David Foster Wallace–”All That” (New Yorker, December 14, 2009)

SOUNDTRACK: BLACK SABBATH-Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1974).
Henry Rollins, on Think Tank talks about the “el niño” storms from several years back.  And he says that el niño means “little boy,” but the damage the storms did means they should have called it something scary and powerful like “The First Four Black Sabbath Albums.”  I have to [...]

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Periodical: McSweeney’s

Many many years ago, I discovered Might magazine.  It was a funny, silly magazine that spoofed everything (but had a serious backbone, too).  (You can order back issues here).  And so, I subscribed around issue 13.  When the magazine folded (with issue 16–and you can read a little bit about that in the intro to [...]

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David Foster Wallace–possible excerpts from The Pale King: ["Three Fragments from a Longer Thing" (2000); "Good People" (New Yorker, February 5, 2007); "The Compliance Branch" (Harper's, February 2008); "Wiggle Room" and "Irrelevant Bob" (New Yorker, March 9, 2009)]

SOUNDTRACK: TINDERSTICKS-Live at the Botanique, 9th-12 May 2001 (2001).
This is called an “official bootleg.”  It must be very rare as I can’t even find a picture of it online.  My friend Lar must have gotten it for me, as I have never seen the band live and it was (apparently) only available at their shows.  [...]

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David Foster Wallace–comments in The Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus (2004)

SOUNDTRACK: TINDERSTICKS-Trouble Every Day [soundtrack] (2001).
This is the second soundtrack that Tindersticks made for director Clair Denis.  This disc is rather unlike Nenette Et Boni, in that this soundtrack is much more stark.  There are several moments on the disc where there is nothing but silence for several seconds.   “Core on Stairs” features a bass [...]

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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 Tindersticks [...]

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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 that comes [...]

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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 disc is [...]

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David Foster Wallace–”Fictional Futures and the Conspicuously Young” (The Review of Contemporary Fiction Vol. 8, No. 3, 1988)

SOUNDTRACK: FIONA APPLE-When the Pawn… (1999).
I learned about Fiona Apple from CMJ New Music Monthly before her debut came out.  I was convinced she was just another pretty thing with little talent. But then I heard “Shadowboxer” and I was really impressed by the depth of her voice.  When I got the album, I was [...]

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David Foster Wallace–”Crash of ‘69″ (Between C & D, Winter, 1989)

SOUNDTRACK: THE TREWS-No Time for Later (2008).

I was surprised by this disc.  The cover is mildly shocking, but more just tasteless (and one that I won’t leave lying around), but it’s mostly shocking because it is so inappropriate for the music contained within.  The music is such basic rock and roll–the kind that I didn’t [...]

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David Foster Wallace Book Reviews (1990-2004)

SOUNDTRACK: THE SMITHS-Whistle Test on the Road - Live at Derby Assembly Rooms, 9 December 1983. (VH1, BBC CROWN JEWELS: October 2009).
I was delighted to see this on my TiVo queue.  I have the Smith’s Rank disc, but I’ve never actually seen them live in any format.  And this show is from 1983!  Who even knows why they filmed [...]

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