Saturday, December 26, 2009

Up in the Air



I really enjoyed this movie.  George Clooney (he's sooooo dreamy,)flies all around the country for his job which consists of fireing people that he has never met for bosses that don't have the balls to do it.  The main theme deals with the lonelyness that comes with constantly traveling and not having a place to call home.  At least thats what I thought.  Plus the movie included a very appropriately placed Elliott Smith b-side song, Angel in the Snow, one of my favorites.  Elliott Smith songs don't make too many movie appereances besides Gus Van Sant movies.  Also Zach Galifianakis makes a short but as usual very funny appearance.  go see it!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

New Paintings



 China Couture, I'll tell you what its about but you have to tell me what you think its about first.

Arrival: Acrylic and colored pencil on IKEA poster

Quench: acrylic on canvas

Rain: Acrylic and spray paint on canvas
 
Fred; acrylic on IKEA poster

All paintings are for sale and currently displayed at Aurora Pizza in West Grove, PA 
  hadn't seen these guys in almost a year, I kinda missed em


the face and blue painting are my friend Jessica's. shes very talented as you can see

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Thursday, December 17, 2009

christmas wish list, stuff I don't need but wouldn't mind having


Recycled Glass Bubble Terrariums http://www.iloveuma.com/glassterrariumsin4sizes.aspx

Neuhaus Labs’ T-2 Tube Amp    for computer speakers


Cave Book Case

 Vinyl Records, these in particular





Beatle- revolver, Burial-Untrue, M.I.A. kala, Wavves-Wavvves.  And surprises are always nice too

Sony MDR-V700DJ 


knoll generation chair, this color


stanley donwood-Manhattan (Silkscreen Signed Limited Edition of 100)

 Also still accepting things from my birthday list, except the glass bottle, that's awesome btw  

Thom Yorke Crashes Copenhagen Climate Change Conference!!!



Another reason why I love him, he uses his celebrity to bring attention to important issues, and not in the same way the Bonos of the world use celebrity. I have doubts and fears about the failures of these talks.  Obama gets there tomorrow I hope he holds up on Americas promises unlike so many before him.  Lets go world!!!

Also really digging his coat, and hair cut.

via

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

pitchfork guest lists




Pitchfork asked a bunch of popular indie muscicians what their most listened to music was from 2009.  The lists feature some power players in the indie music scene and some of the smaller acts as well.  Its a good mix and worth the read.  It's fun seeing who people you respect listen to and are influenced by.  I also find it as one of the best ways to discover new music that I love.  Looks like there is a lot I missed this year and need to check out.

some of the artists who participated;
Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors, Phoenix, Grizzly Bear, Kings of Convenience, Wavves, Andrew Bird, Neon Indian, La Roux just to name a few!

the lists

When I need some inspiration I think of what Royal said.

"I'm talking about putting a brick through the other guy's windshield. I'm talking about taking it out and chopping it up."--royal tenenbaum

Sunday, December 13, 2009

My favorite music of 2009



I really enjoyed this year in music and next year is already looking like it will be even better, (did someone say Gorillaz!?!?). My top 15 albums/eps of 2009.


15. Bat For Lashes- Two Suns
      I have a crush on her.
14. Atlas Sound-Logos
13. Blind Man's Colour-  Season Dreaming
      Kinda like Animal Collective's brother from another mother
12.Animal Collective- Fall Be Kind [EP]
11. Grizzly Bear- Veckatimest
      Took awhile for this to grow on me and it still is.
10. Phoenix- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
      Took awhile for people to notice this album.  Now it's on every commercial I guess that's not so bad after all.
 9.5 Matt & Kim- Grand

9. Major Lazer- Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do
     Diplo+ Switch 
8. Wavves- Wavvves
7.Passion Pitt- Manners
    This album didn't live up to the hype created by their ep but how could it? (They were suppose to be the Beatles from Boston according to some bloggers) , regardless it was a solid effort that I enjoy.
6.  Thom Yorke- FEELING PULLED APART BY HORSES
5.  Miike Snow- Miike Snow
4.  Peter Bjorn and John-Living Thing
       Finally these guys made an entire album that I enjoy plus they put on an awesome show.
3. The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack
       Yeah, that's right.
2. The XX - XX
       If I have talked to you in the last 5 months I have probably brought this band up.  I go through stages of being obsessed with certain bands for periods of 6 months - 2 years, mid summer I was in need dire need of a new fix.  The XX are the drug I was looking for.  This album oozes sexy lyrics, dub-stepesque drums, lonely guitar solos, and thumping bass lines.  If it were anymore intimate they would have to be called the XXX.
1. Animal Collective-Merriweather Post Pavillion
       I knew it was going to be nearly impossible to beat after the first listen on Christmas day last year. It turned out to be my best present and it was a gift that kept on giving.  Seems like its on the top of nearly everyone's list as it should be, imo. 

Honorable mentions
 in no order


Small Black- Small Black EP
Cotton Jones- Rio Ranger EP
Jonsi & Alex- Riceboy Sleeps
Lil Wayne- No Ceilings (Mixtape)
Clipse- Til The Casket Drops
Raekwon- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II
Neon Indian- Psychic Chasms EP
JJ-n° 2
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros- Up from Below
Beck- Modern Guilt acoustic
Various Artists- Ciao My Shining Star
The Maccabes- Wall of Arms
Girls- Album
Karen O and the Kids- Where the Wild Things Are





Thursday, December 10, 2009


I need to go visit his wall sometime in my life.





     "You can take a picture of New York and one person looking at it will think it looks really depressing, frightening, and someone else will look at it and think of all the fun things you can do in New York. I think songs are kinda like that"- Elliott Smith

life advice

Career advice from Charlie Hoehn:
"Therein lies the best career advice I could possibly dispense: just DO things. Chase after the things that interest you and make you happy. Stop acting like you have a set path, because you don’t. No one does. You shouldn’t be trying to check off the boxes of life; they aren’t real and they were created by other people, not you. There is no explicit path I’m following, and I’m not walking in anyone else’s footsteps. I’m making it up as I go."
via http://www.swiss-miss.com/2009/12/career-advice.html

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

1977 Fischer MC-4000 Audio Component System for sale-100$






I picked this up for free at Goldmine vintage/design/ gallery on Main st. manayunk, along with a cool lamp that I bought.  The record player had a sign saying it was broken but I took it home and fixed it.  It also features an 8-track player, so you can be extra hip and ahead of the curve in a year when 8-track makes a comeback.  It also includes a mic which is for recording directly onto the 8-track tape.  Sorry I don't have and 8-track musical or blank to make sure this part works but I assume it does.  The player also has an automatic function which it says you can load up to 6 LP's onto the spindle and when one is done playing the arm swings away and drops the next record ontop and starts playing that one.  I tried it out and it almost works but fails to play the next record.  Something tells me it never worked that great anyways.  But the good news the radio and turntable work!!!  The needle sounds good but probably should be replaced cause it looks old.

Note:  you still need a set of speakers or headphones to listen to music as there is no built in speaker.  there are however speaker wires included.  Let me know if your interested.  I'd keep it but I have 2 already.


What you get. for 100$   

1977 Fischer MC-4000 Audio Component System
working turntable
working radio
probably working 8 track with record function and microphone
semi-working automatic record player function
speaker wires
removable dust cover
original users manual




I love lamp