Still recovering from my Pop Montreal, brushing the sparkle from my shirt.

The fivest highlights were these:

1. Khaira Arby at Balattou
2. Shotgun Jimmie, glowing with charm at Cagibi
3. Van Dyke Parks, slinging new catchphrases at the Agora
4. Adam & the Amethysts, autumn- and springing under Phonopolis
5. YAMANTAKA // SONIC TITAN's decorated drone & ring

Thanks to P, D, A, and all the LMNOP.

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Cass McCombs - "Dreams Come True Girl". James played this song for Alex and I. It was Wednesday. We were about to go out. We sat beside his space-age turntable and this tune was there too, like fruit in a bowl. James had called this "a perfect song" and we were all three listening hard, hearing the guitar solo as if it were an instruction from someone very important. This, this and this. We were serious and smiling. At a certain point I felt a laugh unfurling in my heart, because there we were, three men with legs crossed at the knee, each of us imagining our "dream-come-true girl". These women were floating above our heads like watercolours. They would be skeptical of us, and loving. They would speak three languages. We were such boys, sitting in that basement apartment, preparing for the evening. Karen Black sang "wah wah wah wah" and I felt like the punchline of a gentle, grateful joke. [buy]