Founded in 2002, Oliver Spencer was inspired to create a clothing label that mirrored his own wardrobe — “Quality fabrics. Modern fits. Old-school construction. Characteristic details. Exquisite craftsmanship. The recipe abides.” This is what I like right here. You have traditional designs mixed with contemporary influences. I’d wear every piece from this collection.
After last weeks, “GOOD Friday” track, “So Appalled,” I was quite sure that the flows of Jay, RZA and Pusha T would carry me over to this coming Friday’s new song with ease. So, I was quite surprised when my fellow Yeezy fanatic T-Smith sent me news of a new track with Kanye and Bon Iver. I have to say that I will be jealous of anyone who sees this post before 2:30, because I’m in class and can’t listen to it until then. (Believe me, if I had an ipod chord and could sync the song to my iPhone and go listen to it in the bathroom right now, I would) So, maybe this is an early leak of October 1st’s GOOD Friday song, which will be very anticlimactic indeed, but I believe that it’s well worth it. Like they say in Finance, “Cash today is worth more than cash in the future,” well, I feel the same way about Yeezy. Stream Kanye West’s “Lost In The World” here.
Picture via nymag.com
Lo-Fi R&B sensation, How To Dress Well does this heart-wrenching cover of R. Kelly’s “I Wish” for his friend R.D.H on Yours Truly. Love Remains, if you haven’t heard it is the new record from Tom Kells, and it is some good music for late night walks around town.
I find myself looking back at Steve McQueen photographs every now and then. I really think that he was, and still is, the most influential American men’s fashion icon to date. McQueen had a way with casual luxury and effortless style. Most important, was his American taste for clothing. Steve McQueen was known for his khaki chinos, desert boots, crew-neck sweaters and leather jackets. Here’s a few pictures of one of the biggest badasses in Hollywood history.
I saw Neil Young in concert a few years ago and discovered his voice has stayed the same despite his age. Like Dylan, his voice was never what anyone would call “good”, however time has found Dylan turning to a Tom Waits, blood on the pavement growl, whereas Mr. Young’s mourning falsetto has remained timeless. At that same concert I also noticed that his recent sound and songwriting were not as strong. His songs from Fork In the Road were frustratingly corny tunes about alternative vehicles and fuel, and the licks behind these songs were clichéd and fumbling. But Le Noise finds the man in his mid-6os crafting possibly his loudest and most intimate record to date. This is a man who has recorded with Pearl Jam and Crazy Horse, and yet his loudest album features only him on vocals and guitar.
Songs like “Love and War” and “Angry World” are some of Young’s strongest in years, however what really makes this album special is Daniel Lanois’ production. Not that there is any T-Paining going on here, but Lanois plays with Young’s voice perfectly, especially at the beginning of “Angry World” where it sounds like he is singing “hate me” over and over again. But the vocal production is a subtle complement to the reverb and feedback-heavy crunch of Young’s electric guitar. “Walk With Me” opens the album with such stadium-filling roar that you’d never believe there is just one instrument being played. Though the record has quieter moments, the production is so lush and full that the casual listener may not even notice the lack of drums, etc. right away. This may be a stretch, but I compare this effect to the one I felt when watching the film No Country For Old Men. That film is so well done, that you never realize there is not a single second of music during the entire two-plus hours, just gripping acting and claustrophobic cinematography.
Brilliant production aside, this is Neil Young’s show. He’s ditched the soap box-y gimmicks and returned to painfully naked poetry. Love lingers, war and violence do, drugs and discovery as well. Young doesn’t explore any new territory here lyrically, but that’s fine, he’s been one of the greatest songwriters of the last 40 years because he understands the human experience and can relate mans disconnect with his surroundings better than nearly anyone around. The fact that he’s taken a new direction sonically only heightens the experience of Le Noise as a late-period masterpiece for the last remaining hippie.
A heartbreaking stop-motion film of two characters, communicating by message-in-a-bottle. It’s simple and enjoyable to watch.
On top of the fact that today is Final Friday’s, here on Mass St. in Lawrence, today is also the beginning of a three-day event held at the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. The Plaza Art Fair this year contains artists from 35 states and 4 countries. There will be three separate stages with live music, and hopefully some ideal weather conditions to hold through the weekend. The fair runs today from 5-10pm, tomorrow from 10am-10pm, and Sunday from 11am-5pm. This is Jeff White’s most anticipated weekend of each year so if you happen to go and see him, buy the poor idiot a shot.
For reference, this is Jeff White:
I’m throwing it up now, because tomorrow is quite the busy day.
One of my favorite songs from 2009’s Merriweather Post Pavillion, and a very trippy video.
Walk About. 