And Now For Something Completely Different

I watched a documentary about Monty Python today as well as half of that Ken Burns' thingy about Tom Jefferson. For such an interesting topic, it was pretty boring. Maybe it was my state of mind - I dunno. But I got tired to looking at shots of the empty rooms at Monticello while someone narrated. Burns is so fucking generic. I can't help it if I watch documentaries and keep asking myself how Errol Morris would have done it. I'm hoping that Burnsies' ditty on the history of jazz is better.

I'm listening to some songs from a Phil Collins bootleg from 1985 in Dallas. Now, for as horrible as his recent albums have been, he still has some great tunes to his credit. And I will always submit that Face Value is a killer album. In fact, I'm listening to a song from it right now - "Hand in Hand". That pseudo-suite on side A is, perhaps, his brightest moment as a solo artist. You start with the maudlin "The Roof is Leaking" with a lonely banjo and ragged voice. This segues into "Droned" which is percussion and, well, droning. Then add a little vocal improvising. Finally, the listener gets to "Hand in Hand", an instrumental. It's melancholy in parts and tentatively uplifting in others. Face Value closes with a great cover of "Tomorrow Never Knows" by The Beatles. Probably the first and only time psychedelia was to come from the Genesis camp.

Much to do. Still 3 CDs to review, a book to finish, DVDs to watch. Pete and I are going to see BR549 tomorrow night. Then I'm going out to dinner with him and his family Saturday in belated celebration of his birthday.

Fall is coming. Must get comforter out of closet...