Ubik by Philip K. Dick (1969) - Psychic operatives and industrial espionage lead to a meditation on death and not letting go.

Dead Tech Sampler: No Wave From Japan by various artists (Dossier/1986) - Lest it seem that I’m turning into a sad old classic rock geezer… This is a collection of screeching, nerve shredding, early recordings by The Boredoms (in duo mode), Ruins, Null, Hijokaidan, High Rise, YBO², Zeitlich Vergelter and A.N.P. Uncompromising noisecore, guaranteed to distress your neighbors.

The Three Stigmata Of Palmer Eldritch by Philip K. Dick (1964) - One of PKD’s major novels. Reality, perception, drugs, theology and doll accessories all collide in a thoughtful tale of interstellar invasion.

Krazy and Ignatz 1939-1940: A Brick Stuffed With Moom-bims by George Herriman (1939-1940) - Compiling a couple more years of funnypage fine art and patter.

The Kink Kronikles by The Kinks (Reprise/1972) - A double album set of hits and rarities from the late mid-1960s to early 1970s. A not especially logical, but still mighty fine, gathering of Kinks tunes.

I can’t believe how long it’s taken to finish this project, but it’s finally done. Frowning In Happyland is a new album under my credit, three seemingly endless years in the making — though most of that was in a dormant state. Acoustic guitar-based, it is a dozen dark songs — it seems I had a few (many) anxieties to vent. It features sterling support from some superb musicians: Dean Sabatino on drums throughout, accordion by Karen Schmidt on five songs, electric guitar by Chris Unrath on one song, and a cameo on kitchen crockery by Hugh Hamilton. I cannot thank these people enough. It’s another free album for your ears to hear. If it makes you cry, my job is done.

In Watermelon Sugar by Richard Brautigan (1964) - A re-read from the teen years. Such a strange, strange book. Very dreamlike with its mixups of indoors and outdoors and the mundane and the odd. A brief, fast read with a confusing aftertaste. I can’t quite see Neko Case’s interpretation of it — I agree with much of what she’s theorizing, but some aspects, I can’t find any evidence in the text myself, other than Margaret indeed getting a real raw deal.

Something Else By The Kinks by The Kinks (Pye/1967) - The album before the creative breakthrough of Village Green, but y’know, this one is mighty fine too. Quirky 1967 British production tweaks color some excellent songs, topped by the immortal Waterloo Sunset.

Classics, Vol. 17 by Procol Harum (A&M/1987) - Part of a series of generic ‘best of’ CDs covering A&M’s catalog artists — thus the odd “Vol. 17″ designation. Now remembered, if at all, for their early hit, A Whiter Shade Of Pale, back in the day, these guys were pretty big with their neo-classicist Dickens rock stew. Gems like A Salty Dog, Shine On Brightly and Simple Sister make Pale look rather pale.