The Orange Spotlight

Joshua Michael Stewart Something To Do With Vulnerability (Self-Released, Jan. 2009)

"A wind tucks under his collar and his body tingles. He closes his eyes and these she is: cinnamon and nutmeg in the air."

There is always a level of vulnerability in all forms of writing. Even in the wildest forms of fantasy fiction there are pieces of the writer contained in the smallest of details. When working within the genre of poetry those pieces become chunks of tender realities. The poet can use the poem to get through the most traumatic parts of life and the most romantic all within a few lines of verse. It's a gift and curse, and leaves the poet open and vulnerable. Yet, it is in the raw chucks of words that we find the meat and blood and truth in humanity.

The latest collection of poem from Joshua Michael Stewart deals with one of the most difficult parts of life, the lose of a loved one. What keeps the 37 pages of this collection fresh and interesting are the various perspectives that Stewart is able to focus on. He speaks from the vantage point of a brothers, a son, a spouse, and in one of the most pointed moments, a child. It's a book of memories, and all of the tangible ways our loved ones return in moments of stillness. It is a rummage through the closet, and it has much more than just something to do with vulnerability.

You can order this book through Lulu, but if you order both this collection and his first chapbook Vintage Gray through his website you will save almost $5.

Thing-One You'll Be Fine (Rhythm Method Records, Feb. 10th)

I'm sure I'm not the first , and in fact The Loyal Divide eluded to it last week in their interview, but I am going to declare this the year of pop. What does that mean though? In my mind I see it as a genre of music that represents a pure escape from reality, but with a purpose of pleasure. You can escape with any type of music, but pop seems more innocent and free. It's the beat mixed with repetition that allows the mind and body to break free and dance. As it stands today, we are nation in need of an escape.

So there really isn't a better time to rerelease an album filled with electro-pop bangers entitled "You'll Be Fine" then right now. New Jersey's Thing-One is a four person collective that brings the funk straight to the dance floor in this seven track romp. It all kicks off with the bounce and pulse of "The Kid With Pointy Shoes". It's track with out much thought, but with a chorus and backbone that makes you move. This band has been compared to LCD Sounsystem, White Denim, and !!!, but I find them running closer the flash in the pan group Kasabian from a few years ago with a bit of Helio Sequence mixed in. In fun, contagious, and just enough to make you feel like everything just might be fine.

Listen to: Move It (mp3)

The Orange Spotlight

Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal Still Human (Kendra Steiner Editions #122, Jan. 2009)

"I am the silence. I am the struggle."

I imagine you would call something a universal work when connections can be made regardless of intention, but perhaps it is just the times we find ourselves in. Up until a few months ago the idea of having to validate the fact that you are human was completely foreign to me. Since I lost job back in November I struggle to look in the mirror, to walk into a store, to get out of bed. I feel lost and forgotten, and the sideways glances, that are completely imagined, seem to twist and turn and drive me right out the door. Yesterday, I stumbled across a blog started this month by Chicago poet Raymond Bianchi called "My Great Recession". He also lost his full-time job, and tries to avoid the odd looks and the confused friends. He is looking for the anger and the answers.

Luis Berriozabal's "Still Human" embraces this cry, but is told through the eyes of a man trapped and rambling in a mental institution. His current state and surroundings make him feel the need to reassure himself and the world that he is still human. He has to prove that he still strives for love, for faith, for freedom, for acknowledgment, for trust, and for reward. He strives to let loose the colors of his blood, and rush free into the arms of security. It is a sentiment and energy that so many can relate to today.

Kendra Steiner Editions #122 was printed in an edition of 49 and I am holding copy number 22, so order your copy today.

Maps of Norway Die Off Songbird (Guilt Ridden Pop, Dec. 29th)

What could a songbird represent? Muse, freedom, a poet, a writer, an artist, a child compelled to invent an expression, all of the things that grow and thrive and die. I'm intrigued by the idea of the songbird, and clearly St. Paul band Maps of Norway is as well. Their second album on Minnesota's Guilt Ridden Pop, Die Off Songbird was released last month. The album features the incredible voice of Rebecca Leigh, who I find myself wanting to compare to a young Natalie Merchant, and it is her voice that carries this eclectic album.

Maps of Norway made their live debut in early 2004 in St. Paul, MN. Formed by drummer Jeff Ball and guitarist Eric Hanson, both previous of Vespertine and bass player Matt Helgeson, late of Unbelievable Jolly Machine, the group was not completed until the addition of vocalist Rebecca Leigh. With songs like "Caged Tiger" and "The Run Out", you can quickly get a feel for sense of urgency and energy contained in this album.

Listen To: The Run Out (mp3) and Strict Ritual (mp3)

The Orange Spotlight

Howie Good Tommowland (Achilles Chapbook Series, Dec. 1st)


"The future will be just like the present - so cold it burns."

The art of flash fiction, when trimmed and compacted properly, can be a powerful tool in a fast-paced world. Similar to poetry, flash fiction focuses on the essence of the story, the essence of language, and allows the mind of the reader to fill in all of the other details. In fact, it would not be a stretch to say that the writer challenges himself more to tell a story in a flash, then in a full and fluent story. To express what you have observed, what you feel, in the matter of a few sentence is the true nature of the craft.

If stripping down your thoughts is the nature of the craft then Howie Good is a master craftsman. In Tomorrowland he offers up 23 glimpses at life in an array of situations. From the father driving down the road with his daughter to the stream of consciousness of an injuries youth. He presents pictures both bright and warm, and dark and grim. Yet, through it all there is an odd sense of hope that flicker and fades, but remains despite it all.

Tomorrowland is the third chapbook in the refreshing new series that was started in October by Achilles Chapbook Series.


Mr. Bear These Machines (Thru and Thru, Jan. 13th)

New to the Chicago scene is Little Rock product and multi-instrumentalist Mr. Bear (aka Jack Bishop). After moving to Chicago to attend school he was quickly picked up by the new Minnesota/Chicago label Thru & Thru Records. His first release on Thru and Thru is actually his second full-length album, "These Machines". A mixture of horns and twirling folk romps, These Machines is a mixture of Sufjan Stevens and Beirut which when blended it becomes an exciting style all it's own.

Beneath the joyous musical configurations lays lyrics that are surprisingly complex for such a young songwriter. He writes with an old soul, but adds the right amount of humor and imagination. He also plays with passion and energy, and in fact, from trumpet to banjo, Bishop plays most of the instruments on These Machines himself. This album is a remarkable collection of thoughts, and hopefully it will get the attention it deserves.

01. Disaster, Be The Matchmaker (mp3)
02. Rubber Duckies
03. Jump Ship
04. How Tasty (Are The White)
05. Big Foot Walks (video)
06. The Creeps
07. Put Your Glasses On(Interlude)
08. Objects Unidentified
09. Dead Orchids, Hungry Toads
10. This Beard Is A Symbol (For The Man I Am)
11. The Wolf Man's Sad Song
12. A Chosen Few, Pump Our Fists and Be Proud!

The Orange Spotlight

Nami Mun Miles From Nowhere (Penguin/Riverhead, January 2nd)

Miles From Nowhere is a dark and diligent look at a life I had never contemplated, but has always lurked in the distance. It all seems so simple and frightening and just one tragedy away. As the rate of the unemployed rises and the rate of foreclosures rises, it seems probably that the rate of the homeless will rise as well. This is the story of a homeless teen who has lost her parents, not to death but to insanity and indifference. What comes of this abandonment is a journey of misguided faith and faux-friendships, and a process of learning how to live a life that no one deserves to live. Taking place in Brooklyn in the '80's, the main character Joon bounces from shelter to bus stops to brothel and further into the darkness of the streets.

The dominant theme of this novel is innocence abused and an evolution into guilt. In a recent interview, author Nami Mun described guilt as "the policeman of emotions". While living on the streets and throwing all reason and understood values away, the emotions of a teen are bound to run wild. That experience is one that Nami shares with her character Joon, but that is where the comparisons end. Nami herself lived in the streets as a teen, and held many random and varied jobs before making a commitment to writing on January 1st, 2000. Now in 2009 her debut novel, Miles From Nowhere, was released on January 2nd. To hear Nami talk about her need and urgency in writing will make you want to read closer and live deeply. Here are her hopes for her readers, "I want them to understand that the homeless guy holding out his hand and the addict nodding off on the bus and the sex worker in the back seat of a car, and even the murderer locked up in prison were all children once". When boiled down that is the magic contained within this novel, it is a stark reality shown through the eyes of a child.

Snowsera Fictions (Self-Released, August 22nd)

"Do we have all that we need?”

In a music scene filled with both diversity and standerized pop, and new bands starting up daily, there seems to be a need for a gimmick. For a band that plays straightforward indie rock what is going to set them apart? What will be their claim to fame, what will they leave behind? For Chicago's Snowsera the key is in the tiny "fictions" written by Bill Arteaga. When Bill shouts out the question, "Do we have all that we need?", I was convinced that this band had the drive find all the answers that they need.

It also doesn't hurt that Snowsera is giving away their ep "Fictions" away for free. Just go to their blog, and enter your e-mail address and they will send you the link to download the album. The cover of the album was design by South Carolina's Katryn Garner, and it seems to be a perfect introduction to five tracks contained within.

Fictions
24/I See/Runaway/Darling/So Subtle

The Orange Spotlight

Blackout Beach Skin of Evil (Soft Abuse, Jan. 20th 2009)

"I walk into the gossip, fulfill my needs, eat to satiate that which has flown"

There is fine and delicate line between genius and fool, and Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes, Swan Lake) stumbles around that line like a drunk and rambling jester. On his latest effort as Blackout Beach, Carey takes a frightening look at emotional abuse, rejection, and all of the darkest emotions and thoughts of a lost soul. A soul who is tried of fighting, tired of losing, tired of a being assaulted by life. In these songs with titles that read like riddles you can hear cries and screams and the full on rage of someone who has reach the bottom of all that love and lust have to offer and is determined to scratch their way back up.

The subject of this story disguised as an album in Donna, who is unsure of who is in control but screams at the clouds nonetheless. She feels life at its most dramatic, and exposes skin and heart and mind. This album is theater, and is an extremely challenging listen. I had to listen to it three times before I began to feel like I understood where Mercer was going or intending to go. This is not a casual listen despite the electronic crunch of the opening track, "Cloud of Evil". As you will notice with the song titles, this is a complex tale and a journey into the soul of woman as perceived by a mad man.


Cloud of Evil (mp3)/Biloxi, In a Grove, Cleans Out His Eyes/Three Men Drown in the River William, the Crowd, It's William/The Roman/Woe to the Minds of Soft Men/The Whistle/Nineteen, One God, One Dull Star/Sophia, Donna, I Was Down the River Waiting/ Astoria, Menthol Lite, Hilltop, Wave of Evil, 1982 (mp3)



Bill Shute We'll All Get By... (Kendra Steiner Editions #123, Jan. 2009)

"to economize he's been drinking the teas from boxes he could not finish in better times"

Is it enough to "get by"? For many Americans the dawn of 2009 finds them in a mode in which they are fighting and scraping and screaming just to "get by". In the times that the media says we are living in, I ask is that enough? Now is the time to push harder, move farther and "see your way clear". This is the time to throw out the last remaining bags of tea and create your brand of tea. This year we must all strive to utilize our skills and wisdom and experience to push through and move far beyond any thoughts of struggle.

"Wisdom visits not through statement but through texture, through glance, through glance, through quivers and clammy handshakes, through overheard lies and unspoken hunger."

The phrase "unspoken hunger" grabbed me tonight. We will continue to just "get by" as long as our hunger remains unspoken. In 1969, Buzz Clifford may have had a hunger and desire to see his way clear. He had already been to the top and was trying make it there once again. In this collection by Bill Shute, he uses the thoughts and sounds of Buzz Clifford as a point of reference, but he is unable or unwilling to leave behind the panicked reality we are living in. He challenges the idea of struggle, and the appreance of a problem. He doesn't demand an answer, but challenges the reader to come to thwie own conclusion.

"We All Get By..." was printed in an edition of 32 copies, and I am holding #3. To order your copy pleased visit Kendra Steiner Editions today.

The Orange Spotlight

Now, Now Every Children Cars (Afternoon Records, Dec. 9th)

"Go where you want to"

What seems like high school fancy and fairy tale can quickley become reality. High school friends and marching bands mates, Cacie Dalager and Bradley Hale (aka Now, Now Every Children) have been making brisk Minnesota music together for a few years now. Last year they signed to Afternoon Records and released two critially acclaimed eps. Their sound quickly became well loved and respected. It's a simple method, but Cacie vocals ring clear and vibrant over her aggressive guitar play. Bradley keeps the beat and drives the artistic direction of the band.

On their debut album, Cars, there is a complex innocence that radiates in Cacie's vocals. Your charmed, but as you listen deeper you witness the struggle of youth. It's the battle between boredom and desire, endless days and the drive to become all that you have dreamed of. It is that battle between enjoying your youth and living your life. Cacie captures that tension perfectly and makes you wish you were starting your journey all over again.

Not One, But Two/Everyone You Know/Have You Tired/Sleep Through Summer/Friends With My Sister/In My Chest/Headlights/In The City/We Know Martha Webber/Little Brother/Cars (mp3)

Drew Kalbach The Zen of Chainsaws and Enormous Clippers (Paper Hero Press, Oct. 2008)

"The menu never changes. Nobody complains. Salt is the spice of life, but lawns are kept manicured, immaculate and almost false in their unchanging greenery."

Life is basically nonsense. We attempt to organize and plan and make some sense of everything. Yet, most moments feel random and uncontrolled, but as wee dig, explore, and evaluate we may discover a fleeting purpose. It is this odd sense of random logic that Drew Kalbach throws on to paper. Words and phrases seem to collide without focus and purpose, but suddenly there is a brief flash of subtle but substantial intention and clarity.

For example, "Problems With Missing Sock Logic", "Bits of chocolate wrappers dot the desk like eraser shavings and pencil skin." or in "How to Remove a Pair of Pants Without Causing Jealousy", "There are different methods of waiting, like tulips wilting or cars honking at a red light." It's a clever combination of thoughts that may or may not mean something at some point. I feel this thoughts should be taken at their suface level. In fact, Drew alludes to this in his authors note, "there is no depth, i wrote it all in a word document in 24 hours, it's meaningless, just random words from television commercials strung together." Where I don't fully believe that I also don't discount it. Whether the meaning is projected by the reader or it is actually implied there is a meaning and purpose to this collection. Perhaps you should investigate the contents for yourself.

The Orange Spotlight

Various Writers KSE Last Poems (Kendra Steiner Editions #115, Dec. 2008)

"i take last steps in the direction of where i began" ~ Jack Henry

Although the Midwest winters can be brutally unforgiving I have never been one to find a great deal of sorrow in the chill and frost. I tend to focus on the warmth of the holidays and the glowing eyes of the children that I am consistently surrounded by. Yet, there are always a few universal truths that can never be ignored and tend to loom a little heavier at certain times of the year. One undeniable truth is that at some point life ends. It is the uncontrollable nature of death that attracts so much attention and worry. True, some fixate, some ignore, some laugh straight in the face, but in Last Poems ten poets meditate.

From the near taunt of Ed Churchouse to the affirmation of Glen W. Cooper, Last Poems serves as a guide through death and grief told from various angles. It takes a dark and unpleasant subject and comes to terms with it. The tone is somber, but as you read it feels necessary and relevant especially if you have lost someone.

Last Poems is KSE #115 and it was printed in an edition of 94 copies, and I have copy #9. If you factor in the copies that went out to the ten different contributors, you better order yours today.

Honey Claws Honey Claws (Self-Released, Oct. 14th)

After two tracks of the debut full-length from Austin's Honey Claws I was thinking, "Oh no, another Linkin Park!". However, as I listened on I realized that this group of young and creative musicians is so much more. True they are mixing hip-hop with with rock, but this is a more urgent sound and a less polished and commercial the Linkin Park. Multi-instrumentalists Dr. Zero, Ben Senior, Jon Von Letscher, and Traey Hatch may have not have discovered something new, but their levity make this album compelling.

At its core this is a party album, combining several styles and themes. From indie rock to off-kilter electro to old-school hip-hop, the style and flow is constantly changing and evolving. My favorite track is "Bone Hollow", and the near Q-tip-esque rhymes. Even though the album is only available digitially, I was sent a beautifully designed physical copy with packaging made from certified organic parts. These four young musicians have won me over, and if you give them a chance they may do the same for you.

Listen to: Shout Out (mp3)

The Orange Spotlight

Barry Graham Not a Speck of Light is Showing (Achilles Chapbook Series, Oct. 19th, 2008)

"I'm outside my father's house, looking through the window, he won't let me in." ~ from Parable of the Dead Rolling Snowball

It's always fun to observe children this time of year. They are filled with joy and excitement, anticipation and wonder, and the hope is tangible. Yet, the reality is there are many children who are struggling to enjoy the holiday's much less life in general. In, Not a Speck of Light Showing Barry Graham tells tales of a warped youth experience in a way that most reasonable adults would never imagine inflicting on a child. From finding your mother dead in her cream of wheat to a molesting from your brothers friends at thirteen, Graham pulls images of a life unwanted and turns them into dim flashes of a story that want never meant to be told.

What drew me to pick up this chap and begin to read was its plain cover. A yellow piece of paper with seven words typed in black. "not a speck of light is howing". There was nothing to allude to the contents, and nothing to draw the focus away from the text. Published by Dogzplot through their Achilles Chapbook Series, this collection of flash fiction is a compelling look at youth and misery and the solid streak of hope that just might prevail regardless of the season.

McCarthy Trenching Calamity Drenching (Team Love, Sept. 23rd, 2008)

Maybe it's the time of year, or the fact that I just watched his Christmas special, but Dan McCarthy is the new John Denver. Not that there's anything wrong with that. He is one of those timeless storytellers, and the stories he shares on his latest album Calamity Drenching are filled with broken romance, distruction of cassette tapes and the feeling that these stories were always meant to be told.

Released by Team Love, Calamity Drenching is a heart felt collection of tales. Calamity Drenching collaborators include: Steve Bartolomei (Mal Madrigal), Ben Brodin (Before the Toast and Tea), Stefanie Drootin (The Good Life, She & Him, Bright Eyes), Tim Jensen (The Golden Age), Pearl Lovejoy Boyd (Outlaw con Bandana), Ted Stevens (Cursive, Mayday), Orenda Fink (Azure Ray, Art in Manila) and Phillip "Too-Tall" Shaffart. There is even an accordion solo titled after a line from Carl Sandberg's poem "Happiness."

To an Aesthete Dying Young/Cassette Tape Massacre (mp3)/Christmas Song/The Most Attractive Disguise/Thunderstorm Blues/Roasting Song (mp3)/A Keg of Beer and an Accordion/Scoop Shovel Blues/Mormon Girl Blues (mp3)/Perfect Moonlight/Detritus/Song for the Four Horsemen

The Orange Spotlight

Heather Bell Nothing Unrequited Here (Verve Bath Press, Nov. 15th)

When you sit down to write a poem, or pause in a hectic moment to scribble, who is your audience? As you record that voice, that internal line of thought, as you let your will and secrets and fear splash upon the page, are you thinking of me? Are you contemplating the hipster in the bar or the bookish soul in cafe? Are you thinking of the house wife and mother, the corporate soldier, the burnt flame? Well most will say they write for themselves. They write for a release, but as you share your skeletons and skin there has to be some level of awareness. Some level of understanding that these pages will be viewed if only by a hundred or so familiar eyes. It has to fill you with a mixture of comfort and a fear may strangely resemble a sense of terror and accomplishment.

The debut collection from New York poet Heather Bell is an intimate array of confessions and dreams and all of the sultry and unforgiving thoughts of a woman on the verge of discovery. She utilizes the excitement of a young relationship, the desires and insecurities of a woman, and slight taste of humor to deliver a wonderful collection of poems. What is surprising are the little lines that she slips in when least expected. For example,"The trees catch bird flu and develop wings" or "we laugh like wet beach balls". It is a series interesting word combinations that needed to be shared with someone.

Verve Bath Press is run by Amanda Oaks, and Nothing Unrequited Here is a beautiful handmade chapbook. Only 100 were made and I have copy #27.

Creaky Boards Brooklyn is Love (Self-Released, Nov. 11th)

Over the summer this young Brooklyn band took a major risk, and potentially lost some fans because of it. This risk also put a lot of pressure on their sophomore album, Brooklyn is Love. Over the summer Creaky Boards lead singer Andrew Hoepfner acused one of the biggest bands in the world, Coldplay, of stealing their song "The Songs I Didn't Write". The band believes that Chris Martin was in the audience at a CMJ gig where they played the song in question. Coldplay denied it and they confirm their whereabouts during the Boards performance. This move got them a lot of attention, but it left everyone wondering if they could deliver and follow-up the hype with a solid album.

Brooklyn is Love is the perfect album to put this confusion, this drama, to rest. It is a fine example of Beach Boy influence, raw and exciting, surf pop. It is a sound that has been done before (no, not by Coldplay), but Hoepfner and company (dan costinski, michael david campinski, eric wolfinski, darwin dinski) have managed to make an album filled with nostalgia but one that is completely original. Their sound is fresh, clean, and extremely enjoyable. There are moments of jazz, moments of harmony, moments of just plan fun.

The Songs I Didn't Write (mp3)/Now I'm in the City/Brooklyn/A Low Level of Trust/Oh Just Be Silent/Lie to Me/Before You Become My Muse/Secret Man/You Can't Turn Me Off/ Theme from Skeleton City/I'm So Serious (This Time)/I'm Touching the Electric Fence/SOS

The Orange Spotlight

Andy Riverbed Damaged (Coatlism Press, Jan. 2009)

"My shadow is still against the wall where a child lies petrified brown, swallowed hard and short framed; his chest is popped and he no longer breathes." from "Lazer Crawls And"

These days there are a lot of words that have begun to take on a new meaning, and damaged is one of them. I once might have pictured a can or a box or maybe even a car, dents and scratches and the like, but today lives and company's, markets and families, "Damaged" is a perfect word. Of course, this probably not what Andy Riverbed had in mind when he dubbed his collection of poems Damaged, but that is inherent weight of words. Speaking of words, Riverbed does have a way with them, even though he does fall into a few "experimental" traps. Experimentation is vital in literature, but if it just for the sake of experimentation then that is wasteful.

Damaged touches on the themes of youth with a clouded clarity that paints a complex and confused reality. His poems possess a thin surface of protection that occasionally cracks to reveal the deep and damaged honesty below. An example of this would in the poem "Lately". It's preceded by a poem about the people he sees while working retail on a Sunday, but "Lately" appears to delve deeper into Riverbed's personal life the other poems in the collection. It is a refreshing moment in the collection. Overall, Damaged is a great set of poems that are only made more substantial by the artwork of William Joyner Jr. This collection will be released on January 1st, but it available for pre-order now. In fact, if you pre-order you will save $6 off the surprising cover price.

Graham Lindsey We Are All Alone in This Together (Spacebar Recording, Nov. 18th, 2008)

Speaking of damaged, Montana's Graham Lindsey, is alone and singing to the spirit of desperation. Two years ago Lindsey left woods of Wisconsin for the plains of Montana. The result of this change is a full-length album, We Are All Alone in This Together, and an EP The Mine, both of which will be released tomorrow. There is a high level of darkness staining Lindsey's organic folk sound. With songs like "Woe", "If I Ever Make It Home", and "Down The Wrecking Line", you can see where Lindsey is at in his life. Yet, these songs play more like a release, and to the listener they are story or journey through the trials of life.

Musically, Lindsey's voice is low and ominous, searching for breathe and release. Accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Greg Leisz, the sounds creep around hollow packets in Lindsey's grumble to create what I can only imagine is the feeling of a Montana sunset. It's all so epic, yet empty and beautiful for that very reason. Both the album and EP have original paintings by Milwaukee's Joseph Huber, and these only enhance the feel of the entire project. Both albums can be purchased here.

Listen to: Mud (mp3)

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A.J. Kaufmann & Bill Shute Beyond The Blue Rocks (Kendra Steiner Editions #113)

"we pass unnoticed through people of paper/their paper streets/environment changes/they never do question/the western lands twinkle..."

For some faith is all there is. Every action, every word, every breathe is filled with faith. It is this complete understanding that can result in a high level of clarity, and an overwhelming sense of peace. In some Faith's you can expand your understanding and peace through meditation which can take on several different forms. It is more then just sitting a certain way and making a silly noise, it about a focused freedom. It is about expanding your mantra, and releasing everything else.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1)

Beyond the Blue Rocks is a set of meditations on the Tibetan Book of the Dead. Yet it is more obtainable and accessible then it may sound. Written by both A.J. Kaufmann and Bill Shute, the collection shifts focus and style rapidly. At it's center this collection is about the journey, through life and to faith and freedom. So if you are looking to move beyond or simply find a stronger center, check our the release from KSE.

There were only 55 copies of Beyond The Blue Rocks made and I am holding #26, so order yours today.

The New Monarchs Blueprint (Soup Bowl Records, Oct. 28th)

"A door cannot escape the space in which it turns."

A monarch is a ruler, a solitary ruler of a nation and of a people. That's not always the most pleasing image to have in your mind as you examine a new cd. However, from the first electronic noise, Blueprints, soars on electro-pop wings. You stop thinking about the name of the band, and start wondering what sound will come next. The New Monarchs formed in 2005, Sean Hogan and Taylor Nelson have slowly built and pieced together this stunning debut. Originally a quartet, the band split up as college approached, but Hogan and Nelson continued send music back and forth. They would come together during the semester breaks to put everything together with a slightly more electronic focus then when they were a full band. The results are focused and echo through the Autumn night with a gentle blue force.

Only the fourth release by Minnesota's Soup Bowl Records, Blueprints further illustrates the eclectic focus of the label. From punk-pop to jazz-pop to an electronic gem, SBR is building a catalog of music you really have to listen.

Across Your Hands (mp3)/No Commotion/Windows Down/Off The Record/Leigh/Surprises (mp3)/Common/You'll Always Know/Kiss Me At The Gate/Hold Me Quick

The Orange Spotlight

Ernest Gonzales Lullaby (Exponential, October 21st, 2008)



"Experimenting with sound, combined with the inspiration of being a father soon, I instantly started creating an album for my unborn daughter, Sophia." - Ernest Gonzales

As a father of four a good bedtime routine is vital. We try to keep it structured with a story then teeth, and then bed. However, there are nights when they are to wound-up, running and dancing and screaming. Storytime just wasn't calming them down. That is until I received an IM from Texas producer and label head Ernest Gonzales. All he said was "Check this out..." with a link to the press page download his latest release, Lullaby. It was exactly what we exactly what we needed.



Lullaby was written back in 2004 for Ernest's unborn daughter, and has remained a personal collection until last week. I am extremely pleased he has decided to release this album whihc was completed with several remixes. Lullaby is a focused look at the honesty and intimacy that can be presented in electronic music. Mostly downtempo, the album is both interesting and musically gentle and appealing. The tones glide through with creative twists a long the way. It is a project of love and a quiet adventure.



Silke Leicher and Manuel Schreiner Bands on the Road: The Tour Sketchbook (Thames and Hudson, October 21st)

When this one arrived in my mailbox I was extremely excited because in theory it combines two of my greatest joys music and art. I say in theory because the images in the book range for incredibly interesting and complex drawings and creations to crude stick figures. The concept, however, is truly unique, what do musicians do while they are on the road? I would have guessed drugs and video games, but clearly there are a few out there that like to draw. All of the images in the collection were created specifically for this collection. In fact, the bands involved in this project were asked think about something in the past that had an important impact on them, a person or event that still resonates, and to draw it.

Featured bands include Bloc Party, The Killers, Interpol, Coldplay, Kaiser Chiefs, Belle and Sebastian, The Hives, Maroon 5, Franz Ferdinand, The Dandy Warhols, The Libertines, Dirty Pretty Things, Death Cab for Cute, Babyshambles, The Raconteurs, Oasis, Maximo Park, The Shins, Muse, Snow Patrol, Keane, Howie Day, We Are Scientists, Johnny Marr and many many more. Of course they all went in different directions, from hotel rooms to basement studios to the above day at the beach from Muse. So whether it is the house of Ricky Wilson (Kaiser Chiefs) or a sail boat and story about vikings from Matt Miller (Sparta), there should be something for everyone to look at in this collection of 220 drawings.

The Orange Spotlight

Tim Hall Full Of It (Undie Press, Oct. 14th, 2008)

When I first heard the title of Tim's second novel, Full Of It, I thought it may be dealing with the current election. Yet, when I saw the subtitle, The Birth, Death, and Life of an Underground Newspaper, I knew the truth. Actually, the very first time I met Tim Hall, he was carrying this large hardcover book under his arm, it was multi-colored and in a crude typewriter font. He explained the premise and I was intrigued. Several months later I started receiving mysterious cds on my front step. It was an audio version of Full Of It told three chapters at a time with sound effects and a different voice for each character. It was captivating, I couldn't wait for the next installment of this journey through the struggle to remain together and creative.

Full Of It takes a look at the business side of creativity. A group of friends and acquaintances come together to start a newspaper, but the hierarchy begins to bleed the passion, and soon whose name is listed where and whose story runs when begins to transcend the overall product and value of the paper. As much as it is about struggles for control, it is also about the path of friendships, romances, high and lows, and the trials and errors of a young writer in a big city. Through it all he learns a valuable lesson, there is nothing more treasured than friendship, but everything can change at any time.

Super XX Man Vol. XII:: There'll Be Diamonds (Tender Loving Empire Oct. 21st, 2008)

There are hundreds, if not thousands of albums released every week. There are a couple of factors that will set one apart from another when they are both sitting on the shelf or in the stack on my desk. If you don't have instant name recognition then there has to be some quality in design or presentation that sets your album apart. An image by a well-known artist or something shocking or some how appealing will go a long way. You could also play with packaging bright colors, folding cardboard, boxes, plastic whatever you do has to draw people to your album regardless of the style or sound.

What I look for is a package that shows the band and the label really care about the look and feel of the album. One of my favorite labels for this very reason is Portland's Tender Loving Empire. Their latest release, Super XX Man's There'll Be Diamonds, feels and looks like a work of art. Each copy is Hand Screenprinted with art by Brian Oster giving the album a very unique look and feel. It honestly made me want to listen to this album first just because of its cover. Super XX Man is the product of Scott Garred, this album is actually his 12th full-length album, and it is filled with one of my favorite types of songs, the upbeat song about saddness, hurt, and depression. Perfected by Morrissey, Garred sings about medication, crazy co-works, relationship problems, and more. His voice is calm and steady, lush and intimate. It is a wonderful compliment to the detailed packaging and any record collection.

Listen to: Medication (mp3)

The Orange Spotlight

Christopher Cunningham In Gambler's Blood (Kendra Steiner Editions #110, Sept. 2008)


"The air is heavy with rent money and pain."

I've never been much of a gambler in life or at the tables. In fact, I've only been to the casino once and it was rather a sad scene. Mostly elderly folks parked in front of video games blowing what's left of their pensions and social security checks. They are hopeful but lost with no other place to go. I left feeling empty and $20 lighter, and I knew I would never return. Then I saw the movie 21, which is as much about gambling as it is about living, and became intrigued. It's about systems and risks, and pushing yourself and the rules in place to their furthest limits. I wasn't inspired to gamble in Casino's, but I was moved to take more risks and take a few leaps.


In Christopher Cunningham's latest chapbook, he finds inspiration in not the blood of a gambler, but in the sound of the great spaghetti western composer Ennio Morricone. He brings to life the felt and plastic, the adrenaline and compulsion, the thrill of sadness, and the knowledge that you will never win. There is an ever present feeling that you should be somewhere else, that you should be home.


Not only is In Gambler's Blood a wonderful collection of poetry, but included in each book is an original water color hand painted and signed. There were only 60 copies printed of this collections and I am holding copy #29, so order your today.

Adron Adron (New Street Records, July 1st, 2008)

Musically Adrienne McCann (a.k.a. Adron) is well beyond the twenty years that she has been alive. On her self-titled debut she has woven a tapestry of gentle folk, tropical rhythms and melodies, and a sense of nostalgia that gives this album a classic feel. Adrienne also has an impressive vocal range, shifting from an intimate purr to a billy Holiday-like swoon to burlesque false to. Where Adron shows her age is lyrically, but they are not childish in anyway. They are a mixture of innocence and clarity that clearly illustrate the life a young girl just beginning to understand her role in the world. She is stretching her wings ("Airplane"), but remembers warmly her youth ("Blanket Fort"). It's a heart-felt confusion we all felt and worked through at one time, Adrienne's process just happens to be a beautiful and meaningful debut album that will leave everyone wondering what will come next.

Airplanes/Walking Home/Arabia Lights/Blanket Fort/Never Leave My Room Again/Ave, Etc./Bicicleta (mp3)/Slimesmile/Stringsong (mp3)/Undefined

The Orange Spotlight

Jenifer Wills Skidding Through the Mud Incognito (erbacce press)

"I'd much rather listen to The Knife than Tchaikovsky" - from "Confessions
of a Modern Day Poetess"

There is a part of youth that forces you go incognito, to blend, to follow, to survive. Middle school seems to be the age of camouflage and still the unique are ridiculed. If your clothes aren't right, your hair, your face, anything, any difference, it can be near torture. Yet by 8th grade most are tried of blending, of shuffling through the halls, and they begin to find small ways of breaking out, breathing, expressing their own emotions, and finding their personal reality. It's a necessary process that allows the individual to discover on their own the importance of following their own voice. This is where Jenifer Wills begins her journey from skidding and blending to discovering herself through observation and adventure.

Winner of the 2008 Gloom Cupboard chapbook contest, Jenifer's collection pulls the reader into her struggle, her journey, her complex and less then idyllic childhood, and makes you understand. She shares everything from images of her mother, to the mix cds that litter her life, and the thoughts of suicide. It is almost like reading through a young girls private diary, and watching her life unfold from an awkward twelve to a student of life to a mother. She shares every doubt, ever indiscretion, and every lesson. Skidding Through the Mud Incognito is a vibrant collection from a blossoming young poet, and a great example of the hidden gems waiting to be discovered in the independent press.

Team Genius Team Genius (Self-Released, Oct 7th, 2008)

In an era of podcasts and shuffle modes and the ability to download a couples song here and a few songs there, the traditional album may be changing. The chances of someone going to itunes and buying an entire album may be slim, and buying a cd is even more unusual. So what can a musician do make an entire album appeal to a wide range of listeners. Brooklyn's eight member group, Team Genius feel they have discovered a solution, and the results are extremely enjoyable. Drew Hermiller is the foundation of the group and calls the record "a reaction to the modern way music is consumed and listened to". So they made an "ipod" album.

It would be to broad of a statement to called their sound indie pop. They shift sounds from track to track, from funky falsettos (“Take Me Home”), to Celtic intonations (“Sing Song”), epic anthems (“ABC”), weird pep rallies (“The Wise Ones All Give Up”), two chord experimentation (“Meanderings and Musings”), ukulele folk (“Speak Softly”), and even a campfire sing-along (“While We’re Asleep). Consisting of two sets of siblings, they certainly possess the talent and instruments to make each style and sound work perfectly. The risk when making an album like this is that it may sound disorganized, but Drew's lyrics and creative vocals nicely tie the album together.

Take Me Home (mp3)/Surely The Sun Will Explode/Sing Song/Run Gun Sun/ABC/The Wise Ones All Give Up/Meanderings and Musings/Speak Softly/Take What You Can't Make/While We're Asleep

The Orange Spotlight

The Open Face Sandwich Issue #1 (Fifth Planet Press, January 1, 2008)

The best open face sandwich I've ever had was from a local place called Al's Cafe. It was a piece of pumpernickel bread smoothed in cooked spinach, sprouts, mushrooms, pine nuts, and finally Munster cheese on top. It would go well with a cup of coffee and my favorite new annual literary journal, The Open Face Sandwich. So, what makes this journal the best I've read in a long time? Well, of course the content needs to be solid and in turn the editors must be of quality, but for me it is the design and presentation. With this annual even the paper quality is extremely appealing. Yet, what first drew me to the journal was the cover. Simple and clean but still with a sharp sense of humor, the cover really sets the tone for the rest of the journal.

What's more even appealing is the diversity of content; from the lost excerpts from Hortense Caruthers to the great pieces of short fiction from Nathan Hill, Cindy May Murphy, and many more to the poems to an interview (in Hell) with Louis-Ferdinand Celine's. Yet, there are two sections of this 192 page collection that are both shocking and very funny in there own ways. First, 33 pages in you find "My Gernll!!!!!!!!!" by Thomas Birdson. It looks like scanned pages of an 8 eight-year-olds journal from August 1992 to May 1993. It is a hilarious and a pointent look at the life and thoughts of a young boy. "If I cold fix my own brefest I wold make mash patato's, musterd, a pizza". The second surprising find sits dead center in this collection, and it is a series of photographs by Meshakai Wolf called "Found in Atlanta". The images document various images of roadkill (yes, roadkill) from a rabbit to chipmunks to cats. It is shocking, but at the same time well presented. It just adds emphasis to an already exciting and interesting addition to the literary scene.

The Open Face Sandwich is now accepting submissions for the 2009 issue.

These United States Crimes (United Interests, Sept. 23rd, 2008)

I suppose it is not all that uncommon to see the words "United States" and "Crimes" next to each other, but it is uncommon for a band to release two full-length album in the same year. However, that is exactly what Kentucky band These United States has accomplished. Releasing their debut album, A Picture of the Three of us at the Gate of the Garden of Eden, back in March, the boys weren't satisfied and were not going to rest. They were looking for rock-and-roll reformation, and locked themselves away for six days at Shangri-La Studios. The result is Crimes, a backyard bar room romp through sins, dreams, contemplations, and all the confusions of life.

Crimes, like several albums released this year, has a strong message of faith, the struggle, the pain, the misdirection and apathy. Yet Jesse Elliot is able to keep the focus, and keep the album upbeat and energetic. The album opens with the story of Cain and Able and takes you through the "wicked world" filled deception, thieves, and pain. However, through it all Elliot leaves you with this magnetic line "O, if the thing that drives you onward is your heart, you must not let that engine die". It is a statement sums up the album, the band, and honestly life in general.

Listen to: West Won (mp3)

The Orange Spotlight

Hosho McCreesh For All These Wretched, Beautiful, & Insignificant Things So Uselessly & Carelessly Destroyed... (sunnyoutside, Sept 18th, 2008)


"I simply cannot believe that we are supposed to be so callous, so pitiless."

There is a certain level rage in the lines of Hosho McCreesh's seventh collection of poems. The word rage typically has a negative connotation, but in the case of the lines found in For All These Wretched, Beautiful, & Insignificant Things..., the rage seems rational and justified. I believe I've heard it said that "justified rage is better than misguided anger". Regardless, Hosho takes a long and focused look at reality and sinks his literary teeth into the injustices that abound.


"The simple fact is that most of the all of this is pretty hard to get away from."


His approach is not of the holier than thou variety, he himself is not above reproach. He has simply presented a collection of thoughts and perceptions that are on the attack and not resting until they are heard. In a world currently filled with injustice, misdirection, deception, diversion, and deceit, it is a marvel that this collection is not a thousand pages long. For that matter McCreesh has shown considerable restraint and perhaps saved a bigger blow at a later date.

Fight Bite Emerald Eyes (Self-Released, October 28th, 3008)

If I was to ever start a band I wouldn't move to LA or Seattle or even stay here in Chicago. I would want to be in one of three places, Brooklyn, Portland, or especially Denton, TX. Denton is home to many young and inventive bands, and among them is a duo known as Fight Bite. On their debut album Emerald Eyes, Jeff Louis and Leanne Macomber have found the perfect blend of haunting melodies and other worldly snyths. It's as if Enya was trapped inside a haunted house and was being forced to sing for her release.

Formed in late 2007, Leanne had already amassed a songbook of lyrics, but was in search of someone to bring her songs to life. Who she found was mirco composer Jeff Louis. To create his thick walls of sound Louis shreds tape-after-tape on an old 8-track, and the results are beautifully reverb-drenched melodic compositions. These is a massive sound that floats and moves and slowly creeps throughout each composition, but without losing the romance and melody. With songs like Swissex Lover (released as a seven inch) and Widow's Peak, they are bound to haunt, woo, lull, and draw you into their sonic world.

The Accident/Never Let Go/Swiss Ex-Lover/Widow's Peak (mp3)/Emerald Eyes/Age Of Faith/Small Wonder/Dorthea/Strings/Spring Rain

The Orange Spotlight

Jeremy Shipp Sheep and Wolves (Raw Dog Screaming Press, Fall 2008)

"When people say, “Get a life,” what they usually mean is, “Drown out the screaming of your heart like I do, then we can be friends.” I refuse." from "Nightmare Man"

On the way to park this afternoon I spotted the first glimpse of Autumn. It was a full grown oak with leaves glowing in orange, yellow and red. Soon there will be pumpkins, scarecrows, ghost, goblins, haunted houses, and all of the typical joy mixed with fear that is Fall. There is no better writer to read on a cool autumn evening then California's Jeremy Shipp. Having read his enthralling and disturbing debut novel Vacation, I jumped at the chance to take a sneak peak at his new collection of short stories, Sheep and Wolves. Now I had never read any of Jeremy's short stories, but I knew I had to find the right time and location to read through this collection. The mood had to be just right, and I chose to be alone in a dimly lit room late at night. It seemed right as I tried to let the gruesome images that can seem so foreign yet so captivating.

Jumping right in with the first story "Watching", Jeremy creates worlds that at times seem unreal or unfamiliar, but have a biting sense of reality that really allows the reader to stay engaged. From moving marshmallow peeps to reattaching a little girls severed thumb to clowns and cyborgs, the stories contained in Sheep and Wolves are like a series of car accidents. You know shouldn't be looking, but you can't take your eyes off the pages stained with blood and fingers and all the horror and madness. It's perfect for this time of year even if you are not a fan of the genre. Start a campfire, grab a bag of marshmallow and read lines like; "Now I’m dragging a dead dog by the tail. I’m dragging her toward an apple tree under the full moon, because these are the three ingredients. Dog, apple, moon."

Lykke Li Youth Novels (LL Recordings, August 19th)

Sweden's Lykke Li does not really need my spotlight. She has really owned this year, releasing both an ep and her debut full-length album, but I can't ignore this quality release. At 22 she has pushed or danced her way onto the national stage, and her album Youth Novels really deserves the attention. It deserves the appearances on national television, the world tour, and all of the praise. Recorded with her mentor Bjorn Yttling (of Peter, Bjorn & John) over the last 10 months, Youth Novels weaves its way through 14 perfectly-realized chapters. You’ll hear harpsichords, flutes, and theremins throughout the album but you’ll also hear Lykke Li’s magnificently brittle, candy coated vocals. The idea of a novel on youth and all of its confusion and want and change is intriguing in itself, but when told through the eyes of LL’s with unusual honesty it becomes an adventure that never stops moving.

You see, Lykke Li is the daughter of a photographer and a musician, and as a child they were consistently moving from town to town and country to country. This would account for the eclectic pop sound and diverse collection of beats on Youth Novels. LL has managed to write engaging and familiar pop song with beats and rhythms that really advance the album as a whole. Since I seem to hear these song everywhere what I have enjoyed doing is collecting remixes of these now classic tunes. Here are a few I have collected.

I'm Good I'm Gone (Black Kids Remix) (mp3)

Breaking It Up (Punks Jump Remix) (mp3)

Little Bit (Klumpfisk Remix) (mp3)

Little Bit (Loving Hands Remix) (mp3)

Dance, Dance, Dance (Chaise Marcel Remix) (mp3)

The Orange Spotlight

Alan Catlin Only the Dead Know Albany (sunnyoutside, Aug. 21, 2008)

"Pub-crawling down the dead-end, cul-de-sac alleyways, the twenty-four-hour drunks are sleeping it off, weapons of choice lying empty nearby:" from "Night in Albany"

The eyes of the commuter are often red, swollen, nearly closed and always searching. Searching for the end, a relief, an escape plan, or some kind of diversion. A non-driving commuter has even more time to investigate the scenes that paint his journey from home to work and back again. Alan Catlin spent most of his professional life commuting to and working in Albany, New York. This collection, his 59th, features a series of street scenes one darker then the next. On his journey he finds the homeless, the violent, the fast moving, the successful ignoring the world, the lost, the feared, and the fearless. These little snapshots of society flow together to create a look at society that is dark and uncertain. Each character more lost then the one before, but the only truth is that no one can ever really leave or break free. Hence, Only the Dead Know Albany because only in death can you escape and finally understand.

One of my favorite aspects of each publication by sunnyoutside is the Colophon. This is where David McNamara explained the typeface and paper choices for the book. He doesn't just print the name of the typeface, but fully explains the history behind it. According to colophon, this book is set in Bell, which was originally cut in 1788 by Richard Austin and whose vertical stress and horizontal to serifs reflect its birth during the British industrial revolution. Fascinating information to top off and incredibly fascinating fast-past collection of poems.

Karl Blau Nature's Got Away (K Records, Sept. 23, 2008)

One of the most underrated singer/songwriters around today in Washington's Karl Blau. He is also one of the most prolific. He runs his own label, of sorts, called Kelp Lunacy Advanced Plagiarism Society, and has released many of his own albums and albums by others. What really sets him apart is his ability to craft perfect pop songs, but also add just enough electronics and lo-fi beauty to give a captivating layer of depth. In the last two years I have been fortunate enough to receive three albums of Karl's to review. Each has been more creative and intimate then the last. This album, Nature's Got Away, features my favorite song by Karl, "Before Telling Dragons". It's like a fairy tale told in verse, sung in the perfect cadence, with understated music guiding the way.

Nature’s Got Away made it to tape fresh off of a tour in Spring 2007 where Karl Blau traveled to Japan and performed with some of his biggest musical influences: namely Tori Kudo (Maher Shalal Hash Baz), Reiko Kudo, Nikaido Kazumi, the Moools, Tennis Coats, and Arrington DeDionyso (of K Records, Old Time Relijun). Written on the road and recorded at “home” at the beloved Dub Narcotic Studio by Karl Blau accompanied mainly by: Olympians-- Peter Dolan (Chin-Up Merryweather), and members of LAKE: Lindsay Shief, Eli Moore, Mark Morrison, Micah Davis-Wheeler, Andrew Dorsett, and Ashley Eriksson; with also Portland folks Nate Ashley and Greg Olin (Graves); and Seattle’s Steve Moore (Earth, Sunn0)))))).

Move On From Dreams • Nothing In the Way • Carry and Rob • 2 Becomes 1 • Make Love That Lasts • Before Telling Dragons • Ghostly Appearance • Mockingbird Diet (mp3) • It’s the Stars • Of Your Feet, Of Your Place • That’s the Brakes • Stream of Ganders

The Orange Spotlight

Dylan Champagne New Equation (Broke In Oakland, 9/9/08)

"This is the moment when all the pieces of your life converge."

Dylan Champagne has created an album full of stories of change, the scars of ripping away, and the slow process of healing. He comes with a new equation, a new process for functioning. When you think of change as a formula, or living as a formula, it seems to make the risk appear more manageable and calculated, but still harmful and potentially rewarding. In reality, there is no way to calculate the outcome and prevent the scaring. You just leap, rip, pour, pound, advance and search for that moment of revelation. That moment when, as Dylan puts it, "all the pieces of your life converge"

Dylan Champagne himself is trying a new equation. Mostly known for his time spent with the math-punk band One Step Shift. In fact, he has been listening to or involved with punk music his entire career, and now he has decided to lock himself away and record his thoughts, his troubles and triumphs, in the most straight forward and stripped down way. The results are riveting and starkly honest.

From Here to There (mp3)/Junk Parts (mp3)/Cemetery on the Hill/Time Unkind/Dead Leaves Part II/The Majestic/Bookworm/Market Street Canal/New Equation

A.J. Kaufmann East-West Train: Sound Library Series, Vol. 35 (Kendra Steiner Editions #106, 7/08)

"... departing as scheduled luggage racks empty unfilled w/ your rain & your rain... how it adds to the morning..."

I believe I have said this before, but I really enjoy KSE's Sound Library series. I know many of you out there can not listen to music while you read, but I suggest you listen to the song or album first and then read the poems. The subject for this chap, AJ Kaufmann's second KSE release, is the wonderful album Trans-Europe Express by Kraftwerk. I don't want to delve to far into the album itself, but if you can recall Trans-Europe is such an airy and epic journey that seems to glide along the hillsides and meadows, towns and villas, with songs like "Franz Schubert" and "Endless Endless" and of course the title track. Yet for all their beauty there was that disconnect, the electronic coldness that loomed in the distance. Kaufmann's poems have that same feel as he rides through Paris, Vienna, Dusseldorf, Warsaw, and Prypiat, looking at the world through glass. In a world of synthetic coffee, showroom dummies (or mannequins) dance and the train moves on to new discoveries. AJ does not only relive the album, but adds an even stranger view as he translates the music into words. It really is magical.

There were only 54 copies of East-West Train by A.J. Kaufmann printed and I hold copy #20 in my hand. To order you copy send a check for $4 (or well-concealed cash) made payable to Bill Shute, 8141-B Pat Booker Rd. #399, San Antonio, Texas, 78233.