"Shake your figurine, shake your figurine." - Ditchcroaker

I was going to put this off, since it is an unsavory hour of the morning, but since I can never sleep in after a night of plentiful drinking (I am cursed) you are treated today to my wit at an unholy hour. Anyway, I was minding my own business reading SplendidEZine yesterday and noted that Karl Hendricks Trio's A Gesture of Kindness has been reissued and is reviewed there. Being a huge fan of the record, I was pretty disappointed to see the reviewer pan it based in Hendricks' limited vocal range. The first true indie rock show I ever saw was at Princeton in 1993, and Hendricks was atop the bill in support of his recently released Buick Electra -- I've had a soft spot for them ever since. So anyway, the reviewer takes issue with a lack of melody, or a lot of unexploited chances at melody. I take issue with this (I know, why am I telling you instead of the author, none of this is your fault, etc) because "The Scoffer's Reply," track three on the record in question, is probably the most melodic thing Hendricks ever wrote. Damn that is a good song. I'd also like to just extend props to the album opener "Foolish Words of a Woman in Love," which is probably the first song I think of when I consider what the angriest break-up song might be. Anyway, maybe I should write my congressman, but I thought you should know. And one other thing: is a re-issue of Misery and Women in the offing? Man, I would like that.

Now that I see it is a regular feature, I have to throw esoterically hand-signalled props to Dynatrite's self-deprecating "Better Left Unsaid" feature. Not only is it entertaining (Grellan can write like Old Scratch himself), but it is just so... well, I can't think of the word. I think it is just neat that basically the guy, in a succinct sort of newsbyte format, basically casts a spotlignt on an embarrassing circumstance from his past for all to see. [HOLY COW! I just checked in to Dynatrite again and found this chicanery. Pure genius.]

Infinite Cat. 'Nuff said.

Here are some interesting ideas about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind at K-Punk. As this analyzes the film from the viewpoint that it is akin to the work of Samuel Beckett, who I used to be obsessed with, I found this particularly enjoyable.

My second review at 75orLess.com has gone up. This time I give a few back-pats to the Loretta Lynn record.

Here's a review from the Guardian of a show by Joy Zipper, who are being hyped as solid comers in the field of neo-shoegaze. I have downloaded one of their numbers and it was pretty good, very listenable. Anyway, I learned stuff by reading the piece.

That is all.