RHYME AND REASON
It’s not often these days that a poet chooses the hard way — writing formal verse with tight meter and rhyme. Even more rare is the poet with a sense of humor. Breaux Bridge’s Gail White has it all in her new book of verse, Easy Marks. She can spoof the rhapsodies of a besotted lover, berate a flagrant cell phone abuser, or explain God’s ways to man, and do it all with sly irony and a crackling end rhyme. Take her short poem “Hero’s Journey” — “A spiritual explorer in my youth,/I sought to know and to believe the Truth./ Much older now, I only wish I knew/What I believed, so I could think it true.” This slim volume filled with wit and erudition is available for $17 from online booksellers like amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. — Mary Tutwiler
DYSFUNCTIONAL BLUES
On the title track to his new album, Somethin’s Wrong, Bobby Lounge sings: “Why does your mama keep a goat indoors? Why does your brother dress in vintage Christian Dior? Why is it always happy hour at 8 a.m.? I know that Jesus understands you honey but I ain’t him.” Something’s always askew in the warped Southern Gothic tales Bobby Lounge narrates in his songs. The eccentric south Mississippi piano man has built up his own mystique; his rare performances only occur on Saturdays, and he only plays in the key of C. His new self-released effort contains five new songs, two remakes of classic blues numbers (“Oh Baby” and “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”), as well as his own boogie rock cover renditions of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Jesus on the Main Line.” To listen to free MP3 samples or order Somethin’s Wrong on CD, visit www.bobbylounge.com. — Nathan Stubbs
SOME LIKE IT HOT
Conventional wisdom says it’s good to sweat when it’s 90 degrees. That trickle down your temple will cool you off. One way to heat up is to go outside into the humidity. Another is to scarf down some spicy food, and Linda Joe’s Salsa will do the trick. Made from fresh tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, green onions, cilantro, lemon juice, cider vinegar and olive oil, the salsa’s got a nice kick to liven up your chips craving. For those with a more timid palate, scale back to the mild version. Linda Joe’s Salsa sells for $4 and $6 at the Oil Center Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. Call 216-0784 for more info. — Mary Tutwiler