The Orange Spotlight

Richard Wink Apple Road (Trainwreck Press, 2008)

"Look through gaps in the curtains/And view/A snippet of life" from Wifey

We call it observation or maybe perception, but in reality the writer is on some level a voyeur. Watching the world, looking through windows, finding inspiration in the smallest details of the meaningless conversations. If you were to walk down the street, any street or city block, and peer into the windows of twenty homes, what stories would you be able tell?

Apple Road follows the lives of twenty people, well at least it shows a brief snapshots of the adventures and utter boredom of twenty different people. With images ranging for party people to businessmen to students to wives to white rastas, Richard Wink writes poems that document life. Through these images of others he is able to draw parallels to his own life, and highlight the truths in all of us. Even though it is fictional, Apple Road could be any road or every road, it could be the main strip in a small town or the busiest city block in America or the world.

Apple Road is available for purchase here, and for more on Richard Wink check out my recent interview with him.

The Pharmacy Choose Yr Own Adventure (Don't Stop Belivin', 2/26/08)

Middle of the night, white lab coat, too small, over-sized glasses and broken english... you're in pain, barely aware of where you are. He grabs a bottle of red liquid and a pile pills, he measures out the right amout cream. On your way out you grab a box of tissue and bag of cough drops, and you know that soon all of your problems will be solved.

This is what Scott Yoder, Brendhan Bowers, and Stefan Rubicz have created with the adventurous mixture on Choose Yr Own Adventure. Blending piano-driven pop, with danceably gritty indie rock, and good dose of cough medicene, The Pharamcy have created an album that will cure your ills.

Mar 12 2008 Ms. Bea's SXSW Showcase Austin, Texas
Mar 13 2008 Starcleaner SXSW Showcase @ Typewriter Museum Austin, Texas
Mar 14 2008 Room Service Vintage SXSW Showcase Austin, Texas
Mar 17 2008 Super Happy Fun Land Houston, Texas
Mar 18 2008 Dragon's Den 21+ New Orleans, Louisiana
Mar 19 2008 6551 Evelyn Dr Mobile, Alabama
Mar 20 2008 Cotton & Steel Huntsville, Alabama
Mar 21 2008 Sluggo's Pensacola, Florida
Mar 22 2008 165 M. L. King Ave. St. Augustine, Florida
Mar 23 2008 Klein Dance Studio Lake Worth, Florida
Mar 24 2008 Shanty Town 21+ Jacksonville, Florida
Mar 25 2008 Fag Farm Athens, Georgia
Mar 26 2008 Nara Sushi Richmond, Virginia
Mar 27 2008 Lo-fi Social Club Baltimore, Maryland
Mar 28 2008 WMUC In-Studio College Park, Maryland
Mar 28 2008 WMUC Show! College Park, Maryland
Mar 29 2008 Market Hotel Brooklyn, New York
Mar 30 2008 Cake Shop New York City, New York
Mar 31 2008 The Tinderbox Brattleboro, Vermont
Apr 2 2008 The Garage Hudson, New York
Apr 3 2008 Monster House Columbus, Ohio
Apr 4 2008 Trumbullplex Theatre Detroit, Michigan
Apr 5 2008 Church of Rock Western Springs, Illinois
Apr 6 2008 Worloft Chicago, Illinois
Apr 7 2008 Project Lodge Madison, Wisconsin


Listen to: Tropical Yeti (mp3)

This release is number 11 in series great releases recently from the label Don't Stop Believin'. This release was followed up with an ep of Pharmacy covers recorded by The Terrordactyls and called Mike Bowers EP. For more information of The Pharmacy please visit their website.