The Age of the Adz

I'm ridiculously excited.

Sufjan Stevens is releasing an LP on October 12th.

If you haven't had the pleasure of listening to this master storyteller, it's like having arrows of emotion fired straight into your ears. Visions of cities, people and places throughout history explode in your head. As pieces of the arrow splinter off and travel through your veins, sending chills from your armpits to fingertips. Blood pumps fast in your heart, until your a puddle not a person.

Michael Peck- Threats and Promises (82cm x 36cm. Oil on Linen. 2010)

In other words he's a bloody fine songwriter, composer and musician. Plus he knows how to wear wings stylishly.

As a heads up, so you don't sound like a dweeb - “adz” is pronounced “odds.” According to a press release form Asthmatic Kitty records "adz" is a cutting tool that is used to sculpt wood

"The title The Age of Adz is a reference to the apocalyptic art of Royal Robertson (1930—1997), a Louisiana-based sign-maker (and self-proclaimed prophet) who suffered from schizophrenia. Robertson’s work depicts his vivid dreams and visions of space aliens, futuristic automobiles, eccentric monsters and signs of the Last Judgment. Portions of Stevens’ album use Robertson’s work as an idealistic springboard and a selection of Robertson’s drawings (his primary media were poster board, magic marker, and glitter) appear throughout the album art."

Sounds like this next record is going to be another quiver full of arrows.

Curtains

If only I could stay in bed today...sleep in the gentle sun, and read endlessly just for fun.

Brian Dunlop; Curtains (2009, oil on linen, 103 x 68.5cm)

A peach/ looks good/with lots of fuzz/but a man's no peach/and never was

I am obsessed with Mad Men. Each episode is a slice of perfection, as only HBO knows how to achieve.

It's a wonder how the Mad Men ever got anything done with the endless boozy breakfast meetings and sucking of cigarettes;c at calling the typing pool and conducting numerous extra-matrital affairs; fearing of the cold war, the soviets and "the bomb".

But the real life Mad men were smart and surprising poetic as evident in the Burma-Shave advertising campaign -

Countless witty advertising jingles dotted the highways of America from 1926 to the late 1960s.

Alvin Richard; Bel Air in Monterey (15 x 11'', 2009, acrylic on gessoed hardboard)

Get your culture jam on by reading some of these catchy (kinda) clerihews:

The Highway Beautification Act 1965 stopped the company from erecting new slogans, the subsequent lack of exposure lead to the loss of sales and the demise of an American icon. The Burma-Shave company eventually became the property of the American Safety Razor Company.

Not to be outdone by the ad's of the past - these contemporary Billboards are a visual feast.

Look at me. Oh my.

Here's looking at you punk.

Books are Powerful

Bookshelf Sculptures by Mike Stilkey

This is just asking to be a ridiculously good excuse to buy more books...

Lyrics in the liner notes

I saw the original white, middle class male - Ben Folds at the Opera House last September. He charmed the crowd with some songs that he was working on with Nick Hornby [whose essays I adore –The Polysyllabic Spree had me squealing like pig for slaughter] I’m not sure if anyone else can make a MySpace site seems so effortlessly lyrical [Levi Johnson’s Blues]

Ben Folds promised that the album would be released sometime in late 2010 – well it’s now late 2010 and the album is so close to dropping its causing ants to run around in circles.

Lonely Avenue has been made specifically to be listened to on vinyl… it’s out in Australia September 24.

In the mean time you can sup on this song, while shopping for record players on ebay.

It features spoken word by Nick Hornby and the quirky antics of Pomplamoose....I wish all news were delivered to Ben Folds mouth popping in the background.

Here are some more of Nick Hornby's hilarious soap box lyrics that had to be cut from the song (lest the song be 6 minutes long)



"I’ll tell you what they should do to improve women’s soccer: lower the crossbar. It’s obvious! No female goalkeeper is six feet six! So in the women’s game, balls keep sailing over the keeper’s head. Makes them look amateurish. Drop the crossbar by six inches."



"If this stupid kitten walks over the keyboard of my laptop again, I swear I’m going to put her in a bag with a couple of bricks and drop her in the Thames. I’m not even joking. And I’d tell the kids she’d run away, like the last one. The last one actually did run away. He added hastily."

Champagne Supernova

I stumbled through this morning bleary eyed and nursing a throbbing headache. I guzzled glass after glass of water trying to diffuse the effects of the champagne supernova [ie. wedding].

I hung my weary head in my hands, my limbs legthergic, each movement slow and calculated. I contemplated the wasted day that lay ahead.

Alyssa Monks, Hands (2008 Oil on canvas 48x56in.)

But that didn't sit well with me. While snacking on a ham, cheese, tomato toastie i decided that i didn't want to wallow in world weary thoughts.

Alyssa Monks, Smush (40x54, oil on linen, 2008)

So i decided to reminiscent instead.

The green facepaint, the flowing curls pinned to one side, the pageboy playing footy with the ring cushion, the bridesmaid dress malfunctioning from vigorous dancing, the leggy wedding jump shot, the somewhat crude table telegrams and catcalls in the church.

Then i cracked up.

Alyssa Monks, Laughing Girl (2009, oil on linen, 40 x 60 in.)

Best hangover cure ever.

If i were a classier broad i would try to convince myself that my befuddled look this morning was as Alyssa Monks describes her artistic intentions:

"I prefer to keep the facial expressions ambiguous, like the moments between clear feelings or thoughts. In this way, the conversation is ongoing; the facial expression can change and suggest rather than impose."

While Monks is of the school of photorealism she distances herself from that label

"Reality isn't' slick or smooth or without texture...so I don't paint it that way. Reality is full of misunderstandings and mistakes and unpredictability and inconsistencies and ugliness as well as beauty - so is paint."

Which i think is a lovely way to sum up my s'wonderful weekend.

Animal Instincts

I awoke to a flurry of birdcalls this morning.

I continued my birdwatching as i cycled to work.

Once inside the building, i felt so isolated from the wild things. The cool lino floors, stark fluorescent lighting, temperature controlled offices, the relentless hum of computers and drone of harried colleges made the day drag endlessly.

Once outside the air tasted so fresh, i almost swooned.

It's time to bring the wild to work.

Bat For lashes

Elizabeth Taylor 1960's pussy cat eyes

Audrey Hepburn

Karl Lagerfield for

m

aison michel

Swan Lake

Ava Gardner

Alkemie