December 2019 - Slow Culture Magazine

Jennah Barry, Holiday (March 2020) – ALBUM REVIEW #13

19 December 20193 May 2020Album Reviews, Music & Records Marc Louis-Boyard

From the presse release: “On the south shore of Nova Scotia, in a house she helped build, Jennah Barry wrote, arranged, and recorded the songs that comprise Holiday (via Forward Music Group). Holiday follows her first album, Young Men (listen here). Jennah collaborated with Colin Nealis, her “greatest musical partner”—and partner in life.”

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This album is beaming with beautiful intimacy, sweetness and joy. Just as we said on Facebook: Jennah Barry’s Holiday is the warm Winter blanket you want to snuggle up with. Or the Spring sunrays you want to bathe in. The release date is March, but this review includes three songs (Roller Disco, The Real Moon and Pink Grey Blue) to keep your merry spirit on waiting.

Jason McMahon (Odd West out on Jan 31 2020) – ITW #12

17 December 20193 May 2020Interviews, Music & Records Marc Louis-Boyard

Public transportation strikes can be painful. Not for us! Almost two months ago, we were stuck home on a cold Fall day. We then received an incoming message announcing Odd West, Jason McMahon’s first solo album after his abundant opportunities as a respected touring musician. Folk/americana? That aroused curiosity.

Our modest but hyperactive sound system didn’t fail to instantly reveal the richness of the twelve tracks of Odd West. Unsurprisingly enough, and beyond his musical abilities, JasonMcMahon has a sense of generosity and openness in his words that touched us and that you can find in this interview.

Before reading, press play to enjoy “Book of Knots” and “Ambisinistrous”.

Gareth E. Rees, Car Park Life – BOOK REVIEW #3

12 December 20193 May 2020Book Reviews, Literature Marc Louis-Boyard

Gareth E. Rees’ Car Park Life (Influx press) joins Juliet Escoria’s Juliet The Maniac on the list of our 2019 favorite pieces of non-fiction.

Expecting at first a light read full of entertaining and easy anecdotes, we understood in the first ten pages how rich and enlightening our reading would become.

We do not drive, but Car Park Life immersed us in a scene that is even unknown to your typical retail store wanderer or to your classic car park daydreamer.

Gareth E. Rees’ third book is serious field research. Here begins your sociological journey.

Stevie Ray Vaughan – TUESDAY MUSEDAY

9 December 20193 May 2020Music & Records, Tuesday Museday Marc Louis-Boyard

Almost thirty years after his death in a helicopter accident, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s legacy seems untouched. SRV’s music keeps on inspiring and motivating young and advanced guitar players on their journey to soulful music playing and mastery. But that’s not all.

As John Mayer rightfully expressed while introducing the Dallas-born music prodigy at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Stevie’s music is “a rage without the anger, it’s devotional”. How could a blues player have such an impact in roughly eight years of fame?

Here are our answers !

The Novella Project (Holland House Books) – ITW #11

4 December 20193 May 2020Interviews, Literature Marc Louis-Boyard

The Novella Project (tutored by Holland House Books and supported by Arts Council England) is the ambitious reunion of two teams, each working on two books published each year.

Each party (including the author) comes from under-represented minorities and/or working class backgrounds. The main goal of The Novella Project is to learn: the merry teams are composed of interns with bright dreams and ever-growing motivations. Layout, marketing, editing, typography… Many fields and duties are put under the spotlight. Of course, authors can be directly involved too.

With the precious help of Holland House Books founder Robert Peett, we were lucky enough to interview Phaidra Robinson, Mia Skevington, Yinka Olanyia and Isabel Cash, all team members of The Novella Project. Find the results of their work at the end of this article!

Teamwork, responsibilities, communication and business vision, this interview is your opportunity to learn from these publishers in the making.

silvi alcivar (the poetry store) – WHY I WRITE VOL.14

1 December 20193 May 2020Literature, Why I Write Marc Louis-Boyard

my poems emerge from the dark of you meeting i. then there is something more than light. there is life.

BIO: as poet and owner of the poetry store, silvi alcivar writes and sells custom poetry on-demand and as art. to date, she’s worked in places as small as someone’s living room, as intimate as a funeral, and as recognizable as tedX. in addition to selling tens of thousands of poems worldwide, she’s performed on stage and radio and exhibits art in galleries throughout the bay area. her truest passion is in teaching poetry classes for the elderly, which started in 2005 and will continue until she’s too old to do it. she’s grateful to cornell university’s college scholar program for giving her the opportunity to choose a college path of her own choosing and penn state for introducing her to the true meaning of an MFA (read: mother f*cking artist).

Picture: scott r. kline

Why I Write, by silvi alcivar.