* (restored)
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO A SPOTIFY PLAYLIST OF A BUNCH OF COUNTRY SONGS I LIKE
- A Camp – The Bluest Eyes in Texas
- Billy Joe Shaver – Old Chunk of Coal
- Blaze Foley – Clay Pigeons
- Blaze Foley – If I Could Only Fly
- Blaze Foley – Let Me Ride in Your Big Cadillac
- Bob Dylan – Not Dark Yet
- Bobbie Gentry – Ode to Billie Joe
- Bruce Springsteen – County Fair
- Buck Owens – Under Your Spell Again
- Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn – After the Fire is Gone
- Daniel Johnston – Country Song
- Daniel Romano – Hard On You
- Dave Dudley – Six Days on the Road
- David Allan Coe – Longhaired Redneck
- David Allan Coe – You Never Even Called Me By My Name
- David Allan Coe – Take This Job and Shove It
- Dean Martin – Houston
- Deana Carter – Strawberry Wine
- Dolly Parton – Jolene
- Eddie Noack – Psycho
- Eddie Noack – Dolores
- Eddy Arnold – Make the World Go Away
- George Jones – If Drinkin’ Don’t Kill Me (Her Memory Will)
- Gillian Welch – Elvis Presley Blues
- Glen Campbell – Wichita Lineman
- Glen Campbell – Galveston
- Guy Clark – Dublin Blues
- Guy Clark – Let Him Roll
- Hank Thompson – A Broken Heart and a Glass of Beer
- Hank Williams – I’m So Lonesome I could Cry
- Hank Williams – I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive
- Hank Williams – Lonesome Whistle
- Hank Williams – Lost Highway
- Hank Williams – There’s a Tear in My Beer
- Holly Golightly – An Eye for an Empty Heart
- Holly Golightly – On the Fire
- Holly Golightly – Black Heart
- Hurray For the Riff Raff – Blue Ridge Mountain
- Jerry Jeff Walker – Pissin’ In the Wind
- Jessi Colter – Why You Been Gone So Long
- Jessi Colter – I’m Looking for Blue Eyes
- John Prine – In Spite of Ourselves
- Johnny Cash – Cocaine Blues
- Kitty Wells – It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels
- Kris Kristofferson – Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down
- Lee Hazlewood – I’d Rather Be Your Enemy
- Lee Hazlewood – Long Black Train
- Lindi Ortega – Tin Star
- Loretta Lynn – Fist City
- Loretta Lynn – The Devil Gets His Due
- Loretta Lynn – Rated X
- Loretta Lynn – One’s On the Way
- Loretta Lynn – Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind)
- Los Lobos – La Pistola Y El Corazon
- Lucinda Williams – Metal Firecracker
- Lyle Lovett – Closing Time
- Marty Robbins – Big Iron
- Merle Haggard – Going Where The Lonely Go
- Merle Haggard – The Bottle Let Me Down
- Merle Haggard – Are the Good Times Really Over
- Nanci Griffith – Love at the Five and Dime
- Nick Cave – Red Right Hand
- Nikki Lane – Gone, Gone, Gone
- Patsy Cline – Sweet Dreams
- Patsy Cline – Strange
- Patsy Cline – Leavin’ On Your Mind
- Ray Wylie Hubbard – Drunken Poet’s Dream
- September 67 – What’s Wrong With Alice
- Shakey Graves – Only Son
- Steve Earle & The Dukes – Burnin’ It Down
- Surgill Simpson – Long White Line
- Tanya Tucker – Blood Red And Goin’ Down
- Tanya Tucker – Delta Dawn
- Tompall Glaser – Lovin’ Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)
- Townes Van Zandt – Waiting Around to Die
- Townes Van Zandt – White Freightliner Blues
- Townes Van Zandt – Pancho and Lefty
- Townes Van Zandt – Tecumseh Valley
- Townes Van Zandt – Don’t Take It Too Bad
- Waylon Jennings – I’ve Always Been Crazy
- Waylon Jennings – Stop the World (And Let Me Off)
- Waylon Jennings – Singer Of Sad Songs
- Widowspeak – True Believer
- Willie Nelson – Night Life
- Willie Nelson – Bloody Mary Morning
- Willie Nelson – Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
- Willie Nelson – Funny How Time Slips Away
- Willie Nelson – Hello Walls
- Willie Nelson – Crazy
The Mother’s Best Flour Radio Show w/ Hank Williams
Townes Van Zandt – Waitin’ Around to Die
Loretta Lynn – Fist City
Holly Golightly – On the Fire
Waylon Jennings – I’ve Always Been Crazy
Dave Dudley – Six Days On the Road
David Allan Coe – Long Haired Redneck
Lyle Lovett w/ Nanci Griffith – Closing Time
Cast King – Numb
Kris Kristofferson – Sunday Morning Coming Down
Terry Reid – Brave Awakening
Tanya Tucker – Blood Red and Goin’ Down
IF ANYBODY HAS SOME SUGGESTIONS OF GOOD COUNTRY MUSIC I SHOULD CHECK OUT PLEASE COMMENT BELOW, THANK U THANK U
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p.s. Hey. ** John Christopher, Hi, John! Good to see you. Never say never, but I kind of doubt the film will get a theater release there, but we do want to at least screen it there. We’re looking into what’s possible. Thanks a lot for wanting to see it. I’m good, and I hope/trust you are as well. ** Adem Berbic, Hey! Nice that Alex and Tadhg can do the launch event. iPhone coverage please. I … think Bennett is still putting out music, or did not so very long ago? Obviously you should def get your books into After8, and I’d be shocked if they don’t want them. I’m sure your writings aren’t obnoxious, dude, and excellent news that you’re expelling literary words. I’m reading Charlotte’s book and it’s wonderful! There are noise artists in every nook and cranny if you do even a superficial hunt. Best of the best! ** Alice, Hi, Alice. Mini-slumps are inevitable. Just let the writing take a little nap. My advice: try not to even access confidence or lack thereof when you’re writing. Diligence usually solves everything. I’m for you bringing your site up to speed, of course. And even more of course re: you pursuing photography. Your friends are that shy? Just carry a camera around and start shooting as part of your normal behavior and they’ll stop thinking about it? I don’t know. Your seminar sounds very promising. Nice. My weekend passed the time, and now it’s the week’s turn to pony up. xo. ** jay, Howdy, jay. I’ll try to at least find and read the first 30 pages of ‘Demian’. That’s about as far I get in most novels I try, so it should be possible. So great that your writing is continuing to grip you. You being on fire gives great comment. Love teleport! ** James, Hey there! Got your email, and using that is fine with me. xo. ** Dominik, Hi!!! I like when the blog becomes a door that I just have to open. Strange and interesting that fanfic has become sort commandeered by horny people. I can still remember when those horny Spock <-> Captain Kirk fanfics were so novel they caused a sensation. Maybe you can do a special vanilla fanfic issue of SCAB and start a viral sensation that turns things around? I know, interesting about cats. I never knew that either. Kind of fascinating to think about. I can’t remember ever getting a massage, strange. Maybe that would work. Love feeling a little concerned that it looks like he’ll be going to Chicago smack dab in the middle of Trump’s fascist invasion, G. ** Carsten, I’m a morning guy. That’s when my brain works best. I’m not wildly social so night has always seemed a little overrated. I figured you’d be chuffed by Jarmusch’s big win. And then when Bresson finally won at Cannes for ‘L’Argent’, the audience booed. Insanity! ** _Black_Acrylic, Hi, B. Scotland does seem to be quite happening these days. Curious. ** Sarah, Hi, Sarah! How are you? So nice to see you! ** Steve, You mean Lucille’s film? I haven’t watched her film yet either. Turns out the screening is tonight. Everyone, Perk your eyes and ears because … here’s Steve: ‘My latest episode of “Radio Not Radio” is out now. May it ease your transition from summer to fall! The setlist features Earl Sweatshirt, Dijon, Nourished By Time, Aeter, Men I Trust, the Beths, Radio Free Alice, Freestyle Fellowship, Kista, Fieldwork, Makaya McCraven, Linda May Han Oh, Led Bib, Kassa Overall, Aretha Franklin, Iannis Xenakis, Michael Ranta, John Williams, Raven Chacon, N4T, Negdedunn, Burial, Blake Baxter, Wrack, Frost Children, Lorde, Kyle Bruckmann/Doug Dillaman/Jason Wach and Sabres of Paradise.’ That’s a helluva of a line-up there. ** James Bennett, Thank you! It was utterly my honor and pleasure. Have a blast at the launch. ** Steeqhen, Yeah, best not to rush the writing always. I would say/guess the lineage actually goes back further to the Shirelles and Shangri-Las and Lesley Gore and that earlier group of female pop stars in the early 60s. Those pop stars mostly didn’t write their own tunes is the big difference but then a lot of pop stars now don’t write theirs either other than the lyrics. Back then it was the producer mostly responsible for the songs’ outlay, and that’s certainly often still the case now. Post-modernism and post-post are almost always about judicious theft. ** Charalampos, Hi. Barring the unforeseen, I’ll see Lucile’s film tonight. Yes, I really dislike the cover of ‘Try’. What can you do. No, I wasn’t given any alternative choices. Smooch. ** HaRpEr //, I mistakenly thought I was seeing ‘La Tour de glace’ last night, but it’s tonight. Gaspar and Lucille are a couple. She does a lot of work on his films in various capacities. Thanks, yeah, there’s just some stressful stuff right now but I’m working to get it resolved. I look forward to hearing about that can of worms. We should hang out somewhere somehow one of these days. I’m glad that ‘Giles Goat-Boy’ holds up. I haven’t read it since my teens, so I wasn’t sure. Barth’s weirdest novel is ‘Chimera’. That one really divides the Barth fan base. ** Okay. I was in an odd mood and decided to restore one of the least DC’s-like posts ever from ten years ago and done up lustrously by the great Chris Dankland. Have at it if you dare. See you tomorrow.
(2015)
Now available in North America 
I guess, with noise, I still reflexively see it as a sort of precious resource, because it was so completely opposed to the culturally sterile corner of London I grew up in — not just in that no one was making it or listening to it, but in that people couldn’t even accept that it was music and not a weird, dumb joke. Not to sound like I’m doing some snobby ‘wake up, sheeple’ thing, but quote-unquote transgressive/experimental/edge culture meant, I dunno, listening to Grimes or something. So whenever I’m actually seeing people fiddle with their Apollo 1-control panel-looking synths and whatevers, it feels like a personally special experience.
Yeah, I actually read my writing at the open mics for the first time ever and it went well, I think. Well enough to make the whole thing more real, if that makes sense. And it’s fun again, whereas for the longest time writing felt like pulling teeth. Maybe coming off my antidepressants has something to do with it. Not that going on them in the first place didn’t basically save my life, so no hard feelings about it.
And yep, Charlotte is phenomenal and she deserves very good things to come her way. Hm, lemme know once your North American trip dates are booked in. I’ll be crossing my fingers for star-alignment and unobnoxiously scribbling in the meantime.
My Country Music knowledge might be shamefully poor but I do have a fondness for Porter Wagoner – The Rubber Room and Dolly Parton – Jolene slowed down to 33.
Been enjoying my first ever audiobook. Irvine Welsh – Skagboys is what I went for, which is a Trainspotting sequel that comes with the author’s inimitable Scottish speech patterns built in. Kind of a strange way to appreciate literature as it’s not something where anything can be reread. Nor any passages lingered over. The bar-room style of this particular book though seems like a suitable way to get to know the format.
Hey Dennis! Country music is something I’m pretty unknowledgeable about, so this is a good introductory course for me. Thanks to both of you for restoring it!
Hope you enjoy Demian! I ❤️ the way you read books, it’s definitely a really cool philosophy. Oh, and I had a weird book encounter – I found a 20 quid note in a copy of Edward St. Aubyn’s “Never Mind” in a charity shop, which was a nice little bonus.
I also went to go see that animated horror film by Jimmy ScreamerClauz last night – “Where the Dead go to Die?”. Is it one you’ve seen? I’m still trying to disentangle how disturbing I found it from how good it actually was, so I’d be curious to get your opinion. Hope you’re well! See ya!
Oh, and P.S., I can’t remember if someone else here mentioned “Summer Hikaru Died”, but I just finished that and thought it was pretty great. Lots of quite gif-novel ish shots of anime guys expressing complicated emotions.
Hi!!
This is definitely a surprising post to see here, haha.
A special vanilla issue for SCAB – that sounds like an interesting idea. (The upcoming issue, out next Monday, definitely won’t earn that label, haha.)
I’ve received a professional massage once in my life. It was useful but not a particularly pleasurable experience because I don’t like being touched – especially by complete strangers.
Uh, that… doesn’t sound too good. The Chicago screening is on the 17th, right? When are you leaving for the US?
Love passing a parked car that had liquid shit on its front and feeling glad it’s not his – neither the car nor the discharge, Od.
Hi Dennis,
Thank you! I really appreciate it! Sorry I’ve been absent lately, more health issues (blood clots), and in the middle of reading two manuscripts to provide blurbs. Reading mss. to provide blurbs feels like unpaid labor, I really need to learn how to say no.
You had mentioned film work in an earlier comment.. Are you working on a new film? Or is this related to Room Temperature?
big love,
James
Good to see this again, Dennis. Wonder what Chris is up to these days. His social media hasn’t been updated in years. I remember his sly and mysterious video pieces, looks like these are still up on Vimeo.
Sunday’s gig was fun, but not one of our better outings. Probably just a little stressed before going out of town in a few days, but I’ll try to focus on what I’ll be doing once I’m there!
Bill
Hello! What a fun post! This is my favorite country song. Okay see you later, Dennis!ദ്ദി(｡•̀ ,<)~✩‧₊
Hey, pal, how have you been???
Haven’t showed up in the comments in a while but always keep up with the posts on here and now on IG. How has Instagram worked for you?? Scrolling on it at all or just using it to share stuff? Been really stoked to see you on there. So much has happened since we last talked, most importantly my second book coming out here in Brazil. Fun times.
I need to talk to you about something specific, actually, which I really hope you’ll be into. Thought about emailing you but that it could be quicker on here at first. So the editor for this magazine I’m a consistent collaborator for proposed that I interview you for a new issue. He recently got really into your work (The Sluts in particular has been making the rounds in online circles here, and I’ve probably played a part by consistently talking about your work on social media, interviews, etc.) and knew that you and I had a link, how much of a pillar you are to me, etc. so I got the pitch. Pretty sure you’ve never been interviewed for a Brazilian publication, right? So it’d be a huge huge honor to be the first to do it. Talk about books, Room Temperature, etc. Also to spread your word around here, maybe even pave the way for future translations, who knows. I’m sure you might be busy and caught up in other projects, but we could schedule it the best way you see fit. I wouldn’t take too much of your time. I can e-mail the questions, have a quick back-and-forth, or if you’re up for something more comprehensive of course I’d be down too. However you prefer. Tell me how you feel about it. Crossing my fingers.
XO
Minet
Hi Dennis. Printer’s Row Lit Fest was a success in the sense that I spent a bunch of money and have a couple months’ worth of books to read. I picked up a published version of Bruce Wagner’s the marvel universe, which is cool bc I’ve been sitting on that pdf for a while but didn’t know it had been printed, and a book you’d blurbed, The Autodidacts by Thomas Kendall. I also got a lot of stuff from Clash press, which has always treated me well.
In regards to country music, I’ve always been more interested in the faker bro-country stuff than the “real country” music. Maybe because I grew up around suburban kids trying to act country, but as an adult I’m more drawn to the fake stuff. It’s more of an anthropological interest than an enjoyment, I guess. I do like the folkier sides of Real Country, though. Does country music interest you at all? I’m trying to imagine a possible French country scene, like how every nation has rap music now, and I’m having a hard time seeing that.
Hey Dennis,
This feels like a great post for me! It’s strange as country is primarily an American genre in terms of what is considered country, but folk and trad music of Ireland aligns so closely, that there is sometimes a crossover. I always see people online talk about how they love ‘all music except country’ which to me is such a tired trope; people say it in the same way people say they hate the word ‘moist’ or love bacon or whatever thing is a valid opinion to have. I know that in the 21st century country had such a conservative leaning, especially post 9/11, so i get that a lot of Americans associate it with that, but I think that I just love the story telling and earnestness that comes from it. Even a lot of Irish rock has such a twang to it; my friends’ are in a band that are doing very well for themselves (opening for Kneecap, Fontaines DC, Kings of Leon, about to embark on a US tour, they have a song in one of the new Skate games — they’re real up and coming) and whilst they wouldn’t consider themselves country, they have such an Irish trad sound to them, with one of the lads playing an accordion, and a few of them hosting this weekly trad night in a bar.
I’m a big fan of a lot of those 60s/70s country pop ballads like The End of The World by Skeeter Davis, Stand By Your Man and D-I-V-O-R-C-E by Tammy Wynette, I Fall To Pieces by Patsy Cline, You Ain’t Woman Enough and Coal Miner’s Daughter by Loretta Lynn (there’s a very telling throughline of loving country women; probably explains my inclinations towards a certain Taylor haha), Tell Laura I Love Her by Ricky Valance, Everybody’s Talkin and Without You by Harry Nilsson… something about the wistful drama and tragedy of those tracks I just am obsessed with!! I also do like some later country, though most of that is primarily women, and primarily country fused with folk, rock, or pop. The likes of Kacey Musgraves, First Aid Kits, Waxahatchee, Ethel Cain in certain songs, CMAT (Irish artist), Big Thief (and by extension Adrianne Lenker), Casssandra Jenkins, Geese, MJ Lenderman.
I think that the rise of country in the mainstream is very interesting as whilst most of the big hitmakers are either MAGA or Maga-adjacent/quiet enough to not shake the waters, there is also such a large undercurrent of interesting country artists or politically-charged country makers. Even last night Sabrina Carpenter turned her performance at the VMAs into a platform to champion and support trans women (albeit the song was not so much country as it was funk, but the album is full of country pop), or Chappell Roan making a country pop song about eating pussy, or even someone like Orville Peck who makes country music that are about men (not the biggest fan of his music but I respect being a gay man not compromising your lyrics for a wider audience).
I’m not the biggest fan of the big country songs of 2025, though I’m not the biggest fan of the pop or hiphop that is also charting, which is to do with how streaming has messed up how the billboard charts work / billboard hasn’t adapted to streaming properly, and is allowing songs to chart in the top 10 for over a year.
And yeah definitely link back to them; it’s funny you mention the Shirelles because a lot of their songs (most importantly Will You Love Me Tomorrow) were written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, and Joni in her strange ways once said that Carole was one of the only women in music she respected, and was an influence on her. Joni herself wrote a lot of songs that were made famous by Judy Collins, Tom Rush, Buffy Sainte-Marie. But yeah I mostly stopped with Joni as I don’t have the intricate knowledge (yet) on the 60s and prior in pop music. I do find it fascinating that at some point it became this idea that pop singers HAD to be lyricists, I think it must be something to do with this strive for ‘authenticity’, but what happens instead is singers take credit for stuff they didnt write for the ‘lore’ and ‘worldbuilding’ they try to portray, like this random Max Martin penned track is a direct account of their last PR relationship. I’m sure Taylor can be faulted to some degree, but I think it probably starts with the 90s and was seeping into pop music until the rise of social media and pop singers now needing to be writers, influencers, political activists, spokespeople, and above all ‘real’… sometimes someone’s talent is their vocal abilities and that’s fine!! And you’re right about most pop stars not even actually writing the melodies, which is funny as that tends to be disregarded or forgotten in that whole conversation about authenticity, despite the fact the art medium is music, not literature! In some ways that’s another reason I became obsessed with pop culture and pop music: being able to hear about the 3 or 4 people behind the scenes who were basically curating the sound of a summer…
Anyway, sorry for this whole ramble, I wrote most of this whilst having some weird anxiety attack that caused me to leave lunch with my family and walk back home, with these paragraphs being used to quell whatever caffeine-induced panic I was in.
Hi! I’m good, how are you?
I guess my book is getting published pretty soon, like, next month or the month after. I’m sending out advance copies and stuff. Going to get interviewed. Wow. I’ve been doing readings so much more too, and I’ve actually started to like it. All of that is exciting, basically, and that’s it.
Right now I’m reading Mumbo Jumbo, by Ishmael Reed. Pretty great, have you read it? I kind of like quirky stuff, I think. And lately I’ve liked stuff that’s really preachy.
*Poof* Haha I think as im pulling into 30 my body is demanding I begin cooperating with it instead of just using it so I will absolutely take your advice! It actually took me some extra days and lots of extra resting time to feel fully restored but I’ve finally recovered probably and I’m spending today at the really nice local library. I already worked on some stuff(reading and highlighting the CIA gateway analysis the first 10 pages its pretty dense) and I made a mini vlog in my sudo HRH Collection style now I’m getting on top of my comment instead of waiting till I’m laying down about to pass out in bed! Whats been up and what was dinner and do you ever order in? But you don’t have a smart phone so not like ubereats obviously thou you can order online too. I lugged my heavy af Alan Moore magic book with me so i should def dive in a read some before I hit the road so I’ll do that ttylxoxo brb!
Such a great post!
Yep, this is indeed just about the last thing I’d expect to grace your blog. Which just makes DC’s even cooler—the constant surprise factor. I like country when it gets real down & dirty, the misfit/redneck territory (which is rarely done with much style or soul), or ideally when it brushes up against the blues. My Duende Day, by the way,is chock-full of blues.
Terry Reid was on my road trip playlist, but only “Seed of Memory”, a great road song. Townes Van Zandt is an interesting case. Loved him in my 20s, but upon revisiting his work fairly recently found it insufferably turgid & morose. I remember the ex-wife telling me to turn that depressing shit off—in his case she was right.
Re. fools booing Bresson: what can you do, festival crowds love to feel self-important & “involved” & I guess the razor-sharp honesty of “L’Argent” pissed them off. What’s remarkable is that Bresson still got that kind of punk reaction in his 80s. But yeah, measuring the length of standing ovations & who booed what is what gives festivals a bad rep sometimes.
Hey Dennis
I wasn’t gonna comment today cuz work tired me out + you have a ton of comments already, but I wanted to ask, who’s the kid on the cover of “Tiger Beat”? Your first collection. Idk it seemed like an odd photo for a cover.
Also, I bought a book from Ssnake press, and also sent my book to them. Thank you highlighting them, they seem really cool.
Have a good one, great week and all.
Do let me know if you can what you thought of ‘La Tour de glace’ if you ended up seeing it. I’m curious .
I’d love to talk sometime, yeah. I don’t see myself in Paris anytime soon unless I somehow come by the time and money in an unexpected moment. I haven’t been since I was a kid and there’s all of these things I want to check out, so it’s at the top of places I want to visit. But if you’re ever in London let me know.
‘Chimera’ is on my radar, definitely. ‘Giles Goat-Boy’ is of its time for sure, but not in a way that’s to its detriment. More in a way that demonstrates the best of what anyone who was anyone was reading in the U.S.. I remember you said at one point that there was a time when it was considered cool or trendy to be seen reading Barth, which is interesting. To me at least, in English speaking countries today the authors considered trendy to have under your arm are not remotely in the same ball park. I guess Grove press and New Directions etc. made experimental literature widespread at a certain point, but there’s no major publisher streamlining that to people anymore.
I do actually have a soft spot for some country, albeit limited to 60s female crooners like Tammy Wynette and Patsy Cline. And Dolly of course. I also like some nineties alt rock that has a country twang, Silver Jews for example. But then that trend degenerated to the hell of early 2000s twee with Mumford and Sons and so on.
These days there’s a weird trend of mediocre white rappers starting making country when their careers are even slightly dipping. It’s bizarre.
I listened to Elvis last week I think he’s country or something. Country does hold a weirdly undetachable sense of sentimentality, as someone who grew up listening to James Taylor and Dolly Parton as a toddler in Florida and then small town south.
Oh Vegas was nice. I’m very exhausted and upset with myself for losing my wallet but I’ll try not to stress over it. I am anticipating Halloween. When do you go to Canada? Good luck going to Chicago which apparently is at threat of being taken over in such a fascist way.
A uncomfortable though occurred me and I can’t escape it. Huh, oh well! Oh what are your thoughts on the eraserhead baby? The one I sent with me holding it I think, it feels ages ago I can’t remember. One of my bosses at work is veryyy goth and she is so pretty! I hope she doesn’t move because it’s inspiring seeing a Old Navy assistant manager being a goth.
Made more patches and I want to make a Halloween themed hoodie or maybe an interview with a vampire themed one! I wish I wasn’t so overwhelmed all the time and maybe it’s because art and writing feels less like a passion and more survival as I know the alternative things I could fixate on drive me crazy in the back of my head so much so I feel like writing and art is something maybe I don’t even care for and rather use it as distraction. Like an Imposter. I constantly think of doing other things to myself while drawing or writing whereas actual artists/writers focus and care 100% on what they are currently doing.
I might redye my hair black it’s that time of the season. Anticipating the first Halloween animatronic blog post of yours this year 😉
Ayyy a country music post! I don’t exactly have an encyclopedic knowledge of country but I do listen to a limited range of it quite a bit. It’s the primary genre listened to by the people I grew up around, especially the men, who pretty much only listen to country and classic rock, haha. Sunday Morning Coming Down is absolutely one of my favorite songs, glad to see that one on here. Country is definitely a song-based genre for me, not a lot of albums I listen to all the way through but definitely many songs I return to all the time. Love Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and such. I am mostly out of the loop on current-day country music but I do love Jason Isbell and (fellow Mississippian) Jason Eady. I also love Robbie Fulks’ songwriting and he just put out a new album, but I haven’t gotten around to listening to it so idk if it’s any good. He actually had an album produced by Steve Albini in the 90s lol.
I think I told you last year about seeing the Drive By Truckers perform Southern Rock Opera live, and I still think about that show all the time. It was Father’s Day and the entire audience seemed to be middle aged dads and their 22 year old sons, drinking beer and wearing baseball caps and listening to the DBTs. I think the room collectively achieved Peak Dad.
Re: Geoffrey Hill (it’s been a few days since I commented), come to think of it he may not be your thing, concerned as he is with Christian philosophy and mysticism, but he’s still worth giving a shot because he’s awesome.
Interesting choice for a Day to revive! I haven’t listened to much country released in the last few years, but Sturgill Simpson’s 2024 album (under the name Johnny Blue Skies) was a nice psychedelic/jam band version of the genre. I tend to think of country as a regional music from the American south, but when I’ve traveled in Canada, I’ve been surprised how much I’ve heard it there.
I’m desperate for allergy season to end. The pollen is gone from our streets, but I don’t feel any better.
That “Chipocalypse Now” meme is horrifying. I hope the city’s safe while you’re there. At the risk of being a doomer, I expect something similar to happen to New York before the November election.
I don’t think most people would guess this about me, but I actually really love a lot of old country music. Some of my favorites are on this list. Marianne Faithfull has a country album from the 70s called Dreaming My Dreams, which I’ve been obsessed with as of late. Yeah, people not wanting to deal with what they don’t understand is a problem I’ve noticed with people who go to my school. It’s funny to think that Peter Sotos also went here. Speaking of Chicago, I’m also very worried about Trump’s military takeover. I’m hoping they’re just more empty threats and that the judge blocking his order in California will stop him from sending the national guard here. But I have faith that the people here would fight back, and I’d gladly join them.
I do quite like older country music, but I really have to be in the right mood for it. I think this post is actually quite DCs like in its (small c) catholicity. It would be odd not to find country music on here, in a way. A professor of mine recently wrote a book on social media, and part of her recommendation is going back to spaces like this, although I think the blog would terrify her. Odd few days where I’m realising that many people are incredulous about the idea of a principled life and that it may be a quaint phrase alongside things like a good death or an austere upbringing. How to convince people not to apply cultural baggage/their insecurities to you: the perennial problem.