Wednesday, November 30, 2005

 

One Less (Home): Reviewed by Adam Fieled

In the midst of a digital age, many poets have begun to find the print journal obsolete. While it is true that the online journal holds enormous advantages: low costs, international accessibility, etc; it is also true that the print journal has an irreplaceable magic. There is an intimacy to literature-as-palpable-object that is as old as the printing press, and as hallowed. For a print journal to be relevant in 2005, it would have to combine the best elements of print and online publishing. Poetry of the post-avant/ "Language" tradition, much of which has taken up residency on the Net, would need to be presented intelligently, in a cohesive fashion. The resultant product would be a counterpart to Jacket, Cordite, and Word for Word: the best presentation of the best of the new.

David Gardner and Nikki Widner, the editors of One Less: Art on the Range, have initiated just such a presentation. The multi-media format of their journal, including photography, visual art, and poetry, adds dimension, depth, and interest to the standard print format. Gardner and Widner have opted to present themed issues, much in the manner of Jena Osman's Chain. This approach can be decidedly hit or miss, depending as it does on finding a variety of relevant, contemporary material on a common theme (an editor's nightmare!) Nevertheless, the initial issue of One Less is a smashing success. Gardner and Widner chose the theme of "home", thus birthing an interesting juxtaposition-- home is, of course, a favored theme of Centrist/ middle-of-the-road poets, yet we have it attacked here in a series of more or less post-avant pieces.

A few highlights: Debra Shulkes' "Where" achieves perhaps the best balance between "Language-y" formality and confessional honesty. This poem makes extensive use of Whitmanic parallel structure, yet maintains a resolutely fractured surface, complete with time-leaps, identity shifts, etc. Jesse Morse turns in a gorgeous meditative poem on the nature of the creative act, from "lapses": "the way a cloud forms/ then dissipates/ playfully/ in a strange empty room." Anne Waldman is as brilliant as ever in her political mini-allegory "Without Stitching Closed The Eye Of The Falcon," weaving an intoxicating, incantatory rhythm out of a handful of linguistic gestures.

It's always difficult to say whether any journal will be able to maintain quality and/or influence. One Less: Art on the Range is no exception. Yet this is quite easily the best new print journal I've seen all year. Whatever the future may hold for them, one must admire the start that Gardner and Widner have made.



Adam Fieled is a poet, musician, playwright, and actor. He has released three albums: Darkyr Sooner and Ardent (all music, mp3.com and Webster Street Gang productions respectively), Raw Rainy Fog (spoken word, Radio Eris Records). He is the creator of two multi-media artists' co-ops, This Charming Lab and the Philly Free School, that have presented shows and reading series w/ poets, prose writers, bands, acoustic acts, film-makers, painters, and performance artists at venues (such as Kelly Writers House an dthe Bowery Poetry Club) in Philadelphia and New York, featuring local, national, and international acts. His poems have appeared in American Writing, the Philadelphia Independent, Cake Train, Siren's Silence, Night Rally, Hidden Oak, Mind Gorilla, and Hinge. Four of his one-act plays were produced by the 'Outlaw Playwrights' in State College, PA. He has also acted as a member of NYC's 13th Street Repertory Theater Company.

# posted by One Less @ 6:49 PM

Sunday, November 27, 2005

 

A Sneak Peak of Issue #2

Well, folks...hard labors are paying off. Behold!




Cover Art: Michael Labenz

Contributors include: Roy Arenella, Olga Alexander, David Baratier, Bren Bataclan, Melissa Benham, Mairead Byrne, Penny Carlton, Marcus Civin, Bruce Covey, Ray Craig, kari edwards, Elaine Forrest, Chris Gauthier, Alexandra Hidalgo, Michelle Hill, Dylan Hock, Lisa Jarnot, Alexander Jorgensen, Matthew Langley, Jane Joritz-Nakagawa, Kyle Kaufman, Juliana Leslie, Gayle Mak, Sean MacInnes, Tim Martin, Ellen Redbird, Andrew Riley Clark, Elizabeth Robinson, T.M. Roche-Kelly, Summer Rodman, Michael Rothenberg, Ken Rumble, Brandon Shimoda, John Sullivan, Eileen Tabios, Nico Vassilakis, Andrew Wille


To Pre-order the second issue, Collection(s), please send $10 payable to:

One Less Magazine
c/o Nikki Widner
6 Village Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096


For a one-year subscription, please send $18 payable to the above address.


We also have copies of the first issue available for the low price of $5!!
A deal too good to pass up.


-eds

# posted by One Less @ 10:30 AM

Sunday, November 20, 2005

 

Reviewers Wanted

Dear One Less Readers,

We are looking for a few good people who might be interested in reviewing issue #1: Home. This is a great opportunity for those out there who are interested in exercising your reviewing skills. Plus, you'll be contributing to a great cause for small magazines everywhere.

We'll even spice the deal by offering the second issue: Collections free of charge.

Anyone who is interested, please email us: onelessartontherange@yahoo.com.


Thanks.


-eds.

# posted by One Less @ 8:56 AM

Saturday, November 12, 2005

 

Collection(s) in Polaroid


Duck Odyssey
October 2005



Downtown Pittsfield
August 2005



Downtown Pittsfield
August 2005



# posted by One Less @ 5:53 AM

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

 

Back in the Race

Dream, Baby, Dream


November is here, horse fans, and although the Thoroughbred season is nearing to a close One Less is just warming up. We're recharged, fully stretched, and ready to make a magazine. We're working on the layout now and hopefully we'll post some updates in the next few days. Thanks to everyone who submitted to Issue # 2.

On the distribution end, Issue # 2 will be distributed by the fine NJ people of Bernhard De Boer, Inc., so keep your eyes open come December/January in your city.

And finally, on the publicity end, One Less was mentioned in the September-October issue of Small Press Review under New Pubs.

So, keep on tuning in, One Less fans, because one day you're trifecta just might hit!


-eds.

# posted by One Less @ 5:19 AM

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