The Poison Pie Publishing House presents:

August 1, 2026
No one traveled from Sparta, Athens or any other Greek city to Massalia by foot. Its remote location made passage by ship essential. That Papa Krokodeilos chose to walk to Massalia reflected a number of considerations. As they had recently experienced, maritime travel was exceedingly unpleasant for passengers, not to mention prohibitively expensive. He lacked a reason for a wealthy sponsor to pay their way to the distant colony. Finally, when a man has lived his entire life behind the mask of a crocodile, he is prone to attempt the unconventional.

written while listening to:  Phelan Burgoyne, Emanuele Maniscalco & Anders Christensen - On Thursday (Hout Records, HR 028, 2020, Switzerland, cd, discogs.com)

August 2, 2026
The band passed through the Arcadian city of Kleitor on their way to the border with Achaea. These people too loved music and invited the band to perform upon the stage of their grand theater. In payment for this performance, the band's provisions were replenished and two local secrets were shared. First, they were to avoid a specific natural fountain along the northern road, lest they drink of it and forever after find the taste of wine hateful. Second, they should listen carefully for the poikilía fish of the Aroanius River whose song is like that of thrushes.

written while listening to:  Guillaume Gargaud - Lost Chords (Dead Pilot Records, dead036, 2011, United Kingdom, cd, discogs.com)

August 3, 2026
Long they lingered in the wild hills between which the Aroanius flowed. Triballos, in particular, desired to hear the fabled fish sing. The plane trees stretching along both banks must have listened to the song a thousand times but in their stately silence they seemed reticent to share the location of the bend where the next performance was scheduled, if indeed the singers held to any calendar. The dwarf sat with his back to a trunk and serenaded the fish on his aulos. Like an angler with his rod, he patiently waited until the waters darkened with dusk.

written while listening to:  Magda Mayas & Stephan Meidell - Sounding Through (Playdate Records, PDCD012, 2026, Norway, cd, discogs.com)

August 4, 2026
Were there any truth to the local legend, Andromache had no doubt that the loveliness of Triballos' playing would have drawn forth the song for he put into his melody the longing of a man who finds no work of his own kind of greater beauty than the lyrical musing of the natural world. When no response was forthcoming save the ordinary (though admittedly wonderful in its own right) wrinkling melody of flowing water and the breathy sigh of the wind through the branches above them, Andromache at least was induced to join her companion in music.

written while listening to:  Derek Bailey, Han Bennink & Evan Parker - Topographie Parisienne, disc 3 (Fou Records, FR - CD 34-35-36-37, 2019 (rec. 1981), France, cdx4, discogs.com)

August 5, 2026
On the following day, they hiked a road winding around the same contours as the Aroanius, when their ears detected the faint flute-like phrases of a thrush, as if filtered through a veil of water. Instantly abandoning the cart where it stood, all eight crept stealthily through the undergrowth separating road from river. As they descended the slope, a second voice joined the first, then a third sang pit-pit-pit-pit! Coming upon a mossy bluff with a clear view of the water, they huddled together listening, but the song had ceased and did not resume.

written while listening to:  Keiji Haino, Merzbow & Balázs Pándi - Become The Discovered, Not The Discoverer, sides A & B (RareNoise Records, RNR111LP, 2019, United Kingdom, lpx2, discogs.com)

August 6, 2026
"Was it bird or fish?" the musicians debated among themselves as they returned to the road and proceeded along their way. "I wish we'd seen them," said Hektor ruefully. "It was enough to have heard them," countered Exekias, to which Hektor snapped, "If seeing the performance doesn't matter, then why don't we play all our shows behind a curtain?" On the relative importance of viewing the poikilía opinions were split. "And you, Synder, what do you think?" asked Megaera. She replied truthfully, "I'm just glad to have been with you all for the occasion."

written while listening to:  Joëlle Léandre - Live at the "Ulrichsberger Kaleidophon", disc 2 (Leo Records, CD LR 594/595, 2011, United Kingdom, cdx2, discogs.com)

August 7, 2026
The troupe entered Achaea, the northernmost nation of the Peloponnese peninsula. They carried with them not only fond memories of Arcadia but also red marks on their legs left by stinging nettles, through which they had trod in their rush to hear the singing fish. "Stop scratching!" Megaera admonished her husband who seemed to have gotten the worst of it. Mama had them pause. Around Exekias' ankles, she applied an herbal unguent from her first aid kit, which soothed the burning. Later she shared the list of ingredients with Andromache.

written while listening to:  Calvin Gantt & Nicole Mitchell Gantt - Who We Are (Black Earth Music, BEMU ASE 0001, 2022, United States, cd, discogs.com)

August 8, 2026
Their first encounter with an Achaean transpired on a mountain bald where a lone goatherd had led his charges to pasture. Outnumbered, the lean man seemed content to let the travelers pass without exchanging words. However, Papa Krokodeilos slowed the troupe and, greeting him courteously, found a favorable reception. The nannies milled about the donkeys, sharing their own welcome. The funny pronunciation of the vowels in the local dialect of the goatherd seemed to emulate many of the vocalizations of his goats and proved scarcely more understandable.

written while listening to:  Evan Parker & John Zorn - Those Landings (Tzadik, TZ 9331, 2026, United States, cd, discogs.com)

August 9, 2026
Rain began to fall before the sun retreated behind the high, jagged horizon of the surrounding mountains. Triballos grumbled for he had been sleeping out in the open. The storm augured a cramped night in the tent. Thus erupted again the shared irritation of Hektor and the dwarf with Andromache, who hoarded a tent to herself. Over a wet dinner and a campfire that whimpered in feeble hisses with each offending raindrop, the pair ignored Chloë's admonitions, pressing their flutist to choose between them a partner with whom to share her tent and perhaps more.

written while listening to:  Craig Taborn, Tomeka Reid & Ches Smith - Dream Archives (ECM Records, ECM 2833, 2026, Germany, cd, discogs.com)

August 10, 2026
In a sign of Andromache's growing sense of belonging, she did not silently endure the recriminations of selfishness directed toward her. Alternatively, it may have simply been exasperation that prompted her to retort, "So I am to choose between the two of you?" She looked mischievously to Megaera and said, "Which of my two suitors do you suppose will do better at making me a happy wife?" The giantess burst out laughing, "Oh, that's a tough one! They both have their charms." The pair frowned when Megaera added, "...and their shortcomings."

written while listening to:  Alexandra Grimal - Marée Basse (self-released, no catalog #, 2026, France, digital files, discogs.com)

August 11, 2026
"Would you cook for your darling wife a breakfast every morning?" Andromache asked Hektor, who was quiet now that he was obviously being made fun of. "And you, Triballos, what dowry do you have in mind to win my hand?" The dwarf mumbled loud enough for all to hear, "Hmph, sleeping in the rain is sounding better every minute." Having already made up her mind, Andromache prolonged the announcement at the expense of her two admirers. She asked Papa Krokodeilos his thoughts on the matter. "Leave me out of this!" he cried.

written while listening to:  Agustí Fernández - Aesthetic of Prisms, disc 5 (Fundacja Słuchaj!, FSR30/2024, 2024, Poland, cdx7, discogs.com)

August 12, 2026
Andromache revealed her choice of tent-mate-cum-husband. When they were paired up in the quarters of Lord Threspotus, she had shared a room with Grandpa Dumpling. He was gentle and kind and did not snore in his sleep. He received the news stoically. Mama Chloë nodded approvingly. The spurned suitors were relieved both that the ordeal was over and to have their tent back. With no interest to hear them dissect her decision, Andromache wandered off. In her absence, Grandpa smirked at his former tent-mates and quietly boasted,"I still got it."

written while listening to:  Jandek - Brooklyn Sunday, disc 1 (Corwood Industries, CORWOOD 0859, 2023, United States, cdx2, discogs.com)

August 13, 2026
That she was no longer viewed as an imposition by some in the band provided a substantial relief to Andromache. Her duties changed only slightly. She resumed the task of emptying Grandpa's bedpan though Megaera still carried him into and out of the tent, for Andromache had not the strength to lift even his meager frame. That first night, they lay in the small tent together to the accompaniment of the patter of rain on the cloth. Andromache's apprehension of some awkwardness was not shared by the old man, who stretched out and promptly fell asleep.

written while listening to:  Kamasi Washington - The Epic, sides C & D (Brainfeeder, BF050, 2015, United States, lpx3, discogs.com)