My poor attempt at papercraft. This thing is so tiny that it is pretty hard to do. Also had to cheat a bit to get the two screens to stick together. The original version is suppose to have a hinge that allows the two screens to swivel... and I didn't manage to do that.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Epileptic is David B's chronicle of his life and dealing with his brother's epilepsy. Intense and deeply personal, the book plunges deep into the author's psyche and the art reflects the wild and sometimes primitive rumblings in his mind. It is not really an easy book to read through due to the melancholic nature of the story which permeates through the black and white panels filled with surrealistic and raw pictures. Still, one cannot deny that this memoir is a remarkable and highly imaginative graphic tour de force.
This photo is something for posterity, and says it all. After the extra-time winner by Paul Scholes over Man City in the ever fiercely contested derby, Gary Neville planted a smacker on Scholesy. While the commentator on Guardian thinks that this is so wrong, I am just glad that ManYoo can still rely on the ginger-headed boy to score. "Paul Scholes, he score goals!"
Last Saturday, I went to see The Oddfellows live at the Esplanade as part of the +65 Indie Underground gig to promote the CD of the same name. The last song on the set was Song About Caroline, and I managed to record it. It was one of The Oddies' earlier tunes and also was probably one of the most requested song, judging by the fans, many who were shouting for the song to be played.
The song also held a special place in my heart. I first heard the song on the New School Rock CD which was released by BigO magazine many many years back. I was in JC and was starting to discover the world of local music as chronicled in BigO. I remembered when I got the CD, I couldn't listen to it because I don't have the luxury of owning a CD player at that time. So to listen to it, I had to ask my piano teacher to help me copy the songs to a cassette. When the bassline floated from the stereo speakers during the copy session, I was hooked. Funny thing though, my piano teacher heard it and remarked that the bass was out of tune! Regardless, the raw energy and the 'devil-may-care' attitude of the song just ignited something in me. Since then, The Oddfellows is still one of my most fave local band. If anything, this song marked my journey of discovery of local music, which eventually led to me writing for BigO for a while.
It was close to 20 years ago since I first heard this song. Hearing it live at the Esplanade was nostalgic and brings back memories. Many things in my life have changed, many things have happened, but tunes like this still live on. The version played at the gig did not have the running 'out-of-tune' bassline that I heard on the CD. But the DIY punk attitude, the ironic lyrics, were all still the same. Even though the song was sung without the word "Asshole", it didn't matter. The crowd helped to filled in the blank of this "up yours" song.
And it was still as memorable and fun as the first time I heard it.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Fun Home is an autobiographical graphic novel about growing up and discovery. In seven chapters, Bechdel digs into her childhood and teenage memories of her own life and her relationship with her dad. The result is a touching and intensely personal journey. It is also affecting in the way which she handles the discovery of her dad's homosexuality, and eventually her own. The literary approach also makes this book a truly intellectual achievement.
I've always admired Natalie Merchant ever since I first heard her in 10,000 Maniacs. I remembered reading about 10,000 Maniacs and only managed to hear their stuff when I started working at the CD shop Gramophone, where I got the chance to sample the Maniacs' folksy tunes, in particular the album 'In My Tribe'. But what struck me more than the modern folk stylings was Merchant's voice. It was a powerful voice that carried with it a soulful quality. Her voice was soothing but it had an edge to it. I was a fan.
When she left 10,000 Maniacs, I followed her solo venture and in fact, found Tigerlily to be one of my faves. After her last album 'The House Carpenter's Daughter' in 2003, she sort of went silent and I never thought that I'll hear from her again. Now, she's back and releasing a two disc album called 'Leave Your Sleep'. It's a collection of Brit and American poetry from the 19th and 20th century set to music. So it seems that she's been busy researching poetry while she was away, nice!
I've embedded her performance at TED, filmed in February this year. It's a sublime performance that's touching and soulful at the same time. She even manage to rouse the TED audience and literally brought them to their feet! It's a beautiful half hour gig and I'm certainly looking forward to getting my hands on the album.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Lemire is a great story teller and Essex County is perhaps one of the best graphic novels I've ever read. It reminds me of Craig Thompson's Blankets with its black and white art style and heart-wrenching story. In Essex County, the focus is on a number of individuals who're in some ways related to one another. It is a collection of memories and tales about the human emotion at its most simple and raw. Lost, love, family, regret, pain, grief, joy... all these are rendered in a minimalistic manner that tags at your heartstrings. Simply brilliant.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A surreal romp through Wonderland. Instead of a typical Alice story, this graphic novel centers on Mary Ann, a housemaid whom Alice wad mistaken for in the original story. The story jumps all over the place, perhaps as it should given the mad nature of Wonderland. Standout is the beautiful artwork and you can certainly see the cute 'manga' styling of Mary Ann in many of the panels. A delightful read.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Touching tale of the Invisible Man as a drifter appearing in a small town. It is also about a girl who discovers herself from the encounter. Lemire's style has a calming quality to it and that perfectly blends the desolate small town and the sad story of a man who has become a Nobody.
