Top Picks: Shakey Graves' new album 'And the War Came,' the retrospective 'Paul Strand: Master of Modern Photography,' and more
Austin bright light
The Austin, Texas, music scene is so talent-rich that it鈥檚 tough to get noticed. The first thing you鈥檒l notice about Shakey Graves is that moniker. Now that you鈥檙e paying attention, check out the handsome singer鈥檚 quirky and rocking new album, . Graves pulls out all the stops, performing styles ranging from rattly, raspy folk-pop to passionate balladry, with ethereal harmonies by the lovely Esm茅 Patterson.聽
Modernist photographer
The iconic images of American photographer and filmmaker revealed the beauty and dignity of daily life and joined a movement that established photography as a 20th-century art form. A major retrospective of his work, Paul Strand: Master of Modern Photography, is on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art until Jan. 4, but a taste of Strand鈥檚 talent and scope can also be experienced online through the exhibit鈥檚 website at http://bit.ly/PMAPaulStrand.
No rushing here
The PBS 鈥淣ature鈥� episode tracks sloths in Costa Rica, Colombia, and Panama to show how sloths exist in their natural habitat and how sanctuaries are working to protect the slow-moving mammals. The episode also tells the story of journalist Ana Salceda and a sloth named Velcro that she released back into the wild. It airs on PBS on Nov. 5 at 8 p.m.
On the grid
The documentary examines the lack of electricity in Kanpur, India. Electrician Loha Singh illegally supplies houses and businesses with power so life can continue, but Ritu Maheshwari, new chief of the Kanpur Electrical Supply Company, is determined to stop Singh and his ilk. 鈥淧owerless,鈥� directed by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar, airs on PBS鈥檚 鈥淚ndependent Lens鈥� Nov. 3 at 10 p.m.
Song decoder
Sometimes it鈥檚 great to just listen to music and let it carry you away. But if you鈥檝e ever wondered why a song moves you, music writer Greil Marcus is your man. His new book, , uncovers the fascinating connections, coincidences, and serendipity that make songs memorable and influential. Recordings by Buddy Holly, Phil Spector, Amy Winehouse, Etta James, Joy Division, and more are featured in this entertaining treatise.
