0px; color: #4b55b2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nightboat Books</a>, Callicoon, NY, 2013)</div>
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A massive collection of poetry and poetics by, as the title trots it out, trans and genderqueer poets of varying degrees of smoothness, integration and approachability, not to mention amount of acceptance by the canon/cannon.</div>
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Not all that surprisingly, a fair amount of it deals with fracturing and questioning poetic forms as too restricting and binary. Much of it is written by people with other minority/marginalized identities, so that this is not a book meant only for a small number of people who happen to have variant/outsider senses of gender identity; instead, it addresses the dilemma of being ‘other’ to one’s peers, one’s family, one’s culture and sometimes even oneself.</div>
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Interestingly, it is organized alphabetically by first name, sometimes the easiest part of one’s nomenclature to change (if your birth name is Alexandra, it’s not that difficult to get Alex as how you are to be addressed) and arguably the most ‘personal’. Of course, as that most personal component, it is the portion most frequently disputed, clung to and virtually colonized by one’s loved ones and/or family.</div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Aimee Herman’s</em> “i/dentity (packed)” is a fragmented meditation on growing up as a non-conforming child. Its folding in of portions of <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Valerie Solanas’</em> “The SCUM Manifesto” situates her work along the lines of simultaneous erasure and fetishizing of female identity, and also ties in to themes of childhood abuse both experienced.</div>
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On the other extreme, someone like <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Stacey Waite </em>writes quite smoothly and with dark humour in works such as “Letter From Thomas Beattie to The Media” and “The Kind of Man I Am At The DMV”.</div>
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The most famous names here would be: <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eileen Myles</em>, in terms of recognition by awards and peers (if those are particularly valid measures), who has a relatively approachable and, again, laughing-to-keep-from-crying feel (charm and humour are often survival tools for us freaks…); and <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Max Valerio</em>, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at a talk some fifteen years ago, and whose work is more experimental and concerned with the unexpected placements of words on paper and lines (tidy sentences are often too gendered and concerned with ‘everything in its place’ to serve even those of us who are more or less comfortable in our bodies as they were socialized…).</div>
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The editors are to be praised for their efforts to cover a wide range of classes, backgrounds, ethnicities and, yes, gender presentations. It is a fascinating and sometimes heart-rending volume, and I highly recommend it, even/especially for the gender-euphoric.</div>
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Timmybearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09892276346644554626noreply@blogger.com0