Birds of A Lesser Paradise by Megan Mayhew Bergman
The South has always considered itself a storytelling nation—an independent and misunderstood country of citizens who balk at belonging, cling to unity and narrate the difference. We have always known this fact: The shortest distance between two opposing forces is a good story. Every now and then, the outside world takes notice of this technique of ours, which is not one of rationalizing, but rather a conjuring of justice. Right now happens to be one of those times, it seems: Southern is trendy. Blame the economy, the president or the weather, but people seem increasingly to search for either solutions... read more
Found in: Books, ReviewsJohn Singer Sergeant: John Singer Sergeant: The Music and Words of John Dufilho
John Singer Sergeant is not a solo project. And yet, it’s not a full-band side-project, either. For John Dufilho (of I Love Math, The Deathray Davies and The Apples in Stereo), John Singer Sergeant is the culmination of years of hard work—writing, recording, playing all instruments, arranging and mixing. Except for the vocals. He enlisted his friends to do those. And judging by the musical guests that appear on the 14-track album, Dufilho has some pretty talented pals. Will Johnson, Ben Kweller, Sir Earl Toon, Sarah Jaffe and Chris Walla are just some of the featured vocalists on John Singer Sergeant, but the record itself feels like it was made for personal fulfillment, rather than with commercial intent. read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsAziz Ansari: Business, Major
The dangerously delicious comedian talks swagger, success and going it alone. read more
Found in: Comedy, FeaturesMaps & Atlases: Beware and Be Grateful
Since when is it a sin to be both artful and catchy? On Beware and Be Grateful, their sophomore full-length, oft-lauded Chicago math-rock quartet Maps & Atlases have suffered the slings and arrows of heavy criticism for their forward-thinking approach. Some have complained about the album’s newfound slickness, claiming the band’s technical eccentricities have been smoothed over by studio gloss. Others have bemoaned their ever-expanding fondness for multi-cultural riffs. Some have simply bitched about a influx of hooks. On one hand, they’re all correct: Beware and Be Grateful is the band’s catchiest, slickest, most focused effort to date. Longtime fans... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsJohn Mulaney: New in Town
Modeling himself after the comedic stylings of Bob Newhart, Jack Benny and Woody Allen, 29-year-old John Mulaney, Saturday Night Live writer/producer and creator of viral sensation Stefon Zolesky, is a decidedly old soul. And on his second album, New in Town, the young stand up has discovered that his best material is about the grown-up-before-his-time dude he looks at in the mirror every day. read more
Found in: Comedy, ReviewsMichael Ian Black: You're Not Doing It Right
We're the holdouts. Every married couple we know has kids or is having kids or is trying to make kids. My wife and I were one of the first couples we knew to get married and we almost definitely will be the last to become parents. In his recent memoir, You're not doing it right, Michael Ian Black (actor, writer, co-founder of The State, Sierra Mist pitchman, and former VH1 pundit-in-residence) perfectly sums up how my wife and myself and many other otherwise responsible adults feel about parenthood: self-absorbed disgust and absolute pants-shitting terror. read more
Found in: Books, ReviewsM. Ward: A Wasteland Companion
Matthew Stephen Ward's Cottage Industry of Traveling Song is doing pretty damn brisk business these days. His prolific personal brand, which has averaged an album a year since the mid-2000s, between his M. Ward, She & Him and Monster of Folk projects, is arguably at its peak right now, if only in terms of public profile and general recognition. read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsKyle Kinane: Death of the Party Reissue
There have been very few stand-up albums that scream out for a vinyl release, but Kyle Kinane’s Death of the Party definitely merits the treatment. The heavy-metal-esque cover art alone is frame-worthy. But it’s also worth celebrating that the album, easily one of 2010’s most essential stand-up records, is being revisited. read more
Found in: Comedy, ReviewsMoonface: Heartbreaking Bravery
Spencer Krug, one of indie-rock's most prolific and schizoid songsmiths, has always displayed a knack for channeling broad emotions through fucked-up sentiments. But I'm not sure anybody was prepared for the title track to Heartbreaking Bravery, his third left-field collection under the Moonface moniker. read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsPatrice O’Neal: Mr. P
On the final album he recorded before he passed away last year, Patrice O’Neal says as he gets older his mind gets dirtier. Uh, bro, we could tell that already. Mr. P finds O’ Neal in uproariously unfettered form, attacking every single sensibility any audience member could possibly have, and getting as much joy from the “He just said what?” laughs as from the arm-crossed scolds. (It’s always good to have a few of those in the audience, he notes. Keeps it more fun.) read more
Found in: Comedy, Reviews
