Downstairs Drama

Earlier this year I wrote a couple of reviews of Downton Abbey, the new miniseries that follows both the lives of the wealthy family (the upstairs) and their servants (the downstairs). One of the many issues I struggled with, and that I hinted at in my reviews, is the depiction of women and queer/non-heterosexual men.*
The show spent an exorbitant amount of time justifying the economic disadvantages that the three daughters were in. Mary, the eldest, spends the most time complaining about this and trying to manipulate the situation to her advantage, but to no avail. Nothing can apparently be done, as is said by various characters. There was something about this that struck me as entirely false. First, if this is such the case, why not try to show how incredibly unjustified and hurtful for the sisters this is? Second, why does it matter if on this issue one is historically accurate, especially when historical accuracy is thrown out the window any other time it serves the writer's needs?
The show also demonized the two male characters who had sex with men. One of them was a drunk, conniving, mean-spirited and selfish git. The other one of them manipulated a female character. There are so many homophobic depictions of gay people out there, this seemed entirely ridiculous. Just because a piece is set in a historical period does not mean it needs to be written in a regressed fashion.
I have not been terribly impressed with certain other dramas that copy from this basic format (which itself is clearly copied from a much older show, titled Upstairs Downstairs.) I kept finding myself wishing that someone would tell some story about this time period that dealt more honestly with non-dominant views and told a story from a voice or voices of people who our so frequently overlooked, which is why I was overjoyed at seeing news of a new movie called Albert Nobbs, which explores the life of a woman who dresses as a man as a way to beat the economic disadvantages women faced and is attracted to another woman. I realize that this might not be a perfect movie either, but I am hopefully that this will be a more realistic and sympathetic portrayal of someone who is usually either absent or depicted unfairly in media.

*I am unsure what to make of certain male character's sexuality, and in an attempt not to place them in the incorrect category, I have tried simply to indicate that their behavior indicates that they are not heterosexual. Since this was a time of mostly silence around the issue, and the characters themselves do not identify themselves explicitly, I wanted to acknowledge that it would be easy to interpret their behavior in multiple ways.

Temple of the Dog

Everytime I turn around, it seems like Chris Cornell is founding another band or project. This one was created as an homage to a friend of Cornell's, Andrew Wood, who died of an overdose. In addition to having Cornell (most famous from his band Soundgarden), the band also featured current and future members of Pearl Jam.
One of the things that is interesting about the one and only Temple of the Dog album (self-titled) is that it was recorded before Soundgarden or Pearl Jam became such mainstream hits. The album was actually re-released after both bands had achieved mainstream success, since it functioned as a collaboration between members of the two bands. Later on, Cornell would join Audioslave because of how positive his collaboration with Temple of the Dog was.
Their song "Hunger Strike" is a good 90s rock anthem. It is accessible and enjoyable and just rock enough. This song could easily be playing in the background during an episode of My So-Called Life.
The combination of Cornell's and Vedder's voices here are strangely perfect. They need to do more duets with each other.

In the introduction to "Say Hello 2 Heaven," there is a small moment where the notes are slighly dissonant. Usually 90s rock would never do something like that, but here it is perfect. When the song is meant to break into an uplifting chorus, it fakes you out by thinking it is about to explore, but then pulls back, instead going for a slow walking beat.

James Blake's "Limit To Your Love"

There's something fascinating about a good cover. Covers so often are just another, different voice, but sometimes they add or subtract or subvert or just plain change a song in a wonderful way. I love that about a cover.
This is James Blake (a huge star in the U.K., virtually unknown in the U.S.) doing a cover of Feist's "Limit to Your Love." The original is bland in comparison with this cover, which manages to be subtly dramatic and quietly convincing of its emotional motivations in a way the original never is. Feist's lyrics are phenomenal, but Blake manages to highlight their simplicity and depth to the point of elegance.
Blake is so baby-faced, so young looking, but his pain feels like it has been distilled in the barrel of someone older, someone about to die, someone saddled with the tragedy of mistakes and regrets, almost Johnny Cash like.
This video is amazing, and like the song, all about the small things. Everything is shaking slightly, like just the barest of earthquakes is rippling through. I love the blue color hanging over much of the video; it's like the ceramic gray color of a winter Sunday morning. And it has the wonderful imagery of orbiting fruit.

Poetry Radio Project

American Public Media and the Poetry Foundation have teamed up to bring poetry to the radio. Here's a brief overview of the project and the programs featured.
I feel bad saying it, but I just about never listen to the radio, in part because I use public transportation so much more than a car. It never occurs to me to listen online because these days I mostly work in silence.
But poetry on the radio makes sense because it is meant to be read outloud and listened to, not simply read. Poetry is not like a closet drama. Hearing the actual poet read their work often makes more sense then simply reading it on the page (though with all the interesting ways poetry appears on the page these days, seeing it as it's being read is also illuminating.) Hearing a poet read even one of their poems makes it easier to understand their poetry in general, because you can then hear in your mind's ear their voice reading every poem.