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.

myshelf … what people are reading

Marianne Nichols
Retired Customer Service Agent
Finger Lickin’ Fifteen
By Janet Evanovich

“As the title suggests, this is the 15th in Evanovich’s series starring Stephanie Plum, intrepid (and bumbling) bounty hunter. During all her wrecking of cars, getting kidnapped, attending viewings at the local funeral home with Grandma Mazur and occasionally collaring a bond skip, Stephanie is still trying to decide between Morelli, childhood friend and lover, or Ranger, dark, sexy and mysterious. I highly recommend these books to anyone who is looking for something light (yes murder and kidnapping can be light, or at least in these books). They are quick reads and laugh-out-loud funny.”

Katie Gulas
Media Buyer, Intermark Group
Things Fall Apart
By Chinua Achebe

“I fell in love with this book in a college African Lit class, and it’s been a constant re-read of mine since. Through the melancholy story of one man’s struggle with the colonization of his tribe, Achebe manages to convey uplifting and time-withstanding morals through traditional, yet brilliantly translated, African folklore.”

TOPSHELF

North Carolina’s license plates boast its claim as first in flight, but Alabama is now marking the 100-year anniversary of another of aviation’s firsts. Wings of Opportunity: The Wright Brothers in Montgomery, Alabama (New South Books, $19.95) by Julie Hedgepeth Williams recounts the story of the country’s first civilian flight school, founded in 1910. Montgomery’s own story is woven into this tale of a littleknown piece of Alabama history.

Williams, a Samford journalism professor, writes with a historian’s eye for detail and a novelist’s love of prose.

At Birmingham magazine, we’re big on telling stories of the city’s people and the path we’re collectively charting to the future. Birmingham can also learn about itself from books depicting our past. Victoria Myers reveals those stories in Birmingham Landmarks: People and Places of the Magic City (The History Press, $19.99). She shares the background of a number of landmarks, alongside lovely black-and-white photographs of each.

Dori DeCamillis has been in Birmingham for years. In fact, Red Dot Gallery, which she co-owns with Scott Bennett, celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. But DeCamillis remembers her hometown in My Steamboat (BookSurge Publishing, $14.99). This memoir recounts the artist’s childhood and the gap between the town folk and resort folk in Steamboat Springs, Colo., a ski town far from the Southern city she now calls home.

Whether weighing in on politics or groundbreaking stories like “Group Of Good-Looking People All Headed Toward Same Place,” The Onion is sure to garner a laugh. Now, 21 years of the satirical paper are chronicled in Our Front Pages: 21 Years of Greatness, Virtue, and Moral Rectitude from America’s Finest News Source (Scribner, $28). Don’t miss several of The Onion’s editors speaking at UAB on Jan. 8. Find details in this month’s events calendar.

LISTEN

Whether she’s singing folk, bluegrass or rock, Patty Griffin’s voice and lyrics pierce the listener’s heart. And on Downtown Church (Credential), Griffin combines her own talents with the power of gospel-inspired music. Two Griffin originals show up alongside classics like “Wade in the Water” and “All Creatures of Our God and King.” The stunning album was recorded with an equally impressive lineup (producer Buddy Miller, background vocals from Emmylou Harris, drummer Jay Bellerose and others) in the grand setting of Nashville’s Downtown Presbyterian Church. That’s only too appropriate a setting for one of modern- day folk music’s greatest voices.

mytunes

Cooper Gouge
Senior Sales Representative
Cengage Learning

“I recently had the pleasure of seeing Oceanship perform at Rogue Tavern. They are a Canadian band whose latest release is the self-titled CD Oceanship. There are so many great tracks on it. I really like ‘Hotblack,’‘Go’ and ‘Wait for Me.’ The best part for me is how incredible they sound live. You will not be disappointed if you pick up this album. They are the best thing to come out of Canada since Alex Trebek.”

 

music makers

When the Decatur-based Barnstormers take over your stereo speakers, they’re storming in with eerie, lilting lyrics and twangy influences. Graveyard Town layers vocals and strings with clear references to other-worldly creatures (vampires are a particular favorite).

This is another Alabama band you need to know.

Barton Carroll’s songs are sometimes bleak, but always beautiful. In “Rich as a Rolling Stone,” a track from his newly released Together You and I (Skybucket Records), Carroll somehow shares dark sentiments without sinking the listener’s spirits. Perhaps it’s the combination of his down-to-earth vocals with lovely music, or simply the bright spots in the darkness. “Down with love songs and down with hope. Down with poets and singers, I swear. When I get to the end of my rope, who will I find there?” he sings. The rope may end, but Carroll still has hope that someone will be waiting.

OK Go grabbed the world’s attention—and raised its expectations—with the music video for “Here It Goes Again,” and listeners won’t be disappointed with the band’s Of the Blue Colour of the Sky (Capitol Records). The catchy album immediately exhibits the band’s influences on album-opener “WTF?,” a clear throwback to Prince. OK Go’s grooves will make you dance, but their lyrics will also make you think, a delightful combination indeed.

The locals have it …

Imaginary Planes

Imaginary Planes’ members have plenty of commitments. They all have full-time careers as well as other musical and artistic side projects. But after two years together, Christy Daniel- Camp (vocals, percussion), Wes Daniel (guitars, vocals), Beth Ragland (drums, vocals), Marc Blumenthal (bass) and Christopher Jeely (lead guitars) released their debut album Into the Great Divide in December.

Birmingham magazine: Y’all have been playing together for a while now. What made you decide it was time to record an album?

Wes Daniel: From the beginning, we focused on becoming a good live act.

We spent close to a year in a rehearsal space developing our sound and working out arrangements, then we started playing anywhere that would have us.

Our first recording was a 7-inch picture disc containing different versions of songs that made their way onto the current LP. As far as recording Into the Great Divide, our live performances basically prepared us for the studio.

BHAM: Where and with whom did you record?

Chris Jeely: We recorded the album at Audio State 55 with engineer J.M. Cifonie. J.M. also co-produced with us.

He influenced us greatly, and he is our unofficial sixth member in the studio.

The songs were completely written and arranged, but some of the particulars within the songs were adapted and changed to fit the album format. J.M.’s greatest contribution is that sonically he captured our sound and was able to take and create a really beautiful mix of all the elements. He has magic ears and we can’t wait to do the next one with him.

WEB EXTENDED INTERVIEW

BHAM: Did you record all new material, songs that you’ve been playing for a while or a mix of both?

Marc Blumenthal: Definitely a mix of both. We basically recorded all of the material that we had written from inception to spring of 2009. We tend to develop songs in bursts, so the nine recorded songs span the year in a half that we were practicing and writing.

BHAM: Did the songs change at all from the stage to the studio? If so, how?

MB: The songs change from stage to studio only in the sense that we had the time and resources to add sound flourishes and other touches to the record. Song interludes, intros, and outros were written and recorded for Into The Great Divide, most of which we do not include in our live show.

BHAM: I know you're all involved in a number of other projects. How have those influenced your current work with Imaginary Planes?

Beth Ragland: Wes is the primary songwriter. The rest of us help flesh out the song skeletons. Christy and I are both visual artists. We have incorporated our visual creativity into the designs of our album art and posters. Christy's artwork is featured on our 7" picture disc along with some poster designs. I have helped illustrate the overall tone of the visual side of our music through poster design and our CD artwork. Chris runs a micro-indie label called Lathelight Ltd. And his music experience has helped us fine tune our sound. Marc keeps track of everything that we've done as well as focusing on the band’s promotion.

BHAM: What’s up next for you guys?

BR: We are working on a collection of new songs that will be featured on our next recording and performed at live shows in the near future. We are also discussing touring plans for 2010.