The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge

I wrote this for class about Rainer Maria Rilke's book, The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge:

I have been talking about this book to my friends the way I used to talk about the Bible, "You have to read this book. Right now.” It was a revelation of the power and beauty and possibility of metaphor in prose; the way the world can be so clearly evoked by describing it in a completely foreign way: death becomes an entity inside everyone or a coat they must put on; buildings and footsteps and take on a mysterious life of their own. Metaphor is almost too small a word for the things that Rilke writes in this book. The word metaphor reminds me of high school English classes, while Malte's metaphors take on a life of their own. They lend everything a surreal quality until Malte's world becomes a strange place full of secrets.

As I read this book I felt something between anger and astonishment, not at the book, but at all those who have read this book and neglected to tell me about it. But perhaps it would not have meant so much if I had read it earlier. This fall I turned 28, and moved to New York to begin, I hope, something like a career in writing, so when Malte writes "I think I should being to do some work, now that I am learning to see. I am twenty-eight years old, and I have done practically nothing," I felt the thrill of recognition. The beauty of his language and clarity of his thought never ceased to challenge and inspire me.

Dirty Projectors

I tried to resist. I kept hearing about the Dirty Projectors from the various blogs I read. But I knew that if I listened to them, and they were as good as everyone said they were, I wouldn't be able to resist buying their album. Now that I have started purchasing a lot of music digitally, it's just too easy. No money actually exchanges hands. I don't even have to hand anyone my credit card. I just click a button, and then a few days later my account tells me I'm over budget again. Easy.

But finally, I broke down and looked them up on youtube. The jumpy guitar sounds like something Kanya West might sample, the vocals somewhere between R&B and indie rock, and I'm kind of addicted.

My Late Last Year List

The problem with "Best of" lists is that for those of us with limited resources and time only listen/watch/read a small portion of stuff that's been produced this year. I've listened to all the All Songs Considered podcasts, I guess, but I haven't heard half the bands on the Pitchfork list of the best of 2009. So, instead, I'll give you a list of ten bands I loved. They're not the best of the year, but they are the ones I listened to over and over again, in no particular order.

Blind Pilot - 3 Rounds and a Sound

Sad, quiet, hard to resist good acoustic stuff. Makes me think of breakups and slow dances.

Volcano Choir

Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) teams up with Colletions of Colonies of Bees and makes this spectacular, buzzy, weird goodness. Makes me want to hear what else Justin Vernon can do.

Akron/Family - Set 'em wild, set 'em free

Wild, sing out loud, blissful folk weirdness. Listened a couple of these songs over and over and over again at the office, in the car, and in the subway.

Avett Brothers - I and Love and You

Just discovered this one recently. Sometimes lovely and sad, sometimes twangy, always great.

Benjamin Wesley - Geschichte

This guy works at my favorite coffee shop in Houston. Tuneful melodies and songs sometimes as raw as his voice. Saw him play two guitars at once at Cactus music, which was cool.

Wild Yaks - 10 Ships (Don't Die Yet)

Something about these guys yelling almost makes me want to cry. Saw this band in Brooklyn by accident. Heartfelt, barely in control, I love it.

Regina Spektor - Far Sometimes an album just fits a moment in your life. I listened to this over and over again until I couldn't anymore. One of the best storytellers out there writing songs.

Le Loup - Family

Not as experimental or as thrilling as their last album, the chorus of voices over banjos, guitars, and thumping drums is still worth a listen (or a bunch of listens).

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

Why even bother writing about them. Everyone else is doing it. It's happy, brilliant fun.

Bon Iver - Blood Bank

Two Justin Vernon projects in one list, I know. But he's writing some of the best songs out there, if you like droopy, strummy, beautiful music. I do, and I can't get enough.