The Fifth Column (1996) & The Flexicon (1998)

SOUNDTRACK: ERIC CHENAUX-Sloppy Ground (2008).

It took several listens before I fully enjoyed this disc.  There’s something about Chenaux’s voice that is very calming, almost soporific.  And, since his general songwriting style is kind of ambient and almost formless–with no real choruses or even rhythms, the disc tends to get lost in the ether.  There’s also [...]

Read Full Post »

David Foster Wallace–Brief Interviews with Hideous Men (1999)

SOUNDTRACK: TOPLESS WOMEN TALK ABOUT THEIR LIVES soundtrack (2006).
I learned about this soundtrack from a very cool article in The Believer (the beginning of which is online here).  In the piece, the author claims to have never seen the film (he was given the soundtrack by a friend) and he doesn’t want  to change his [...]

Read Full Post »

David Foster Wallace–[Final thoughts] Infinite Jest (1996)

Okay, now that I’ve had time to digest the book (and to cope with the ending) I wanted to give some final thoughts on the book.  I also wanted to tie up some loose ends by posting my original response to the Salon.com questions as well as my letter to the posted article (keeping all [...]

Read Full Post »

David Foster Wallace–[Week 14/End] Infinite Jest (1996)

SOUNDTRACK: SONIC YOUTH-”Rather Ripped” (2006).
When Rather Ripped came out, I was really excited by it.  It rocked heavy, it was catchy and it featured a lot of Kim.  I listened to it all the time, and would have said it was my favorite SY disc of this era.  However, listening to Sonic Nurse reminded me [...]

Read Full Post »

David Foster Wallace–[Week 13] Infinite Jest (1996)

SOUNDTRACK: SONIC YOUTH-Sonic Nurse (2004).

After the glorious Murray Street, SY return with an even better disc: Sonic Nurse.  This is probably their most overtly catchy (and therefore in my opinion wonderful) record since the Goo/Dirty period of 1991.  (Can it really be 13 years between these discs?).
This disc features Jim O’Rourke as well.  I’m led [...]

Read Full Post »

Jonathan Lethem–The Dreaming Jaw, The Salivating Ear (Harper’s, October 2009)

SOUNDTRACK: SONIC YOUTH-Murray Street (2002).
After NYC Ghosts and Flowers, I put off getting this disc.  I was getting a little bored by the meandering, somewhat glacial pace of the last two discs, and figured that was the trend they’d be continuing (especially since there are only seven songs on here!).
And yet when my friend Lar [...]

Read Full Post »

David Foster Wallace–[Week 12] Infinite Jest (1996)

SOUNDTRACK: THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES-Don’t Know How to Party (1993).
I’ve always had a thing for ska (although even I got sick of it when No Doubt took over the airwaves, thanks Gwen).  When ska gets added to blistering metal, well, it’s hard to resist.  And so we get Boston’s own Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
This was the [...]

Read Full Post »

Mark Binelli–Sacco & Vanzetti Must Die (2006)

SOUNDTRACK: GREAT NORTHERN-Trading Twilight for Daylight (2007).

A patron donated this disc to our library.  I had never heard of Great Northern, but I gave it a listen, in part because I hoped that the band name came from Twin Peaks (no idea if it does). And wow, I was blown away by this disc.
This is [...]

Read Full Post »

David Foster Wallace–[Week 11] Infinite Jest (1996)

SOUNDTRACK: SONIC YOUTH-NYC Ghosts & Flowers (2000).
In the midst of all of the experimentation with the SYR discs. Sonic Youth released this “proper” release.
At the time, it was actually the impetus for me to stop buying Sonic Youth records.  Between the experimental discs and the expanding palate of 1,000 Leaves, it felt like Sonic Youth [...]

Read Full Post »

David Foster Wallace–[Week 10] Infinite Jest (1996)

SOUNDTRACK: GARBAGE-Garbage (1995).
I was thinking about how IJ reminds me so specifically of a place and time (I instantly think of the apartment I was in when I started reading it).  And there are also some discs that I was crazy about at the time too.
I very distinctly remember when the first Garbage single “Vow” [...]

Read Full Post »