Details

The past week or so when I wanted to (a) delay writing my final papers or (b) chill out after writing for many hours, I would read Jonathan Franzen's The Discomfort Zone. Franzen is the author of a fantastic, fantastic, fantastic book called The Corrections. I highly recommend both.

While I was reading, my new it-song of 2006 Baby's Got It In The Genes (Roman Candle) kept running through my head. Not because the words were anything alike but because the reason I like both works is because of the style. Both Franzen and Roman Candle tell me all the details I never knew I needed to know. When Franzen writes I think, "yes...of course...of course you were wearing ripped jeans...and of course the rug looked like that...and yes. yes! that is exactly what adolescence was like." And Roman Candle..."of course you bought raisins and a baby ruth...because that's what you do when you mourn a lost love. Obviously...."

And really...really?...when you reflect back on circumstances from your own life...you remember those needless, mundane details...those details that turn out to be really important. And I appreciate artists who know that. And they share those details with us. And their stuff doesn't sound like some 13 year old's livejournal.