Bill Callahan’s newest album, Apocalypse, has come out.
Finally given it the time and, I must say, it is ravishing. The first song, “Drover,” is one of his finest & most piercing:
Bill Callahan – “Drover”
Apocalypse is much more stripped and ragged than Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle, which seems necessary. To go bigger, more into the strings and orchestration, would have been too much. The purely stripped had been perfected in A River Ain’t Too Much to Love (his last album under the Smog moniker). There needed to be some pick-scrapes and distortion. And flute.
“America!” is a track that has been tricky for me. Earnestness in someone so usually coy and reserved…thoughts still swarming.
Album – all-together – wonderful. It’s great to see that his lyrics & ability hasn’t failed. When one is such a brilliant lyricist, there usually comes a point when they depart greatly (Aaron Weiss) or dribble miserably (Leonard Cohen). Bill Callahan continues surely & strongly.
The New York Times had a great interview with Bill. He’s difficult in an interview, so it’s great when you find one worthwhile. Bought tickets to see him in Boston in July. He did a reading for Letters to Emma Bowlcut a couple months back at a bookshop in Brooklyn. Weird interaction. That book, by the way, is worth checking out. It takes away the need of a dozen others. And that it is to belittle it.
Anyways.
I hope you are well. I just thought I should give you a heads-up.
It has been a while. Bill Callahan’s newest album, Apocalypse, is due out soon. You can find it for download if you’re impatient. It will be worth your impatience. One of the few endorsements of impatience you’ll hear me give.
Gearing up for another move, back to southern Maine for a couple-month stint. Re-orient. Build. Gather & build.
Swirls since last time: Mary Robison, Philip K Dick, Letters to Emma Bowlcut, Pulp, illness, Diane Arbus, Glen Ligon, the Fear, leaning into comfort, Lee Hazlewood,
Lasciate mi morire!
E che volete voiche mi conforte
In cosi dura sorte,
In cosi gran martire? (“Lamento D’Arianna”)
“anxiety, unresolved conflict, partial prophecy, sexual tension, secrets, threat of violence, threat of…[build anticipation]” (from Lewis Robinson’s notes on short stories), the plays theplaystheplays, Vic Chesnutt, constant, drink&drunk®ret, the Stopping, reaping, Say Valley Maker!, the shivering, rationalization, the Only Thing I Don’t Have To Rationalize, the exhale.
And so it comes again, as it could not before.
Smog – Hit the Ground Running
Filed under: other people's art
Eyes:
Understanding Thomas Jefferson - E.M. Halliday
Ears:
“Candy Says” has been a constant companion.
The original:
Velvet Underground – Candy Says
The always-amazing Antony Hegarty’s cover:
Antony & the Johnsons – Candy Says
Moving On…
Walker Brothers – Make It Easy On Yourself
I’ve been listening to a lot of Burt Bacharach songs recently (“Make It Easy On Yourself” was written by Bacharach).
Here’s another favorite Bacharach song rendition of mine:
Dionne Warwick – Anyone Who Had a Heart
My friend Jack Early showed me this absurd & possibly brilliant video/group:
Die Antwoord – Zef Side
Efterklang – Swarming
Bill Callahan (Smog) – River Guard (Black Cab Sessions)
For good measure, lest I forget its existence:
Bill Callahan – Jim Cain ; Rococo Zephyr ; Too Many Birds (Tiny Desk Concert)
M83 – Kim & Jessie
And, finally, for those muted, sleepless nights:
Cocteau Twins – Cherry Coloured Funk
Eyes & Ears:
Been watching a lot of Star Trek: The Original Series recently; I am constantly drawn to shows/movies of this ilk. There seems to be a purity in them that is linked to the over-acting, the ridiculous sets, the horrible alien costuming, etc.; they are simply using whatever they have to tell the story that they need to tell. Similar to Ed Wood‘s films and early episodes (1959-1964) of The Twilight Zone.
Star Trek (TOS): The Menagerie Pt. 1
Rediscovered this gem recently; amazingly endearing film.
Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird!
P.s., There’s a Waylon Jennings/Big Bird sing-along.
Waylon Jennings & Big Bird – Ain’t No Road Too Long
I guess that’s as good a way as any to leave you.
Been having a hard time for a while, but starting to find notches for my hands & feet.
I hope you are well.
Filed under: other people's art
The lack of empathy in our culture seems to be the thing swelling in my mind. Searching, yearning. Feeling of obligation, necessity coming into being. In other news, it has been hard: trying to figure out a path, find grounding. Unfinished business in Brooklyn. Trying to find notches for hands & feet. Here is where my mind has been:
Text:
Shepard’s “Curse of the Starving Class” might be my favorite play.
The end of Scott Pilgrim era…
Ears:
Deerhunter – “Twilight at Carbon Lake”
Gil Scott-Heron – “New York Is Killing Me”
REM – “Drive”
Vijay Iyer & Mike Ladd – In What Language?If you can find anything from this album, listen to it. In the meantime, read this: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/4152-in-what-language-with-mike-ladd/
Akron/Family – “Before And Again”
Peter, Bjorn & John – “Objects of My Affection”
The Replacements – “Androgynous”
Eyes & Ears:
Robert Bresson – Les Dames du bois de Boulogne
Wim Wenders – Paris, Texas (written by Sam Shepard)
Robert Altman – 3 Women (first part of movie, available in its entirely on YouTube. Much inspiration from Bergman’s amazing Persona)
Spike Lee – Bamboozled (first part, available in its entirety. Mixed, mixed feelings on what one is supposed to take from this film, past the obvious. A lot of mixed thoughts/feelings. You can read some of my jumbled observances and questions here. (I refer to the characters by the actor’s names, as you’ll see)
Some artists that have been interesting me lately:
I know that this is a long, long list of artists, but they are all worth your time. There are amazing things happening in the world. It is uplifting. This is the inspiration we need.
I hope you have been well. Don’t be such a stranger.
What’s been floating around the last month or so:
Paper:
Salvatore Scibona may have penned one of the greatest short stories of all time. It can be found in issue 10 of A Public Space (“The Woman Who Lived In The House”). If you can’t shell out the $12 for APS (or can’t find a bookstore that carries it to read for free), you can check out another one of his stories from the New Yorker titled, “The Kid”. <- British use of period placement despite American double-apostrophized quoting.
Ears:
(Video, pleasingly enough, is from Terry Gilliam’s Brazil – the pinnacle of Gilliam’s writing/everything)
Eyes & Ears: Haven’t been watching a lot of films recently, which is disappointing. Since I’ve moved to Brooklyn my consumption has gone from 1-3 a day to (maybe) 5 in the last two months. Terrible. Did see Toy Story 3 (and so must you as well). Pixar knows its shit. They are fairly consistent in their ability to be not necessarily timeless, but be ageless. This idea of agelessness is one that I strive towards. The stories that touch on something so fundamentally human that, regardless of age, you connect to. At times, I find that much more rewarding and powerful than the timeless. Agelessness supercedes timelessness, but timelessness in no way supercedes agelessness. Look at the Brothers Grimm‘s Germanic folk-tales, Lewis Carroll‘s non-mathematically-heavy writings, etc., etc. Human.
Have been watching a couple TV shows every once and a while before I fall asleep.
My friend Jake introduced me to Archer, a show by the creators of the wonderful Sealab 2021 and Frisky Dingo. If you liked those, you’ll love this. If you didn’t – I don’t know. You probably like some other shit. That’s cool too. First episode can be found on Hulu – all you’ll need is a username.
Also, here is my favorite Sealab 2021 episode. They’re like 12 minutes. You can do it. Sealab 2021 – Mingus Dew.
Hope you are well.
This is where I’m at this evening/morning.
And recently (past tense):
On the hunt for jobs, myself. Feel a lot of guilt lately. I hope that I’m not losing while I gain.
I hope that you are well. Reach out. We all need to reach out.
Filed under: other people's art
Been away for a while. Writing, reconnecting with friends, films, etc. Will try to write more soon. For the time being:
Hope you have been well.
Talk to you soon.
Filed under: other people's art
No matter the pull otherwise.
Things floating around:
-XTC:
-Robert Creeley’s “Age“.
-Other people who are reoccurring:
I hope you are well. Let me know.
Cheers.
Brass Eye was a BBC faux-news series that satirized topics including drugs, animals, sex, and crime. The series ran for only six episodes (in true BBC fashion) in 1997, but was returned to for one episode in 2001 (for a grand total of seven) titled “Paedogeddon”. You’ll need a Youtube username for this:
Though the episodes on pedophilia and drugs are my favorites, the series is filled with gems. Unfortunately, the only available Brass Eye DVDs are Region 2; guess we’ll have to stick to YouTube for the time being. I can’t really find an American equivalent – the Daily Show is far less biting and the difference between reality and fiction more distinct. It’s easy as an American to gloss-over the fact that some of the people speaking against topics in Brass Eye (the PSAs for a fictitious drug in “Drugs” is a great example) are well-known political and media figures in Britain. This is more in the Sacha Baron Cohen realm than Jon Stewart (Cohen is also British – go figure). Here’s a quick-click to the first part of “Drugs” for the lazy (username NOT needed for this):
I strongly recommend you check this out. Very, very funny. Simon Pegg got his start on here as well, though he’s not one of the main figures.
Hope all is well. Enjoy.
