tinyways

Shamans and Saints: Wildbirds & Peacedrums and St. Vincent

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:58:04 +0000

[See post on tinyways.com to listen to audio]
Wildbirds & Peacedrums – I Can’t Tell In His Eyes [MP3]
Wildbirds & Peacedrums – Doubt/Hope [MP3]

There’s a clear hierarchy between the warm-up band and the main act. It’s this kind of clear separation that makes revolutions so sweet. It’s not that St. Vincent wasn’t good. She was the exact rocked-down sweetness that we all came to see. She is charming on stage as she is in my headphones. However, in this night, she wasn’t alone. She wasn’t overshadowed by Wildbirds & Peacedrums, but she was definitely matched by them. This night was balanced, and that’s what made it so great. This balance was part harmony between the amazing energies of both St. Vincent and Wildbirds & Peacedrums, but was also characterized by one moment of contradiction. When early in her act St. Vincent started to talk about calm waters and yoga (it’s Seattle after all), she didn’t take into account the shamanic energies that Mariam Wallentin left behind her. Nobody, was into yoga at that point, people were into dancing in trace around random fires. However, St. Vincent was bold and it paid off when she started her deep version of the Nico’s These Days. At the moment, the crowd belonged to her, we were all yogists just for her. A few random words about Wildbirds & Peacedrums live music: fire, tribes, frost, drums (tons of them), pure energy, wacky ancient spirits possessing a crazy singer on stage. Don’t miss this gig (dates below).

St. Vincent and Wildbirds & Peacedrums:
Feb 6 2010 Doug Fir Lounge Portland, Oregon
Feb 8 2010 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, California
Feb 9 2010 El Rey Theatre Los Angeles, California
Feb 10 2010 Belly Up Tavern Solana Beach, California
Feb 11 2010 Rhythm Room Phoenix, Arizona
Feb 13 2010 The Bluebird Theater Denver, Colorado
Feb 15 2010 Bottleneck Lawrence, Kansas
Feb 16 2010 The Blue Moose TapHouse Iowa City, Iowa
Feb 17 2010 Turner Hall Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Feb 18 2010 Metro Chicago, Illinois
Feb 19 2010 The Pike Room at The Crofoot Pontiac, Michigan
Feb 20 2010 Outland on Liberty Columbus, Ohio
Feb 21 2010 Diesel Club Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Feb 23 2010 Jefferson Theatre Charlottesville, Virginia
Feb 24 2010 9:30 Club Washington DC, Washington DC
Feb 25 2010 First Unitarian Church – Sanctuary Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

St. Vincent (without Wildbirds & Peacedrums):
Mar 12 2010 Yu Gong Yi Shan Beijing, Beijing
Mar 15 2010 Recital Studio, Esplanade Singapore
Mar 18 2010 Pacific Blue Festival Club Wellington, Wellington
Mar 28 2010 Big Ears Festival Knoxville, Tennessee
Mar 30 2010 Highdive Champaign, Illinois
Mar 31 2010 MusicNOW Festival – Memorial Hall / University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio

Wildbirds & Peacedrums (without St. Vincent):
Feb 26 2010 Mercury Lounge New York, New York
Feb 27 2010 Bruar Falls (Williamsburg) Brooklyn, New York

Kris Lewis

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:47:11 +0000

The Amber Woods by Kris Lewis.

Bathroom Voyeurism: Edgar Dagas

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:27:17 +0000

The bathroom, although not a very erotic place, was the chosen scene of crime for many voyeurists, maybe nourishing their fetishism for cleaning from sin, or cleaning before subjection. Edgar Dagas‘ depictions of this artistically unconventional perspective (often art is frontal), tells all this. Each of these images is both mundane and extremely sensual.

Weirdo-Ecelecticism: Devendra Banhart – What Will We Be

Julija — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 18:36:40 +0000

[See post on tinyways.com to listen to audio]
I never find myself making those “best of…” lists at the end of a year, yet I can safely say Devendra Banhart’s Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon (2007) is certainly among my most played albums ever. When earlier this year I discovered his new record (his seventh album!), it instantly became one of the most anticipated albums of 2009. No doubt, What Will We Be (2009) shares similarities with the 2007 record and carries that unmistakable Devendra sound. Yet What Will We Be stylistically is more eclectic as Devendra mixes everything from Rock, R&B, Country and Latin to Jazzy-lullaby arrangements. Such an eclectic approach is challenging and ambitious, but Devendra succeeded in delivering a mid-tempo record that flows with ease and delight. Now, I’m hoping for that West-Coast tour.

Update:
Devendra is going to perform a bit, you might be in one of the lucky locations:
Feb 4 2010 Tokyo Unit Tokyo
Feb 5 2010 Tokyo Unit Tokyo
Mar 18 2010 Showbox @ The Market Seattle, Washington
Mar 19 2010 Commodore Ballroom Vancouver
Mar 21 2010 Crystal Ballroom Portland, Oregon
Mar 23 2010 Warfield San Francisco, California
Mar 24 2010 Wiltern Los Angeles, California

Links:
MySpace profile

Warpaint – Stars and Billie Holiday (videos) [updated]

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 03:10:10 +0000

The whole girls starry scenes reminded me of the Virgin Suicides, which befit quite well Warpaint’s music and lineup. We should probably hear and see more of this band. More I said? Well, check out this street-wise video for Billie Holiday (stick to the end, there’s a small sweet surprise):

In this later video Warpaint borrows heavily from Mary Wells‘ My Guy. One can draw a lot of what they copy and what they change. It’s interesting to see how it reflects on how society changed and how it didn’t. Just some food for thought. Since we are now into food, here’s Mary Wells, yummy:

Lightning Dust – Never Seen

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 17:52:26 +0000

It has been a while since an album was just looping continuously in my ears. The new Lightning Dust album, titled Infinite Light, is doing it for a few days now. Somewhere between the Dresden Dolls and Clientele, the Lightning Dust is a new gem.

Animal Collective – Brothersport (video)

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:22:02 +0000

Yep, the psychedelic rein or terror in upon us. And Animal Collective are the new dictators.

Yet Another Pippi Longstockings

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:20:06 +0000

This John Akehurst photo is a direct reference to this post from a few days ago.

Via traveling with the ghost.

Jérome-Martin Langlois – Cassandra

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:15:17 +0000

Via Femme Femme Femme

Neil Gaiman and Bill Nighy – Statuesque (short movie)

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:46:50 +0000

Bill Nighy’s British mannerism has recently been quite charming in the Boat That Rocked. When combined with Neil Gaiman’s skill and quirkiness, it’s just hard to resist.

Monsters of Folk – The Sandman, the Brakeman, and Me

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:12:02 +0000

Post-NYE Seattle gloom (yes, it’s gray-er). We already discussed them in the past.

Happy New Year

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 23:14:30 +0000

Let it by joyful and kinky, exciting and charming.

Via Femme Femme Femme

Olaf Wipperfürth

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 20:54:02 +0000

By Olaf Wipperfürth.

St. Vincent in a Glimpse

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:54:09 +0000

St. Vincent’s minimal-aesthetics detail-obsessed new video is an excellent excuse to check out her new album, Actor. Furthermore, once you do that, make sure to also pay her debut album, Marry Me, a visit, it’s a true gem. tinyways plans to cover St. Vincent later on after we see her live in February.

Teat Beat of Sex

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:29:33 +0000

Signe Baumane, a Latvian animator living in New York, released a while ago this fantastic series of shorts giving her point of view on sex. Often funny, always witty and surprisingly very sexual at the same time. You can purchase the whole series on DVD on this website.

Guillaume Seignac

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:21:31 +0000

A jester’s kindness (kinkiness).
Links:
More art

Nymphs, Sirens and Muses: David Hamilton

Julija — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:16:46 +0000

David Hamilton, known for his nude studies of young women, embodies erotic, dreamy and mysterious qualities in his work. The colour and the atmosphere of these works bring to mind the mystical aura of Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) and that special melancholy sweetness of Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides (1999).

Legs and Beck: Charlotte Gainsbourg – Heaven Can Wait

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:13:11 +0000

Yea, I know, Charlotte Gainsbourg is not just the sum of her two legs. But, since they are the best looking in the business, I feel it would be a crime not to give them an honorable mention. However, with her heritage she was definitely doomed since childhood to have an amazing combination of charm, beauty and talent. That’s all nice and dandy, but it really gets wicked when you throw Beck into the pot as well. If you need any proof of Beck’s inter-galactic talent, just try to look for a solo live performance he gave in a church a few years ago. If you do manage to find it, be sure to drop a line here so I can re-find it as well. Anyway, back to our video here, if the upcoming record, titled IRM and schedule to release on December 7th, will sustain the same level, we are for a kick-ass album. Sweet.

Rock ‘n’ Roll: The Boat That Rocked / Pirate Radio (movie)

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:38:34 +0000

First of all, the trailer is all crap. It’s a good introduction, but it doesn’t reflect the plot of the movie or what it stands for. I guess the studios behind the movie got scared of having a real message. It often seems like the business moguls of the entertainment world deem humanity even stupider than it really is. That is anoying. That aside, Pirate Radio (a.k.a The Boat That Rocked) is a great movie about great times and mostly about the love for music. Yes, it’s simplistic. Yes, it stereotypical and takes an extremely idealizing stand. However, if you are looking for any depth, then you are missing the point. Don’t get too deep into it and just let it carry you away, it will be most rewarding and will definitely re-kindle your love for music and radio. Rock is at the end the most beastly and dumb of musical genres. But that’s what’s great about it. Like the music it loves so much, if you look for any grand revelations in this movie, you obviously don’t really get it.
One more point for the movie: the style, the clothing (see poster below) and the accent. It all screams shaggin’ 60s, and it’s wonderful.

Links:
IMDB Entry

Efterklang – Magic Chairs Preview

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:34:54 +0000

Efterklang just released a preview song form their new upcoming album, Magic Chairs. More details here. If this one is any hint of the upcoming album, it seems like quite a change of direction from their ultra landscape-oriented sounds. You can listen and/or download the new song above.

Hilary Harkness

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:51:57 +0000

Hilary Harkness’ character-rich works seem to claim the world as belonging to an artificially engineered class of ultra sexy maids. In a way it seems like she tried to replace the people with their fantasies. So sailors will be become the Moulin Rouge dancers and the bourgeois family will be replaced by their sexy fantasy-maids. Who would replace you in this world if we were playing this fantasy replacement game?

Links:
Mary Boone Gallery

Via traveling with the ghost.

Video: Animal Collective – In the Flowers

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:46:14 +0000

Definitely a video to match the schizophrenic music of the band.

Video: The Flaming Lips – Watching the Planets

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:46:07 +0000

The new Flaming Lips video clip is a celebration of a back-to-nature/back-to-the-womb fantasy. The one above is not that video. This is one of their previous one, but it give a sense of where the Watching the Planets video came from and what stands behind it. In my opinion though, it’s much better. You can catch the Watching the Planets video here. Sorry, but it was technically not possible to embed.

Friendly Horror: Allison Schulnik

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:44:06 +0000

Alisson’s sweet horror world gives the viewer the creeps while at the same time being very inviting. It’s the quirky use of color and the happy-hobo look of the characters that I find so innocent and charming. Allison recently did Grizzly Bear’s “Ready, Able” video.

Links:
Official website

Mixed Feelings: Regina Spektor, On Tour

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:42:45 +0000

[See post on tinyways.com to listen to audio]
It took me a while to fall for Regina Spektor a few years ago. Her anti-folk sound of Soviet Kitsch evoked Ani diFranco, Suzzane Vega and a bunch of other Contemporary Folk female artists. It just belonged to a different time. It was actually the more pop-ish sound of Begin to Hope that “discovered” her for me. Come to think of it, it was the visual language of Fidelity. I admit her last album, Far, is not one of my favorites. It’s a good catchy album, but it lacks the spark of Begin to Hope and the quirkiness of Soviet Kitsch.
The first time I saw her live was about 2 years ago. She performed solo in Tel Aviv. It was a real treat and gave way to all her quirkiness galore and piano virtuosity. Last night I saw her for the second time, in Seattle’s Paramount Theater this time. This time she performed with a proper band and it felt like the Regina-only charm was somewhat lost. Her piano just didn’t express itself the way it can and should. This all changed halfway through the show when she was left alone on stage and I just fell for her all over again. This is one darling that does it charm best when left alone.

The crowd, by the way, in both gigs was made up of an incredible amount of iphone-itweet-teens. Singing with her (did I come to listen to the screaming sweet sixteen next to me?) and screaming to her whatever came to their mind (there were quite a few “love you”s and a few suggestions regarding children). In some odd way, Regina has been positioned by her record label to attract this crowd.
Another note of warning: do yourself a dear favor and try to skip the warming act of Jupiter One. It varied from plain boring to just being pathetic.

Future tour dates:
10 Nov 2009 20:00 Verizon Wireless Theater Houston, Texas
11 Nov 2009 20:00 Stubbs BBQ Austin, Texas
12 Nov 2009 20:00 Nokia Theatre Dallas, Texas
14 Nov 2009 19:00 Pershing Arena at Truman State University Kirksville, Missouri
16 Nov 2009 19:30 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, Tennessee
17 Nov 2009 20:00 Thomas Wolfe Auditorium Asheville, North Carolina
19 Nov 2009 20:00 Louisville Palace Theatre Louisville, Kentucky
30 Nov 2009 20:00 O2 Academy Birmingham
1 Dec 2009 20:00 Academy Glasgow
3 Dec 2009 20:00 Apollo Manchester
4 Dec 2009 20:00 HMV Hammersmith Apollo London
7 Dec 2009 20:00 Cirkus Stockholm
8 Dec 2009 20:00 Cirkus Stockholm
10 Dec 2009 20:00 Rockefeller Oslo
11 Dec 2009 20:00 Lisebergshallen Gothenburg
13 Dec 2009 20:00 KB Malmo
14 Dec 2009 20:00 Huxleys Neue Welt Berlin
16 Dec 2009 20:00 Gasometer Vienna
17 Dec 2009 20:00 Kaufleuten Zurich
19 Dec 2009 20:00 The O2 Dublin

Childhood Fantasies: MooNyk

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:09:44 +0000

MooNyk’s work seems to be on the narrow line between childhood nightmares and fantasies, and is stylistically related to Japanese Anima. It seems that this nightmare-fantasy mix is just the proper way to examine the world of Anima.

Links:
DeviantART profile

Via traveling with the ghost.

Instrumentation Journey: Marissa Nadler, Live Tour

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:51:04 +0000

[See post on tinyways.com to listen to audio]
River of Dirt [MP3]
Marissa Nadler’s “busy mind”, as she puts it, recently released a fourth album. Titled “Little Hells” it continues Marissa’s haunting tradition, layering it with more and more complex music. This comes to show on stage as well, when she at times steps back from the microphone, into the shadows of her instrumental realm. In general this album continues Marissa’s exploration of musical instruments and effects. It seems like the natural next stop for her journey that started from such a vocal place. It’s definitely a fun ride so far.
Marissa performs with Alela Diane (one after the other, not collaborating) throughout her tour.

Tour dates:
October 27th – Rickshaw Stop – San Fransisco, CA. – w/ Alela Diane
October 29th- Echo- Los Angeles, CA. w/ Alela Diane
October 30th- The Loft – UC San Diego – w/ Alela Diane
November 1st – Rhythm Room- Phoenix, Arizona – w/ Alela Diane
November 3rd – Cactus Cafe- Austin, Texas
November 4th- The Fort Worth Modern Museum- Fort Worth, Texas – w/ Alela Diane
November 5th- Chelseas- Baton Rouge, LA – w/ Alela Diane
November 6th- Bottletree- Birmingham, AL. – w/ Alela Diane
November 7th- The Earl – Atlanta, Georgia – w/ Alela Diane
November 9th- Arts Center- Carrboro, North Carolina – w/ Alela Diane
November 10th – DC9 – Washington, DC – w/ Alela Diane
November 11th- World Cafe- Philadelphia, PA – w/ Alela Diane
November 13th- Le Poisson Rouge – NY, NY – w/ Alela Diane
November 14th – Union Hall, Brooklyn, NY – w/ Alela Diane
November 15th- La Sala Rossa – Montreal, Quebec – w/ Alela Diane
November 16th- Legendary Horseshoe Tavern – Toronto, Ontario
November 17th- Schubas Tavern – Chicago, IL. – w/ Alela Diane
November 18th- 7th Street Entry – Minneapolis, MN- w/ Alela Diane
November 20th- Hi Dive – Denver, Colorado – w/ Alela Diane
November 21st- Kilby Court – Salt Lake City, Utah – w. Alela Diane

Indie Supergroup: Monsters of Folk

Julija — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:18:57 +0000

[See post on tinyways.com to listen to audio]
Don’t be fooled by the seemingly ridiculous moniker Monsters of Folk. Thursday night live at Paramount Theatre, Seattle (third show of their U.S. tour), the supergroup featuring M. Ward, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, and Bright Eyes‘ Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis proved to be real folk monsters, bursting with energy for their nearly 3 hours long show. The show varied from folk to Americana, from rock to country sounds. During the performance the band members would come and leave the stage and change dozens of guitars. MoF kept things dynamic and musically intriguing by joining each other for duos, trios, solo efforts, just as well as for their songs written together as Mosters of Folk. Oberst’s, Ward’s and James’ vocals and guitars blended flawlessly in a variety of styles and rhythms, while the group’s multi-instrumentalist Mogis could play pretty much everything from keybords to mandolin. From up-tempo tracks (“Whole Lotta Loosin’ “) to breezy playful folk tunes (“Goodway”) and Southern vibes (“Man Named Truth”) the Monsters of Folk enchanted the audience.

Fall Tour Dates
October
13 Vancouver, BC- Orpheum
14 Portland, OR- Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
15 Seattle, WA- Paramount Theatre
17 Oakland, CA- Fox Theater
18 Los Angeles, CA- The Greek Theater
20 San Diego, CA- Spreckels Theatre
21 Phoenix, AZ- Orpheum Theater
22 Santa Barbara, CA- Santa Barbara Bowl
28 Omaha, NE- Holland Center
29 Minneapolis, MN- Orpheum Theatre
30 Chicago, IL- Auditorium Theatre
31 Louisville, KY- Louisville Palace Theatre

November
02 Toronto, ON- Massey Hall
03 Boston, MA- The Orpheum
06 New York, NY- United Palace
08 New York, NY- Beacon Theater
09 Philadelphia, PA- Academy of Music
12 Stockholm- Philadelphia Church
14 Berlin- Huxleys Neue Welt
15 Copenhagen- Vega
17 London- Troxy
18 Paris- Elysee Montmartre
19 Koln- E-Werk
21 The Hague- Crossing Border
22 Antwerp- Crossing Border

Video: Beth Gibbons – Sand River

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 07:06:24 +0000

A perfect fit for our period: when autumn leaves and winter comes. Nobody can hang on the mic with such despair like Beth Gibbons. Nobody can make the loneliness of the whiskey haze so desirable and so sweet as Beth. Oh, sweet loneliness.

Video: Boom Pam – Hashish

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:57:53 +0000

An unofficial video for Boom Pam’s song (that was mixed by Radio Trip). Guess what they do in the clip? You got, so sit back and join the groove.