[Jandek] Jandek apathy

[Lars Spurious]

I take your point about Jandek apathy, Nate. Here are my ill-formed
impressions.

Myth of Blue Icicles is a welcome release. I generally prefer the studio
albums to the live ones and hope Corwood releases more of them soon. I find
there's more drama on Myth, say than Glasgow Friday, which, though
enjoyable, is not, I think an album I'm going to revisit that much. Glasgow
Friday's muscular and powerful to be sure, but I've always preferred the
intimate Jandek recordings, and especially those released since the acapella
period.

Myth, however, does not reach the heights (the depths!) of Khartoum for me,
or, say 'Blues Turned Black' or 'The Humility of Pain'. Sometimes there's a
mismatch on Myth between the lyrics and the music (lyrics too optimistic as
on track 1, e.g.) that recalls When I Took That Train, which never seemed
*right* to me. I like my Jandek recordings in the black depths of
depression. I like the tracks long and wretched, whether relatively
structured ('Blues Turned Black') or relatively unstructured ('The Park'
from Ruins). Having said that I particularly enjoyed track 2 on Myth -
longer, more developed. But Myth is not, for me, a front rank late Jandek
recording, excellent as it is.

Still haven't got the Manhattan DVD - look forward to it, though. It's a
fine CD and, like Glasgow Monday, welcome for its intimacy (ok, I know it's
backed by a full band), and for its innovations in terms of instrumentation
and (speech-)singing. I'm not looking forward *that* much to the upcoming
live London release. The guitar seems too in tune for me. Above all, I wish
the live material would be released much more quickly. The San Francisco
material on Youtube was tantalising, and as for what I've read of The
Duality of Self ...
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