BLAH BOOK REVIEW

Yes folks, this is a book review, but with a difference. Because Blah isn't a literary review and it's not to keen on long spiels about art and such like, the reviews will be on the aesthetics, feel, graphics and illustrations in the books. Far more important than the words...The first two reviews are books that we can't read, no mater how much we try. Why not ? Because one is in French and the other in Italian. Now, as we can read nether French nor Italian, This makes the review easy, but the second books are in English, so to avoid any influence from the books written content I have avoided reading them.

LE NŒUD BY GILLES BRENTA AND NOËL ARNAUD

The first thing I should mention is that I have know idea what this book is about, I mean what's a Nœud ? anyway this book is nice, the cover is printed on an expensive parchment type paper, you feel like your holding the original artists sketchbook. Inside the text is minimal only two pages of writing, really boring font, bog standard layout, but not too much of the stuff. The rest of the book is superb illustrations of weird things i.e. a woman turning into a train.

I don't quite know how you get these, try writing to: NOËL ARNAUD, 81140 PENNE du TARN, France or you could try Editions du limon, 230 rue Saint-Charles, 75015 Paris, France

ARTE POSTAL BY VITTORE BARONI

This book feels nice, it's got a lovely smooth cover and it is the perfect thickness to hold in your hands. The type face is clear, maybe a little boring but this is more than made up for by the superb layout. The text fits and curls nicely with the photos and illustrations. the best thing about this book has to be the illustrations and photos. There are hundreds of them, all clear, crisp black and white images documenting mail artists, movements, zines, artistamps and much more.

One copy costs US $ 18.00 or DM 30, including surface postage. For air mail add US $ 4.00 for each copy ordered. Send well concealed cash or International money order to:AAA edizioni, via Latisana 6, 33032 Bertiolo (Ud), Italy.Phone: 0584 963918

CRANKED UP REALLY HIGH BY STEWART HOME

The first thing you notice about this book is the colour of the cover. It's purple. Not garish, but a really lovely purple. Mixed with black and white, this makes a stunning image. The cover text is equally beautiful. The font is some variation of impact I think. This book feels as good as it looks, with a super glossy sheen to the cover. However once beyond the cover the excitement stops. Although printed on nice paper the inside of the book is rather dull, Times type, typeface and bog standard layout. Also no pictures. However this is not a problem, who actually reads books anyway? Once opened you can smell the book, and it smells quite nice. This book looks cool, buy it then pretend to read it on the bus.

RUBBER STAMP ART BY JOHN HELD JR

Like 'Cranked Up...' this book to has a purple cover, well it's mostly white but the title is in purple. The picture on the front is of a rubber stamp. The thing I really like about this image is that on the handle of the stamp is the AAA logo. I've looked at it for quite some time and still can't decide whether it has been added on computer or if the logo is actually on the object In real life. Whichever it is, it makes a lovely touch. The bad thing about this cover is it's whiteness - dirty fingers and coffee cups will show up. Once inside, it's all you would expect from AAA Edizioni : Clear, sharp pictures, lots of them, and wonderfully laid out text. The big improvement from the last AAA book I reviewed, is the colour of the text and images. Instead of black and white, the ink is now pastel shades of pink, purple, blue, green, orange and red. So that's nice. The only thing that lets this book down is its smell, which isn't as nice as Stuart Home's book. It smells a bit soapy. Still a superb book, buy it and pretend to read it in bed.

In the same way as the books reviewed above were not judged on their written contents, the CD's reviewed here have not been played.

15 YEARS BY SINISTER DEXTER

This disk comes in a soft clear plastic wallet, which is quite nice. The cover is a card wrap around type thing, which has a nice quality feel to it. The writing on the inside of this cover is also nice. It gives information about the performers, the recordings and the copyright. Also, and this is the best bit, there is notes about each track. I wish more people would do this. The cover image is black and white, it shows a mirror image of someone walking over snakes.

The actual disk has hand written information on it, which is nice. When I shook this CD it made a slow, slightly irritating, yet unusual, "fleerp" sound. Overall I like this CD it's different from the normal, run of the mill CD's, and the track notes just give it that edge over most.

CYBER-SADISM LIVE! BY STEWART HOME

The first thing that strikes you about this CD is the image of Stewart on the cover. He looks like a no mess, not to be fucked with businessman. The cover is black and white, with some nice shades of grey. The title is a nice friendly font, all bubbly and smooth. The actual CD, which also bears text in the same font, is an off white, with a slight hint of green. Listening to this CD is a delight, it makes a light "clicky - clak" sound as the inlay rattles in the case. Great.

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