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the avra valley dispatch: 24 June 2004 -- Things You May Enjoy or May Not Enjoy
A couple of recommendations and a self-promotion this week. I rarely do this as I never assume that people looking at this website are remotely interested in any of the stuff that I am but here goes...
Reading
We're entering election season and I have two political journals to recommend.
Rock and Rap Confidential: I love my history with a good dose of socioculturalmusicology and likewise, my political writing needs to be helped down with a nice big dose of rock n' roll.
RRC is a little newsletter about the music industry that I've had a subscription to for some time. I've let my CounterPunch lapse, I've let the New Yorker and Harper's lapse; I'm going to let The Sun lapse...but RRC stays. National Geographic, Sunset, RRC, and Outside Magazine get to stay at Molly's house (well, Mom pays for Nat'l Geo...but it stays!).
In RRC, put together by music writer Dave Marsh (formerly of Creem), all forms of good, rhythmic, popular music are reviewed and extolled -- no labels or pigeonholing or limiting ones scope. Jackson Browne rocks and so does Eminem and so does Mingus and so does Eartha.
And there's a lot of politics, since politics directly affect social culture and music. It's anti-authoritarian and questioning (of both parties and all politcians), yet hopeful and positive. Their mailing list -- which I just recently signed up for, and which prompted this little review -- is a welcome addition to ones inbox (sign up on the website).
Also worthwhile, but probably best taken in small doses is The Match!, a small ethical anarchist journal produced since 1969. It's beautifully laid out with traditional, computer-less typographical equipment, well written, and also questioning of the status quo -- but so idealistic that it sometimes verges on rigid and depressing. And if I have one consistent philosophy, it's that life is too short to be depressed. Still, highly recommended and potentially eye-opening for Volvo liberals (hey, I was one once) and republicans alike.
The Match! is free, but donations of $10 cash for 4 issues are suggested. No email, write to:
The Match!
P.O. Box 3012
Tucson, AZ 85702
Listening
Moes Haven - Having a Piano Party with... This little gem was sent to me by half of Moes Haven, Matt Farley, and I can't stop listening to it. Josh Rouse and The Fountains of Wayne were on heavy rotation in my car's CD player forever -- they'd duke it out to pop in first -- and now it's All Moes Haven All the Time.
I'm no Dave Marsh, but here's my attempt at a review:
- quirky and sometimes absurd, personal lyrics (but not self-conscious or trying to hard)
- confident rock star attitude (if your favourite rock star is Jonathan Richman)
- spare, streamlined production (just Matt on voice and piano)
- catchy, hummable grooves
...and because Moes Haven isn't beholden to The Man, you can buy their CDs for $6 or so...! If you like offbeat music and like to support independent musicians, check them out.
Looking
I recently finished a new little comic / picture book for grown ups. I try to keep it clean here on the front page of mollykiely.com, so I'll just say it's called Menage a Trois #5 and it's available at this rather eye-popping site that is for grownups -- and you need to be a grown up since some of the people in the book misplace their clothes and then bump into each other. Often.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
The book in progress, laid out on my living room floor. At right, the cover: be the first one to guess the reference and I'll send you a copy!
Note: as of September 2005, nobody guessed. Don't Star Wars geeks read my website? It's aped from a Rolling Stone cover from summer 1980.
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