Wednesday, May 19, 2010

SKIM!

I really enjoyed reading this novel. It took me back to my years in high school. I may not have been wiccan or a slightly overweight teenage girl, but I felt a connection with Skim. She was with a group friends that despised everything that was popular and yet it never really seemed like she actually hated the popular kids. That was just the group she ended up in. It was pretty similar to my situation in high school. She was discovering who she was. She didn't really fit in with the people she was hanging out with throughout most of the story, but that was ok because she was just figuring out who she was. I especially enjoyed the end of the story. It was great that she made friends with one of the most popular girls in school. They both seemed more mature than the rest of the students. They shared a disgust for how shallow everything is in high school. It was great that Skim got away from Laura in the end. The story ended in the best way possible. It had an open ended ending that left me with the thought that Skim was going to be ok and had found a true friend.It was the first graphic novel that i've ever read and I truly enjoyed it. It's a really cool medium. I won't hesitate to read some more.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

OH THE COVER!

This has been pretty difficult for me; trying to pick out a cover song to post. So here it is! The song is called Death and the Maiden. It was originally written and performed by the Verlaines; a little known rock band from New Zealand. Their version can be heard here.

Lyrics!

You're just too, too obscure for me
Oh, you really don't get through to me
And there's no need, for you to talk that way
Are there any less pleasant things to say?

Do you like Paul Verlaine?
Is it gonna rain today?
Should we have our photo taken?
We'll look like Death and the Maiden

(Chorus)
Verlaine, Verlaine x1000

I still choose, to lose the way I like
Fool around, split my lungs out of spite
But I won't reject, so long as you make sense
But i'm through with the rooms and the vague intentions

You shouldn't talk to me
Find better company
There's better people to know
You'll only end up like Rimbaud
Get shot by Verlaine

(Chorus)

The way you look, is oh so bloody stale
Your sanity looks pretty frail
You have to clutch at every little straw
And I can't stomach that at all

Do you like Paul Verlaine?
Is it gonna rain today?
Should we have our photo taken?
We'll look like Death and the Maiden

(Chorus)

I like both versions of the song, but I like the Stephen Malkmus version better. He is one of my favorite songwriters of all time and I don't think that I would have ever heard this song if he did not cover it. The song changes as a result of the voice singing it. The singers come from different countries. Stephen Malkmus is from america and it makes all the difference for me. His voice doesn't have an accent that i'm not used to. It makes the song more relatable to me. The instrumentals are practically the same in both versions. The cover is cleaner sounding if anything. In any case, it's a great song! I hope you enjoyed it.