I’m excited to say that online magazine The American Chronicle just published a rather flattering review of my novel We, The Watched.
There’s action, romance, and social commentary woven into a brilliant story with an amazing plot twist near the end. It’s science fiction in the way that Orwell’s1984 or Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury dystopian novels are considered science fiction. In fact, I see shades and shadows of both works in We, The Watched. The writing is nearly on par with these geniuses of the written word. Mr. Bender isn’t quite there yet, but is closing in fast on the masters. Since this is his first published novel, that’s an auspicious start. It’s highly likely that given a bit more time and experience, the novice shall surpass the masters.
Six years ago, I wrote a glowing review in The Eagle of a band called Downtown. Backed by all-star rock producers Flood, Alan Moulder and Toni Halladay, and featuring a melancholy sound that recalled some of the best alternative rock from the late 20th century, Downtown seemed destined for success.
But we didn’t hear much about them after that.
Now Eric Brendo, the band’s guitarist and co-songwriter, is striking out on his own. A debut EP, Over the Dunes and Into the Cave, was released this summer, and Brendo tells me a long-player is due next year. He is in the midst of an October tour and plans to tour again once the LP is released.
This month’s run of shows “has been great,” and “creatively is stronger than the last tour,” says Brendo. “I’ve met some incredibly talented musicians and filmakers along the way and [am] staying really busy.”
The chances of another Downtown collaboration are “pretty slim,” says Brendo. “We toured for a bit after the Downtown release and I was doing some solo shows on the side and trying to expand as a songwriter.” Initial Brendo gigs took place mainly in New York City, but “then the touring addiction kept haunting me,” he says. So Brendo, originally from Detroit, hit the road. He spent “a year or two in L.A. and wound up living in Austin somehow, which has been beneficial in many ways so far.”
On Over the Dunes, Brendo continues to show a knack for the kind of moody, bass-laden grooves that were so core to Downtown’s 2004 debut. He wrote the songs and plays most of the instruments, though co-producer Howard Wulkan played as well. Catchy opener “Hazy Love” could have been a Downtown song, while closer “Ashes” surprises with a rootsy, acoustic twist.
If there’s one thing that’s missing from the EP, it’s a clear single — that one sparkling number guaranteed to bring down the house. On his upcoming full length, fans “can expect a little more [beats per minute] on the tracks and I’ll just be sorting out whether to fit in some of the stripped down open-feel stuff and go for what serves the album,” says Brendo. He plans to issue “a wide variety of albums over the next 5 years” and also hopes to contribute work to films.
For more info on Eric Brendo’s record and tour, click here.
If you were to combine the dark, twisted fuzz of The Raveonettes with the “We know we’re good” bombast of Oasis, you’d probably end up with something a bit like Crocodiles.
But forget the comparisons (another popular one on the ‘net is The Jesus and Mary Chain). On their new LP, Sleep Forever, this San Diego band provides 35 minutes of fresh and filler-free rock ‘n roll. The choruses are big, especially on the title track, with lyrics that are simultaneously bleak and psychadelic. “When you die you don’t really die/You just paint yourself across the sky,” singer Brandon Welchaz roars over Charles Rowell’s static/melodic guitar on “Billy Speed.”
Some have bemoaned the slower tracks — the pace drops to a heartbeat on track four, “Girl in Black,” before coming back to life on a track that — ironically enough — is called “Sleep Forever.” But if you switch off your iPod’s shuffle and swallow the album the old-fashioned way (in one dose), it all comes together.
Check out the video to the rockin’ title track below:
I’ve been pretty resistant to the Grant Morrison Batman books because of all the radical changes: Bruce Wayne is dead, he has a son named Damian, Damian is now Robin, Dick Grayson (the original Robin) is Batman, Bruce Wayne is actually not dead but lost in time… It’s all a bit much.
Still, this first collection of the Batman & Robin books featuring Dick and Damian is a pretty good read. These are some of the most fun and yet dark/bloody Batman stories I’ve read in some time. And it’s nice to see a focus on two Batman heroes, rather than the veritable Batman family featured in the books preceding the Grant Morrison run. Unlike the dynamic duo of yore, Batman and Robin don’t always get along, but in the end they always come together to stop the bad guys. Morrison also invents a gaggle of psychotic new villains who fit into Gotham perfectly. And the artwork by Frank Quitely and Philip Tan is always colorful and expressive.
I’m probably still going to avoid the Bruce-as-caveman comics, but happy to see there still is good writing in Batman.
After a deafening six-year silence, Autolux return with a new album that builds upon and evolves the dark, distortion-filled rock ‘n roll of their 2004 debut.
Autolux - Transit Transit
The California-based band has garnered comparisons to ’90s alt-rock greats like Sonic Youth, thanks to its members’ ability to infuse noisy rock with real pop sensibility. The group’s forte is dissonant guitar underpinned by driving drums and a steady bass. Bass guitarist Eugene Goreshter is the lead singer, often sounding like a deranged Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie fame). Drummer Carla Azar also ably contibutes vocals to a few tracks, sometimes trading off lines with Goreshter.
More than half a decade after their first LP Future Perfect, Autolux has reined in some of the noise. Goreshter’s vocals in Transit Transit show more melodic range, and the band seems less afraid to offer up the slow and mellow. While several of the tracks sound in the same vein of their original material (“Census,” “Audience No. 2”), they’re interwined with songs that remind of the Beatles (“Spots,” “The Bouncing Wall”), Earlimart and the Raveonettes. But while the influences show, there’s never a doubt that this is an Autolux album.
You can stream all of Transit Transit on the band’s MySpace page. My current favorite is “Highchair.”
If you like it, the MP3 version of the album is currently only $5.99 on Amazon.
I’m excited to say that online magazine The American Chronicle just published a rather flattering review of my novel We, The Watched.
