Keep the light on
Pavement have had an enormous impact on reshaping the parameters of alt-pop by writing songs that contain enough hooks to make them radio friendly whilst never sacrificing that hard fought ounce of credibility that their sound has always possessed. Stephen Malkmus and his partners in musical grime are unabashedly low-fi and low-maintenance, yet they run circles around most of their contemporaries by consistently being inventive – both lyrically and melodically – and taking massive leaps in stylistic direction. Gold Sounds is an album of jazzy covers of Pavement tracks arranged and performed (as part of a tight four-piece) by saxophonist James Carter, who has previously recorded tributes to Billie Holiday and Django Reinhardt. It’s a wonderful album, its lush mix perfect for headphone revolutionaries. Thanks to Inertia we have five copies to give away to random emailers. And, yes, we like bribes. Things that wink and nudge are good.
Also by ZOLTON
Maths explains the origin of superhero characters
I love the colours and simple reasoning in this clever series by Scottish illustrator Matt Cowen, which uses basic maths equations to explain how certain pop culture icons came to be. Read more
Star Wars Uncut: a fully crowdsourced version of Episode IV
The project of creative technologist, Casey Pugh, this full length version of the George Lucas masterpiece was created from multiple 15 second segments recreated from the original movie and submitted by thousands of Star Wars fans, which were then spliced together by editor Aaron Valdez to form the final product. Genius, as both a commentary on contemporary pop culture trends (there are references to LEGO, stop motion, memes and the like) and on the power of tapping your audience for quality material.
Filmmaker creates LEGO stop motion to propose to girlfriend
Now, this is one for the ages: back in 2010, Atlanta film-maker Walter Thompson created a jaw-dropping LEGO stop motion to propose to Nealey Dozier, his girlfriend of four years. The video took 22 hours of shooting and some 2,600 pictures to splice together, a small sacrifice to pay for years of happiness together. Right? Right! Oh, and she said yes. Bonus.
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He may have played Kipland Ronald Dynamite (Kip) in Napoleon Dynamite, but Californian photographer Aaron Ruell is much more comfortable behind the camera. We interviewed him recently: You’re an actor, filmmaker, and photographer. Is there a continuous theme or tone in your work across these mediums? ‘I think there is a connection between my photography and what I do in film as a director. I notice a similar tone between the two. I’m not sure that I set out for consistency between the two, it just happens. I still have issues with calling myself an “actor”. I’ve only done two films, and it’s not something that I’m out there actively pursuing. Those projects just happen to find me, so I can’t say that there’s a connection there’.
Henry Hargreaves‘ introduction to the photography industry began in front of the camera as he was the pin-up boy for such fashion houses as Prada, YSL, Jil Sander and others. Four years ago, Hargreaves settled in New York and began work out of his studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, shooting fashion and still life for clients such as Ralph Lauren, New York Magazine, GQ, NYLON, Boucheron, Marie Claire and others. This work is from his Food of the Rainbow series, which was styled by Lisa Edsalv. Read more
My favourite cartoon is Home Movies by Brendon Small. Read more
As I sit writing, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m breaking an unwritten code among travellers. How do you write about a destination that’s paradise because no one knows about it? You tell the right people. So before I change my mind, here goes. Take a boat about two hours off the south coast of Cambodia, and you’ll reach a tropical hideaway called Lazy Beach on the Island of Koh Rong Saloem. Run by two English guys who’ve redefined the meaning of chillin’, it’s turquoise waters and white sands are everything you’d expect. From beachfront bungalows with snorkelling right off the beach, to a restaurant that cooks up the local fishermen’s daily catch. This is one deserted island you won’t mind being stranded on.
We like this blog, Silent Cities. We like seeing images of some of the most noisy and crowded places in the world momentarily bathed in silence. There is something both serene and eerie about these scenes. The images above and below are from London, Sydney and Detroit. Read more
I live the upbeat, feel good tempo of the new single — A Hundred Hearts — from Philly group, The Swimmers. Off their latest album, People Are Soft, this song is a strangely fitting anthem for the blustery day outside.
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It’s a recession and I don’t need to buy any more handbags. But these? Umm, too awesome to pass. The ad photos are as fantastic as the products. My favorite is Pursuader. But don’t go to the airport with one! Read more
WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST
Michelle Blade’s psychedelic artwork
Michelle Blade’s washed out paintings are deceptively simple, her washy acrylics creating psychedelic textures and conjuring ghostly figures from the past. Read more
Nerd-attack! Man, this TARDIS zipper robe is so much cooler than any Star Wars crap people are hawking this days. This is for the true gangsta nerd.
A little infectious lollipop rock anyone? Feel free to embarrass yourself singing along at the stoplight. If the other drivers give you that look, roll down the windows and spread the love.
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Baltimore Mural by Josh Van Horne
My friend Josh Van Horne, a local Baltimore artist, did this amazing mural in our neighborhood that depicts the history of this warehouse-laden area.
Benjamin Edminston’s psychedelic heads seem to have some fearful wisdom behind their blissed-out eyes. Read more
In the Little Companions Rebelling Against the Magician t-shirt, label The Balletcats capture everything that we love about the holiday season: rebellion, flames, and striped pants. Nothing short of a classic family gathering! While everything that The Balletcats do is genius, this shirt has an extra bit of zip: it’s an exclusive for Lost At E Minor, and available to buy at our online store.
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