I had a few thoughts about various happenings in the arts world. Here they be: (in no particular order of importance. I just like numbering things.)
Music
1. Vienna Teng’s new album “Inland Empire” is a win, especially the tracks “No Gringo” and “Stray Italian Greyhound.” I’ve been listening to it for a few months now, and I have been coming back to it repeatedly. So far it is my pick for most solid release of 2009.
2. New Eels “Hombre Lobo” is so forgettable that I keep forgetting that it a. came out and b. that I own it.
3. The new Roots album was supposed to come out this week but got pushed back to DECEMBER. What the fuck?
4. Regina Spektor’s brand new “Far” did not disappoint after the tantalizing release of the “Laughing With/Blue Lips” single. It’s solid pop and still solid Regina. “Blue Lips,” “The Calculation” and “Folding Chair” have stolen my heart.
5. Street Sweeper Social Club (the stage name of duo Boots Riley [rapper] and Tom Morello [guitarist of Rage Against the Machine fame]) is fantastic. Way better than that Mars Volta shit. Tom Morello really is one of the greatest living guitarists, and the song “Promenade” is utter perfection.
6. Malcolm Middleton is one of my favorite performers. As such, I will probably love almost everything he does, and “Waxing Gibbous” is fairly exciting. However, my favorite song is actually the B-side to the first single “Red Travellin Socks” (my second favorite song): “Whistle.” Either way, sounds like dude got a girlfriend. I hate to say it, but I was mildly disappointed by his newly optimistic tone.
7. The World is experiencing a 21st Century Breakdown and Green Day wrote the soundtrack to it. Sometimes it’s hard to hear the lyrics on this album, but if you pay attention, they’re great. “21 Guns” is one to listen to.
Books
1. New Monica Ali In the Kitchen at 47 pages in is not the massive disappointment that Alentejo Blue was.
2. Martha A. Sandweiss’s Passing Strange: A Gilded Age Tale of Love and Deception Across the Color Line, is totally fascinating, even if Martha’s discussion about how Black identity is defined is a bit one-sided and statist (read: really fucking annoying).
Movies
1. I found “Angels & Demons” to be surprisingly satisfying and moving. WTF, mate?
2. The trailer for “Transformers 2″ made me want to see it. Am I batshit crazy? I’ll find out when I see it later tonight.
Plays
I must highly recommend the Stratford, ON Shakespeare Festival performance of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest.”
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