The Marble Index

A-

I will be comming home for christmass for two weeks starting Dec. 18th, returning to Oakland on the Dec. 30th. Im not sure how this is going to affect my job situation nor do I care all that much, sadly I will be missing the New Year celebration but theres was no good way to fly and not put my job in more question than it will already be in.

My friends, J and E, have come and gone. The highlight came friday, when, having taken a day of from work, we rented a car and headed into the bay area nature, over the Richmond bridge along winding roads into the Muir woods from there on to the muir beach look out to watch the sun fall onto Japan. It was one of the most pleasing days I've had since I arrived here. On saturday with only a three mins to spare we dropped the rental car off and made our way to the airport. I was sad to seem them go and return to my quite life here with only Roomate to provide company. Other highlights included some boozy nights where i tried to incite people to revolt by playing Nico albums, which I can only say is a little like having a party while Dancer in the Dark plays on a large screen tv in the background.

I spent yesterday and today worrying about my life and tried to console myself by buying more cds, todays trip to the record store found these gems:

The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, 3 cd special edition (I've decided there are three types of people, those who think Pet Sounds/Smile are the best pop albums ever, those who think the title goes to The White Album/Sgt Peppers, I am a Zealot of the third group who says that Village Green/Arthur are where it is at).

The Kinks, Something else by the Kinks (more greatness)

The Dead Kennedys, Frankenchrist (not as good as I thought it would be, but any self respecting punk in the bay area should own a copy of this)

The Fall, 50,000 fall Fan's cant be wrong (a best of that spans the entirty of fall, or should I say Mark E Smiths, career- another good find)

Mission of Burma, A Gun to The Head (another best of thing songs picked by the band, I think it wonderfull)

The Pouges, If I Should Fall from Grace of God (something I also own on record-though lack a record player, I think it good enough to own four or five copies)

Trailer Bride, Hope is the Thing with Feathers (nothing new in terms of music but a I like it)

Nico, The Marble Index (In the words of Lester Bangs:"I dont know if I would classify it as oppressive or depressing, but I do know that The Marble Index scares the shit out of me. But what scares me even more is what most people seem to want instead.... There are no cheap thirlls on MI, no comercials for sadomasochism, bisexuality, or hard drugs dashed of for a ravenous but vicarious audience-rather, it stares for a relatively short time that might just seem like an eternity to you into the heart of darkness...letting you daw your own value judgements... He (John Cale) built a cathedral for a women in hell..." -After listening to the this album twice I dont think theres a wasted or over dramatic word in Bang's review, I dont know that i will be listening to this album a lot, or if I can recomend anyone buy it, but I do think it worth the experience.)

cds sold:
Nico, Desertshores (It's not as much of a nightmare but somewhat potent still- a nice pop song breaks the spell- it is pretty good, and I was regeting the selling of it until I found Marble Index)
Sabadoh, Bakesale (this album just stucks)

Iron and Wine, Our Endless numbered days (from what i've heard of their first album i was exceited to get this- however after owning it for only a day each time i put it on I felt I was listening to neofolk festival music at a Uniterian church somewhere in Vermont/ just to earnest for me.)

Back to work tommorow;
besos
z