The Orange Spotlight

Zygote '69' Flipbook Chap #1: Through These Eyes by C. Allen Rearick & The F**ker Inside by S.A. Griffin

"I ponder the scent of old, used books, pages tilled worn and sallow by dead fingerprints of former thought." - C. Allen Rearick

"Like drinking light beer or decaf/they often have little ability to stimulate inebriate of liberate the senses." - S.A. Griffin

Why read a poem? Of all of the things are to read, from newspapers to novels to magazines to blogs, what makes a poem worth reading? I have always been found of poems that have the ability to evoke emotions and in some way stimulate the senses or bring forth a distant memory or thought. What makes poetry special is that each word is carefully selected, and the language is so exact. The purpose is to capture a feeling, an image, an idea and allow the reader to quickly understand the essence of it all.

The idea of bring together two poets, two chapbooks and putting them back to back is very cool, and making it a flipbook is even cooler. The poems in this collection range from the simple observation to the honesty of love to raw and vulgar nature of man. Taken as a whole these two collections are very much night and day, and clash with every word. Yet, if you were to start with C. Allen's observations on life and love, with his vivid images of pets and bars, Woolworth's and bedroom, and then move slowly into the dark and seedy sub-conscious world Griffin's work you may be able to make a connection. C. Allen speaks in surface glances and looks to the world, the word, and the drink to relate to the reader. Griffin takes those readers locks into dirty motel room with stack of hardcore porn. It's a match made not in Heaven, but in a back alley behind a dumpster. This is collection liberates the senses and then moves onto to liberate so much more!


Ed Harcourt The Beautiful Lie (Dovecote Records, June 2008)

There are certain periods in your life when you are at you most productive. High school seems to be a prime time for sappy drama filled poetry and prose, the age of 23 seems to be a peak year for fresh creativity, and at 30 the artist seems to be focused, experienced and ready for his/her defining moment. At 30, musician Ed Harcourt has released his 5th studio album in six years. The Beautiful Lie finds Ed, the storyteller, spinning tales of experience, love, addiction, life, and politics. It finds him confident in his writing and music, and sharing his most mature effort with the world.

Recorded on an 8-track in his Grandmother's house using a piano made especially for her in 1917, the sound of this album echos with a genuine and classic sound. The sound was then moved to the studio for the addition of incredible effects. Switching frequently between ballads and stomping Cold War Kids-esque stompers, Beautiful Lie is a true and complete effort.

Whirlwind in D Minor/Visit From the Dead Dog/You Only Call Me When You're Drunk/The Last Cigarette/Shadowboxing/Late Night Partner/Revolution in the Heart (mp3)/Until Tomorrow Then/Scatterbraine/Rain on the Pretty Ones/The Pristine Claw/I Am The Drug/Braille/Good Friends are Hard to Find