I blew all my money today on comics, cd's, and the weekend; the beeyootiful weather today just compelled me and my wallet for some reason. But oooooh boy. Was it ever worth it.
I picked up Bone #54 which is, simply, amazing. If you are at all curious at this strange osteoporic (i just made that word up) comic I've been proclaiming, please ask me to borrow the first book collection. I'm aware of the comic-stigma that paralyzes many (myself included occasionally), but this is nothing but solid and beautiful storytelling. If you've got the time, I've got the books. I also picked up the latest Don Rosa story in Uncle Scrooge; I haven't read it yet though it seems to be a heavy retread of his Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck (which won several Eisners, if that means anything to you). I also went in looking for that hot-looking new Peanuts compliation, only to find it won't be released til a month or so. Damn you disgruntled comic vendor, I want my Schulz now. So instead, on a compulsive (though measured) buy, I picked up the similar hot-looking collection of Krazy Kat cartoons of 1925-1930. These are gorgeous imaginative strips that Bill Watterson has oft-proclaimed (if that means anything to you). I wish comics today were more like these.
And oh yeah, just to ensure the status quo of my wallet (meaning: zero) I moseyed on over to Dr. Wax's and found Ratatat's self debut along with Van Lear Rose by Loretta Lynn produced by Jack "I'm Angry" White. I was pretty sure that I would enjoy Ratatat and it has provided the perfect soundtrack for studying asteriods, nuclear fission, and Mercury for my Solar System Midterm tomorrow. I'm not sure that my current electronica musical inklings are a good thing or not; I've found that most of this kind of music dates really terrible for me, for reasons unknown (perhaps my inherent appeal concerns the vibrancy and "newness" or the "shock value" of the music, which obviously fades). Though for now it is quite scrumptious.
And what ado for the country legend Loretta Lynn? I must confess: I don't have a single song of hers on my hard drives. I'm not going to pretend that I, in the "conozco" sense, know her music, and I'm not going to pretend I don't have most every White Stripes bootleg and b-side (hooray for double negatives). But, wow. You ever start listening to new music, and suddenly start laughing, finding yourself unable to wipe away that huge stupid grin off your face at this sonic bliss finding its way into your ears? It happens to me a lot, and to my most loved and oft-played tracks, and it happened quite a lot in listening to this album. I never thought sexiness applied to the near-70 years old age category, but I have been proved wrong. This album is my new favorite. Her voice really is legendary, and Jack White wisely let her do her own thing, but still providing his distinct blues/punk stamp guitar and slide. I suspect most of you (whoever really reads this) won't jive with it; it is country after all. But its the country that I like, not that Nashville Sound, but rather pre-sixties country-- old country. Just buy the disc.
Positive "reviews" containing more negative words than positive are interesting. But so is a midterm that I've just started studying for-- last week I pulled a 41 hour "day" and hopefully I will not do the same today/tomorrow. Birthdaypalooza #2 is friday and the Roots/Common show is tomorrow! And I still have this stupid cold. But will that stop me? Will I take an active step for better health? Will I make the right decision? ... you decide.