All the Beauty in the World, by Patrick Bringley (Simon & Schuster, 226 pages)
When Patrick Bringley’s older brother died after a lingering illness, his life was upended at age 25 and so he did the only thing that made sense at the time: He applied to be a Continue reading “All the Beauty in the World, by Patrick Bringley”
The Waymores, Greener Pastures (Chicken Ranch Records)
This one comes with a backstory that’s kind of encouraging for artists slogging away in more remote, less arts-centric areas of the country. We’re talking about throwback-country/bluegrass stuff here, the real deal, and this duo’s success came about when they released a two-song Continue reading “Album Reviews 23/05/25”
The Lost King (PG-13)
Sally Hawkins, Steve Coogan.
Based on the true story: Philippa Langley (Hawkins), who suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome, takes issue with the standard Shakespeare version of the English King Richard III wherein his hunchback has made him “a villain.” Her research into Richard leads her to Continue reading “At the Sofaplex 23/05/18”
Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma, by Claire Dederer (Knopf, 273 pages)
In 2017, the year that the world learned about the sexual predation of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, Claire Dederer published an essay in The Paris Review in which she tried to work out her feelings about bad men and Continue reading “Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma, by Claire Dederer”
Gridfailure and Interstitia, Sunyata Ontology (Pax Aeternum Records)
Imaginative collaborative album from North Carolina-based Interstitia (the noise-rock nym adopted by Graham Scala) and New York-based Gridfailure (a solo project from David Brenner, also of Diminishing). This is underground aggro ambient, if I’m going to try to put a finger on Continue reading “Album Reviews 23/05/18”
Saving Time, by Jenny Odell (Random House, 364 pages)
The quote that opens Jenny Odell’s Saving Time is from the late painter Agnes Martin: “I wish the idea of time would drain out of my cells and leave me quiet even on this shore.”
For anyone who feels that Continue reading “Saving Time, by Jenny Odell”
Julian Loida, “Giverny” (Gratitude Sound)
Preview title track from the album of the same name, which will be out in a couple of weeks. Art wonks will recognize Giverny as the small town outside of Paris where Claude Monet lived and worked, a place and feel that jazz/ambient Continue reading “Album Reviews 23/05/11”
Built to Move, by Kelly Starrett and Juliet Starrett (Knopf, 336 pages)
CrossFit devotees are no doubt familiar with Kelly and Juliet Starrett. Not being one, I was not, and there was nothing in their new book’s title that seems particularly inspiring. In fact, the only thing the book Continue reading “Built to Move, by Kelly Starrett and Juliet Starrett”
Bobcat Goldthwait, Soldier for Christ (PGF Records)
So, an album featuring ’80s/’90s/whatever comedian Bobcat Goldthwait performing a standup set recorded last year at Lincoln Lodge in Chicago. Like Gallagher with his watermelon-smashing Sledge-O-Matic (which has been outdone by approximately 367,000 YouTube prank videos last time I looked), Goldthwait has had Continue reading “Album Reviews 23/05/04”
The Society of Shame, by Jane Roper (Anchor, 360 pages)
The year is young, but it’s hard to imagine that there will be a smarter, sassier takedown of social media this year than The Society of Shame, Jane Roper’s merrily caustic novel about cancel culture.
Roper, who claims Continue reading “The Society of Shame, by Jane Roper”
