“Karen’s songs always tip hat to the originals, but then they’ll screw with words or notes, punch in a couple skylights. All these old songs by pretty boys, forgotten boys, lucky boys, all sung by a woman who sounded like hinges, cats, a ghost. I used to sit on the floor to listen, just out of respect.” Mairead Case on Karen Dalton.

• Sabra Embury reviews Nicholson Baker’s House of Holes for L Magazine.

• Jonathan Lethem profiling Geoff Dyer? Yes; yes, we will read that. (via The Millions)

• At Sound of the City, Brad Cohan interviews Ana da Silva of The Raincoats.

• Emma Straub provides a list of the books she handsells, and reminds at least one of Vol.1’s editors that he really needs to read The Great Man.

• Hardly Art has signed Vol.1 favorites The Beets; their third album is due out next month.