Sunday, May 23, 2010

Short Works and Otherwise

I came across a series of podcasts about the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and decided to not only download and listen, but try to follow the readings in the course. A bit of shuffling finally turned up my copy of this book, which contains the first work looked at in depth.

One thing that struck me was the opening essay by Peter S. Beagle. How much better (and more appropriate) this would have been in a collection I recently read by Beagle, rather than some of the non-fiction entries that were chosen! Rights issues, maybe? This essay, along with a similar one by Gene Wolfe, should be passed to those who have not read Tolkien, or have only experienced him through the films.

Tree and Leaf is Tolkien's attempt to explain fantasy, much in the same way that H.P. Lovecraft tried to explain "horror" in a similar essay. Homecoming is a translation work by Tolkien, so-so to me. Farmer Giles is a short work about the rise from humble beginnings of the title character and is both funny and exciting. Tom Bombadil is a collection of Tolkien's poetry, it runs widely in terms of quality, but I like the majority of what is included.

J.R.R. Tolkien: The Tolkien Reader (Ballantine Books; 1977; ISBN 0-345-25585-2; cover by Pauline Baynes).

Made up of: Publisher's Notes (unknown); Tolkien's Magic Ring (Peter S. Beagle); The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son; Tree and Leaf; Farmer Giles of Ham; The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.

Counts as six entries in the 2010 Year in Shorts.

FTC Disclaimer: All purchased by me, over the course of many years.
Carnival Mix (Day Six)

Last day! Marathon day two! Got a couple of crazy days at work, so did not have time to post this until now. Got home and Monday morning saw a iPod with the "new" (old) playlist of a chunk of podcasts and the like. Last mostly-music listening spree for a bit.

One oddity notices, the day started off with "Jet" (on an album from Paul McCartney & Wings)...five tracks went by...then came "Jet" (on a Paul McCartney).

John Anealio: Before the End of Time; Lonesome October Night.

Joan Armatrading: Turn Out the Light.

Art of Noise: Dreaming in Colour; Peter Gunn Theme (The Twang Mix) (featuring Duane Eddy); Opus 4.

(The) B-52's: Good Stuff.

Tyler Bates: Come and Get Them; Tonight We Dine in Hell; To Victory (Philip Steir's Sacrifice for Sparta Remix).

(The) Beatles): Do YOu Want to Know a Secret; When I Get Home.

(The) Byrds: 5D (Fifth Dimension)

Candice Bergen: Raisins & Motown.

Blue Oyster Cult: Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll; Harvester of Eyes.

David Bowie: Ashes to Ashes; Heroes; Suffragette City.

(The) Clash: Sean Flynn; Atom Tan.

Celine Dion: God Bless America (cover).

Crosby Stills Nash and Young: Woodstock; Find the Cost of Freedom.

Dire Straits: Water of Love; Once Upon a Time in the West.

Thomas Dolby: Screen Kiss; Airwaves; Hyperactive!

Electric Light Orchestra: Eldorado Overture; Livin' Thing; Poorboy (The Greenwood).

Eurythmics: Here Comes the Rain Again.

Fleetwood Mac: Go Your Own Way; Second Hand News

Peter Gabriel: The Droop; Baaba Maal--Call to Prayer; We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37); That Voice Again; Signal to Noise; Before Nightfall; Nass El Ghiwane--Ya Shah.

Elliot Goldenthal: Fate Scrapes, Condensers.

John Harford: I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow.

INXS: Mediate.

Yoko Kanno: Beauty Is Within Us; Monochrome.

King Crimson: Frame by Frame.

Mark Knopfler: Why Aye Man; The Last Laugh; Wanderlust.

Mark Knopfler & Chet Atkins: Poor Boy Blues.

Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris: This is Us.

Paul McCartney: Coming Up; Jet.

Paul McCarntey & Wings: Jet.

Meat Loaf: For Crying Out Loud.

Pat Metheny & Charlie Haden: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress; The Moon Song.

Moby: God Moving Over the Face of the Waters.

(The) Monkees: Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow); Theme from The Monkees.

Van Morrison: Stranded; Precious Time; One Irish Rover; Queen of the Slipstream; The Beauty of Days Goes By.

Robert Palmer: Change His Ways; More Than Ever.

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: I Won't Back Down; Mary Jane's Last Dance; Psychotic Reaction (live); Don't Come Around Here No More; Breakdown; Here Comes My Girl.

Pink Floyd: One of These Days.

(The) Police: Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic; One World (Not Three).

(The) Pretenders: Waste Not Want Not)

Queen: Save Me; Radio Ga Ga.

Bonnie Raitt: All at Once; Come to Me; Love Has No Pride.

R.E.M.: Track 12; Just a Touch; Walter's Theme; Zither; Turn You Inside Out; Texarkana; Bang and Blame; Bittersweet Me; Gardening at Night; Low.

Todd RUndgren: WHen I Pray; It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference; Intro; The Night the Carousel Burnt Down.

Santana: Hope You're Feeling Better.

Paul Simon: Have a Good Time; Wartime Prayers; Further to Fly; Something So Right.

Bruce Springsteen: Worlds Apart; I'm On Fire; All I'm Thinkin' About; Long Walk Home; The Hitter; Souls of the Departed; Empty Sky; Cross My Heart.

Steely Dan: With a Gun; West of Hollywood; The Fez; Kid Charlemagne; Everything You Did.

Sting: They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo).

(The) Supremes: Stoned Love.

Talking Heads: Found a Job; Blind; Heaven.

10,000 Maniacs: Because the Night (cover).

Traditional: Warlike Seamen; The First of June; A New Sea Song (Sweethearts & Wives); The "Shannon" and the "Chesapeake"; Ben Backstay.

(The) Traveling Wilburys: Congratulations; She's My Baby.

U2: Dirty Day; Mothers of the Disappeared.

Utopia: Only Human; My Angel; Crazy Lady Blue.

Bill Whelan: Riverdance (Dance Reprise).

XTC: Countdown to Christmas Party Time; I Bought Myself a Liarbird; Me and the Wind; The Loving.

Yes: South Side of the Sky (acoustic); Miracle of Life.

Hans Zimmer: Synchrotone; Vale of Plenty.
Carnival Mix (Day Five)

Home stretch! Marathon Day 01.

(The) Alan Parsons Project: May be a Price to Pay; You're Gonna Get Your Fingers Burned.

John Anealio: Angels and Vampires; Grasping for the Wind (The Linkup Meme Song); page 123 (ft. John Anealio); Hospital Girl.

Joan Armatrading: What Do Boys Dream?.

Art of Noise: Rapt--In the Evening Air; Beat Box (Diversion One); Born on a Sunday; Metaforce.

(The) B-52's: Debbie.

Tyler Bates: The Agoge; First Battle Push.

(The) Beatles: I'm Only Sleeping; Maxwell's Silver Hammer; Please Please Me; If I Needed Someone; A Taste of Honey; Let It Be.

Norman Blake: You Are My Sunshine.

Cruxshadows: Winterborn.

(The) Dave Matthews Band: The Song That Jane Likes; Satellite.

Dire Straits: Romeo and Juliet; Lady Writer.

Thomas Dolby: I Scare Myself; Mulu the Rain Forest.

(The) Fifth Dimension: Medley: Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In.

Electric Light Orchestra: Fire On High.

Fleetwood Mac: Isn't It Midnight; Landslide; Storms; Save Me a Place.

(The) Four Tops: It's The Same Old Song.

Peter Gabriel: Banga--Sabahiya; Not One of Us; Exposure; I Have the Touch; Modern Love; Antranik Askarian and Khatchdour Khatchaturian--Song of Complaint; Humdrum; Bread and Wine; Big Time; Games Without Frontiers.

Genesis: Tonight, Tonight, Tonight.

Elliot Goldenthal: Force Marker; Ultramarine (Michael Brook).

Faith Hill: There Will Come A Day (live).

Hootie & the Blowfish: Goodbye; Hold My Hand.

INXS: Tiny Daggers.

Carolyn Dawn Johnson: Some Mother's Son.

Yoko Kanno: Train Search; Marbletown.

Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris: Donkey Town.

Paul McCartney: Junior's Farm.

Meat Loaf: Heaven Can Wait.

Natalie Merchant: Ophelia.

Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays: Ozark.

(The) Monkees: Goin' Down.

Van Morrison: Real Real Gone; Did You Get Healed?; Hymns to the Silence.

Robert Palmer: Casting a Spell.

Paul McCartney & Wings: No Words.

(The) Police: Invisible Sun; Demolition Man; Bring On The Night; Regatta de Blanc.

(The) Pretenders: Every Mother's Son; My City Was Gone; Kid.

R.E.M.: Pop Song 89; Circus Envy; Feeling Gravitys Pull; Green Grow the Rushes; Moral Kiosk; Fall On Me; Get Up; Voice of Harold; Star 69; Strange; Be Mine; Burning Hell; Laughing; Wendell Gee.

Raitt, Bonnie: Finest Lovin' Man.

Martha Reeves & The Vandellas: Nowhere To Run.

Todd Rundgren: Overture - My Roots: Money (That's What I Want)/Messin' With The Kid; Love Of The Common Man.

Santana: Samba Pa Ti; Maria Maria.

Paul Simon: All Around the World or The Myth of Fingerprints; Can't Run But

Bruce Springsteen: Human Touch; Let's Be Friends (Skin to Skin); Your Own Worst Enemy; All The Way Home; Black Cowboys; The Last Carnival; Racing in the Street; The Big Muddy; Outlaw Pete; Badlands

Steely Dan: Dirty Work; Home at Last; Doctor Wu; Turn That Heartbeat Over Again; Bad Sneakers.

Sting: Straight to My Heart; If You Love Somebody Set Them Free; Brand New Day

Talking Heads: Take Me to the River; Hey Now; Swamp; Love for Sale.

Tangor: Tequila (cover).

10,000 Maniacs: Candy Everybody Wants; Hey Jack Kerouac; Trouble Me.

Toad the Wet Sprocket:

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers:

Traditional: Drops of Brandy; The Battle of the Nile.

(The) Traveling Wilburys:

U2: Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses; The Fly; Ultraviolet (Light My Way); Numb; Acrobat; Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car.

Bill Whelan: Marta's Dance/The Russian Dervish; Macedonian Morning.

Steve Winwood: Night Train; Second-Hand Woman.

XTC: Heaven is Paved with Broken Glass; Thanks for Christmas; Red Brick Dream; When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty; Deliver Us from the Elements; Here Comes President Kill Again.

Yes: Australia (Solo Acoustic).

Warren Zevon: Poor Poor Pitiful Me; Play It All Night Long.

Hans Zimmer: 12: Tribal War.
Carnival Mix (Day Four)

A few days late posting this (and I actually received a--get this--FACE TO FACE request to update in this age of tweeting and facebooking!), but the carnival was busy Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So here is what I "subjected" the kitchen crew to on Friday...

(The) Alan Parsons Project: Step By Step; Mammagamma (instrumental).

Joan Armatrading: Bottom to the Top; Me Myself I; Willow; Feeling in My Heart (For You).

Art of Noise: Metaphor on the Floor; Approximate Mood Swing No. 2.

Tyler Bates: Message for the Queen; Fever Dream; Glory.

(The) Beatles: She's Leaving Home; She Said She Said; Lovely Rita; The Word; Tell Me Why; Sun King; Across the Universe; I'll Be Back.

Blue Oyster Cult: Burnin' For You; Screaming Diz-Busters.

David Bowie: Fashion; Fashion '90 (remix); Blue Jean.

(The) Clash: Hateful.

Dire Straits: In the Gallery.

Dixie Chicks: I Believe In Love.

Electric Light Orchestra: Sweet Talkin' Woman.

Fleetwood Mac: Over & Over.

Peter Gabriel: I Have the Touch; In Your Eyes; Mercy Street; Sledgehammer; Floatsam & Jetsam; Indigo; Solsbury Hill.

Genesis: Like It Or Not.

Montgomery Gentry: Didn't I.

Lisa Gerrard & Elliot Goldenthal: La Bas.

Chris Thomas King: Hard Time Killing Floor Blues.

Gladys Knight & The Pips: I Heard It Through The Grapevine.

Elliot Goldenthal: Entrada & Shootout.

Kronos Quartet & Elliot Goldenthal: Refinery Surveillance.

George Harrison: Fish on the Sand.

Hootie & the Blowfish: Let Her Cry; So Strange; Old Man & Me.

Yoko Kanno: Security Off; Psychedelic Soul; Hi!; Let's Oil; Tachikoma No Iede (Runaway Tachikoma).

Mark Knopfler: Are We In Trouble Now; Done With Bonaparte.

(The) Mamas & the Papas: California Dreamin'.

Paul McCartney: Live And Let Die.

Meat Loaf: Paradise By The Dashboard Light; You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night).

(The) Monkees: She; You Just May Be the One.

Van Morrison: Wild Night.

Willie Nelson: America the Beautiful (cover).

Robert Palmer: Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming.

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: Travelin'; Learing to Fly; The Apartment Song (demo version); Peace in L.A. (Peace Mix).

(The) Pretenders: Back on the Chain Gang; The Wait; I Go to Sleep.

Queen: I Want It All; Hammer to Fall; Fat Bottomed Girls.

R.E.M.: Everybody Hurts; Undertow; Radio Song; Me in Honey; Country Feedback.

Bonnie Raitt: True Love is Hard to Find.

Teri Rypdal and Elliot Goldenthal: Mystery Man.

Paul Simon: That's Where I Belong; The Obvious Child; Proof; Graceland.

Mark Snow: X-Files Theme.

Bruce Springsteen: Real World; Devil's Arcade; Two Faces.

Steely Dan: Royal Scam; Don't Take Me Alive; Monkey in Your Soul; Black Cow.

Sting: All Four Seasons; It's Probably Me; Englishman in New York; Perfect Love...Gone Wrong; If I Ever Lose My Faith In You; Fields of Gold; We Work the Black Seam.

Talking Heads: Artists Only; Burning Down the House; Girlfriend Is Better (live); Don't Worry About the Government; Radio Head; The Good Thing; And She Was.

10,000 Maniacs: Hateful Hate.

Toad the Wet Sprocket: I Quits.

Traditional: The Banks of the Nile/Sailor's Cravat.

Train: Fall Out.

Bill Whelan: 04: Caoineadh Cu Chulainn (Lament).

(The) Traveling Wilburys: You Took My Breath Away; Handle With Care.

U2: Stay (Faraway, So Close); Angel of Harlem; If You Wear That Velvet Dress; Wire; Silver and Gold; One Tree Hill.

Utopia: Swing to the Right.

Vangelis: Titles.

XTC: No Thugs In Our House; Down in the Cockpit; Runaways; Strange Tales, Strange Tails; King for a Day; Cynical Days; The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead.

Yes: Silent Talking; Soon (edit); Wonderous Stories; Homeworld (The Ladder) (radio edit).

Warren Zevon: Johnny Strikes Up the Band.

One amusing discussion happened when people mistook The Monkees for The Beatles. I had to explain to several folks across generations and from different parts of the world (we have a very diverse parish) what The Monkees were.
Carnival Mix (Day Three)

As with Day Two, I'll group by artist rather than tracks in order they were played. Day Three was a combination of very nice weather and good crowds. Insane amount of food prepared.

(The) Alan Parsons Project: Eye in the Sky; Children of the Moon.

(The) Allman Brothers Band: Whipping Post.

John Anealio: Rachel Rosen; The Transformers Theme (cover).

Joan Armatrading: Your Letter; Heaven.

Art of Noise: The Holy Egoism of Genius; Out of This World.

Joan Baez: Blowin' the Wind.

Tyler Bates: The Council Chamber.

(The) Beatles: One After 909; Nowhere Man; Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

David Bowie: Jean Genie.

Jackson Browne: Running on Empty.

Mariah Carey: Hero.

(The) Clash: Know Your Rights.

Dave Matthews Band: Rhyme & Reason.

Dire Straits: So Far Away; Money For Nothing; Your Latest Trick; One World.

Electric Light Orchestra: Boy Blue; Eldorado; Oh No Not Susan; Daybreaker; Across the Border; Mr. Blue Sky.

Fleetwood Mac: When I See You Again; Beautiful Child.

(The) Four Tops: I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch).

Peter Gabriel: Les Musiciens Du Nil—Al Nahla Al'Ali; Gethsemane; The Rhythm of the Heat; Darkness; Blood of Eden.

Genesis: Dodo/Lurker; Man of Our Times; Misunderstanding; In Too Deep.

Eliot Goldenthal: Coffee Shop.

Clarence "Frogman" Henry: (I Don't Know Why) But I Do.

INXS: Calling All Nations.

Yoko Kanno: Where Does This Ocean Go?; Some Other Time; I'm Not Straight.

Mark Knopfler: Hill Farmer's Blues; Sweet Dreams (w/Chet Atkins); I'll See You In My Dreams (w/Chet Atkins).

Paul McCartney: Ebony & Ivory.

Natalie Merchant: Gun Shy.

(The) Monkees: What Am I Doing Hangin' Around?.

Van Morrison: Dweller on the Threshold; Domino.

(The) Police: Tea in the Sahara.

(The) Pretenders: Hollywood Perfume; Birds of Paradise.

Queen: Another One Bites the Dust; The Miracle.

R.E.M.: New Orleans Instrumental No. 1; Sweetness Follows; Burning Down; Windout; Fall On Me; Swan Swanh; E-Bow the Letter; Leave; Near Wild Heaven.

Bonnie Raitt: Guilty.

(The) Robert Cray Band: Don't You Even Care?.

Todd Rundgren: Good Vibrations (cover); Most Likely You'll Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine) (cover).

Paul Simon: Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard; Kodachrome; I Don't Believe.

Bruce Springsteen: The Promised Land; Roll of the Dice; Leap of Faith.

Ralph Stanley: O Death.

Steely Dan: Josie; Fire in the Hole.

Steppenwolf: Sookie, Sookie.

Sting: After the Rain Has Fallen; St. Augustine in Hell.

Talking Heads: This Must be the Place (Naive Melody).

10,000 Maniacs: Please Forgive Us; Headstrong.

Toad the Wet Sprocket: Reincarnation Song.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Hometown Blues; Something Big; Mike's Life/Mike's World; Think About Me; Free Fallin'; I Won't Back Down; Trailer; Can't Get Her Out.

(The) Travling Wilburys: End of the Line.

U2: So Cruel; Do You Feel Loved; Staring at the Sun; Miami; Bullet the Blue Sky; The Unforgettable Fire; 4th of July.

Utopia: Junk Rock (Million Monkeys).

Vangelis: Jerusalem.

XTC: Helicopter; Complicated Game; All of a Sudden (It's Too Late); Ladybird; The Disappointed; One of the Millions; Blame the Weather.

John Yager: Benson Arizona.

Yes: Siberian Khatru; Tempus Fugit; Roundabout (acoustic version).

Warren Zevon: Werewolves of London.
Carnival Mix (Day Two)

Much going on at work and home, apologies for the late posting!

To save time typing, instead of entering as songs were played, I'm grouping by artist. Not as long a playlist on Day Two as I was swapping my iPod with another person's iPod and we closed the carnival early due to the weather. On to the music!

(The) Alan Parsons Project: Turn of a Friendly Card, Part Two.

John Anealio: NaNoWriMo; Sarene.

Joan Armatrading: Is It Tomorrow Yet?; Everybody Gotta Know.

Tyler Bates: Tree of the Dead.

The Beatles: The End; I'll Cry Instead; For No One.

Blue Oyster Cult: E.T.I.

Booker T. & the MG's: Hip Hug-Her.

Dire Straits: Follow Me Home; Telegraph Road; Industrial Disease.

(The) Doobie Brothers: It Keeps You Runnin'.

Electric Light Orchestra: Eldorado Instrumental Medley; Above the Clouds; Starlight.

Fleetwood Mac: Monday Morning; I'm So Afraid; I Don't Want to Know; Think About Me.

Peter Gabriel: Zaar; Wall of Breath; Animal Magic; Games Without Frontiers.

Eliot Goldenthal & Einsturzende Neubauten: Armenia.

John Harford: Indian War Whoop.

Yoko Kanno: Living Inside the Shell; Patch Me; Don't Sponge Me.

Mark Knopfler: I'm the Fool; Beyond My Wildest Dreams (w/Emmylou Harris).

(The) Mavericks: Blue Moon.

Natalie Merchant: Space Oddity (cover).

The Monkees: The Girl I Knew Somewhere.

Van Morrison: Someone Like You; When Will I Ever Learn to Live in God?; Warm Love.

Paul McCartney & Wings: Mamunia.

(The) Police: It's Alright for You; King of Pain.

(The) Pretenders: The Phone Call.

Queen: We Are the Champions; Headlong; Friends Will Be Friends.

R.E.M.: Stumble; So Fast, So Numb.

Todd Rundgren: Happenings Ten Years Time Ago; Wolfman Jack.

Steely Dan: Time Out of Mind; Parker's Band; Almost Gothic.

Sting: Lithium Sunset; The Secret Marriage; If I Ever Lose My Faith In You.

Talking Heads: Crosseyed and Painless.

Tangor (cover): Bye Bye Love.

10,000 Maniacs: Trouble Me.

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: Straight Into Darkness; Somethin' Else (live); Depot Street.

Traditional: Spanish Ladies.

U2: Gone; Wake Up Dead Man.

Utopia: The Martyr.

Steve Winwood: Take It As It Comes; Split Decision; Roll With It.

XTC: Millions; Senses Working Overtime; English Roundabout; Frost Circus; Holly Up on Poppy; Poor Skeleton Steps Out.

Yes: Masquerade.

Warren Zevon: Mohammad's Radio.
On Listening to Too Much Dan Carlin (02)

Another fault line in history happened when the Political Correctness movement reached its penultimate reach, and, coupled with the resurgent indigenous people's of North America, forced the U.S. Military to retag its equipment. The PeeCee's, as they were known, had long worked in society to expunge "all that was wrong". They noticed the scattered efforts by the indigenous people's to "take back" various names and clean up various images, the "anti-chop movement" of the late 1990's being one example of this. After all the sports teams were expunged of their "Native American" names, with the help of the PeeCee's, the indigenous people's movement went further. First, they aligned with fragments of indigenous people all around the world and forced more changes into the culture. You therefore had, for example, high schools and middle schools being pursued to change their team names, even names like "the Spartans" because they sullied the image of the Spartans (after all, a football team in the middle school did not much resemble the warriors of old!). Feeling their power, nay, reeling with power, the PeeCee's went after the military and names such as "Blackhawk", "Apache" and all other such weapons systems were forced to be retagged with kinder, gentler names. The PeeCee's then went after history books and the Jane's series and retroactively tagged every mention with the new name.

One wonders what they would have made of the Crusader system if it had been fielded.
On Listening to Too Much Dan Carlin (01)

While the exact culminating event is lost in the mists of anarchy, historians look to the acceptance of three "comedies" as actual, true and accurate depictions of history as being one of the downfalls of what we call "Western" civilization. The acceptance of shows such as "McCale's Navy", "Hogan's Heroes" and "M*A*S*H" as accurate depictions of the periods that they represent, to the point where they were "taught" in schools, was yet one more symptom of how badly the educational system had fallen. Some historians point to the mass suicides of various practicing historians, led by Donald Kagan and Victor Davis Hanson (the fringe element thinks a secret cabal had them all killed) when these shows are adopted into the "historical canon" as the actual "fault line" in history.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Carnival Mix (Day One)

The opening day of the carnival found me fairly short-staffed in the kitchen, so other than when I was doing some prep work and at the end when we were cleaning up, I really did not hear much of the mix. At one point the iPod was hijacked and forced to play B-52's instead of doing its shuffle (hence a big chunk there).

Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie)
Kiss of Life (Peter Gabriel)
Excitable Boy (Warren Zevon)
Got to Get You Into My Life (The Beatles)
Listen to the Band (The Monkees)
I Want You (She's So Heavy) (The Beatles)
Turn It On Again (Genesis)
Rock Lobster (B-52's)
Poker (Electric Light Orchestra)
Train in the Distance (Paul Simon)
Saint Dominic's Preview (Van Morrison)
Shivna (Bill Whealan)
Say Say Say (Paul McCartney)
All You Pretty Girls (XTC)
Going for the One (Yes)
Abraham's Theme (Vangelis)
It's a Hard Life (Queen)
Angel of Mercy (Dire Straits)
The Whale (Electric Light Orchestra)
1,000,000 (R.E.M.)
Chevy Chase (Traditional)
What the World Needs Now is Love (Jackie De Shannon)
My Love (Paul McCartney
How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us (R.E.M.)
Jack of Speed (Steely Dan)
Fields of Gold (Sting)
Chains (The Beatles)
Blue Letter (Fleetwood Mac)
The Invisible Man (Queen)
Kim Possible Theme Song (Kim Possible)
The Wrong Child (R.E.M.)
Dangerous (Look in the Light of What You're Searching For) (Yes)
That Was Your Mother (Paul Simon)
He's Gone Away (Pat Metheny & Charlie Haden)
Heartland (U2)
Crazy Love (Van Morrison)
Baby, Let's Play House (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers)
New World Rising/Ocean Breakup Reprise (Electric Light Orchestra)
The Big Parade (10,000 Maniacs)
Saturday Night at the World (Mason Williams & Mannheim Steamroller)
3tops (Yoko Kanno)
Steam (Peter Gabriel)
You Still Touch Me (Sting)
Make It Better (Forget About Me) (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers)
That's Enough for Me (Fleetwood Mac)
No Time This Time (The Police)
Ciao! (Yoko Kanno)
The Soul Cages (Sting)
Daddy's Gone to Knoxville (Mark Knopfler)
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (Utopia)
Jax (Leodora Remix) (John Anealio)
Here Comes the Flood (Peter Gabriel)
Take It Where You Find It (Van Morrison
One (U2)
This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You) (The Isley Brothers)
Girl (The Beatles)
Cockpit Dance Mixture (XTC)
Refugee (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers)
Travel So Far (Joan Armatrading)
Cry to Me (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers)
Dragnet '88 (Art of Noise)
I Want to Tell You (The Beatles)
Unknown Moroccan Musicians—Wedding Song (Peter Gabriel)
Washway (XTC)
Gumboots (Paul Simon)
Homeless (Paul Simon)
We'll Be Together (Sting)
Life During Wartime (Life) (Talking Heads)
Water with the Wine (Joan Armatrading)
Porpoise Song (Theme from "Head") (The Monkees)
What Can I Say? (Yoko Kanno)
Why Do Fools Fall In Love (Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers)
And Your Bird Can Sing (The Beatles)
World Turning (Fleetwood Mac)
Take Me to the River (Talking Heads)
I Like to Move It (Sacha Baron Cohen)
Planet Claire, 52 Girls, Rock Lobster, Party Out of Bounds, Strobelight, Private Idaho, Quiche Lorraine, Mesopotamia, Song for a Future Generation, Summer of Love (original unreleased mix), Channel 2, Deadbeat Club, Love Shack (The B-52's)
Hawkmoon 269 (U2)
Barefoot and Pregnant (Joan Armatrading)
X-Files Theme (P.M. Dawn Remix) (Mark Snow)
Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No MOre (Steely Dan)
Xerxes' Final Offer (Tyler Bates)
Your Auntie Grizelda (The Monkees)
Helen Wheels (Paul McCartney & Wings)
Black Maria (Todd Rundgren)
Tomorrow Never Knows (The Beatles)
The Damage You've Done (Country Version) (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers)
2,000 Miles (The Pretenders)
Day After Day (The Pretenders)
Can't Buy Me Love (The Beatles)
Smokelss Zone (XTC)
I Can't Be Cool (Yoko Kanno)
Virtual Crime (Kenji Kawai)
Rain (Todd Rundgren)
Jammin' Me (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers)
In Love Memory of a Name (XTC)
Idoling (Yoko Kanno)
Even the Losers (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers)
Michelle (The Beatles)
Mean Mr. Mustard (The Beatles)
Do It Again (Steely Dan)

I wonder what Day Two will bring?
Carnival Mix (Day Zero)

As I did last year, I've loaded my iPod with various bits and albums and have set it on "shuffle" for the carnival period. Today's mix (during runs to Restaurant Depot and the like was):

The Big Bang Theory (barenaked ladies)
Heart of a Dragon (Dragonforce)
Rosie (Joan Armatrading)
Song of the Viking (Todd Rundgren)
I Hurt You (The Pretenders)
Not That Funny (Fleetwood Mac)
Hey Nineteen (Steely Dan)
Vanlose Stairway (Van Morrison)
In Doubt (Peter Gabriel)
On the Street (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers)
I Saw Her Standing There (The Beatles)
We Walk (R.E.M.)
Nebula (Hydrosphere) (Unidentified Floating Ambience)
Angkor Wat (Yes)
Life and How to Live It (R.E.M.)
Don't Give Up (Peter Gabriel)
Submission (Taylor Bates)
He Wants Her (Joan Armatrading)
Maggie Mae (The Beatles)
Steppin' Out (Electric Light Orchestra)
All This Time (Sting)
That Wave (XTC)
Wreck of the Hesperus (George Harrison)
Summer Glau (Triple Mash) (John Anealio)
Setting Me Up (Dire Straits)
La Belle Dame Sans Regrets (Sting)
While You See a Chance (Steve Winwood)
We'll Be Together (Sting)
Maps and Legends (R.E.M.)
Ocean Breakup/King of the Universe (Electric Light Orchestra)
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Party--Shammas-Ud-Doha Bader-Ud-Doja (Peter Gabriel)
A Jolly Sailor's True Description of a Man-of-War (Traditional)
Love in Action (Utopia)
I Don't Know What To Say To You (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers)

Once again I am mystified with multiple gigabytes of music to choose from...why the iPod's "shuffle" seems to concentrate on a few artists.

Thursday, May 06, 2010

Fred's Reading Report (March and April 2010)

Until life is "normal" again, it looks like this is going to be a report every other month. I'm reading (and listening) more, but posting this always seems to be sidetracked (or sideswiped).

Short works? Holy fracking frell, 783 short pieces! I am reading short works, but made the decision to include the audio bits (as opposed to musical bits) that I listen to on my iPod. You can really see how much driving I've done this year plus how I've switched from watching television to listening to audio bits during the evening.

Long works? Moving along nicely at 40 books.

Best reads for March and April include...

Lois McMaster Bujold: Starting to re-read the bulk of her tales, Miles Vorkosigan series (although it encompasses more than Miles) as a run up to the next installment of the series (due November 2010). I am again struck by how good an author Bujold is, even her earliest books hold up.

Peter S. Beagle: See my review as to why I overlooked this collection. Putz.

There were several strong entries in this year's Rumors of War category.

Overall, a good year of reading (better than a bad year of life as it has been!).

FTC Disclaimer: All bought! By me!

Wednesday, May 05, 2010

This Immortal Storm

IAIN M. BANKS's secret is revealed: 'Iain M. Banks drops the M when he writes fiction.' (Victoria Coren, Only Connect, BBC4, 5 April) [RCF]


(They are only catching on to that now?)

AS OTHERS SEE US. On Michael Chabon's essay collection Maps and Legends: '(I would like to make a substantial bet that he is a fan of The Lord of the Rings too; there are hurried nods to Tolkien's imaginarium here and elsewhere, but of all the means for professional suicide that are available to the writer, expressing affection for Tolkien is one of the most effective.)' (Nicholas Lezard, Guardian, 3 April) [AMB]


All this and World War II. Amusing (and amazing) as always!

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Back to the Bar

L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt: Tales from Gavagan's Bar (Expanded Edition) (Owlswick Press; 1978; ISBN 0-913896-12-8; cover art and frontspiece by Tim Kirk; interior art by Inga Pratt).

Made up of: Preface; Elephas Frumenti; The Ancestral Amethyst; Here, Putzi!; More Than Skin Deep; Beasts of Bourbon; The Gift of God; The Better Mousetrap; No Forwarding Address; The Untimely Toper; The Eve of St. John; The Love Nest; The Stone of the Sages; Corpus Delectable; The Palimpsest of St. Augustine; Where to, Please?; Methought I Heard a Voice; One Man's Meat; My Brother's Keeper; A Dime Brings You Success; Oh, Say! Can You See; THe Rape of the Lock; Bell, Book and Candle; All That Glitters; Gin Comes in Bottles; There'd Be Thousands In It; The Black Ball; The Green Thumb; Caveat Emptor; The Weissenbroch Spectacles; By and About.

Counts as ten (10) entries in the 2010 Year in Shorts.

FTC Disclaimer: Purchased, second-hand, by me. Why? Because no publisher seems to see fit to keep such quality literature in print.
Mirror Kingdoms

Peter S. Beagle: Mirror Kingdoms--The Best of Peter S. Beagle (edited by Jonathan Strahan) (Subterranean Press; 2010; ISBN 978-1-59606-291-7; cover art by William Kaluta).

As previously discussed, this was the year I discovered that I really ought to read those Peter S. Beagle collections on my shelves. His novels are great; his short stories are shining gems of wonder. The wallet cringes, but I will now seek out more short works (as well as fill in the gaps in the longer works).

Made up of: Introduction; Professor Gottesman and the Indian Rhinoceros; The Last and Lonely; Come Lady Death; El Regalo; Julie's Unicorn; The Last Song of Sirit Byar; Lila the Werewolf; What Tune the Enchantress Plays; Uncle Chaim and Aunt Rifke and the Angel; Salt Wine; Two Hearts; Giant Bones; King Pelles the Sure; Vanishing; The Tale of Junko and Sayuri; The Rock in the Park; We Never Talk About My Brother; The Rabbi's Hobby.

Counts as 19 entries in the 2010 Year in Shorts.

FTC Disclaimer: Bought. By. Me.

Saturday, May 01, 2010

Sending Out the Wash

Charles Stross; The Atrocity Archives (Golden Gryphon; 2004; ISBN 1-930846-25-8; cover by Steve Montiglio).

Made up of: Charlie's Demons (Ken MacLeod); The Atrocity Archive; The Concrete Jungle; Afterword: Inside the Fear Factory; Glossary of Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Organizations.

Charles Stross; The Jennifer Morgue (Golden Gryphon; 2006; ISBN 1-930846-45-2; cover by Steve Montiglio).

Made up of: The Jennifer Morgue; Pimpf; Afterword: The Golden Age of Spying; Glossary of Abbreviations; Acronyms; and Organizations.

Counts as seven entries in the 2010 Year in Shorts.

Stross takes on both the spy genre and the eldritch horrors that lurk both in large governmental bureaucracies and the elder dimensions with these two collections (each made up of a longer piece and a shorter piece). Bob Howard (get it?) works for The Laundry, a secret governmental organization that has such a high security clearance that you literally sell you soul in order to join. Railing against the machinations of both limited budgets and Human Resources (a department filled with eldritch horrors if there ever was one), Bob spends his days trying to keep The Laundry's computer systems running and the odd hour (night, day, weekend, month) fighting off various horrors trying to get a foothold (tentacle hold?) into our world.

The bulk of the first book was heavily inspired by Len Deighton. Like John Le Carre, Deighton's spies tend to be a bit grittier than those of Ian Fleming. It's a fun little romp across a couple of continents and a couple of dimensions with Iraqi spies, possessed Nazis and a doomed alternate Earth tossed into the mix. The second books is heavily influenced by the James Bond end of things, more by the movies than the books (and more by the earlier movies than the most recent cycle) and includes an evil industrialist trying to take over the world, Big Machines and Sets and a doomed love interest.

The main entries are very different from each other, both in terms of style (a Deighton-style escapade vs. a Bond-style escapade) and substance (the shorter works are much lighter in tone). The series shows some creakiness, the first entry written in the "future" takes place (seemingly) not too long before the second long installment but the technology takes a much bigger jump. The sex in the first tale is about as poorly written as the sex in some of his scenes in Accelerando, they do improve for the Bond-esque tale (a Bond tale without good sex would be a shame).

Fun stuff. I hope he revisits the 'verse someday!

FTC Disclaimer: 100% purchased by me!