Available for preorder now, Michael Jarmer’s novella, Submarine Stories, comes out into the world officially on April 3, 2026. As it is an unusual device, rarely employed here on the blog, to write about oneself in the third person, Michael Jarmer has chosen this particular strategy for this announcement. He hopes that you will beContinue reading “We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Program to Announce the Publication of Michael Jarmer’s Novella”
Category Archives: Poetry
#706: F is for The Format
First of all, can we just agreethat The Format is about the worstband name ever. It does absolutely nothing for me. I can’t imaginewhat would inspire one of popmusic’s current best singers to choose such a stupid band name. However, Dog Problems is an infinitely bettertitle for an album. I don’t rememberhow I learned aboutContinue reading “#706: F is for The Format”
#705: F is for Folds, Ben
Ben Folds Five, a 90’s era rock trio, was for me the antidote to grunge. Here was a band with a pianoat the center that rocked harderthan any guitar. Ben was like a punk rock Elton John. Joined by two guys who seemed neitherpunk nor grunge, looked a littlebit like a couple of jazz nerds,Continue reading “#705: F is for Folds, Ben”
#704: F is for Fleetwood Mac
I picked up this box set, not because I loved Fleetwood Mac, but because, growing up, their music was ubiquitous, everywhere, all the time, and I hated none of it, and in 2019, felt someobligation to have them in the collection. Having owned as a youngperson none of their records, I neverthelessknew almost every songContinue reading “#704: F is for Fleetwood Mac”
#703: F is for Fleet Foxes
2011 was the year I resumedcollecting records somewhat earnestly. I’m not exactly sure why it happened. Vinyl was on the way up from nearannihilation, or at least obscurity. And then there was a move fromone neighborhood to another, from a house my wife and I lived infor 20 years to this new old housein theContinue reading “#703: F is for Fleet Foxes”
#702: F is for Flashdance (Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
What the hellis this thing doing in my collection? I inherited this one. Decided to keep it. For what reason?If it wasn’t a record that spoke to mewhen I was a seniorin high school (and you can betthat it was not),I must have kept it because of its historical and culturalsignificance, or, justbecause I wasContinue reading “#702: F is for Flashdance (Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)”
#701: F is for The Flaming Lips (17, 20)
After several years of disappointment,I was feeling doubtful about the newFlaming Lips album in 2017, the strangelytitled Oczy Mlody. But there are certainartists or bands to which I feel an almost insane level of loyalty. The Flaming Lips isone of those. It turned out, I was pleasantlysurprised. If Embryonic and The Terror werenearly unlistenable, uncomfortableContinue reading “#701: F is for The Flaming Lips (17, 20)”
#700: (Oops) E is for Exit North
Here’s the problem. I’ve got boxes in which my albums are storedspines-out, alphabetically by artist. In addition, I have what are called “browser bins” up top, where I file my newestacquisitions, also alphabetically, for easy, flip-through access. I have tried to be mindfulof not forgetting any albums in the browser bins, whether they be newrecordsContinue reading “#700: (Oops) E is for Exit North”
#699: F is for The Flaming Lips (08, 09, 10, 12, 16)
I have not seen it in full, but judging only from short clipsI have seen, the first film written by, starred in, with a soundtrack composed byThe Flaming Lips, a thing called ChristmasOn Mars, was an utterly terrible film.Some folks will disagree, claim that it is a classic cult film on par with Eraserhead. TheContinue reading “#699: F is for The Flaming Lips (08, 09, 10, 12, 16)”
#698: F is for The Flaming Lips (95, 99, 02, 06)
In the catalog of musical artists whomake you wonder if there’s somethingwrong with your stereo, sit The Flaming Lips, the band about which I have written mostoften on the blog, and, behind Elbow, aremy favorite band of the 21st century. The Flaming Lips make their debut, actually, in the late 80’s, make music for nearlyContinue reading “#698: F is for The Flaming Lips (95, 99, 02, 06)”
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