Playlist for a Rainy Sunday

3 blog posts in a day, 4 in 2 days. Haven't blogged this much since Senegal Spring 07.

Playlist for a rainy Sunday in Brooklyn hanging with Sara and Jason Mears... selections from the following CDs:

1) The Four Bags "The Four Bags"
2) Mike McGinnis and Between Green "Tangents"
3) Chris Heenan/Michael Vorfeld "Half Cloud, Half Plain"
4) Jordan McLean "Piano Music and Song Trio"
5) Pascal Gallois "Kurtag - Schoeller - Boulez"
6) Peggy Lee Band "New Code"
7) Rhodri Davies "TREM"
8) Kraig Grady "The Creation of the Worlds"
9) The Lost Trio "Boxcar Samovar"
10) Team Up "Team Up"
11) Atomic/School Days "Nuclear Assembly Hall"
12) Paul Smoker "Duocity in Brass and Wood"
13) Carl Ludwig Hubsch "Tuba Solo"

One for the Time Capsule

Pretty mixed reviews here, but I laughed out loud through much of Step Brothers, whereas I was forced to turn this lemon off almost immediately.

The Bounties of Halifax

Caught an episode of Trailer Park Boys in the hotel room while in Halifax playing at the Atlantic Jazz Fest last week (lovely gig, btw, thank you jazzeast). Hadn't seen it in some years and it still cracked us up. We watched a couple old episodes last night just to see how the early seasons held up over time, and in small doses, Ricky, Julian, Bubbles, et al are pretty hilarious. There are few half hour comedy shows I could watch episode after episode, and this might not be one of them, but it comes pretty close. Anyone recommend a half hour funny that you could watch more than 4 episodes of in a row, I'd be interested to hear. Ricky's hairdo hasn't changed, Julian still has a rum and coke in hand at all times, and Bubbles' accent and glasses are thick as ever. If you've never seen it, take TPB for a spin, and let me know what you think.

Bridge of Sighs

I was lucky to be an English Major, Music Minor at Colby College from 1994-98. I had some great fiction and poetry teachers during that time, but unfortunately Richard Russo had just stopped teaching the year before I got to Maine.

I've enjoyed his books in the past, and 100 pages or so into Bridge of Sighs I can recommend this one too. Not sure if its quite as nonchalantly epic as Empire Falls or as unputdownable as Nobody's Fool, but it has drawn me in right away. Another beautiful depiction of a smal northeast town and the people whose lives spiral in and out of it.

In Bruges

I must admit, I quite enjoyed In Bruges. Not an earth-shattering film, but a clever narrative with strong performances and beautiful cinematography of a fairytale town. Recommended.

Persepolis

What a fantastic movie! The drawings are beautiful, the narrative is excellent, and its sheer uniqueness made me think of another wonderful recent animated film.

A Fine Balance

About two thirds into A Fine Balance, and its picking up steam as it goes. Mistry's exposition is slow and lush, and it becomes clear that his characters' back stories are a sort of literary history of 20th century India. An engrossing and lyrical book.

"You see, you cannot draw lines and compartments, and refuse to budge beyond them. You have to maintain a fine balance between hope and despair." He paused, considering what he had just said. "In the end, it's all a question of balance." - p.228-229