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Paradise Arcade is a podcast in which the hosts talk to electronic musicians about their creations. While that may not sound especially novel, they do a track-by-track breakdown of significant albums with insights directly from the artists. This episode of 88:88 by Makeup and Vanity Set is quite interesting! MAVS, aka Matthew Pusti, talks through the origin of the record, the individual track creation, the artwork and all points in between.
Definitely worth a listen. Pusti is always so forthcoming about his process and inspirations, it's refreshing to say the least.
Additionally, I don't think I've seen a podcast formatted in this way, broken up into individual tracks. It's even setup that way over on Spotify. Pretty clever, honestly.
Additionally, I don't think I've seen a podcast formatted in this way, broken up into individual tracks. It's even setup that way over on Spotify. Pretty clever, honestly.
Anti-Maskers Ready to Start Masking - to Protect Themselves From the Vaccinated
this is equal parts depressing and hysterical
TMBG - Live at the Music Hall of Williamsburg 11.29.15
Free download of 2015 show with two different sets; one with the two Johns and a reel-to-reel and one with the John Henry band. Yes.DistroKid launches Recoupements
very smart idea and super useful for labels. Wish it *looked* better but thats neither here nor there.
Today, yk Records announced the debut single from Cody Uhler off his forthcoming album Darbo's Island. I suggest you listen to while you read:
Uhler is a name that you may be familiar with if you have followed this site for some amount of time. He's half of the band Kindercastle, he previously released music under the name Nahnee Bori (whom has several stellar albums) and he is part of Upright T-Rex Music, who just so happen to write all the music for the DOTS games.
Darbo's Island is a record inspired by SNES videogame soundtracks. Uhler spent a long time learning about the restrictions of creating music for those 16-bit games; very low sample rates, only so many tracks playing at once, etc. It's unbelievable how fantastic that era of music was given how little there was to work with.
Ultimately, Darbo's Island does not play by the same rules as a 16-bit game but it does build on those foundations. It's nostalgic but it's been modernized in a big way. Give "Fairy Tech" a listen and stay clued in for future updates; we've got a lot of fantastic work to go along with this in the coming weeks.
Darbo's Island is a record inspired by SNES videogame soundtracks. Uhler spent a long time learning about the restrictions of creating music for those 16-bit games; very low sample rates, only so many tracks playing at once, etc. It's unbelievable how fantastic that era of music was given how little there was to work with.
Ultimately, Darbo's Island does not play by the same rules as a 16-bit game but it does build on those foundations. It's nostalgic but it's been modernized in a big way. Give "Fairy Tech" a listen and stay clued in for future updates; we've got a lot of fantastic work to go along with this in the coming weeks.
New video for Tower Defense went out today for "Under the Sea." I released their record In the City on my lil label and the band has been consistently putting out new videos to promote it. They are a relatively unknown band and it's tough work! I applaud them for it and I hope you take the time to dive into the album... especially if you're the type that enjoys a bit of post-punk mixed with harmonies.
There's a photo making the rounds recently in which Joe and Jill Biden are posed with Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. It's innocent enough at first glance but if you look at it for more than 1 second, the Biden's look absolutely enormous. It's bizarre and hysterical. If you want to understand why this photo - which is not Photoshopped - looks this way; turn your attention to this great distortion explainer that runs through the differences between optical and perspective distortion. It's a very nerdy bit of photography insight but an interesting read.
If we're being honest, I just wanted to save that image to my site so I can revisit the weirdness whenever I want.
If we're being honest, I just wanted to save that image to my site so I can revisit the weirdness whenever I want.
Because I've been watching a lot Taskmaster lately, I'm also being exposed to other British shows featuring the same comedians (which I appreciate). I recently came across Romesh: Talking to Comedians in which Romesh Ranganathan sits down in a cafe and has a chat with a random comedian. It's like Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee but without the vintage cars and a lot more accents. The clips on YouTube are short (it's unclear if there are longer episodes elsewhere) so it's low commitment.
Sharon Horgan, Sara Pascoe, Katherine Ryan and James Acaster are a good place to start.
Sharon Horgan, Sara Pascoe, Katherine Ryan and James Acaster are a good place to start.
Thanks to YouTube recommendations, I've found myself being immersed in clips (and full episodes) of the British gameshow Taskmaster. It's a fairly simple concept, every season five different comedians are given random and absurd tasks to accomplish, ostensibly in competition with one another. The solutions to the given problems are often absurd, occasionally brilliant and usually quite funny.
Camouflage Yourself is where it all started for me but from there it's a deep dive into Paint a Picture Without Touching the Rug, Make the Biggest Mess and Completely Clear It Up or Make a Mask That Tastes Delicious and Looks Great. If these sound insane, I hope that's the allure.
It's been running for 10 seasons now, so there's plenty to keep one entertained. Thanks, YouTube.
Camouflage Yourself is where it all started for me but from there it's a deep dive into Paint a Picture Without Touching the Rug, Make the Biggest Mess and Completely Clear It Up or Make a Mask That Tastes Delicious and Looks Great. If these sound insane, I hope that's the allure.
It's been running for 10 seasons now, so there's plenty to keep one entertained. Thanks, YouTube.
I must admit, I had not heard the name John Swartzwelder before seeing several friends tweet about him and this New Yorker interview. Maybe you hadn't either? He's considered one of the "most revered" writers of early episodes of The Simpsons and holds the record for most episodes written (fifty-nine). He is elusive and does not tend to give interviews. He is also, unsurprisingly, very funny.
Even with zero context about Swartzwelder, it's a great read. There are lots of funny little quips throughout but I rather enjoyed this description of how he writes:
Even with zero context about Swartzwelder, it's a great read. There are lots of funny little quips throughout but I rather enjoyed this description of how he writes:
How much time and attention did you spend on these scripts? Another “Simpsons” writer once compared your scripts to finely tuned machines—if the wrong person mucked with them, the whole thing could blow up.Carve out some time for the full read, it's worthwhile. I'll be diving into one of his self-published books next.
All of my time and all of my attention. It’s the only way I know how to write, darn it. But I do have a trick that makes things easier for me. Since writing is very hard and rewriting is comparatively easy and rather fun, I always write my scripts all the way through as fast as I can, the first day, if possible, putting in crap jokes and pattern dialogue—“Homer, I don’t want you to do that.” “Then I won’t do it.” Then the next day, when I get up, the script’s been written. It’s lousy, but it’s a script. The hard part is done. It’s like a crappy little elf has snuck into my office and badly done all my work for me, and then left with a tip of his crappy hat. All I have to do from that point on is fix it. So I’ve taken a very hard job, writing, and turned it into an easy one, rewriting, overnight. I advise all writers to do their scripts and other writing this way. And be sure to send me a small royalty every time you do it.
I don't consider myself a hardcore Rick & Morty fan. I enjoy it but I'm not lining up to get any Szechuan Sauce if you know what I mean. However, I am a huge Paul Robertson fan. I believe I saw Kings of Power 4 Billion % back in 2008 and have done my best to stay clued in for the last thirteen years.
Robertson has done a lot of promos for Adult Swim over the last few years and quite a bit of promo for Rick & Morty specifically. Stylistically, they are not the same but the insanity, mania and attention to detail that Robertson brings is, clearly, a good fit.
The Eternal Nightmare Machine is ostensibly a commercial for Rick & Morty Season 5 but it's a 17-minute short film that is quintessential Robertson. Required viewing.
Robertson has done a lot of promos for Adult Swim over the last few years and quite a bit of promo for Rick & Morty specifically. Stylistically, they are not the same but the insanity, mania and attention to detail that Robertson brings is, clearly, a good fit.
The Eternal Nightmare Machine is ostensibly a commercial for Rick & Morty Season 5 but it's a 17-minute short film that is quintessential Robertson. Required viewing.
Captured Tracks Gives Linda Smith’s Lo-Fi A Long-Overdue Salute
dunno why I'm fascinated by this but I'm fascinated by this
Crumb - Ice Melt
new ALBUM?! Was not expecting this but very much enjoying
I realize you may not have a NY Times subscription to read this full article but I implore you to at least sign up for a free account to read this opinion piece on Let’s Launch a Moonshot for Meatless Meat.
The author is a vegan but not a militant one. The majority of the article spells out the risks of continued meat consumption - more novel coronavirus scenarios, more environmental dangers and intensified cruelty to animals. That last bit is probably where most folks put up their guard but if you've done the least bit of Googling, there's no way to rationalize away that the quantity of animals being consumed en masse are suffering. Even if you make sure to go to some meat market where the animals are treated well, that doesn't waive the cruelties of the entire system.
The most interesting part of the piece is that it's not a guilt-inducing doom-and-gloom overture, it's offering some real solutions through technology. Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are making great strides in alternative meats and there's more non-dairy milk substitutes available now than you can shake a stick at; we just need to throw more money at those kinds of undertakings to supercharge them.
I've been a vegetarian for around 5 years; a very small portion of my entire life but I fail to see how anyone could read this and not decide that curbing their meat intake was a good idea.
The author is a vegan but not a militant one. The majority of the article spells out the risks of continued meat consumption - more novel coronavirus scenarios, more environmental dangers and intensified cruelty to animals. That last bit is probably where most folks put up their guard but if you've done the least bit of Googling, there's no way to rationalize away that the quantity of animals being consumed en masse are suffering. Even if you make sure to go to some meat market where the animals are treated well, that doesn't waive the cruelties of the entire system.
The most interesting part of the piece is that it's not a guilt-inducing doom-and-gloom overture, it's offering some real solutions through technology. Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are making great strides in alternative meats and there's more non-dairy milk substitutes available now than you can shake a stick at; we just need to throw more money at those kinds of undertakings to supercharge them.
I've been a vegetarian for around 5 years; a very small portion of my entire life but I fail to see how anyone could read this and not decide that curbing their meat intake was a good idea.
I'm intrigued by this Andy.works project of No More Boring Apps; a suite of "every day apps" (Timer, Weather, Calculator) that reimagines the experience to be something more playful and more visually stimulating. The code behind the apps is a game engine capable of 3D, animation, physics and more; so it's a far cry from the skeuomorphism or ultra-flat apps that most of us have become accustomed to.
I'd love to speak more to how these apps function but there is a payment plan involved; $15 per year for access to the apps and some "Skins" to customize them. Frankly, that's not a lot of money at all for something fresh and different but it's also, obviously, a hurdle that most of us aren't used to facing when it comes to installing apps. Free is the thing I suppose.
I will be keeping my eye on the app suites and see what else comes from it. They look great and the marketing materials are top notch.
I'd love to speak more to how these apps function but there is a payment plan involved; $15 per year for access to the apps and some "Skins" to customize them. Frankly, that's not a lot of money at all for something fresh and different but it's also, obviously, a hurdle that most of us aren't used to facing when it comes to installing apps. Free is the thing I suppose.
I will be keeping my eye on the app suites and see what else comes from it. They look great and the marketing materials are top notch.
black midi - "John L"
not quite sure what to make of the song but the video is a marvelGruff Rhys - Can't Carry On
new track and a pretty bonkers videoHappy Net Box
a silly little internet project. the kind that gets my inner nerd intrigued but then i immediately forgot about it. fun idea tho.Supergrass “Moving” - 2 Meter Sessions
more goodies from the 2 meters archivesElliott Smith - 2 Meter Sessions
filmed in the late 90s (obviously), with a great twist end. there’s a load of performances from this channel if you’re willing to dig through the archives
Been a bit quiet on the blog lately (more on that later) but I'm happy to announce one of the projects I've been working on is now out in the world!
Jay Leo Phillips has been a musician that I've admired for a long time. His work in the post-punk Apollo Up has been a mainstay in my listening for 17 years. His previous album One Million One Million One Million was one of those overlooked gems that I wish more people had discovered. Fortunately, it's not too late. You should check that out.
But today, Jay releases his new EP DAYS, a six song (mostly) instrumental offering that has serious echoes of The Sea and Cake, Tortoise and instrumental Jim O'Rourke. If those references are complete gibberish to you, don't worry, you'll still like it.
Truth be told, Jay was a bit concerned that the EP was so different from his previous work that folks might not enjoy it. His prior work is highly energetic - you could even call it "blazing" or "frantic" at times - but this EP is chilled out and devoid of his Elvis Costello-y baritone vocals.
I'm happy to report that his concerns are unfounded and it's a damn good listen. Obviously I enjoy his entire body of work but I like that he's branching out and letting listeners know he's capable of more than just one thing. I hope you'll enjoy the release and stay tuned in for future work; whatever it may be.
Here's some handy links to get you listening:
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music | Amazon Music | elsewhere
Jay Leo Phillips has been a musician that I've admired for a long time. His work in the post-punk Apollo Up has been a mainstay in my listening for 17 years. His previous album One Million One Million One Million was one of those overlooked gems that I wish more people had discovered. Fortunately, it's not too late. You should check that out.
Truth be told, Jay was a bit concerned that the EP was so different from his previous work that folks might not enjoy it. His prior work is highly energetic - you could even call it "blazing" or "frantic" at times - but this EP is chilled out and devoid of his Elvis Costello-y baritone vocals.
I'm happy to report that his concerns are unfounded and it's a damn good listen. Obviously I enjoy his entire body of work but I like that he's branching out and letting listeners know he's capable of more than just one thing. I hope you'll enjoy the release and stay tuned in for future work; whatever it may be.
Here's some handy links to get you listening:
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music | Amazon Music | elsewhere
The Unrelenting Capitalism of Fitness
I worked with Forest for a good chunk of time at VHX. He is good at maths, he is smart and he is empathetic. This is one of the best write-ups on fitness I've encountered in a long time. It's self aware and not, at all, focused on trying to make anyone healthier. I do suggest you read.
An interview with the guy who yells “Mortal Kombat.”
the kind of journalism you wanna see
I watched this entire video of the Human Eye Webcam and now you should too. It's mostly disgusting and unnerving but also sort of cute.
You can read more about it here or here if you want to know why such a thing would exist. TLDR: it's an art project to make ya think about surveillance.
You can read more about it here or here if you want to know why such a thing would exist. TLDR: it's an art project to make ya think about surveillance.
Great NYT piece on underwater photography and finding a lot of beautifully bizarre, and often minuscule, creatures in the deep dark of the ocean. It's a worthwhile read about the initiatives for finding potential new species but, honestly, its mostly eye candy to peep these delightful weirdos.
30-year-old Soviet TV adaptation of The Lord of the Rings surfaces on YouTube
100% worth scrubbing throughThe Jon Brion Show - Feat. Elliott Smith / Brad Mehldau
43 minutes of enjoyment
The Hard Science of Reincarnation
lil lengthy but a good readSkyway Man - "Don't Feel Bad About Being Alive"
unbelievably great animated piece from Skyway Man. Love the whole thing but it'll really blow your mind about 1:30 in. Stick with it!
I help produce a podcast call San Dimas Today. It's an in-depth look at all things Bill & Ted related. A niche subject for sure but one that has resulted in interviews with film critics, graphic artists, multiple actors from the trilogy including Alex Winter (Bill), William Sadler (Death) and many more. I wouldn't call myself a diehard Bill & Ted fan by any stretch of the imagination but it's been a blast working to get these interviews and watch the hosts geek out on the discussions.
After a bit of gentle persistence, lots of patience and tons of kindness, co-creator / co-writer of all three Bill & Ted films Ed Solomon came on to talk.
We're calling this the series finale. After three years and tons of episodes and interviews, there's just not much left for us to say about the franchise. It's also fitting because the very first episode of the show was with the other co-creator, co-writer Chris Matheson.
The chat with Ed Solomon is an absolute delight. He worked on Laverne & Shirley, the Gary Shandling show, Men in Black and loads of other works outside of Bill & Ted. He had a ton to share and it was, honest to god, a hilarious time.
Even if you're not a huge Bill & Ted fan, give it a listen. He is a delight and we thank him for his time.
After a bit of gentle persistence, lots of patience and tons of kindness, co-creator / co-writer of all three Bill & Ted films Ed Solomon came on to talk.
The chat with Ed Solomon is an absolute delight. He worked on Laverne & Shirley, the Gary Shandling show, Men in Black and loads of other works outside of Bill & Ted. He had a ton to share and it was, honest to god, a hilarious time.
Even if you're not a huge Bill & Ted fan, give it a listen. He is a delight and we thank him for his time.