Sifting Through The Madness

Despite my recent inability to consistently maintain this blog (to my readers, I can do nothing but apologise), I've decided to launch a new one, inspired by my posts relating to the poetry of Charles Bukowski. Entitled Sifting Through The Madness (after one of the many posthumous collections of his work), my aim is to slowly provide a comprehensive analysis of Bukowski's oeuvre (hopefully at a rate of at least one poem each day). I've shifted the three entries that once resided here (concerning 'Work-Fuck Problems,' 'So You Want To Be A Writer?' and 'Ow Ow Ow'), and written two new ones (for 'Goading The Muse' and 'Nights Of Vanilla Mice'). Coincidentally, they all concern the creative process in some way or another. Anyway, if you could check it out, that would be wonderful, and in the meantime I promise that I won't allow Breathe On Deep to die out.

Also: clearly, I need to stop placing things in brackets. Admittedly, the last time I tried to eliminate from my work a grammatical feature I was overusing, it didn't stick. Perhaps this time, things will be different.

New track: The Decemberists - "Down By The Water"

Guilty of overlooking The Hazards Of Love at the time, I returned to it again yesterday evening, and to be honest, I wasn't blown away by what I heard. Overly sprawling, with too few standout moments to warrant the length, it at least has the courtesy to end on "The Hazards Of Love (The Drowned)," which is easily one of the finest songs The Decemberists have ever recorded.

All that being said, on January 17th they have a new album due. Entitled The King Is Dead, I'm hoping it'll be a return to form. They've now shared the first song from the record, "Down By The Water," which is available for download courtesy of the widget below. As far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out, but I remain optimistic that one of my most beloved bands will deliver.

New track: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - "Heart In Your Heartbreak"

Nobody could accuse The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart of resting on their laurels. Apparently, we're due a new album in March 2011, which is (I'm sure you'll agree) fantastic news. Ahead of that is the release of the first single from that record, "Heart In Your Heartbreak," and if it's any indication of the quality we can expect, we're in for a real treat. Essentially, it's more of the same, only better, and considering that their self-titled debut was absolutely wonderful, that really is saying something. Enjoy it below, and look out for it on December 13th.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Heart In Your Heartbreak by forcefieldpr

New track: Deerhoof - "Super Duper Rescue Heads !"

I think it's time I started making more of an effort to get into the music of Deerhoof. They have managed to pass me by somehow, despite my awareness of them, and despite all of the critical acclaim they receive. So with Deerhoof Vs. Evil (here's hoping it's a concept album) due January 20th, the band have announced that they'll be leaking one song per week until then, a wonderfully generous scheme that I'll be using as an opportunity to jump on the bandwagon. Listen to "Super Duper Rescue Heads!" below, which is proof for me that I've been missing out.

Deerhoof - Super Duper Rescue Heads ! by Polyvinyl Records