First, Jonathan Lethem reads at the Booksmith. I just read his new book, You Don't Love Me Yet, which had me at the title, seeing as how it was taken from a Vulgar Boatmen tune. Lethem himself has called it "a profoundly unimportant book," which is probably true. Michele compared it to one of Graham Greene's "entertainments," and that's spot on -- it's an entertaining and ridiculous look at a Los Angeles rock band that suddenly finds itself being popular, thanks to the lyrics of a mysterious phone caller. (Shame about the weirdly too-pat ending, though.) Once again, Lethem comes off like a guy who thinks like somebody we'd know: smart, clever, witty, a bit nerdy. He even has an Open Source-inspired page on his web site, in which he offers up short stories for film adaptation -- all you have to do is pay him a buck and sign a paper.
Secondly, the Broken West is playing the Du Nord that night. Who? Just the best Teenage Fanclub-esque (ha ha, indie-rock joke there) band going right now. With a touch of Wilco, the Pernice Brothers, even Big Star and maybe Tom Petty. Basically, super catchy tunes with pretty harmonies and rockin' guitar hooks that sound like they'd be easy to make but really aren't. New album on Merge, which seems to be have the magic touch these days. Extra points for handclaps.
Here's episode three of Grumpy Guy & Sunshine. Happy Friday!
4 comments:
Smith and I went to see JL last night at Moe's. A bit crowded. He was pretty endearing overall, although WS and I agree that YDLMY is the weakest offering from him we've both read. When you go to see him at Booksmith, note how he calls on people from the audience for questions: with an ultrasoft and gentle "hi" and "hey there" at the particular hand-raiser.
Also note: He signed Wendy's book "TUCHIS!" -- a reference to the interview with James Brown. Which you'd enjoy if you haven't read.
Are GG&S "just friends"? Or lovers?
Or what?
Cuz that is a classic LOVERS situation!!!!
You'll just have to keep reading to find out. Oh the ambiguity!
As for Lethemania, I liked the reading. It seemed like no one had read the book, because there was only one question about it - and that referred to the title. I couldn't believe he called the Vulgar Boatmen a Florida band! What a slight to the people of Indiana! Really, Walter Salas-Humara from the Silos only played/co-wrote stuff for the first album. People should get that VB best of that came out a couple years back - You Don't Love Me Yet is an amazing song, as are many of the others.
I like YDLMY way better than Motherless Brooklyn, which I felt devolved into a genre exercise.
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