March 2019.

Music, new and old.

Sparklehorse and Thom Yorke. Wish You Were Here. Two wonderful artists meet over Pink Floyd. The hardest working bad in show business, The National, are back. Had Your Soul With You is lighter than some recent work, but it’ll grab you. Lambchop have a couple of new songs online in advance of their new album; they’re the lightest of sketches with all of the mastery of depth and melody I expect from one of the greatest, most low key songwriters ever. Little Simz is one of the most original voices in hip hop; part punk, part rock, part blues, totally original. Her new album GREY area is good; It’s a bit full on for me, but I get it. Billy Swan’s version of Don’t be Cruel from 1974 is a recent Shazam discovery. It’s great. Sharon van Etten makes some great music. I’ve heard people speaking about her for ages and just cottoned on. The Maribou State album just gets better and better with repeated listens. Michael Chapman has another good album out. I’m a little disappointed by Jim James’ latest album, though because when he’s good he’s very very good. But if you haven’t yet discovered his solo work I highly recommend his first album.

Books.

I picked these three up in McNally Jackson in Brooklyn and loved them both.

The Lost Girls of Camp Forever More. Kim Fu. Part Lord of the Flies with girls, part American life epic that circles one tragic day at summer camp.

Pretend I’m Dead. Jen Beagin. This is great. A black comedy rammed full of truth about a cleaning lady and her relationship with a heroin addict, a mystic client, two Zen neighbours and more.  Brilliant.

Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday is a serious book with a very funny last section. It’s her first novel and I imagine she’s a serious talent. It is two stories told in three parts which collide in lots of ways. Have a look, it’s really good.