Book: The Lost Books of the Odyssey
Casey McKinney03.01.10
Zachary Mason’s first novel is a work of some detached genius, really a series of vignettes and imaginative retellings, reinterpretations, and…
Music: Japandroids: Post-Nothing
Casey McKinney02.27.10
Maybe some of you have been watching the Olympics? It’s in Vancouver? ends this weekend, right? If I were there (am still banned from Canada,…
A Boy Named Xiu
Mark Gluth02.27.10
Xiu Xiu’s first album, Knife Play, felt new, an eye opening reconfiguration of so many thoughts, desires, and influences that it sounded like music you’d heard before, the way a platypus looks like an otter. As their career has progressed over a multitude of releases and side projects they have both refined and expanded their sound and lyrical obsessions. Dear God I Hate Myself, their latest full length, is available now. Mark Gluth is the author of a new acclaimed novella, The Late Work of Margaret Kroftis, on Akashic’s Little House on The Bowery series.
Everything is Bigger in Texas Except…
Michael Louie02.25.10
brains? Well, that’s probably not an entirely fair assessment. But according to a recent University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll, nearly 33…
Self-Erasure: Banksy Hunting in Utah
Rob Tennant02.25.10
As Salinger’s recent death reminded us, a quest for invisibility magnifies a certain type of public fascination. During the lead-up to this year’s Sundance Film Festival –– where Exit through the Gift Shop, a film by/about British graffiti artist Banksy was set to premiere –– there were rumors he would unveil his identity, and then works resembling his began to appear around Salt Lake City and adjacent areas. Rob Tennant tells the story with an eye for the role of new media as an archive of ephemeral street art and with the patience to psychoanalyze his hometown. Photos by the author.
The Lever
Jim Ruland02.24.10
Jim Ruland is the author of the short story collection Big Lonesome, a recurring contributor to The Believer, and the host of the irreverent reading series Vermin on the Mount at the Mountain Bar in L.A.’s Chinatown. Ruland lives in San Diego and has family on both sides of the national dividing line. His story "The Lever" reflects life in a border town during the current narco-conflict and how even those who aren’t causing the violence may begin to feel culpable. Accompanying image by Eugene Delacroix.
Book: Sabrina Orah Mark
Casey McKinney02.20.10
Just saw another excellent reading at Whitespace, part of Ready Set Readings, organized by Ann Stephenson. Sabrina Orah Mark is the author of The…
Inspirational Critique: a conversation with Malik Gaines and Alexandro Segade of My Barbarian
Jesi Khadivi02.15.10
I first saw My Barbarian perform as the grand finale of Liz Glynn’s "24-Hour Rome Reconstruction Project (or Building Rome in a Day)" at Machine Project here in Los Angeles. Compressing the 1200 year history of ancient Rome to 24 hours, participants built an impresive scale model of the city, from cardboard and hot glue until at the stroke of midnight My Barbarian arrived in the role of Visigoths to sing and perform while participants destroyed the replica they had spent all day creating. This is just one of the many historio-critical-performative-collaborative projects My Barbarian (Jade Gordon, Malik Gaines, Alexandro Segade) have been a part of. Jesi Khadivi, curator of Berlin’s Golden Parachutes gallery, interviews. -BB
Oscars are coming, but Valentines first. Cook some Child!
Casey McKinney02.12.10
Oscars are coming, but Valentines first. Cook some Child!
Music: Davy Graham – Large As Life and Twice As Natural
Casey McKinney02.12.10
Okay for fans of Nick Drake, John Fahey and other alternately tuned guitar players – acoustic here, but it also applies to both the unplugged and…
