Local record label, Shiny, have been doing some very cool things of late, not the least of which is releasing the latest albums from Amy Millan and Jason Collett (of Broken Social Scene fame). Millan’s album — Honey From The Tombs — is an eclectic offering, boldly blurring the lines between country, folk and pop in a way that hasn’t been done since The Band last tread the hallowed stages of west coast America. She says of the album title: ‘It’s from a Tom Waits interview that I read where he had a couple songs that were quite old on his new record that was coming out. He said mummies were buried with honey because it never went bad. So when the archaeologists pulled them up, there was all this honey that was still fine. So he said, that’s kind of how I think of the songs. That they’ve been buried for a long time, but they’re still sweet’.
Collett has been a cog around which the Toronto music scene has revolved for some years now. The Broken Social Scene guitarist lists ‘Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson and Nick Lowe as his major influences, and you can hear this in his solo release, Idols Of Exile. ‘My stuff is based around songs and the Social Scene thing is based around busting songs wide open’, he says. ‘My thing is more schooled. This is the first time anyone has ever given me any money to make a record. I wanted basically to have all my friends on it. That is the spirit of how things are created in our camp right now and I’m smart enough to know a renaissance when it’s happening’.
We have four sets of both these albums to give away to random Lost At E Minor subscribers who leave a comment on our website over the next two weeks.
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 (11)
andy shearer said | 9 August, 2006
honey from the tombs… stoked that you guys have brought forward a couple of the arstists of BSS for me to check out their own works.
have you guys checked out much of Magnet – even johansson ? a norwegien dude who has a very moody and beautiful CD out at the moment – ‘ on your side ‘ .
a
Ian M said | 9 August, 2006
Show me the music!!
mindy said | 10 August, 2006
Always love receiving your e-newsletters.. keeps me updated on new talent and new inspirations : )
honey from the tombs.. sweet name ^ ^
Zolton said | 10 August, 2006
yeah, the first magnet ep i thought was hot, but the album didn’t grab me as much. on the subject of norwegian acts though, if you haven’t already, then i recommend you check out the acoustic duo kings of convenience. so damn fine.
Trevor said | 10 August, 2006
Amy’s album sounds something to look forward to based on the little I’ve heard of her stuff. I’m enjoying being switched onto things i wouldn’t normally listen or look at through L@EM
Nicole said | 10 August, 2006
i dont know their music. but i do know things appear at relevant times when you’re meant to notice them.. providing you allow yourself to notice them. i heard the other day in a lecture that honey is the only foodstuff that doesn’t go off, and that ancient tombs contained honey that was still edible. they posited theories as to why, but thats all very much beside the point. that i should look into this music is to me quite relevant.
cindy said | 10 August, 2006
both of these albums sound fantastic. i am giddy with anticpation to listen to them. mer.
Paul said | 11 August, 2006
Well deary me, that Jason Collet sure makes great music! I am eager to hear his new album on high rotate! Thanks for the news Lost At E Minor, I hadn’t even known he had a new album coming until your newsletter arrived in my inbox.
Indebted,
Paul.
Zolton said | 15 August, 2006
hey, ok the winners of this cd giveaway are rachel, andy shearer, nicole and paul … thanks to all who entered! could the winners pls email me with your contact details.
zolton
Lost At E Minor: Music, illustration, art, photography - from Australia and beyond » Helicopter Girl said | 24 August, 2006
[...] Voodoo Chic was the follow up to Helicopter Girl’s Mercury Award nominated album, How To Steal The World and it is suitably lush, dramatic and moodily evocative. Helicopter Girl – aka Jackie Joyce – skirts that mellow sonic realm of chill out but never slips too far into the ambient mode. Instead she creates sultry and sexy music that transcends the moment, its timeless melodic qualities and intricate arrangements hinting at influences as diverse as Macy Gray and Morcheeba. Joyce sings beautifully – her voice is delicate enough to carry the slower songs yet hearty enough to drive through the mid-tempo numbers that spice up the album. Songs like Jakarta Flatline and the opener, White Revolving Circles, work off strong basslines and the lyrical sophistication that Joyce brings to her compositions. It’s an album of considerable depth, dripping with elegance and rooted in subtle earthiness. [see also Amy Millan] [...]
HAVE YOUR SAY
I’m so digging the work of Copenhagen illustrator Michael Rytz, with his spontaneous, sketchbook-like work. Characters, like vintage cartoons, parade around, fleshed out through glorious textures and scribbles punctuated with the occasional clean, bold, illustrator-like element for contrast that hits the spot.
Katy Smail’s illustrations are kind of like candy floss sticking to wind blown lips — sweet, tempting, yet always just a little bit out of reach. Read more
Oh man! To be young enough to bop, groove and scratch like these kids. For Japanese superstars DJ Sara (8 years old) and DJ Ryusei (5 years old), there’s no such thing as tomorrow. Read more
I’ve always been a big fan of the Herakut duo and am loving their new murals in LA. I love the balance of softly rendered elements mixed with the quick harsh strokes and a touch of cleverness. Read more
What would you be prepared to do for $5? I mean, really? Would you sell your first born, dance with a stranger? Yeah? Well, now you can prove it. The Fiverr site is ‘the place for people to share things they’re willing to do for $5′. Err, five dollar Skype clarinet lesson, anyone?
I’m a big fan of Alex Turner’s side project, The Last Shadow Puppets. It’s just really good music. When I first got their record, I didn’t know if it was a re-issue or if it was brand new. It doesn’t sound like a jokey pastiche. It sounds sincere.
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To be honest, I can’t bring myself to care about the new TSA scanners in airports. It’s not like they can’t already see and know everything about you already. However, I love these garments with the 4th Amendment printed on them in metallic ink so that the text show up clearly on scanners.
WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST
The return of the Brionvega rr226
Italian brand Brionvega has resurrected the classy Radiofonografio piece first created in 1965. The updated version is just like the original turntable/radio unit, but also has a CD/DVD player.
Matthew Dear’s Black City album totem
Our friends at Ghostly International are releasing Matthew Dear’s Black City album as a limited edition ‘totem’. A what? A totem – a limited edition metal bar used to access a private music chamber. Cool! Read more
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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Here are a couple awesome pieces by Matt Leines that were recently on display in the Doubting Thomases exhibit at Nudashank gallery in Baltimore. Gives me ideas for Halloween. Read more
It’s refreshing to see artists like Joe Kievitt who are contented to explore the beauty in simple forms and asymmetrical patterns. Read more
This pendant by Portland designer Stephanie Stimek hangs from an eighteen inch 14 carat gold chain. Made from a Japanese quail egg, the entire shell has been coated in plastic for strength and is available for purchase through the Lost At E Minor store. Read more
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Rachel said | 8 August, 2006
I Love Amy Milan from her beautiful voice when she sings in Stars. I have been spending many hours on Arts and Crafts reading about this solo album and even have a downnloaded sample track ‘skinny boy’. Would love to check out her whole album and also definately interested in hearing Jason Collett. Thanks for your post on them!