A deeper look at the grooves pressed into a vinyl copy of Diamond Dogs by David Bowie. While it might not sound like the greatest endorsement of an album’s quality or of the creative foresight possessed by an artist on the surface, the adage that Diamond Dogs exemplifies first is “Just because an idea doesn’t work out in its intended manner does not mean it should be thrown away and forgotten.” The manner in which David Bowie’s eighth album lives that...
Harrow County, Vol. 1: Countless Haints by Cullen Bunn & Tyler Crook I knew from reading Cullen Bunn’s book The Sixth Gun that the man knows how to put a story together. Harrow County is no different. And just like the Sixth Gun, this book knows how to play to the horror crowd and take it up a couple notches. Harrow County is full of things a horror fanatic is looking for. Old-timey backwoods setting? Check. Ghosts? Check. Witches? Check....
March: Book Two by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, & Nate Powell The March series is one of those books that shows how comics are an art form to be taken seriously. I’m happy to see also that it’s getting the attention it deserves, hopefully because it’s got the story of John Lewis being driven by the stellar artwork of Nate Powell. Now if we could only start saying the word “comic” more and not desperately cling to “graphic novel.” Anyway…...
Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life Vol. 1 Hardcover by Bryan Lee O’Malley It’s about time we highlight Scott Pilgrim in this column. Simply because it’s one of the best comic book series ever written. Throughout the series, Bryan Lee O’Malley has found a way to mix romance, heartbreak, music, video games, and superheros all into one package, all with lightning speed pace. For what it is, Scott Pilgrim has made a remarkable impact on pop culture, and you can...
WHO: TOYS THAT KILL WHAT: SENTIMENTAL WARD WHY: Front man and Recess Records Grand Poobah Todd Congelliere has been churning out the hot punk riffs for decades now with his own brand of skate punk rock. After a short hiatus, the boys are back at it with their new full length Sentimental Ward. Full of that well-known and beloved Toys that Kill formula, Sentimental Ward makes for the perfect Summer soundtrack. It’s snappy, it’s snotty, it’s sophisticated… Get it...
Savages Adore Life I have to say that I am impressed with Savages. Sure, when they appeared on Stephen Colbert I was a little blown away, but the fact that they chose to play Adore was even more surprising. Savages aren’t exactly easy listening, you know what I mean? And hot off the heels of their debut Silence Yourself, this band has established themselves as an intense and for lack of a better word, a very “dramatic” band. Have...
The Story of My Tits by Jennifer Hayden It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly makes Jennifer Hayden’s book The Story of my Tits so beautiful. Perhaps it’s the art itself which is childlike and charming, perhaps it’s the fact that she managed to fit so much story into this book, or perhaps it’s the fact that Hayden here expertly delivers a personal and relatable story arching her entire life (so far). Perhaps it’s all of these things. The Story of...
OBN III’s Worth a Lot of Money My relationship with the OBNII’s is complicated. I saw them open for Ex-Cult in Boston several years ago, and I’ll be damned if they didn’t steal the show. With a sound that I can only describe as Led Zeppelin-fueled garage rock, the OBNII’s looked and sounded like a bunch of homeless hooligans with nothing to lose. In other words, I had to get their albums immediately. Unfortunately, such a wild sound proved a...
Socialism . . . Seriously: A Brief Guide to Human Liberation by Danny Katch “Socialism… Seriously” might be a small book, but boy is it powerful. Unfortunately , ever since I decided to bone up on my Socialist/Communist/Anarchist literature I’ve had to piece together the basic idea of each movement from various other books by various other authors. I’m still looking for that perfect Anarchism and Communism book that lays it all out and I can recommend to friends, but...
On Power and Ideology: The Managua Lectures by Noam Chomsky I have been fascinated with the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua ever since learning about it from the Clash and reading Stephen Kinzer’s book Blood of Brothers. Can I admit that I really enjoyed the book and saw the Sandinista revolution with mixed feelings? Sure I can. Then, I happened to Google the author and Noam Chomsky (because I couldn’t calm the doubting beast) and found out that Chomsky has...