Nick Cave

posted December 5, 2017 #

I had the distinct pleasure of seeing a large scale installation of art works from Nick Cave. No, not that Nick Cave, the Chicago based performance artist renowned for his Soundsuits and room sculptures. It's a body of work that is both endlessly fascinating to pore over the fine details and coming from a place of cultural commentary (his Soundsuits are modern day armor, meant to shield and disguise him from the racism of the world).

His work is on display at the Frist currently but if you catch notice of his work being displayed anywhere close to you, make an effort to see it.

Quietus Albums Of The Year, 2017

posted December 5, 2017 #

I will admit that I am not a regular reader of The Quietus but seeing this Robert Ashley endorsement of their Year End List had me intrigued. It's 100 albums of independent music across a wide swath of genres accompanied with an amusing or insightful review and maybe a Bandcamp embed. I am not familiar with the majority of works listed but the albums I do know, are up my alley.. so it lets me know the rest are likely worth a spin.

TLDR: Best of Lists are happening and this one looks interesting.

Social Media Is Keeping Us Stuck In The Moment

posted December 4, 2017 #

I tweeted about this the other day but I think it bears repeating here. This article from Clive Thompson entitled Social media is keeping us stuck in the moment is not just a diatribe about the moment-to-moment distractions of our Internet landscape but a historical lesson about the power of a messages medium. The piece talks about the dangers of Reverse Chronology and how everything in our feeds is presented to us in a bite size morsel that happened a few moments ago, contextless until we scroll further or click back in time to some referential tweet. Furthermore, each platform is designed to have you refresh to see the latest, with very little emphasis on what you may have missed.

I can't do the article justice in summary form. Thompson's presentation involves insights from Marshall McLuhan, the durability and reach of clay tablets vs papyrus and then radio and TV from there. It sounds like heady stuff but it's an easy read that gives historical context to what we're seeing now. I can't emphasize that phrase enough given how our Internet and 24/7 news seems to have completely dropped the importance of history. Here's my favorite bit:

A culture that is stuck in the present is one that can’t solve big problems. If you want to plan for the future, if you want to handle big social and political challenges, you have to decouple yourself from day-to-day crises, to look back at history, to learn from it, to see trendlines. You have to be usefully detached from the moment.

What Innis feared—as his biographer Alexander John Watson puts it—is that “our culture was becoming so saturated with new instantaneous media that there was no longer a hinterland to which refugee intellectuals could retreat to develop a new paradigm that would allow us to tackle the new problems we are facing.“

I don't know how we fix this problem but I love that Thompson was able to articulate what he sees as the issue and even offer some suggestions; both in terms of our own behaviors (which seem alarmingly difficult to control) and via new features on the platforms. Looking ahead, AI and technology is going to shape our entire planet in a huge way and we're going to need to make sure it's got some insight on the past when it does so.

Image by Todd McLellan. Link via Austin Kleon.

Postmortem: Every Frame A Painting

posted December 4, 2017 #

It's been about a year since the last installment of Every Frame a Painting and I've consistently wondered when the next would launch. Turns out, it won't! Creators Tony Zhou and Taylor Ramos decided it was time to put the project to rest, as their passion just wasn't in it anymore. While certainly a bummer to know there won't be more episodes, their Postmortem writeup on the history of the show, the creative process, the restrictions and the ultimate closing of its doors is a very satisfying read.

RIP Every Frame a Painting, I look forward to whatever you two have to offer next.

Indie For The Holidays

posted December 4, 2017 #

Tis the season for exclusive content! This new Amazon Christmas compilation, Indie for the Holidays, is three hours of holiday music... much of which was commissioned as new recordings exclusively for this release. The Tennis cover of "Holiday Road" is pretty great, the Albert Hammond Jr cover oddly sneaks in some George Harrison, Jessica Lea Mayfield does a great Loretta Lynn cover and JEFF the Brotherhood contribute the perfect instrumental Christmas song.

I don't have much of an opinion one way or another about Amazon Music Streaming but this is a extra pleasant compilation, all things consider.

Killing TIME

posted December 3, 2017 #

a worthwhile read from Josh Quittner on the slow death of TIME

Cocaine & Rhinestones

posted December 3, 2017 #

The podcast about the History of Country Music - recommended listening

Steelism - Linus & Lucy

posted December 3, 2017 #

do listen, thrice at least

posted December 3, 2017 #

JEFF The Brotherhood recorded an original song, Brighid’s Flame, for @amazonmusic’s original playlist #IndieForTheHolidays. Stream it exclusively now at https://t.co/A6Xae70gTp https://t.co/CNAZ06OFBN

posted December 3, 2017 #

This game came out in 2001 https://t.co/I9tF3BotHH

posted December 3, 2017 #

whenever i get stuck while working on something, i drink more coffee + watch this: https://t.co/c6wV6nv9Rq

posted December 3, 2017 #

all three seasons of LIQUID TELEVISION available now for free. https://t.co/Gt7lwff0eh

posted December 3, 2017 #

the facebook iOS app is 234mb

posted December 1, 2017 #

I only care about Snoke and Porgs. Porgs 'n Snoke, baby, it's what I'm all about.

Brian Eno and Tom Rogerson collab

posted December 1, 2017 #

this cover art

Friday Videos - Dec 1st, 2017

posted December 1, 2017 #

It's December. 2017 couldn't end sooner as far as I'm concerned but I'm looking forward to wrapping up some lingering projects and some new big undertakings. I've got a lot of work ahead of me for a January debut on some of this stuff but I'm looking forward to it.

Here's some feel good distractions for making it through another week of Internet Punishments.

Twinkle Tush - tired of seeing your cat's butthole? Why not decorate it with a gem? Why not decorate your cat's butthole with a gem? Yes, it's real.
Navage Nasal Care 3D - watching a ton of TV last week during Thanksgiving exposed me to this absolutely horrifying modern neti pot. Customers trying it out is phenomenal thing to watch.
Bone-hemian Rhapsodoot - a year ago I posted Doot Star, so this seems like a pleasant followup. Just wait for it to really kick in.
Try the Christmas Drink - I felt like I was making fun of Weird Paul Petroskey by including this but taking a deeper dive into his channel confirms I'm a fan. It's got a Wesley Willis vibe but with more self awareness, less exploitation and a sweet Kurt Cobain haircut.
Cheeki Breeki - I love memes that I have absolutely zero understanding of.
Ian Curtis Rides a Rollercoaster - Stupid in its finest form.
Have You Ever Had A Dream Like This? But It's A Piano Cover - there are more of these, well worth a deep dive. Also reminds me of Charles Spearin.

I also recommend you check out the KFC Internet Escape Pod. Excellent execution on that.

No Age - "Drippy"

posted November 30, 2017 #

new track from new album coming in late January 2018

posted November 30, 2017 #

https://t.co/qD9QJpZ0Q9

Ghost Bikes

posted November 30, 2017 #

This Ethan Brooks short, Ghost Bikes is a heart heavy tale of the bicycles found throughout Brooklyn that have been spray painted white and chained to sign posts memorializing someone who lost their life. It's not an altogether uplifting but it is a pleasant and beautiful looking piece of film to sit quietly and reflect on.

Meth Storm

posted November 30, 2017 #

Despite it's terrible title, I recently watched the HBO documentary Meth Storm, which follows a family of meth addicts and the local police as they attempt to shutter the abuse across the region. It's humanizing from both sides - the frustration of the police that they know they aren't doing any good and the sadness of the addicts that are hooked and continue to make terrible decisions.

It's often all-too-easy to wave away the hardships of those hooked on hard drugs but this film gives you an inside look at their lives (as rough as they are) to remind you that they are not in a good place; these aren't sound choices.

It's a tough watch but a good one if you're looking to understand the recent opioid epidemic from the ground level.