Rogue Wave: Permalight (or How the Future isn’t What it Used to Be)
Posted by Troy | Filed under Music
When my wife and I first planned to get married we had big plans to take off across the country with just the clothes on our backs.
Hit the Cali coast and live in our van… only leaving the beach to bake cookies for the homeless or something…
Of course… three kids and two testicles later… I’ve yet to see the Pacific.
Tags: Music, rogue wave
The Office Baby Breaks New Ground
Posted by Troy | Filed under TV
The scene:
A woman, late in her pregnancy freezes mid-stride to announce to her partner that her water has just broken
(possibly a wisecrack about peeing her pants or another character slipping and falling in the fluid).
The couple race to the hospital barely making it in time to start pushing.
Somehow in the midst of the mother’s bloodcurdling screams and insults at her doofus husband, the doctor has the presence and expertise to recognize… the baby is breech!!
Tags: the office, tv
Yes! new k-os
Posted by Troy | Filed under Music
Ok…
So five total posts in the last month…
Besides the fact that I’ve had more urgent responsibilities demanding my time, February in northern Michigan just has a way of sucking any inspiration out of the air…
Well… leave it to some good old-fashioned Canadian hip-hop to bring my cultural olfactory senses back to life.
I’ve been eagerly anticipating this album since k-os (pronounced “chaos”) released his EP Atlantis: Hymns for Disco three years ago. I loved the kind-of genre bending style he brought on Atlantis and the sample from Lean on Me that kicks off the first track on Yes! is a pretty clear warning that I can expect more of the unexpected:
Frustrated Teacher: “Do you have any idea of the chaos you have caused around here? Nobody knows what you’re doing!”
Autocratic Morgan Freeman: “That’s exactly the way I like it!”
Perhaps it is his cross-cultural upbringing that has brought about such commitment to defy convention…
I really don’t know, but I sure do I dig his determination to be different musically and fundamentally within hip-hop culture.
Or, to put it simply…
It’s the perfect hip-hop for super-white dudes like me. (or for just about anyone)
(as made obvious by “I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman” à la Phantom Planet currently on permanent rotation in my head – and at the top of the Strong Odors related tunes playlist)
Music Inspires Me: ReadyMade, Creative Allies, SXSW
Posted by Troy | Filed under Art/Design
It is no secret to readers that I’m inspired by music.
I’m not exactly sure what connects me to any particular songs.
When I’m creating something visually I always have to have music playing… sometimes I can even look back at past artwork and know if I had been listening to Smashing Pumpkins or Sigur Ros or Radiohead or Bob Dylan while creating.
There is something about great music that is inspiring… it can’t be just the music itself, because different music inspires different people in different ways.
But when that perfect combination of melodies, harmonies, rhythms, ambient noises, or whatever comes together in a way that connects with me on a spiritual level…
I think it may be one of the top reasons why I believe in God.
UPDATE 3/3/2010
I found out this weekend that my submission to the Creative Allies for a ReadyMade Magazine contest is going to be featured in the exhibit at the ReadyMade Party during the SXSW Festival!!
If I’d had more time to enter multiple designs in the contest, I might have had a better shot at winning the Grand Prize… a trip to SXSW and party with the ReadyMade crew…
Would’ve been sweet… just saw this cool mix from NPR today and it’s got me wishing I could go to see some sweet bands like The Antlers, Band of Horses, Japandroids, Matt Pond PA, Rogue Wave, She & Him, and even Churchill will be doing a show there…
Not to mention a crap pile of the most snob-worthy bands so fringe they don’t even exist in real life… I’m sure one of them is probably my favorite band ever… too bad I’ll never know.
You can see all 12 pieces in the exhibit here and check out some close-up detail images of my illustration on my portfolio.
Tags: original illustration
Theology from Green Day: Surrender
Posted by Troy | Filed under Faith, Music
Surrender.
A theme predominant in the New Testament.
One of which I’ve been acutely aware for a long time—and equally aware of my own inability to do so.
Funny in a way that even the act of surrendering is something I attempt to do in my own strength.
Tags: Faith, green day, Music, surrender
My Brain Today
Posted by Troy | Filed under Culture, Thoughts
Bothersome
- The Superbowl
- The Bachelor/Biggest Loser/American Idol/Golden Globes/etc
- Jay Leno
- iPad
Interesting
- Health Care
- Romans 12
- Haiti Aid
- Grain Edit
- Destination Truth
- Animoto
Obsessed
- Worst Cooks in America
- Lost
- Vampire Weekend
- (500) Days of Summer
- Super Mario Wii
- Independent Lens
- Unitasking
Don’t forget to follow Strong Odors!
Tags: original illustration
(500) Days of The Smiths
Posted by Troy | Filed under Culture, Film
(500) Days of Summer is the best thing I’ve seen in a while.
The title sequence alone is a great reminder of why I love movies.
But I think what really made me love it was how familiar it was.
Eerily so.
Tags: Film, Music, original illustration, The Smiths
Jesus vs. the Democrats
Posted by Troy | Filed under Culture, Faith, politics
I see it pretty regularly, but on mornings like today it becomes especially hard to bear.
When Scott Brown took over Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat last night, half the nation cheered (and half the nation grimaced).
I have no problem with that.
Handmade Baby Cardigan and Other New Items
Posted by Troy | Filed under Fashion
I think this Baby Cardigan from Buckets of Moonbeams is really super-fantastic.
I keep trying to get my wife to raise her prices, but she thinks anything she creates should be affordable to anyone… not just the super-rich.
(we define super-rich as anyone with a regular salary)
I think that is quite honorable.
She’s been working like mad on custom orders lately, so new items in the shop have been delayed until now. If you’re interested in a custom order (like a sold shop item or color variation) you can contact Noël via her Etsy shop.
All her new items are super-cool, beautiful and well-constructed.
Check them out today before they are gone!
Tags: buckets of moonbeams, etsy, Traverse City
Vampire Weekend: Contra
Posted by Troy | Filed under Music
Can’t… stop… listening…
Vampire Weekend is like an underground zit.
and that’s the simile of the day.
Tags: Music, vampire weekend
