Mailbag from the Road, by Arthur Tebbel – Pop Art #102

November 17, 2010 Arthur Tebbel 2 Comments

Dear Art,

You’ve been away from Los Angeles for two weeks now. Don’t think we don’t notice these things.  Did we do something wrong?  Are you coming back?  I think we can work this out.  We can change.  What can we do to make you love us again?

-Los Angeles

LA,

It’s not you it’s me.  I’m not breaking up with LA.  In fact, by the time you read this I’ll probably be back napping off my jet lag in my apartment.  I needed a break.  I needed a week in New York.  I needed four days in New Orleans.  I needed three more days in New York.  Those last three days were so I wouldn’t have to compare you directly to New Orleans, as that would be terribly unflattering for you.

I care for you Los Angeles; I really do, far more than I did at the start.  I now find charming things I thought were infuriating at the beginning of our relationship.  Your lax dress codes, your disconnected, though highly diverse neighborhoods, even your disturbing obsession with celebrities.  I even love that secret spot you hide up there on the right.  You know, Burbank airport.  This is sort of cliché when talking about relationships but you’ve certainly made me a better man.  I’m in better shape, I can drive now, my menu Spanish has improved dramatically.

I really appreciate you; you’re a beautiful city.  I just can’t be a one-city man.  I need these other places on the side.  I need New York’s energy, New Orleans’ style, Tokyo’s… Tokyo-ness.  I don’t know how to tell you this but I plan to introduce myself to London and Paris in the spring.  I hope we can make it through this.

Dear Art,

After a two-year wait I just dropped a new album, All Day.  A free release no less.  I hope you had a chance to download it before the servers started getting hammered.  It’s similar to my last two releases, a quickly edited array of current and classic pop, rock and hip-hop.  To reinforce that point I announced on Twitter that there were 372 samples on the ~70 minute record.  Care to be the first person to review the album?

-Gregg “Girl Talk” Gillis

Girl Talk,

Your album is completely amazing.  Your music has, thus far, pretty much defined my 20s from an audio perspective.  This might be your best yet but I have to listen to it in my car about 50 times to be sure.  Everyone should have this.  Please don’t make me wait two years to get more.