Dirty, gritty, scary

My little sister asked me to help her find a famous photographer that she could do a project on for her Media class. I don't know very many photographers, and was having trouble thinking of one off the top of my head. But then I recalled reading a post on the Selvedge Yard about William Gedney. We looked through a lot of his photos, and the first thing she said about his work was that alot of the images were scary looking. That's precisely the feeling that Gedney attempted to portray in his work. He produced images that were haunting with truth surrounding the lives of the poor, rebellious and overworked across America from the 1960s until the 1980s. Below are a few of my favourite images I have seen from his collections:





Man with cigarette on motorcycle, San Francisco --taken '66 or '67.



Europe



Boy covered by dirt smoking cigarette with one hand, holding can of tobacco in other. Kentucky, 1964.



Man driving car and drinking can of beer. Kentucky, 1972.

Take a look at more of his photographs here.

SO LONG!!!

So, yup, it's been eternity since I have blogged. I guess any moment I can spend away from my computer, I will take - the beautiful weather has enticed me to spend every second outside that I am not writing essays!!

The one thing I am most, most excited about that's approaching next week, is the Machotaildrop premiere at the Mayfair on March 31! Presented by Top of the World, the film starts at 9pm! Come early and get your tickets and seats, and enjoy the movie with all the hyped up kids waiting to see what this Willa Wonka of the skate world has to share! Drop by Top to enter your name in a draw to win free passes for the night, also. It should be a good time!



Also, while you're out and about in the next week, go and check out the Two Days Slow: An Alice in Wonderland Group art show at Canteen on Dalhousie. The exhibit is up until March 28. This is a perfect time for this theme of art show, considering the newly released Tim Burton flick (which I've yet to see!!)
EXCITING NEWS! I don't want to jinx it, but I applied for a 3 bedroom in the Elgin Court, above from Oz cafe this past Friday! HOPEFULLY WE GET IT! I'll keep you posted on that !!

Rawr!

This Wednesday at Babylon nightclub, Capital Distraction brings you Japanther,with Black Feelings (Montreal) and The Shakey Aches!! This is Japanther's first show in a long time in Ottawa, and I am so stoked to finally be able to see them live! Doors are at 9pm, and tickets are only 8 bucks at the door. I think this is the best way to spend any Wednesday evening!!




SKUFFED UP MY HUFFY

(oops, I mixed up the dates!!

Cut it out

.
Today was an awesome Thursday. Another beautiful day, and I luckily had the whole afternoon to do whatever I wanted! I woke up at a decent time without the help of an alarm clock, and spent the morning eating leftover Chinese food, cleaning the house, and hanging out with my roommate. Then I met up with my friend and roamed around centertown taking photos of things and people.


This is the busted up cassette tape that I found in a parking lot and pocketed. I like it, but it smells like garbage.

We then came back to my house and made paper airplanes for about half an hour trying to find my favourite style of plane.

I decided I liked the classic "arrow plane" the best!




Photos from our film camera-adventure will be posted later later.

I also made friends with a gentleman with a dark room...

Mad Hatting

Out this Friday, March 5, this version of Alice in Wonderland looks mystical and terrifyingly Tim Burton. I am going to refresh my memory by reading the book version tonight.

bleached-out lace eyes

I have been craving new and exciting. I have a xylophone that my very favourite friend is letting me play with. I like it; I spent Sunday night drinking cider in an attic fort-room playing the chord-organ and looking at books about history.

The warmer weather makes me want to run around a lot - I kind of love the feeling of slightly sinking into the half-thawed, muddy ground.

In my pursuit for creativity, I present you with a list of music for your teeth to bite into. Try it, I'm sure you will like it.

Sore Eros - Yellow Dress
Fairly new to my music collection, Sore Eros is a band that cleverly combines artistic sound with the depth of talented music beauty (if that makes sense - it does in my mind).

This video is super cool. I find it very mesmerizing in a kind of nostalgic way. I want to make a fort out of it.


(shot and edited by Rob Robinson)

Leonard Cohen - You Know Who I Am
We read Cohen in my Canadian Literature class today, and it reminded me of how great an artist this man is. His poetry resonates with my own poetic views, and his words strike me so strongly to create something just as beautiful.

This is one of my favourite of his work:

A Kite is a Victim

A kite is a victim you are sure of.
You love it because it pulls
gentle enough to call you master,
strong enough to call you fool;
because it lives
like a desperate trained falcon
in the high sweet air,
and you can always haul it down
to tame it in your drawer.

A kite is a fish you have already caught
in a pool where no fish come,
so you play him carefully and long,
and hope he won't give up,
or the wind die down.

A kite is the last poem you've written,
so you give it to the wind,
but you don't let it go
until someone finds you
something else to do.

A kite is a contract of glory
that must be made with the sun,
so you make friends with the field
the river and the wind,
then you pray the whole cold night before,
under a travelling cordless moon,
to make you worthy and lyric and pure.

My Morning Jacket - New Morning (Nick Cave cover)
I can thank a friend who had absolutely every My Morning Jacket album and loaded my ipod with their beautiful melodies and Jim James' captivating, and deeply inspiring voice. Check out his solo stuff - Yim Yames if you've over-listened to My Morning Jacket by now (if there is even such a thing)

Tom Waits - I want you

Tom Waits - I wish I was in New Orleans

If his voice hasn't stirred a creative chord in your bones, scroll down.



Point proven. What a babe.

Neutral Milk Hotel - Ghost

I wish I was born in a bottle rocket. Neutral Milk Hotel's lyrics send me to a different place and time all together. A location that I feel only exists in a dream or on a whole other wave-length of being.

The Velvet Underground - Heroin

I remember first hearing The Velvet Underground's self-titled album when I was 16, and knowing there was something alluring and majestic about their work, but not quite understanding it fully at that point. They have grown to be one of my favourites, and I would rank them up there with musical greats like The Rolling Stones, Joy Division, and Janis Joplin. Also, the thought of being part of the Factory scene in the 60s entices me.

Tied Up

SO here's what is happening this weekend - this should tie you over 'til I get back in the bloggernation.

First and foremost, Yacht is playing at Ritual this Friday, March 5!! Tickets are still available at Top of the World and a few other retailers I'm sure! This should be a ball - I am super excited.

I really love the video for Psychic City, and even though this song is kind of old to the blogging world, it still rules.



Yukon Blonde at Zaphods on Saturday, March 6 - show starts at 8pm. I just started listening to this band, but they sound pretty good so far. They sound pretty 60s/70s inspired, and they've just released their self-titled debut in early February. They are playing with The Property Line, from right Ottawa. I am digging this band - you can get their EP off their website.

Apology accepted?

I apologize for my lack of posting in the past week. Things have been kind of hectic, and I have been unmotivated to blog. Let's Call it a Day will be moving users shortly, from Blogger to Tumblr, so give me a bit, and I'll have more posts happening for sure. I have let the blogging world down in the past week, but I promise to get back on top in no time.

With all of this said, I hope you are enjoying the beautiful weather we have been having, and waking up with your windows open. I know I have. My leather jacket is surely getting some love this week.

I hope to become more inspired than I have been feeling in the past little bit. Are you inspired?

Sincerely,
Day Caller

photo by Utah

MONDAY!!

Going to see Wilco on Monday at the NAC with my friend Claire!! Very excited to see them live! I feel they are one of those bands you only love more once you've seen them play live! Should be amazing

Machotaildrop

JUST FOUND OUT FROM COREY ADAMS HIMSELF THAT MACHOTAILDROP WILL BE PLAYING AT THE MAYFAIR ON MARCH 31ST AND APRIL 1ST!!

So so so so so excited!! Let's all go together, and make it a magical night!!

Mr. Vile, the guitar master

Kurt Vile played Babylon on Tuesday night, with the Holy Cobras opening for him. I had a chance to ask Kurt a few questions, this is how it went:

Daycaller: So, you just did your first half of the tour with Fucked Up? How was that?

Kurt Vile: It was awesome. They rule, they're super nice. And you might think that some of the fans would be, like, "Get the fuck off the stage!" But, um, they were nice - I don't know what it is. Especially Canada, we got the Montreals packed. And we played Quebec last night - it was pretty cool. We will be with Fucked Up in Toronto, their home town, in a 900-cap venue.

DC: Yeah, I was kind of bummed out that Fucked Up didn't come to Ottawa with you.

Kurt: Yeah, they were tired, they needed some sleepies.

DC: I know. Being a solo artist, do you find you get influenced by the bands that you bring on tour with you?

Kurt: A little bit. I was going to come with a full band for this. But then I was in my car for the first leg with my friend Rob, who was there, who is my best friend - we were born on the same day -

DC: What day?

Kurt: January 3, 1980. And I was in the car. And, well, there was different reasons, but there were financial reasons why I was like, I'm just going to stay in my car, and I'm going to go with Rob. 'Cause - this was interesting - in the middle of the tour, was Philly, where I live. After Chicago, we played Baltimore, and I drove home to Philly after the gig - I slept in my bed, played a Philly gig, I slept in my bed. Then I played New Jersey, and slept in my bed. Then I went up to New York. I did those three gigs solo 'cause Rob needed to recover, he was feeling sick, and then I met Rob up in Boston, and we kept going. So we're still in my little car that I own so there would be no expenses.

DC: Tell me about the difference between creating music for a studio recording, and then performing for an audience.

Kurt: Well, you can't think too much about the recording, 'cause in the past I have, but then it's like kareoke. Especially when you have a full band. You'll play, like, a certain song, like Don't Get Cute, or something. It's cool after a while, but then after a while you're just going through the motions. You shouldn't think too much about the recording, because it's just two different things. And also a recording is just, like, a snapshot, you know? Before you recorded it, it was just this song, but then all of a sudden it's like this snapshot, and then if you think it should always sound like that, that's just kind of silly.

DC: Then do you think you become more honest when you are performing?

Kurt: No it's not more honest. It's honest in recording too, it's just captured there. They're both their own thing.

DC: Totally. Tell me about some of your musical influences?

Kurt: Sure, there's a lot. Right now, it might seem weird, but Joni Mitchell is my favourite. Where is she from in Canada by the way? She's the greatest. Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Suicide, Hank Williams, The Fall, so many. All the greats.

DC: Do you have any influences un-music related that shape your work?

Kurt: Anything inspires you. You could walk down the street and see some urban decay or something...or, like, a book that you're reading...except lately I'm A.D.D.

DC: Are you able to read anything lately?

Kurt: Well, lately it's very loose. White Noise by Don DeLillo I'm reading. I tried to read it. But I haven't finished anything lately. I don't know.

DC: So what's been in your stereo lately?

Kurt: Joni Mitchell, Blue. Joni Mitchell, Ladies of the Canyon! And um, Rob just played this random Suicide song, from later Suicide. It was the best thing we heard all tour. I don't even know what it was about.

DC: What is Rob up to other than touring with you?

Kurt: Yeah, he's in a band called Sore Eros - that's his music.

DC: That's awesome. Is he from Philly too?

Kurt: No, I met him 'cause the only other place I ever lived was Boston, and he was going to college up there. And I was driving a fork lift. But he lived in Connecticut, that's where he is from.

DC: So, kind of unrelated, but I really like your hair. How long have you been growing it for?

Kurt: Um...How long has my hair been long? Since 2003, probably. I think I cut it once. Somebody said I looked like Tom Hanks.

DC: You don't look like Tom Hanks at all!

Kurt: No, I was very pissed. I was like, "Fuck you."

DC: Yeah, seriously. So, being from the states, how do you find your Canadian audiences differ from your American audiences?

Kurt: It's hard to say, I think because I waited so long, I haven't really toured Canada, except for one show in Kingston with Dinosaur Jr. very recently. I think I've had enough records out that there's an underground thing, which was exciting. I didn't know what to expect, people are very enthusiastic in Canada. But people are enthusiastic in most of the big cities [in the states], as well. Everybody's a little different, but the Canadian audiences have been pretty sweet. We played Montreal, and I played the show, and in my mind I was like, "This is the worst set ever, we fucking blew it, we blew it!" And then people were like, "Ah, great set!" So, it's funny what you can "get away with." I'm kind of a perfectionist.

DC: Really? In which ways?

Kurt: I don't know. But I'm getting over it. You'll be like, "ah this sounds insane, this sounds fucked up - my guitar is out of tune." But not every body knows as much as you know.

DC: Yeah, I actually heard great things about your show in Montreal. Last question, what do you hope to contribute to the music scene you are part of?

Kurt: I wouldn't say I'm part of any scene.

DC: No?

Kurt: No. I'm just my own thing. But there's tons of scenes out there, so, I feel like we can be in a lot of "scenes." I feel like we fit into a lot of things, so I feel like the sky's kind of the limit.

Photos by Ben Courtice


I received a Sore Eros demo album last night, and have been pleased with what I've heard. I'll cover them in a later post!

Beauty

Photo by Ming Wu.

Part of the Bands Undone live shows, The Belle Game played an acoustic set at Canteen Monday evening. It was so amazing to finally hear them play live! On top of them having charisma while performing , it is evident that The Belle Game is formed from a tightly-knit friend group! I had a chance to sit down with Alex, Adam, Andrea, Katrina, and Alisa to get to know these talented young folk!


Daycaller: With your members being situated between Montreal and Vancouver, did that effect the creation process behind the album?

Andrea: Well, when we recorded the EP, it was still just Adam, Alex and I. We were all in the same city at the same time.

Adam: ..for, like, two months we had together, and we decided to get it out as fast as we could. But since then, the writing's been a lot of e-mail between each other. Luckily Alex and Andrea can visit us sometimes in Montreal.

DC: So in the studio, it was just the three of you then? Was it your first time recording in a studio?

Adam: Yes, just the three of us...

Alex: Yeah, it was mine. And, was it yours?

Andrea: Yeah, I had never really done anything like this before.

DC: How do you feel differently as a creative person in and outside of the studio?

Andrea: More alive while performing. Not tired from twelve hour days stuck in a room with these people (laughs)! It feels way more relaxed [being able to perform in front of an audience]. We don't have long lulls of creating the same thing over and over and over again.

Alex: Yeah, we had this one line, "desire", that just...

Adam: Going into the studio makes you crazy! 'Cause you're there for 13 hours, and you're just drinking black coffee. There's this one line in "The Suitcase Song," (sings) - your desire! That one word I hate so much because I can't say it or sing it properly. So there was a good 4 hours of me going, "er! er!" So it was nice live, even if I mess it up, it's just one time. Then it's done.

DC: Do the songs that you spend so much time perfecting in the studio end up having less meaning when you perform them? Or is it different each time?

Andrea: I think it is different each time.

Alex: For me, I didn't really write the lyrics, right? So once we had them recorded, we would start playing them live, it meant more to me than when we recorded them. And I had that nice feeling of being in the studio with these guys.

Andrea: Aw, hey, thanks Alex!

DC: That's awesome! So, Adam, I found some of your solo stuff online - it sounds awesome!

Adam: Thank you!

DC: Does anyone else have any other projects, musical or not, happening outside of The Belle Game?

Andrea: Alex has an awesome solo album! He has a full album coming out. It's comparable, I'd say, to City and Colour.

Alex: (laughs) Well I mean, it was a little bit different, because I started recording it early last year, before The Belle Game even started. It's going to be a nine-song album, but it's not coming out until, I think, April. And yeah, City and Colour is a big influence on me. I recorded it in my basement, and then I got it professionally mixed and mastered. It's not studio, but it's going to be good.

DC: That's great!

Adam: Alex wrote and recorded that all on by himself, essentially, and it sounds amazing. It's so impressive that he did it all with his own gear. Figuring it out on his own.

Andrea: Probably one of the most dedicated, hard working artists I know. 'Cause he had the discipline to do it all on his own.

Alex: Yeah, there was a room downstaris where I just set up some studio speakers, a really nice mic, and recorded it almost all on that mic, with some nitty instruments.

DC: That's exciting. I'm definitely going to check you out. Do you have a myspace?

Alex: Yup, it's www.myspace.com/alexandrewmusic (also check out www.listen.alexandrewmusic.com)

DC: Amazing. Last question, what's next? Creating more music? You guys are touring now, right?

Adam: We're kind of touring. We're playing live a lot now. We finally put a full band together now. We're an eight-piece band now. So lots of show-playing and just song writing.

DC: Are you guys excited? I'm excited to see where The Belle Game goes!

Adam: I am the most excited I have ever been.

DC: That's great to hear! Thank you guys so much! I look forward to following your music.


Make sure to check out Bands Undone to be up on the know on these intimate acoustic shows! Also, check out Inaas' gallery space on Dalhousie.

New Arrivals

Even though there is still snow on the ground, and it is coming down as I speak, Spring clothing has begun to arrive at Top of the World! Here are some of my favourite pieces, for guys and girls, that have already hit the floor!!

Cropped birdy tank, long black vest, and high-waisted denim pencil skirt, all by Insight

Lavender paint-splattered dress by Insight (has hidden pockets! And comes in black and light blue!)

Fox with wings shirt by Insight

bow-tie shirt by WeSC, blue high-waisted ruffle skirt by Insight (comes in lilac as well)


Denim Authentics with floral sole by Vans

Tank and white shorts jumper with drawstring waist (available in light blue as well) by Hurley, short sleeve floral button up by Hurley, grey hoodie by Volcom

Plaid long sleeve button up, dark floral shorts (comes in a light floral as well), and denim jacket all by Hurley


Spring Jacket by Lifetime

Nuns smoking t-shirt by Insight

Shoes by Element


Long sleeve grey button up by Lifetime (available in salmon)

Canvas shoes by Vans (also in navy)

Short Sleeve polo by WeSC (available in grey and white)

Shoes by Gravis

We have a ton more new stuff, and are receiving shipments every day! We also have a bunch of men's and women's clothing that is still 50% off, as well as a bunch of sale shoes!! If you'd like to receive the monthly newsletter to get updated about sales and events, put your name and e-mail address in the comment box. You can also join our Facebook group!

march 14

Playing in Toronto on Sunday,March 14, Woods would be an awesome band to see live. I'd hope at least.

Here is a music video for To Clean. I enjoy it. You as well?

Before

If there could be one famous musician I could see myself actually attempting to pursue, it would be Caleb from Kings of Leon. I love all of their music, from old to new, Caleb's voice has intrigued me, and I don't think I've disliked a single song off any album.

I think I'd be too scared to approach any other musician in fear that they'd think I was only doing that because they were in a band, but in this scenario, it would out of genuine interest to have a conversation with him (and possibly kiss his face). With most of the lyrics written by Caleb, I'd be pretty excited to just know what he's about.

Okay I'm starting to sound very very weird. Here's a video off their most recent album, and one of my favourite songs.

Tres Belle

My goodness, our generation is so talented. The kind of music that so many young people are capable of making blows me away far too often, it is so inspiring. I am very very excited about The Belle Game. I don't know very much about this band, but I do know that what I hear, I like. They began their work in Vancouver, and now I guess because of where bandmates live, they split their time between there and Montreal. They have just recorded an EP titled "Inventing Letters," which is available on iTunes. I find their sound very refreshing, and reminds me of fireflies dancing in between acoustic guitars and one-piece drum kits! (you know, the kind you play with those soft drum sticks?)

The Belle Game are around on Monday, playing a show at Canteen on Dalhousie on Monday around 6 I believe. I will for sure be skipping my last class to go witness their beautiful music in a lovely art gallery! Please join.

The Belle Game - Shoulders and Turns

Don't go, I'll eat you up, I love you so

Okay, I can't believe it took me that long to see that movie. It was magnificent and sad and magical and exciting and lonely. I loved it. I downloaded the whole soundtrack by Karen O and the Kids. Fantastic.

Karen O and the Kids - Worried Shoes

will you be my

...valentine?

Spent the whole day in bed with a fever and headache. Throwing up all night the night before doesn't really have good effects on your body. I dislike being sick.

Sleeping is nice though. I think I've had a few pretty interesting dreams so far this afternoon. I've also been enjoying Where the Wild Things Are, as I have never seen it before. I guess I'd say Max is my valentine!

Here's a mini pretend-you're-in-love mix for this sad Sunday I'm spending alone.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Home

The Paper Cranes - I'll love you until my veins explode

Basia Bulat - Before I knew

Atlas Sound - Walkabout (ft. Noah Lennox)

Coeur de Pirate - Comme des enfants

Bon Iver - Blood Bank

Attack in Black - If all I thought were true

#42

Painting myself to death

heavy brushstrokes hush your lapse for living;

romancing a poetic life-end:

an escapist dream of cabin-dwelling,

hoarded with hallucinogens to craft the life your brain coddles

amid

wood-stacked walls wage wars with reality

soundly beautiful; lonely

ramped and exciting,

a solitary soul seaming hand-crafted stories and quilts

threading life behind heavy lids

fabricating fantastical feats

from visions of closed-world sleeps;

an existence all its own.

Okay, so I really need feedback on this one. too wordy? I feel like I repeat "life" so many times. I'm open to ideas!

There's a Band in my Cellar

..and I wish it was The Rumour Said Fire. Thanks Young Janes for bringing them to my attention. It's absolute greatness straight from Denmark. It is possible to want to put music inside of you, right? Right there past your skin and under your ribs. Yeah, well, that's exactly where this band is going.

I'll be able to tell you more about them once I learn Danish. Pretty much every bio I have so far come across is in a language I do not understand.

The Rumour Said Fire - Love for the Tortured

Tonight

Sitting at home, at my desk, drinking delicious tea while jamming to Roky Erickson. I like him. I'm happy I remembered about him.


Roky Erickson - Bloody Hammer

You should read about Roky on The Selvedge Yard. I love this blog so so much, and was turned onto it by my friend Zach, and have been sharing it with everyone I know ever since! I am obsessed with the culture and time periods they cover. The pictures and footage they post is incredible; it makes me wonder how they got their hands on some of the images. Check it out and love it a lot.

Having a roommate that works at Value Village sometimes turns into an evening of being spoiled with vintage goodies. Check out this amazing tan suede bomber I got there last night! I am kind of sitting around in it right now, overheating, but feeling like a total babe. (please ignore the fact that I am wearing jogging pants..)



Okay, I think I've got to go pee now after all of this tea!

Sunny

The weekend was such beautiful winter weather! I went to Winterlude with my family, and walked around admiring the awesome ice sculptures being carved. Tonight, too I walked through Winterlude and marveled at how beautiful the ice looked all lit up with coloured lights! How easily I am to please.


We got delicious snow taffy!! I LOVE THAT STUFF! At first my brother wasn't interested in it, but then once he tried mine, he quickly got a huge smile on his face and wanted his own. We were definitely running on a sugar high for a solid hour.

After that we were all cold, so we went to the mall. We escaped our parents, and I took him to Ms. Tiggy Winkles. He rules. I bought him Leggo and toy cell phone!!

Machotaildrop

THIS MOVIE LOOKS SO GOOD!!

Dancing with mama's dearest dreamer

Yeah, yeah, yeah!! Introduced to the Sandwitches last night before going to work, and was instantly put in a great mood. From San Fransisco, California, the Sandwitches' album "How to make ambient sadcake" will make your rump shake while reminding you what it means to be in love with grass and tree branches.

The Sandwitches - Fire

Try It

SO on this Friday night, glands swollen, fully clothed in bed, lazy as ever, look what a good little equally-as-bored friend shows me:



Now if there is anything I could say about this video is:
a) I fully enjoy the wiener-flailing in those Pink Floyd boxers
b) I want that sexy little weird girl's haircut. Wish I still had my mullet
c) I will get that hair (short version though)
d) this song is too catchhy
e) the video rules too hard for life.

Got anything better than that??

Let's Road trip

I would love nothing more than to road trip - anywhere. Just drive. It would be so amazing to see so many places in one trip, and to do all the travelling on your own - no reliance on an airplane, or train, or bus driven by a stranger. Just you. And, well, maybe I would being someone else. I think I'd like to share my roadtrip experience with someone.

Here's a playlist to maybe inspire some roadtripping, at least in my mind. Something to allow me to travel away while I still have to be stuck here in Ottawa, at school. What a damper.

Kurt Vile - Overnight Religion
With his vocals burried so deep in the music, this Phili-native sure know how to blend sound and lyric into a beautiful, 70s inspired music scheme (I don't think that's the right word, but I'm going with it haha).

Now, Now Every Children -In My Chest (Acoustic) (myspace)
This duo from Minneapolis (but performs with a 5-peice band) was brought to my attention by my young friend James Alan. Their lyrics are Tegan and Sara-esque, and have a very Slingshot Dakota, raw but innocent sound. I'm enjoying getting to know this new musical interest in my life.

Yeasayer - O.N.E
Wasn't the hugest fan of their first album, but their new single off Odd Blood, out next week, seems like an exciting sneak peek. We will see how the rest of the album pans out.

One for the Team - Every Little Thing
Also from Minneapolis, pretty sure one of the guys from this band worked on Now, Now Every Children's album, tells a secret source of mine. I was just recently introduced to this upbeat, indie-pop 5-piece, but they've just release their third full-length, which as been getting them much more coverage. I'm excited to listen!

The Magic Kids - Hey Boy

Jazzy, young folk

Beautiful. Magnificent. Simplicity. Bella Ruse.

I stumbled upon this duo from Minneapolis on the Hype Machine, and fell in love with Kay Gillette's smooth and jazz-inspired voice. They sound like a happier Camera Obscura, and a less poppy Feist, with a little bit of a She and Him vibe. It is definitely worth checking out.

Bella Ruse - Push On

Discover

This video is so full of rich, beautiful images backed up by powerful and passionate music and lyrics. Check out Laura Marling's newest video Devil's Spoke.
(Thanks James Earl Jones)



,
thumb to index
finger frame
mossy engines roar
abandoned automobiles
you
grassy lot
petals plucked
purely for a picture's place
under eyelashed examination
you,

Blistered Fingers

I've been playing my guitar more lately, and thanks to a set of new strings put on by that good man Davey over at Space Man Music, I haven't been more happy to play it! Last night I looked up the chords for Gone for Good by the Shins, and tried to learn it. With the help from my roommate Jackson, I was able to make it actually sound good tonight!! I'm very excited to keep on learning. Hopefully once my fingertips blister over, I'll be more inclined to play for longer periods of time! :P

The Shins - Gone for Good (acoustic)

No water

I'm pissed. I try to go to school on time, and when I wake up, there is no goddamn water in my apartment. I swear to God I will kill those construction mother fuckers downstairs.

:)

I've been tired of everything new and recent being talked about over the past 3 months. I admit, I am into the new shit that's been going around, but I am getting bored of all that airy, electro-meets-indie simple-sounding musical business that's being so heavily blogged about. So this morning, I searched for some harder, more edgy, more substantial-sounding jams. This is what I've come across so far:

The ZEROS - Wild Weekend
From California in the late 70s, this raw, garage-punk band was known as the "Latino Ramones."

Check out this awesome clip of the ZEROS performing on a San Diego television show in 1977. Jesus, rare.




The Darling Buds - It's All up to You
From the Blondie era of the late 80s, this woman-fronted band from the UK got lots of locale radio air-play, but eventually broke up due to their lack of commercial exposure. This song is so pop-y, and dancey, I just love it.



Dum Dum Girls - Blank Girl
(Thanks Finner!)



(this post was started on Tuesday, but I never got around to finishing it until now)

42

Mondays are nice. I like Mondays. Especially when you start the day by talking to someone who puts a smile on your face. That helps to make any day of the week feel like Thursday (that's my favourite day, I think). And Mondays are always great when you end them with awesome hang outs with the greatest girls ever. I went for Vietnamese with Slitt and Eggy, and then after spending the rest of our lives in Shoppers, decided to die my hair. Yup, I've got me some red hairs now. COOL!!

Mondays are the MOST best when they are ended by listening to great music. My friend M. Tamblyn shared a pretty amazing video with me tonight. Check out the video for For Agent 13 by the Besnard Lakes. I don't really know much else about them, other than they are Canadian, and from Montreal. Check out the video - I enjoy the original concept, and the potential for the images to have meaning. I find most music videos don't offer the potential for images to create an emotional connection with their story line. ANYWAYS! Blah, blah - watch it!

Ten Gold Stars

SO I have been super lazy about this blog. I just feel like no one REALLY cares about what I write, so what's the point. BUT, despite my lack on initiative to share my life with the internet world, I do love to share my music finds.

Music makes everything better.

Below is what I have been listening to lately. Mostly recent stuff from 09/10 releases, but also some older stuff.

Anyways, less chat, more playlist. GO!

Woods - Some Shame

Elvis Perkins - Hey

Emil & Friends - Sleepyhead (remix) (I know, this one's a bit of an oldy)

Cymbals Eat Guitars - And the Hazy Sea

Dirty Projectors - Stillness is the Movement

The Nerves - Hanging on the Telephone

Mint Chicks - Hot on your Heels (Youtube)

Vampire Weekend - Cousins (Youtube) - My favourite song on this album is actualy Giving up the Gun, but couldn't find the link.

If you are having trouble downloading singles, you may need an extractor, like WinZip to download these files. Hopefully they work. If not, check out the bands' myspaces, or pick up their records at your local record stores!