Geeking Out Part 6….

February 13th, 2011 by csdaley

Once again I went way longer than I intended between geeking out updates. My only excuse is that I started my new novel and have been completely entangled in the whole writing process thing. When I write I listen to a lot of music. I go in stages of listening to music I know inspires me to listening to stuff which fits the mood of the chapter. Even with all the writing I do have a few things which have my inner geek doing the happy dance.

Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under by Amanda Palmer

I don’t know what I expected out of this album. I knew she had been recording tracks for quite a long time but honestly Ms. Palmer kind of flew it in under the radar. Well that is until she released, Map of Tasmania. A song I really shouldn’t love as much as I do. The first time I heard it I called my wife in to listen. Sheri couldn’t stop smiling while it was playing. The good news is the whole album is wonderful. The best news is the song, Bad Wine and Lemon Cake, featuring The Jane Austen Argument is one of my all time favorite songs sung by Amanda (that song alone makes the album worth purchasing. THIS WAS ADDED LATER: As a commenter noted below and I didn’t write very well in my blog. Tom Dickins wrote the song).

Mine Is Yours by Cold War Kids

This album has a different sound from their last one but I am still loving it. The Cold War Kids have become one of my favorite bands. They are also one of the ones I play the most while writing (so is Amanda Palmer above). The songs, Out Of The Wilderness and Royal Blue, are probably my favorites on this CD. Although with the Cold War Kids you can never tell. I have been known to gravitate to new songs on their CDs after repeated plays.

Peter & Max: A Fables Novel by Bill Willingham

This is a novel based on the Fable comic book published by DC Comics. I don’t think you need to read the comic to enjoy the book (although I think it added something extra for me). A story of love and revenge centering around the fables of Peter Piper, The Pied Piper, and Little Bo Peep. I thought the story was well written and did a wonderful job of taking tales everyone knows and flipping them on their heads.

American Vampire by Scott Snyder and Mateus Santolouco

Anybody who loves vampires should be reading this comic (well except for maybe the people who like their vampires to sparkle). This takes the vampire legend and puts a nice fresh spin on it. These are not your fun loving vampires either. They enjoy the kill. The story starts in the old west and works its way forward in history. The early issues actually contain a Stephen King scripted story but the true star here is Snyder. His writing is subtle and his horror chilling.

Episodes

I really expected to hate this new Showtime series. I loved Matt LeBlanc on Friends but I really was starting to think that was going to be his one shot at acting glory. This series takes that notion and runs with it. Full of awkward and uncomfortable humor, it has been a complete delight. LeBlanc comes off as a total ass and he is brilliant at it. I also like that the show isn’t really his. It is truly an ensemble show. Really as far as I am concerned Daisy Haggard, as Myra, tears up every scene she is in. This truly is remarkable because she rarely talks. Her face tells a thousand tales.

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