Off the Rack: 'Totally, totally, totally lyrical'

Crank (No. 4)

Way back when Off the Rack began, it was partly in recognition of a certain title named Crank. Crank Magazine is the definition of a pub more people need to see and read and chew on. Call it Canadiana shot through a funhouse mirror. Reliably political but not predictably earnest, smart not showy, the Western-styled literary commentary retro-rag could burn a hole through the pieties of its august peers--particularly those back East. Afsaneh Bahrami's casually scandalous "X-Lax for the Middle East" wonders aloud, and with politically incorrect abandon, if a bloating Ariel Sharon is apt enough metaphor for Israeli rapaciousness. A disarming travelogue featuring a northern frontier-themed museum cuts straight to the chase: "The biggest thing about Frontier Land is that to truly appreciate it you need to get over your pretension." The cutline accompanying a gigantic taxidermied buffalo smacks its reader: "No matter what, look at this shit. This is an impressively-sized creature. Course it is up on blocks. But look at its head." Matt Hern gets AIM activist Ward Churchill to vent about New Agers "hanging dreamcatchers from their SUVs," as he calls for whites to take stock and revitalize their own cultures. The "shotgun" book reviews prove again to be full of character, taking in everything from BP Nichol to Brian Burke, mad cow disease to Ken Follett. One review poses the eternal question, "How does a heterosexual review gay porn?" If Crank can continue to keep its inner hipster from aching out loud, it may yet win the converts it so rightfully deserves. Crankmagazine.com

Xtra West (May 27)

The gay alt-weekly featured a fawning profile of Barry Truax, the noted Canadian electro-acoustic composer. His Powers of Two, touted as a first in openly gay opera, is being mounted by Modern Baroque Opera in Vancouver. What's it about? The piece yields this gripping bit of wordplay from its subject: "'This opera is totally lyrical. Totally, totally, totally lyrical. Lyrical is the key word. Everything is lyrical.'" Here's hoping he'll keep the libretto light. Xtra.ca

BC Bookworld (Volume 18, No. 1)

Wendy Morton may be a poet, but she should considering optioning her life story. The Sooke-based "private investigator" has also spelled as an in-flight poet for WestJet and toured the Maritimes in a donated Chrysler, flinging chapbooks all along the way. The issue also features a profile of BC lit legend PK Page, this year's recipient of the Terasen Lifetime Achievement Award, and a beguiling note that her definitive bio is on the way. (Don't get too psyched: Sandra Djwa, the author, has been penning that biography since I was in her enchanting literature seminars in the mid-nineties.) Joel Bakan checks in for the umpteenth time--that's right, it's another interview for The Corporation. But the piece does dub him the Noam Chomsky of Kitsilano. Or is that a snub? If any hood in Vancouver would spring for corporate branding, it's Kitsylvania. bcbookworld.com

Monday (June 3-9)

This week, just in time for some civic cycling awareness events running across B.C., a Monday feature package champions the bicycle. Stories run the gamut from collecting to daytripping to the requisite safety tips. But there's grassroots politics here, and earnest, headline-high hopes for truly sustainable transport. As editor Alisa Gordaneer gee-whizzes, perhaps a touch ahead of herself, "Can you imagine what [Victoria] will be like with fewer cars?"

Around the Rack: This year's crop of nominations have been announced for the June 18th Western Magazines Awards. The list is thick with promising pubs, stories and photo work Off the Rack loves. The choices are so sound we can even almost swallow their having overlooked Crank. Almost. So, best of luck to all the contenders. Also, don't forget to check out Magazines West. This year the seminar series includes participants from glossies like Toro and Rolling Stone, plus your very own chance to have at editors (including one of The Tyee's) at the "Grilled Editors" lunch.

Finally, I'm still receiving comments and email about my thoughts on former Vancouver Sun columnist Angele Yanor, who was embroiled in plagiarism charges a few months back. You can read what I've had to say--and some reader reaction here.

Jeff MacIntyre is regularly heckled, from dangerously near and glamorously afar, at jeffmacintyre.com