The Kafka museum in Prague is pretty damn awesome. Not only do they have facsimilies of a good deal of Kafka's handwritten diaries and manuscripts (most of the real shit's in England, due to a history of pilaging), but they've got photos of all of his friends and these rooms built to encapsulate the joy, openness, and freedom found in Kafka novels. Unfortunately, the museum makes no mention of Scottish band Josef K, the greatest entity ever to be named after a Kafka character (at least until my Gregor Samsa Bug Off (tm) hits the shelves).
Well, luckily Domino Records U.S. cares about the fate of (GET READY FOR THE MOST OVERUSED PHRASE IN MUSIC JOURNALISM) seminal post-punk band (WHEW!) Josef K. An anthology entitled Entomology is due out on November 7. The album is the third in Domino's "The Sound of Young Scotland" series, following Orange Juice and The Fire Engines. This is exciting news, because no Josef K albums have EVER been released in the United States, meaning the cost of buying an album on import is high in both money and intimidation.
22 reasons to buy:
1. "Radio Drill Time" (Postcard 7" Version)
2. "It's Kinda Funny" (Postcard 7" Version)
3. "Final Request" (B-side of "It's Kinda Funny" single)
4. "Heads Watch" (from aborted album Sorry For Laughing)
5. "Drone" (from aborted album Sorry For Laughing)
6. "Sense of Guilt" (from aborted album Sorry For Laughing)
7. "Citizens" (from aborted album Sorry For Laughing)
8. "Variation of Scene" (from aborted album Sorry For Laughing)
9. "Endless Soul" (from aborted album Sorry For Laughing)
10. "Sorry For Laughing" (Postcard 7" Version)
11. "Revelation" (B-side to "Sorry For Laughing 7")
12. "Chance Meeting (Postcard 7" Version)
13. "Pictures (of Cindy)" (B-side to "Chance Meeting 7")
14. "Fun 'N' Frenzy" (from The Only Fun in Town)
15. "Crazy to Exist" (from The Only Fun in Town)
16. "Forever Drone" (from The Only Fun in Town)
17. "Heart of Song" (from The Only Fun in Town)
18. "16 Years" (from The Only Fun in Town)
19. "The Angle" (from The Only Fun in Town)
20. "Heaven Sent" (Peel Session, June 22nd, 1981)
21. "The Missionary" (Peel Session, June 22nd, 1981)
22. "Applebush" (Peel Session, June 22nd, 1981)
If you're a visual person, Josef K videos can be found here; if you're a literary person, Kafka's stories might be even more relevant in these troubled times; and if you're a people person, go out and spread the news. Josef K: Start your morning right.