AltWeeklies Wire
Janelle Monae Seems Like the Freak of Every Weeknew

Less the "black Bjork" than heir to Arthur Lee's black rock throne, Janelle Monae preps for blastoff.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Kandia Crazy Horse |
05-08-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Janelle Monae
Shortage of Mental Health Pros Puts New Orleans' Psychological Recovery at Risknew
While Louisiana officials recently authorized much-needed funding to shore up New Orleans' resources for severely mentally ill patients and crisis care, reports from local mental health professionals and outside studies indicate the city continues to suffer from a quiet, expansive epidemic: post-Katrina depression and anxiety.
Lesbians vs. Lesbians: Who Owns the 'L' Word?new
Lesbians, the only reason you just got a capital "L" is because you started the sentence, but henceforth you are lesbians with a lower case "l." When I write Lesbians with a capital "L," I am referring to the good citizens of the Aegean island of Lesbos, a few of whom are suing your asses for stealing their name.
San Diego CityBeat |
D.A. Kolodenko |
05-08-2008 |
Commentary
Trainspotting America with James Benning's 'RR'new
Barring a change of mind or circumstance, the masterful RR will be the last of Benning's works shot on 16mm, and how fitting that this 37-year phase closes with the image of a locomotive, pointedly stopped in front of a wind farm outside of Palm Springs, scrapped tires lying in the foreground, the end in a line of 43 trains shot across the United States.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Mark Peranson |
05-08-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Putting a Face on Texas' Death Row Populationnew

Shooting through the glass of interview cubicles, photographer and investigator John Holbrook has made eloquent portraits of some of the men -- and one of the women on Texas' Death Row.
Fort Worth Weekly |
Gayle Reaves and John Holbrook |
05-08-2008 |
Crime & Justice
A New Generation Redefines Craftwork on its Own DIY Termsnew
While old-school craftwork was forged by economic necessity and practicality as much as creativity, today's craft movement is both artsier and slipperier. It carries echoes of both '70s macrame power and '90s grrl power. It has a fierce anti-consumerist message, yet it's based on making and buying things.
Union Shuts Down West Coast Ports, But Media Misses the Historic Storynew
Workers, students, immigrants, and antiwar activists came together on May Day in San Francisco, but it was hard to tell from the next day's mainstream media coverage, which adopted its usual cynical view of the growing movement to end the Iraq War. Sure, there were articles, but each missed the main point: this was the first time in American history that such a massive job action was called to protest a war.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Steven T. Jones and Amanda Witherell |
05-08-2008 |
Business & Labor
Kaki King's Sound is Crisp and Cleannew
Dreaming of Revenge has a certain airiness, like the sound of a wide-open space.
Tucson Weekly |
Annie Holub |
05-07-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Kaki King, Dreaming of Revenge
Mark Eitzel Pours His Heart into Every Tracknew
The Golden Age offers more of the same fatalistic and beautiful songwriting that has made Eitzel the Gen X answer to Leonard Cohen.
Tucson Weekly |
Jarret Keene |
05-07-2008 |
Reviews
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin Wants 'to Stick to What We Know'new
Pershing is a series of endearingly articulate, metaphor-laden conversations with complicated girls -- artsy, spiritual, ambivalent.
Tucson Weekly |
Linda Ray |
05-07-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Kathleen Edwards Brings Sharp Wit and Charm to Her Alt-Country Creationsnew
Over the course of her three studio albums, the 29-year-old singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has become adept at evoking melancholy, love, heartache, beauty, compassion and righteous rocking in a seemingly effortless fashion, although she probably exercises great care when crafting her songs.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
05-07-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
'Made of Honor' is One Massive Turd-Burgernew
Patrick Dempsey tries to ruin Michelle Monaghan's career in this horrendous flick.
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
05-07-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Made of Honor, Paul Weiland
'Iron Man' is One of the Most Genuinely Enjoyable Superhero Films Evernew

Like most true Americans, I've spent a lot of time in the past 45 years imagining what the perfect Iron Man movie would be like. Now I feel like all that time has been wasted, because the perfect Iron Man movie has been made. (Note to film fans: It's called Iron Man, and can be viewed at local cinema-vending establishments.)
Tucson Weekly |
James DiGiovanna |
05-07-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Jon Favreau, Iron Man
Lawrence A. Weinstein Explores the Essence of Grammarnew

Grammar for the Soul points out that simple words can have awesome power.
Tucson Weekly |
Irene Messina |
05-07-2008 |
Author Profiles & Interviews
When Did Conservatives Abandon Conservation?new
According to several "conservatives," including a couple who are running for office, the skyrocketing price of gasoline shouldn't prompt us to conserve. What we need to do is go out and drill for more oil. But why can't we do both?
Tucson Weekly |
Tom Danehy |
05-07-2008 |
Commentary