Record: Justin Townes Earle 'Midnight At The Movies' (2009)

I've got a bit of a soft spot for young Mr. Earle. He's never struck me as having the sheer quantity of raw talent that his daddy was blessed (or possibly cursed?) with, but there's a softness and a prettiness to this record that I've never heard from the elder Earle. I really, really like the atmosphere of nostalgic antiquity, drawing heavily from the 1920s and 30s for musical inspiration, juxtaposed anachronistically with fairly modern lyrics. These songs are nice, which is, for one thing, a bit surprising considering the source, and for another, quite refreshing in this world that tends to glorify nastiness. It's a little bit of an odd listen, haunted as he is by the ghosts of older musicians hanging over his head, but he seems to have chosen to accept that fact rather than to fight it, and I think it's worked wonders for his songwriting.

Anime: 'Kino no Tabi' (2003)

I'm not particularly into anime, but I've loved this little series for years and years. It's one of the most thoughtful, philosophically interesting things I've watched, in addition to being very elegantly drawn in hazy, muted shades of mostly greens and browns. The protagonist, Kino (the series' title translates to 'Kino's Journey'), is an impressively androgynous young girl who travels the world on a talking Brough Superior motorbike, packing a small arsenal of rather classic guns to protect herself from ruffians. Kino and Hermes (the bike) never stay in one place longer than 3 days, so you can imagine how far they travel over the course of 13 episodes and 2 short films. A bit steampunk, a bit just plain anachronistic, the societies and technologies of their world range from exceptionally primitive to sci-fi futuristic. Human nature being one of the main topics, quite a few of the storylines are rather sad; the very best ones, though, project a rather beautiful sense of absolute wonderment at the sheer magic of existence and potential. The anime was based on a very popular series of Japanese light novels by Shigusawa Keiichi, which share the same name and are just as good as - if not better than - the show.

Book: Cherie Currie 'Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway' (2010)

I really like this book. Cherie Currie, former lead singer of groundbreaking all-girl rock band The Runaways (whose founding and best-known member was the illustrious Joan Jett), has lived an extraordinary and varied life (from valley girl to underage rock star, film actress to nonfunctional drug addict, teen counselor to world-renowned chainsaw carver...), and her memoir spares none of the gritty details. It's a bit of a harrowing read, owing to the mind-boggling amount of illicit substances consumed, the heartless exploitation of talented young girls, and the sheer number of terrifying situations Ms. Currie managed to get herself into. It's also fairly amazing (and inspiring) to know how she lived through it all, reinventing herself over and over again, and continues to be a gifted, creative, and exceptionally strong lady. The quality of writing leaves a little to be desired, but I've seen worse, and the quality of content is more than satisfying.

Check out her website to see photos of her lovely and unique art.

Record: John Martyn 'Solid Air' (1973)

I feel that this album is one of the lost treasures of 20th-century music. It's an elusively delightful record that, for the first couple of listens, truly evaded me - then one day it just hit me right, and I got what it was for and about. What I'm saying is - it might take a few tries to get past the slightly off-putting way that Martyn slurs his words together (like the horrible old sot that he in fact was), and the way he turns soft consonants into hard ones. It's undeniably a little odd. But... Patience and an open mind will be amply rewarded when you lock in on the gorgeous tunes (particularly 'Solid Air', 'Over the Hill', and 'May You Never') and the sheer beauty of his voice and guitar playing. This was the record which introduced me to the concept of jazz-folk, which is a surprisingly winning combination, and this record is also one of the finest examples of that genre.

Highlight: seriously kick-ass upright basslines courtesy of the truly great Mr. Danny Thompson (you'll be hearing more about him as this blog progresses), particularly on the title track and on 'Go Down Easy':

Record: John Cale 'Fragments of a Rainy Season' (1992)

Full disclosure: I am physically, mentally, and emotionally incapable of writing an objectively unbiased review of Mr. Cale's work. I think the man is a genius, and, viola notwithstanding, he's one of my best-beloved and most-revered musical heroes.

On to the subject at hand, which has got to be one of the top 10 greatest live albums of all time. It's a compilation of highlights recorded during Cale's 1992 tour, showcasing a superlative performer at his very best. My one complaint is that there are only 20 tracks, which leaves me very much wanting more.
Most of the material is his own, though there are two really stupendous covers - a version of 'Heartbreak Hotel' that might just rip the heart right out of you, and perhaps the most beautiful and honest rendition of 'Hallelujah' I've heard. My personal favourite tracks are 'Child's Christmas in Wales', 'Thoughtless Kind', and the outstanding '(I Keep A) Close Watch', which really brings out the lovely bittersweet quality his voice performs so beautifully.

Also check out the 'Fragments of a Rainy Season' DVD, filmed during that tour at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels; the man is a classy, elegant performer, and that's a bit of a rarity and a real pleasure to witness:

Film: 'Velvet Goldmine' (1998)

I just love this film. It is endlessly visually attractive, as befits a film about glam rock - oh, the costumes! The hair! Jonathan Rhys Meyers in lipstick, glitter, and platform boots! Ewan McGregor dolled up in a prettier form of Iggy Pop rockstar excess, and also satyr pants! Eddie Izzard as the sleaziest of sleazebag managers! Oscar Wilde as Ziggy Stardust-like alien plot point! You get the point - it's pretty. It's also and ultimately rather sad, in a poetic sort of a fashion (though it doesn't get me down the way a lot of sad stuff does - I think that's mostly because it's so pretty, but also because it ends as much in transmutation as in a fall). Three parts rock & roll fairytale and one part star-crossed love story, the film documents the arc-of-stardom of Brian Slade/Maxwell Demon, a Bowie-like rock god who falls in love with the wrong guy and, in the end, finally makes the right choices too late to be anything but someone else. I can't even tell you how many times I've seen it, because I've lost count.

Bonus: brilliant soundtrack, featuring the illustrious likes of Thom Yorke, Roxy Music, the immensely talented and, sadly, now-defunct Shudder To Think, T. Rex, Lou Reed, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Carter Burwell, Placebo, Grant Lee Buffalo, Teenage Fanclub, Donna Mathews, Pulp...

Book: Jeanette Winterson 'Sexing the Cherry' (1989)

I've labeled this piece a book, but I think it may really be a song disguised as a sheaf of pages. It's funny - I've avoided reading it for years, purely because I loathed the title - all that time I've been missing out on one of the loveliest little novels I've ever experienced. Winterson's writing is as exotically musical as any of the finest compositions by Mozart and Hindemith, or perhaps the gold-threaded concerti of Aram Khachaturian; as sensually, synaesthetically pleasing as a night breeze, a glass of darkest china tea, a sea of ragged-edged silks. An enchanted fairy-tale of sailing ships, never-before-seen fruits from unmapped countries, twelve dancing princesses, gardeners of kings, a giantess with a flock of hounds and one far-reaching, roving, foundling son. Do read it; you couldn't possibly regret  doing so.

Film: 'I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle' (1990)

It is, apparently, de rigueur that the subject of a vampire film be sexy (actually, this puzzles me a bit - aren't they supposed to be monsters? So why do they always have to look like really pretty, albeit pallid, people?). Declining to adhere to the usual definitions thereof, this bloodsucker is neither French nor sparkly. Seriously, though, don't you want to watch a gorgeous, classic Norton Commando motorbike chase down crossbow-slinging Hell's Angels and fill up its petrol tank with their blood? I know I do. If you like the sort of 'horror' films that leave you giggling and shaking your head rather than hiding behind the sofa, this one's for you. I'm not sure that 'ridiculous' is a strong enough descriptor. Predictably, halfway through I started going 'Oh, the poor little motorbike, it's only thirsty, why can't you just let it have a wee drink, you selfish, nasty beasts!"

Highlight: Catholic priest (played by C-3PO) and stubbly dispatch rider heading into battle kitted out with garlic bandoliers.

Book: William Gibson 'Spook Country' (2007)

This is my new favourite book. I love Gibson's writing, which improves with every book, and I especially love the trilogy this is in the middle of (which starts with 'Pattern Recognition' and culminates in the glorious 'Zero History'). I loved this book so much I didn't read the last 6 pages for a whole week, because I couldn't bear for it to be over. It always impresses me how, 20 pages into a novel, he's got me caring about his characters, worrying about all the s*** he puts them through, and mentally begging him to give them a happy ending - which, mercifully, he nearly always does. Beautiful prose, touchable tasteable breathable atmosphere, intriguing plot. I rarely buy books, because the library's good at ordering things for me for free, but I bought this one so that I can read it until it falls apart and then buy another copy.

official website

Song: Be-Bop Deluxe 'Maid in Heaven' (1975)

Pure pop-trash perfection. Every single f***ing line in the entire f***ing song is a hook. Lyrics leave a little (perhaps a lot) to be desired; I've (sadly) heard worse though. The music side of the thing is positively sublime. Special highlight: the drum bit at the tail end of intro. Tunewise at least, this is a stunning example of masterful songwriting and some very impressively savvy arranging.