I’m sure some of you have already seen this video, but I had to post it, because I’ve been watching it for the past 2 weeks whenever I need to laugh. Apparently, Kanye commissioned the comedian Zach Galifianakis to do an alternate version of his video “Can’t Tell Me Nothing.” Zach shot it at his farm… somewhere in the sticks. There isn’t a single scene in this video that I don’t love – from the dead serious cloggers, to the silhouetted profile shots (a la Gangster’s Paradise).
If you haven’t picked up Kanye’s new album yet, you should really think about it. It’s easily one of the year’s best. Right up there with Common’s Finding Forever, which also features Kanye on a couple of the tracks. Graduation is everything I love about Kanye West – sophisticated, challenging, innovative. The rhymes are spot on, brilliant in some cases, like in “Stronger” where the chorus runs “You know how long I’ve been on ya / Since Prince was on Apollonia / Since OJ had Isotoners.” This is Kanye at his finest. As with most of his work, the tracks balance a thin line between narcissism and insecurity. Tracks like “Stronger,” “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” and “Everything I Am” add layers to the hard outer shell, but this is just a construct. In reality, the songs are about an artist, living in the public eye, trying to pump himself up – acknowledging his flaws, worried about poisoning his spirit, and desperately seeking acknowledgment. It’s what so many artists go through and aren’t willing to put out there. That’s what fascinates me about Kanye. He goes for broke. And you can hear it in the quality of the work. Everything’s been accounted for on Graduation. It’s tight, cohesive – an album in the classic sense. Start at track one and let it play, and maybe you’ll hear what I’m hearing. Regardless, you should hear it for yourself.
Bennington is celebrating it’s 75th Anniversary this October and will be featuring performances by members of the Two Blue Wolves collaborative. The line up includes:
Friday, October 5
The Kiss-Off w/ The Well Enough Folk Band
(Featuring Sam Tyndall ’04 / Helen Gassenheimer ’04)
Live set
Student Center
9 pm
Saturday, October 6
Sparrow Hall ’98
A presentation & reading of Two Blue Wolves
Kinoteca (VAPA)
10:30–11:30 am
Eva Schmidt ’06, choreographer
Premiering a movement interpretation of Two Blue Wolves
Martha Hill Theater
8:30 pm
I’m thrilled to announce that Ana Lola Roman and Slow Ghost will be featuring songs on the Two Blue Wolves Soundtrack. Both are based in Brooklyn and have a proclivity towards incredibly evocative, experimental songwriting. They recently paired up on a side project, Roar on Ivory, in which their unique stylings can be heard weaving together in a bizarre tapestry of sound.
I met with Ana and Brian (Slow Ghost) for lunch the other day, and was instantly charmed. When it comes to experimental musicians, I feel like I need to brace myself for the encounter – like Laurie Anderson is going to show up in her outfit from Big Science. But these guys were totally down to earth and we spent most of the time talking about children’s books, renewable resources and disinformation. All of which tie together, but I’l let you figure out how.
Sam Tyndall & the TKO boys will once again be teaching us a thing our two about fashion this Friday night at Luna Lounge. So pack your eyeliner and accessories. Sam will be the one wearing white after Labor Day.
I know the updates have been lax over the past few weeks, and I apologize for that. Tony’s passing took the wind out of my sails, and I just needed to take a break for a while. But things with Two Blue Wolves are still moving ahead full steam… We have some very cool things in the works, which I’d like to tell you about, but I’d rather they be a surprise. However! I can tell you this…
Two remixes are in the works for Alex Parker’s “Missing You Again” – mixed by the master of all things darkwave, resident producer David Crabb. One of the tracks may be featured on the soundtrack or it’ll be made available on iTunes. The second remix (tentatively entitled the Trash NYC! Remix) is currently in development – an ode to all things Rififi (We love you Jess, Alex and Antonio!). I’ve heard the rough cuts for both and I immediately wanted to grab my skinny pants and Smith’s t-shirt.
Other big news – Two Blue Wolves is taking over Bennington College the first week in October as part of the school’s 75th Anniversary. I’ll be doing a reading and presentation, a couple artists from the soundtrack will be performing, and Eva will be premiering her dance piece. Look for the info on that in my next post.
I took this photo of Wythe at the party Sunday night in Bushwick. An impromptu screening of Guitar Wolf’s WILD ZERO. Think Japanese Trainspotting meets Rise of the Living Dead. I have a crush on the arms dealer. See the movie and you’ll know who I mean. Anyone who kicks zombie ass in a one-piece tartan jumpsuit automatically receives 5 stars in my book.
The first time I heard Hot Chip was with Asad at Double Happiness, my new favorite hide away in New York. The DJ equipment was set on auto-pilot in that little closet in the back, and I had to track down at least 3 people to figure out who it was. Hot Chip did a great remix of the Junior Boy’s “In the Morning,” which you can find on the Dead Horse EP.
This photo was taken that night.
In the Morning / Junior Boys
No Fit State / Hot Chip
I Take Time / The Knife
Dead Eyes / Jesu
Hope There’s Someone / Antony & the Johnsons
Mandinka / Sinéad O’Connor
Click Your Fingers In the Oval / Slow Ghost
Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe / Okkervil River
Paris 2004 / Peter Bjorn & John
Stronger / Kanye West
