Well, this is novel. Literally. For the first time in forever, this roundup includes a work of fiction — Belle & Sebastian frontman Stuart Murdoch’s Nobody’s Empire. Then again, since it’s the story of a young Scottish man named Stuart who becomes a songwriter, calling it totally fictional might be a stretch. Either way, it’s on my to-do list — as is the new Joni Mitchell bio I Dream Of Joni, if only because I love a pun. Here are the rest of your reading options:
Nobody’s Empire: A Novel
By Stuart Murdoch
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “One of the great lyricists of our time, the lead singer and songwriter for the iconic Glasgow band Belle and Sebastian, pens a sensitive and intimate account — his debut novel based on his own youthful experiences — of dark days leading to light and a coming of age through music. It’s the early 1990s in Glasgow, Scotland, and Stephen has emerged from a lengthy hospital stay. Diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, a little-understood disease which has robbed him of any prospects of work, friends, or independent living, he moves slowly toward new goals and meets others like him, including Richard, a friend from school, and Carrie, a young woman bedridden for five years. Feeling isolated and alone, they form their own support group, and try to get by with as little money and pain as possible. Since he’s been ill, Stephen never feels warm, inspiring Carrie to affectionately call him “The World’s Coldest Boy.” As the world seems to care less for them, the trio start to care less about fitting in with the world. Stephen soon discovers he has a talent for writing songs. He awakens to the possibility of a spiritual life that transcends the everyday, and feels a calling for a place that might as well be on the other end of the universe let alone the world. Buoyed by tentative hope, he and Richard leave Glasgow in search of a cure in the mythic warmth and sun of California. As they float between hostels, sofas, and park benches, they discover the trip is life-changing in ways neither expected, and Stephen embraces a new-world reinvention that will change his life forever. Melodic and captivating, filled with graceful notes, melancholic chords, and witty, thoughtful riffs on life’s infinite possibilities and curiosities, Nobody’s Empire is a warm and wonderful coming-of-age novel, imbued with Murdoch’s magical lyricism.”
I Dream of Joni: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell in 53 Snapshots
By Henry Alford
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The eternal singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is seen anew, portrayed through a witty and comprehensive exploration of anecdotes, quotes, and lyrics by Henry Alford, humorist and writer for The New Yorker. Mitchell’s life, psyche, and evolving legacy are explored here in vivid technicolor — from her childhood in Saskatoon to her arrival in Laurel Canyon that turned her into, as Alford puts it, “the bard of heartbreak and longing.” Each period of Mitchell’s life is observed via the artists, friends, family, and lovers she encountered along the way, including James Taylor, Leonard Cohen, Georgia O’Keefe, Prince, and, most significantly, Kilauren, the daughter Mitchell gave up for adoption at birth but then reconnected with decades later. Presented in the impressionistic vein of Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret, I Dream of Joni explores in 53 essays, with the author’s trademark wit and verve, the life of the legendary singer-songwriter.”
Philip Lynott: Renegade
By Alan Byrne
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Philip Lynott: Renegade is the story of a pioneering Irish musician. From his early days on his beloved Dublin music scene through the adventurous days of Thin Lizzy, the band he led for 13 years, Philip himself reveals in song the ebb and flow of his public and private life. Once mainstream success came his way with Thin Lizzy’s powerhouse Jailbreak album in 1976, his musical thirst only heightened, and this book also offers intimate insight into his musical experimentation beyond the Thin Lizzy framework. The very subtle solo annexe to the main body of his recorded work with Thin Lizzy is often overlooked despite being inhabited with lyrical depth, honesty and amusing but purposeful misdirection. From the slow burn of his rise with Thin Lizzy to the unfortunate and unnecessary outcome of his short life, Renegade offers a vantage point from the people who were by his side through it all.”
Through the Echoes: The Story of Svdden Death
By Moses Dos Santos
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Through the Echoes: The Svdden Death Story takes readers on a captivating journey through the rise of renowned dubstep artist Svdden Death, from his humble beginnings to his meteoric rise to fame. With gripping tales of personal struggles, mind-blowing live performances, and groundbreaking collaborations, this book showcases the perseverance, creativity, and lasting impact of a musical icon. From behind-the-scenes studio secrets to heartwarming fan experiences, this in-depth exploration celebrates the life and legacy of Svdden Death, leaving readers inspired and awestruck.”
Elsie Houston: Revolutionary Soprano
By Adjoa Osei
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The early 1900s ushered in an exciting wave of avant-garde artistic innovation. Igor Stravinsky was thinking about new ways of interpreting sound, Pablo Picasso was exploring new ways of representing the figure, and Coco Chanel was giving women a new sense of style. Within this moment of avant-garde change, few recognised black women artists and intellectuals who were also driving cultural innovation and were agents of moulding and shaping Western culture and society. This book uncovers the forgotten story of one such woman called Elsie Houston — a mixed race, Brazilian, classically trained soprano. Elsie captured the 1920s and 1930s Western artistic vogue for black exotica by restylizing Afro-Brazilian folk songs on elite stages. In Paris, she became the ultimate flapper girl: she performed in one of the city’s risquâe nudist cabarets; moved in the same social circles as Josephine Baker; became a muse for Man Ray; and engaged the same political sphere as the Trotskyists. Moving to New York City in 1937, the press branded her folk songs as ‘voodoo’ and she was part of a bohemian set of figures who were connected to the Harlem Renaissance. Elsie reconceptualized black music, in particular Afro-Brazilian music, as modern and cosmopolitan. This book opens the door to an unexpected history of race, sexuality, and society during the 20th century.”
Never Miss A Beat
By Michael J Atherton
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “At 15, Michael Atherton landed in Sydney carrying one thing only: A cheap guitar he didn’t know how to play. By the 1990s he was Foundation Professor of Music at the University of Western Sydney, drawing on his self-taught, working-class background to become the driving force behind an innovative, community-minded approach to music education. Michael is a multi-instrumentalist whose musical interests range from rock ’n’ roll to early music and folk, exploring new combinations of instruments both ancient and new. He has played in rock bands, early music and folk groups, cross-cultural groups Sirocco and Southern Crossings and the electroacoustic Sync, and composed extensively for TV, film, and performance. His story is one of prodigious energy, of adaptability, and of always being open to new understanding and new opportunities. He has striven especially to challenge snobbery in music and to celebrate diversity, collaboration and community.”
Crybaby: The Artists Who Shaped Emo Rap
By Donna-Claire Chesman
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A revelatory examination of emo rap, from its inception to its incendiary ascent into the mainstream, including the artists that defined its sound and ethos, from Kid Cudi to Lil Peep, Lil Uzi Vert, XXXTentacion and Juice WRLD. When Kid Cudi dubbed himself the “lonely stoner,” the texture of contemporary hip-hop was forever changed. The young rapper droned over purple blips and skitters on Day ‘N’ Nite, unaware that he was terraforming the foundation of rap. As the decades wore on, the song came to symbolize a changing of the guard, and the next generation of kids were about to get really sad on the mic. Crybaby: The Artists Who Shaped Emo Rap chronicles the rise and fall of a genre born from suburban malaise. From Atmosphere giving emo its name in the late ’90s to Juice WRLD capturing every corner of rap’s attention with his wailing high school angst, this was the definitive sound of bugged-out youth. Everyone was trapped in their bedrooms and hoping to feel something. They didn’t need record deals; they just needed wi-fi. Artists recorded into old computers and their music traveled through the digital portals of SoundCloud. A network of reposts, comments, and word-of-mouth allowed the genre to bubble up nationally. While the press didn’t know what to make of Yung Lean and The Sad Boys’ viral rise, the fans understood this was their music. By the turn of the decade, the three most prominent emo rappers — Lil Peep, XXXTentacion and Juice WRLD — had lost their lives to ODs and gun violence. But the numbers for the young artists we’ve lost tell a story of resilience. For those who were there during the whirlwind of the 2010s, emo’s imprint has not faded. Millions of fans worldwide turn to this music as twilight grips them and they stare off into their own emotional voids. It’s whiny. It’s base. And it speaks to the truth of the matter: every era will have its crybabies.”
Life Could Be a Dream: African American Blues, R&B Gospel and Doo Wop, 1946-1956
By Jerry Wasserman
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In the tumultuous decade following the Second World War, the civil rights movement began transforming Black lives and American society. The era also proved momentous for African American popular music: new record labels, new styles, and exciting new sounds in the form of electrified blues combos, rhythm and blues shouters and balladeers, gospel and doo-wop quartets. By the late-1950s, with rock ‘n’ roll dominating the American soundscape, much of the phenomenal Black music of the postwar decade began to drift into relative obscurity. This book brings a remarkable body of African American music, excluding jazz, back into sharp focus, and explores its connections to the socio-political dreams of Black America during that period of frustrated hopes and great expectations. With close attention to the singers, musicians, and lyrics in hundreds of recordings from 1946 to 1956, it offers for the first time a detailed examination of four musical genres along the blues continuum: Blues, R&B, gospel, and secular harmony (better known as doo-wop). Meet the artists and listen to the sounds and themes of Black America in the musically explosive decade before rock ‘n’ roll.”
33 1/3 | Taco Hemingway’s Jarmark
By Kamila Rymajdo
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Examining the cultural significance of the rap album Jarmark (2020) as a reflection of Polish politics and history during the country’s populist turn and migration following EU enlargement. Taco Hemingway is the first Polish artist to be streamed a billion times on Spotify. His fifth studio album, Jarmark, is his most political work to date. Previously described as the voice of a generation with nothing to say, Hemingway’s shift towards political themes can be seen as an intervention, especially as Jarmark’s lead single Polskie Tango was released just two days before the 2020 presidential election. As such, this book examines the album as a response to a crisis point in Polish society, with the country divided about its future, both politically and socially. It also explores the album’s textual and musical characteristics while situating Hemingway’s career within the broader context of Polish rap history as well as Polish migration. Additionally, the book discusses the album’s impact through its critical reception, sales, awards, and social media commentary.”
33 1/3 | Lata Mangeshkar’s My Favourites, Vol. 2
By Anirudha Bhattacharjee & Chandrashekhar Rao
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A history of Hindi film music recounted from a list of 50 of Lata Mangeshakar’s songs that she chose as her favorites. Mangeshkar, one of India’s all-time most influential singers was known as “the Nightingale of India.” For her album My Favourites, Vol. 2, Lata chooses 50 songs as her favourites among her own work, from a repository of over 5,000. This book covers an expanse of nearly 40 years, connecting you to the real-life events behind the songs, going back to when music listening in India was limited to the radio, the 78 RPM shellac, the occasional visit to the cinema, and later, the vinyl records, cassettes, and television.”
Nigeria: The Cover Art of Nigerian Music
By Stuart Baker
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This unique large-format book features hundreds and hundreds of unique and stunning record sleeve designs from Nigeria that span a period from the country’s independence in 1960 through much of the second half of the 20th century — a time in which Nigerian artists and the Nigerian music industry thrived both at home and abroad. During this period, high-profile Nigerian artists such as Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade, Sonny Okosun, Haruna Ishola, Oriental Brothers International Band, Tony Allen, Blo and Chief Ebenezer Obey became national and international stars. Many more Nigerian artists established successful careers at home and yet remain virtually unknown outside of Nigeria to this day. This book features the most important Nigerian artists both at home and abroad (as well as many of those that have remained unknown outside of the country), bringing together a vast array of rare, classic and stunning visual sleeve designs that document more than 50 years of the amazing musical, graphic art and social history of Nigeria.”
Elvis: The Official Graphic Novel Deluxe Edition
By Chris Miskiewicz & Michael Shelfer
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Legends have to start somewhere… Witness the king of rock ‘n’ roll’s humble beginnings in Memphis as a young artist struggling to define his voice and break into the music industry. From the history-making Sun Studio to television sets across the nation, the trials and tribulations of Elvis Presley are explored in graphic detail by authors Chris Miskiewicz (Grateful Dead: Origins) and Marvel Comics artist Michael Shelfer. This official graphic novel was produced in partnership with the Elvis Presley Estate.”
