Some Great Finds in 2004

in music...

        Submodalities (really great Pop from The Moffats)

        The Prayer Cycle (a compelling piece of contemporary classical music)

        Elaine Stritch -- At Liberty (live performance recording of a Broadway legend)

in literature...

        The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell

        Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

        Scott Westerfield's So Yesterday and The Midnighters.

        The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror by Christopher Moore

on the Web...

        click here to go to the honored links of 2004

Submodalities by The Moffatts

For me, it all started with AccuRadio. One afternoon I tuned in to their "Boy Bands and Blondes" channel hoping for a little Hanson, maybe a little Backstreet Boys. Instead, I got a blast of The Moffatts. Now, I had heard of them before but never heard them. In fact, I'd gone out of my way to AVOID them because they had been billed as country music's answer to Menudo. I'm sure you remember Menudo - those crazy-for-love Puerto Rican niños of the 1980s. So, The Moffatts seemed so easy to hate, sight unseen.

I couldn't deny that "Bang Bang Boom" had me groovin' and humming right away. Later on in the AccuRadio set, another Moffatts tune burst forth. After that I knew that I had to buy one of their albums. How could I have missed out on such raging good Pop? Well, as it happens, The Moffatts were country music's answer to Menudo in their early days. The two songs I had heard came from their swan-song album Submodalities. Released only in Canada, I paid through the nose for it at Amazon (duh - should've checked eBay first where copies are plentiful at $5.00 apiece). In any case, I've enjoyed every moment of the 12 tracks on this disc. If you love pop music, you'll love this album. Let's take it by the numbers.

Note: The Moffatts are four brothers. Scott is the oldest and the other three (Clint, Bob and Dave) are triplets.

Submodalities opens with "Just Another Phase." It's a striking song with a good hook. This was my first introduction to the group's lead singer, Scott. His is a voice with character. He has some of the odd nasality that has become common among boy bands (think of Justin Timberlake or Taylor Hanson). However, it is not annoying (like Timberlake's) or effeminate (like Hanson's (don't get me wrong...I'm a huge Hanson fan, but let's get real here)); Scott has a voice that is perfectly on key, vibrant in its range, and full of gravel and mucus like he has an inch-long ulcer at the back of his throat. Already you can love The Moffatts because they've eschewed the silky androgyny of pre-pubescent bubble-gum pop superstars and taken a palette that offers more than one saturation level of pastel hues. This leads us to "Bang Bang Boom" which is sung by keyboardist Dave Moffatt. This is a straight pop song with a kickin' hook and a bridge that makes you wish you had long hair to toss around in a full-on air guitar riff. Even the silly "do do do do" backup fits perfectly within this song, identifying it as Pop rather than Rock even though Dave's voice here is a match for any Kenny Wayne Shepherd or Jonny Lang. "California" is where the album literally begins to move off into Rock territory. Perhaps it's that slide into the realm of power chords and heavy drumming that makes the song feel a little misplaced, still good, just out of order. In the next song, "Always in My Heart," we land back into territory we know very well, the Pop ballad. Dave sings once again, but he's toned down that cigarette and Jim Beam scream into a canny Backstreet velour that would make Nick Carter jealous as a seventh-grade girl. At just the right moment, the song modulates up one half step giving it the necessary energy to finish strong. Sure, it's a trick. The point is that they knew where and when to put the key change. Sounds small, but the song wouldn't work without it. "Typical" is similar in feel to "California" and that's why it does not directly follow, though it should. The pay-off is good because the next track, "Walking Behind," is a mature piece of writing and arrangement. Granted the boys have a good producer. Who cares? This is a solid piece of music providing a narrative flow and great vocals. While I might point to other songs on the CD as favorites, this may be the best of the tracks offered here.

The second half of the CD is a little less even for me. The songs are still strong, but again I have trouble with the order. Some of the set gets a little lost from the standpoint of style. It really makes you wonder where they would have gone after this album. Oh, did I forget to tell you that they broke up? Just like the greatest Pop band of all time, Jellyfish, I came to know them way too late. The remaining six songs are "Antifreeze and Aeroplanes," "I Don't Want You to Want Me," "Life on Mars," "Who Do You Love," "Call the Doctor," and "Spy." For most of these, we just getting more of the good stuff The Moffatts have to offer. "Life on Mars" is just a little weird and perhaps too playful for what they've set up so far. It has a little too much of "Man from Milwaukee" for my taste. Still it's kind of fun and Scott does some interesting things. Of far more interest is "Spy." This song develops slowly, almost like watching a Polaroid. The thing is, once it's all there, it's not what you expect. In fact, at it's peak, "Spy" rambles into an interesting and musically compelling jam session that sounds a little like Led Zepplin merging with the Beatles' White Album. I'll just say it's very cool.With patience you can find two hidden tracks. I'm not sure what they are, but they are clearly in the vein of "Spy."

Submodalities is for the Pop lover. It should have made a bigger splash. It should have garnered much praise. Why didn't it? It's probably due to the band's ancestral roots in the country music scene as much as their ancestral roots in Canada. However, two of the Moffatt triplets, Bob and Clint, have gone on to create Hidell (after a short-lived existence as Pusch). I've not heard their CD Up and Coming, yet. Rest assured that I'll be tracking down a copy of it.

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The Prayer Cycle by Jonathan Elias

Let me get all of the caveats out of the way first. The cover art for the CD definitely gives you a hint at the political and social commentary that imbues this work. We see an Asian man, meant to evoke the idea of a Tibetan monk, armless, with severed hands floating in front of him as if in prayer. It's a startling image. Each of the CD's 9 tracks utilizes solo and choral singing, very little of it in English. The words come from a series of poems written by the composer. It's unclear from the enclosed notes whether or not he used the poems as inspiration for each of the movements. In any case, these poems are used by the singers to create lyrics for the symphonic work. In English, the poems are pretty bad. Honestly, I have to say that they do not show very much original thinking or technique. The subject matter is a little too weighty (nuclear proliferation, poverty, hunger, war, apathy) to be ham-handled by an amateur poet. However, the vocals transcend the banality of the lyrics because the voices are rendered even more compelling by the exotic quality of the languages represented here -- Hungarian, Urdu, Mali and others. End of rant.

In The Prayer Cycle Elias has created a haunting symphonic and choral work. I was introduced to this through AccuRadio's Classical Crossover channel. After hearing two of the tracks, "Strength" and "Benediction," I knew that I had to own this CD. I did not bother opening the CD until I found an opportunity to listen to the work in its entirety. I'm glad that I gave it such serious attention.

Each of the respective tracks is meant to evoke a prayer for mercy, strength, hope, compassion, grace, innocence, forgiveness and faith. The next to the last track is entitled "Benediction," something normally left for the end. The ninth track, "Faith," ends without resolution, and that is a little unsatisfying. I'm sure that's what Elias was going for. However, because the titles of the tracks or movements do not relate to the associated lyrics, it seems that he could have switched the names of the tracks. Well, it's his work, not mine. But it's that kind of annoying foible that detracts from this.

I just couldn't care less about Jonathan Elias' politics. I just love this music. It might be different if Elias was saying something new or even he just said it well. Here's an example: Political and social commentary are inextricably bound up with the humor of The Simpsons. They cannot be separated, and each is done equally as well. In The Prayer Cycle we have astounding music mixed with inexpertly rendered rhetoric. Not good.

Elias utilizes several unique voices from the American music scene as well as foreign voices that will be unfamiliar to the casual listener. Alanis Morissette is featured on several tracks, often singing in Hungarian (generally regarded as the most difficult language to learn). You'll also hear Linda Ronstadt, Perry Farrell, the American Boy Choir, and James Taylor. Unfamiliar to most American listeners (and certainly to me) are the voices of Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan, Yungchen Lhamo, Ofra Haza, and Salif Keita. I'm not used to listening to "world" music, but this is beyond a jaunt to Salsa or sitar. There are so many different languages used that the language itself -- outside of the meaning of words -- becomes a separate texture. The percussive nature of Mali stands in sharp contrast to the liquid French and the ferocious Hungarian. There is such delicate innocence in the American Boy Choir, romance in the Spanish, and frank honesty in the English. What a wonderful tool! I wish that the text of the poems had not been included with the recording.

At the end of the day, it is James Taylor's and John Williams' (the guitarist not the composer/conductor) interpretation of "Grace" that steals the show. This is the only track in English. Perhaps it's the simplicity of Taylor's nonchalant but earnest singing pitted against the complex virtuosity of Williams' playing. Perhaps it is the open and desperate appeal to God. In the center of this nine track CD, this fifth track is the apex of the work. If you've ever looked up at the heavens and cried for God's supernatural intervention, you'll identify with Elias's words: "Father won't you carry me? Father won't you carry me? Father won't you carry me home?"

I won't pretend this recording is for everyone. Hardcore lovers of contemporary classical would probably assign The Prayer Cycle to a spot in "New Age" purgatory.  That's too harsh a sentence for a work that offers so much on so many levels. Enjoy The Prayer Cycle for what it is -- a superbly emotional sonic adventure.

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Elaine Stritch -- At Liberty (2002 Broadway Production)

If you're into Broadway and showtunes, then you know names like Ethel Merman and Bernadette Peters. You may not know Elaine Stritch who has been around and stayed around a lot longer than either of the others. If you don't know Stritch, you will know her in loving detail by the end of this 2-disc recording of her one-woman-show. It's hilarious. It's touching. It's riveting. It's revealing. It is everything the 79-year-old Elaine Stritch has to say about 62 years of life in the theatre and 66 years of alcoholism.

Stritch's show is basically a memoir onstage. She uses the songs of the Great White Way to provide a soundtrack to her life. The effect is great not because she has a stellar voice (she doesn't anymore) but because she can wring every ounce of whatever she needs from whatever song she sings. Additionally, it's just wonderful to hear her sing "The Ladies Who Lunch," her solo from Company. Also you'll love the name dropping and anecdotes. Remember, this is a woman who went to acting school with Marlon Brando, understudied for Ethel Merman, and was Judy Garland's drinking buddy. Noel Coward wrote a part specifically for her in Sail Away, and she was in the original cast of Sondheim's Company, a musical that revolutionized American musical theatre. She has plenty to say, and she says most of it. You'll want to invite her over for dinner to hear the rest of it.

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The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell

You may have seen Sarah Vowell on the Conan O'Brien show. If you don't remember her, you'll more than likely remember her voice. Her natural voice is so naturally cartoonish that she gives voice to one of the characters in the Pixar film "The Incredibles." Though her voice may be squeaky, her writing is anything but. For those of us in the Gen X crowd, Vowell writes so cannily of the observations, fears, products and dashed hopes that are peculiar to our generation.

Be forewarned, she's a Democrat; and that political bent suffuses this grouping of essays with the scent of sour grapes pressed by one who feels oppressed by the current administration. However, her love for this country and for this country's democratic institutions clearly shines above any partisan leanings. Another thing that draws me to her is her nerdiness. She is an avowed "civics nerd," and while my own nerdiness points in a different direction, I appreciate those who accept and embrace the joy of being nerdy. I agree with Vowell that one can never know too much, be too passionate, or care too much about their chosen nerdy field. Vowell says it's the best way to make friends.

Vowell is intellectual humor at its most accessible and, oddly, compassionate.

One of the most striking pieces is a tender portrait of Al Gore during the 2000 campaign. If more people had been able to see Gore's nerdiness as a benefit and as a positive differentiating factor, he would have taken the election. In fact, it makes me remember that I actually did vote for Gore in 2000, and that the my reason for doing so was mainly that Bush didn't seem smart enough to be a president. Shouldn't our presidents be nerds?

Vowell writes in a conversational style that makes for an easy and pleasurable read. The essays range from 2 to 12 pages in length, making them perfect for bedtime reading. But, really, they're perfect for reading just about anywhere and for any reason because it's just that good.

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Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

When you read this book, you can't decide whether or not you're laughing because it's funny or because it's unbelievable or because it's hysterically tragic. This memoir chronicles Burroughs young life from age 6 to 17, and, to be honest, it's a crappy childhood. You might say that the only good thing about this shipwrecked youth is that it formed a majestically cool writer.

Like the best memoirists, Burroughs remembers his life in excruciating detail. Although his narrative is not always linear, it is always clear. The imagery he creates is vivid and sharp, punctuated with these crisply truthful realizations. You'd also expect someone with such a rough upbringing to bemoan lost innocence and corrupted childhood. Rather, Burroughs treats it with a "it is what it is" attitude that fosters compassion for him even when he's in the midst of describing something terribly reprobate.

Burroughs has three other books out right now -- Dry (the next memoir), Magical Thinking (essays), and Sellevision (a novel). I can't wait to read them all.

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Scott Westerfeld's So Yesterday and The Midnighters

These two books are actually written for teenage audiences. Still, I found them to be very well researched fun reads. Westerfeld has written several science fiction novels for adults, so his style is informed by this experience. Even thought the writing is not thick (he's not Asimov...thank heavens), he packs a lot of information in while dispensing with lengthy exposition. I found the characters not too cliche, and the concepts for each book are interesting and new.

So Yesterday is a mystery that involves two teenagers looking for their boss who appears to have been kidnapped. One of the teens is a "cool hunter," one hired by marketing firms to identify new trends in fashion and technology that can be later exploited and also hired to create interest in the cutting edge. Within this page-turner of hide and seek is a nicely developed essay on youth culture, its origins in the marketing firms of Madison Avenue, and the ones who rebel.

In a completely different style and form, Westerfeld creates the ghostly "blue time" of The Midnighters. "Midnighters" are the very few people born at true midnight (midnight occurs at a slightly different time based on your longitude, right?). These people have access to a hidden 25th hour of the day and are also bestowed with special talents that are necessary for survival in the secret hour. This is the first book in a trilogy that follows the five Midnighters of Bixby High School and their escalating conflict against the darklings, an ancient race that seems to have created the secret hour in order to escape technology.

These books are great for a quick summer read, ideal for a long plane trip, or for some harmless lunchtime escapism. If you have a teen, I strongly recommend these books since they are sharply written, well-researched, exciting, and lacking in all forms of dreck.

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The Studpidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror by Christopher Moore

Well, if you're looking at this website then you probably no me pretty well. If you do, then you'll understand how the above-named book could become a holiday tradition at Rose Manor. Where else do you get a decapitated Santa Claus, zombies, a bipolar warrior princess, and an angel who just can't get it right? You get it at the pen of Christopher Moore. Stupidest takes us back to Pine Cove, California, the setting of Practical Demonkeeping and The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove. It's a breezy read that will have you giggling and laughing out loud. Are you looking for layered metaphorical juxtaposition? Go elsewhere. In this case, you can tell a book by it's cover. The name "Christopher Moore" should let you know that you are in for a ride of the highest ridiculitude. Yes, ridiculitude.

Look, if you haven't read any Christopher Moore, what are you waiting for? You can't possibly have any excuse note to read the hilariously vicious vampire tale Bloodsucking Fiends (where you'll learn about late night turkey bowling). Why haven't you yet read Island of the Sequined Love Nun or delved into the richly researched and only slightly blasphemous Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal? Take a ride inside a whale and learn about universal Goo in Fluke. Your life will be much better after you've read Chris Moore because you will have exponentiated your laughter. Laughter is a divine gift. We all need to make more use of it.

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on the Web...

Here are my honored links for 2004. Please note that these sites may have been (and probably were) around since long before 2004. I include them here because this is when I first discovered or was introduced to them.   

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