As snarky and sarcastic as you would expect, if you read his blog. Far more tender and sweet than you would expect, if you read his blog.

Whereas the Jason Brown stories were primarily about relationships or interconnections — friends, lovers, families — the characters in Goldberg’s stories are much more loners or those who have been alienated, by either choice or circumstance; suicide attempters, people on the fringe of their own lives. Some of the stories seem right out of the everyday; others have a little sprinkle of the kind of fantasticalness that one would find, say, in an Aimee Bender story (particularly “The Jesus of Cathedral City” and “Comeback Special”).

Strong. Good. Compelling. I’m impressed!

Jenn: Screw Voxtrot. Saw them at Webster Hall a couple weeks ago. They sound like Billy Joel singing current indie rock tropes. Lunch break for this little girl. The curry fries were good.

[the rest of us sitting far away, eating]

Tracy: They sound pretty good but like every other sort of skinny pants indie band that I’ve heard for the last five years. Very recognizable sound.

Carlos: They sound allright.

Duff: Bouncy and fun like a lighter “pop”-ier version of Kaiser Chiefs. Fun but nothing that distinctive.

You know, I bought Amy Winehouse‘s album a long time ago, before it came out in the US, but I’m not sure I’ve ever listened to it. I remember starting to once and not being in the mood… Gotta find out what all the fuss is about. Didn’t read this interview, but there are a couple really nice B&W photos in it.

New tunes: KT Tunstall “Drastic Fantastic” coming out in September. I really liked her first album although I didn’t think she was very good live.

New York-band The National. People keep mentioning them.

Voxtrot. Do I already own this? Have I listened? I’m drawing a blank.

Another little blurb on Rie Rasmussen and Angel-A (just mentioned in EW also). They like the visuals of Rasmussen and of Paris (the city), and suggest it could have been magic as a silent film.