The Capstan Shafts
Any normal songwriter carving tunes as delicate, beautiful and developed as The Capstan Shafts would no doubt scream it to the world. Yet Dean Wells — the man behind the Capstan mask — smacks of modesty: only a handful of live performances over his near decade-long career, and a MySpace page updated once in a blue moon, means that arguably some of the finest songwriting around today is left in the dark. Rarely do his songs pass the two minute mark: haunting, sweet and succinct. Sleepcure Theory Advancer, off the 2006 album Euridice Proudhon, is as close to perfection as a eulogy delivered in 1 minute and 58 seconds can be. But good luck getting hold of the album.
Listen to The Capstan Shafts song, The trilateralist told you not to.
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Also by FRANCIS ANDREWS
Irina Werning’s Back to the Future photo series
Argentine photographer Irina Werning has complied this beautiful and poignant collection of portraits of adults re-enacting images of themselves as kids. From what I gather, she has asked people to submit photographs of themselves and then returned with them to these same spots at the same times in their lives. She’ll take this project round the world, from Baghdad to Eurodisney, and is looking for willing participants. Read more
Bug fighting in South East Asia
Of all the little idiosyncratic activities I’ve come across since living in Southeast Asia, this nears the favourite. The bug fights are held in a cemetery about half an hour outside of Chiang Mai late in the year when the stags are at their randiest. It pulls an impressive crowd who bet some hefty dollars on the winner, claimed by the beetle who throws its opponent off the revolving log and struts (or crawls) to victory. Read more
What The Fuck Should I Make For Dinner
All hail the magic 8-ball of cooking; the answer to those painful moments of indecision that plague every shopper at around 6pm on a hectic Monday evening. It’s not the nagging voice that questions every decision you make, but the blunt, obnoxious hollering of an online Gordon Ramsay. The kitchen abides.
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UK-based design firm SabotagePKG created this wonderfully eye-catching carafe style bottle and packaging for Evolve’s organic, cold pressed oils. Read more
Hahahahahaha! Cursebird is a ‘real–time feed of swearing on Twitter’. Perfect for idling away the hours when the work day just seems too damn sanitized.
The issue of abortion has hardly ever been represented so honestly by a movie. Knocked Up and Juno gave the pro-choice movement a boost, and of those two, only Juno came close to confronting the issue. In the Princess of Nebraska, the main character suffers through indecision, naivety and turmoil that seem much closer to reality. Read more
These ‘manner posters’ appeared in Tokyo subways between 1976 and 1982, informing passengers on subway etiquette and good manners. We’re not sure why it didn’t catch on elsewhere — a colourful and entertaining poster versus a crackly intercom message from a bored driver? Hmm. The posters were published in a book, Manner Poster 100′, printed in 1983 by Teito Rapid Transit Authority. Read more
A Chicken Growing Up! is a great blog on which science illustrator Mieke Roth posts one ink drawing a week of a chicken as it matures. Read more
There’s a world-weariness about Two Gallants frontman Adam Stephens. It reveals itself in the Tom Waits-like raspiness that permeates his gin house drawl and in the talkin’ blues narratives that he weaves around his simple acoustic fingerpicking. They are the new superstars of the West Coast scene, majestic showmen in homespun rags.
Listen to the Two Gallants track, The hand that held you down.
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The Hussy Summer 2009 Exotic Escape collection is up for viewing. I quite like the leather Zanzibar sandals for a stylish casual look that’s slightly sophisticated. While there are a few nice dresses in the new line, I much prefer the accessories and clutches. That’s partially why the rest of the globe has come to love this iconic Aussie label, right?
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Mathematics? Leave me out. Fashematics? Now you’re talking! This gem of a site is a runway equation that adds up to a whole lot of wonderful.
Christoph Niemann illustrates a nightmare flight
New York Times illustrator Christoph Niemann has created a brilliant visual diary outlining the peril and pitfalls that beset the everyday passenger based on his recent experience flying from New York to his home town of Berlin. Read more
Benjamin Edminston’s psychedelic heads seem to have some fearful wisdom behind their blissed-out eyes. Read more
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.
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
Fourth is King make limited edition unisex t-shirts, printed on 50 percent polyester and 50 percent cotton construction, with custom embroidered tag on the left sleeve. Read more
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