Stop Okay Go

Start An Ocean

++She doesn't give a Duck: You gotta give credit to those Onion photoshoppers.

++Was cruising around the bottom of the Elbo.ws hotlist and came across the name Benjamin Francis Leftwich whose single Pictures, below, comes out on February 20th. In this market, where everyone's got a Bandcamp page, it's difficult for someone with just a song and guitar to stand out from the crowd. BFL manages to do this, dispensing advice in hushed tones that sound as though he's letting you in on a little secret. RIYL : Sufie Steves and Damien Rice. (It's a Damien Rice kind of day.)

Quickies

++Beginners star and Kate Capshaw-when-she-was-younger lookalike Melanie Laurent duetted with Damien Rice last year. Her voice is deeper than what I was expecting somehow, but it's nice to hear some variety in women's voices in music and not the usual chirpy twee-ness.

++So uhhhhh, like when do the Shiba Inus show up, Phoenix?

++Picture of Robbie Williams and South Park's Matt Stone yukking it up with fans at last year's DeLuna Fest, talkin' like "we're #1!" (Note: not actually Robbie Williams and Matt Stone.)

++Former American Idol singer Kellie Pickler has a new album out called 100 Proof. Here, Pickler talks about sharing intimate details with songwriter Leslie Satcher:

"So she asked me, 'Well, who is Kellie?' It was so easy to open up to her, so I told her about my life and some personal things that I'd never shared with anyone. She went home and locked herself in a room."

...Ok, fine! The rest of the quote is" She went home and locked herself in a room and wrote this song, taking what I had told her," Pickler said.  I find it more amusing stopping the quote where I did and you gotta make your own fun.

 

Zig Zag Woman

The women from two years ago (and their fashions) are killing it on Stop Okay Go this week! Accomplished paper wadder Sara Lov's plaintive wails keep on expanding until they just can't expand no mo'. Wonderful.

Won't Take Long

++I feel like the Internet is forcing me to click around and form an opinion on Karmin who I know nothing about thus far, but I refuse and what's more I give you a High Flying Bird, Internet.

++Dillon Francis: Is it bad that of all the glimpses into this DJ's glam life the thing that looks the most appealing to me is the part where he's eating Pho?

++Continuing on with what seems to be a cigarette theme this week, here's a song from last year by The Sweet Serenades' album Balcony Cigarettes. Nice contrast between the pulsing classic rock mojo and the lead singer's falsetto that reminds me of a less-bananas Josh Homme.

Sweet Serenades have resolved to put out a new song by the end of this month with the possibility of an album by the summer.

Ulf and Jo In Oslo

++Oof, it's taken forever to come up with a song that's finally worth my time and it's a frivolous tune from 2 years ago!  Lastfm characterizes the Norwegian trio Flunk as "summer pop" which fits I think:

 

 

So much to love/latch on to here: the oversized buttons on her cool retro dress (like they pulled a secretary from a Hitchcock movie through time to jam with Joel McHale), the extended pause, the dark lyrics sung in happy tones with a slight accent: "I guess the pills don't work, and the drinks don't work..." Just great.

++Here's a new song by Joe Goddard from Hot Chip's side project The 2 Bears. The album, Be Strong, has a Jan. 30th release date. Viva 90s beats!

++I somehow got signed up for a subscription to Smithsonian Magazine. One of the teaser headlines of "The Obsession Issue" is The World's Sexiest Flower (Hothouse Hybrid Orchids). Hopefully the article will will breathlessly describe some steamy Hawkmoth action. Fingers crossed.

Quickies

 

++I've written this before...there are certain songs that I picture being used in movies when the 'crew' is getting ready for the big heist. That's the best part anyway. Maybe I'll be like Skrillex and do a whole movie where it's just one long heist prep and the heist never actually happens.

 

++A new batch of John Mulaney's skewed views comes out on the 31st.

False Advertising

++Early Christmas gift idea.

++As John Mayer might say, daughters take care of your mothers..to protect their comedy gold!

++Do You.: Helytimes might be the wisest man on the Net. Warning: Charlie Kaufman's speech is long (but worth it) and may cause deep thoughts.

++So that's how it's pronounced. So much for my Bruce Willis Colbie Caillat joke..

++You're out of your mind, man! It can't be done!!

++Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man on Earth has the kind of unique delivery that often gets him compared to some greats. There's a certain heatedness to his style that at times sounds like contempt, but if you're going to get almost-yelled at, at least his voice, lyrics and music are beautiful..

Guy Widda Crooked Fingers

++I know I keep harping on this, but weeks later and it's still smilesville on this end over that Seapony song. It's those tiny, understated, barely activated notes that get me. Where do you come from Seapony? And how do we gain entrance into your magical soft-lit world?

++I imagine that the photo studio for the Celebrity Apprentice bio shots has a big prop box like something out of Carrot Top's garage.

++One day late, Netflix.

++Why did they put the doorman "Calvin"'s name in quotes? Mystery abounds. Please tell us more about this so-called "Calvin." Calvin seems like the kind of guy who would work at a club identified by only a single red light bulb.

++Yup, this is the one for today. The last half of the song hits that sweet groove and doesn't let go til the end. I'll be listening without watching the video though because I'm pretty sure that seeing a few seconds of it already gave me Mono. Don't know where Kakkmaddafakka got its name, but I *will* put it into the name anagram generator for kicks and giggles, via the AndyRichterz. They kind of sound like if the Klaxtons decided to get jammier...

Quickies

News from the inbox:

 ++Style maven overlords Kitsune come out with the CCCrash Mixxx of Punk Jump Up's Get Down on January 30th and in the process find new and innovative ways to use taxidermy.

++Monica will reunite with fellow firstnamer-only Brandy on a single on her new album titled New Life due March 6th.

++Ani DiFranco calls herself promiscuity's Columbus on her latest album. Would like to see the floats for that parade.