Once upon a time I was falling apart. Now I'm always falling in love.
Pick up the microphone.
When Rob Sheffield moved to New York City in the summer of 2001, he was a young widower trying to start a new life in a new town. Behind, in the past, was his life as a happily married rock critic, with a wife he adored, and a massive collection of mix tapes that captured their life together. And then, in a flash, all he had left were the tapes.
Beyoncé , Bowie, Bon Jovi, Benatar . . .
One night, some friends dragged him to a karaoke bar in the West Village. A night out was a rare occasion for Rob back then.
Turn around
Somehow, that night in a karaoke bar turned into many nights, in many karaoke bars. Karaoke became a way out, a way to escape the past, a way to be someone else if only for the span of a three-minute song. Discovering the sublime ridiculousness of karaoke, despite the fact that he couldn't carry a tune, he began to find his voice.
Turn around
And then the unexpected happened. A voice on the radio got Rob's attention. The voice came attached to a woman who was unlike anyone he'd ever met before. A woman who could name every constellation in the sky, and every Depeche Mode B side. A woman who could belt out a mean Bonnie Tyler.
Bright Eyes
Turn Around Bright Eyes is an emotional journey of hilarity and heartbreak with a karaoke soundtrack. It's a story about finding the courage to move on, clearing your throat, and letting it rip. It's a story about navi- gating your way through adult romance. And it's a story about how songs get tangled up in our deepest emotions, evoking memories of the past while inspiring hope for the future.
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“Why in God’s name would anyone immerse themselves in the world of karaoke? Well, here’s your answer—and it’s a surprising trip out of some real darkness, set to a soundtrack of cheesy ballads, yelping rockers, and mangled standards. Turn Around Bright Eyes is an absolute treat.”
— Patton Oswalt, comedian, actor, and New York Times bestselling author of Zombie Spaceship Wasteland
“A touching homage to ‘99 Luftballoons’ and other important chunks of our cultural heritage.”
— Gary Shteyngart, bestselling author of Super Sad True Love Story“Romantic and addictive, Turn Around Bright Eyes is the most passionate and energetic performance. It could just be the funniest book ever written about music.”
— John Taylor, bassist of Duran Duran and New York Times bestselling author of In the Pleasure GrooveBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Rob Sheffield has been a music journalist for more than twenty years. He is a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, where he writes about music, television, and pop culture, and regularly appears on MTV and VH1. He is the author of the national bestseller Love Is a Mix Tape, Talking to Girls about Duran Duran, Turn Around Bright Eyes, On Bowie, and Dreaming the Beatles.