Christmas Is Cool

Great photo from Sufjan Stevens!

Lost Sock: Beirut

Think of a less drunken, more Eastern orchestrated Devotchka with a knack for writing cleverly disguised pop songs and you've got Beirut. There music lives in attics and foggy empty streets lit dimly by candlelight. It is a music that transports the listener to places that feel familiar because they only exist in our heads like some picture book European adventure. Horns, accordions, violins, a soaring deep voice swirl around loose drums and rhythmic guitar. Beirut is one of the most unique bands to come out avoiding easy comparisons but somehow retaining a sense of history. The large orchestra sound of Beirut is largely due to 20 year old Zach Condon whose lyrics are youthful and playful contrasting the Balkan horn throwbacks nicely. The band has two albums and an EP, let's hope they stick it out for a long hall. The progression of a band like this will no doubt have many surprises in store. Check out their great tunes "Nantes" and "Elephant Gun" at: http://www.myspace.com/beruit

Lost Sock: "Guts" a short story by Chuck Palahniuk

First off, this is not for the faint of heart. I was reading one of the last books by cult superstar writer Chuck Palahniuk that I had not yet experienced. The book is titled Haunted and follows a group of writers who all respond to the same ad for a writer's retreat. Things go from there and get dark and twisted quick. The book has a broken structure, inserting poems and short stories into the narrative thread. Overall, the book was a bit of a disappointment for me. However, one of the short stories in the novel is simply unforgettable. The story is title "Guts." I warned you once and I will warn again, this is not for the faint of heart. But if you're feeling as though literature has lost its power to make you feel anything, such as I did when I cracked open the page and read this sick yarn, then read "Guts" and tell me it doesn't make you sick all over. The allure of words and stories had never felt more like a punch to my stomach, a choke of my neck, a blow to the head, and a painful enema. Palahniuk ends Haunted by telling readers that over the course of his book tour for the novel, 70 some people fainted while listening to him read "Guts." The story achieves what the novel suggests. It haunts you for days. Read at your own risk.
http://www.chuckpalahniuk.net/books/haunted/guts.php

Lost Sock: Menomena

Portland, OR holds a special place in my heart. It's where the girl I love is from but also in the last few years, Portland has been the genesis of several great bands (The Decemberists, The Shins, The Thermals). Menomena are yet another dynamic, original band to come out of most likely the healthiest music scene in America right now. Their sound is most easily compared to the moody English sound of Elbow or Doves. However, unlike those bands, Menomena incorporate electronic sounds and loops as essential pieces of songwriting and not as frills to add layers to a song. Their album Friend and Foe shows great promise as it shifts from bombastic rockers to surreal soundscapes. It's an album full of risks and fresh sounds and is easily one of the finest indie releases of 2007.

Lost Sock: Burial

I first heard of Burial through Thom Yorke. He mentioned the artist in an article about Yorke's taste in music and the influence it had on Kid A's overall sound. The connection is obvious, especially heard on Yorke's solo album. Burial is a London based dubstep artist who keeps his identity hidden in hopes of keeping his music free of any associations to some back story or hype. Burial's music speaks on its own terms then, a rare uncompromising sound that reminds me in its intentions of those mystic Icelandic boys Sigur Ros. Untrue, his new album, lives in a personal space where beats fly over each other around gorgeous synth pads and sparse but soulful vocals. At times, the music is hard to distinguish as tempos and tones blend over each other. At times, this is a mess but its never boring, Burial's songs hit peaks of genius surrounded in earnest mistakes. The album has a feeling of decay or of teetering on the brink of collapse. Speckled throughout are pop line vocals and haunting melodies. Burial's Untrue is quickly becoming an obsession for me. Check a sample of it at http://www.myspace.com/burialuk

Lost Sock: Downtown 81

Starring the great Jean Michel Basquiat, this NY film captures the 80's art scene as it follows a day in the life of a painter trying to pay his rent. The film, on a technical level, is amateur at best. The acting and plot are barely there. However, Basquiat has a natural screen presence, full of cool wit, and is a joy to watch. Downtown 81 is best viewed as a time capsule of the art scene in New York. Great music and surprising appearances by several artists make this film worth checking out. It's a unknown gem, a snapshot of post-punk and modern art.

Lost Sock: Beach House

This Baltimore band seems to fit the fall season more than any other band I can think of right now. Their self-titled album is so easily compared to such bands as Mazzy Star yet for me remains a standout in the moody boy/girl duo genre. For 35 minutes, I am washed from head to toe in a soundscape of autumnal oranges and reds, memories float on melodies. The ultimate feeling of the album is nostalgic for a time I'm not sure I have ever known. Beach House manage to create such a distinct mood that I can't imagine listening to it any other time of the year. "Master of None" is my favorite track, both soulful and sparse.
Check Beach House out at http://www.myspace.com/beachhousemusic

Lost Sock: Pangea Day

The whole idea is that film can change the world. I believe this is possible and was so glad to find I am not alone in my lofty beliefs of the power of cinema. Pangea Day will be a collection of short films from around the world all with the purpose of giving viewers a window into someone else's world. Think about it, millions of people will see films about people from all over the world. Each film has the power to enlighten others about a culture and people they are unfamiliar with. It's things like this that remind me hope can exist still in this violent, ugly world.
Please check out the website: http://www.pangeaday.org/

Lost Sock: Bande à part

Ok, so I know this isn't something new but more people need to see this film. It seems to me to be one of a handful of the most influential films on modern movies. The film is Jean-Luc Goddard's ode to friends and crime. The film follows two robbers as they convince a young student to help them with their heist. This may not be Goddard's most innovative film but its certainly one of his most enjoyable. The film features a couple of my great scenes in cinema history, one where the three friends race through the Louvre in 9min and the other a impromptu dance sequence in a cafe. The characters loosely riff on cinema and pulp literature a style very common to the modern films of Kevin Smith(minus the dick and fart jokes). Quentin Tarantino is also largely influenced by Bande à part, even naming his production company after the film. This film is pure cool and is worth your time.

Random Post #1

5 stages of hearing that you might lose your job:


1) Apathy...who cares about this place or what I do

2) Anger...they can't do this to me after all I have done

3) Fear...what if I do lose this job...what will I do

4) Empowerment...I must fight for my position and show them all my worth

5) Apathy again but this time with smugness...who cares what happens...the company will fall apart without me but whatever I am over that

Lost Sock: White Rabbits

The White Rabbits are a great new band out of New York City. Their music is a blend of post-punk, tropical, and indie rock. They describe themselves as honky-tonk calypso, a description that perfectly explains what is to be found on their debut album Fort Nightly. The White Rabbits have a sound that is rarely heard in indie rock. Island percussion and a strong dose of Joy Division peppers the album making it one of the years standouts. Check out the song "While We Go Dancing" on the band's MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/whiterabbits) to hear what I am talking about.

Lost Socks Is Here

Hello Everyone!

This is Lost Socks, a blog about things that are seldom found without a little help. I will basically be highlighting some things I think are great that may have not got the attention deserved. If I recommend something, its just my opinion not a command, so don't get to upset if you don't like one of my lost socks.