Largehearted Boy

Book Notes - Jeff Lemire ("The Nobody")

In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that relates in some way to their recently published book.

The Nobody is Jeff Lemire's new graphic novel, a book that brings H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man hauntingly into the 1990's.

io9 wrote of the book:

"There's a lot to recommend in The Nobody; Lemire manages to perfectly conjure a feeling of bleak disconnection that perfectly matches his lead character's sensibility, transcending the intentionally-pulp nature of the plot (reinforced by the chapter breaks, which use pulp magazine and comic cover cliches to illustrate the story about to unfold). The ambiguous nature of the ending adds to this, allowing for both a straight-forward and an allegorical reading depending on the reader's taste, and bringing a greater weight to something that otherwise would be in danger of disappearing through its own introverted nature (Again, something that fits with the lead)."

In his own words, here is Jeff Lemire's Book Notes music playlist for his graphic novel, The Nobody:

I've always preferred sad songs. They don't make me sad, they just make me "feel more," if that makes sense (and, chances are if you like sad songs too, it does). So, my books tend to be like sad songs, and The Nobody, my new graphic novel from DC/Vertigo is no exception.

The book is a quasi-adaptation of H.G. Wells' novel The Invisible Man. But it really just uses the initial set-up of that book, then goes on it's own path. Griffen, a bandaged stranger, shows up in the tiny fishing village of Large Mouth and soon bonds with Vickie, a sixteen year-old loner. Eventually the paranoia of the town builds and they turn on Griffen, threatening to uncover the truth about his past. The book is set in 1994, a "pre-Google" world where Griffen's back-story wouldn't be as easily debunked as it would today, especially in a small town like Large Mouth. So I tried to pick some songs that reflected the music I listened to when I was sixteen and living in a small town in the early 90's. And, there are a few tracks that just fit thematically, or that come to mind when I think back on working on The Nobody last year.

1. SYCAMORE TREES: Angelo Badalamenti and Jimmy Scott

I'm a huge David Lynch fan, and Twin Peaks was a big influence on The Nobody, so I can't make a playlist without a little nod to Peaks. This song has always been one of my favorites and conjures such a haunting and creepy, yet strangely beautiful mood. It is a perfect song to have playing during the first few pages of The Nobody as Griffen, the bandaged stranger arrives in town.

2. PLAINSONG: The Cure

Seriously, what says longing, loneliness and outsider better than vintage Robert Smith? The long intro of this song, and the building crescendo always gets me. I picture Vickie listening to this in her bedroom late at night as she doodles in her notebook.

3. MY ROOM: Eric's Trip

And speaking of teenagers in bedrooms…this is such a great song. I almost forgot how much I loved Eric's Trip's Love Tara album when it came out in the early 90's. Ironically I ended up working with Tara White (The real Tara of Love Tara) at a restaurant in Toronto for years, and right up until I started working on The Nobody.

4. ENJOY THE SILENCE: Depeche Mode

The rock posters in Vickie's room used to be The Cure, and Depeche Mode, but for legal reasons I couldn't use those, so I changed them to a couple of my friends bands, C'mon and catl. But, if they had stayed, Depeche Mode's Violator poster would have been front and center in a lot of panels taped up to the back of her door. This album is still a classic, and nothing says 1991 to me like this song. I remember unloading bails of hay into my uncle's barn in the steaming summer heat and this song echoing through the rafters. It still gives me chills even though I've heard it a million times since.

5. DOUBLE SHADOWS: Junior Boys

No band has come close to capturing the real magic of that vintage Mode sound like Canadian duo Junior Boys. Some bands capture the surface elements, but these guys really get it. I listened to this album, and this song on repeat while drawing The Nobody.

6. ANY SENSE OF TIME: The Inbreds

Another 90's Canadian Indie band. I worked in a car factory in Windsor, Ontario every summer in High School and hated it. I clearly remember sweeping up steel shavings and listening to this song on my big yellow Walkman. I also had an Inbreds sticker stuck to the side of my portfolio case for years. I must have picked it up at a show, but I don't actually remember seeing them live. I can see Vickie listening to this while sweeping up at her Dad's diner after school.

7. PRIDE OF EGYPT: Andre Ethier

I shared a studio with Andre in Toronto's Kensington Market about 5 or 6 years ago. At the time I was still working on what would become my first mini-comic "Ashtray," and he was still the front man for The Deadly Snakes. He oil painted at nights, and I drew comics during the day in a stuffy, hot little room over a coffee shop that pounded Jazz all day. I love Andre's solo stuff, and this song is powerful and amazing.

8. WHAT HE BUILDING? Tom Waits

As a storyteller I try to draw from a lot of different places, not just comics, and Tom Waits is one of America's greatest living storytellers. I saw him perform this song in Toronto in '98 or '99 and it is still the best show I've ever seen. This song was another big influence on The Nobody. The creepy rural setting, the nosy neighbors obsessed with the strange goings on next door. It's all there.

9. BLACK METALLIC: Catherine Wheel

I listened to this song on repeat, over and over and over again when it came out. Then, I guess somewhere along the way I forgot about it, then when I was drawing The Nobody I remembered it and downloaded it, Then I listened to it over and over and over again.

10. PHOTOGRAPH: Gorp

This was a short-lived Canadian band that was put out on the Sonic Unyon label back in the 90's. I saw them play live with Tristan Psionic back in the day. I honestly lost the rest of their music at some point, but have always kept this song in my iTunes. It's a little sad and little weird, kind of like Griffen.

11. INTERLUDE No. 1/PLAY IT ALL NIGHT LONG: Warren Zevon

Nothing peels back the dark side of small town life like this Zevon song. It's raw, in your face and rude. It is also really powerful and haunting.

12. YOU ARE THE VINE: Royal City

This band used to hang out at La Hacienda, the bar/restaurant where I cooked for the last seven years and right up to when I quit my day job to draw comics full time. The dishwasher at the bar, Lonnie James, is a bit of a Canadian rock journeyman, and he ended up joining the band as their drummer. They broke up soon after, but I'll always love their first album, Alone At The Microphone. This song has a strange hold over me, like the best music, words can't really capture why I love it so much, but it is a great album closer.

Jeff Lemire and The Nobody links:

the author's blog
the author's Wikipedia entry
video trailer for the book
excerpt from the book at New York magazine
excerpt from the book at Newsarama

Comic Book Resources review
Graphic Novel Reporter review
io9 review
The Pulphaus Publitorium review

Comic Book Resources interview with the author
The Fabler interview with the author
Newsarama profile of the author

also at Largehearted Boy:

other Book Notes submissions (authors create playlists for their book)
Note Books (musicians discuss literature)
guest book reviews
musician/author interviews
52 Books, 52 Weeks

tags: books music literature fiction

Shorties (Spoon, Vladimir Nabokov, and more)

Decider Austin interviews Spoon frontman Britt Daniel.

The Guardian reports that Playboy has acquired serial rights to Vladimir Nabokov's unfinished novel, The Original of Laura.

Chicago Journal previews this year's Pitchfork Music Festival.

More "best music of 2009 (so far)" lists:

Animal Noises Music Blog (top albums)
Modern Fabulousity (best albums)
The Quietus (Kev Kharas) (best albums)
Rate Your Music (top albums)

A bittorrent of the Crystal Castles performance was added to the 2009 Bonnaroo show downloads page.

Decider Twin Cities interviews Mark Olson about the Jayhawks reunion.

Rhett Miller of the Old 97s talks to the Colorado Springs Independent.

"I've had to deal with [the alt-country tag] for so long, and obviously it's annoying in a lot of ways. It's reductive and it doesn't take into account all of our influences. But at the same time, it helped us coming up and gave people an 'in' so they could discover our band. So I can't hate it, but at the same time it gets old."

Contactmusic interviews Rab Allan from Glasvegas.

The Guardian's books blog examines authors' use of recurring characters in their works.

When authors reintroduce characters into later books, we don't just get to find out how they're doing. Their presence constitutes a clever communication between author and reader; our recognition of them and knowledge of their back story lends another dimension to the new book.

The List profiles St. Vincent's Annie Clark.

St Vincent’s smouldering lounge-pop, however, revels in atmospheric excess. An erstwhile affiliate of choral rock mob The Polyphonic Spree and former conscript of Sufjan Stevens’ backing flock, Clark’s entrancing solo art spans gentle electro, errant torch songs, spectral trip hop and ambient alt.rock. Her second solo album, Actor, was released in May this year, to rapture.

Wilco Guitarist Nels Cline talks to the Boston Herald about how he has helped change the band's sound.

“I think sonically things ramped up a little bit (when I joined),” Cline said. “I added a few more funny noises and some extra distortion to the sound. Live, some of those older songs might sound a little more hard rock. But I have to say that it’s important to remember that after (guitarist/keyboardist) Pat (Sansone) and I joined, Jeff got healthy.”

Amazon has dropped the price of its 6" Kindle to $299.

Slate examines the link between great crime fiction and Scandanavian authors.

FACT lists the 20 best UK techno albums.

The A.V. Club offers gateway books to introduce you to the witty fiction of P.G. Wodehouse.

Zak Sally is auctioning the original cover artwork for Low's The Great Destroyer album.

The Austin American-Statesman charts the career trajectory of Spoon.

Twelve and a half years ago, on the heels of the release of debut LP 'Telephono,' Spoon played to an audience of maybe 50. This time they're the hometown heroes, who've had a Top 10 album (2007's 'Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga') and appeared on 'Saturday Night Live,' as well as Leno, Letterman, Conan and the like.

The 2009 Polaris Music Prize shortlist has been named.

NPR is streaming Sonic Youth's Tuesday evening Washington performance.

Help me clean out my house and win 100 random CDs in this week's Largehearted Boy contest.

Follow me on Twitter for links that don't make the daily "Shorties" columns.

also at Largehearted Boy:

daily mp3 downloads
Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and full album streams from this week's CD releases)
weekly music & DVD release lists

tags: music books popculture indie news literature

Daily Downloads (Julian Plenti, Riceboy Sleeps, and more)

Today's free and legal mp3 downloads:

Butterflies: "Mind Games" [mp3] from Nothing's Personal
other Butterflies posts at Largehearted Boy

Cougar: "Stay Famous" [mp3] from Patriot
other Cougar posts at Largehearted Boy

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros: "40 Day Dream" [mp3] from Up from Below (out July 14th)
other Edward Sharpe posts at Largehearted Boy

Forro in the Dark: "Light a Candle" [mp3] from Light a Candle (out September 29th)
other Forro in the Dark posts at Largehearted Boy

Jeff Merchant: "Crazy Ship" [mp3] from City Makes No Sound (out August 11th)
Jeff Merchant: "Disturbance Call" [mp3] from City Makes No Sound (out August 11th)
other Jeff Merchant posts at Largehearted Boy

Julian Plenti: "The Fun That We Have" [mp3] from Julian Plenti Is...Skyscraper (out August 4th)
other Julian Plenti posts at Largehearted Boy

Reverie Sound Revue: "We Are the Opposite of Thieves" [mp3] from Reverie Sound Revue
other Reverie Sound Revue posts at Largehearted Boy

Riceboy Sleeps: "Boy 1904" [mp3] from Riceboy Sleeps (out July 21st)
other Riceboy Sleeps posts at Largehearted Boy

The Silent Years: "Taking Drugs at the Amusement Park" [mp3] from Let Go (out July 14th)
other Silent Years posts at Largehearted Boy

Free and legal mp3s of live performances at other websites:

Mannequin Men: Daytrotter session [mp3]
other Mannequin Men posts at Largehearted Boy

also at Largehearted Boy:

previous free and legal mp3 daily downloads
2009 Bonnaroo downloads
2008 Lollapalooza downloads
other music festival downloads

Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and album streams from weekly CD releases)
weekly CD release lists

tags: music download indie mp3

Book Notes - Alyson Noel ("Blue Moon")

In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that relates in some way to their recently published book.

The second book in the Immortals series, Blue Moon continues the paranormal saga of Ever and Damen. Alyson Noel's writing is filled with twists and turns, young adult fiction that surprises not only with its clever plots but also with its realistic depictions of teen emotions.

In her own words, here is Alyson Noel's Book Notes music playlist for her young adult novel, Blue Moon:

In Evermore, book #1 in my new Immortals series, the protagonist, Ever, suffered a near death experience that left her with tremendous psychic powers she doesn't want. Powers that allow her to hear people's thoughts and know their entire life stories by touch. Powers that she tries to block out by keeping to herself and blasting the Sex Pistols on her iPod.

But Ever isn't a Sex Pistols fan. Nope, that would be me. So much so that I watched "Sid & Nancy" while writing the book and got so wrapped up in the story that when it came time to write I accidentally attributed the vocals in "Anarchy in the UK" to Sid, when we all know it was Johnny—oops!

Glaring error aside, Ever's not in it for the music, she craves silence. And it's only when she meets Damen, a boy who can silence the noise with his voice and warm her skin with a look, that she gets some relief. Though it's not long before she discovers that the one person who makes her feel normal, is anything but...

I spent hours putting together a playlist for this book. Partly because, if done correctly, this is one of the best procrastination tools a writer has, but mostly because immersing myself in the right mix of songs goes along way in informing and shaping the world I'm creating. And in this case, I was searching for songs that were dark, moody, and chock full of unrequited longing—songs that include the following:

"Fade Into You" by Mazzy Star

What can I say? I love this song. From the first time I heard it I was swept by the feel of it, and no matter how many times I've listened to it since, I never get sick of it. Not to mention it perfectly encapsulates the mood of the book. Perfectly.

"Superstar" by Sonic Youth

I'm not gonna lie, I grew up listening to The Carpenters' version of this song—and while I can't claim to have been a fan, for some reason, this version really speaks to me like the original never did. Hence, I included it.

"Wicked Game" by Giant Drag

Yup, another remake (keep reading, there's more!). I love it when songs that define a long ago moment in my life are redone and given a whole new feel by a whole new artist. And while I'm partial to the original, I happen to think this one is just as sexy as the Chris Isaak version, and to me, it has this very "Ever & Damen love story" feel to it.

"Kings of the Wild Frontier" by Adam & The Ants

Okay, full confession here: I, Alyson Noël, once pledged undying allegiance to Adam Ant. Yes, I was a full on "Ant Person" ready to join his "Ant Nation" and listened to nothing but "Ant music." One of my shorter lived obsessions for sure, but still, there it is. And when Sofia Coppola used this song in Marie Antoinette as a backdrop to some very hot scenes between Marie and her lover, Count Fersen, well, I knew I had to add it to my playlist too since Evermore includes its own Marie and Count Fersen reenactment scene!

"Magic Man" by Heart

Loved this song as a kid (hey, I had older sisters!), and I love it still. I added it to my playlist because it reminds me of Damen. He's complicated, a bit of a shape shifter, and definitely a man of magic!

"Creep" by Radiohead

Not only do I love to sing this one while playing Rock Band on the Wii, I think anyone who ever went to high school can relate to this. That feeling of complete alienation and freakishness—or maybe that was just me? But since Ever always feels like the absolute outsider, viewed by her classmates as the ultimate freak, this song helped me get inside her head, helped me see the world through her eyes.

"Something"- by Jim Sturgess

While nothing beats The Beatles' version, by now you know I love my covers! And after seeing Cirque Du Soleil's "Love" show in Las Vegas—where they performed a ballet to this song that left me with tears in my eyes, I knew I had to add it to the list. There's so much love and reverence here—and it reminds me of how Damen has felt about Ever for the last 400 hundred years!

"Hong Kong Garden"- by Siouxsie & The Banshees

Another Marie Antoinette movie pick that not only harkens back to my high school years, but has the kind of fun feel I wanted to interject between all the longing and melancholy!

"Edge of Seventeen" by Stevie Nicks

In my next life, I'm going to be Stevie Nicks. The voice- the dresses- the hair—the witchy ways—a true rock star! But this time around, I'm stuck with just being a fan, and while my playlist actually includes the live version of this song—which I happen to love, love, love and never get tired of listening to—the truth is, any version will do. Everything about this song reminds me of Ever, who, by the way, just happens to be on the "edge of seventeen" herself!

"Warning Sign" by Coldplay

Honestly? Not sure why I chose this one, other than the fact that it's nice, and slow, and I like it!

"Across the Universe" by Fiona Apple

I first heard this song while watching Pleasantville (love that movie) and waited forever for iTunes to add it. The moment they did, I added it to the list and it really fits since Ever and Damen are star crossed lovers who've been thwarted for 400 years—and yet they keep finding each other, from all the way "across the universe," they come together again and again, trying to make it work.

"Maybe I'm Amazed" by Jem

The first time I heard Paul McCartney sing this—I got chills. The second time, I ran for my stereo and hit record—ultimately playing that cassette so many times it got all crunched and tangled and I was forced to jam a pencil tip in there to get it all unwound and straightened out again (remember that?!). And while this version will always be somewhat tainted as the Caleb and Julie wedding song on the now defunct TV show, The OC, I still like it in spite of that. I think it perfectly encapsulates what it's like when you totally and completely fall for someone—and you realize it's reciprocated!

"Wild Horses" by The Sundays

Yes, yet another remake. And while I've been a Stones fan from day one, I really do like this version. It has a more "girly" feel to it and reminds me of Ever's feelings for Damen.

Alyson Noel and Blue Moon links:

the author's website
the author's blog
the author's page at the publisher
the author's Facebook page
the author's MySpace page
the author's Twitter page
the author's Wikipedia entry
excerpt from the book
video trailer for the book

The Book Chick review
Darque Reviews review
GreenBeanTeenQueen review
Merry Genre Go Round Reviews review
Mind of a Bibliophile review

Bookburger interview with the author
Orange Coast interview with the author

also at Largehearted Boy:

other Book Notes submissions (authors create playlists for their book)
Note Books (musicians discuss literature)
guest book reviews
musician/author interviews
52 Books, 52 Weeks

tags: books music literature fiction

Shorties (Best Music of 2009 Lists, Jeff Tweedy, and more)

More "best of 2009 (so far)" music lists:

About.com (best R&B/soul albums)
Alterdestiny (best albums)
Art Nouveau Magazine (best albums)
Artrocker (favorite albums)
ChordStrike (best classical albums)
Drowned in Sound (songs of the year)
Isaac Ashe's Sound Advice (albums of the year)
NPR's All Songs Considered (top songs)
Popdose (albums)
Random Types (top albums)
Random Types (top songs)
Repetition (best albums)
Seattle Rock Guy (top albums)
A Slice of Fried Gold (top albums)
Snob's Music (best albums)
Sun on the Sand (top albums)
Twangville (best albums)
Uncle E's Musical Nightmares (best albums)
We Listen for You (top albums)">We Listen for You (overlooked albums)
We Listen for You (top albums)
You Set the Scene (best albums)

American Songwriter is counting down the top 20 Jeff Tweedy songs.

Crave Online interviews Brody Dalle of Spinnerette.

The Denver Post interviews Son Volt frontman Jay Farrar.

San Diego CityBeat offers suggestions for your next 4th of July playlist.

At Paper Cuts, author Laird Hunt creates a "living with music" music playlist.

On sale at Amazon MP3 for $3.99: Stellastarr*'s 10-track Civilized album for $3.99.

Spinner profiles singer-songwriter Larkin Grimm.

Like her life story, Grimm's music is just as unpredictable. Her 2008 album 'Parplar' draws on various musical styles such as folk, blues, Middle Eastern and Indian yet there is also an underlying influence of Appalachia. "I grew up with the Appalachian and bluegrass tradition," she says. "Most folk music is kind of the same. All of these things, to me, are related coming from this Appalachian music."

KTVU interviews singer-songwriter Rhett Miller of the Old 97s.

The Kansas City Star examines a local library's advertising campaign using literary-themed delivery trucks (Kafka's Pest Control, Captain Ahab's Fine Seafood, etc.).

The New York Press interviews Dan Boeckner of Handsome Furs.

The New York Post's Popwrap blog lists 18 must-have songs of summer 2009.

The Pitch profiles So Many Dynamos.

The band is frequently — and derisively, at least in a recent Pitchfork Media review — compared with Washington, D.C., postpunk acts such as the Dismemberment Plan and Q and Not U, but the Dynamos' music is much more nuanced. Thanks to influences ranging from At the Drive-In to Yes (and including Broken Social Scene, Minus the Bear, Talking Heads and Weezer), Wars is faster, busier and more futuristic — and far more fluid.

WNYC's Soundcheck hosts a panel discussion (that features one of my favorite music bloggers, Maura Johnston of Idolator) about the future of the music magazine.

The Blog from Another World offers a 20 page PDF preview of Carol Tyler's amazing new graphic novel, You'll Never Know.

The Heavy visits The Current studio for an interview and in-studio performance.

McSweeney's is holding a summer garage sale with many of its books only $5.

IGN ranks the Beastie Boys albums from worst to best.

Fresh Air interviews Kate Walbert about her new novel, A Short History of Women.

Help me clean out my house and win 100 random CDs in this week's Largehearted Boy contest.

Follow me on Twitter for links that don't make the daily "Shorties" columns.

also at Largehearted Boy:

daily mp3 downloads
Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and full album streams from this week's CD releases)
weekly music & DVD release lists

tags: music books popculture indie news literature

Daily Downloads (The Almighty Defenders, The Rural Alberta Advantage, and more)

Today's free and legal mp3 downloads:

The Almighty Defenders: "Bow Down and Die" [mp3] from The Almighty Defenders (out September 22nd)
other Almighty Defenders posts at Largehearted Boy

Beat Radio: "Memoir of a Lightning Bolt" [mp3] from Safe Inside the Sound
other Beat Radio posts at Largehearted Boy

Himalaya: "Melt Away" [mp3] from Himalaya
other Himalaya posts at Largehearted Boy

The Phenomenal Handclap Band: "You'll Disappear" [mp3] from The Phenomenal Handclap Band
other Phenomenal Handclap Band posts at Largehearted Boy

The Rural Alberta Advantage: "Frank, AB" [mp3] from Hometowns
other Rural Alberta Advantage posts at Largehearted Boy

Slow Claw: "Everybody" [mp3] from Grandfather Clocks (out August 18th)
other Slow Claw posts at Largehearted Boy

UUVVWWZ: "Jap Dad" [mp3] from UUVVWWZ
other UUVVWWZ posts at Largehearted Boy

Warpaint: "Billie Holiday" [mp3] from Exquisite Corpse
Warpaint: "Elephants [mp3] from Exquisite Corpse
other Warpaint posts at Largehearted Boy

We All Have Hooks for Hands: "Made Up of Tiny Lights" [mp3] from The Shape of Energy (out October 13th)
other We All Have Hooks for Hands posts at Largehearted Boy

Free and legal mp3s of live performances at other websites:

Bowerbirds: Daytrotter session [mp3]
other Bowerbirds posts at Largehearted Boy

Creepy: 2009-06-26, Athens [mp3]
other Creepy posts at Largehearted Boy

David Barbe and the Quick Hooks: 2009-06-28, Athens [mp3]
other David Barbe posts at Largehearted Boy

Ha Ha Tonka: WOXY Lounge Act session [mp3]
other Ha Ha Tonka posts at Largehearted Boy

The Sunshine Fix: 2004-04-28, Athens [mp3]
other Sunshine Fix posts at Largehearted Boy

Thunder Power: 2009-06-19, Brooklyn [mp3,flac]
other Thunder Power posts at Largehearted Boy

also at Largehearted Boy:

previous free and legal mp3 daily downloads
2009 Bonnaroo downloads
2008 Lollapalooza downloads
other music festival downloads

Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and album streams from weekly CD releases)
weekly CD release lists

tags: music download indie mp3

Try It Before You Buy It (July 7th, 2009 Music Releases)

Try It Before You Buy It features free and legal mp3 downloads and full album streams from this week's music releases:

The Alchemist: Chemical Warfare
full album stream

All Time Low: Nothing Personal
full album stream

Bowerbirds: Upper Air
full album stream
"Beneath Your Tree" [mp3]
"Northern Lights" [mp3]

Broken Records: Until the Earth Begins to Part
full album stream
"If The News Makes You Sad, Don't Watch It" [mp3]
"If Eilert Loevborg Wrote A Song, It Would Sound Like This" [mp3]

Cage: Depart from Me
full album stream

Ceu: Vagarosa
"Bubuia" [mp3]

Donnas: Greatest Hits Volume 16
full album stream

Kiss Kiss: The Meek Shall Inherit What's Left
full album stream

Marcy Playground: Leaving Wonderland...In a Fit of Rage
full album stream

Maxwell: BLACKsummers'night
full album stream

Motel Motel: New Denver
full album stream

Nebula: Heavy Psych
"The Dagger" [mp3]

Oneida: Rated O
"I Will Haunt You" [mp3]
"Saturday" [mp3]
"What's Up, Jackal?" [mp3]

Paul Oakenfold: Perfecto: Vegas
full album stream

The Rural Alberta Advantage: Hometowns
full album stream

Son Volt: American Central Dust
full album stream
"Down to the Wire" [mp3]

Stellastarr*: Civilized
full album stream
"Freak Out" [mp3]

Those Darlins: Those Darlins
"Red Light Love" [mp3]

Tiny Vipers: Life On Earth
full album stream
"Dreamer" [mp3]

UuVvWwZ: UuVvWwZ
full album stream

Wonderlick: Topless At The Arco Arena
full album stream

also at Largehearted Boy:

previous Try It Before You Buy It lists
CD & DVD release lists

tags: music cd list indie album releases mp3 download free

Shorties (David Foster Wallace, Rhett Miller, and more)

A couple of David Foster Wallace links:

Playboy reprints his first published fictional story (from a 1968 issue of the magazine).

Author Daniel Stillman reappraises Wallace's work and literary legacy.

Paste interviews singer-songwriter Rhett Miller.

Paste: You write songs about people like David Foster Wallace, and you make references to authors like Kafka in “Our Love,” and Don DeLillo in “World Inside The World.” Do you have literary ambitions as well as musical ones?

Miller: I do. I've got a short story that's out in a new book right now. I'm putting that on the back burner because I figured out that I have tendency to be unfocused. I'm scatterbrained. I'll say, “Well, I've got this going now, let's do something else,” and I really have to focus on the music for right now. In a couple of years, two to five years, I would like to really take a year off and do what Joe Pernice of the Pernice Brothers is doing right now and go just write a fucking novel. Just sit down and do it. Stop talking about writing. The tough thing is is that people pay me to do music, so that's nice. I have two kids, and they insist on eating every fucking day. And I've written so many songs that it comes very naturally to me, whereas when I sit down to write, the demons in my head that say, “You're not good enough,” and all those things that everyone I know who writes or creates has to shout down, they get really loud when I try to write fiction. And it's tough. I do have literary aspirations. I'm just going to put them off for a little while.

The 2009 Bonnaroo show downloads page has been updated with sets by Neko Case, Todd Snider, Lovell Sisters, and of Montreal.

Pitchfork offers a guide to summer's upcoming music releases.

American Songwriter interviews singer-songwriter Sara Watkins.

of Montreal frontman Kevin Barnes discusses Woody Allen films with The Quietus.

IGN interviews Frank Black.

McSweeney's is holding a summer garage sale, with many books only $5.

Scientific American explains the physiological and psychological reasons why music moves us.

The Guardian profiles Borders UK's new dating site for book lovers.

With bookish tweeness, Borders is calling its service "Happily Ever After" – which betrays a certain naivety about just how nasty book lovers can get when challenged by someone who professes to love a book more than they do. That's why book groups are festering middens of resentment and petty point-scoring.

PopMatters pitches its 20 questions to singer-songwriter Eleni Mandell.

The Mainichi Daily News reviews Haruki Murakami's new novel, 1Q84.

The book can also be read as a powerful protest against the trampling of free will, represented in the book by domestic violence and cult groups, or as a visceral story of family, of two characters with different personal histories, family environments, and raw portrayals of parent-child antagonism. It is also a love story, as a boy and girl find a connection with each other in their teens and, though separated for some 20 years, continue to foster their love. Finally, "1Q84" is proof that Murakami's sense for good prose is alive and strong.

Save Ohio Libraries is attempting to stop massive state budget cuts for libraries.

Music for Kids Who Can't Read Good lists its favorite albums of 2009 (so far).

Newsarama interviews Shane White about his new zombie graphic novel, Things Undone.

Good Comics for Kids lists comics that celebrate cultural diversity.

The Observer lists the 50 best summer reads ever.

The Comics Reporter interviews cartoonist Carol Tyler.

The Guardian reports that Jack White's record label has started a subscription service.

At NPR Music, Julie Doiron plays a "tiny desk concert."

Birmingham Box Set lists its favorite albums of 2009 so far.

Help me clean out my house and win 100 random CDs in this week's Largehearted Boy contest.

Follow me on Twitter for links that don't make the daily "Shorties" columns.

also at Largehearted Boy:

daily mp3 downloads
Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and full album streams from this week's CD releases)
weekly music & DVD release lists

tags: music books popculture indie news literature

Daily Downloads (The Twilight Sad and more)

Today's free and legal mp3 downloads:

Ceu: "Bubuia" [mp3] from Vagarosa
other Ceu posts at Largehearted Boy

Chris Hickey: "Down" [mp3] from Razzmatazz
other Chris Hickey posts at Largehearted Boy

Guy Fantastico: "Nom de Guerre" [mp3] from Nesting (out August 4th)
other Guy Fantastico posts at Largehearted Boy

Jets Under Fire: free and legal EP2 EP download [mp3]
other Jets Under Fire posts at Largehearted Boy

Motel Motel: "Cowboy" [mp3]
other Motel Motel posts at Largehearted Boy

Seb Roberts: "A Hesitant Pride" [mp3] from Breeds with Anything
Seb Roberts: "Tina" [mp3] from Breeds with Anything
other Seb Roberts posts at Largehearted Boy

The Twilight Sad: "Reflection of the Television" [mp3] from Forget The Night Ahead
other Twilight Sad posts at Largehearted Boy

Free and legal mp3s of live performances at other websites:

Explosions in the Sky: 2009-06-30, New York [mp3,flac]
other Explosions in the Sky posts at Largehearted Boy

Iron and Wine: 2009-05-19, New York [mp3,flac]
other Iron and Wine posts at Largehearted Boy

Jay Reatard: 2009-07-01, New York [mp3,flac]
other Jay Reatard posts at Largehearted Boy

The Lions Rampant: WOXY Lounge Act session [mp3]
other Lions Rampant posts at Largehearted Boy

Or, the Whale: Luxury Wafers session [mp3.video]
other Or, the Whale posts at Largehearted Boy

Patrick Wolf: Daytrotter session [mp3]
other Patrick Wolf posts at Largehearted Boy

Wild Moccasins: WOXY Lounge Act session [mp3]
other Wild Moccasins posts at Largehearted Boy

*registration required

also at Largehearted Boy:

previous free and legal mp3 daily downloads
2009 Bonnaroo downloads
2008 Lollapalooza downloads
other music festival downloads

Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and album streams from weekly CD releases)
weekly CD release lists

tags: music download indie mp3

This Week's Interesting Music Releases (July 7th, 2009)

Just a week after fellow Uncle Tupelo member Jeff Tweedy released the self-titled Wilco album, Jay Farrar drops Son Volt's strongest effort in years, American Central Dust.

This week's music release list may be relatively short, but several of these discs are already among my favorites of the year, including Bowerbirds' Upper Air, Those Darlins' self-titled debut album, and Tiny Vipers' Life On Earth.

The Drive-By Truckers' Live from Austin Texas captures the band's latest Austin City Limits performance, complete with audio and video cut from the broadcast.

Poet: A Tribute to Townes Van Zandt collects covers from Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, and Willie Nelson.

Scott McCaughey marks a rare double this week with new albums out from both of his bands, The Minus 5's Killingsworth and Young Fresh Fellows' I Think This Is.

Other albums sent my way that I can definitely recommend include Cass McCombs' Catacombs, Music From The North Country: The Jayhawks Anthology, Oneida's Rated O, and The Rural Alberta Advantage's Hometowns.

The week's reissue highlights are Matador Records' vinyl releases of two Yo La Tengo albums (Electr-O-Pura and I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One, New Pornographers' Electric Version, as well as Cat Power's The Covers Record.

What new music can you recommend this week? What's on your shopping list? Have I left any interesting releases off the list?

This week's interesting CD releases:

900x: Library Catalog Music Series: Music For Lubbock, 1980
Against Me!: The Original Cowboy (vinyl)
The Alchemist: Chemical Warfare
All Time Low: Nothing Personal
Allen Toussaint: The Bright Mississippi (2-LP vinyl with CD)
Animal Collective: Summertime Clothes (vinyl)
Barry Goldberg: Barry Goldberg (reissue)
Barzin: Notes To An Absent Lover
Berlin: All the Way In
biLLy bOy on poiSon: Drama Junkie Queen (vinyl)
Bjork: Voltaic (3-LP, 2-CD & 2-DVD box set) (1-LP vinyl)
Black Keys: The Big Come Up (vinyl)
Bob Marley: Catch a Fire (vinyl reissue)
Bob Marley: Exodus (vinyl reissue)
Bob Marley: Legend (vinyl reissue)
Bombadil: Tarpits/Canyonlands
Bowerbirds: Upper Air (vinyl)
Broken Records: Until the Earth Begins to Part (vinyl)
Cage: Depart from Me (vinyl)
Captain Beefheart: Safe as Milk (reissue)
Casey Foubert: Library Catalog Music Series: Music For Drums (vinyl)
Cass McCombs: Catacombs (vinyl)
Cat Power: The Covers Record (vinyl reissue)
Ceu: Vagarosa
Chris Garneau: El Radio
Cobra Starship: Kiss My Sass (vinyl)
Donnas: Greatest Hits Volume 16 (vinyl)
Dr. Dog and Floating Action: Don't Stop (Loving Me Now) (vinyl)
Drive-By Truckers: Live from Austin Texas (CD & DVD)
Duckworth Lewis Method: Duckworth Lewis Method
Ellen Allien: Ondu Caress EP (vinyl)
The Fools: Sold Out / Heavy Mental
Genesis: Live in Poland
Gentlemen: Candid History of Faith Hope Love
Hatcham Social: You Dig the Tunnel, I'll Hide the Soil
High Places / Soft Circle: High Places / Soft Circle Split 7" (vinyl)
Holly Throsby: A Loud Call
Iron Maiden: Flight 666 [Blu-ray]
Jackie-O Motherf**ker: Ballads of the Revolution (vinyl)
The Jayhawks: Music From The North Country: The Jayhawks Anthology (3-disc deluxe edition)
Jorge Ben: Tudo Ben
Junior Boys: Begone Dull Care (vinyl)
Junior Boys: Hazel (vinyl)
Kiss Kiss: The Meek Shall Inherit What's Left
Kris Kristofferson: Border Lord/Jesus Was a Capricorn (reissues)
Kris Kristofferson: Spooky Lady's Sideshow/Shake Hands with the Devil (reissues)
Kris Kristofferson: Surreal Thing/Easter Island (reissues)
Kris Kristofferson: Who's to Bless and Who's to Blame/To the Bone (reissues)
La Roux: La Roux
Law of the Least Effort: Library Catalog Music Series: Music For Measurements )vinyl)
LMFAO: Party Rock
The Lovell Sisters: Time To Grow
The Low Anthem: Oh My God Charlie Darwin (vinyl)
Mannequin Men: Lose Your Illusion, Too (vinyl)
Marcy Playground: Leaving Wonderland...In a Fit of Rage
Marillion: Live From Loreley (remastered)
Marillion: Recital of the Script (remastered)
Marillion: The Thieving Magpie (remastered)
Maxwell: BLACKsummers'night
The Minus 5: Killingsworth
Motel Motel: New Denver
Nebula: Heavy Psych (vinyl)
New Pornographers: Electric Version (vinyl reissue)
Night Horse / Dirty Sweet: Night Horse / Dirty Sweet Split 7" (vinyl)
Nurse with Wound: Surveillance Lounge
Oneida: Rated O (vinyl)
Owen: The Seaside EP
Pat Metheny: Day Trip/Tokyo Day Trip (3-LP, 2-CD box set)
Paul Oakenfold: Perfecto: Vegas
The Pine Hill Haints: To Win or To Lose
Rock Plaza Central: At the Moment of Our Most Needing (vinyl)
The Rumble Strips: Not the Only Person
The Rural Alberta Advantage: Hometowns
Screaming Blue Messiahs: Bikini Red (reissue)
Screaming Blue Messiahs: Gun Shy (reissue)
Sleepy Sun: Embrace (vinyl)
Son Volt: American Central Dust
Stellastarr*: Civilized
Swell Maps: Sweep the Desert (vinyl reissue)
Those Darlins: Those Darlins
Tiny Vipers: Life On Earth
UuVvWwZ: UuVvWwZ
Various Artists: Dillanthology, Vol. 2
Various Artists: Dirty French Psychedelic
Various Artists: The Present (soundtrack)
Various Artists: Poet: A Tribute to Townes Van Zandt
We Were Promised Jetpacks: These Four Walls
Yo La Tengo: Electr-O-Pura (vinyl reissue)
Yo La Tengo: I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One (vinyl reissue)
Young Fresh Fellows: I Think This Is
Zs: Music of the Modern White (vinyl)

also at Largehearted Boy:

previous CD & DVD release lists
Try It Before You Buy It (music from this week's CD releases)

tags: music cd list indie album releases

This Week's Interesting DVD Releases (July 7th, 2009)

This week's DVD release list suffers a bit from the summer doldrums, but there are a couple of television sets that have especially piqued my interest: the second season of Third Watch, the second season of Reno 911!, and the first season of Kath & Kim (which stars Molly Shannon).

Theatrical films out on DVD this week include the Nicolas Cage science fiction movie Knowing and the thriller Push, along with the classic, Beau Geste.

Beef up your Blu-ray library this week with The Deep and Grumpy Old Men.

What can you recommend buying or adding to the Netflix queue from this week's DVD releases?

This week's interesting DVD releases:

Agatha Christie's Poirot: The Movie Collection - Set 4
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Angel Blade
Beau Geste
Border Town
Callan: Set 1
Clipping Adam
Coco Chanel
A Day in the Life
Dead Wood
The Deep [Blu-ray]
Doctor Who: Attack of the Cybermen (Episode 138)
Doctor Who: The Rescue / The Romans (Episodes 11 & 12)
Five Fingers
Flying By
Four Windows
Freedom: Complete Collection
FRONTLINE: The Released
Garrison
Garrison Keillor: The Man on the Radio in the Red Shoes
Grave of the Fireflies
Grumpy Old Men [Blu-ray]
In Memory of My Father [Blu-ray]
Iron Maiden: Flight 666 [Blu-ray]
Jeff Garlin: Young and Handsome: A Night with Jeff Garlin
John Barrymore Collection
Kath & Kim - Season One
Kaze No Stigma: Season 1 Part 1 - Wind
Kiddy Grade: Box Set (Viridian Collection 2)
Knowing
Le Jupon Rouge
Legends & Lyrics, Vol. 1 [Blu-ray]
The Little Red Truck
Lonely are the Brave
Ma Saison Super 8
Matlock: Seasons 1-3
Matlock: The Third Season
Mr. Rock N Roll: The Alan Freed Story
Murder, She Wrote: The Complete Tenth Season
Mystery Science Theater 3000: XV
Near Dark
NHL: Stanley Cup 2008-2009 Champions: Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL: Stanley Cup 2008-2009 Champions/Sidney Crosby: On the Ice and Beyond
Night Stalker
Night Train
Now and Then, Here and There: Collection
One Missed Call Final
The Peacekeepers
Peanuts: 1960's Collection
Power Rangers RPM, Vol. 1: Start Your Engines
Push
Reno 911!: The Complete Sixth Season
Resolved
River's End
Scorched
Sherlock Holmes (1922 version)
Third Watch: The Complete Seasons 1 & 2
Third Watch: The Complete Second Season
Those Who Hunt Elves: Complete Collection
Trail of the Lonesome Pine
Twelve Kingdoms Complete Series
The Unborn
The Universe: The Complete Season 2
Violette Verdy: The Artist Teacher
War of 1812
The Watermelon

also at Largehearted Boy:

previous CD & DVD release lists
Soundtracked (directors and composers discuss their film's soundtrack)

tags: movies dvd list indie film

Shorties (Dirty Projectors, of Montreal, and more)

Pitchfork interviews Dave Longstreth of Dirty Projectors.

of Montreal frontman Kevin Barnes talks to The Skinny.

This weekend's updates to the 2009 Bonnaroo downloads page include an mp3 set by the Tangiers Blues Bands and a lossless download of the Heartless Bastards show.

Publishers Weekly previews fall's audiobook releases.

PopMatters contributors offer a tribute to Michael Jackson.

The Grand Rapids Press recaps the best of last weekend's Rothbury music festival.

In the Los Angeles Times, David Treuer bemoans the lack of "antiheroes" in literature today.

Bookslut's July issue is online, and includes interviews with Brian Evenson, Shaun Tan, and much more.

The Art of Touring is a book edited by Sara Jaffe (Erase Errata) and Mia Clarke (Electrelane), and filled with "art, photographs, and writing reflecting life on the road" from Yeti Publishing. Contributors include Devendra Banhart, Nick Zinner, Thurston Moore, and many other musicians.

Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance, founders of Merge Records, talk to NPR's All Things Considered about the indie music label's 20 years in business.

The New York Times lists the best children's books ever.

CMJ's Staff Blog interviews two members of the Phenomenal Handclap Band.

National Geographic Traveler shares a list of the 50 books of summer with a strong sense of place.

Perfect Sounds lists the top 20 albums of 2009 so far.

Help me clean out my house and win 100 random CDs in this week's Largehearted Boy contest.

Follow me on Twitter for links that don't make the daily "Shorties" columns.

also at Largehearted Boy:

daily mp3 downloads
Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and full album streams from this week's CD releases)
weekly music & DVD release lists

tags: music books popculture indie news literature

Daily Downloads (Talbot Tagora, Elephant Stone, and more)

Today's free and legal mp3 downloads:

A Brief Smile: free and legal Sunshine State EP [mp3]
other A Brief Smile posts at Largehearted Boy

The Chasms: free and legal Advance Paranoia, Advance album [mp3]
other Chasms posts at Largehearted Boy

The Color Turning: "New Hooligans" [mp3]
other Color Turning posts at Largehearted Boy

Elephant Stone: "I Am Blind" [mp3] from Elephant Stone
other Elephant Stone posts at Largehearted Boy

Gordie Tentrees: "Alfred" [mp3] from Mercy Or Sin (out August 18th)
other Gordie Tentrees posts at Largehearted Boy

Medeski Martin and Wood: "Undone" [mp3] from Radiolarians III (out August 4th)
other Medeski Martin and Wood posts at Largehearted Boy

Neon Indian: "Terminally Chill" [mp3] from Psychic Chasms (out October 13th)
other Neon Indian posts at Largehearted Boy

Quixote: "Hubris" [mp3] from Quixote
other Quixote posts at Largehearted Boy

Talbot Tagora: "Ichmus Hop" [mp3] from Lessons in the Woods or a City (out July 21st)
other Talbot Tagora posts at Largehearted Boy

Free and legal mp3s of live performances at other websites:

Mi Ami: Daytrotter session [mp3]
other Mi Ami posts at Largehearted Boy

*registration required

also at Largehearted Boy:

previous free and legal mp3 daily downloads
2009 Bonnaroo downloads
2008 Lollapalooza downloads
other music festival downloads

Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and album streams from weekly CD releases)
weekly CD release lists

tags: music download indie mp3

Shorties (Quiet Rock, Florence and the Machine, and more)

The San Diego Union-Tribune notes the increased popularity of "quiet rock."

The Austin American-Statesman examines author K.A. Holt's online marketing success for her debut children's novel, Mike Stellar: Nerves of Steel.

The Independent reviews the new Florence and the Machine album, Lungs.

This fine line between deeply unsettling and radio-friendly is precisely the place that Florence resides. Fast-forward 15 years and, while other "now" acts are on a Remember the Noughties tour playing past hits to nostalgic ex-Hoxtonites, my guess is that Florence will still be there, making music that mixes glamour and danger in equal measure.

The Boston Globe explores Boston literary neighborhoods.

The Columbus Dispatch examines the continued appeal of ABBA music.

The Telegraph offers an interactive map of great British literary walks.

The Washington Post interviews Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy.

The Japan Times reviews the new Haruki Murakami novel, 1Q84.

Decades of Murakami's experimentation with voice and style have culminated in sophisticated but simple prose that avoids pretension (except when he mocks Japan's literary culture). In addition, the characters' intonation, gestures and facial expressions are described with a new degree of precision.

Gigwise lists 20 disgusting album covers.

NPR Music is streaming a Mountain Stage performance by singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt.

Minnesota Public Radio examines the draw of the Twin Cities music scene to young college graduates.

Help me clean out my house and win 100 random CDs in this week's Largehearted Boy contest.

Follow me on Twitter for links that don't make the daily "Shorties" columns.

also at Largehearted Boy:

daily mp3 downloads
Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and full album streams from this week's CD releases)
weekly music & DVD release lists

tags: music books popculture indie news literature