Just came in here from force of habit
The fourth periodic Tropical Depression digest post
Here’s your fourth periodic digest post reviewing the last week’s entries and tossing in some recommendations, tidbits, etc.
The number of subscribers has grown by around 60 percent since my last digest post—welcome all! As ever, if you are enjoying Tropical Depression, it would mean so much to me if you could share it with a friend or two.
Recent Posts
Friday, Jan. 27
Having a little trouble writing a short summary for this one, but a number of readers told me this was the best post on Tropical Depression, so I’ll encourage new subscribers to give it a look!
Tuesday, Jan 31
Honky-Tonk Weekly #4: Mel Street, “Lovin’ on Backstreets”
Fourth edition of a weekly column here at Tropical Depression. Every week, I listen to and share a country song and write whatever comes to mind. This week, we got down and dirty with a honky-tonk horndog.
Friday, Feb. 3
On the Transmigration of Souls
On Las Vegas, the arrow of time, America, roadtripping, unknown unknowns, the composer John Adams, the I-40 bridge between Arkansas and Memphis, September 11, staying up all night, pretending to be the Chrysler building, stamp controversies, and Riot the dog.
And from the archives
In addition to “The Flood Year,” I think the first Teething Review (a children’s book review section)—on the best children’s book ever, Amos & Boris by William Steig—has been the most popular. So I’ll recommend that one from the archives, too, for new readers. Also covers parenthood, friendship, and a mysterious life force channeled in orgasms and organisms.
After that post, a Tropical Depression reader generously sent me this wonderful little stash of Steig books that were missing from our collection, so bedtimes have an extra jolt at the Ramsey house lately.
Vibrations from behind the Iron Curtain
Pesniary (Песняры), from Belarus, released their debut album in 1971, offering psychedelic interpretations of traditional Belarusian folk music. This number is about Kupala Night, a slavic holiday celebrated on the shortest night of the year. At times, they evoke the freewheeling seeker itch of the West (Frank Zappa? Roky Erickson? Brian Wilson?). But they retained the collectivist spirit, sticking to matching outfits and staying in the good graces of Soviet authorities, despite a decidedly freaky flag flying atop the traditional folkways of the Belarusian people.
FYI
Researchers have found that women’s sexual attraction to men is strongly connected to body odor, sometimes subconsciously. In one study, it appeared to be a stronger factor for preference than a man’s looks. Women apparently prefer the smell of men who have a complementary immune system, with slight genetic differences. Perhaps they are somehow sniffing out genetic diversity that would produce offspring with more robust immune systems to fight off infection. But women who are on birth control pills have the opposite attraction, apparently due to the hormonal change. They instead have a preference for the body odor of men with a more similar immune system. Cognitive scientist Ann-Sophie Barwich, an expert on smell, has wondered whether this might contribute to divorce rates, if newlywed couples ditch their contraception and what smelled just right before suddenly smells all wrong.
Important update from Dolly Parton (note: Keto or CBD gummies)
Songs of the week
Here’s Johnny Paycheck in his clean-cut, pre-Outlaw days, getting a solo turn while playing bass in George Jones’s band and absolutely slaying the Hank Cochrane-penned “A11.” What a marvel—Paycheck drifted through personas, as if he needed a new getup for every strange nook he found in the terrain of loneliness.
And to buoy your spirits, I will leave you with Al Green on “Soul Train” in 1971 (hat tip Dust to Digital—post from April 2020):