THE BAUDELAIRE FRACTAL

The Baudelaire Fractal is promoted as the first novel by poet Lisa Robertson. But this "novel" is just as genre-bending as much of Robertson's prior work in poetry, essays, and creative non-fiction.

It's a coming of age novel. It's a "portrait of the artist as a young woman." It's a selected biography of Charles Baudelaire. It's a sci-fi/fantasy novel. It's an ekphrastic exploration of various paintings made by contemporaries of Baudelaire, many of those paintings of Baudelaire himself, his partner Jeanne Duval, or others in their various circles of friends. It's an examination of some of the influences on Baudelaire, such as Edgar Allan Poe. And, ultimately, it isn't really about Baudelaire at all, but rather the fictional character Hazel Brown, who feels as though a stand-in at times for Lisa Robertson. So, perhaps it's also a thinly veiled autobiography in some sense.

I also know that it was a fantastic and welcome read. I found myself slowing down and savoring the text. I read deliberately and methodically. I used the internet to search for the many paintings referenced in the book, in order that I could connect the words on the page with the paint on the canvases.

SPLID

The splendid creature that is Splid: Special Edition by Kvelertak.

Pictured, clockwise from upper left: black vinyl A/B; cover of the special edition; white vinyl C/D; gatefold inside "cover" of the regular edition.

—

My second album purchase since obtaining the new turntable is the fourth album by Kvelertak. This Norwegian heavy metal band continues to grow into their fusion of rock, punk, thrash, and black metal. With a new vocalist and new drummer joining their bassist and three (!) guitarists, it is good to hear that they've lost none of their bite. In fact, I think this may be their strongest album.

Similar to their first album, there are a couple of guest vocalists. Troy Sanders of Mastodon sings on "Crack of Doom" and Nate Newton of Converge sings on "Discord." Ivar Nikolaisen, who was a guest vocalist on 2010's Kvelertak, is the new front man for the band and does an amazing job taking over after the departure of Erlend Hjelvik. (Something that many fans thought could not happen!)

After a couple of initial listens, my favorite tracks are pulsing gut-puncher "Bråtebrann" and, for its shifts in tone and tempo, "Fanden ta Detta Hull!"

—

The album artwork by Marald van Haasteren, which is a strange "organic" combination of various repetitive animal parts that borders on the cancerous; the multiple gatefolds; and the colored vinyl all add to the craziness that this album contains.

10:20

After being without a turntable for approximately eighteen years, I fixed that problem.

The first few days with the new turntable were spent listening to old albums. The Lords of the New Church. Still Falling. Devo. Depeche Mode. Motörhead. Run DMC. Black Flag.

The first vinyl album I bought in twenty-four years was 10:20 by Wire.

—

10:20 is a beautiful piece of art.

It was originally intended as a Record Store Day release, but then a global pandemic got in the way. The band decided to release it as a "regular" album rather than a limited edition RSD offering.

Side one (10) consists of four tracks recorded in 2010 with then new guitarist Matthew Simms and touring guitarist Margaret Fiedler McGinnis. 

Side two (20) consists of four tracks recorded in 2020. 

All of the tracks are studio versions of favorite live tracks of the band members. Reimaginings of reimaginings.

—

10

Track 1 > "Boiling Boy"
Originally appearing on A Bell Is a Cup...Until It Is Struck (1988) the tempo of this track is faster here. Robert Gotobed's metronomic drumming on cymbals for the first half, joined later by snares, as well as the bass line really propel this song. Gritty guitar noodling in the latter half replaces vocals for a wonderful mirroring effect.

Track 2 > "German Shepherds"
This is my favorite version of "German Shepherds," which had its first proper album appearance on It's Beginning to and Back Again (1989). I'm in love with the interplay of voices between Colin and Margaret.

Track 3 > "He Knows"
One of Wire's "quieter" tracks, the lyrics are so surreal that I'm not quite sure what's going on. And that's okay, because Colin's delivery over the ever-increasing-in-volume instrumentation, until it mostly drops out into some beautiful sound washes and shifts to Graham's voice leave us, as they sing over and over, "hypnotized."

Track 4 > "Underwater Experiences"
The most punk-leaning track of the album, this is a bit more discordant than the first recording as found on live album Document and Eyewitness (1981).

— 

20

Track 5 > "The Art of Persistence"
A "soft" and lilting pop track that could have easily found its way onto Mind Hive (2020), this is the first proper recording of it, with the exception of it's "demo" appearance on the rare The Third Day EP which was only sold at one particular tour.

Track 6 > "Small Black Reptile"
The original track appeared on Manscape (1990) in a "squishy" and slow mechanical rendering. With this reinvention of the song, Wire have managed to humanize it and make it more relatable and accessible.

Track 7 > "Wolf Collides"
This is the first appearance of "Wolf Collides." Once again, this feels like something akin to tracks on either Silver/Lead (2017) or Mind Hive (2020). It's a pop tune that has enough meddling with minor chords to pull us in and then push us back. And I'm okay with that ebb and flow of music and lyrics. It's a really beautiful track.

Track 8 > "Over Theirs"
There is a drone that anchors this track, credited to guitarist Matthew Simms. It reminds me a bit of the guitar squall that Helmet guitarist Page Hamilton created for the Wire track "All Fours" on Object 47 (2008). It originally appeared on The Ideal Copy (1987) and then in a fairly similar version on IBTABA (1989). There's an extra tinge of paranoia in this new version. They also play it at a much slower tempo. I like it a lot!

MONTH

And just like that a month passes.