Readings

• Last week, the online arm of Book & Culture magazine released a critical eye toward Sufjan Stevens. I, maybe tired a bit, thought it a bit lame, saying that his musical vocabulary is too stilted and short. I rarely give voice to this, thinking it a bit shameful to suggest such things, but methinks I smell some haters in the midst. Although, in my book, they get big-ups for mentioning old favorites of mine, Freedom of Soul. I subtract some more points for the obvious mix-up of styles, comparing them to a CCM version of Run-DMC. De La Soul would be a bit more obvious, don't you think?
• This week, B&C published an essay contrasting Lester Bangs to the pretenders to his throne - yes, a familiar theme - and then comparing him to the great Catholic intellect, John Paul II. I liked this article much better.
• I think Bangs would make some good essay reading. More on my essay readings later.
• Say what you have to about Kramerica, but that Neo-Nazi Pee Wee Hermania he dropped on that little audience in a comedy club in LA (and, via the wonders of modern Razrs, through the US) is good fodder for teaching my students the destructiveness of language unchecked (which is too often what it is within earshot). Now, if I could only learn how to teach instant karma... Or higher critical thinking.