Random Kudos

Reading through my blogroll for the first time in a couple weeks, I'm rediscovering things I like about our local bloggers, and I wanted to point a couple of them out. I should do this more often.

First, I want to say how much I enjoy Rob Friesel's Found Drama dreams. They surprise and delight me. I used the poker face dream for a post of the week in December. In the latest installment, he's at this shelter for cyborg dogs and alien-rat hybrids.

I’ve arrived by parachute at this structure that appears to be a scaled-down version of the tenements from The Kung Fu Hustle, he writes, except that it’s an animal shelter. And I’ve been brought in to re-write their brochures and pamphlets and other literature. There's more.

Secondly, I want to draw your attention to False 45th. "Flatlander" is doing for free what some of Vermont's other music critics get paid to do, and he's doing it better. His year-end wrap-ups are witty, thoughtful and comprehensive, and he's not afraid to poke at the pros. Here he is tearing into Times Argus Arts critic Art Edelstein's Best of 2005 list:

Of the three artists that basically got the most attention from Edelstein (Casey, Blachly and Stykos), they all sound alike. Take the Pepsi Challenge of aging hippie folk singing women from Vermont. See you if you can hear a difference:

You can stream songs from Susannah Clifford Blachly's album on her "Recordings" page.
You can download clips from Patti Casey's album from her "Music" page.
You can stream tracks from Kristina Stykos' album from CD Baby.

Do you hear a difference? They all sound the fucking same to me. We should just merge all of their names into one. From now on, "Kristina Casey Blachly" should be the way to describe the graying female folkie movement in VT. Sort of like using "Great White Lion Snake" to describe all of the Hair Bands of the late 80's.

I know my musical library isn't exactly A to Z of fine music but I'm confident that it's broader than Edelstein's. Hell, my niece's collection seems broader than Edelstein's.

Love it or hate it, at least it's lively, unlike some of the stuff you read in the papers. Good work, guys.