New Project — Anthology of Interest

Hello Ladies and Gents,

More and more these days, the only way to get anything done is to do it yourself. And so I announce my latest project: a literary anthology website and podcast.

So here’s where you come in:

I am looking for a handful of fantastic stories. And by “fantastic” I mean both definitions; really good and of a fantastical nature. They could be science-fiction or fantasy, yes, but I am looking at all milieus—even poetry and non-fiction—so long as it has an element of the strange, mysterious, or speculative. (Comic, dramatic, it's all good.)

The plan is this:

First, I would like to take a look at the story to provide some editorial input (and to make sure it’s right for this). You would then release the story under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike. This would allow you to retain rights to the work while allowing me to post the text on the website and to create an audio version for the podcast.

I can’t offer payment, but this would be a great way to distribute our works and to market future products (such as printed anthologies and merchandise) that would offer money-making opportunities.

If you or any people you know would be interested in submitting something, let me know. I would like to receive complete drafts of stories by December 20th. As I said, they can be in any genre and style, but I do have a few requirements:

1) No erotica. Some sexual content is okay, but I don’t want this to be an adults-only podcast.

2) No fanfic. If you don’t have the rights to what you’re writing about, don’t bother.

There are some great venues out there for both fanfic and erotica. I do not aim to become another one of either (or both!).

3) No previously published works unless you retain all rights to the material.

4) Complete works only. No Chapter Ones or excerpts. If this becomes stable and continues, I would like to lift this stricture and start doing serialized stuff, but let’s save that for later.

5) I have no length restrictions, but I’d rather see shorter things (up to 3000 words or so). So hang onto your 50-page novella for now; we can serialize that later.

Multiple submissions are fine, particularly for shorter works.

As I have intimated, if this initial batch looks promising, I would like to continue this indefinitely, but we’ll worry about that later.

I would like to record audio versions of these stories while I’m in Boston after Christmas. As such, I am also looking for voice talent. If you or anyone you know might be interested in reading, let me know. I’ll be putting out a more formal call for readers when I have a better picture of how many stories I might get. Readers will be compensated for their time.

If you have any questions, please ask! Read more!

I haven't totally forgotten about this blog. I've just been inordinately busy lately. I hope to bring it back in a few weeks in a slightly revamped form. Read more!

Ladies and gents,

A thousand apologies on the lack of blog updates lately. I have been pretty swamped lately. I hope to return to the blog in the near future, and I hope you will too.

No news or predictions as to when I'll be back on the blogging on a regular basis, but hopefully within a couple weeks.

—John Read more!

REVIEW: "Has Been"

William Shatner
Has Been
© 2004 Shout! Factory

William Shatner’s musical career has often been the subject of mockery, rather than praise. Though a multitalented performer, singing is not among the man’s skill-set. Syle, however, is and, if it showed anything, his 1968 debut album The Transformed Man showed a very distinctive style of spoken word outsider music. While that album may be considered one of the worst albums ever made, Shatner has proceeded to hone and adapt his musical style over the years, from his classic performance of Elton John’s “Rocket Man” to his commercials for Priceline.

For the most part, his deliberately campy style has been used purely for comic effect. But, in 1999, Ben Folds saw a greater potential in Shatner’s voice and used him in his project, Fear of Pop. This began a creative relationship that ultimately led to 2004’s Has Been, an album featuring spoken word poems (mostly) written by Shatner, arrangements and production by Ben Folds, and numerous celebrity guests. The result? Nothing short of amazing.

Let me add a condition to that praise: This is an album that needs multiple listens. In my experience, at least, the first time I listened to it, I was overwhelmed; I didn’t know if I should laugh or shake my head. Was this some sort of ironic statement? A joke? A serious musical effort? The more I listened to it, the more I realized that it was all three.

The album starts off with one of it’s strongest tracks, a cover of Pulp’s “Common People” that far exceeds the cheesy eurodisco of the original. Though the vocal delivery is surprisingly similar, Shatner’s version manages to inject far more actual emotion into the song’s sentiment. He does what all good covers should: pay homage to the original while making the song his own. The backing vocals from Joe Jackson seem to be there to cover for Shatner’s limited range, but nonetheless work well enough.

“Common People (feat Joe Jackson)” (no video)


As good as it is, however, “Common People” fits oddly with the rest of the album; it is the only cover (with the rest of them written by Shatner and his collaborators) and thus lacks one of the key features that binds the rest of the album, for all of its musical variation: the strong and deeply personal authorial voice of Shatner. Ben Folds’ influence on the music is clear and the various talent on individual songs (such as Henry Rollins on “I Can’t Get Behind That”) clearly show their participation, but this is always Shatner’s show.

Shatner is a complicated man, and each track on this album clearly shows a different layers of his personality.

Some of the songs are reactions to his celebrity status. Whether it be his challenge and satirical retaliation to those who call him a “Has Been” (in the album’s title track)…

“Has Been” (no video)


…to the much more personal message of “Real” where he apologizes for not being able to live up to the standard set by his never-fail screen personas like Captain Kirk.

“Real (feat Brad Paisley)” (fan video)


(Though, the more I listen to “Real” the more it sounds like Clark Kent denying that he is Superman.)

Other topics are taken on with a similar dichotomy, such as morality. “You’ll Have Time” has a clear message “Live life like you’re gonna die/Because you’re gonna.” While it is expressed with no small amount of tongue-in-cheek humor, it is still a genuine sentiment, with it’s disquieting list of people who had died within the past few years.

“You’ll Have Time” (fan video)


On the other side of the coin is the shattering “What Have You Done,” a frank, poetic description of his discovery of the body of his wife, Nerine Kidd-Shatner, who had drowned in their pool. The simplicity of the track and Shatner’s whispering voice, drive home the tragedy of this event.

“What Have You Done” (fan video)


The album isn’t flawless; some songs try too hard or not hard enough, such as “It Hasn’t Happened Yet.” While its sentiment is genuine and moving, the song itself is a little too simple, too subdued, for its own good.

“It Hasn’t Happened Yet”


The problem is in part exacerbated by the superiority of this live version, which manages to capture the message just as clearly with more energy:

“It Hasn’t Happened Yet” (live)


As a whole, however, this album never fails to deliver, provided the audience is willing to listen closely. There is a lot of emotion and subtext here that may surprise those whose first thought of Shatner’s musical talents is “Rocket Man.”

RECCOMENDED IF… you have the patience to give outsider music a fair try. On a casual listen, the album may seem silly; Has Been demands a lot more effort from it’s listeners than the typical album.

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REVIEW: "Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret"

Rhapsody
Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret
© 2004 SPV GmbH

Note: Rhapsody changed their name to Rhapsody of Fire in 2006, between the release of this album and 2006’s Triumph or Agony.

With their 2002 album Power of the Dragonflame, Italian Symphonic Power Metal band ended their first multi-album fantasy epic, “The Emerald Sword Saga.” The band took this opportunity to not only launch a new epic, “The Dark Secret Saga,” but to upgrade their sound. Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret features backing by a live orchestra, full chorus, various string solos, and narration by Christopher Lee.

While Rhapsody has always incorporated symphonic elements in their music, with Symphony of Enchanted Lands II they have taken it to a new level. But is that a good thing?

The album’s basic improvements in production quality are the easiest to pass judgment upon. The comparison between the synth orchestration of their previous albums and the vibrant, live instrumentation featured here is no contest. Similarly, Christopher Lee’s rich, sonorous voice is infinitely better than the awkward, slightly lispy narration of the previous albums. Even the quality of the audio is smoother and cleaner than previously.

It is the creative changes that will prove more divisive.

Power of the Dragonflame was, as befit its role as the climax to the grand, military fantasy of “The Emerald Sword Saga,” a raucous, high energy ride. Symphony of Enchanted Lands II, on the other hand, serves as the opening to “The Dark Secret Saga” and the album reflects this. The violent energy of Dragonflame is just not there. Instead Symphony contains many symphonic interludes and slower ballads.

The album opener, “The Dark Secret – Ira Dvinia,” is a purely atmospheric/orchestral song and heavily features Lee’s narration. Its purpose in the story is clear—acting as a prologue and hinting at the conflicts that lie ahead. Musically its purpose is similar—even at over four minutes in length, it is entirely introduction, spotlighting the orchestral and choral elements that will be featured in varying capacities throughout the album. It is a competent arrangement—with the chorus being used to particularly strong effect—but wholly lacking in Metal.

“The Dark Secret – Ira Divina” (no video)


It isn’t until the second track “Unholy Warcry” that the album really starts. And what a start! “Unholy Warcry” is hands-down one of the best songs on Symphony. It has everything—from rollicking percussion, to blazing guitars, to a breakdown featuring more narration—that one could hope for. And the various elements are well integrated into what guitarist and song-writer Luca Turilli refers to as his “neoclassical” style.

“Unholy Warcry” (no video)


Other tracks, such as the epic "Sacred Power of Raging Winds" come close to emulating the balance between effective use of symphonic, narrative, and Metal elements that “Unholy Warcry” achieves, but that song is, unfortunately, never surpassed.

“Sacred Power of Raging Winds” (no video)


In large part, this is due to the unfortunately large amount of time spent on pastoral pieces or ballads. Though these may serve a purpose in the sonic tapestry of “The Dark Secret Saga” there is, nonetheless, too much time spent on the beauty of dragons in flight, and not enough on them burning shit. Simply, Rhapsody is best when they are playing fast, energetic songs; their slower songs are almost universally maudlin and bland.

One of the worst offenders is “The Magic of the Wizard’s Dream.” While not irredeemable, it is almost painfully boring. Its biggest impediment is the simple, redundant percussion that makes the song feel even slower than it is.

“The Magic of the Wizard’s Dream” (no video)


There is a single version of “The Magic of the Wizard’s Dream” that is a duet between signer Fabio Lione and Christopher Lee. While generally the same song, it actually works much better as a duet. Additionally, the percussion has been significantly scaled back and the piano strengthened. It is truly a shame that version did not make it onto the album. link (NOTE: This version was made after the release of the album. It is nice to imagine that this could have been the result of Rhapsody addressing the complaints over this original version.)

Fortunately, after “The Magic of the Wizard’s Dream” (which is track five) the album generally picks up its pace, with some genuinely enjoyable songs such as “Last Angel’s Call,” which strongly resembles sound of the Rhapsody of old, and the climax “Nightfall on the Grey Mountains” which revisits many of the musical themes that came before like any good finale.

In fact, while scanning through the rest of the album for another negative example, I had trouble finding one. Even other slower songs, such as ”Guardiani del Destino” are not without positives. (“Guardiani del Destino” is perhaps a minute longer than it has to be, but actually does build to a rather satisfying finish.) Unfortunately, while these might be at least okay when taken one by one, when played through as a whole, they utterly fail to distinguish themselves.

That is, perhaps, the greatest disappointment of Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret. While individual tracks may be truly impressive and the increased production values serve their intended effect, the total result is one that falls short of it’s potential.

The band’s following album Triumph or Agony generally had greater success in balancing the symphonic and Metal elements than Symphony but was beset by it’s own problems (which I’ll save for a later review). Currently, production on the third album in “The Dark Secret Saga” is on hold due to legal complications. Hopefully, if this project ever sees completion, Rhapsody will be able to take what they have learned with these two albums and do something truly impressive.

RECCOMENDED IF… you enjoy or are interested in Symphonic Power Metal. For all its shortcomings, excesses, and other failings, it remains an extremely enjoyable album.

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