AltWeeklies Wire
Poet Patrick Herron's Alter Ego Offers Up a Quirky Collectionnew
Whether the poem concerns a puppet longing to get the words right in love letters or a coded numerolanguage, at their core these verses seem to grapple with our very human programming.
The Decemberists Take a Working Vacationnew
For The Decemberists, some of the indie-pop world’s most talented practitioners, "time off" this year has meant tackling the grand and unwieldy genre of rock opera.
New York Press |
Amre Klimchak |
11-06-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
'Repo! The Genetic Opera' is a Brain Drainnew
This sci-fi comic book musical (starring Paris Hilton) needs improvement.
New York Press |
Simon Abrams |
11-06-2008 |
Reviews
Bernie Mac's Face-Off with Samuel L. Jackson is the Only Reason to See 'Soul Men'new
Soul Men is the most disappointing tribute to black pop music since the OutKast movie Idlewild, as director Malcolm D. Lee repeats the same faux-nostalgia as his Roll Bounce.
New York Press |
Armond White |
11-06-2008 |
Reviews
A Perfect Populist Storm Brews Around Oil Giant Chevronnew
The company faces not only angry voters, but a landmark human rights and corporate responsibility trial, in which Chevron stands accused of complicity with Nigeria's authoritarian government in the torture, murder, and abuse of those protesting Chevron's exploitation of the Niger Delta.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Steven T. Jones |
11-06-2008 |
Business & Labor
Iraqi Oudist and Composer Rahim AlHaj Spreads Peace and Compassionnew
While countries around the world are in turmoil, their music lives on in refugee status. It makes sense, but it does rattle one's sense of cultural authenticity and what that means in the modern day. How does Iraqi music change when the musician doesn't live in Iraq anymore?
East Bay Express |
Tom Chandler |
11-06-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Los Cenzontles Blends the American Experience with Traditional Roots Musicnew
The Bay Area's brilliant-hued musical aviary boasts dozens of rare and exceptional hybrid ensembles, but none have risen from humble origins to scintillating creative heights like Los Cenzontles.
East Bay Express |
Andrew Gilbert |
11-06-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
'Role Models' Counters the Apatow Curse with More than Self-Indulgencenew
David Wain's film looks like another of those comedies about boorish males that threaten to turn American cineplexes into frat houses or romper rooms, but it flips the script instead.
New York Press |
Armond White |
11-06-2008 |
Reviews
Diane Wilson's Memoir of Her Fundamentalist Upbringing is a Delightnew
Holy Roller: Growing Up in the Church of the Knock Down, Drag Out; Or, How I Quit Loving a Blue-Eyed Jesus describes Wilson's Pentecostal upbringing in a tiny fishing town in Texas, where residents were ruled by poverty, labor, elaborate religious mores, and corrupt authorities.
The Texas Observer |
Emily DePrang |
11-06-2008 |
Nonfiction
Will 2012 Bring the End of the World as We Know It?new
The presidential candidates talked a lot about change, but they didn't mention a huge one that has been bearing down for nearly 5,200 years: the colossal transformation of solar system and our collective psyche that the ancient Mayans and their modern day supporters believe will take place Dec. 21, 2012, the day the Mayan calendar comes to an abrupt end.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Meghan McCloskey |
11-06-2008 |
Culture
Henry H. Neff's Fantasy Fiction for Kids Mixes Magic, Mythology and Fearnew
Although comparisons to the Harry Potter books are inevitable, Neff points out that his series isn't "defined solely by spells and wizardry."
East Bay Express |
Anneli Rufus |
11-06-2008 |
Author Profiles & Interviews
Hanging with Trust-Fund Satanists After the Stock Market Crashnew
It may seem strange to worry about unemployed weirdos who have a safety net. But the reality is they are responsible for untold artistic extravagances. Who will produce the cult films, pay for vinyl pressings, or publish slick artsy zines?
New York Press |
Matt Harvey |
11-06-2008 |
Economy
New Dad Sam Prekop on the Sea and Cake and His Newbornsnew
This is Prekop's first time back on the road since the birth of his twins, and as much as a handful as two newborns surely are, Prekop admits that leaving them behind for a few weeks will be a touch difficult.
New York Press |
Brian Heater |
11-06-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
'The Guitar' Hits Some Right Notes Before Falling Flatnew
An indie version of Queen Latifah's Last Holiday, Amy Redford's directorial debut tells the story of the emotionally dead Melody, a woman told she has two months to live just a few hours before being fired from her job.
New York Press |
Mark Peikert |
11-06-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Amy Redford, The Guitar
Golf Course Mowers to Challenge Noise Regulations in Idahonew
Noise complaints at an exclusive Boise golf course lead to a Constitutional challenge of the county noise ordinance.
Boise Weekly |
Nathaniel Hoffman |
11-05-2008 |
Policy Issues
