In 2015, The Museum of Modern Art staged a retrospective of Bjork’s work. The exhibition included costumes, props, instruments, and images from Bjork’s music video, along with playing the some of the videos to make it a multimedia tribute to her work. One of the video’s featured was this 10 minute epic for her song Black Lake, off her 2015 album Vulnicura.
Spring may have brought us more terrible things, but it has also brought us some small comforts as well. New books to read, movies and TV to watch, and hopefully, warmer weather.
I’m a sucker for classical covers of pop music. This one by Chad Lawson of Billie Eilish’s When the Party’s Over is understated and gorgeous.
Like many, I spent much of 2020 and 2021 listening to Taylor Swift’s back to back albums Folklore and Evermore. My hands done favorite song from the two releases is The Lakes, Swift’s ode to melodrama, poets, and escapism. It’s the bonus track for Evermore. One of the commenters on the lyric video below noted, “Sis, this is not the album of the year. This is the album of my life.” I could not agree more.
Sarah McLachlan may be best remembered for founding the all female summer festival tour Lilith Fair, but when I hear her song building a mystery, I always think of fall. Building a Mystery started to gain massive popularity and relentless radio play in the beginning of September when it debuted 1997. it’s video has a very shadowy, chilly feel to it as well, featuring lots of smokey mist and curtains blowing in breezes. The song also has the distinction of being the first song ever to be played by an iPod. Steve Jobs selected the track during a keynote address introducing the new technology on October 23, 2001.
For Halloween aficionados, there is a bit of a debate on when spooky season officially starts. Is it July fifth, the day after summer’s major holiday? Or maybe mid August, when Halloween merchandise appeared in craft and home decor stores. Some attribute it to September first or the first day of fall. But by October first, everyone can agree, spooky season is in full swing. October 1st The Pit by Tara Borin on shelves. “Set in a small-town, sub-Arctic dive bar, this debut poetry collection explores the complexities of addiction and the person beneath, and the possibility of finding home and community in unexpected places.” Bingo Hell streaming on Amazon Prime. “Something terrifying has made itself at home in the quiet barrio of Oak Springs, and with each new cry of “Bingo!” another victim falls prey to its diabolical presence. As the cash prizes increase and the body count steadily rises, Lupita must face the frightening realization that this game is truly winner-takes-all.” October 7 Draconids Meteor Shower. If you steep out to watch, you’ll …
Happy September! I’ve been away on a blogging summer vacation, but I’m excited to be back with a whole new list of things to look forward to this month. All eight Harry Potter Movies are streaming on HBO Max this month, and I really want to watch the early ones and envelope myself in some back to school nostalgia. There are several exciting horror books coming out this month to read and get in the spooky season spirit, and a couple movies that will help as well. Lastly, I’m anticipating the start of fall. It has been blazing hot in the Carolina’s all summer, and I am pining for cooler temperatures, crunchy leaves, and rain. September 1st If you subscribe to HBO Max, sink into some back to school nostalgia with all eight Harry Potter movies. September 6th Celebrate Fight Procrastination Day, “an unofficial holiday that encourages people to take charge of their procrastination problem and to find ways to combat the never-ending urge to put off important tasks for another day.” September 7th Weird …
I read this poem and immediately thought of a moment from a family trip to Disney World. We had gotten an early start, and emerged from the hotel to find gardeners ripping up the flowers surrounding the fountain in front of the entryway. Although I recall the trip as being nothing but fun and full of good memories, ironically it’s is also the start of my understanding as a child of the difference between what was magical, and what was manicured. Though they be dented,deserving adoration,are flowers; humans. Everyone’s holey
When Billy Joe Armstrong made his debut in the leading role for a movie in 2016’s Ordinary World, the film was less then well received. The accompanying soundtrack however, included a poignant song by Armstrong that had many convinced that he could have a second career as a folk singer. Sharing the same title as the film, Ordinary World was also included as the closing track on Greenday’s Revolution Radio. In 2017 they re-recorded the song with Miranda Lambert for the band’s greatest hits album.
Everyday Strange 