8th Annual Alex Chilton Birthday Bash

Since 2005 I've organized and participated in this annual event, commemorating the iconoclastic personality and songwriting of Alex Chilton. This year's line up looks to be the best yet!

Advance tickets are now on sale and will also be available at the door the night of the show.

NEIU English Department Benefit

I'm pleased to announce that among a few special end-of-the-year events, I will be participating in a benefit performance for Northeastern Illinois University's English Department. The way swanky poster, below, has all the applicable details.

That's Friday, December 7th at 9 PM. Hope to see you there!

New poem in Circa

I'm pleased to announce that my poem, "The Angry Whopper®" appears in the latest issue of Circa.

Five poems in Cedars

I'm pleased to say that I have five (!) poems in the latest issue of Cedars. Check 'em out, and hope you enjoy!

Two poems in Artichoke Haircut

I'm thrilled to have a pair of poem in Artichoke Haircut's latest issue (vol. 4), available at discerning bookstores nationwide. It's a great journal. Check it out!

New poem in Circa

I'm pleased to announce that I have a new poem in the third issue of Circa. Check it out!

Wit Rabbit piece in Northwest Passage

Swell slide show with voiceover by poet-journalist Heather Momyer on the Wit Rabbit reading I took part in earlier this week at Quenchers in today's edition of The Northwest Passage. You can hear me reading from my book Abbrev, from Beard of Bees.

Wit Rabbit Reading Series tomorrow night

Tomorrow night is the tenth Wit Rabbit reading, and I'm happy to be appearing along with these other fine folks: Traci Brimhall, Sophie Grimes, Kyle McCord, and Glen Shaheen.

The festivities begin at 7 PM at Quenchers. Hope to see you there!

Illinois Center for the Book

The Illinois Authors Wiki is a project of the Illinois Center for the Book. It is a means to share information about Illinois authors, photographers and illustrators.

My page on the site has recently been updated. Check it out, as well as sites for many other Illinois-based authors.

Sir Slob digital download

If you download my Sir Slob album by or before August 3rd through CD Baby, I will receive 100% of the price.

This applies to MP3 sales only on CDBaby.com — NOT on partner sites, such as iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, etc.

Download your copy today! Thanks in advance for your support.

Selected reviews of Sir Slob:

Whether he's dissecting "The King of Close Enough," or decrying fate by "Panning for Gold in the Litterbox," Larry O. Dean's songs on Sir Slob are dense with smart, tuneful wordplay. This album is rueful, romantic and rockin'! The perfect, bracing antidote to a lousy work day or an episode of American Idol. THE MUSIC ATTIC

Larry O. Dean’s Sir Slob also has its share of not-unwelcome psych-tinged power-pop damage; you’ll detect everything from Shoes to Ray Davies to Love. MAGNET

Dean is known for his Dylan-esque half-sung/half-spoken delivery of literate folk tunes with a rock backing. He can come off like Lou Reed or Matthew Sweet, depending on the tune. NASHVILLE CITY PAPER

Sir Slob has all sorts of nifty touchstones. You can hear bits of Lou Reed, Steve Wynn and Jonathan Richman, but he takes those influences, churns them around and makes something new. He’s good at sonic texturing, often blending classical strings with buzzing, alterna-nerd rock guitars. THE TENNESSEAN

Exhibiting the kind of deft self-mockery that made Paul Westerberg a disciple of Alex Chilton, Larry O. Dean puts the writer back in singer-songwriter with his appealing pop dossiers and laconic wit. MOUNTAIN XPRESS (ASHEVILLE, NC)

Dean and band deliver a tight primarily folk-rocking set, songs like "Time to Kill," "King of Close Enough," "Tail Wagging the Dog," "Panning for Gold in the Litterbox" and "Cuts Both Ways" suggest a strong influence of the melodic country-folk rock of Buffalo Springfield, the latter-day Byrds, Neil Young and Tom Petty (albeit sung by Lou Reed). Poetry and rock n roll, a combination of the sacred and the profane finds its balance in Sir Slob. Fans of singer-songwriter magic will relish every minute. AMPLIFIER

Tremendous songs that fall somewhere between a poppier Neil Young and Lou Reed. SHAKE IT UP!

Lyrically sharp, and big in a musical sense -- think a poppier Lou Reed -- Dean's second album proper provides a powerful and immediate aural rush. It is distanced from the standard singer-songwriter fare by a sound that is fleshed out by a full band, mixing open twangy Americana with a dense and more complex instrumentation. BUCKETFULL OF BRAINS

R.E.M. meets Bob Dylan, the two meet have some beer, or at least that’s where it sounds like Larry O. Dean’s strange mix of alt. country, folk, and 1960's rock and roll originated from ... Most reminiscent of Neil Young’s collection of 1970's recordings and in a lot of ways their styles are very similar, there's grit, and truth paired with guitars and low, almost pleading vocals. ALL MUSIC GUIDE

Zenith Beast titles now available via Muve Music

Selected Zenith Beast titles are now available to download from Cricket's Muve Music! This includes albums, EPs and singles from Larry O. Dean, The Fussbudgets, The Injured Parties, Malcontent, Post Office, and Christine Wall.

Cricket phone users, get yours today!

The Me Decade reviews added

The Me Decade's official page has been updated with numerous paper-only reviews from the archives. Check 'em out!

Poems in Circa

I'm very proud to have three poems in the inaugural issue of Circa: "Dracula's Daughter," "Loma Prieta #1" and "Loma Prieta #2."

All three are persona poems, with the latter two taken from a series about the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, an event I experienced firsthand when I lived in San Francisco.

Thanks to editor Tony Powell for the support!

Poems in quarter after now on Issuu

Issuu now has the second issue of quarter after available, including five of my poems, as well as work by many other incredible writers and visual artists.

Enjoy!

BCC Review

Very nice review of Basic Cable Couplets by Sarah Dawson in today's Poetry After Ink.

Poems in Quarter After

I'm pleased to have a few poems in the latest issue of Quarter After. An e-version from Issuu should be available by the end of the week, with hard copy published after that.

Great way to start the week! Hope you enjoy.

Kittenbush now on iTunes

Christine Wall's Kittenbush EP is now available from iTunes!

Get your copy today!

Upcoming Readings

I have a few readings coming up this summer to let you know about.

On July 6th, I'll be one of the featured readers for the First Friday series, presented by Waiting 4 the Bus. These are always a lot of fun and I'm in good company here, as the poster, below, shows.

The following Monday, July 9th, I'll once again be presenting selections from my work and giving a craft lecture during Northeastern Illinois University's Creative Writing Institute.

Last, but not least, on August 7th I've been invited to read for the newish Wit Rabbit Reading Series, which takes place at one of my favorite local watering holes, Quenchers.

Check out the links for further information, and hope to see you at one (or all) of these events!

Post Office on iTunes

Post Office's WNUR Demos EP is now available from iTunes. Get your copy today! (And while you're at it, check out PO's two other full-length releases as well: Public Displays of Affection and Fables in Slang.)

Poetry Cram Anthology

I am pleased to be one of many poets featured in the Poetry Cram anthology, recently published by ChicagoPoetry.com Press. Get your copy today!