Monday, May 30, 2011
Fort Davis, Big Bend Memorial Day
Monday, May 23, 2011
THE WHITE DEVIL- by Justin Evans
ISBN: 9780061728273; ISBN10: 0061728276
Imprint: Harper
On Sale: 5/10/2011
Format: Hardcover
Trimsize: 6 x 9; Pages: 384; $24.99
Ages: 18 and Up; BISAC1:FIC031000
Beginning when I first discovered the writings of Rebecca DuMaurier, Victoria Holt, and Mary Stewart, I have been a lover of gothic mysteries and was delighted to get a review copy of Justin Evan's new novel. Many thanks to Harper Collins for the opportunity.
Harrow on the Hill is a perfect setting for this tale of mystery and horror, its geographical history one of ancient pagan worship. The boarding school, Harrow, was established in the 1500's and counts among it's famous alums a certain romantic era poet, Lord Byron. And one must have a haunted, shadowy old castle or boarding school coupled with gloomy, cold and wet English weather to write the perfect gothic mystery.
Literary scholars have well noted Byron's sexual appetite and preferences and Evans has certainly done his homework in this regard. So when the teenaged protagonist, Andrew Taylor, senses there is something dark and evil about his new school, a ghost who might be connected to Byron, you just know the creepies are about to begin.
And they do: early on in the story, Andrew witnesses a gruesome sexually-charged murder:
"Twenty paces down the path, a man straddled another man," Evans writes. "The one on the bottom lay almost flat. The man on top was the source of the noise. He was wearing a long black frock coat with tails, which hung on him baggily and bunched at his shoulders. With both hands he thrust his weight upon the other man, smothering him. He snarled from the effort. … The eye sockets were shrunken; the eyes protruded, a vivid blue; his flesh was morbid gray. Long blond hair — almost white, albino-looking — hung over his eyes."
Yep, the creepies are in full swing. Add to the fact that young Andrew strongly resembles Lord Byron and has uncanny links to the poet, including landing a lead role as the poet in a school play - toss in some teen angst and peer-bullying, a budding first-love romance, and you have the ingredients of a terrific tale. Oh, and did I mention a killer strain of a nasty gurgly lung disease?
Like all good authors, Evans pulls you into his story and instills the need to learn more about the subject matter - in this case the Harrow School and Lord Byron. I found myself jumping on the internet after only a few pages to refresh my meager knowledge of Byron, the man and the poet. (Alas, high school English class in the early 1970's never examined more than a refrain, a stanza or that darned pesky iambic pentameter of poetry. Too taboo to discuss sexuality or hidden motives of the romantic poets.)
Thoroughly enjoyed this book, even with the couple of flaws other reviewers have noted: some unrealized plot elements and a rather forced/contrived ending. Nonetheless, if you're a fan of the macabre writings of E.A. Poe and excellent gothic ghost stories with a historical hook,The White Devil is a must-read.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
"Looking For a Fight" - The Sweetback Sisters
Like a pair of luxurious soft cashmere socks for your ears, the silky vocal harmonies of Emily Miller and Zara Bode are a decadent treat.
The Sweetback Sisters are a group of very uniquely talented musicians whose personal histories are quite varied, diverse and definitely not your typical country music pedigrees. But when they come together on a song, hoo boy it's magic; you'd think they'd been playing together since they were babies (shh, their home base these days is Brooklyn).
With a new album coming out on May 31, courtesy of Signature Sounds Records, entitled Looking For A Fight, the band is sure to woo a huge new fan base. Heck, you don't even have to like the Nashville sound to enjoy this funky pairing of country roots and rockabilly retro. Says Bode: “Sometimes what we deliver is straight out of the '50s; other times it’s BR549 meets The B52s.”
Think "Indigo Girls Meet Sweethearts of the Rodeo and Get Possessed by the Ghost of Patsy Cline While Riding Shot Gun with Bob Wills in a 1939 Ford Pickup," or even "Dale Evans With Attitude and Swagger" and you might be closer to a description of the band's special sound.
For obvious reasons, the Sweetback Sisters' rendition of Laurie Lewis' "Texas Bluebonnets" is a winner for me, as is the original song by Emily Miller, "Run Home and Cry," with its jaunty down home humourous lyrics and finger-snapping melody.
One track was unexpected: "Rattled," which some of you Traveling Wilburys fans will recognize. The band's take on this favorite tune is more retro and more rockabilly style than the '80s version of the original recording. It's a great interpretation by The Sweetback Sisters.
Looking For A Fight has another delight in store for you: The tunes were recorded on analogue tape with vocals sung around an RCA 44 ribbon mic. All this throwback technology is industry-wide known for producing the richest, most pleasing sound of recorded music. Perfect combination for this soulful, yet edgy band.
This CD will be played a lot around our house and on long road trips. It's fun and easy listening with just the right icing of nostalgia on songs your mother should know. Hmm,hmm good.
Here's the Facebook link for the band.
And here's a video of The Sweetback Sisters performing the track "Don't Put Her Down, You Helped Put Her There" featured on the new cd.
Article first published as Music Review: The Sweetback Sisters - Looking For A Fight on Blogcritics
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Coming Soon!
...The biographical equivalent of 12 hour chili - Sticks to the ribs! -
