Robert Recommends/Diversions- Janelle Monáe

There is something quite special about 24 year old Janelle Monáe.
From her funky dykie black tie style to her James Brown and Michael Jackson
infused moves, I like this kid. She's got spunk and this song is like crack for your ears.

Robert Recommends: Patty Griffin's Downtown Church

My history with organized Christianity is a sordid one, or rather one littered with guilt and pain. As the great Tori Amos once sang "I've got enough guilt to start my own religion". It has taken me years of healing to separate my issues with organized religion from the power and beauty of gospel music.

Patty Griffin is an incomparable songwriter and has enough soul to be her own church choir. So, it makes sense that she should do a gospel album and let me just say that after listening to it a few times through, I think my soul has been save. hallelujah.



Patty Griffin's Website

Diversions: Joanna Newsom

Lately I have found my fingers tickling the ivories quite a bit, so to speak.
I have no formal training on piano, nor have I ever performed anything live
on any form of keyboard.
I have been quietly working on my third album whilst my second album is still in that
netherworld between completion and release into the world. The third album is an ocean themed soundtrack for a movie musical that only exists in some strange place in my head.

The two tracks that have been holding the majority of my focus are titled "Sally" and "The Seaman's Warf". In the next week, I will try to post a little snippet of Sally for your listening pleasure(hopefully pleasure)....

Until then, keeping with my ocean themed brain, here's an artist who has been starting to seep into my conciousness, a rather unique harpist/songwriter/etc by the name of Joanna Newsom with her song "Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie"

Robert Recommends: I Like You

I got a wonderful Christmas gift from K that has brought me a great deal of joy.
It helped me to laugh while angry midwestern women with bad hair were gnashing their teeth and complaining as we sat through 2 delays that left us sitting on the runway for 2 1/2 hours during our trek home from Kansas. (more about that another time) I did almost strangle a woman with my bare hands, but thanks to the humorous musings on entertaining from the lovely Amy Sedaris, said woman triumphed to live and complain another day.

If you haven't seen Strangers with Candy, her derganged sit-com that used to be on comedy central, then you haven't lived. If you have seen it and love her off kilter brand of humor, then you will adore this book.

Don't take my word for it though.

Buy the Book
Visit Amy's Website

Robert Recommends: Patrick Watson

Close To Paradise
by
Patrick Watson

While visiting Montreal we stayed with our friend Matheiu who much like myself is very passionate about music.





One artist in particular by the name of Patrick Watson caught my ear.

His music is unique, fun and full of whimsy with vocalization and production that touch upon the voices of Jeff Buckley and Chris Martin(Coldplay) and production elements of The Beatles, Pink Floyd and again,Coldplay. The fusion of these sounds treats the listeners ears to something uniquely breathtaking, full of ear candy and angst.

I highly recommend this current album on my playlist.

Get it from iTunes.

Robert Recommends- Chris Garneau

Chris Garneau has the face and voice of an angel.
He is easy on the eyes and ears. It is rare that
I am drawn to male musicians. I'm mostly captivated by the ladies.
This video for his song Relief tugs at my tender little heart.
May it tug on yours as well.

enjoy...

Satan Was a Lesbian

This week's selection for the Rant Book Club is a modern classic, very close to my heart.
Before Fred Haley's gripping tale of perversion hit the shelves, it was a long standing belief
that satan was a straight man. If you are like me, you will find this book not only captivating but also quite educational.
I dare you to resist the temptation of Satan Was a Lesbian. Run, don't walk to your local book store and enrich your mind with the splendors of literature.

I prefer the original unabridged edition to the abridged version released earlier this year with a forward written by Mike Huckabee, but either version is sure to be a shining treasure in your home library.

Robert Recommends: Adam Zyglis

I absolutely adore the political cartoons of Adam Zyglis.

Check out his work

www.adamzyglis.com
The Buffalo News Website

Marijuana Girl

Here at the Rant we like to encourage an environment of culture and learning.
One of the best way to broaden your horizons is through the wonders of literature.
We can't read everything, but we do search high and often low for those literary
gems that might otherwise collect dust on the shelves of your local library.

This week's selection is Marijuana Girl, a gripping tale of teenage lust for the whole family. After you've read marijuana girl, join the discussion here on the Rant. We'd love to hear all of your own stories of sex, drugs and teenage debauchery. There's a little bit of marijuana girl in each of us.

If you happen to have trouble getting your hands on Marijuana girl, at your local library, don't hesitate to speak with the librarian on duty. She or he may be able to type the title into a computer database to find another location with Marijuana Girl that participates in the interlibrary loan program. The beauty of the national library system is indeed boundless. It is one of our national treasures.

Remember to always keep your library card up to date. This is your key to a world of unspeakable splendor.

Robert Recommends

I cannot say enough good things about Fage(pronounced Fa-yeh not Faggy)
Total Greek Yogurt.

It is creamy and wonderful. It makes me happy. I eat it plain, as a subsitute for sour cream or even better mixed with fruit, honey and swiss muesli. I even made french toast and put in on top as a whipped cream replacement. People, you have no idea. This stuff makes me go almost as crazy as I go for the Greek.

Chico's Angels

Here is a diversion to send you smiling
into Labor Day weekend.

Happy Rhodes Rare Performance

The rather reclusive singer/songwriter Happy Rhodes
will be performing for one night only, September 8th in Boston.

If You have not seen her live, I recommend you go to this show,
This is her first show in 2 1/2 years, and it's hard to say when you will have the chance again.

I was lucky to catch the last show and then have an email exchange about buffalo wings and celery sticks.

I had a vivid dream that Happy was upset with me, so I had to make sure all was well.
That aside, Happy Rhodes is a unique voice in the homogenous music world. There isn't anyone quite like her, well Kate Bush, but not exactly.

The Happy Show Info

Robert Recommends

From time to time I like to recommend Music and movies that move me and groove me.

One of my all-time-favorite films is the glorious, unstopable and untopable cult cinema classic, Coffy, starring the busty breasted bad ass queen of blaxsploitation, the one, the only Pam Grier.

With such memorable lines as

"This is the end of your rotten life, you motherfuckin' dope pusher!"

and the classic...

"Now I'm gonna give you another slice to match the one you got from that dope-pushin' pimp, unless you tell me where he keeps the stuff!"

This is a movie for the entire family.

Robert Recommends

Robert German and Carrie Thomas in Coney Island. Photo by Carrie Thomas.

I would like to take this moment to discuss some things I am in love with right now.

first off, The Dresden Dolls!
Self-described as Brechtian Punk Cabaret, they fuse the sounds of British punk and German Cabaret with electrifying live shows that hump your ears like hardcore early Tori Amos. Yes, someone needs to towel off that piano bench at the end of the night.

My second love is BAM, Brooklyn's much hipper answer to Lincoln center. I highly recommend the movie screenings at the Rose Cinema. I was able to catch, David Lynch's Lost Highway, and let me just say that it was both perplexing and emotionally penetrating on the big screen.

Much more than an art-house cinema haven, this purveyor of cutting edge theatrical, musical, and dance performance makes Brooklyn's burgeoning art scene puff it's chest in defiance of Manhattanite elitist attitudes. No, You don't need to cross the bridge to consume some culture when it's just a leisurely stroll from the epicenter of South Brooklyn.