reviews
BOOK: Body Copy by Michael Craven
People write for themes or messages, but people read for characters. Michael Craven's debut novel, Body Copy, introduces to the crime fiction scene Donald Tremaine, a classic 1950s private investigator in modern day.
The book begins much like the black and white movies do with a beautiful dame walking into a hard-bitten detective's life. She's got a problem, see, and there's only one man who can work her mysteries out. Except Tremaine's girl isn't a helpless knockout, and instead of waltzing into his office, she shows up at his California trailer park to discuss the murder of her dead unite, advertising mogul and genius Roger Gale.
Gale's murder, a case even the police couldn't solve, is as enigmatic as the man himself, but with a detective just as likely to tackle the killer as he is the case, some of the leads, and lies, start to unravel. Tremaine's introspection about his past, the ever-present glimmer of vulnerability, make this tough guy the quintessential PI.
Though Craven has a talent for plot twists and steadily paced narrative, he couldn't quite shake off his trade: journalism. The dialogue feels attributed and the perfectly placed "Tremaine said" at every sentence's end has the conversation sounding more like an article than
a real life situation. Still, if you'd like a quick read that showcases the strange land of advertising, Body Copy should suffice.
Meghan Nuckolls
MUSIC: Lost Channels by The Great Lake Swimmers
The Great Lake Swimmers' latest release, Lost Channels, would be the perfect album for a summer getaway to a secluded cabin on an island in the middle of Lake Erie.
The music is relaxed alternative folk, comparable to Iron and Wine or Sufjan Stevens. Acoustic guitar and excellent lyrical work lay the foundation for each song, creating solid song structure and fantastic tone. For the most part, the album is slow and mellow. This isn't a bad thing, though, as many of the slow ballads feature deep texture with the addition of electric guitar, mandolin and steel pedals.
"Pulling on a Line" is one of the faster songs on the album and is highlighted by an excellent chorus with smooth electric guitar played over a rhythmic mandolin. Also great is "The Chorus in the Underground," the best song on the album. Its creative lyrics and fluid mandolin plucking accent an excellent folky rhythm played by an acoustic guitar. A laid-back violin also emphasizes the central melody nicely.
Overall, the album is filled with high quality
music. It definitely takes a particular mood to enjoy the tranquility of the music, but when the time is right, Lost Channels is the perfect dose of chill folk music.
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18 April 16,2009