On Nov 1, 2011, “Judge” John Hodgman will release his third and most definitively titled book yet, That Is All. In honor of the release of the book of FINAL WORLD KNOWLEDGE, John and his frequent partner in crime, Jonathan Coulton, will be holding a book release at the Bell House in Brooklyn on the very same day of the book’s release (Buy Tickets). Tickets are a slightly steep $30, but they include a (signed?) copy of TIA and John Hodgman’s eternal gratitude (I’m guessing). In case you were wondering what to expect from the famous minor television personality’s latest offering, here’s a little bit more about the book from the amazon.com product description:
And now, John Hodgman completes his vision with That Is All, the last book in a trilogy of Complete World Knowledge. Like its predecessors, That Is All compiles incredibly handy made-up facts into brief articles, overlong lists, and beguiling narratives on new and familiar themes. It picks up exactly where More Information left off-specifically, at page 596-and finally completes COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE, just in time for the return of Quetzalcoatl and the end of human history in 2012. [amazon.com]
Jonathan Coulton – Artificial Heart
Download: Jonathan Coulton – “Good Morning Tucson”
John Hodgman’s good friend Jonathan Coulton has also been busy at work lately. He is currently on tour with They Might Be Giants and his new album, Artificial Heart comes out in November 8 in physical format, but is already available digitally. According to his puclicist, orders of Artificial Heart on his website have already surpassed $100,000, with hundreds of fans purchasing $100 “The Big Package of Everything”.
Artificial Heart was produced by John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants, is due out November 8. It’s a new direction for Coulton – he leaves behind the home recording gear for a studio filled with talented musicians and guest vocalists including Suzanne Vega, John Roderick of The Long Winters and Sara Quin of Tegan and Sara. The album opens with “Sticking to Myself”, a blistering, high-energy song about finding success, and then tearing it all down. “Nemeses” is a duet between Coulton and The Long Winters’ John Roderick that suggests the only real way to bring meaning into your life is to find your own worst enemy. “Good Morning Tucson” is a highly singable pop song about an aging morning news anchor who one day finally loses it. The album’s title track, “Artificial Heart,” has a bouncy, joyful melody that can’t quite mask the feeling that drastic measures are sometimes worse than the problems they are trying to solve. Feel free to post and share the “Nemeses” and “Good Morning Tucson” MP3s.
Artificial Heart is Jonathan Coulton’s first album of all new material since his infamous 2006 “Thing A Week” series, during which he created 52 musical pieces in 52 weeks. It’s a strong addition to an already impressive discography that spans a decade. His song “Still Alive”is the closing soundtrack to the video game “Portal,” and was awarded “Best Original Vocal Pop Song” in 2008 by the Game Audio Network Guild. This year, Coulton was asked back to write “Want You Gone,” a song for Portal’s long awaited sequel.
More Jonathan Coulton tour dates after the jump.
Jonathan Coulton 2011 Tour Dates
09/27: Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom #
09/28: Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel #
09/29: Richmond, VA @ The National #
09/30: Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts #
11/01: Brooklyn, NY @ Bell House
11/04: Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot #
11/05: Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory #
11/06: Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory #
11/08: Vancouver, BC @ Venue #
11/09: Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo #
11/10: Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom #
11/11: Arcata, CA @ Van Duzer Theatre #
11/12: San Francisco, CA @ Fillmore #
11/13: San Francisco, CA @ Fillmore #
11/16: Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues #
11/17: Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern #
# = w/ They Might Be Giants
JoCoCruiseCrazy 2
February 19-26 2012, Southern Caribbean.
w/ Jonathan Coulton, John Roderick, Marian Call, Vi Hart, John Hodgman, MC Frontalot, Paul F. Tompkins, Wil Wheaton and more performers TBA.