I Am Actually Good - Christine & The Queens Bring French Pop to You

One of the best French things to take from my trip, I actually picked up in a fab flat in Chelsea. Ever on the pulse of things, Hugh & Fred hooked me up with this little gem burning up the French art landscape.  Christine and The Queens are giving us infectious French pop with a little early-stage Michael Jackson style in a mix of performance, art videos, drawings and photography. The video for Christine or Tilted, the English version, is one of the coolest videos I've seen in ages. 

Oh! Would that I could pull of Christine's (real name Héloïse) tomboy look! Good god, I love a loafer! Perhaps I should dig mine out of whatever abyss they've made their way to. Or, perhaps instead, I shall just practice her dance moves and jam out in my new prius with a seven year old. It's kid-approved!

More from my trip that isn't music soon. I promise.  

In the meantime, check out more of Christine & The Queens here. 

Frank

Every now and again, something is so weird and delightful, I feel like it was put on Earth just especially for us to know we are loved and everything's going to be ok. Even if, like the new movie, Frank, it features probably the best working actor today, Michael Fassbender, and I'm not married to him. 

Even though I'm not married to Fassy, Frank is still a sign of hope. And we can all bask in his perfection, even minus that big blush-worthy grin, and with the addition of a huge papier-mache/fiberglass head. I've never really noticed what a physical actor he is before. Or how goofy. Even in interviews. But he is. The head changes the focus. 

The head's not the only bonus though. We also get the man who could soothe the world with his reassuring gaze, Domhnall Gleeson, and the always awesome Maggie Gyllenhaal (I'm watching her in The Honourable Woman right now as well!) Even bigger bonus: movie's about a band. 

I don't want to make this all about actors, though. At the end of the day, Frank is the kind of tone piece that rarely comes around. One I look forward to always. Cult-y within an inch of its life, but its very niche-ness justifies its existence. 

I'm not normally excited about films. But this one gives me a little hope that there's still a reason to keep making them and not just switch over completely to television.

Frank, inspired by musician Chris Sievey, and directed by Lenny Abrahamson, opens in select markets Aug 16th and nationwide Aug 29th.

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Los Angeles, Be Kind

Scott Hutchison lives in LA now. Did you know that? Why does this feel so important? Maybe because I actually think he's the wittiest person alive. Or because, like me, he feels in a kind of limbo between isolated, overcast coastlines and sunny hills. Somewhere between Hollywood and Hollyrood. 

His new project, Owl John-- which he says he hopes will appeal to people "who hate Frightened Rabbit"-- is my favorite album of the year. Of course, I don't hate FR. I would love any project of Scott's.

The last month or so has been testing the seams of the life I've sewn together here. They were always loose stitches and I wasn't sure the center would hold a few of those days. I have asked Los Angeles to be kind. And the world in general. I've felt sad about a lot, in a way I haven't done in a while. As you may have noticed, I haven't been writing much.

Luckily for me (and for you) Scott has been writing for me. 

Get Owl John. It's out now.

PS- Scott, now that you're here, let's be friends. For realz.

Such a villainous grace
Oh I don't know what you've done to your face
Some nights I can't figure out quite where your heart is

Oh Los Angeles, be kind
No more trouble or red lights
I can learn to love you in good time
Oh Los Angeles, be kind

It's Not Too Late Tuesday

You're in luck. You still have time to get your tickets to Haviland Stillwell's SPARK album release show tonight at Rockwell Table & Stage (Bonus: Harbor Party is after!) 

I was lucky enough to sit in on the band rehearsal Sunday evening and everyone was really just picking up what she was puttin' down. Even songs they had never run before sounded great and everyone looked like they were having so so much fun. I know I was. 

There will be rapping, there will be ascendence, there will be rock fists. There will even be Ashley Reed having the time of her effing life on the cajon. She's got cajones, ladies and gents!

Check out Haviland and these fine musicians TONIGHT at 8PM
1714 Vermont Ave

Anthony Starble, keys+vocals
Ashley Reed, vocals+cajon
Tim Young, guitar
Tim moose, bass
Greg Sadler, drums
Jack of Co. Z - fierce flows

Get on the Boat with Harbor Party

So you’re out on your Yacht again and you’re decked out in your anchor print scarf, boat shoes and khaki shorts.  All your friends are there and it’s a beautiful day but there’s something missing.  Where’s the music?  What soundtrack will get this party started?  Enter Harbor Party: the band committed to bringing the party from the mainland to the ocean.  They play all the songs you want to listen to on your Yacht - The Doobies, the Eagles, Michael McDonald, Loggins and Messina, Hall and Oates.  If it’s yacht worthy, they’ll play it.  And they’ll play it good.

No exaggerations, the highlight of my week, every week, is Tuesday nights at 10PM at Rockwell Table & Stage where my friends put on the let-loosest, good time with Harbor Party, a yacht rock extravaganza. Talk about Throw Back Thursday!

If you're a long time reader of this blog, you may recognize the captain of the yacht rock movement, Mr. Landon Beard. We've worked together on every show I've ever done and hung out all over the world. Love the dude. You may also remember some late night drunken Michael McDonald impersonations on instagram. Basically, he's a natural at the smooth sailing jams defined as yacht rock. 



Yacht Rock: Another name for the adult-contemporary musical movement in the late 1970's and the early 1980's. It was defined mostly by its smooth sound. Popular Yacht Rockers include: Kenny Loggins, the Doobie Brothers, and Steely Dan. — Urban Dictionary definition

It's such a good time, the thing is catching on. In just three weeks, they've gotten featured on California public radio and increased their following from about 10 the first night to a solid 70-100 people. At 10 PM on a TUESDAY. 

Get on the boat with me. I promise you, it is not possible to have more fun on a Tuesday night.

Get $5 tix online or show up at the door!

(While you're at it, snag yourself some tix to our other Rockwell events-- Haviland! Comedy Night! Jagged Little Pill!)

Saturday Solstice Song

Happy Summer Solstice! It's the longest day of the year! And boy does it already feel like it! I spent so much time in traffic. And then in a semi-confrontation with a crazy nicotine addict who reminded me of my mom in a neighborhood Walgreens. But that's okay. I had lots of adventures with Latte and I plan on reporting them to you tomorrow. In the meantime, here is a jam for you while you swish yourself up for a summer solstice evening out on the town. (I hope.) 

Seinabo Sey - "Hard Time." 

Painted Lady Friday Links

What a long week. I'm real glad it's Friday. In two weeks, Iona will be here! In the meantime, I'm just really trying to get my ducks in a row across all facets. I'm tempted to mix a lot of metaphors here. Streamline spinning plates. Break some eggs to make omelets. What's that? Just give us the links? Okay, sounds good.

- One of San Fran's Painted Ladies sells for 900k under asking price. Where was I?

- Pal & fellow Vegas native Jillian Bell is having an utterly deserved amazing year.

- I love Silicon Valley. That is all.

- Molly Ringwald singing a jazz version of "Don't You Forget About Me" to me was definitely a high point for any 80s kid. See her again July 1 and July 15. 

- One MINUTE parking in LA. A new LA parking low.

- Yes, he's a felon. But once he's out of prison, he should definitely be a model.

- Anyone tried this ALOHA stuff??

- Lots of mixed feelings about Chipotle's "disposable" literature.

- Cormac McCarthy's REJECTED Chipotle cup

- George Saunders on kindness.

- Everyone who ever did forensics with me in High School knows, I love me some "Say My Name." (Upon looking at the video again, I'm noticing Bey's 'stache.) Now, The Awl asks, "Is this the original 'Say My Name'?" Well, it doesn't have what I love about the song, but fair enough. Dark child nah nah.

"The Dreamiest of Scenes" - Sylvan Esso

Recently, Haviland took me to see Tune-yards (sorry, I won't do all that wacky styling of their name) at my favorite theatre in LA, The Fonda. Opening was a North Carolina duo whose album had only been released a few weeks beforehand. By the end of their 45 minute set, Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn of Sylvan Esso, had become one of my new favorite bands. I went home and bought that album immediately. 

Electronic duos can have some trouble when it comes to creating a visually interesting presence on stage, but Nick and Amelia were having so much fun with each other, they succeeded in ways a lot of electronic groups don't. Maybe that's because they both have pretty extensive performance backgrounds in non-electronic music. Amelia was an accapela folk singer in a group called Mountain Man-- and that vocal background brings a nice rich folksy texture to Sylvan Esso stuff. Nick, meanwhile, was the bass player in another band I love, Megafaun. 

The past fews weeks have been a crazy flurry of rushing from place to place, but I'm glad I've had this soundtrack to keep me happy. Favorites include "Coffee" (below), "HSKT" "Play It Right" and especially "Could I Be."

I had originally planned this post for last week, then Monday, then Tuesday, then yesterday. I was grouchy for being so busy, but now I'm glad I held off until today so I could also link you to this great NPR full concert from Washington, DC. 

They're getting nearly universal praise and I can see why. Sylvan Esso, you are officially my flavor of June--- and perhaps a lot, lot longer. 

In Cold Blood - Be My Friend, Morgan Kibby

Morgan Kibby makes me want to dye my hair dark and stop wearing a bra. Let my curves out or down, whichever way they want to go. Be freckled. Be soft. Be diaphanous. Keep my sailor's tongue. Live Morgan Kibby (or White Sea, as the show is actually billed) was one of the most genuinely surprising, thrilling evenings of music a jaded artist (or anyone else for that matter) could have. 

She was the anchor in an evening I call the best accidental free concert ever.  

You see, the lovely Miss Vinessa Shaw and I are big fans of Moses Sumney (more on that later). He was having a month-long residency of free concerts and Vinny and I had been trying to organize a time to go. Then, after 24 hours of driving down the coast of California with the mega-duo of Brian Kearney and Gretchen Schrafft (more on Big Sur and an Irishman's first dip in the Pacific soon) I felt like 1. I need to MOVE-- sway in a room with strangers and have nothing to do with my clutch or my car-- even with wide open spaces, with the idea of the Ocean. (Whoops! White Sea!) and 2. I'd love something free to do with my fellow poor-artist friends.

Thus, we all ended up at the "Moses Sumney Concert," where White Sea was his guest. And it was the best concert I've ever been to. 

I'm not really sure I've ever seen a more exhilarating live performer than Morgan Kibby. It has all the drama and height of a Florence + The Machine Show, but with way more prowess, vocal precision and scale emanating from a much smaller operation. 

But then, this isn't Morgan Kibby's first rodeo. She formerly front LA Band, The Romanovs (good name, ya'll!) IMO is the element that makes M83 the shit. She fucking wrote Midnight City. If I wrote that song, I'd retire. 

But nope! That's not really an option for Morgan because of that set of pipes. You guys, in the room, that night, we all just looked at each other in awe. I am open to the awe of amazing singers. I am so often so humbled by the voices I get to hear and write for in my line of work. But I am spoiled by those voices and thus rarely floored by someone's ability. 

I've been waiting for White Sea's first full album, In Cold Blood since that night. I wish I could tell you it lives up to the live concert, but it doesn't and in fact, it can't. That's not even the point. But it is wonderful, it is lyrically bold, it is my jam, and you should get it.

In closing, Morgan Kibby, be my friend. If you get a call from Kade's cell phone, it's just me and I've stolen his phone so I can talk to you. Don't freak out. 

White Sea
In Cold Blood
New album out now via Crush Music/SONGS on iTunes for $7.99 or 
listen to it on Spotify

Not my favorite song on the album, but the video is gorge.

#spark #muse #etc

Yesterday, I was moonlighting as a music video art director for uber-pal, Haviland on her upcoming single "Muse." In case you missed it, she released a fierce/catchy/inspired dance album called Spark a lil bit ago. I'm a privileged bitch, so it's been on my ipod for about a year now (at least pieces of it) but now it's available on itunes and whatnot. 

For the video, she wanted to keep it simple and easy to do. Just the idea of a modern muse. We used water (because we had it) and lights and Hav's natural je ne sais quoi. 

Haviland had been raving about the photographer who did her most recent set of headshots, Elliot London, and I was excited a finally got to meet him on this shoot. I quickly learned he's just my kind of creative dude: casual, innovative, and creative as hell. Just jimmy-rig it until it works. That's my motto. And the stuff he got was SO beautiful! Doesn't Hav look so preeeeety? I can't wait to see how it turns out!!

I can't really tell you how proud I am of her for this album and all the work she put into it. She's a mover!

Get Muse on her album here!

Bonus Vid! 

**Disclaimer: Boss the Chihuahua isn't actually in the video. His fee was too high. So he just supervised. 

Frightened Rabbit's alter ego, Owl John

CONCEIVED IN TWO DISPARATE WORLDS: THE ISLAND OF MULL ON THE WEST COAST OF SCOTLAND AND IN LOS ANGELES ON THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES. MAYBE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THESE PLACES HAVE MET. MAYBE NOT. OWL JOHN IS ABOUT WHAT CAN BE FOUND IN BOTH OF THESE STRANGE WORLDS. IT'S ABOUT FINDING A BIT OF FREEDOM IN AN ANXIOUS, ROTTING BRAIN. IT IS ABOUT BEING AN ALIEN MAN. IT IS ABOUT LOSING YOUR WITS COMPLETELY THEN TRYING DESPERATELY TO FIND THEM AGAIN.

The conjunction where Scotland meets Los Angeles is not a new intersection for me. It's every day. But I'm glad there's a mind as articulate as Scott Hutchison out there to explore it and express it. I'm happy and always seeking to find "a bit of freedom in an anxious mind." 

Scott apparently has so much going on in that head of his, he had to have a while additional band and persona for it. Enter Owl John. And apparently:

John is a homeless. 
John is a priest.
John is a witness.
John is a beast. 
John is a weirdo. 
John is a thief. 
John is a wino. 

I look forward to the entirety of this album and hope it's released soon. Until then, I'll listen to "Hate Music" and wait. 

St Vincent - Digitally Witness A Birth In Reverse

Annie Clark is a goddess. That's pretty much all I have to say on the matter. I think everything about her look, sound, and general presence to be made of its own peculiar, perfect magic. I love her forever and you should too. 

First Africa post coming atcha tomorrow!

You're Not The One

I promise I'm getting to the stories from Ghana. Seriously. But it was an emotionally dense trip. And it didn't help that almost as soon as I returned, I got struck down by some kind of Dengue Fever/ West Nile hybrid plague. (It was perhaps only a common cold, but nevertheless, I was down for the muthaeffin COUNT.) 

In the meantime, I will sadly leave you with this teaser courtesy of Sky Ferreira and good old Mr. Strickland, on whose recommendation it entered my world. 

Fire & the Romance on Alt 98.7

This Sunday will be the mash up of two of my favorite things... and none of them will be the Oscars, so sorry about that. Nope, I'm talking about two of my oldest friends from opposite coasts and sides of my life gettin together to broadcast some new music. 

Dion Roy, one of my oldest friends in NYC (you might remember when I spoke at his and Aly's wedding in Aug 2012) has a new music project, Fire and the Romance. It's a pretty huge and ambitious departure from his previous (and super successful, I might add) efforts in the singer/songwriter genre. And I gotta say, I am loving the results!

He and Pete (of subway friend fame and awesome photog skillz) made this baller video for the first single, "Way Down Below." 

And NOW, THIS SUNDAY, Dion will pair up with one of my oldest friends from the Vegas days and my current LA partner in mischief and mayhem, Kade, to premiere "Way Down Below" on Kade's New Music Discovery Show on ALT 98.7, LA's Alternative (aka the only radio station I listen to.) 

It's at 7PM Pacific time. So make sure you tune in during the boring speeches and endless awards. 

Tune in on Sunday, support Kade and Dion and check out all the offerings from the King Of Tacos, Dion Roy aka Fire and the Romance. Tweet the guys (@fireandthemusic @alt987fm @kadeshow) when you hear “Way Down Below” for a chance to win a ONE of a kind hand-pressed Vinyl of the song!

Music Monday - The Other Guys - St Andrean Skies

Favorites The Other Guys perform the original commission by Oscar Foxley for St Andrews 600th Anniversary, "St Andrean Skies." 

I was never a fresher, or an undergrad at St Andrews at all, but I remember those first few lit-on-fire days there. The wind whipped up every possibility I'd ever considered for myself. I remember my friends, knocking on my door, calling me out from within myself, to new places. I remember frolicking on steep hillside slopes with my hair blowing everywhere, my wellies sinking in the sand, beneath a huge Northern moon and ripped open, flood lit, St Andrean skies. Even at midnight. Even in Autumn. You could see everything. And nothing.

I often wonder if I'll ever have a year as happy as that. But the seeds of that time continue to crop up every day. Even here in Los Angeles. 

What I'd give to relive the days spent 'neath those St Andrean skies...

"Cups" in Gaelic

Nothing cheers me up when I'm down like group singing and Gaelic. When an entire group of grown, elected, old politicians refuse to work together (or bother to learn how bills work) it's nice to think of large groups (600!) of Celtic kids coordinating cups and harmonies together in my favorite language. These kids are Irish (from a school in Conamara), not Scottish, but no matter.

Makes me long to live again in a country where people don't shut down the government about the right to affordable, universal health care. SIGH.

Bonus: "Can't Hold Us" in Gaelic.
PS- I'm off to see Frighted Rabbit. Oh, how I love them.

Music Monday - Madness & The Film

Normally, when it comes to friending strangers, I am the one who knocks. And normally, it's on the subway. Planes are good too, though. And in this particular case, I wasn't even the chatty blonde doing the friending. That was all David Breeze. Well, maybe not ALL. 

On a flight from NYC back to London-- a flight I NEVER should have made...I STILL can't believe I talked my way onto that flight, I was so late-- I was seated next to the friendliest, most America-loving Brit currently living. Even though I had taken a sleeping pill right before he sat down (as is my usual pre-flight ritual) we ended up talking the whole 8 hours.

And we are still friends to this day! Despite frequent moves and job changes on both our parts, and that one time where I threw up on the street in front of him, (whoops!) he still comes to see me! In fact, it's almost like he's following me. (Just kidding.) We've hung out in NYC when we both lived there, and now we rock it Cali style. Funnily enough, the one place we've never hung out is London. But I digress.

While living in New York, David became friends and later band mates with the young Caroline Gorman. And by young, I mean 17. They recorded an EP that's getting more press than you can shake a stick at-- I'm talking New York Times, New York Magazine, and 2 songs (TWO!) featured on the MTV show, Friendzone that aired last week. 

You can stream and download Madness & The Film's EP, Scrapbook, for free. But don't let that stop you from buying it, either. Because... support the arts, people. Even banking honchos are realizing it's important. 

Photo by Kristin Hoebermann, Hoebermann Studios

Throw Back Thursday - High School Reunion

I didn't go to my high school reunion. It wasn't a deliberate snub. I had just moved to Scotland a few weeks beforehand, and it seemed like a pretty superfluous trip back. The pictures and stories were enough. (My favorite was Big Wang offering to kill Mike for Emily... and Wang's wife, nodding her support for the plan.) Plus, the age of social media pretty much mitigates that mixture of curiosity and velleity about peripheral classmates. 

The funny thing about that, and about my entire attitude about my childhood in Vegas, the people I grew up with, etc, is that as little credit as I gave them, as much distance as I've often tried to put between myself and them, they're still the people that require the least amount of explanation from me. The comfort level is intensely cosy. 

Last night was a kind of representative high school reunion for me in a more important way. Only a few of the key players were there actually. They were good ones though. And the build up was full of many more: from Emily, to a phone call from Brandon (on his way to state execution, natch!) to some digging in my high school boxes. More than that, I was reunited with the way I felt when I was seventeen or eighteen. Thanks to these friends, for sure. But also because we were at Jimmy Eat World. As Petie and I screamed lyrics at each other, I remembered how hopeful I felt then and I felt it again. 

Oh, our youthful loves. They die hard, don't they?

Music Monday - Sophie Ramsay - The Glassy Mountain

Of all the creative processes I've witnessed, or seen up close, or felt a part of in peripheral ways, watching Sophie, hearing her stories, having soul-chats, and being her friend while she was writing this album, I count among my greatest life honors. Now you can be a part of it too! (And I hope you will.)

This is a really special album from someone who sees the world in a very special way. Describes it in a vibrant style. And conveys it with vulnerability and such a seeking spirit. I miss Sophie and Scotland and thinking about the world the way she does every day. I hope you can contribute to this. I've never heard anyone articulate grief like Sophie. 

Give a look at her indigogo and hear some tracks from the album here. 
(For the record, I'd encourage you to go in for a donation level where you get some of Kate Aspinall's gorgeous gorgeous artwork. Sigh.)

The album is a powerful personal exploration of grief. The songs vary in their style from intimate, folk songs that feel a bit European, to moments of visceral lamenting, to gently upbeat pop songs. It was produced by Jim Sutherland, and features performances from some of the best musicians in Scotland in the realms of folk and jazz: Euan Burton, Steven Christie, Pete Clark, Fraser Fifield, David Hart, Chris Peacock, Matheu Watson and also brilliant Jim Rattigan from London. Most of these musicians will play at the Edinburgh launch at Scottish Storytelling Centre on the 2nd November. 

Music Monday Megamix

Since I've been away awhile, I feel it's only right to come at you with a whole truck load of musical tid bits. It's been a weird time, dear lovely readers. I encountered many opportunities (or what seemed like opportunities) that ended up being loaded with unprofessional folks, a few broken promises, and a failed television network. But hey, I ate, I paid my bills, and added a few new clients to my roster. Life goes on. 

And they keep putting out records. Thank god. 

- First of all, while the CHVRCHES album, The Bones of What You Believe (for the record, I don't like the title) isn't out until later this month, we can finally preview it thanks to the always good people at NPR. I heard most of this at their show at the Fonda. I like it as much as I remember.

- While we're at it, here's the Blood Diamonds remix of "The Mother We Share."

- Vegas homeboys The Killers pair up with M83 producing for "Shot at the Night"-- a combo full of promise with lackluster results.

- Kings of Leon covering Robyn for the BBC was a nice highlight of last week. 

- Speaking of which, stream their new album Mechanical Bull right now. 

- New Lorde. "Team." It's legit. 

- New(ish) Frighted Rabbit track, "Candlelit."

- These isolated Beatles vocals are killer. I keep listening to them. Just over and over.