Currents

Have you just finished a book you can’t stop talking about? Is there a CD you’ve been recommending to everyone you know? Want to share your recommendations with Birmingham magazine’s readers? Contact Carla Jean Whitley to learn how you can be included in Currents.”

Newspaper columnist (LA TImes) and author Steve Lopez weaves a compelling story about his friendship and attempts to rehabilitate a homeless man, who is a Julliardtrained musician who lives and plays music on Skid Row. The book, The Soloist (Putnam, $25.95) is a great read.

Augusten Burroughs goes back to the well of a miserable child once again in a new memoir A Wolf at the Table (St. Martin's, $24.95 ). This time Burroughs, author of Running With Scissors, examines the relationship with the man most unlikely to win any father of the year awards. Good thing Burroughs does not have a memory like Jill Price. The Woman Who Can’t Forget (Bart Davis, Free Press, $26) is the fascinating story of Price, who has a memory that has astonished science. She can remember what she had for breakfast on a rainy Tuesday back in 1980. Top that Mr. Burroughs. The decline and fall of a journalist and would-be novelist is chronicled in We Are Now Beginning Our Descent (Canongate, $24), a new novel by James Meek. Set in contemporary Afghanistan, London, Scotland, Virginia and Iraq, the book tells in vivid language the descent of a man who can’t grab anything to hold on to. The last days of the Third Reich are a departure for novelist Chris Bohjalian, author of Midwives. His new book Skeletons at the Feast (Shaye Areheart, $25) brings together a spirited group of survivors.

Bagby Hall
Tax intern, Warren, Averett, Kimbrough & Marino, LLC

White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s by Joe Boyd: “Joe Boyd is a tour guide that just happens to take you everywhere exciting and hip in the ’60s in England and the States. The fact that he positioned himself at so many right-place-right-times is incredible. His transcontinental verbiage is really fun and his stories assuage my rock ‘n’ roll urges.”

Natalie Short
Wife and homemaker

Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell: “I read this after watching the BBC production, and I keep coming back to it because of the characters. They’re simple enough to be real and natural but just complex enough to avoid being stereotypes. Molly will end up being your best friend by the end of the story.”

Listen to this 
Amos Lee
Last Days at the Lodge

There have always been traces of jazz and blues mingling with folk in Amos Lee’s work. On Last Days at the Lodge (Blue Note Records) those styles move to center stage. The difference is instantly noticeable on “Listen,” the powerful opening track. “Street Corner Preacher” encourages toe tapping with Lee’s fast, rhythmic singing, and you’ll join in with his scatting before the song’s end. Lee’s gentler side is still evident as he croons in his smooth, honest voice on “It Started to Rain” and “Kid.” Despite a genre shift, the key factor distinguishing this from his earlier albums is that it’s Lee’s most balanced, diverse collection to date. — Carla Jean Whitley

My Tunes 
Booth Willson
Manager, Jonathan Benton Bookseller

“I’m a sucker for music that is pretty and haunting. Enter young American composer Nico Muhly. His album Speaks Volumes is complex in form yet sparse in number of instruments. His schizophrenic arrangements and subtle use of electronica make for a captivating style and an album that will weather many listens.”

Music Makers
It’s increasingly common to discover new music while watching your favorite nighttime drama instead of listening to the radio. Weeds, Music from the Series: Volume 3 (Lionsgate) continues that trend with songs from the Showtime program’s third season.

The soundtrack includes songs by notables The Dresden Dolls, Oh No! Oh My! and—my favorite—the Great Lake Swimmers’ “Your Rocky Spine.”

Whether you know him by name or not, it’s likely that you recognize Dan Tyminski’s voice from the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack and his work with Alison Krauss and Union Station.

Tyminski’s second solo album, Wheels (Rounder Records), offers much of what you’d expect based on his past accomplishments: incredible instrumentation, heartfelt lyrics and more of his distinctive, earthy voice.

Can’t get enough of Alejandro Escovedo? You can find this City Stages favorite downtown on June 14, and you’ll find his 10th album, Real Animal (Back Porch) on June 24. The album sounds like a rock ‘n’ roll journey through Escovedo’s years making music. Several tracks—including “Swallows of San Juan” and “Slow Down”—also show Escovedo’s introspective side.

The Old 97’s always present a fun blend of pop rock, and the Texans come through again with Blame It On Gravity (New West Records). The album’s first single, “Dance With Me,” is an exotic, romantic and irresistible song. 

Music for You 
Love to listen to music during the work day but get tired of the CD you brought in or the few songs you’ve loaded onto your office computer?

Try creating a personalized radio station on the web. You’ll help determine what’s played on your station by rating individual songs, artists and albums.

Each service takes your ratings into consideration, playing both songs by artists you like and music from similar groups. Each of the sites listed below offer both free and paid radio services. Additional features — and typically fewer commercials — are offered with paid subscriptions.

Yahoo! LAUNCHcast
music.yahoo.com/launchcast
Requirements: LAUNCHcast works with most Windows-based operating systems equipped with Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player and Macromedia Flash. Macintosh operating systems and the Firefox browser are not compatible with the service.

Special features: Paid members can identify Influencers, or other LAUNCHcast members whose tastes influence the songs played on the member’s station. Those members can also select various genres of music to customize their station for specific moods.

Programmed stations: The site offers more than 130 stations created by its staff, such as Who’s Next?, featuring new and upcoming musicians; Quiet Storm, a soft R&B station; and Brit Pop.

Subscription service: $2.99 per month for an annual subscription, billed in one payment of $35.88; $3.99 month-to-month

Slacker
slacker.com
Requirements: Windows XP or Vista, Macromedia Flash, Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player are necessary to play a Slacker station. The webbased service does not work with Macintosh computers.

Special features: Slacker is available on your computer, but this service distinguishes itself with personal radio players ($199.99-$299.99) and a car kit for your player ($39.99), enabling users to take their station along wherever they go. Members can also add a Slacker player to their Myspace pages. Instead of merely allowing the service to select songs for you, premium service members can request their favorite songs be played.

Programmed stations: More than 100 programmed stations are available, each defined by genre. Subscription service: Three months for $9.99 a month; six months for $8.33 per month; one year for $7.50 per month Pandora pandora.com Requirements: Both Windows (2000 and later) and Macintosh (OS X, 10.2 or later) users can run Pandora through their Internet browser, whether that’s Internet Explorer or Firefox for Windows, or Safari or Firefox for Mac. All users need Macromedia Flash.

Special features: Create up to 100 specialized stations, with or without a paid subscription. Paid members can also use Pandora on the Go with any supported cell phone. Click “buy” when listening to a song you like and purchase the song or CD immediately through Amazon.com or iTunes.

Programmed stations: Select a genre, such as folk, then pick from several more specific sub-categories, like contemporary folk.

Subscription service: $36 annually 

 

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Dinner For 4 at the Bright Star Restaurant!!