This past week, I needed a quick read. My private time had been scrimped through work and personal situations, and yet I wanted to keep the challenge going. But in all likelihood, I couldn’t commit to a true-to-form novel, so I decided to fall back on the folks at Vertigo and follow-up on their Fables series with volume two of their trade paperbacks, entitled Animal Farm.

Still very much in “getting to know you” format, this chapter introduces us to the slightly-mentioned “Farm,” an area of upstate New York where are kept most of the non-human Fables (everything from pixies to talking pigs), out of the necessity of keeping their existence secret from mundane human eyes.

Of course, not all is calm and placid on the Farm, as we become familiar with the inner political factions within the Fables community, of those who would be ready to head back to their homelands and fight instead of accepting their exiled fate. And this revolution stirs under the subversive command of one of the Three Little Pigs, while its armed wing is maintained by the incendiary Goldilocks.

While the genre-slashing mercilessly proceeds on (Shere Kahn dies, for instance) the universe of these exiled fairy tales unfurls a little more, revealing a not unfamiliar relationship between the human-looking Fables and the rest. The art is still very consequential with the usual moody Vertigo style: realistic, dreary, and perfectly acceptable. While some aspects of the storytelling are a little boilerplate (like how Goldilocks’ comical proletarian bombast cannot be taken seriously, yet we’re expected to consider her as a contentious and dangerous individual), writer Bill Willingham’s ace lies in his taught narrative, not to mention his knack for wonderful obscure references. His style has a compelling inherent sardonicism to it which allows him to pick apart these childhood icons with such (too much?) ease.

An interesting lead-in to bigger things.

Book: Fables: Animal Farm

Author: Bill Willingham

Publisher: DC Vertigo

Next: Unlikely

When I started doing A Limerick Ox, I wanted to avoid posting videos for a number of reasons which I really don’t feel like getting into right now. All you have to know is that I have trounced all of those reasons to post this video of Montreal-based singer Alexandre Désilets for his his song L’éphémère.

It’s a technically remarkable, stunningly beautiful video which does complete justice to the song’s dreamy, dramatic mood. The director of the video, Patrick Péris, is a guy who I have had the chance to work with on a number of occasions and whose talent has always been evident to me. It’s just perfect that he created such an astounding piece which he can share with the rest of us.

Enjoy, seriously.

http://www.alexandredesilets.com/
myspace.com/alexandredesilets

Gather round, lovers of bare-knuckle, drag-out battles; strength of character, strength of body, and strength of will shall all be put to the test as the Creaking Tree String Quartet unleash their fiery dispositions in a string quartet battle royale entitled Phoenix Lair.

The song starts off with a heated exchange between violin and mandolin, as both steady their footing in a heated seance of back-and-forth challenging, which permeates the breakneck velocity of the entire song. The violin’s bluegrassyness vies to swashbuckle its way into guiding the frantic melody with its bending tones, but the mandolin’s precise, crystal-like notes slice through the air in a mellifluous shower of blister-finger gleaming. As the tempo shifts, the guitar intervenes gently, like a mediator, offering up its own timber as median ground, but it’s soon back to the frenzied fight, egged on by the bass’ handslapped provocations.

Then, when the song ends, and the scattered particles settle back to rest, the haze of battle clears, and the intensity of the struggle stems, there is only one true winner: the music fan! Hey-ooooh!

MP3: Creaking Tree String Quartet Phoenix Lair

www.creakingtree.com
myspace.com/creakingtree

NDP MP Charlie Angus introduced his promised Net Neutrality private member’s bill into Parliament today. Michael Geist provided a quick analysis of the bill’s provisions, which can be summed up to an emphatic “Oh, okay then.”

Naturally, the bill seeks to add transparency to the Canadian telecom framework, with a particular approach to the traffic shaping concerns which are at the basis of the debate.

Network operators shall not engage in network management practices that favour, degrade or prioritize any content, application or service transmitted over a broadband network based on their source, ownership or destination.

However, Geist points out that many-an-exception has been introduced to the quoted statement, such as “action to provide computer security, prioritize emergency communications, offer differentiated pricing or bit caps, anti-spam filters, handle breaches in terms of service, and to prevent violation of the law.”

Hm. The grey zones are still rather grey, as all these exceptions will have to be examined more closely to determine guidelines for applying them. Just the “handle breaches in terms of service” exception in itself is matter for greater definition, since terms of service are usually determined by the provider.

However, the truly excellent provision of the act asks for a more open Internet, allowing any devices to connect to the Internet without obstruction, and that user information be provided to the subscriber upon request, displaying information like connection speed, nature and limitations.

It’s a little underwhelming, but it’s still a very positive gesture. This is a baby-steps bill; it’s the first proposition its kind and thus must be perceived as an instigator for debate, reflexion, and study. Definitive provisions will come about only once the matter is taken seriously into account by our current government, which hasn’t been the case. Hopefully, the rest of the opposition parties will follow the NDP’s lead on this and will demand that discussion on the net neutrality issue become part of the Conservative agenda sooner than later.

Folks, there are only three more people to confirm that I am the actual author of this blog on the Facebook BlogNetworks application. THREE. Won’t you help a guy out? Just click here to access the BlogNetworks page for A Limerick Ox and confirm that I, Mike Lacroix, am the author. I just need three of your to do. THREE.

“Yeah, yeah, the Dresden Dolls, couple of performance arts weirdos who play dress up in Vaudeville clothes because they think it’s ironic,” said B., a good friend of mine, as I was urging him to listen to The Dresden Dolls’ new song Night Reconnaissance. He “pff’d” and “hmph’d” over and over again until I did finally get him to sit still, be quiet, and listen to the song.

It was hard, I must admit, to get him to pay attention. Bribery was involved. In the form of a box of ginger snaps. He loves ginger snaps. It may have been an underhanded trick, but I wanted him to listen to the song because I knew he’d love it.

What’s not to love? Night Reconnaissance is a toe-tapping rocker aflame with Amanda Palmer’s passionate and visceral pianowork, upheld by punchy drums courtesy of the ever-vivid Brian Viglione. Palmer’s vocals are audaciously spot-on, theatric and deep, squeakingly decadent at times, and commandingly melodic at others; she’s in top form for a song which ended up on a B-sides compilation, which is also a testament to the breadth of their musical depth. And let’s not omit to mention that Viglione’s rhythmics are sound, strong, intricate and splendid, piping in another unexpendable percussion salvo. In all objectivity, I can understand why some people are turned off by the music of The Dresden Dolls, but Night Reconnaissance has everything to make a non-believer or a neophyte uncover a shade to the duo often dismissed for their more bombastic accomplishments.

Like my friend B., who “pff’d” and “hmph’d” at the end of the song, not out of dislike as he did at first, but out of foolish pride.

MP3: The Dresden Dolls - Night Reconnaissance

www.dresdendolls.com
myspace.com/dresdendolls

The theme song for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier could have very well be provided to us by Bodies Of Water. Yes, dear people for whom Canadian politics are not on your radar, the California-based band may very well have the expunging song which embodies the ablutionary feeling that accompanied Bernier’s stepping down from the role of Canada’s top diplomat.

See, Bernier was a goof in the role, and made some astounding gaucheries unthinkable for someone who is supposed to ensure Canada’s integrity in international relations. There’s a bit of an overview right here if you want to see just what kind of guy we had to deal with.

So really, the timing couldn’t be better for Bodies Of Water’s upcoming album release which includes the terrifyingly prodigious Under The Pines, another dramatic, broad shouldered moment of visceral, purgative harmonics. The vast arrangements which compose this sonic tale of release begin with the foreshadowing cockling of a solitary Hammond, undulating uneasily as early-era metal riffs press into existence, swerving into an overanxious psychedelic-folk movement of nervous guitarwork. Finally, release hits in a somewhat tense moment of choral explosiveness, as voices sing, scream, and squeal together in a cacophonous bleating, surrounded by crashing drums, wicked horns, and truculent guitars; a manic, wild-eyed moment of dense, frantic, calculated anthem design.

Yes, everything feels clean now. Well, clean-er.

MP3: Bodies Of Water - Under The Pines

www.bodiesofwater.net
myspace.com/bodiesofwater

Now here’s as hilarious a true story as it can possibly get:

A few weeks ago, my mother dropped by unexpectedly for a visit (note to all would-be parents: your folks will augment the number of impromptu visits to your household tenfold once they have a baby grandchild). I was in the midst of cleaning up some dishes, with my baby girl playing gleefully, my son over at a friend’s house, and my girlfriend out running errands.

When I am alone, I crank up the volume on the stereo, especially when in the midst of remedial chores such as dishwashing. Not that I’m anything special in doing this, but it’s important you understand this detail for I was playing Sigur Rós’s () when mother arrived. As she walked in and Jónsi Birgisson’s voice filled my living space with his pure Hopelandic ululating, she pause for a second after saluting me, listened carefully, and snapped: “What’s this gobbledigook?”

A few weeks later, today, to be exact, Sigur Rós releases a song entitled Gobbledigook. Life is so magnificent, sometimes.

And it’s songs like Gobbledigook which give that little extra something to make life more-than-magnificent. A logical successor to what we heard on Takk, this song has completely ditched reverbing guitars for a very organic, one part tribal, one part pastoral, acoustic stomper, which maintains that usual magic which coos from Birgisson’s blessed lungs. Accompanied by a chorus of playful “la-la-la-la-la’s” for a glistening of lightness, the tempo sways and bucolic release make for one fun frolic.

MP3: Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook

You can also download a hi-quality version by registering here
www.sigurros.com
myspace.com/sigurros

NDP MP and digital rights crusader Charlie Angus announced today that we was going to propose a private member’s bill on net neutrality, to “enact rules to keep the internet free from interference by service providers.” That’s good news in a sense, but seeing that it is a private member’s bill, the chances that it would pass are minimal, especially considering the current government’s inaction in the situation. But, perhaps that’s exactly what we need to stir the pot…