  doing my part to boost the economy Between my Oscar picks, my attempts at political commentary and my random observations concerning the new Joe Jackson CD, Ive failed to mention that Ive made some pretty nice CD/DVD purchases over the last few days. Even though I work at urlLink Borders and am able to take advantage of their generous employee discount program, I like to stop into urlLink Newbury Comics every once in a while, since they have a nice selection of used and import discs (Borders has no used discs, and our selection of imports is laughable). So Friday after work I wandered into our competition and began searching for something cheap I might want to buy. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they had a copy of urlLink Mike Keneally's excellent Wooden Smoke. I already own it (the two-disc special edition, that is), but its always nice to experience that rare treat of seeing Mikes music in stores.
After much indecision, I ended up getting the Afghan Whigs urlLink "Black Love. " It wasnt used and its not an import, but Im never able to find that title in Borders. Plus, it was only $11.99. I remember reading a lengthy magazine article about the Whigs in March 1996, the day I moved to Italy (I in fact read it on a bus from Rome to Naples, if you must know). A few days later, I bought their acclaimed 1993 release "Gentlemen," which took a long time to click with me, but when it did, it really did (their mostly-covers EP urlLink "Uptown Avondale" is nice, too).
I once described them as grunge and debauchery meet in a sleazy nightclub, but after hearing Black Love, I think a better description would be Nine Inch Nails as a bar band. Lead singer and songwriter Greg Dullis Tortured Sexual Persona bit gets a little tiresome once in a while, but its fun in a way that cheesy horror movies are fun.
And the music is great  evil, dark and funky all at the same time. I havent owned Black Love long enough to be able to compare it to Gentlemen, but so far, initial impressions are strong. Saturday afternoon (on my way to meeting Liza and Ilsa at the Museum of Science), I got my Newbury Fix once again and grabbed a used copy of Nick Drakes urlLink "Five Leaves Left" for $6.99. Another Wooden Smoke reference  I was listening to this amazing disc last week and was thinking that a lot of it reminded me of what I imagined Nick Drake would sound like. I never really heard his stuff before, but I was told he was sort of a brooding British folkie. He made three albums before dying in from a drug overdose in 1974 at age 26. I havent heard Five Leaves Left in its entirety just yet, but what Ive heard so far is really beautiful.
Yesterday, Francois Truffauts urlLink "Day For Night" was finally released on DVD (for $14.99! ) so I grabbed it but havent had the chance to watch it yet. There are tons of great extra features on the DVD. Ive only seen two Truffaut films so far (The 400 Blows, which I own, and Love on the Run) and I think he was a really amazing filmmaker.
Very humane and emotional without being sappy. Next month, his four Antoine Doinel films will be released by Criterion in a urlLink wonderful box set. I think I might just have to drop some money on that. I planned on getting the urlLink Three Colors Trilogy this week as well, but we sold out at an alarming rate and havent gotten any more in yet (I think my current obsession with French films is my way of combating the whole France-bashing thing). Today is my brother Garys birthday. Wish him a happy one. 
