Title: Dazed & Confused

March 2013

Vol 3.19

Theme:  Music, fashion primarily plus a feature entitled “Mia Wasikowska’s Moment of Truth”

Featured Names on the Cover: Mia Wasikowska, Hit-Boy, Sam Lipsyte, Jhené Aiko

What: A UK music and fashion magazine, so why am I reviewing it? Well, lads (HA) it’s because there’s more to it than that. In addition to a Lipsyte short story from his new book, there’s an interview with him as well as another one with David Shields. Then they have the nerve to include a book review section  with an actual review of James Wood’s new book The Fun Stuff. James Wood in a progressive fashion, music, magazine and they were even forthright about their feelings: “We honestly tried not to like this book as much as we did.” Slap me with the cold hard hand of objectivity–they’re admitting they liked it even when they didn’t think they would. What? They’re not just covering what they think the fashionistas will like!?! Does any pop mag in America have the steel to do the same thing?

And David Shields? Sure, he has some good ideas, but he’s far from being the “hippest” writer to dive into. Let me get this straight…are they judging him and profiling him for his opinions, not necessarily his caché? Shock and awe. But there is Shields just a page before a profile on R&B up-and-comer Jhene Aiko.

I haven’t even mentioned Sam Lipsyte yet. They devote like 5 pages to him. I mean, there’s portly-rounded Sam Lipsyte after pics of vanilla-waifer women in ads for Isabel Marant, Prada, and Topshop. WTH. Then of course his story, “Nate’s Pain is Now” is a too on-the-nose piece about contemporary art and fading celebrity next to a piece on Kanye, Jay-Z, and A$AP Rocky producer Hit-Boy. Yeah, the irony is a gold mine.

Why (Or Why Not) To Read: I think I already covered it a little prematurely up there, my excitement was overflowing. But in addition to the mega-fluff of ads seen only this side of Interview mag, there are good pieces on punks in Myanmar and gang violence in Birmingham, England.

And yeah, I’ll forgive Dazed & Confused for their misnomer of an alt lit column, but hey, they’re talking about books. And writers. God bless the queen.

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