Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
blue moon
Today bedtime is at 9 pm. While the days get longer and nighttime shrinks somehow all the things that need to be done come later and all the unnecessary things, absent minded mistakes and lists from long ago become what's new and exciting. This past summer I spent some time in the mountains of Oregon, and listed and listened to all of this...
Like Tim Kasher before all the whisky and smoke.
Not a band but a venue that books great stuff and updates their myspace accordingly, a shining example can be found in the featuring of Giant Lion and Balkans.
Maybe the best San Francisco band ever. Awful recording, but lovely songs.
Should have been on the soundtrack to a John Hughes film. Have a name worthy of a black metal band.
Singer wishes he was Morrissey. ONE guess where they're from? Did you say Brooklyn? NO WAY.
BB broke up three months ago, but their music lulls me to sleep in the best way.
Not to sound hostile, but screw you Owl City, this is how you rip off Ben Gibbard.
I like the Eels, you like the Eels. Let's not pretend we've moved on.
Who didn't like Rancid? I still do. I've loved Tim Armstrong longtime. I mean, after Brody Dalle dumped him for Josh Homme I could never listen to the Distillers again. If there was a punk US Weekly I'd have a TEAM TIM t-shirt for sure. But whatever. These guys sound like Rancid. No drama. That I know of.
This girls voice scares me. She sounds like a possessed china doll.
A sixties revival. I often wonder if they make music like this in the Children of God Cult.
Oh my god. Like, industrial noises. ORGASM sounds. Have you been in Vice?
The next Kanye?
They are on Mint. Therefore I like them before I even listen.
Nice boys who make nice music.
A grown up choir of bearded men. Also, very fun.
Apparently all new music I like sounds the same. All of the above.
Their myspace background features really cute kittens.
Bedtime with Dave Bazan, my favourite kind.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Lasso
When you think about moving to a new city you feel like this:
When you actually get there it can often feel like you're this kid:
And it sometimes feels like everybody else is doing this:
\You kindof miss this:
But then you find things that make you feel like this:
Spring is coming and I am excited for so many things, not least the F in Fresh, Hoof and the Heel, Little Girls, Graydon James, Walnut Kids, Le Trouble, Pop Winds, Boats, The Bombadils...the list goes on forever....
Sunday, December 20, 2009
how to disappear completely
I'm back. Sufjan Steven likes these flamenco folk players, as do I. I forewarn you they sound like a hippie group that could've played Woodstock and could easily soundtrack a Cameron Crowe throwback film, so if you're not into that, step away! Otherwise break out the tambourine and white gown, join the fun!
CANADIAN SUPERGROUP.
Lovely idea right?
Starfucker have changed their name! Their myspace hasn't been updated that recently, however their new stuff is amazing. When they play live, they do so accompanied by old records, that make their shows more like plays than just concerts, which is very very fun.
Monocle magazine have been harping on for a while now about the wonders of Sweden, their design scene, fashion scene and we're all aware of the music the snowy wonderland has given us, Little Big Adventure are a pretty little package that represent Sweden at its best, and my oh my would Monocle be proud. Like a mellow Daniel Johnson with touches of good Peter Bjorn and John, songs like 'The Hateful Eye' recall Miike Snow-esque electric beats accompanied by soothing glitch free vocals that equal rad noises all around.
The French speaking Regina Spektor, and whether or not you speak the language this girls voice and simple piano led songs will make you feel as well rested and warm as the first time you heard Regina herself.
If I were going to SXSW this band would be high on my list to see. Scuzzy and poppy in that Pains of Being Pure of Heart way, just with more girly vocals, this is just up my street. I'm not sure whether this would die live, as the garageband-esque production is what makes me most happy, but go see them and let me know?
PDX's answer to Girl Talk. I'm not super into it, but the kids at Holoscene are, and that can only mean scary big things happening on the underground.
Fun are like Panic! At The Disco at their most eccentric. It's quite like the Rocket Summer and I really love it. Fun is really theatrical and polished, but is certainly not for everyone, it's a lot to take on board... I suggest trying it if you're feeling ambitious and curious...Nettwerks done good.
Jenny Owens Young-esque folk. By no means anything groundbreaking, but if you like the Johnny Flynn, JOY, N&TW sector of guitar music, Caroline may make you very happy.
Like a lo-fi Tokyo Police Club meets Girls. Sweets, surfy and catchy enough that boys in collared shirts and sweater vests the world over will tap their toes intermittently.
Fans of Panda Bear, Animal Collective and early TV on the Radio rejoice, here be the beginnings of your new favourite band.
So guiltily indebted to the eighties, it at times sounds like bad karaoke, but if you listen beyond some off vocals, this is pretty awesome. It gives off Prince like vibes, therein PDX wins once more.
This band make me feel really uncomfortable. Any London types remember Ivich? They create the same creepy dank tone. This Oregonian outfit hurt my ears and inspire shallow breathing, but I kind of like it...
Beautiful free pop that sits somewhere between Animal Collective and Idiot Pilot. In my head when I play "what would I do were I Alex Patsavas" (I play this game in my head regularly) I'd use this bands songs on a number of CW beach town set teen dramas in scenes panning seascapes. It's music that creates images of care free abandon and sunshine, and when it's so bleak outside, it provides an instant holiday.
With a name that sounds almost like a Pokemon (Blastoise), you probably wouldn't expect a Port O'Brien shanty-indie vibe to emanate from this band. They sound like early Flaming Lips-playful and a little aggravated, yet somehow managing to be sweet enough to take you out to sea.
A young man called Nathan makes this 60's style Beach Boys-esque pop and it is fantastic. Nathan, if you're out there. let's be friends.
Something is happening here. It's not often you can call music genuinely interesting, but this intrigues with its aural experimentalism.
I love the record label Barsuk and I will never tire of saying so. This one guy from the Barsuk stable reminds me of David Bazan, who makes some of my favourite music in the world. This is emotive guitar music that means something, and so while I pine for more Bazan Lackethereof serves to please immensely.
If you like art at all there are some very good shows are on in London right now.
Please do check out:
Roger Hiorns at 157 Harper Road, Elephant and Castle.
Mark Tansey at Gagosian, Britannia Street.
Ed Ruscha at The Hayward Gallery.
Conrad Frankel at the Hempel Hotel.
Nicola Hicks at Flowers East, 21 Cork Street.
William E Jones at Swallow Street.
Stuart Haygarth at The Haunch of Venison.
Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Alina Szapocznikow at Hauser and Wirth.
Tom Wood and Padraig Timoney at Museum 52.
Sophie Calle at the Whitechapel.
Georgia Russell at England & Co.
Robert Mcnally at One in the Other.
If you feel like travel:
Paris and Miami hold galleries by the lovely Emmanuel Perrotin
and Copenhagen holds David Risleys great gallery too.
Food wise, I've been enjoying Beas of Bloomsbury and Lolas (there is a concession in Selfridges Food Hall), both exceptional for cakes. It's also worth noting that Beas, though new, excels in cosy afternoon teas. On the cake front (it's all I have been living on, nothing is new) Hummingbirds Soho branch has finally opened on Wardour Street, so why not give them a welcoming visit and have a red velvet cupcake, the greatest of them all.
Right, now it is time to go back to repeating I Blame Coco and Robyns 'Caesar' and trying not to laugh when Coco does a call and response "I heard Robyns can fly!"....it is TOO cheesy. Great song otherwise though, check it out:
Merry Christmas everybody, hopefully this break won't be as long!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Whip it
All I listen to is Hall and Oates these days. Jet lag should really produce better blogs, but hey you can't rewatch all of Dawsons Creek AND talk about music et al. I have priorities...
Sunday, September 6, 2009
clinton and division
I left my I pod charger in New York four days ago, so I have been without music. It's very strange actually listening to the world.
The world has given me Weezer, Death Cab For Cutie, The Beatles and the Chordettes, so I am thankful. When I come home I have unpacked, repacked and lain down to Noah and the Whale, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and Dave Bazan.
Oregon washes over me and I have nary a will leave. Travelling the North East, through rain and shine, the warmth of the city of Portland is fairly overwhelming (as is its AMAZING coffee). Starfucker are the best band I have seen on these here travels (at the Doug Fir), and tomorrow I get to take in the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Cass McCombs, so I'm feeling merry.
I am back to New York in two days, and home in six. Autumn is here...
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
since you've been gone
I miss the days of good Kelly Clarkson.
Remember 'Miss Independent'? Back in the days when reality TV felt new? How did I live in a world lacking television that followed the trials and tribulations of Spencer and Heidi? How did I live without exposure to the glorious, glamourous, insightful character that is Nevin from the City? I don't know, but he is on my NY hit list of lame celebrities I would like to meet. I brushed Adam from the City's shoulder the other week and felt a wave of joy wash over me that had not been felt since the sighting of Dave Coulier (FULL HOUSE!!!) taking out the trash earlier this month. I am fully aware of how lame I am.
Let's segway into something less lame. As you may have gathered I am living in New York at the moment (hurrah!). I haven't actually had much free time to live in the city as such, but the basics of my life have become quite mundane- I have a skeleton life of shower, work, (window) shop, sleep. To mix it up I at times have taken to galleries, pretty much only the heavy hitters. I can sum them up as such:
MOMA- Brunch + Rauschenberg + Johns + Lowman + bookstore from heaven= BESTTHINGEVER
Whitney-Bread and Butter+dreamy staff
Met- Home to my favourite art work. Sigh. Bohemia lies by the Sea. SIGH. Google it and fall in love.
I have also been to the Sunday Gallery, which I linked in the previous post. They have a wonderful photography/ found objects exhibition by a Swedish artist whose name currently escapes me, but it is 100% worth going if you are LES bound or oriented. Eldridge and Stanton.
Other than these pursuits I have pretty much been an art failure this summer. I'm re-reading Bluebeard by Vonnegut and getting super excited about October 10th when a collection of his unpublished short stories come out. I'm also reading a delightful book I bought from the Whitney about art collecting and what makes the process of acquiring art a collection, what legitimizes a collection, etc. I have bought this mostly because after seeing so many famous art works in such a short space of time I am hungry for my own pieces of awesomeness. Alas my pockets aren't quite deep enough to own a Schiele study of madness or a Degas ballerina-hooker. Instead I spend my earnings on "wearable art" as Vogue is calling fashion these days.
Since being in New York this summer I have fallen further away from having any sort of taste. There were moments in which I toyed with the idea of buying silk headbands in jewel tones at Bendels, but then I realised I wasn't Blair Waldorf, and that I looked like a Dr Seuss character. This has lead me to justify buying these headbands in muted tones, as they were staples of the "Zara dresses like she did when she was four" look. These were probably the only things of taste I have bought. While the magazines are pushing advice on dressing for the recession and investment buying I have mostly bought vintage things that will likely fall apart while I sleep tonight. These purchases include a gross camel coloured waistcoast with obscenely large ornate clasps, tan loafers, green silk plunge wrap dresses at wholesome lengths, the most monochromatic of jumpers, a navy and gold bold type faced oversized sweater, and really that's about it. Everything is pretty late 1940's and boyish (bar the dresses, duh.) This weekend brings the last push of the summer retail quarter, sales and that all right before fashion week. I am so down with injecting the last of my funds into some awesome thrifty purchases rather than spending them on extravagant meals as I have done the past month and a half (but oh have I eaten...more on stellar NY eating habitats soon!).
Finally music. Not so much of it has been seen by me. I saw Rumble Strips at the Tribeca Grand, they were delightful. Dinosaur Jnr pleased me in the park. Girl Talk seemed fun from Vinnies. Ellie Goulding's new tracks are better than ice cream sprinkled in joy on a summers day, and the Girls record kicks me into high gear every morning (that, and 'Let Your Love Grow Tall'...)
I also am digging Beach Fossils, Desolation Wilderness and Knight School quite a lot right now. I have a loaded list of bands that I've compiled over the summer that I haven't addressed yet and I promise to deliver some great ones over the next few months! Until then I suggest filling your life with gross tie dye dresses, floral boxers, pimms, banana pudding, Union Square Halloween store hats, getting excited for Frieze, CMJ, Zoo, reuniting and planning ways to avoid coming home...
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