Gravity
Interview with Swedish songwriter, Jens Lekman, who the Pop Matters website has described as sounding like a cross between ‘Magnetic Fields mastermind Stephen Merritt, Morrissey in both his voice and his dryly humorous lyrics, Donovan and Nick Drake in his acoustic arrangements, and Ron Sexsmith in his classy melodies’. I asked him how hard it is to write a happy song: ‘It is really hard. Sometimes I find it almost impossible. There are maybe a few more upbeat songs on my next record which I am currently working on. Are you a fan of the ‘classic’ songwriters like Bacharach and Carole King? Lekman: Yes and no. I sometimes cover ‘They should’ve given you the Oscar’ though. That’s a Carole King song, right? Is there one song you’ve written that still makes your hair stand on end? Lekman: ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ by Simon and Garfunkel totally makes my hair stand on end. But I can’t say I wrote that one. I wish Simon and Garfunkel would reform and come to Sweden’.
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.
YOU'RE SAYING (2)
Jake said | 15 August, 2006
If I am not mistaken, Jens is the dude who was on rotation fairly regularly on Triple J a couple of months back. It was a cool little ditty which began with the words “I was slicing up an avocado”….after which he proceeds to explain the dilemma that unfolds when his finger gets in on the slicin’ action.
No every time I have an avo for lunch I can’t stop singing this song!
HAVE YOUR SAY
Photographer Carl Kleiner is really good at getting a chuckle out of people with his amusing, clever, and ofter suggestive arrangement of objects. His Macho! and Sex series are both winners, and there’s a really direct graphic sense in all his work that makes it succinctly communicative. Read more
Aurie Ramirez’s elegant watercolors have something outsider-y about them, with a slight nod of Henry Darger, but the fantasy world she depicts is less manic and angry — the whimsical and characters that inhabit her work seem more playful and less tormented by religious repression. Read more
Run Wrake is an illustrator and animator based in London whose recent short animation Rabbit has turned him into an underground hero. Read more
As a child, gold mining towns were exemplified in my mind by boring theme parks populated by out of work actors in naff colonial costumes. My parents used to drag us along in our overheated datsun because they couldn’t afford to take the kids to Disneyland. As often happens, I now appreciate the destinations whose mentions used to prompt a whole lot of whingeing about seatbelt buckle burns and compensation payouts of McDonalds. Walhalla is one such beauty. Set in the misty foothills of Australia’s Baw Baw ranges, it was once a gold era boom-town, but is now home to less than 20 residents (not counting the ghosts). Read more
Our friends over at the street art and design site, Feed Me Cool Shit have a revealing interview up with UK artist Sickboy, who talks about his earliest days on the streets. Read more
Where to start with Z-Trip? Shepard Fairey propped him on this site a few weeks back, but let’s face it: the guy is worth a double post. He’s the king of the mash-up, a dance floor master, and the humblest guy you’ll meet. If you haven’t heard of him (unlikely), then go to his website right now and download his free mixes. He deejayed a show for us in 2000, right when his breakout CD, Uneasy Listening, dropped and I was floored. Who has the audacity to mix a Pat Benatar beat with Public Enemy vocals? This guy.
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Like a little skeleton with your belt? This Delfina Delettrez Skeletor Belt is meant to hug at the waist of the living, giving the appearance of a teeny, creepy midsection. Made of sterling silver, the belt is the ultimate in glamorous goth.
WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST
Get lost in a daydream or a craving for something sweet while gazing at these cool sculptures by Brooklyn-based WiNK WiNK PONY. Made using clay, tree bark, wood, and mossy moss.
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.
Pitched as ‘Ulterior Motives in Contemporary Art’, Disorder Disorder is running until November 14 at Penrith Regional Gallery. It’ll be well worth the trip out west of Sydney: the Australian, Japanese, American and European cast reads like a warriors of street art roundup and includes Mike Giant, Ed Templeton, Anthony Lister [artwork above], Ozzie Wright, and Jonathan Zawada. Read more
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
Francoise Nielly’s Yellow series
Parisian visual artist Francoise Nielly brings technicolour to the forefront in her latest series, Yellow. Featuring thick impasto palette knife strokes and trippy neon hues, Nielly captures the vulnerable expressions of her muses to a tee. Read more
Set up in 2011, Rebel Unlit is a printing collaboration between London based Artists Neil Butler and Shanney Mulcahy. They make short run screen-printed t-shirts and limited edition prints from their studio in East London. All the t shirts are fair traded and printed by hand and, as a result, each one is unique. Read more
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Fernanda said | 13 July, 2006
I came across Jens Lekman’s music for the first time not too long and was instantly touched by his sweet, melodic voice. Constantly coming across so much information, updates, e-newsletters, etc, sometimes it’s hard to actually recognize what you like, unless you simply like it. Does it make sense?