Pynchon Music: PopCanon
Kingdom of Idiot Rock
PopCanon (1995–2001)
Phish covering They Might be Giants; X collide with XTC; Devo in a bar-brawl with Mighty Mighty Bosstones; these are only vague pointers towards PopCanon’s sound. Hailing from Gainesville, Florida, and active from 1995–2001, PopCanon carved a niche all their own, with offbeat elements of jazz, ska, klezmer, and country spicing an already strange brew of shifting time signatures, muscular pop rhythms, and clever college-radio hooks. Eclecticism was their watchword, and their songs cover a wide range of unusual subjects—semantics, astral projection, sexual positions, and postmodern literature, from Jorge Luis Borges to Thomas Pynchon. If The Modern Word had a house band, it was certainly PopCanon!
As many reviewers have suggested, it might better be called The Kingdom of College-Educated Rock, as this list of songs about philosophy and major literary figures makes plain:
As many reviewers have suggested, it might better be called The Kingdom of College-Educated Rock, as this list of songs about philosophy and major literary figures makes plain:
Song 4, “Wanda Tinasky,” about the irascible woman who is of particular interest to fans of Thomas Pynchon.
Song 7, “René René,” a humble love song to philosopher and mathematician René Descartes.
Song 9, “Bloomsday,” about an oral reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses juxtaposed with the birthday crucifixion of a punk rocker.
Song 10, “Labyrinths,” a jazzy tribute to Argentinian author Jorge Luis Borges.
Song 13, “Treasure of the Temple,” inspired by Umberto Eco’s Foucault’s Pendulum.
Song 14, “Robert Coover,” another in a series of songs about postmodernist writers.
Song 7, “René René,” a humble love song to philosopher and mathematician René Descartes.
Song 9, “Bloomsday,” about an oral reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses juxtaposed with the birthday crucifixion of a punk rocker.
Song 10, “Labyrinths,” a jazzy tribute to Argentinian author Jorge Luis Borges.
Song 13, “Treasure of the Temple,” inspired by Umberto Eco’s Foucault’s Pendulum.
Song 14, “Robert Coover,” another in a series of songs about postmodernist writers.
The lyrics of the songs are definitely thought-provoking; but the main strength of the band is clearly its infectious sense of rhythm and the variety of its instrumental performances. They run the full gamut, through 12-string acoustic guitars, electric guitars, fretless bass, drums, piano, trombone, tuba, cornet, saxophones and violins.
Lyrics
“Wanda Tinasky”
Wanda Tinasky likes to watch the TV
And when she scrubs the john she always leaves it on.
She dances in her slippers and dreams of Jack the Ripper.
She’ll write the A.V.A. about her busy day.
And when she scrubs the john she always leaves it on.
She dances in her slippers and dreams of Jack the Ripper.
She’ll write the A.V.A. about her busy day.
Chorus:
And no one’s ever seen her
Under her bridge in Mendocino
Wanda’s got her eyes on the Pulitzer prize
She’ll tell her friend St. Thomas to add a chapter on us.
I wonder what she’ll do now that her work is through.
She’s standing somewhere waiting to watch the airplanes mating.
And no one’s ever seen her
Under her bridge in Mendocino
Wanda’s got her eyes on the Pulitzer prize
She’ll tell her friend St. Thomas to add a chapter on us.
I wonder what she’ll do now that her work is through.
She’s standing somewhere waiting to watch the airplanes mating.
(Chorus)
She’s got a get-up-and-go-etry.
She’s got a Pynchon for poetry.
And the AVA will tell her they’re on her side.
Wanda was full of rage back in the Reagan age,
But now she’s fallen silent. At least she isn’t violent.
I know so much about her, how could I live without her?
She’s standing somewhere waiting to watch the airplanes mating.
She’s got a Pynchon for poetry.
And the AVA will tell her they’re on her side.
Wanda was full of rage back in the Reagan age,
But now she’s fallen silent. At least she isn’t violent.
I know so much about her, how could I live without her?
She’s standing somewhere waiting to watch the airplanes mating.
(Chorus)
Additional Information
Track Listing
1. PopCanon Fight Song
2. Ice On the Sidewalk
3. Merimble
4. Wanda Tinasky
5. The Reason
6. Valentine’s Day
7. René René
8. Fishbee Island
9. Bloomsday
10. Labyrinths
11. Too Many Mikes
12. Codename: Snossage
13. Treasure of the Temple
14. Robert Coover
15. The Curse of Clang
2. Ice On the Sidewalk
3. Merimble
4. Wanda Tinasky
5. The Reason
6. Valentine’s Day
7. René René
8. Fishbee Island
9. Bloomsday
10. Labyrinths
11. Too Many Mikes
12. Codename: Snossage
13. Treasure of the Temple
14. Robert Coover
15. The Curse of Clang
Musicians
M. David Hornbuckle—vocals and guitars.
Ned Davis—vocals, guitars, and piano.
Michael Murphy—bass and vocals.
Blue Lang—drums.
Alyson Carrel—trombone, cornet, tuba.
Don Undeen—saxophones.
Lórien Carsey—violin.
M. David Hornbuckle—vocals and guitars.
Ned Davis—vocals, guitars, and piano.
Michael Murphy—bass and vocals.
Blue Lang—drums.
Alyson Carrel—trombone, cornet, tuba.
Don Undeen—saxophones.
Lórien Carsey—violin.
“Wanda Tinasky” on SoundCloud — M. David Hornbuckle has placed the entire PopCanon discography on SoundCloud, including the song “Wanda Tinasky.”
PopCanon on SoundCloud — The entire PopCanon discography is available on SoundCloud.
M. David Hornbuckle — The guitarist and singer of PopCanon, Hornbuckle’s personal site features his new projects and some videos of PopCanon in action.
PopCanon on Spotify — You may listen to some PopCanon songs on Spotify.
PopCanon Facebook Page — PopCanon still maintains a Facebook page.
PopCanon Discog Page — Collects album covers and information on the Artist’s releases.
Borges Music: PopCanon — The Garden of Forking Paths has a page on PopCanon’s song, “Labyrinths.”
Gainesville Shows PopCanon Page — A nice page on PopCanon with a description of the band and some live clips.
Pynchon on Record
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Authors: Allen B. Ruch & Dr Larry Daw
Last Modified: 10 November 2021
Main Pynchon Page: Spermatikos Logos
Contact: quail(at)shipwrecklibrary(dot)com
Last Modified: 10 November 2021
Main Pynchon Page: Spermatikos Logos
Contact: quail(at)shipwrecklibrary(dot)com