Vertabrae by Vertabrae

The jewelry of Your Future A.F.A.I.R by David Sandoval is breathtaking and stunningly intricate.  The earrings, necklaces, rings and brooches are molded from silver and gold into the shapes of snake spines and smaller pieces may be joined together to make necklaces of any length.  Slither into my paws already.

Revel In Scum

What started as a wake-up mix for a strange morning has become the anthem of a strange day.  Can't get enough of The Bolshoi and The Joy Formidable the last couple of days.



Saturday Morning - Honeydrum
Morning Mr. Magpie - Radiohead
Floor- Micachu & The Shapes
Strangelove [Depeche Mode cover] - Bat For Lashes
Strangers - White Lies
Peace & Quiet - White Lies
All of a Tremble - St. Christopher
Book on the Bonfire - The Bolshoi
The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie - The Joy Formidable

Short Sharp Shock

When panic attacks cluster and invade, something like this always gets me through.  It's time we were comatose.

They're new album Red Heart Brick is out now and here's an excerpt from their myspace page about why it's taken them so long.

They would have been back sooner had they agreed to change their name, as a number of major labels stipulated. ‘I’m not going to change my name for a man who looks like polished fruit,’ remarked Joe Stretch. ‘They told us that it’s cool to seem new. I’m not sure about that. Aren’t many new bands enchantingly crap? Plus, changing your name makes you a phoney, Rich, perhaps. But a phoney.’

The album’s producer, Cliff Jones, commented that, ‘I’ve honestly never met a more sombre bunch of people in my life. It’s unclear to me why they make pop music.’

Of Performance’s 2010 return, singer, Joe Stretch, said, ‘Well, it’s not like we’re ABBA. People don’t necessarily clamour for our return. It’s just the odd email, in fact. But we’re a fuck sight better than half the rubbish that gets on television.’

Guitarist, Laura Marsden, remarked that, ‘Performance releasing a second record is mildly inconvenient for me. I’ve got quite a lucrative cottage industry pinching raspberries from the sides of dual carriageways and making jam. Hanging around Joe Stretch will be annoying. He thinks he’s Salman Rushdie. But I love pop music. I love the band. I try to write a pop song everyday.’

Joe Cross said, ‘I feel the same about Performance as I do about death. I know I have to die. I know I have to be in Performance. We actually make optimistic, upbeat music. But then Stretch moans over it. He tries to make it depressing. He thinks that’s clever, perhaps.’

Performance are a pop band. They’re returning in 2010. They dislike phonyism. They struggle with depression. Expect blood, love and an amount of dancing.

‘I believe in the lyric. I believe that we’re better than other bands, but also that we’re quite noticeably worse. That’s why we’re coming back, I guess. Everything’s a little too cool, pristine. So I’ll sing some songs about my ex-girlfriend. Then I’ll eat Stilton and write some more novels. Maybe I’ll purchase a kind cat. Stroke it for while. Then die.’

\\\\\

Joe Stretch has also written two novels, Friction and Wildlife. With acerbicism like his, I'm intrigued.

I Let It Get To Me

 

Typhoon - White Liars

I know what I said, I wouldn't hurt anyone
Not with my hands,I wouldn't hurt anyone

I know what I said, I want to make peace and be one
I've got this taste in my mouth from yesterday's bleeding tongue

There's a violence in everyone
You civilized barbarian

Anything I love, someone comes in between
Can't get out of my head
I let it get to me

Quoting yourself to me, in some un-recounted dream
Each time i think you're saying, that "one way or the other
We all fight something"

I know what I said, go on and say it
I'll never hurt you, I'd never hurt anyone

There's a liar in everyone
Or am I the only one?

There's a violence in everyone

Masticate This Dumb Tongue

TV On The Radio - Blues From Down Here

TVOTR has slowly become a favorite of mine. Slowly because I can only absorb a song or two at a time.  Otherwise, I would surely go insane.

From the depths I called you, ma
for your breath and breast so warm and fabled
Your hands reached inside
grabbed my heart, enlarged, disabled

Hailed for your mercy
An ear that cares

How the blues sound from up there?

With my wet hair, I wipe the blood off of your feet
Carry me through these shark infested waters
Well you spared me from slaughter for sure,
but these sharks are equally in need of a martyr

Oh kindess shared
Undeserved purest gift, this life you spared

How the blues sound from up there?

Teeth gnashing, masticating this dumb tongue
Quiet now, quiet now, hear that supplication
echo into the void
been recieved by no one

Oh my sweet dear
Cold alone poisoning ourselves
engulfed in our own tears

Signed, blues from down here.

Pull the pin, drop it in, let it wash away
Of how to achieve golden glory
Wash yourself all squeaky clean
All in white, all hallow's eve

Lessen your desire,
Hold your breath so patiently
Never inquire how to be free
Just stay on your knees

You might doubt it
Think there's nothing left for
To do but stomp my feet
And shout about it

From the depths I called you

Now I'm waiting for an answer patiently
Stuck here at the bottom of this well
It's not the last you've heard from me

Crucify Your Attitude Again

It's amusing to imagine Dali's reaction juxtaposing this photograph against a twee band like St. Christopher.

You Know You Should, But You Don't

I don't usually "review" albums, though I've been asked to do so before and I'm sorry I just can't sell my soul and promote something I don't believe in. It's important to love and respect a band first and allow them to become a part of you before you can genuinely recommend them to another person. Radiohead is different. Radiohead is extremely personal.They are sincerely one of my most favorite bands. We're talking core, top 5.  Each album niggled its way into my innards to permanently become part of my tissues.

Radiohead's latest The King of Limbs is positively brilliant if less than pedantic, meaning it's very brief with only 8 tracks [which I know has some peoples' panties in a crawl] but still packs a punch if you're a Radiohead fan. By fan, if you expect something resembling The Bends, then you need to hand in the towel and quit your belly-aching but if you've followed these boys like I have than you'll find very little fault. Excepting one... it really is a bit brief and tries to cover too much ground in too short of a time. As a die-hard Radiohead fanatic, I really do wish there were maybe 2-3 more tracks to cushion the transitions. Beyond that, this should appeal to most fans of In Rainbows and the quieter ballads on Kid A and Ok Computer. In fact, I might call this the Ballad Radiohead album.

I can't really post any favorites because like all Radiohead albums, it really is best enjoyed as a whole though Good Morning, Mr. Magpie, Lotus Flower and Codex have been played slightly more according to my iTunes. Some very nice fellow/lady posted the entire album as a youtube video.  So please stream away to your heart's content, or discontent.

Anatomy of a Mermaid

 

 

I am swallowing books. Gulping them down. Barely chewing. Words get stuck in my teeth and whole characters at the back of my throat. Sentences dribble in my oesophagus. Too fast, I sometimes choke. Choke on whole worlds, tiny universes. It's all sticky pages and blinding syntaxes. Craving, craving more. They might go away, they might go away...  I want only stories to fill the spaces between my veins, and a library between my lungs. 

 

Quote via MJ

Diamond Doll

Chico Fellini - Diamond Doll

Albert Cheney Johnston

Climbing Up The Walls

My expectations could be the death of me.  The slightest thing can sometimes send me into a complete meltdown.  I've only met one other person like me who seems to understand it. He even uses the same words.

In The Meantime We Try

More Blood, More Pressure

Finally, The Kills [ahem Ms. Mosshart] has come out of that Dead Weather hole [don't get me wrong loved the debut, but really hated most of their sophomoric effort] and I've been jonesing for some Hince guitar for months now.  But I'll have to bide my time a little longer, until April 5, Blood Pressures official release date.

Here's a little twenty-some-odd-second teaser.

Undertow

Interpol - The Lighthouse

What do the waves have to say now?
Slow, and let the waves have their day.
Here I've been lucid I'm living within
Inwardly urgent, I'm sinking again

Definitive Gaze

Magazine - Definitive Gaze

I've got this bird's eye view
And it's in my brain
Clarity has reared
It's ugly head again
So this is real life

Despite My Antipathy

I love songs that sound happy but really are written for the Misanthrope. Shimmering Stars' whopping opener I'm Gonna Try off their ep is just that. With simple lyrics, broad concepts and poppy melodies the songs are perfect for this bony winter chill.

But don't take my word for it.



Walking down the street
And I want to kill everyone I see
How come I don't like anyone that I meet?
And despite my antipathy
I am longing to be someone better

In my heart is a violence
I cannot dispel
I've lost my mind
I'm losing you
It's just as well.

Etam Lingerie 2011

Fashion meets rock as usual at Etam's most recent lingerie show.  The collection is really beautiful with the Marie Antoinette vibe, but I especially like the darker lace and neon themes.  Features performances by Beth Ditto, The Kills, Boy George [brace yourselves], Karen Elson [incidentally the song she performs, The Ghost Who Walks, is one of my favorites of 2010], Janelle Monae, Andrew Wyatt, Joey Starr, and all backed by Mark Ronson and The Business INTL.

Here's a 2 minute video of highlights, but you can watch the full 20 minute show here.