GenderDiversity & NonBinary Inclusion in the Workplace, S Gibson J Fernandez
Voting ended onMay 16
Book summaries below:
Soldiers Don't Go Mad: A True Story of Friendship, Poetry, and Mental Illness During the First World War by Charles Glass
A brilliant and poignant history of the friendship between two great war poets, Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, alongside a narrative investigation of the origins of PTSD and the literary response to World War I
From the moment war broke out across Europe in 1914, the world entered a new, unparalleled era of modern warfare. Soldiers faced relentless machine gun shelling, incredible artillery power, flame throwers, and gas attacks. Within the first four months of the war, the British Army recorded the nervous collapse of ten percent of its officers; the loss of such manpower to mental illness – not to mention death and physical wounds – left the army unable to fill its ranks. Second Lieutenant Wilfred Owen was twenty-four years old when he was admitted to the newly established Craiglockhart War Hospital for treatment of shell shock. A bourgeoning poet, trying to make sense of the terror he had witnessed, he read a collection of poems from a fellow officer, Siegfried Sassoon, and was impressed by his portrayal of the soldier’s plight. One month later, Sassoon himself arrived at Craiglockhart, having refused to return to the front after being wounded during battle.
Though Owen and Sassoon differed in age, class, education, and interests, both were outsiders – as soldiers unfit to fight, as gay men in a homophobic country, and as Britons unwilling to support a war likely to wipe out an entire generation of young men. But more than anything else, they shared a love of the English language, and its highest expression of poetry. As their friendship evolved over their months as patients at Craiglockhart, each encouraged the other in their work, in their personal reckonings with the morality of war, as well as in their treatment. Therapy provided Owen, Sassoon, and fellow patients with insights that allowed them express themselves better, and for the 28 months that Craiglockhart was in operation, it notably incubated the era’s most significant developments in both psychiatry and poetry.
Drawing on rich source materials, as well as Glass’s own deep understanding of trauma and war, SOLDIERS DON’T GO MAD tells for the first time the story of the soldiers and doctors who struggled with the effects of industrial warfare on the human psyche. Writing beyond the battlefields, to the psychiatric couch of Craiglockhart but also the literary salons, halls of power, and country houses, Glass charts the experiences of Owen and Sassoon, and of their fellow soldier-poets, alongside the greater literary response to modern warfare. As he investigates the roots of what we now know as post-traumatic stress disorder, Glass brings historical bearing to how we must consider war’s raving effects on mental health, and the ways in which creative work helps us come to terms with even the darkest of times.
Gender Diversity and Non-Binary Inclusion in the Workplace: The Essential Guide for Employers by Sarah Gibson and J. Fernandez
Helping to create inclusive work environments for non-binary people, this book builds knowledge of non-binary identities and provides practical solutions to many of the basic workplace problems this group face. Working with and including non-binary people in the workplace is beneficial for both employer and employee, as it attracts and retains younger and non-binary workers by helping promote an inclusive brand, as well as satisfying equality obligations. Based on novel research of non-binary inclusion within businesses, it provides a basic overview of non-binary people, a business case for inclusion, a brief description of how non-binary people fit into current equality laws and likely future developments in the area. An ideal introduction for companies wishing to embrace all genders in the workplace.
Chris Cohen (Richmond, California) has returned to the Bay Area and settled into a life of producing, playing and making music. There's probably more time spent producing and playing. He's been a part of recent releases from Weyes Blood and Kurt Vile.
Now comes his third full length LP - this one for Sub Pop offshoot Hardly Art. "Damage" is the only song currently available and it definitely sounds like Cohen - his voice is unmistakable as is the clear and upfront bass. This song has a jazzy feel that recalls the sounds of Murray Lightburn. And while he doesn't appear to be making any new music, J Fernandez still serves as a touchstone.
I knew this release was coming up, so not only have I been listening to Cohen's previous solo work, but I've been listening to The Curtains and his work with Deerhoof.
J Fernandez è un predestinato. Partito dal Arkansas alla volta di Chicago per motivi di lavoro che non hanno niente a che fare con la musica, una volta giunto nella città del vento incontra Tom Owens, anche lui appassionato di musica e con la voglia di esprimere le sue idee. Insieme danno vita ai Distractions, band con all’attivo due soli album divenuti oggetto di culto per chi se ne intende. Concluso il fortunato sodalizio con Owens, J Fernandez continua da solista sul sentiero tracciato con l’ex socio. Pubblica qualche buon EP fino a dare alle stampe Occasional Din, primo di una (si spera) lunga serie di album. Occasional Din è un disco dal gusto retrò che strizza l’occhio al pop anni ‘70 dove però si possono trovare sperimentazioni armoniche di pregio e in cui nulla è lasciato al caso, senza però apparire pretenzioso o eccessivamente cerebrale. Un ascolto leggero ma raffinato con rimandi ai Beach Boys e Bucharach rivisitati però in chiave moderna. Le dieci tracce che compongono il disco svelano ad ogni ascolto nuove sfumature armoniche con orchestrazioni ben congegnate. Per quanto possa risultare un po’ prevedibile ad un ascolto superficiale, si rivela essere un album sempre godibile ad ogni ascolto. I testi non sono mai banali e, come detto, le sfumature sonore sono molteplici ed efficaci. Occasional Din è un bel disco fatto di canzoni tutte da ascoltare (le tre tracce d’apertura catturano immediatamente chi lo ascolta). Chissà se sarà solo il primo passo per proseguire in quella linea da predestinato che Fernandez ha intrapreso.
Jon Mckiel is a Halifax, Nova Scotia musician who has released several albums. This appears to be his second for You’ve Changed Records (Toronto, Ontario), who have also released several Nap Eyes albums.
I’d never heard of Jon Mckiel, but this records has a pretty cool back story according to the Bandcamp page:
“True story. In September 2015 Jon bought an old Teac A-2340, a reel-to-reel tape recorder, tapes included. He exchanged a few emails with the online seller while negotiating a deal, but they never met. The first time Jon tested out the machine at home it disclosed a beautiful dream. A single tape of astounding samples from an unknown source. He nicknamed it the Royal Sampler. They began to jam together.”
While there are experimental moments on this record, most of it is beautiful chamber pop that goes in a few directions. One is the Jacco Gardner and Maston direction. Another is a sound influenced by The Velvet Underground and The Beach Boys. And finally, some of his songs sound like they could be found on a Chris Cohen, J Fernandez, or Michael Bain release. So good.
Alpine Subs are from Chicago, Illinois. I don’t know why, but I normally associate Chicago with a gritty sound (The Ponys, Eleventh Dream Day), but Chicago has also produced J Fernandez, Whitney and OHMME.
Alpine Subs do have a lighter sound associated with the latter 3 bands mentioned above, but there is also a power pop feel reminiscent of Teenage Fanclub (”Gutted”), and I can’t help but think this sounds like The Beatles.
This is being released by Subjangle (Pretoria, South Africa).
I was just talking with Micah and Eric about my affinity for Chris Cohen (Los Angeles). Lo and behold, there is a new release! The lyrical content breaks my heart (as I’m sure it breaks Cohen’s). His parents got a divorce after 53 years of marriage. Read the Bandcamp page for yourself...none of this sounds easy.
Captured Tracks is again responsible for this gem. I would like to mention that J Fernandez (Joyful Noise Recordings) and Pat Thomas (Empty Cellar Records) are the most recent purveyors of similar music. It should be noted that Katy Davidson (Dear Nora) and Luke Csehak (Happy Jawbone Family Band) both helped make this album.
