Couldn’t resist posting about this cool Hanukah present little Judah got from Aunt Sarah last week. Cool for kids and adults alike, the humanitarian endeavor by the Yellow Bird Project features over 25 hand-illustrated designs dedicated to indie musicians, including Iron & Wine, Bloc Party, The National and Devendra Banhart. So if you’ve ever wanted to color Devendra Banhart’s beard, wiggle yourself through the intricate Broken Social Scene maze, marvel in the colourful carnival of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah or slide down the psychedelic playground of MGMT, look no further. Profits from this colourful venture will go towards the charities YBP supports.
You can buy the book ($10) online or at the Heath Ceramic’s retail store in Sausalito.
Typically I loathe the actor turned singer/songwriter schtick. But Charlotte Gainsbourg is the exception. The arbiter of everything cool and indie, the woman can do no wrong. At least in my eyes, but I admittedly have a crush. So let me break it down for you and see if you agree.
She’s the daughter of British actress, singer and style icon Jane Birkin and French actor/singer Serge Gainsbourg. (That pedigree alone is enough cool quotient to last a lifetime.) Is a critically acclaimed, award winning actress in her own right with an impressive roster of cool indie films under her belt – like La Bûche, Jane Eyre, Lemming. This year she won Cannes Film Festival Best Actress for her role in Antichrist. Musically, she’s turned out two albums and has worked with the likes of her father Serge, Madonna and French pop star Etienne Daho. And her upcoming album, IRM, was produced by non other than Beck himself.
Due out January 26, the minimalist album title, IRM, (French for MRI) was inspired by Gainsbourg’s frequent MRI’s she endured after suffering a brain hemorrhage from a water-skiing accident in 2007. “I had to do so many [MRIs] and every time I was in that tube I was thinking it would make great music,” she’s quoted as saying. And great music it did make. Her lyrics on the album’s single, “IRM”, offer a detailed, psychedelic journey into her experience and sets the tone for the album. Which, you can hear, is amazing.
Only Charlotte can make an MRI cool and straddle the realms of indie film and music with credibility and aplomb. She’s effing rad. If I could be half as cool as her I’d be so happy.
Band/Artist I am most happy to have discovered: Kurt Vile
Band/Artist I kick myself for missing: I missed a Nobunny show; I missed Primavera, and as I write this, I am about to miss a special intimate gig by Beach House. But I broke my personal best for shows this year, so I can’t complain!
Band/Artist everyone seems to love but I just can’t get behind: Wilco
December is a good month for those afflicted with OCMD. Lots of checklists, organizing, labeling, sorting and prioritizing. Oh, it feels so good. This year at The OCMD we’ve been working hard extra hard reflecting on the past year of music – the good, the bad and the forgotten. We’ve made our lists, and are checking them twice. In addition to our picks, I’ve also reached out to some of my personal favorite music blogs and resources for their take on the year in music. It’s been a fun project and over the course of the remaining weeks you’ll get to see the fruits of that labor. And hopefully discover some great new music you might have missed this year. I know I have. Enjoy. See you on the other side.
Third time is a charm so they say. And the Band of Skulls show last week at Bimbos was definitely that. They’ve been hitting the States hard promoting their debut album, Baby Darling DollFace Honey, and it is one of my favorite albums of 2009. This was the third performance I caught of theirs this year. It’s been fun to see them climb the venue ladder of success. First Harlot, then Cafe du Nord. Now Bimbos. What’s next? We’ll wait and see.
Gah, I cannot get this song outta my head. Every time I put on this album I just hit the repeat button for this track and listen to it over and over and over again. And I’m still not sick of it. “Beast in Peace” is a track off the Brooklyn-based band’s third album, Beast Rest Forth Mouth, and is a study in electronic experimental rock. It’s a great album with that kind of textural, atmospheric sound you just want to wrap yourself up and get lost in. Pitchfork compared the album to be on par with Caribou’s Andorra and for once I agree with them. Love that album and love this one too.
Dan Melchoir Und Das Menace. Such a great name you just want to say it again. London-based Melchoir is one hard working independent artist. The man has put out more than 30 recordings with various bands since the mid-90s and has earned a respected reputation among fans of always delivering. ‘ThankYou Very Much’ is his recent effort with NC -based group Und Das Menace and I just love this track “Wrapped In Fog”. His garage rock aesthetic is so right on.
Meet my latest obsession, Imaad Wasif. No stranger to the indie music scene, the Canadian born, Indian singer-songwriter and guitarist has been in numerous bands including lowercase, The New Folk Implosion and alaska!, but is probably best known as the touring guitarist for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. He also contributed to the Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack.
His latest album The Voidist is his third solo release and explores his obsession with the idea of love and faith. Channeling the groovy, psychedelic 70s sound, Imaad is like a harder rocking, less kooky version of Devendra Banhardt. But like Devendra, he seems to fully embrace the free love, hippie aesthetic of that era. Just take a look at his new video for “Redeemer”, featuring naked women worshiping the sun – and each other.
Imaad has been confirmed as a showcasing artist for SXSW 2010 and I look forward to seeing one of his legendary impassioned live performances in person.
the OCMD 