Grouplove: Never Trust a Happy Song
Posted by Troy | Filed under Music
Do your parties always fail?
Try putting Grouplove on at the next one. It’ll help.
Also, you may need new friends and/or personality.
PS. Never Trust a Happy Song album art is by Grouplove singer Hannah Hooper.
Tags: Hannah Hooper, Music, reviews
The Beatles
Posted by Troy | Filed under Music
Illustration by Troy DeShano
This year new music sharing will alternate with music-based illustration.
My 9-yr-old daughter has really been into The Beatles lately, and on the rare occasion that she takes a break from The Muppets soundtrack you’ll hear the Fab Four ringing from her iPod.
I thought it was pretty cool the other day when she had a friend sleepover and I could hear “Love Me Do” coming from her room and wondered how many sleepovers over the past 50 years have had that song in the background.
So in honor of her and her always classy tastes, here’s the first in what will hopefully be many Beatles-inspired illustrations from our house.
Tags: original illustration, the beatles
Kathleen Edwards: Voyageur
Posted by Troy | Filed under Music
This new album from Kathleen Edwards is totally worth the long wait since her last. I love how this record sounds enough like her previous work that you know and recognize her fingerprints, but also has a whole new feel to it.
Which is nice.
The subtle newness can be attributed on some level by the fact that it was produced by Bon Iver and…
I suppose I don’t need to write anything else. She’s awesome.
Also. My giddiness hearing this new album was coming was cranked up a big notch when I saw the totally rad great lakes album art by Darren Booth!
Tags: kathleen edwards
Farmer’s Progress as told by Willie Nelson, Coldplay
Posted by Troy | Filed under Film
Tags: Coldplay, music video, Willie Nelson
Delay Trees: Delay Trees
Posted by Troy | Filed under Music
Totally obsessed with Delay Trees right now.
Kind of like Sigur Ros only more accessible (the songs are much shorter for one thing) and it is catchy and upbeat (but not too upbeat) and has these little wonderful moments of really intense energy.
I feel like I could recommend this to just about anybody.
While I’m wondering how some kid from Helsinki can write songs about everyday things, love, life and the apocalypse in a way that a kid from Michigan can appreciate, I noticed the band bio on their website:
In his early twenties, Rami started to write songs about the growing pressures of adulthood, unemployment, ending friendships and the long Finnish winters.
Ok.. That makes sense then…
Which makes me wonder… is art style, genre, medium or even tempo determined on some level by personal experiences? Even if Rami and I live on opposite ends of the Earth, but have long winters in common are we more likely to create things to which one another can relate? or feel inspired by or connected to?
Or just enjoy?
So many great things about this record. I love the opening to my favorite song on the record – the apocalyptic “Summer 2012″ — speak to me in tongues or through fire alarms.
That’s a winner right there.
Tags: Delay Trees, Music
Strong Odors: Favorite Albums 2011
Posted by Troy | Filed under Music
Rather than publishing my annual boring list of music that I like and think everyone else should (but probably doesn’t), this year I’ve just set up a Spotify playlist of my favorite albums from 2011. So you can just listen & decide for yourself.
A few times I’ve caught myself saying how 2010 was such a huge amazing year for new music and this year had a few gems, but nothing life-changing. (a justifiable statement considering 2010 provided classics from Sufjan, Arcade Fire and a Kanye West opus)
Maybe I was distracted by the fact that my by-far favorite album to listen to this year actually was released late December 2010.
But as I was throwing this playlist together I’m realizing I was wrong. (see list below for obvious reasons why)
In fact, even in the past couple weeks I’ve discovered new stuff that I didn’t even know existed that is totally making me double-take.
So spend your afternoon listening and let me know what you dig.
PLUS: There’s so much great stuff out there… check out other lists like IGIF and NPR
So listen along and enjoy some great tunes and let me know if you’ve been obsessed with that I missed! (i.e. The Antlers, Atlas Sound, Caveman, Wilco?) Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Beastie Boys, best of, bon iver, cymbals eat guitars, Delay Trees, feist, Fleet Foxes, J Mascis, Music, Radiohead, Raphael Saadiq, REM, Ringo Deathstarr, The Joy Formidable, The Roots, tune-yards
It is Finished
Posted by Troy | Filed under Art/Design, Faith
Design by Jim LePage
Abaout a year ago I interviewed and featured Jim LePage and his Word Designs project – his unique and modern illustrated poster series of the 66 books of the Bible. Since then we’ve become pretty great friends (what’s the “guy love” equivalent of online dating?)
Today he posted the very last of his series of 91 total prints.
Please take time to see the entire series on his site and if you do not own one of these for your home (or the entire set for your church) then today is a great day to remedy that problem. Check the Revelation post to see how to take advantage of a sale going on right now – or how to win a free print of your own.
Proud of you Jim for sticking to it man.
Tags: bible, design, Jim LePage, Word Designs
Odorifous: Von Glitchka
Posted by Troy | Filed under Art/Design, Odorifous
Glitschka Studios logo by Von Glitschka
At first glace Von Glitchka’s work might not seem so special… but (though this is a bit hard to explain) that is exactly what makes him such a master. Great design should after all, be “invisible.”
Tags: contest, interview, Von Glitschka
Odorifous: Thomas Allen
Posted by Troy | Filed under Art/Design, Odorifous
Sometime last year I had just a hint of an idea that involved taking my designs and photographing them to give it a little dimensional feel. I think the idea came when I was maxing out my photoshop skills to make client photos respectable for their print pieces. I come up with about a dozen new ideas each day though, so this one like most others came and went and was buried in my mental rolltop where all the clutter is stored.
Around that same time Ward Jenkins posted a few photos on Facebook of one of his favorite artists – Tom Allen.
Tags: art, interview, photography, Tom Allen
Cymbals Eat Guitars: Lenses Alien
Posted by Troy | Filed under Music
Both lyrically & sonically reminiscent of early Smashing Pumpkins (only without Billy Corgan’s voice) — Cymbals Eat Guitars manage to channel a number of different but familiar sounds while somehow maintaining their very own.
I love how they get creative with rhythms without falling into “experimental” category and have the guts to tread dangerously close to the “emo” cliff without falling into that dark, sad abyss.
Pretty much anything actually contemporary that sounds like 1991 I’m going to be freak out about.
I can totally see myself cranking this all day and then crashing on the couch for some Twin Peaks.
Oh wait. That’s what I’ve done every day this week…
Tags: alternative, cymbals eat guitars, Music
