Best Records of 2010 - #2

Joanna Newsom - "Good Intentions Paving Company"

For the Bibliophile

I found this on my FB feed this morning. It's a blog called Bookshelf Porn which features sculptural bookshelves - from the austere to the overwhelmed.  Most of these spaces, make you want to settle in, grab a book and a comfy chair and read for hours.  My favorite is the guitar case bookshelf which would be very beautiful mounted on the wall.

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

Andy and Holly are in England right now and I will be joining them in 48 hours. I miss them so much!

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” - Dr. Seuss

Best Records of 2010 - #3

The National - "Lemonworld"

Best Records of 2010 - #4

Ingrid Michaelson - "Parachute"

Best Records of 2010 - #5

Paul Smith - "Our Lady of Lourdes"

Best Records of 2010 - #6

Lady Gaga - "Telephone"

Best Records of 2010 - #7

Belle and Sebastian - "I Want the World to Stop"

Best Records of 2010 - #8

Twin Shadow's "Castles in the Snow"

Honorable mention on my top 10 song list

Broken Bells (which I'm so into right now) - "The Ghost Inside" with video featuring Christina Hendricks

Best Records of 2010 - #9

Best Coast - "Boyfriend"

Best Records of 2010 - #10

In no particular order I'll be broadcasting my top 10 favorite songs of 2010. Number 10 is Broken Bells "The High Road"

Obsession #5

Linda Ronstadt's song "Long, Long Time" is the best description I know of unrequited love:

My Parents Were Awesome

My Parents Were Awesome is a site where fans can post pictures of their awesome parents.  I can spend forever browsing through these candid snapshots (polaroids and instamatic shots abound) of awesomely cool parents.

Heli Hietala's Functional Art

Helsinki artist Heli Hieltala makes functional art with a figurative aspect - like the medicine bottles with cap made of faces or these human crayons.  Beautiful art that you can use too - great combination!

Why Today American TV is Better Than American Movies

Here's an insightful blog piece from The Hollywood Economist which I saw on a friend's FB status. It explains why our TV shows keep getting better and better and our movies keep getting... well, Avatar (not that Avatar was a bad movie per se). The interesting summary is that movies have to appeal to a global common denominator while TV can appeal to niche audiences or something like that. Read the entire article here: Role Reversal: Why TV is Replacing Movies as Elite Entertainment.

Ciara - "Gimmie Dat"

Ciara is one of the best female dancers in hip-hop as well as being a solid performers. I love the duet-style dancing with her male counterpart as well as the FLY belt. Everything about this video is smooth and sexy - worth a looksee.

Obsession #4

This Kanye West performance (just don't step on their fingers, Kanye!)

Camera Obscura - "French Navy"

I want to jump inside this video:

Art of the Day #1

These bike riders from Seoul Korea (from Gawker):

Northern Soul

I've been to Northern Soul nite in Manchester and I can tell you it is the most fun, the most unique type of dancing EVER! Here is some archival footage of Northern Soul dancing from the Wigan Casinos in the '70s:

Don't get me wrong, I really like the moxie of bands like Grass Widow, The Vivian Girls, the Dum, Dum Girls and The Girls at Dawn.  But I am a sucker for production values.  I think I have age on my side but I feel like if you are gonna do the whole sixties girl group aesthetic you should go big like Sharleen Spiteri:

One Simple Wish

Today Holly and I are going to the Art Class at The Wish Shop of One Simple Wish, a NJ non-profit that supports children and families in need by granting wishes. The wishes are small and large ranging from movie tickets to computer equipment.  Click here to Grant a Wish!

Guilty Pleasures #2

Eminem: Love the Way you Lie

No Singer Left Behind

I heard a piece about this on BBC World News while I drove to work yesterday.  It's a virtual choir produced by Eric Whitacre who instructed the web audience on YouTube on how to download and record his score for "Lux Arumuque."   He then took the recordings of all 185 participants (he has said assuredly that no singer was left out) and mixed them together for a choral rendition of his song. A very neat usage of viral video/user sharing:



Is it me or is Eric Whitacre just a little too "camera-friendly" though?

Jiggery Pokery

The girls from Jiggery Pokery in London make all kinds of things - art installations, music videos, window displays - even a rollerskating event.  Just adore how they painted the outside of a pub.   The best part about it is that they look like they have a lot of fun making their art.  Check them out!

Rat Girl

Just the other day I was thinking about Kristin Hersh from the late '80s band Throwing Muses and how, when I saw them play live in college, she was six months pregnant.  Then I started thinking about how touring is exhausting and pregnancy is exhausting and how did she ever do both at the same time?  Well wouldn't you know it, now my questions can be answered.  I'm downright gleeful to find out that she has written a memoir called Rat Girl because she was one of my first influences when I was learning to play guitar and write songs at fifteen.  Another great storyteller Mary Gaitskill describes the book as "the story of a wide-eyed soul coming to maturity in the ridiculous cacophony of modern life. Although it is supposedly about what we call, for lack of a better term, 'manic depression,' it has nearly no interest in such grim diagnostic thinking. It is instead awestruck - by music, feeling, perception, wild animals, mystery, dreams, 'the gorgeous and terrible things that live in your house.' It is an original beauty." 
-Mary Gaitskill, author of Veronica and Don't Cry 

It's now in my Amazon check out.  You can order it here as well: http://www.amazon.com/Rat-Girl-Memoir-Kristin-Hersh/dp/0143117394/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_cart_1.  The Gilbert Hernandez cover is just the cherry on top but I'll save the genius of the Hernandez brothers for another post. :)

Philip Glass

I remember seeing this play in the '80s and it was amazing back then as it is now when I listen to it:

Pink Skull

I was incredibly impressed by Pink Skull at the Before the Bridge music festival (see earlier blog post).  They reminded me of LCD Soundsystem or MGMT with just the right mix of electronica and rock with hooky pop vocals and a smattering of psychedelia.  Check out "Oh Monorail" on their site.  I wouldn't be surprised if these Philadelphia natives were to make their way around the UK/European festival circuit soon - they'd fit right in.

Obsession #4

The '60s aesthetic epitomized by this record cover (courtesy of WFMU's Rock & Soulichiban Blog)

DJ Blow my Speakers UP

One of the best things about my town is that right outside our doorstep there's always something fun to do. So today we're walking all of six blocks to attend the Before the Bridge Music Festival.

The artists include: Kimberly Townsend, Monko, Red Orange Morning, If'n, Sounds from Atlantis, McRad, Pink Skull, Lowry, Gang, and Rolex. Then there's an after party at the local Collingswood coffee shop, The Groove Ground. Out of all of the bands, I'm most interested to see Lowry "a Brooklyn-based indie rock band with members originally hailing from Kansas, New Zealand, Australia, North Carolina and Canada" according to the website. Sounds like a good combo to me. They've played shows with Grizzly Bear and Andrew Bird.  The hardest part about tonight is making sure my 2 year old doesn't run on-stage with the bands because she loves to show off.

Alex Kemp

Check out new stuff from Alex Kemp, formerly of The Godrays and producer of a few songs on T*shirt's (my beloved band from the '90s) second CD. And since I remember fondly that Alex could write a genius pop hook, I wasn't surprised to hear how great these songs are.

Also enjoy Shadows on the Square from 2006:

Cleanin' it up with Betty Wright

Betty's still killing her biggest hit, "The Clean-Up Woman." Little known fact: she successfully sued the early '90s band Color Me Badd for using a sample of her song "Tonight is the Night" without permission. You go, Betty!

Obsession #3

The National's song and video for Bloodbuzz Ohio. Singer Matt Berninger is the Don Draper of indie-rock in this very straightforward video. I especially like his shy, humble dancing.

If you look at the the career trajectory of The National - they embody the essence of modern garage band not so much in the sense of the music but because they started off in a University setting like thousands of other college bands, but kept aspiring and persisting and over 10 years later, they are now appreciated and adored. Another 4AD gem!

Best Award Acceptance

In honor of the MTV VMA Awards 2010 which aired last night I'm posting my favorite award acceptance speech/spectacle.  It comes from the P3 Gold Swedish music award show in which Karin Elisabeth Dreijer Andersson from Fever Ray (who basically IS Fever Ray) accepts the Best Dance act award in 2009.  You can see where Lady Gaga may have been inspired by this.  Love the audience reaction!

Strange Stuff #1

These Robert Longo-inspired poses of full body Snuggies.

Obsession #2

I've always loved the leopard fur coat in any way shape or form, even if it's just on the trim.  This one is from Topshop and is reasonably priced at $170.00

morsels of digital yummies

Check out Digital Chirashi, the blog started by my work colleagues where we can post any "juicy, fun tidbits related to digital design and/or anything."  I'll be guest bloggin' yo.

Obsession #1

I found the site Arkiva Tropika linked in my twitter feed this morning.  It features the largest online collection of paper ephemera from the '50s and '60s featuring Polynesian and tropical themed art.  I'd love to pimp my house out in this kind of look!  I used to own some killer tikki glasses but being such a nomad they were lost in my many moves.  Anyway, visit the site and enjoy!

Black Swan

My sister tipped me off today to a new movie by Darren Aronofsky called "Black Swan" which stars Natalie Portman, Winona Ryder and Mila Kunis.  Okay, so if that cast and director isn't enough to lure you zombie-like into the theater, here's the synopsis:  "Nina (Portman) is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother Erica (Hershey) who exerts a suffocating control over her. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side - a recklessness that threatens to destroy her."


Sounds amazing!  And I bet there's a great soundtrack to go with it.

Grand Taxonomy of Rap Names

I ordered this poster for my cube today. Woot!

Warpaint - "Elephants"

This video just looks amazing - both the styling and camera effects.  But is it me or does the drummer look really out of place in this band (cosmetically speaking)?

Guilty Pleasures #1

Usher - Lil Freak

and
Ke$ha - Take it Off

Favorite Brands #1

One of my favorite brands is Utz, not really because of their products (which are quite delicious) but because of the cute little indie rock girl, who was updated at some point during the 85 years of this snack-food company's existence.

Alt Report

When my sister and I were in grade school we used to draw and write comics of the kids we liked and didn't like and make up fictional storylines about them.  It was just for us - not for public consumption and it wasn't long before we outgrew this hobbie.  I suppose we were trying to make sense of the world around us and process things through rudimentary drawings and jokes which was the only way we knew how.

This is what the Alt Report reminds me of -- this gossip blog/zine about indie bands with just the right hint of envy, immaturity and humor to blur the lines between hero worship and hate.  It reminds me of a high school yearbook made up of "cool kids" or a very low-fi Perez Hilton.  And I could do without the occasional mean spiritedness but right now, I just can't look away.  And me thinks someone there has a crush on Bethany from Best Coast.

T*Shirt Flyer from 1997

I was looking for links to my old band Shower Trick (1992 - 1994?) so I could link it into the sidebar and came across a flyer for one of T*Shirt's shows from 1997.  I can't remember if I made this but I did spend ALOT of time and money at Kinko's in the 90s making flyers the old school way. :)

Sounds Familyre

Today I was at my local book/record store chain and the very nice man who worked at the store went out of his way to help me find the new National CD.  He also happens to be a singer-songwriter on Sounds Familyre records out of Clarksboro, NJ (former label of Sufjan Stevens).  So in total appreciation of his help and friendly conversation I thought I'd give a shout out to Dan Zimmerman and urge you to have a listen to his songs to purchase if you like.

Welcome

I had a blog a few years ago and I'm dipping a toe back into it.  The whole blogger set up and configurating is a lot easier than I remember it to be.  But with technological improvements in social media and blogging I shouldn't be surprised I guess. 

Since I'm at work I shouldn't post too much more but I will leave you with a couple of pictures from a sculpture garden nearby.  Enjoy!