David Foster Wallace–”Order and Flux in Northampton” (Conjunctions No. 17, Fall 1991)

SOUNDTRACK: TINDERSTICKS-Bloomsbury Theatre 12.3.95 (1995). This is a rare and out of print live CD from an early Tindersticks show.  My friend Lar found it used for me in Ireland (thank you!).  But it turns out he found it for me about a week before it was reissued as a bonus disc with the Second [...]

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Donald Barthelme–”The Balloon” [reading of an incomplete version]

SOUNDTRACK:  TINDERSTICKS-What is a Man (2000). This is a soundtrack to a TV mini-series called The Sins (which I know nothing about).  The song (for there is only one) is a cover of a Four Tops song (which I do not know).  The “B-side” is an instrumental version of said song. And, sadly, that’s all [...]

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Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans: The Best of McSweeney’s Humor Category (2004)

SOUNDTRACK: ONE RING ZERO-As Smart as We Are (2004). I had this CD sitting around my house for about 4 years.  I had received it as a promo disc from Soft Skull Press (along with several other books on CD) and I just never put it on.  Then one day I was going through all [...]

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Comic Book Tattoo (2008)

SOUNDTRACK: TORI AMOS-Abnormally Attracted to Sin (2009). It’s been almost a decade since I was blown away by a Tori Amos album.  I feel like she has really been so engaged in the concept of her albums, that she has lost track of the tunes.  And while I don’t hate anything she’s done in the [...]

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David Foster Wallace–”/Solomon Silverfish/” (Sonora Review no. 16, Fall 1987)

SOUNDTRACK: TINDERSTICKS-Nénette et Boni [soundtrack] (1996). After releasing two albums of atmospheric brilliance, Tindersticks were called upon to score the music for the film Nénette et Boni. And this disc answers the question of whether it is Stuart Staples’ voice that is the driving force behind the band.  And the answer is, indeed not.  This [...]

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Christine Schutt-”Prosperous Friends” (Harper’s, November 2009)

SOUNDTRACK: TINDERSTICKS: Tindersticks [the black and white one] (1995). This second album (often called II, but according to the band, is called Tindertsticks) continues the coolness of the first disc.  But this disc seems to have a few more “singles” (or what could have been singles) on it.  “A Night In” has a great slow [...]

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Periodical: Public Libraries

Public Libraries is the magazine you get when you belong to the Public Library Association, a division of the American Library Association.  As you might gather, this division is for public librarians. Like American Libraries, this magazine starts with a letter from the President of PLA.    But it’s the Tales from the Front section that [...]

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McSweeney’s #32

SOUNDTRACK: TINDERSTICKS-Tindersticks [the red one] (1993). Tindersticks are a fascinating band.  The first distinctive thing about them is Stuart Staples’ voice: a deep rich bass that he uses almost like a whisper.  The second thing you notice is the music.  It’s an orchestral/chamber pop collection of dark rockers with fantastic moodiness to it.  And then [...]

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Greg Kinney–Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (#4)

SOUNDTRACK: DAN ZANES-Night Time (2002). I’d only ever heard of Dan Zanes as the guy from the Del Fuegos (who probably got the biggest boost of their career when Juliana Hatfield sang about them in “My Sister”).  But once we had our first child, everyone told me to check out Dan Zanes’ “kids” records.  Night [...]

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George Saunders–”Victory Lap” (New Yorker, October 5, 2009)

SOUNDTRACK: PLACEBO-Battle for the Sun (2009). I’ve been a fan of Placebo since their first disc came out (I had to hunt it down after reading a great review in Q magazine).  Imagine my surprise when they took off with their next album and the huge single “Every You Every Me.” Battle for the Sun [...]

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