ebooks Jazz Philharmonic: Second Set: Violin Part by Bob Phillips; Randy Sabien in Arts-Photography

Review

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful. Truly terribleBy agnosticI hate to be critical of this author; because I consider him to be one of our greatest working novelists. Fortress of Solitude is probably my favorite novel of the past 20 years; at least. But he should not write music criticism. There are hardly any good ideas in this book; and it is groan-inducingly bad in many places. I would never have finished it if it werent so short. It is almost entirely devoid of true inspiration or insight. The main theme of the book is this: This album really; really blew my mind when I was a precocious teenager in the greatest city in the whole world! Variations on this theme are interspersed with dull; wooden attempts at snappy but probing exegesis. You can feel him counting the words to meet his quota.Im sorry to pan this; but I consider it a public service. Upped a star because of how much I respect Lethems fiction and other brilliant essays. I cant hang with this man intellectually; but I also cant hang with this book.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Whats to Fear about Music Writing as Personal Memoir?By Trace ReddellThe best thing about the 33 1/3rd series is the variety of styles and approaches that the writers take. I like some of the musicological pieces; most of the more academic pieces (though I will forever be angered that Enos ANOTHER GREEN WORLD was given such a shoddy; dispassionate treatment!); and all of the more creative and personal responses. Colin Meloys book on the Replacements LET IT BE has been at the top of my list; but Lethems FEAR OF MUSIC sits right up there with it. The insights are personal and connect the experience of big new music to everyday life; and two distinct stages of life at that. Ive often learned more about music by reading about how different writers connect to music than I have by reading the most scholarly or cultural analysis. I most appreciated Lethems description of the circle he drew when trying to determine whether to write from what he knows and thinks and remembers; and to stick by that; not dilute it; with other peoples stories; versus spending all his writing time and energy researching and incorporating other writers ideas and biographical factoids into his circle of impressions and ideas. And he introduced me to the program "Freedom;" a great little tool that temporarily shuts off your access to the Internet ... this is a writers god-send; and it really transformed my own practice as Ive been finishing up one of my own book projects and starting on a new one.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. What a treat!By Steve K. Oliver III think the reason I enjoyed this book as much as I did is that I share much in common with the author: we both were in our teens when the album came out; we both listened to it a lot at the time; and frequently over the years. Finding this book feels like a validation to me: Someone else enjoyed this album as much as I did; and I am grateful to have found this book.The book follows along with the albums song list; and intersperses the discussion with topics such as where this album falls within the entire Talking Heads discography; the band roster; and more.The song discussions are a lot of fun. Many of the ideas he brings up are similar to what a lot of us would find; but he also brings in many I had not thought of. And with an author of his talent; its a joy just to read his interpretations.Take the advice Jonathan Lethem gives in the introduction: Listen to the album while you read the book; and turn the volume up!I wish more talented authors would share their thoughts about their favorite albums.A lot of other reviewers seem to have been looking for a more scholarly examination of the album. While this book was not written by a music scholar; it certainly examines many; many themes and ideas. What this book does not provide (and perhaps this is the reason for the low rating) is much in the way of history surrounding the band; its members; or what was going on in the studio while the album was being made. I suppose that would have been interesting; but I am satisfied with this book because it is about the album; not the making of the album.