Oh Hey 2012

It's been a while. You're looking good, I'm looking good, we're both bitching about Canberra's 'summer' but secretly feeling a little glad that the doona is back on the bed at night.

I’ve two videos for you today my loves. They are two of my favourite songs of 2011 and represent some aspects of what I hope 2012 will be.

The first: Amanaemonesia by Chairlift.



A bit like this video clip, I’m going to do things differently this year. Lycra-onesies, octopus fingers, ethereal harmonies and the type of energy that can only be found dancing on what looks to be a giant tongue; this year I’m really taking life by the balls. Or living via my sensory system. Either way, it’s going to be wild.

The second: Savage Night at the Opera by Destroyer



I’m head over heels crazy about the man who pointed me in the direction of Destroyer’s album Kaputt after showing me this video clip. This song (as well as his charming self) is simply marvellous. It’s a song that makes me feel content, mellow and joyous. You know that it’s constantly moving in a good direction and that there are no unpleasant surprises coming in its structure or melody that could destabilise your happy journey. This year I’m letting myself feel content, safe and genuinely happy. This video clip is beautiful.

Happy 2012! I’m going to make an effort to be more present.

Xx

Jens, love of my life

Jens, light of my life, haunter of my dreams. It's been so long. So long. You moved from Sweden to Melbourne and I thought your presence in my life would be stronger. How long and cold the nights have been while I waited.

I started imagining what it would be like to be devoted to other men. Spencer Krug certainly filled part of the void you'd left in my heart. But then, in the depths of Canberra winter, when almost all hope was gone, you came back to me and warmed the cockles of this hardening heart.

Jens Lekman is releasing a new ep through Secretly Canadian titled "An Argument with Myself". It's due to be released in the US and UK on the 19th of September and you can pre-order it here.

The title track is great.

Jens Lekman - An Argument With Myself by DOJAGSC

Winter suddenly seems less harsh.

Xx

Thao and Mirah

Check me out people. I'm having a post-extravaganza!!!

This will be short and sweet. My lovely boyfriend was all romantic and junk last week and burnt me some surprise CD's. One of these was Thao Nguyen and Mirah's collaboration (Thao and Mirah) which was released on the 26th of April. It's just gorgeous. Check it out, it'll make a few end of year lists me thinks.

Thao & Mirah "How Dare You" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

On that note, May the 4th be with you. Hehehehehehe.

Death of the Summer

Cherubs,

It's over. Summer has died and so has my freedom. Even though I am absolutely ready to embrace my favourite season Autumn, I can't help but morn the loss of what has been my best Summer.

This mix put together a few years ago by my favourite indie dream boat Jens Lekman always helps me deal with the loss I feel transitioning from Summer to Autumn. I hope it helps you with your transition too. If you live in Canberra, I'll see you out frolicking in the leaves in a few weeks. Canberra is best dressed in Autumn.

MP3: Death of the Summer - Jens Lekman

Happy 9.02.10 Day!

The 90's are back? BAM! Vanessa just gave me an excuse to do what could be, the lamest post of all time...

HAPPY 9.02.10 DAY!!!!!!

Get it? 'Cause it's the 9th of February 2010? Brilliant right?!

Here are some of my favourite 90's songs.

MP3:Pur- Cocteau Twins
MP3:Song for a Future Generation- The B-52's
MP3:Judy and the Dream Of Horses- Belle and Sebastian
MP3:Big Time Sensuality- Björk
MP3:You Never Wash Up After Yourself- Radiohead

Yay!

To keep in theme, my cougar crush of the week goes to....

...Liam, from the new generation 90210. How are you so dreamy?
Just so you know, I think it's unfair that you're not my next door neighbour.

Now, wasn't that fun?

xxx

I'll give you a whole lot of whoop-ass...

I have a bit of a ritual when I get home from work. 1) Relieve my self. 2) Take of my shoes and wiggle my toes. 3) Check my email. 4) Stalk people on Facebook. Today I got to stage 3 of my usual 4 phased afternoon plan, when I became so enraged I skipped stage 4 to go to the gym and beat up invisible people (aka, body combat).

What initiated this afternoon rage blackout? I'm glad you asked dear readers. It was an advertising email. The title read;

"Sounds like love. Give iPod this Valentine's Day."

No! Fuck you Apple!

Since when has Valentine's day been this commercial? "Hey hun, I'm pretty sure you love me, but I can't really be sure until you buy me a car..." That's what it'll come to you know. Ugh. What's wrong with surprise flowers? Or a romantic dinner? Oooh! What about a nice picnic? You could drink champagne AND enjoy a nice view. Mm, champagne.

This easily could have turned into a bitter rant, but no, I'm a better person than that (today anyway). Instead, I make all you lovely ladies (but mostly handsome gentlemen) this small plea; if you are thinking about doing something charming for your love interest this Valentine's day, choose romance, not ipod.


MP3: Lewis Takes Off His Shirt- Owen Pallett

(You could also make them an old fashioned love mix. I think that would be my Valentine's wish, just so you know handsome stranger. Oh, I'd like some roses too please.)

Joanna, harpist of my heart

v
Tomorrow evening, Jaimie, Vannessa and I will be seeing Joanna Newsom perform at our fair city's little playhouse. I am so excited I have fashioned a highly detailed miniature wire harp I intend to pin to my hair.

My gentleman friend and I were lucky enough to witness her performance with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Sydney Opera house a few years back, and it was one of the more glorious nights of my life. I remember spending a significant portion of it marveling at the choice of upholstery in the theatre (fluorescent pink!) and the rest of it feeling completely enchanted by Joanna and her whimsical tales and beautiful tones. She is divine.

If you don't believe me, listen to this. Its quirky story and hearty yelps were the highlight of the Opera House gig:

Joanna Newsom - Colleen

The Playhouse promises to provide a sumptuously intimate performance, and If I'm not mistaken there are still tickets available. I highly, highly recommend you get thee one immediately. You can do so here.

What would I want? Sky

Fall Be Kind cover art

Two sleeps before my Central American adventure Vanessa and I went to see Animal Collective in concert in Sydney. It was better than dancing to your favourite song with a future love interest.

My Girls live at the Enmore (our night)

One of the highlights was seeing them perform their brilliant new single What would I want? Sky (MP3). Buy the EP "Fall Be Kind" here.

Happy Monday winners!

xx

Wes Ander-thon

Wes Anderson

My darlings,

Wes Anderson films are my favourite. I really adore them. The Royal Tenenbaums started this love affair. I remember walking out of the theatre absolutely elated. I contemplated taking up smoking, I wrote a series of unfinished screen plays and I may have used several different lines from the movie to people in real life. My favourite was, "Well, I think we're just going to have to be secretly in love with each other", though I've only used this particular line once (I think). As far as I can tell, people haven't noticed.



MP3: Judy is a Punk- The Ramones
MP3: Needle in the Hay- Elliott Smith
MP3: These Days- Nico

When reflecting on this particular obsession of mine, I think my favourite 'crazy' was when I added "Steve Zissou" as a top friend on Myspace. I changed my profile picture to one with me wearing a red beanie in a failed attempted to get in his "top 10"*. Thankfully this was a time before anyone I knew was on Myspace.

Stevesy

MP3: Rebel Rebel (Bowie cover)- Seu Jorge
MP3: Search and Destroy- The Stooges

Tonight is my last night of holidays. Balls. Though, I've ended it with an overnight drunk and what I've ingeniously dubbed a Wes Ander-thon. I've re-watched some of his films, listened to the film soundtracks and have concluded my Wes Ander-thon (and my holidays) rather spectacularly with "Fantastic Mr. Fox".



MP3: Let her Dance- Bobby Fuller Four
MP3: Heroes and Villains- The Beach Boys

It had all of the Wes Anderson toppings we love. A witty, off-beat script, a retro-cool soundtrack and once the film had concluded, you were left with that warm fuzzy feeling you get after learning something nice about the world.

I love you Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore).

I've had a really marvelous few weeks of holidays and I believe my Wes Ander-thon was the final ingredient for preparing me for a hectic year ahead. I highly recommend one, especially if you are experiencing general "life-blues".

If you're really feeling the love (and are just a wee bit loco), you can enjoy the entirety of the Life Aquatic script here. And I'll order you a red cap and a speedo.

xoxo


*Unfortunately I deleted this photo.

Beach Houses and Band Wagons

Photograph by Rune Guneriussen

It has come to my attention, gentle readers, that while we millionaires may be well versed in the vile art of male jewelry, we seem to be less and less in tune with new music. Whoops. In truth, I don't think I've even bought a single new release album all year. Not one. Not even Merriweather Post Pavilion. I just really didn't like the art work, okay?

Yes, I have well and truly fallen of the bandwagon, and am beginning to wonder how I ever even found the time to stay on it.

However, when I heard that Beach House had a new single out, I at least glanced briefly at that fateful wagon - far off in the distance though it was - and I liked what I saw. Or heard. Anyway...

I think Beach House's album of last year, Devotion, still probably gets the highest rotation of any CD in my collection. It's perfect for quiet, meditative nights alone, or for crafting (something I've been doing a LOT of lately, but more on that later - check out Quincey for some clues) or anything involving dim lights and muskily scented candles.

Their new tune, Norway, is more upbeat and jangly than most of Devotion, but still has that lovely lush quality that sends me into a dreamy haze. Just gorgeous.

Beach House - Norway

Beach House - Astronaut (from Devotion)

Love Song No. 7

Photo by Nan Goldin, found via Passion is All

"The human body is vapour materialized by sunshine mixed with the life of the stars."

— Paracelsus

MP3: Tonto - Battles
MP3: This is my Love - Hercules and Love Affair

Let's dance!

David Bowie ( i can hear you all swooning)

Recently all of my reoccurring fantasies involve dancing. One moment i'm dreaming of sitting on a temperate Caribbean beach in a pretty, billowy white dress drinking mojitos (at sunset of course), when a tall, bronzed salsa God whisks me away to dance and twirl on cobblestone lanes. The next moment i'm a tiny prima ballerina with a giant Marc Jacobs style bow on my head, twirling my way across the stage into the arms of a man with incredibly large, ah.... tights. Maybe i'm going through a twirling phase, or maybe, like my beautiful rabbit Ophelia, my mind is embracing all things spring.

A man largely responsible for the enormous amount of twirling and (spring fantasising) i've been doing this weekend is Mr. David Bowie. Sometimes I have him singing Modern Love to me in an amazing tree house while i run around a backyard showing off my mad 80's dance skills*.

This video could be the greatest thing i've seen all freakin' year;




Bowie is this weeks dream boat. I love him. He even wrote a song about me. It's called Sorrow. It's about a girl with long blond hair and eyes so blue. He can't resist her, and that's totally fine, because i can't resist you either, my tree house singing dance machine. Though, like so many fine looking males, i love him but he'd make a terrible boyfriend.

Here are some of my favourite Bowie songs to dream to.
Warning: these songs may induce a tingling sensation in your pants.


MP3: Changes
MP3: Rebel Rebel
MP3: Sorrow
MP3: Ashes to Ashes
MP3: China Girl
MP3: Under Pressure



* This fantasy is in my top 5 favourite of all time.

For Stars Will Rise Again

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.

— Anatole France


There is a stark contrast between my mood tonight and my mood from last Sunday.

It may sound a little off to you, but i find a sort of distorted comfort in melancholy. I'm not sure whether it's because it brings back bitter-sweet nostalgia for my angsty youth, or whether it's because it helps remind me that I'm alive. I see things differently when in this state and I don't think I would have appreciated For Stars Will Rise Again quite as much if my world wasn't a little dark right now.

For Stars Will Rise Again is a gorgeous site of pictures and quotes that have helped to lift my heavy mood.

These songs generally help me too:


MP3: Green Grass of Tunnel - Múm
MP3: Postcards From Italy - Beirut
MP3: Leaf House - Animal Collective
MP3: Like Castanets - Bishop Allen
MP3: Walkabout - Atlas Sound
MP3: Nothing Ever Happened - Deerhunter

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You! Me! Dancing!

Beer, sleep, dancing, dressing up; IT'S THE WEEKEND MOFO'S!!!

Is it just me or has this working week gone disturbingly fast?

Here's a list of weekendalicious songs for you to put on your dancing shoes to.

See you tonight, highly attractive people.


MP3: Glamorous- Fergie
MP3: We Share Our Mothers Health - The Knife
MP3: Ramalama - Roisin Murphy
MP3: No Sex For Ben - The Rapture
MP3: You! Me! Dancing! - Los Campesinos

All is Love

I thought I would be upfront with you all; most, if not all of this post has been pilfered from other blogs. Not the text, that is all my own genius, but everything else. Not that my posts are any other way usually, come to think of it.

Where the Wild Things Are - I am so excited for this film. I get a little emotional every time I see the trailer (pathetic). Which I am sure you have all seen by now, but just in case you haven't ~



Maurice Sendak's original book has been adapted for the screen by Spike Jonze and co-written by Dave Eggers (!). To add to the indie hipster wet dream that this film is, Karen O has done the soundtrack with a bevy of musical babes. Karen O and the Kids includes, YYYs Nick Zinner and Brian Chase, Dead Weather/Raconteurs members Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence, Liars' Aaron Hemphill, the Bird and the Bee's Greg Kurstin, Services' Tristan Bechet, and Gris Gris's Oscar Michel, as well as a children's choir.

Unfortunately I don't have a downloadable version of the first single, "All is Love" but you can listen to it here. Tell me what you think!


Also read this which I found here.

Dreaming is free

Have I ever told you guys how much I love Blondie? No? Well, let me amend that now. I love, love, love Blondie and more specifically Debbie Harry. LOVE. She is everything I am not, but secretly want to be.




The only times I have ever considered going blond are when I look at photos of Debbie Harry. Amazing, considering her hair often looked shocking in the 80s, but that is her awesome power.


I hadn’t listened to any Blondie for a while, but my love was rekindled, strangely enough, by these images from a magazine editorial inspired by Debbie Harry. Enjoy, along with a few of my favourite Blondie songs.

Thigh high boots are becoming more and more desirable to me. Uh oh.

source

MP3:Blondie - Dreaming
MP3: Blondie - One Way or Another
MP3:Blondie - Hanging On the Telephone
MP3:Blondie - Sunday Girl

These Are My Twisted Words

Image by Todd via You Could a Drawed Pictures

'These are my twisted words.
When I feel you still walking,
I know I should not look down,
But I’m so sick of just talking.

I just can’t handle it.'

MP3: These Are My Twisted Words - Radiohead

Sunday, Lovely Sunday

Ah, Sunday. Not usually my favourite day of the week, but today was really just lovely. I feel refreshed, organised and ready to start a new delightful week.

Here are some of the highlights of my day and a playlist of merry songs to accompany my cheery mood;















MP3: Sunday, Lovely Sunday - Edson

MP3: AC in Hcmc - Most Valuable Players

MP3: Lloyd, I'm Ready to be Heartbroken - Camera Obscura

MP3: Deli - Delorean




Today's lowlight; I went for a run, my legs failed and I unceremoniously fell to the ground taking off a great deal of hand skin. Boo. Check out my midget legs in this picture though, amazing right?




And finally, even though I've had a most spectacular day, this lovely Sunday I am still most grateful for my adorable friends.

Have a good week dearest readers.

xoxo

69 Love Drawings

Thanks to some hardcore face-stalking (thanks Tara), I fell head over heels in love with How Fucking Romantic, an AMAZING blog that illustrates the wonderful Magnetic Fields album, 69 Love Songs. IT'S JUST SO GREAT! My favourite song illustration is 'Absolutely Cuckoo'.

Happy Saturday lovely people.