Who Will Survive After LIstening to the ENTIRE Cure Discography?

Ben Towle, that's who. Artist extraordinaire and all-around swell guy who took some time out of packed schedule of drawing funny books to listen to the ENTIRE discography by The Cure. Now, most of you may or may not know that The Cure is one of my favorite bands. I have had a man-crush on Robert Smith since he captured my crippled teenage heart back in 1992. But, listening to their entire discography is no easy feat, as evidenced by Mr. Towle's post on the subject. (Click the image below, too, for a link.)

Coincidentally, I was planning on performing this very same exercise, but got stuck once I hit the dark majesty of their album, Pornography. Not to take over Mr. Towle's idea (who really is a swell guy, I must say), but I will be performing this listening feat in the near future with The Cure, and then, likely, say U2. Or R.E.M. Or Neil Young. Or Fugazi. Doesn't that sound like fun?! Yeah, I thought so.

 

Robert Smith didn't quite nail that Walking Dead audition.

You are a Target: The Daily You

New book review up at PopMatters. Thanks for reading.

(The Daily You: How the New Advertising Industry Is Defining Your Identity and Your Worth, Joseph Turow, 2012)

Somebody Give Billy Corgan a Trophy (For Real)

I am only a little more than halfway through this interview with Billy Corgan, but already I can unequivocally say that he deserves a trophy for telling it like it is. We've shunned so many people in favor of codified "cool" that it no longer pays for an artist to create new work any longer. Or, as Corgan puts it:

But isn’t it funny how alternative culture likes to turn its back on those they don’t consider attractive. There is a narcissistic subtext to alternative culture that runs through its veins. Why do most people turn to alternative culture? Because they grow up in a family system or community system that doesn’t recognize their specialness or sensitivity or uniqueness, and they find that there are voices in the alternative community that represent them — whether they’re gay or lesbian or the pretty, overweight goth girl, or the outcast or whatever. They look at alternative culture and they say, “That’s the land of lost toys, there’s the place for me.” And we’ve seen this thing happen over the last 25 years — afforded by the Internet — where that narcissistic streak has become a business model.

Go read the rest at Stereogum at this link. Props all around for a great interview. 

Oh, and Oceania is really fucking good, too.

(Update: Just finished reading the rest of it. It did not disappoint. Especially when Corgan takes Stephen Malkmus to task for going on a "money run.")

Welcome back, Professor

Hi there.  Did you miss me?  I missed you. I went away for a few years, but now I'm back. Aw, baby, don't be like that. I've tried all the other girls. I had a little relationship with WordPress and LiveJournal. I still have a Tumblr on the side. But I'm ready to give it a go again with you, Blogger. You look all sexy now. Have you lost weight? Yeah, I thought so. Come on, baby. Don't be mad at me. I promise I'll only post on you now. You're the only one for me. See? I'll even put my latest review from Stereo Subversion up here. It's for XXL, Dude. That's the Xiu Xiu and Larsen collab. Just click the album cover below. All better? I love you. 

XXL, Dude (Tin Angel Records, 2012)