Two Facts

What I've relearned in this warm New York July:

1) your refrigerator can never have too many fresh Washington State cherries, Bing and Queen Anne.

2) there is no such thing as too much Shakespeare in the Park or on the other stages of the city.

The Dubious "Art" of Liner Note Writing

It's always been a vehicle for hyperbolic puffery, but I found a particularly laughable example when I bought on an impulse at Starbucks (exactly what they count on) a collection of Buddy Holly covers to commemorate what would have been his 75th birthday. Called Rave On, the CD is consistently strong except for -- of course -- Graham Nash and My Morning Jacket, but the standouts are (You're So Square) Baby, I Don't Care by Cee Lo Green; Oh, Boy by She & Him; Well All Right by Kid Rock; Heartbeat by the Detroit Cobras; and Peggy Sue Got Married by John Doe. But in the CD booklet notes we find this from the compilations producer: "Songs that always seem to make you feel better about feeling more (what the hell does that mean, anyway?); songs that remind you to be you (like there's any other choice); songs that bring epic romance to the everyday, everyday....(ah yes, the play on one of Buddy's titles)