Wax

posted Jan 9, 2006

Paraffin heaters
(all of them)
let me see love songs
addressed to other people.
Sympathy is kicking in around me,
and everyone’s putting their cups
on the floor.
Everyone is touching a leg.
First, once, and later, twice.

Sasha Frere-Jones joined The New Yorker as pop-music critic in 2004. Previously, he was a critic for The Village Voice. He has written for Pretty Decorating, The New York Times, Slate, The New York Post, The Wire, and Time Out New York. His work has been anthologized three times in the Da Capo Best Music Writing series. His poetry has been publish by The Hat. He maintains a website at sashafrerejones.com.

In 1991, Frere-Jones formed the band Ui, which toured America and Europe. Ui made five albums before disbanding in 2003. Prior to that, his band Dolores made two full-length cassette tapes. He is currently finishing a record with The Sands, a rock band, and working on several dance music recordings.

Frere-Jones was born in New York in 1967. He received a B.A. in Sociology from Columbia University in 1993.