In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that is in some way relevant to their recently published books.

In her own words, here is Giada De Laurentiis's Book Notes essay for her memoir, Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites

When I made my earliest appearances on the Food Network, there were plenty of well-established authorities who already had made their mark on the culinary landscape. I wondered at first what on earth could I bring to the table. Where would I fit in? What new message did I have to share? When I thought about my roots, though, the way my family has always cooked, and the places and people whose food continues to inspire me today, the recipes and ideas began to come. And haven’t stopped since.

In keeping with Largehearted Boy’s invitation to take part in this feature, here is a little food and music pairing with some of the recipes and menus in my new book, Giada’s Kitchen, which comes out today!

Catch up with me on my book tour...

COCKTAIL PARTY

Apple and Thyme Martini: "Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra
"…don’t martinis and Frank Sinatra go hand in hand?"
"
Pecorino Crackers: "House of Cards" by Radiohead
"…just love Radiohead’s new album but this is my favorite song!"

Panini w/ Chocolate and Brie: "Sexy Can I" by Ray J
"…because anything w/ Chocolate is sexy!"

Pecorino Romano w/ Apples & Fig Jam: "God Put A Smile On Your Face" by Coldplay
"…because these little crostini’s are soooo yummy that you’ll feel like you’re in heaven."

DINNER PARTY

Fresh Tomato and Goat Cheese Strata w/ Herb Oil: "Say" by John Mayer
"…I hosted a Tiger Woods Charity with John last year and listen to him daily"

Veal Chop: "Crash Into Me" by Dave Matthews
"…nothing says crash into me like a Veal Chop"

Artichoke Grantinata: "Be w/ Out You" by Mary J Blige
"…the crust on top is the best part!!"

Citrus Semifreddo: "ViVa La Vida" by Coldplay
"…this dessert will make you want to live life to the fullest!!"

Giada De Laurentiis and Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites links:

the author's website
the author's social network
the author's book tour
the author's Wikipedia entry
the author's Everyday Italian Food Network show
the book's page at the publisher

ReTorte review

Page Six profile of the author

also at Largehearted Boy:

Previous Book Notes submissions (authors create playlists for their book)
Note Books (musicians discuss literature)
guest book reviews
musician/author interviews
directors and actors discuss their film's soundtracks
52 Books, 52 Weeks (2008 Edition)
52 Books, 52 Weeks (2007 Edition)
52 Books, 52 Weeks (2006 Edition)
52 Books, 52 Weeks (2005 Edition)
52 Books, 52 Weeks (2004 Edition)

tags: books music nonfiction cookbook food giada cooking

MP3 downloads and full album streams from music released this week:

Anberlin: New Surrender
full album stream

Angus & Julia Stone: Just A Boy
full album stream

Ani DiFranco: Red Letter Year
full album stream
"Emancipated Minor" [mp3]

Bayside: Shudder
full album stream

Beaujolais: Love At Thirty
"Friday the Thirteenth: The Loft" [mp3]

Ben Folds: Way to Normal
full album stream

Bleeding Through: Declaration
full album stream

Blood Ceremony: Blood Ceremony
"Children of the Future" [mp3]

Bob Dylan: Tell Tale Signs:The Bootleg Series Vol. 8
full album stream

Capricorns: River, Bear Your Bones
"The Bell Rang Backwards" [mp3]

Dear and the Headlights: Drunk Like the Bible Times
full album stream

Dungen: 4
full album stream
"Sat Att Se" [mp3]

Faith Hill: Joy To The World
full album stream

The Gentle Guest: We Are Bound To Save Some Souls Tonight
"Down at the Still" [mp3]

Grateful Dead: Rocking the Cradle: Egypt 1978
full album stream

Innerpartysystem: Innerpartysystem
full album stream

James Taylor: Covers
full album stream

The Jesus and Mary Chain: The Power of Negative Thinking: B-Sides & Rarities
full album stream

Joseph Arthur & the Lonely Astronauts: Temporary People
full album stream

Koushik: Out the Window
"Lying in the Sun2" [mp3]
"Bright and Shining" [mp3]

La Rocca: Ok Okay
full album stream
"Sing Her Song" [mp3]

Large Professor: Main Source
"The Entrance" [mp3]

Le Switch: And Now...Le Switch
"Pristine" [mp3]
"Give Me Something" [mp3]

Lesley Roy: Unbeautiful
full album stream

Mercury Rev: Snowflake Midnight
full album stream
"Senses on Fire" [mp3]

Nina Simone: To Be Free (4-CD box set)
full album stream

Polysics: We Ate the Machine
full album stream

Populous with Short Stories: Drawn In Basic
full album stream
"Only Hope" [mp3]

Rademacher: Era
"If U Know" [mp3]

Restavrant: Returns to the Tomb of Guiliano Medidici
full album stream
"Joe D" [mp3]

Restiform Bodies: TV Loves You Back
"Bobby Trendy Addendum" [mp3]

Roy Orbison: The Soul of Rock and Roll (4-CD box set)
full album stream

Samuel Markus: New Dawn
"New Dawn" [mp3]

Semi Precious Weapons: We Love You
full album stream

T.I.: Paper Trail
full album stream

Tina Turner: Tina!
full album stream

Todd Rundgren: Arena
full album stream

Tori Amos: Live at Montreux 1991-1992
full album stream

Tusks: Tusks
full album stream

UB40: Greatest Hits
full album stream

Various Artists: Nightmare Revisited
full album stream

Various Artists: Putumayo Kids Presents: Sesame Street Playground
full album stream

Various Artists: Repo! The Genetic Opera
full album stream

The Western States Motel: Painted Birds Flying in the Orange Mirror Sun
"Oh World" [mp3]

Whitley: The Submarine
"A Shot to the Stars" [mp3]

XX Teens: Welcome To Goon Island
"Darlin'" [mp3]

also at Largehearted Boy:

previous Try It Before You Buy It lists
CD & DVD release lists

tags: music cd list indie album releases mp3 download

On October 7th, the Music Hall of Williamsburg will feature a Barack Obama fundraiser, with all proceeds going to his presidential campaign. Participating musicians Alina Simone, Andrew Bird, the Fiery Furnaces, and more, along with comedian Eugene Mirman and surprise guests. Tickets are on sale now.

The Guardian music blog reports that Caribou has won Canada's Polaris music prize.

Salon interviews Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist director Peter Sollett.

How much of the music represented your own personal choices? I almost leapt out of my seat because you used a Richard Hawley song, and not many people know about him.

These are all right out of my iTunes, basically. A lot of the credit on the music should go to Myron Kerstein, the editor, who also did "Garden State" and "Vargas." He's great with music. And then there's Linda Cohen, the music supervisor. Basically, what I did was I sent Kerstein music that I thought would work for the scenes -- probably five or 10 times too many songs for each scene. And while we were shooting in New York, he was in L.A. assembling the movie and trying these songs on. They were all five-star tracks on my iTunes that seemed to relate to the movie.

Marisa Silver talks to PopMatters about her latest novel, The God of War.

“Although I have read West, Chandler, and Didion over the years, I would hardly call myself an expert on the California novel,” says Silver, who surrendered a career in Hollywood as a successful writer-director to enroll in grad school to become a short story writer. “Perhaps the work of these and other California writers affects me at a subconscious level, although I did not consciously think about other California novels while at work. I am sure that like so many works of fiction, my own fits into certain paradigms. But when I am writing, I try very hard to think only of my characters and the situations I invent for them, to try to be as true to their fictional reality as I can be. I do not step outside the process to think about how my work does or does not fit into any kind of literary lineage. While certain aspects of my novel may seem to respond or, as you note, continue the themes and textures of the Southern California novel, this was certainly not on my mind during the process.”

Wikipedia lists Steve Albini's recording projects.

NPR's Morning Edition profiles Chris Onstad, the cartoonist behind the webcomic Achewood.

MiniTube is a Windows program that searches out the YouTube video of any song you play in Winamp or iTunes.

At Judgeby.com, guess a book's Amazon.com reviewer rating by looking at its cover.

T-shirt of the day: "Heavy Metal Saved My Life"

ShelfTalker critiques the Urban Outfitters t-shirts that feature the covers of classic books.

So, here's the reason I'm feeling cranky about Urban Outfitters. While I'm happy that these reading-inspired tees appear in the stores' offerings for men, I find it both odd and irksome that they don't also appear in the selection of "graphic tees" being marketed to women. Does Urban Outfitters believe that hipster girls are less likely than their male counterparts to actually read and enjoy books? Do they think girls don't WANT to announce their own love of literature?

The Independent excerpts from The Best Music You've Never Heard, a new book by Nigel Williamson.

The Guardian's new band of the day is the Canadian music collective Woodpigeon.

Apart from their name, Woodpigeon are an intriguing proposition. They're a sort of semi-acoustic Arcade Fire or a full-band version of Sufjan Stevens. Their lushly orchestrated folk-pop, featuring wispy boy-girl harmonies, posits them as a cross between Prefab Sprout and Fairport Convention. Some of their songs are simple and unadorned while others are more ornate and complex. Mostly, they specialise in twinkling melodies that feature layered arrangements and build to epic climaxes.

Celebrate Banned Books Week by reading a banned book.

Philip Pullman discusses book banning in the Guardian.

In fact, when it comes to banning books, religion is the worst reason of the lot. Religion, uncontaminated by power, can be the source of a great deal of private solace, artistic inspiration, and moral wisdom. But when it gets its hands on the levers of political or social authority, it goes rotten very quickly indeed. The rank stench of oppression wafts from every authoritarian church, chapel, temple, mosque, or synagogue – from every place of worship where the priests have the power to meddle in the social and intellectual lives of their flocks, from every presidential palace or prime ministerial office where civil leaders have to pander to religious ones.

Minnesota Public Radio's The Current features Mates of State with an interview and in-studio performance.

The Comics Reporter lists 50 things every comic collection needs.

NPR is streaming Bob Dylan's new album, Tell Tale Signs:The Bootleg Series Vol. 8.

The Futurist shares a couple of in-studio mp3s from the French Kicks' recent QWOXY Lounge Act performance.

also at Largehearted Boy:

daily mp3 downloads
Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and full album streams from this week's CD releases)
this week's CD releases

tags: music books popculture indie news

Bodies of Water: "Water, Here" [mp3] from A Certain Feeling
other Bodies of Water posts at Largehearted Boy

Cut Off Your Hands: “Happy As Can Be” [mp3] from Happy As Can Be EP (out October 21st)
other Cut Off Your Hands posts at Largehearted Boy

Frank Hoier: "Jesus Don't Give Tax Breaks to the Rich" [mp3] from Lovers & Dollars (out November 11th)
other Frank Hoier posts at Largehearted Boy

Hey Ocean: "Alleyways" [mp3]
other Hey Ocean posts at Largehearted Boy

International Trendsetters: "Inside Yourself" [mp3] from Heart is Black (out October 7th)
other International Trendsetters posts at Largehearted Boy

Jonathan Segel: 2008-09-13, Pioneertown [mp3,ogg,flac]
"Scars" [mp3]
other Jonathan Segel posts at Largehearted Boy

The Legends: "Seconds Away" [mp3] from Seconds Away (out November 5th)
other Legends posts at Largehearted Boy

Leopold and his Fiction: "Come Back (Now That I'm Here" [mp3]
other Leopold and his Fiction posts at Largehearted Boy

Local H: 2003-04-10, Pittsburgh [mp3,ogg,flac]
"Highway to Hell (AC/DC cover)" [mp3]
other Local H posts at Largehearted Boy

Matt and Kim: "Daylight" [mp3]
other Matt and Kim posts at Largehearted Boy

Today's free and legal recordings of live shows, rarities, and demos available via bittorrent:

Jayhawks: 2000-03-26, New York [flac]*
other Jayhawks posts at Largehearted Boy

Elvis Costello: 2008-09-27, Oakland [flac]*
other Elvis Costello posts at Largehearted Boy

The Kills: 2008-09-25, Santa Barbara [flac]*
other Kills posts at Largehearted Boy

Langhorne Slim: 2008-09-11, Iowa City [flac]
other Langhorne Slim posts at Largehearted Boy

Leonard Cohen: 2008-09-25, Vienna [flac]*
other Leonard Cohen posts at Largehearted Boy

My Bloody Valentine: 2008-09-27, Chicago [flac]*
other My Bloody Valentine posts at Largehearted Boy

REM: 2008-09-23, Munich [flac]*
other REM posts at Largehearted Boy

Sigur Ros: 2008-06-28, Reykjavik [flac]*
other Sigur Ros posts at Largehearted Boy

Stephen Malkmus: 2008-03-20, Milwaukee [flac]*
other Stephen Malkmus posts at Largehearted Boy

Wilco: 2008-08-06, Jacksonville [flac]*
other Wilco posts at Largehearted Boy

*registration required

also at Largehearted Boy:

previous mp3 and bittorrent downloads

2008 Lollapalooza downloads
2008 Bonnaroo downloads
2008 Coachella music downloads
2008 SXSW music downloads and streams
2007 Austin City Limits Music Festival downloads
other music festival downloads

Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and album streams from weekly CD releases)
weekly CD release lists

tags: music download indie mp3 bittorrent

The Jesus and Mary Chain 4-CD box set of b-sides and rarities, The Power of Negative Thinking, is my favorite new release this week.

From the releases I have already heard, I can also strongly recommend Ani DiFranco's Red Letter Year, Dungen's 4, Gemma Hayes' Hollow of Morning, Madlib's WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip, and the Vivan Girls' self-titled album

Aside from the Jesus and Mary Chain release, box sets are plentiful this week, including Nina Simone's To Be Free, Philip Glass's Glass Box: A Nonesuch Retrospective, and the Miles Davis 50th Anniversary Kind of Blue (2-CDS&DVD&LP) (reissue with bonus tracks).

Holiday albums are becoming more plentiful every week, this week's assortment includes Christmas releases by the Archies, Faith Hill, Melissa Etheridge, and the Flecktones' Jingle All the Way.

The most interesting reissue this week is the remastered U2 live album, Under a Blood Red Sky.

What new music releases can you recommend this week? Have I left anything worthwhile off the list?

This week's interesting CD releases:

Absentee: Victory Shorts
Amon Amarth: Twilight of the Thunder God (box set with bonus tracks)
Amy Grant: The Christmas Collection
Anberlin: New Surrender(USB stick)
Ani DiFranco: Red Letter Year
The Archies: The Archies Christmas Album featuring Betty & Veronica
Asylum Street Spankers: What? And Give Up Show Biz?
Barbara Morgenstern: Come to Berlin EP (vinyl)
Bayside: Live at the Bayside Social Club
Bayside: Shudder
Beaujolais: Love at Thirty
Ben Folds: Way To Normal (CD&DVD) (CD&DVD&LP) (vinyl)
Blood Ceremony: Blood Ceremony
Bob Dylan: The Best of Bob Dylan (reissue)
Bob Dylan: Tell Tale Signs:The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 (vinyl)
Bomb the Bass: Future Chaos (vinyl)
Buena Vista Social Club: Buena Vista Social Club at Carnegie Hall (2-LP vinyl)
Chairlift: Does You Inspire You
Cold War Kids: Loyalty to Loyalty (vinyl)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bayou Country (remastered with bonus tracks)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Cosmo's Factory (remastered with bonus tracks)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Creedence Clearwater Revival (remastered with bonus tracks)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Green River (remastered with bonus tracks)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Pendulum (remastered with bonus tracks)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Willy and the Poor Boys (remastered with bonus tracks)
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: So Far (reissue)
The Cure: The Document (CD&DVD)
Dear and the Headlights: Drunk Like the Bible Times
Dungen: 4
Eli "Paperboy" Reed & The True Loves: Roll with You (vinyl)
Enigma: Seven Lives Many Faces
Faith Hill: Joy To The World
Firesign Theatre: Box of Danger: The Complete Nick Danger Casebook (4-CD box set)
Flecktones: Jingle All the Way
Gemma Hayes: Hollow of Morning
The Gentle Guest: We Are Bound To Save Some Souls Tonight
Grateful Dead: Rocking the Cradle: Egypt 1978 (CD&DVD)
Hayden: In Field & Town (vinyl)
The Iguanas: If You Should Ever Fall on Hard Times
Innerpartysystem: Innerpartysystem (vinyl)
Jack White & Alicia Keys: Another Way to Die (vinyl single)
Jack's Mannequin: The Glass Passenger (CD&DVD) (vinyl)
James Morrison: Songs for You, Truths for Me
James Taylor: Covers
Jennifer Hudson: Jennifer Hudson
Jesus and Mary Chain: The Power of Negative Thinking: B-Sides & Rarities
Jim "Kimo" West: Kimo's Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas
Jimi Hendrix: Band Of Gypsys (limited edition vinyl reissue)
Joseph Arthur: Temporary People
Joshua Radin: Simple Times
Juan McLean: Simple Life (vinyl single)
Kinky: Barracuda
Koushik: Out My Window
La Rocca: Ok Okay
Large Professor: Main Source
Le Switch: And Now... Le Switch
Lesley Roy: Unbeautiful
Lou Reed: Through the Years: New York 1983 - Spain 2004 (import)
Madlib: WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip
Mary-Chapin Carpenter: Come Darkness Come Light: Twelve Songs Christmas
Matt Mays & El Torpedo: Terminal Romance
Medeski Martin and Wood: Radiolarians 1
Megadeth: Anthology: Set the World Afire
Melissa Etheridge: A New Thought For Christmas
Mercury Rev: Snowflake Midnight
Miles Davis: 50th Anniversary Kind of Blue (2-CDS&DVD&LP) (reissue with bonus tracks)
Murs: Murs for President (CD&DVD)
Musee Mecanique: Hold This Ghost
Neal Morse: Lifeline
Nightwatchman: The Fabled City
Nikki Costa: Pebble to a Pearl (vinyl)
Nina Simone: To Be Free (4-CD box set)
NWA: Family Tree
Oasis: Shock of the Lightning (import single)
People Under The Stairs: Fun DMC
Pete Seeger: At 89
Philip Glass: Glass Box: A Nonesuch Retrospective (10-CD box set)
Polysics: We Ate The Machine
Populous & Short Stories: Drawn in Basic
Ramones: Brain Drain (reissue)
Restavrant: Returns to the Tomb of Guiliano Medidici
Restiform Bodies: TV Loves You Back (vinyl)
Roots Manuva: Slime & Reason (vinyl)
Roy Orbison: The Soul of Rock and Roll (4-CD box set)
Samuel Markus: New Dawn
Semi Precious Weapons: We Love You
Simon Collins: U-Catastrophe //
Taj Mahal: Maestro
T.I.: Paper Trail
Todd Rundgren: Arena
Tori Amos: Live at Montreux 1991-1992
Travis: Ode to J. Smith
Trivium: Shogun (with DVD)
U2: Under a Blood Red Sky (remastered deluxe edition) (CD only)
Ultravox: Rage in Eden (remastered)
Undertones: An Anthology (2-CD import)
Undertones: Get What You Need
Various Artists: Frank Zappa's Jukebox
Various Artists: Heroes: Giants of Early Guitar Rock
Various Artists: Hip-Hop Nursery Rhymes
Various Artists: Ladies of Christmas - Country Christmas
Various Artists: Nightmare Revisited
Various Artists: Notwave Sampler Vol. 2 (vinyl)
Various Artists: Les Paul & Friends-A Tribute To A Legend
Various Artists: Putumayo Kids Presents: Sesame Street Playground
Various Artists: Repo! The Genetic Opera
Various Artists: Rock N Rolla (soundtrack)
Various Artists: Take Me To The River: A Southern Soul Story 1961-1977 (import 3-CD box set)
Vivan Girls: Vivian Girls
The Western States Motel: Painted Birds Flying in the Orange Mirror Sun
Whitley: The Submarine
Willoughby: I Know What You're Up To
XX Teens: Welcome To Goon Island (vinyl)

also at Largehearted Boy:

previous CD & DVD release lists
Try It Before You Buy It (music from this week's CD releases)

tags: music cd list indie album releases

Iron Man is the marquee DVD release this week, featuring Robert Downey, Jr. as the superhero.

The Criterion Collection releases Yasujiro Ozu's last film, An Autumn Afternoon, tomorrow.

Television fans can pick up the fourth season of NUMB3RS and the third season of My Name is Earl

Julian Schnabel's Lou Reed's Berlin captures Reed performing his iconic album in its entirety for the first time.

Any recommendations from this week's list of DVD releases?

This week's interesting DVD releases::

2008 Olympics: Beijing 2008 Complete Opening Ceremony
2008 Olympics: Michael Phelps - Inside Story of the Beijing Games
Adam-12: Season Two
Aria the Animation Season 1
An Autumn Afternoon - Criterion Collection
B.L. Stryker: The Complete Series
Banacek: The Complete Series Box Set
Barack Obama: The Power of Change
The Beach Boys and the Satan
The Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour Memories
The Beatles Merseyside
Beaufort
Beauty and the Beast - The Complete Series
Bigger, Stronger, Faster
Black Metal: The Norwegian Legacy
Black Sabbath: Children of the Grave
Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-Chan
Bowie In The 70's
Butterfly
Can't Hardly Wait (10th Anniversary Edition)
Case Closed: Season 2 Set
Chapter 27
Click and Clack's As the Wrench Turns
CSNY: Deja Vu
Daredevil - The Director's Cut (Blu-ray)
Deadliest Catch The Complete 4th Season
Doctor Atomic
Dream Theater: Chaos in Motion
Dwight Yoakum: In Concert
Edward the King
Emily of New Moon: The Complete First Season
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
The Good Boy
The Hairdresser's Husband
A Haunting in Connecticut
A Haunting in Georgia
The Holocaust Testaments
I Dreamt Under Water
Iron Man
Jazz Icons: Series 3 Box Set
Jellyfish (Meduzot)
Jewel: The Essential Live Songbook
The Jewel in the Crown (25th Anniversary Edition)
Keane: Curate a Night for War Child
Kenny
The Last Laugh (Restored Deluxe Edition)
Legends: Live at Montreux 1997 (Blu-ray)
Lewis Black's Root of All Evil
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions: Live at the Marquee
Lou Reed's Berlin
The Man Who Saved Christmas
The Mask (1961 3-D film)
Meerkat Manor: The Next Generation Season 4
The Mindscape of Alan Moore
The Mission UK: Crusade
The Mosquito Coast
The Mr. Bean: Best of, Vol. 2
My Name is Earl - Season Three
My Name is Earl - Seasons 1-3
My Three Sons: The First Season, Vol. 1
Naruto, Vol. 28
Nashville Pussy: Live in Hollywood
NUMB3RS - The Complete Fourth Season
Numb3rs - Seasons 1-4
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest Of Spies
Pink Floyd: Collector's Box Set
Possession
Pulse 2: Afterlife
The Rebel
The Rebirth Of Cool: U2 In The Third Millennium
Rest Stop - Don't Look Back
Rothko's Rooms / Mark Rothko
Salem Witch Trials
So Much So Fast
Soccer Mom
Sommore: The Queen Stands Alone
Sports Night: The Complete Series 10th Anniversary Edition
The Starlost: Complete Series
Sufi Soul: The Music of Islam
Talib Kweli: Live at the Shrine
Taxi To the Dark Side
Tori Amos: Live at Montreux 1991-1992
Traffic: Live at Santa Monica
Trial and Retribution Set 1
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, Vol. 8 - A Tragic Illusion
U2: Live at Red Rocks (remastered)
The Unforeseen
The Vanguard
Voltron Volume 6
When They Cry, Vol. 4
When We Left Earth - The NASA Missions
Words for the Dying

also at Largehearted Boy:

previous CD & DVD release lists
Soundtracked (directors and composers discuss their film's soundtrack)

tags: music movies dvd list indie film

Metromix New York interviews Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab.

Do you get tired of being called a "Marxist pop" band?

No, not at all. We're going through a big recession and credit crunch and I think we should totally dig out Marx's books and work on it. There are solutions. We don't have to have this dysfunctional system. I think, on the contrary, more than ever today, I am proud to have revolutionary leanings.

Salon interviews Juliana Hatfield.

In the book, were you trying to demystify the image of being in a rock life.

I guess I wanted to demystify it, but mostly I just wanted to tell the truth about my own experience. I never had an image or public persona that I cultivated. I really just wanted to tell the truth about myself and my life and music. I thought it might be really interesting for people to know what happens behind the scenes on a small club tour.

see also: Hatfield's recent Largehearted Boy Book Notes essay for her memoir, When I Grow Up

MTV profiles the steampunk subculture.

Downtown Journal interviews Chuck Klosterman about his novel, Downtown Owl.

Why did you decide to try fiction?

… There are certain things you can’t do in nonfiction. There are certain things about writing … If you write in a nonfictional, journalistic context, any sort of opinion or idea you have is going to be associated with the way you view the world. Sometimes it’s sort of nice to be able to create a character, have them say something interesting or entertaining, but isn’t necessarily my perspective or my world view.

From a Sci-Fi Standpoint lists the top 5 imaginary literary works from science fiction.

PopMatters interviews Tom Morello (Nightwatchmen, rage Against the Machine).

io9 examines the burial rituals and final resting places of famous science fiction authors.

Vinyl Remarks is an online community that collects the messages found on records between the run-out groove and the label.

Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey talk to NPR's All Things Considered about their compilation, State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America.

The Guardian books blog explains why DC Comics' Minx graphic novel imprint failed.

There's no point launching an imprint to persuade girls to swap manga for western comics if the quality is still shaky. Both the genre and the audience will have to be built more slowly.

Smashing Magazine lists 60 concert posters from 10 great artists.

Ars Technica profiles singer-songwriter Jonathan Coulton.

It's an odd kind of fame, built from the ground up, and strangely contextual. At some locations, Coulton is treated nearly like a god, but in most places he's roundly ignored—just another guy with a beard. "It's actually... I've always felt like I don't want to be a super-famous person... that doesn't sound so nice to me," Coulton told me. He described an angry moment at a car rental place. "Thank God I'm not famous enough to worry about someone seeing me all pissed off... I'm glad it's a niche thing, I get to come to a place like this and feel like a rock star, but most of my life is still normal. As great as it is to feel like a rock star, it's not something I'd like to feel like all the time."

also at Largehearted Boy:

daily mp3 downloads
Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and full album streams from this week's CD releases)
this week's CD releases

tags: music books popculture indie news

Danielson: free and legal Danielson Alive album [mp3]
"Body English" [mp3]
other Danielson posts at Largehearted Boy

Eleanor Murray: "Walk Home" [mp3] from For Cedar (out October 21st)
Eleanor Murray: "Electric Sky" [mp3] from For Cedar (out October 21st)
other Eleanor Murray posts at Largehearted Boy

Happy Hollows: "Tambourine" [mp3] from Imaginary EP
Happy Hollows: "Lieutenant" [mp3] from Imaginary EP
other Happy Hollows posts at Largehearted Boy

Linfinity: free and legal Songs of the Weeping Willow EP download [mp3]
other Linfinity posts at Largehearted Boy

The Rollo Treadway: "Kidnapped" [mp3] from The Rollo Treadway (out December 16th)
The Rollo Treadway: "Dear Mr. Doe" [mp3] from The Rollo Treadway (out December 16th)
other Rollo Treadway posts at Largehearted Boy

Tigers Can Bite You:"Hawk" [mp3] from Taking And Running Away EP (out September 30th)
other Tigers Can Bite You posts at Largehearted Boy

Vivian Girls: "Blind Spot (Daisy Chain cover)" [mp3] from I Can't Stay single
other Vivian Girls posts at Largehearted Boy

bittorrent downloads will return tomorrow

also at Largehearted Boy:

previous mp3 and bittorrent downloads

2008 Lollapalooza downloads
2008 Bonnaroo downloads
2008 Coachella music downloads
2008 SXSW music downloads and streams
2007 Austin City Limits Music Festival downloads
other music festival downloads

Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and album streams from weekly CD releases)
weekly CD release lists

tags: music download indie mp3 bittorrent

"You choose the different characters you want to be and sing about - it doesn't mean they are you, or have anything to do with you," says Jurado, who grew up listening to the punk rock of Sonic Youth and the Melvins and played in local hardcore bands before picking up an acoustic guitar. "It's like Tobey Maguire choosing to play Spider-Man. I have no idea whether Tobey Maguire even grew up liking Spider-Man, but he's perfect for the role. It's sort of the same thing with me - it's something I'm somewhat good at."

The Sunday Sun interviews Joan Wasser of Joan as Police Woman.

ConcertsInYourHome.com connects bands and people who would like to give house concerts.

The Observer profiles Martha Wainwright.

Part of the reason she moved away from Canada, a land more often associated with singers of near impossible awfulness such as Celine Dion or Shania Twain, was to escape the long shadow of her musical family. 'I wanted a bit of anonymity,' she says, and it is true that the Wainwrights' shared back catalogue makes the Von Trapps look, well, a bit amateurish.

The Los Angeles Times examines the hurdles screenwriters face adapting literary works for the big screen.

Take "The Godfather": pop-junk novel, masterful, epic movie. Or "Gone With the Wind": not exactly a literary classic but a bang-up film. And all those detective novels like "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Big Sleep." This doesn't mean there haven't been successful literary adaptations -- "The Grapes of Wrath," "Oliver Twist" and "Sense and Sensibility" are prime examples -- it's just that cinema history is littered with failed attempts to adapt great works. Like the overblown 1965 film version of "Lord Jim," with Peter O'Toole; the bears-almost-no-relation-to-the-source-material 2002 remake of H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine," with Guy Pearce; or 2007's gorgeously produced but leaden film version of "Love in the Time of Cholera."

At Newsweek, John McCain's literary editor shares what he's learned about the presidential candidate through the senator's books.

The Boston Globe profiles singer-songwriter Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson.

"People like to feel that suffering is the only truth, and that's the only place where real beauty can come from," says Kyp Malone, the frontman of TV on the Radio. "That comes from rock 'n' roll and all the archetypes - the geniuses dead at 27, all strung out. Miles has a lot of that in him. He's also really, really smart. I feel like whatever he wants, he can have it. Or he can blow it. Either way, he's added something to my life already. My life has been enriched."

The Times Online examines the careers of the children of some of Britain's most famous rockers.

NPR's Weekend Edition interviews singer-songwriter Dar Williams.

Film School Rejects lists the 10 remaining must-see movies of 2008.

Flat Response is a music blog that tapes and shares Denver indie rock shows.

WXPN features a streaming live performance by singer-songwriter Rachel Yamagata.

IGN lists 10 brilliant one-album wonders.

also at Largehearted Boy:

daily mp3 downloads
Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and full album streams from this week's CD releases)
this week's CD releases

tags: music books popculture indie news

Chatham County Line: 2008-05-17, Charlotte [mp3,ogg,flac]
"The Carolinian" [mp3]
Chatham County Line: 2007-04-06, Charlotte [mp3,ogg,flac]
"Arms of the Law" [mp3]
other Chatham County Line posts at Largehearted Boy

Grace Potter: 2008-09-25, Boston [mp3,ogg,flac]
"Sweet Emotion (Aerosmith cover)" [mp3]
Grace Potter: 2008-09-12, Unity [mp3,ogg,flac]
"Go Down Low" [mp3]
Grace Potter: 2008-07-11[mp3,ogg,flac]
"Watching You" [mp3]
other Grace Potter posts at Largehearted Boy

Ryan Adams: 2008-09-26, Syracuse [mp3,ogg,flac]
"Fix It" [mp3]
other Ryan Adams posts at Largehearted Boy

Quasi: 2008-09-12, Pioneertown [mp3,ogg,flac]
"Oh Well (Fleetwood Mac cover)" [mp3]
other Quasi posts at Largehearted Boy

Smashing Pumpkins: 2000-04-10, St. Louis [mp3,ogg,flac]
"Age of Innocence" [mp3]
Smashing Pumpkins: 2000-01-12, Milan [mp3,ogg,flac]
"To Sheila" [mp3]
other Smashing Pumpkins posts at Largehearted Boy

Zwan: