Author Archives: Duff

Fiction: “The Yiddish Policemen’s Union” by Michael Chabon

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One of those detective stories where the detective is such a slack-ass drunken messed-up dude that you spend half the time worrying about him rather than the mystery (think John Rebus/Ian Rankin).

Takes place in an alternate US where the Jewish refugees from WWII were all settled in Alaska but the district is about to revert to Alaskan control and they will be homeless.

There’s rabbi-led Jewish mobsters, chess games, long-standing friendships and broken-up relationships, and bad fathers, and unhappy sons. It’s a detective novel with a philosophical treatise buried in the heart of it. Once I got past the first chapter, I really couldn’t put it down.

If you loved The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (and how could you not? That’s a GREAT book!), you will surely find this book wonderful as well.

Ponder your responses well.

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…”I’m not like her, am I?”

This question is like the cowboy in Mulholland Drive, who you see again one time if you do good and two times if you do bad. Answer the question wisely, and you won’t have to hear it again for another year. Try to give a clever answer, and you have bigger immediate problems than the humidity index.

–from “Love Is a Mix Tape” by Rob Sheffield.

No pain, no gain?

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It’s the same with people who say, “Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Even people who say this must realize that the exact opposite is true. What doesn’t kill you maims you, cripples you, leaves you weak, makes you whiny and full of yourself at the same time. The more pain, the more pompous you get. Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you incredibly annoying.

–from “Love Is a Mix Tape” by Rob Sheffield

Music/Memoir: “Love Is a Mix Tape” by Rob Sheffield

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This book sounded so much up my alley that I was wary of it at first. Then I read this review and I KNEW I didn’t have to worry about being disappointed.

An elegy to his dead wife. An elegy to the music they discovered and loved together. A tribute to so many bands, some disbanded, some moved on. A foundation for his future. A hopeful look ahead.

The writing is lovely, the music discussions are wonderful. I’m now obsessed with checking out bands I never listened to at the time (Big Star, Pavement), and revisiting ones I did listen to but haven’t in ages. I’m replaying mix tapes from high school and college and thinking about old friends and breakup songs and drinking songs and roadtrip songs….

I loved it. LOVED it.

This joins “High Fidelity” by Nick Hornby and “The Wishbones” by Tom Perrotta as my favorite music books.

In Concert: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

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Wow. I really had no idea what to expect going in. The first time I listened to these guys was last year when a few of their songs kept popping up on shows I watch (one of them made my favorites list last year). I remember reading reviews that said those songs were really a departure from their former harder-rock style. Their new album came out and the reviews said it was trying to be a mix of their old & new styles (and not necessarily succeeding). I got it. I like it.

So, on to seeing them live: OK I go to a lot of concerts, but not necessarily that many rock concerts. More singer/songwriter, acoustic, indie, alternative. This concert? ROCKED. Total hypnotic oral assault = awesome. Freakish torturous visual assault (light show) = surely dangerous to any epileptics in the audience! Music sounded great. They’re better musicians than I would have guessed from the albums. Good stage banter, great lyrics, nice acoustic touch in the middle. Loved it.

I am officially bonkers about this band.

Big Screen: Waitress

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Disappointing. Some great performances, Keri Russell in particular. But I thought the plot, the characters, their motivations, and the general “story” were all convoluted. I’m all for adultery in the movies, but in this movie it was the only fun and/or meaningful thing in any of these characters’ lives but for only one or two characters did we actually know or get any clue about the motivation behind it.

Very disappointed. Did not live up to the hype.

Shuffle = it’s a dangerous thing.

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I generally listen to albums (in order), or playlists (mixes, monthly purchase lists, artist matchups), or shuffle an artist’s works. I forgot how the iPod can really take you surprise when you open it up to overall Shuffle mode. I’m sure I haven’t purposely listened to this song since sometime in 1995 or ’96.

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold
You gotta be wiser, you gotta be hard
You gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger…
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm
You gotta stay together…
-Des’ree “You Gotta Be”

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am…

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Making: Not much. Very occasionally knitting on a sock, or on Maddox. (Both are up on Ravelry if you feel like finding me on it.) THINKING lots about quilting, and basting, and piecing, and planning, but not actually doing any of that.

Reading: Uh oh, I finished a book yesterday and I forgot to put a new one in my bag before I left this morning! It’s going to be Michael Chabon’s new one but looks like I won’t be starting it until tomorrow!

Watching: Still watching Buffy (season 6) and Angel (season 3). I was writing about them as I watched them for a while, but then I got bored with that as it just slowed me down and all I really wanted to do was watch more and more and more and more. Soon I will be done. Then what will I do with my time? I’ll have to go back to real life and it won’t be pretty! I am REALLY hoping to see both “Waitress” and “Hot Fuzz” (Dad review: BRILLIANT!) this week but not sure how that’s going to work out given that I am shopping tonight, concerting Thursday night and probably hemming a dress or two on Friday night (don’t ask).

Listening: Lots of musicals, thanks to Buffy (“Once More, With Feeling“) and a new Duncan Sheik (“Spring Awakening“) that How says is lots of fun. New albums by Travis, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Elvis Perkins and still Arcade Fire, as well as old albums by Liam Frost & the Slowdown Family (really like) and Josh Pyke (like), and now that Paste comes out monthly, I’ve got at least two samplers I’ve barely put a dent in, and I’ve got a pile of TO BE LISTENED TO that I haven’t even broken into that includes Manu Chao and the Noisettes. Someday I will quit my job and then my stereo will really go up in flames. Someday.

Best of April.

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I’m not sure why I did so little in April as according to my calendar, I should have had three weekends free with only one weekend out of town, and one weekend with a house guest. Hmmmph. Procrastination reaches new heights!

I only saw one movie in April. And it wasn’t very good.

I read a few books in April and I’d have to say that Haven Kimmel’s latest memoir and the conclusion to Justine Larbalestier’s Magic or Madness trilogy were probably the best two, although I enjoyed all my reads that month.

Wow, I went to five concerts in April, I guess that’s what I was doing with my time. The Decemberists and Youth Group were probably the performances I just outright enjoyed the most, but seeing Josh Rouse a second time was definitely worth my while: he’s a lot of fun live.

I really didn’t buy as much music during April as I did in prior months of 2007. I listened a lot to “She’s About to Cross My Mind” from The Red Button which I bought after reading about them here. I bought Vandaveer “Grace & Speed” after reading that he played at Number 4‘s wedding (!!). And after Golden Smog made my top 10 last year, it wasn’t like I could pass up “Blood on the Slacks” with its Dylan teasing title. Singles-wise, I cannot stop listening to “Walk Over Me” Dirtie Blondie and the Like Rebel Diamond remix of The Killer’s “Read My Mind” (both featured on Friday Night Lights, of course). I made a mix last month that’s pretty damn fantastic if I don’t say so myself. I might send you one. Give me a good reason…

Random personal highlights: a) How came to visit!; b) Cezanne/Picasso “Vollard” show at the Art Institute was v. cool; c) FINALLY!! eating at Mas again and having my favorite drink in all the world: Pisco Sour. YUM!; d) trip to NY for Amy’s yarn inventory. Nuts.; e) brunch with the McCains and spending time with Clark’s dad again, planning our some-day hike through Colorado!; f) Lollapalooza tickets go on sale = Done!

Lowlights? I remember being really, really, really tired. Just cannot catch up.

Finally Giving In to Elvis Perkins

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After receiving multiple recommendations of Elvis Perkins “Ash Wednesday” and somehow never being convinced by the 35 second previews on iTunes, I was finally in just the right mood for it and now I just can’t stop listening. It may be elegiac in some of its lyrics and imagery, but it’s not a downer: the overall feeling is one of hope. It’s got a real twangy folky feel to it, lots of acoustic guitar strumming with crooning vocals on top.

Next to the new Travis, which I canNOT stop listening to over and over and over again, it’s probably my most played music in May.