Our reviewers have some of the best suggestions on what to read, what to see and and what to hear each month. Let Lacy Simons, of hello hello books,  Jim Dandy and Tiffany Howard, of Opera House Video, and Nathaniel Bernier, of Wild Rufus Consignments, fill you in on this month's killer book, movie and music reviews.

Books

Black Swan Green
 
This month, I'm revisiting one of my favorite novels, David Mitchell's Black Swan Green. Simple summary from the cover: the book tracks a single year in what is, for 13-year-old Jason Taylor, the sleepiest village in muddiest Worcestershire in a dying Cold War England, 1982. My summary would go on for three or four or nine pages, so I'm going to keep it simple and repeat one of my favorites of Jason's thoughts: "The world never stops unmaking what the world never stops making. But who says the world has to make sense?" This is no average coming-of-age novel; it is a masterwork of reflection on the ever-shifting human interior world.

Lacy Simons is the owner and operator of hello hello books, which opened in August 2011 adjacent to Rock City Cafe, in Rockland. She is a reader, a maker, and a collector of fine-point pens and terrible jokes. To find more picks and reads: facebook.com/hellohellobooks Twitter: @hellohellobooks.

Movies

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Tiffany Howard

Sometimes a movie is so touching — almost magically so — that to analyze or deconstruct it feels somewhat criminal.  Perhaps The Perks of Being a Wallflower is not so different from any other coming-of-age story, and my affection for it is simply due to my weakness for and ever-fresh memories of the heartbreak, struggle and growth of adolescence.  If I had previously read the popular book this film is based on, I might not have been surprised by the story's successfully delicate balance of humor, nostalgia, and emotional honesty.  This expert weaving of elements is only enhanced by those cinematic qualities a book cannot have: a carefully chosen soundtrack, unassumingly lovely lighting and photography, and evocative performances by an exemplary cast.     

An earnest Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson & the Olympians) plays the meekly strong protagonist, Charlie, a lonely freshman battling challenging inner demons while trying to survive the social minefield of high school.  He finds kindred spirits in the step sibling team of Patrick and Sam, played by a loveable Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk About Kevin) and a luminous post-Harry Potter Emma Watson, as well as in a supportive English teacher and informal mentor Mr. Anderson, played by Paul Rudd (This Is 40).  To say too much about this beautiful little jewel of a movie would be to do it an injustice and cheat you out of your own experience of its pleasures.  I will say that if you’ve ever been lucky enough to find love, loyalty and friendship among your own island of misfit toys, there is something here that will surely resonate, leaving echoes in your heart for days and weeks to come.  

Tiffany Howard and Jim Dandy co-own Opera House Video, an independent video rental store in downtown Belfast featuring an extensive collection of new releases, foreign films, documentaries, classics and television series. Each takes turns writing the movie review. Find them on Facebook at Opera House Video.


Music

Lumineers-self titled

by Nathaniel Bernier

I got my first taste of these guys as my children flipped through the "pop music" channels and I was instantly mesmerized by the way they sounded.  It wasn't until months later I decided to purchase the whole album and am very glad I did. The minimal packaging and lower price suggested I was going to receive something bare-boned--actual music, not over-produced pop crap.  I love it when I gamble on an album and it deals me a 21.  Bam!

Second track in "Classy Girls" is a lilting, listing, lifting piano-infused building track- a jumping party filled with fun lyrics.  The song "Dead Sea" is another great tune which  represents the great melting-pot mixture of genres well, including alt-country (I hear some Ryan Bingham in here), folk-rock (definitely some Bob Dylan happening) and even a hint of Steve Earle.  It's done with a sometimes gravelly voice, yet thrillingly harmonious.

Their wildly popular "Ho Hey" comes in at track five and will definitely have you singing along to this wonderfully crafted tune.  Plinking banjo, strumming guitar, humming cello and a hand-clap beat will surely put a smile on your face.  "Stubborn Love" with its violin provides pleasant sounds sliding through my speakers while a driving drum beat churns up the air. It really got my feet stomping, making me think of what might happen in a pub in Dublin.  I am definitely very well pleased with this album, a true collection of Americana and a boastful production of many instruments, pure enjoyment.  Wonderful!

Nathaniel "Natty B" Bernier, owner of Wild Rufus Records previously retail and now online, has immersed himself in music for 35 years, hosting several radio shows, deejaying at clubs and parties, writing music reviews and interviewing artists.  He lives on the coast of Maine and continues to live through music.   Find him at www.wildrufus.com or wildrufus.blogspot.com/