Real Life Rock Top 10: September 16, 2024

Rachel Kushner’s new novel, David Browne’s old stories, and Miles Davis twice.

1. Laurie Anderson, Amelia (Nonesuch). 

Tranmission lost.

2. & 3. “Former President Trump suggested during an interview with television psychologist ‘Dr. Phil’ McGraw that he would win California if Jesus Christ was the one counting ballots,” The Hill (August 28) and Zara Irshad, “British rapper M.I.A. endorses Trump,” San Francisco Chronicle (August 27).  In the realm of fairies and demons: Donald Trump lost California to Hillary Clinton in 2016 and to Joe Biden in 2020 by a little more and a little less than thirty points, and is on track to lose there to Kamala Harris by about the same margin. What he means is not were there not fraud, he would win California this time around, but something more. Jesus is all-powerful; Jesus supports Trump; if Jesus were administering the election He would change the results to achieve His goal, which as Sovereign would be His purview and obligation. And for half of the country, this makes sense, this is right and proper—or anyway, what the hell, he, Trump, Jesus, whoever, is going to give me what I want. Which is not to gainsay M.I.A, who has been dining out on her status as a refugee from the Sri Lankan civil war, once removed, her entire professional life: “Trump is going to ride America through the most challenging 4 years coming pulling out weed, and RFK will inherit America.”