Official Folklife Q&A is Trampled by Turtles

Official Folklife Q&A is Trampled by Turtles

I live everywhere now

Men is a Brooklyn band that, like everyone promoted by Indichik's friends at Arthur, are a lot psychadelic. Plus, Joshua Tree? My gosh?
OFF OUR BACKS by MEN

Margaret Atwood Twitter contest

Margaret Atwood herself posted this press release on her blog today. Instead of wasting time grousing about "what-has-the-world-come-to" I'm going to get busy tweeting. I suggest you do too, because the prize is unbeatable: MA's entire Virago back catalog, which are gorgeous.

Virago/ The Year of the Flood Twitter competition – announced 19^th July. Opens 29^th July

Margaret Atwood has one of the largest literary Twitter followings with 66,718 followers to date. To celebrate her Twitterati and the publication of the Virago edition of The Year of the Flood, Virago are delighted to announce the ‘Publisher for a day’ Twitter competition.

The competition – be Publisher for a day…

Margaret Atwood considered five titles for The Year of the Flood before choosing ‘The Year of the Flood.’ You: Propose a different but appropriate title. Then write an imaginary back cover quote — from a newspaper, from a celebrity, from one of your friends, from your cat — it’s wide open! Word limit: 140 characters each for title and for quote. (Like Twitter!). Then email your entry to the Virago website.

What to do…

The competition opens 29^th July. On this date, head to http://www.virago.net where there will be a special page for the competition as well as the original cover blurb. The competition closes on 12^th August.

The prize…

Virago will then decide the winner and the runner ups. The cleverest tweeter will win £100. The second and third prize winners will receive copies of Margaret Atwood’s backlist with the new Virago jackets. Honourable mentions, as well as the winning three, will be posted on the Virago website and shared via Twitter.

For further information please contact Zoё Hood, Virago, 020 7911 8070, zoe.hood@littlebrown.co.uk

I'm probably the least qualified person in this lineup

Vol. 1 Brooklyn’s Birthday Party: The Greatest 3-Minute Record Reviews Ever

Vol. 1 Brooklyn Presents

The Greatest 3-Minute Record Reviews Ever

With special musical guests: Xray Eyeballs

Aaron Lefkove (LiveFastDie/Creator: Summer of Megadeath)
Adam Wilson (The Faster Times)
Andrea Bartz (Stuff Hipsters Hate)
Ben Greenman (The New Yorker, new book called What He’s Poised to Do)
Bill Pearis (Sound Bites NYC/Brooklyn Vegan)
Brenna Ehrlich (Mashable/Stuff Hipsters Hate)
Brandon Stosuy (Stereogum/The Believer) Canceled/had a baby/mazel tov!
Claire Shefchik (The Faster Times)
Emma Straub (Author)
Jared Bloom (The Full Ginsburg)
Jason Diamond (Vol. 1 Brooklyn)
Jason Orlovich (Brooklyn the Borough)
James Yeh (Gigantic Mag)
Jed Smith (My Teenage Stride)
Jens Carstensen (Limewire/The Giraffes)
Jeremy Krinsley (Impose)
Jesse Hlebo (Swill Children)
Maggie Serota (New York Press)
Maris Kreizman (Slaughterhouse 90210)
Marisa Meltzer (Author of Girl Power: 90′s Revolution in Music)
Marty Beckerman (Online features editor at Esquire/author)
Maura Johnston (The Awl)
Rob Tannenbaum (Playboy Magazine/Rolling Stone)
Sara Jaffe (Writer/musician)
Scott Lindenbaum (Electric Literature)
Tobias Carroll (The Scowl/Vol. 1 Brooklyn)
Zachary Lipez (Freshkills/Author of “Please Take Me off the Guest List”)

At: Bar Matchless – 557 Manhattan Ave. Greenpoint, Brooklyn

7 PM, no cover

Reunited

Not only is author Eric Davidson an accomplished music journalist who's written for CMJ and the Voice, he is, in fact, a member of the legendary New Bomb Turks, who are reuniting tonight at the Bell House for one night only to celebrate the release of We Never Learn, Davidson's firsthand account of the punk underground of the '80s and '90s. So you get to see him read and play. And if that's not enough, I'll be selling the book, so you can keep me company. There's nobody lonelier than the merch girl during a good show. And wait, what's this about gourmet barbecue?

If he can't catch it, nobody can

So the good old boys at Underwater Peoples' records, they of all of your favorite vaguely folksy indie rock acts -- Real Estate, Woods, Islands, etc. etc. are planning some epic hootenanny up in the mountains this July 24 featuring all those bands and more, but they need your pledge or it won't happen. I'm broke so I can't help, obviously, but maybe you can make this happen. This event is all but guaranteed to feature flannel shirts and beards galore-- how could you say no?



Also, I don't have a car and have no idea where Saratoga Springs is, but if I'm really lucky, maybe I'll be able to hitchhike up there in the Woods Family Van. I'm stoked.

Take the plunge

Friday night, possibly for the only time in history, you'll be able to experience me, Ben Greenman, David Hollander, shipwrecks, burlesque theater pieces, the 19th century maritime painter Thomas Chambers, and the mournful gothic-roots music of Richard McGraw (whose album Burying the Dead is out now on Non-Utopian Records, and whose single "Hurting Heart" is stream-able below), all in one place. Plus more, all in celebration of the wacky and vaguely disturbing, in some cases, objects lurking beneath the waterways of New York.

It's a reading-theatre-music-art blowout at the American Folk Art Museum, and it starts at 5:30. The museum is located at 45 W. 53rd St, between 5th and 6th Avenues. Did I mention that it's free? More information can be found at the official UNY site.

Stream - Richard McGraw - Hurting Heart

We all scream for Japanther

Friend and well-wisher of Indichik Lauren Cerand, a leader and pioneer in literary publicity (think Roxana Robinson and Diana Balmori), is branching out into punk rock, and we here couldn't be more excited about it. Her first project is the latest album from Brooklyn tongue-in-cheek punks Japanther (who were, appropriately enough, one of the first genuine DIY shows I ever saw, shortly after moving to New York). And I'm not just saying this to make Lauren happy, those of you (like me) who have recently been disenchanted by a music scene increasingly full of bland indie poseurs doing more of the same nondescript, overly-mannered electronic shit. This is one of those rare albums you always sort of assumed existed ever since sometime in 1981, but it wasn't until you actually heard it that you realized that it didn't, until now. Please take a minute to get yourself excited about music again by checking out the Mp3 of "Alone in the Basement" below, then go live it up at the Mercury Lounge tomorrow night. I'll see you there.
Mp3 - Japanther - Alone in the Basement

What's the deal? Your weekly Publisher's Lunch deal snark (Beloved Childhood Series Edition)

Publisher's Lunch says: Francine Pascal's SWEET VALLEY CONFIDENTIAL, following her iconic identical blonde twins and full cast of characters into adulthood, now in their late twenties and early thirties, "where the real world intrudes," to Dan Weiss at St. Martin's (who created the original series with Pascal when he was a book packager), with Hilary Rubin Teeman editing, for publication in early 2011.

Indichik says: In a departure from my usual attitudes about PM deals, I'm kind of genuinely excited about this. I wasn't a big Sweet Valley girl (meaning I probably only read about 10 of the 8000 books in the series), but this fills me with joy if only because I love that no attempt whatsoever is being made to market this to children. I hope it's the beginning of a very successful trend

In fact, Ann M. Martin, god bless her, is already getting in on the act by reissuing the first Baby-Sitters Club book as a semi-ironic graphic novel that will deliberately not update the circa-1983 story, and that's a good start. But please consider going a step further. We as a generation need to know whether Mary Anne married Logan, whether Claudia ever learned to spell, and whether Jessi and Mallory finally embraced the love that dare not speak its name.

R.L. Stein? K.A. Applegate? Donald J. Sobol? Kathryn Kenny? David A. Adler? Judy Delton? Anybody else want to get in on this?

RAAWART Presents Click

On February 24, RAAWART gallery presents an new exhibition of edgy photography and an afterparty at Juliet in SoHo: Click is so chic.

We all miss our loved ones and gases

Get a breath of fresh air by checking my review of Diary of An Oxygen Thief and its very mysterious anonymous author in the books section of The Faster Times, a new-ish online-newspaper site that I love because it's full of fresh-faced young go-getters like myself (see for yourself, our pictures are right on there) and covers things that people actually want to read about. Take that, Panorama.

Mardi Gras Madness

We heart Hank & Cupcakes here at Indichik, and we especially heart the chance to see their new video for "Pleasure Town" FREE at Brooklyn Bowl.
On Friday, there's also this, which seems like it might be huge and unfortunately is not free, but that you can RSVP for ahead of time to get reduced admission:

Also The L Magazine, who I hate to promote because the evidence is mounting that they're all a bunch of misogynistic, self-important dicks, is sponsoring a Mardi Gras parade in Williamsburg tonight followed by a free show from Wavves at Brooklyn Bowl. I have absolutely no clue what Nathan Williams has to do with Mardi Gras and it's snowing, but whatever, it's free, and people will go, especially if there's any chance that the Black Lips will show up, shit could get ugly

Nikki & Rich are big and skinny (and soon to be rich, I'm sure)

Pop-soul is big, and Nikki Leonti is literally the "son of a preacher man" (daughter, whatever) and sings some wicked neo-pop-soul accompanied with Rich Velonski boutique beats. They even sample the Shangri-Las on their first single "Cat and Mouse." You can see them free next Tuesday at the Highline, courtesy of Giant Step, rsvp'ing here.

What's the deal? Your weekly Publisher's Lunch deal snark: New Year's Roundup Edition (plus: Jane Austen Must Die!)

Since I'm just now getting my snark back after the deep freeze, we're going to take a long trip down What's the Deal? lane. You won't miss a thing!

February 2, 2010

Publisher's Lunch says: Jojo Moyes's THE LAST LETTER FROM YOUR LOVER, searching her newspaper's archives for a story, a woman is surprised to discover a letter from 1960, written by a man asking his lover to leave her husband; despite, or perhaps because of her own romantic entanglements with a married man, she can't help but investigate; in 1960 a different woman wakes up in hospital after a car accident; she can't remember anything - her husband, her friends, who she used to be; and then, when she returns home, she uncovers a hidden letter, and begins to remember the lover she was willing to risk everything for, to Pamela Dorman of Pamela Dorman Books, for publication in summer 2011, by Sheila Crowley at Curtis Brown UK (NA).

Indichik says: Seriously, guys? Amnesia? We're talking about a plot point that even the writers for "Days of Our Lives" would dismiss as "too big of a cliche."

Publisher's Lunch says: Cindy Jone's debut I'LL FIND YOU IN MANSFIELD PARK, about a young woman who flies to England to re-enact scenes from Mansfield Park at a Jane Austen Festival and must confront whether she is a protagonist in her own life or merely a secondary character repeating foolish mistakes, to Lucia Macro at Avon, at auction, for publication spring/summer 2011, by Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (NA).

Indichik says: You know, I don't even know what to say about these anymore. I'll continue running them because it's becoming too hilariously awful to resist. But I'm at the point where, if you could see me, I'd just be pulling a John Stewart, by putting up a portrait of Jane Austen in the upper corner of the screen and making a face.

Also: the long-awaited(?) Tucker Max sequel.

January 20, 2010

Publisher's Lunch says: Bloggers and journalists Andrea Bartz and Brenna Ehrlich's STUFF HIPSTERS HATE, based on their popular Tumblr site, an anthropological guide to the buzzed-about subculture, featuring analysis of the mating habits, habitat, theology, grooming practices and preferred entertainment of the modern-day hipster, with helpful graphs and charts to understand the elusive character of the trendy beast, to Kelly Reed at Ulysses Press, for publication in Fall 2010, by Jason Allen Ashlock at Movable Type Literary Group.

Indichik says: The people writing this are not hipsters. The people who will read this (if any) are not hipsters. Where are the hipsters? Tsk. You have to ask?

Publisher's Lunch says: Laura Spinella's BEAUTIFUL DISASTER, in which a sheltered college girl's life is forever altered by the motorcycle-riding stranger who blows into town followed by a trail of secrets, to Leis Pederson at Berkley, by Susan Ginsburg at Writers House.

Indichik says: Motorcycle-riding strangers ceased to be edgy around oh, 1956 or so, so for her sake, I'm really hoping Spinella has something else up her sleeve.

And finally, going back even another week, to January 12, 2010 and making this a true New Year's Roundup:

Publisher's Lunch says: Founder of www.myparentswereawesome.tumblr.com Eliot Glazer's MY PARENTS WERE AWESOME, an anthology of humorous and endearing writings from children about their parents -- before the fanny packs and Andrea Bocelli concerts -- when they were fashion-forward and super awesome, to Ryan Doherty at Villard, by Hannah Brown Gordon at Foundry Literary + Media (NA).

Indichik says: Blog books. Feh. But more relevantly -- seriously. If your parents really were awesome, why would you need to go on the Internet to share that fact? And run the risk finding out that somebody out there has parents that were even cooler than yours? Seems foolish, personally.


P.S. Apparently, the Y2K bug hit Publisher's Marketplace after all, albeit 10 years late. Today's blast was dated February 2, 1900. Here's to a capital 20th century, good sirs.

Sunday: We're all fans

Watch the Grammys on The Hill courtesy of my friends at ChiChi212, and see if the Academy throws a nod in the direction of indie rock by awarding Best New Artist to the Silversun Pickups. Not bloody likely.

Thursday: Release party for Haiti

Send help to Haiti, drink Colt 45, and check out my feature article on The xx. You can't ask for more in a night, right?

Tuesday: Mad tatts at Cameo, courtesy of Brooklyn Royalty

We just have to keep the memoir debate going until I finish mine

I'm devastated to have missed Ben Yagoda, author of Memoir: A History on Wednesday at Freerange Nonfiction Reading Series (see previous post) but on Poor Your Soul, Freerange proprietor Mira has a breakdown on the lecture he gave, in which he assigns and subtract points to various memoirs for criteria like "Dialogue" and "Rips on People", revealing that St. Augustine is currently beating Sarah Palin by around 40 points (surprisingly?) He also sets out to explain the insatiable current hunger we as a society have for "true stories" (translation: "untrue stories"). It's worth reading.

Northern Sky

So Flavorpill has "The Ultimate Hipster Reading List," which is, yes, about as obnoxious as it sounds. It's a list about of dozen white male writers you have heard of (Keith Gessen, Nick Flynn, et al. plus Miranda July thrown in for color) recommending about 50 white male writers you haven't heard of. I don't know whether FP thinks that there are actually people out there who will take these recommendations seriously, or whether it's all some elaborate, ironic joke. I'm not sure FP themselves want to know. The truth would probably horrify them, at any rate.

Oh, and also I'm in the frozen north right now, and have been for weeks, and will be for another week. All of my NYC information is coming from Facebook, mailing lists, and press releases, and I don't go anywhere. Which means that on Sunday I will unfortunately be missing the Improv Everywhere No Pants Subway Ride, so if you do go, make sure to take off an extra pair of pants for me. (Also, for my peace of mind when I come back, please don't tell me which train these people were on. I already don't like to think about who's occupied those hard plastic seats before me).