To Bring You My Backrooms

From her 1994 masterpiece, To Bring You My Love. 

I've felt drawn back to several 90s female artists recently, and PJ Harvey is a big one. I don't remember when I first heard To Bring You My Love, but I know it was an instant "all-timer" for me. That said, it's also one that takes me to a very specific inner place, a place I don't often necessarily find myself drawn to these days. Lately, though, I'm all about it.

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NCBD:

Another fabulous Wednesday pull from Rick's Comic City in Clarksville. Let's take a gander at what will be waiting for me after work:

For whatever reason, it feels like it's been months since the last issue of Thundarr. Excited to get back into this, as there's potentially some really interesting stuff going on in this book. 

Here's a surprise - the unreleased "Swamp Thing meets Jesus" by Rick Veitch and Michael Zulli finally sees the light of day as a four-issue series starting this week and published monthly for the next three months. Reminds me a bit of when Vertigo made a big deal about finally releasing that Constantine story that caused Warren Ellis to bail on the book after only two thin trades worth of what could have been a long and completely brilliant run. For as groundbreaking as they wanted to be perceived as back in the late 80s, I don't think DC had fully acquiesced to Karen Berger's autonomy until after Sandman proved the brand. 

We come to the end of the Sssilent Missions event with a Firefly issue. No better way to end things, in my opinion. Like Copperhead, another of my all-time favorite characters. 

Another facsimile edition for Larry Hama's original ARAH series, this time issue 14, which I believe is the first appearance of Laird Destro!

One thing I learned years ago is to stay the hell out of comic shops on Free Comic Book Day, which is this coming Saturday. So I'm not sure I'll actually be able to walk away with this, or if I should just wait for the not-free version that drops next Wednesday. 

J.G. Jones and Phil Bram's dustbowl epic Dust to Dust finally comes to a conclusion with issue 8, and I'll be jumping in and rereading this one from the start sooner rather than later. I reread the first half a few months ago, but have held off on the subsequent issues due to publishing delays. I want a full-on, one-sitting reread on this one. 

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Watch:

While I now approach all YouTuber-turned-Filmmaker Horror movies with a certain degree of trepidation, I finally saw the trailer for Kane "Pixels" Parsons' Backrooms from A24, and I have to say, I'm excited and hopeful. This looks fantastic. I've expressed my fascination for the YouTube version of Backrooms here previously, and this film looks like the consolidation the admittedly sprawling episodic series needs to really lock in its power. Also, the inclusion of such a top-tier actor like Chiwetel Ejiofor adds significance, as does having Mark Duplass on board. 

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Playlist:

Weird Studies - The Only Possible End: On Donna Tartt's The Secret History

Weird Studies - Lost and Never Found: On the Blair Witch Project

Steve Moore - Jimmy & Stiggs OST

Deadguy - Near-Death Travel Services

Poe - Hello

PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love

D'Nell - First Magic

Steve Moore - VFW OST

John Carpenter w/ Alan Howarth - Prince of Darkness OST

Deafheaen - Lonely People With Power

The Cure - Pornography

Cold Cave - Cherish the Light Years

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Card:

From Jonathan Grimm's Hand of Doom Tarot, which you can buy HERE. 

• IV: The Emperor

• Two of Pentacles

• VIII: Strength

Structure, collaboration on a project, and instinct. 

I have lingering questions about a particular collaboration, and I think I just got my answer. Well, the cards don't answer questions; they just point you to the answer you already know. 

D'Nell - I've Read About it

 

I have not thought about D'Nell or their 2005 Trip Hop/Soul Masterpiece 1st Magic in probably a decade. I ask myself, how is that possible? The moment I thought of it, out of the clear blue sky Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, I sought it out, only to find it absent from Apple Music. It's apparently on Spotify, but I only sub to that around October to have access to my four-hour Halloween playlist, so instead, I had to resort to listening to it on youtube.

I hate doing that. I mean, FUCK ads, right? 

Anyway, I'm sure the old burned disc I had is on one of the spindles of burned discs I've hung onto since the '00s. Will it still play? Doesn't matter, because I tracked down a vinyl copy of 1st Magic on Discogs and bought it. Shipping from Germany included, and it came to less than I've paid for some new, domestic records. I cannot wait to get this on my turntable! I know so little about D'Nell - my good friend Ray turned me onto them back circa 2006 or 2007, and it soundtracked the next five or so years of my life pretty heavily. Then... it just fell off my radar. I can't explain the size of the smile on my face listening to this last night and again first thing this morning. 

Such an amazing record.

 

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Watch:

I'm too exhausted to explain what I know about Backrooms - I don't know so much more than I do - but after my friends Maddy and Kenta introduced me to this and Kane Pixels, in general, this time last year, I haven't thought that much about it. 

Until now.

That book I'm currently reading? Coup de Grace? Really reminds me of this, so I've been thinking about it again. I need to carve out some time to sit down, smoke up, and just try and watch as much of this as I can. Also, there is some definite second-generation Hauntology going on in these. Analog ghost worlds, baby. Analog Ghost Worlds...

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Playlist:

D'Nell - 1st Magic

United Future Organization - 3rd Perspective

Secret Chiefs 2 Traditionalists - La Mani Destre Recise Degli Ultimi Uomimi

Calexico - More Cowboys In Sweden (Live)

Me and That Man - New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 1

Ethel Cain - Preacher's Daughter

The Body - I Have Fought Against It, But I Can't Any Longer

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