Category

General Monty




  • Books, General Monty, Lists, Reviews

    Best of 2012: Monty’s Pick

    18.12.12 | Permalink | Comment?

    Monty, who is fortunate enough to buy both the YA comics and the YA music, has found this list of best apps of 2012, which contains some incredible creative genius, and also a Monty recommendation:

    Chopsticks, Jessica Anthony.

    “After her mother died, Glory retreated into herself and her music. Her single father raised her as a piano prodigy, with a rigid schedule and the goal of playing sold-out shows across the globe. Now, as a teenager, Glory has disappeared. As we flash back to the events leading up to her disappearance, we see a girl on the precipice of disaster. Brilliant and lonely, Glory is drawn to an artistic new boy, Frank, who moves in next door. The farther she falls, the deeper she spirals into madness. Before long, Glory is unable to play anything but the song “Chopsticks.”

    “But nothing is what it seems, and Glory’s reality is not reality at all. In this stunningly moving novel told in photographs, pictures, and words, it’s up to the reader to decide what is real, what is imagined, and what has been madness all along…” (goodreads.com)

    Monty adds that it’s “a mish-mash of styles and good on the expectations and pressures of society on teens, contains romance and ends with surprise and mystery – what more could you ask for?”

    Chopsticks is, as Monty says, a “multi-media extravaganza”! Visit the Chopsticks tumblr for more visuals, including a link to the app at the Apple store (for the downloading (note: it’s not a free app)).

    The School Library Journal reviewed both the book and the app.


  • General Monty, Music, NZ Music Month

    New Zealand Music We Like: Monty again!

    10.05.12 | Permalink | Comment?

    Great news for the modern man: live at the Auckland Town Hall by Eru Dangerspiel.

    Eru Dangerspiel is Trinity Roots band member Ricky Gooch’s side project, though it’s seriously major in concept.

    22 piece group (plus choir!) including Whirimako Black, Anna Coddington, Nathan Haines and members of Fat Freddy’s, The Black Seeds, Fly My Pretties, Dimmer, The Phoenix Foundation – whew! It’s funky, it’s futuristic, it’s Great news for the modern man!

    ~ Monty


  • General Monty, Music, NZ Music Month

    New Zealand Music We Like: Monty

    03.05.12 | Permalink | 1 Comment

    Seth Haapu by Seth Haapu

    Seth didn’t get a lot of fanfare when his self-named title was released in 2011 and it’s kind of a shame because he’s very talented.

    Natural voice, melody to spare, multi-instrumentalist – don’t take my word for it though – watch keyboard and vocal skills here:

    ~ Monty


  • General Monty, Music, New

    ~~~ A Cappella ~~~

    14.04.11 | Permalink | Comment?

    We’ve started a new YA  CD collection devoted to the voice, and mostly the human voice in harmony. I’d recommend these CDs to anyone who’s enjoyed Glee (The Warblers, especially!) or has listened to (and enjoyed) your local college’s barber shop quartet.

    An American programme called The Sing Off has just been renewed for its third season and has seen a resurgence in interest in ‘a cappella’ singing, which Wikipedia describes as ’solo or group vocal or singing without instrumental sound.’ Watch a clip from Nota, the winners of the 2009 Sing Off competition here.

    Here are some of the CDs in the a cappella collection!

    The Sing Off : The Best of Season 2
    Nota,     by Nota
    The Sing Off : Harmonies for the Holidays
    With a Twist, by Straight No Chaser
    University A Cappalla!, by Ben Folds