life is gathering material.

they say god doesn't give with two hands. you're either handsome but not smart. or you're intellegent but socially inept. but if you investigate deep enough, you'll find that sometimes - lightning can strike twice. case in point, "florida" the latest single from princeton, seems to benefit from a two-handed charisma as both the original and it's lovely cosmic kids remix kills at two opposing tempos.

grab both mp3s over at stereogum.

remembrance of things to come drops february 21st.

-t

someday this pain will be useful to you.

pull the blinds up, let the sunlight in and imagine what bob harris could have possibly whispered on the streets of tokyo.

keep shelly in athens - "just like honey (jesus & mary chain cover)"

 fun fact: the first line of this song was used as the title for this blog's debut post.

-t

someone's gotta help me dig.

aubrey plaza gone wild. 

father john misty - "hollywood forever cemetary sings"

-t

don't worry. you'll be here forever.

there is a complexity that lies within the movie shame that reaches far beyond sexual urges. it battles with isolation, disconnection, unresolved childhood demons and relentless self-punishment. michael fassender is brilliant as brandon sullivan. despite being polite, successful and seemingly well-adjusted, he's also cold and aloof from social norms. he lives through a series of erotic tendencies, but never seems to find genuine satisfaction in actual interactions, just a dangerous dependency on the routine of it all. carey mulligan as his wounded sister, offers an awkward sense of sexual tension, emptiness and a mound of questions that never find answers. as the movie unravels, the only thing that becomes clear is the unfortunate state of their lives.

with that, i will not say anymore in fear of ruining such an intense and emotional portrait of addiction. 

-t

i can't forget the place this started.

the beauty of youthful affection can be defined by its participant's innocent and nervous interactions. a simple arm graze or the act of sitting really close to someone can feel like magic in itself. and since you're usually confined to adolescent locations that don't require long distances of travel, a gesture of fondness can start with a walk and possibly lead to something sweeter. 

memoryhouse - "walk with me"

-t

finding something you're not looking for.

to be frank, i hardly ever make my way down the sunset strip. it's just not really my bag of tricks. and if i'm going to eat thai food, i usually haunt thai town or my new favorite cash-only-hole-in-the-wall-situation: wat dong moon lek. but after watching these two videos, i might just have to make the exception for night + market.

chef kris' eyebrows kinda sealed the deal, too.

-t

i'm practicing being a better person on you.

revealing a new years resolution isn't the same as telling someone your birthday wish. it's not bad if you share it. in fact, i think it's actually a good thing to admit out loud, so that your close network of lovers and friends can evaluate your progress.

every year for the past five holidays, it goes without fail that i make a promise to myself to become a better person. it's oddly comforting and i genuinely tend to remember it when i'm disappointing others. but it hits with an especially higher form of consequence when i realize that i've let myself down.

my resolution popped into my mind this morning, but not as a result of something bad. it was because of the title to the wonderful new tennis jam.

tennis - "my better self"

-t

if i don't use words, then each sound goes unheard.

the new song from chairlift reminds me of a sweet, slightly awkward but often times necessary confession of love between one best friend to another.

despite already realizing just how well they seem to compliment each other, there's got to be the grand gesture of affection and recognition of one's earned place in the other's heart. the chairlift version of this scenario seems to culminate in a lot of dancing, a few meaningful hugs and right into the eventual cinematic closing kiss. 

all of me, honestly. is dedicated to hold ya.

-t

what would you do if i stole ya?

your daily dose of sexy. courtesy of desire.

desire - "don't call"

-t

do some research junior, i'm in the mood to be right.

if you've ever battled with A) a disgusting amount of self-absorption, B) makers mark fueled alcoholism, C) a ridiculous obsession for the past, D) the inability to see past your own thoughts and into the reality of your fucked up personality or E) any of the above, then please make it a point to go see young adult.

however, if you're a well adjusted, generally happy person who (probably) doesn't drink or curse, this movie will go right over your head. upon ingesting the hour and 40 minute film, i walked away pleased and identifying with certain characteristics and situations. however my thoughts were not shared by two anonymous voices in the bathroom who proclaimed just how awful they thought young adult was. 

darker than black coffee and brutally vulnerable, the report between charlize theron and patton oswalt was bittersweet perfection. if you're looking for a glass that's pretty much empty, go catch this flick.

-t

you are my medicine, when you're close to me.

it's the simple pleasures that make existing hand-in-hand with a significant other both impressively sweet and impossibly beautiful. the new single from brooklyn's class actress highlights the simplicity of living in love and exactly how she believes it should be discussed. 

class actress - "bienvenue"

-t

when there is nothing left to burn, you must set yourself on fire.

and my second favorite friday morning activity (uninterrupted sleep = #1), came back with a vengeance for the new year. steve harrington and justin kreitemeyer from national forest graced us with stories about their art center beginnings, lying to clients (in good ways) and tips on how to ignite the spark within to yield both creative and personal riches.

after a free cup of coffee, half a chocolate donut and unexpected attendance from the old boss, it was a great way to kick off creative mornings 2012 (even if the parking situation at ford & ching leaves much to be desired.)

-t

there's someone here who laughs too hard at everything.

swedish (with a new york connection) outfit, miike snow throws us some vocal curveballs in their latest single, "paddling out". the drop hits around the 1:15 mark and plays nicely against the familiar croons of frontman andrew wyatt.

happy to you hits stores this march.

-t

i'm trying to do better than good enough.

thursday afternoon trifecta: i dig her art, her handwriting and the sigur ros song accompaniment.

herakut: nuart 2011

watch till the end for the sigur ros typo.

-t

you forget too easily and i remember too fast.

my smaller and more intimate orbit of confidants have had a reoccurring topic on the table for the past few months: timing. whether it's about relationships (of varying kinds) or professional uncertainties, we can't seem to stop discussing the missed opportunities or incorrect moments of clarity that prevented a different definition of balance in our lives. 

when i heard the latest single from matthew dear, it served as a reminder to many of those conversations while also stimulating my own opinions with the subject.

matthew dear featuring jonny pierce- "in the middle (i met you there)"

-t

the point at which you really get to know someone is when they can surprise you most.

the cut and pasted new video from MNDR shows off her rad bag of white-girl dance moves while also proving that not all undercuts have to be obnoxious.

MNDR - "#1 in heaven"

with a bullet,

-t

i'm ninety nine miles from LA.

if you're anywhere but home, it's time to make your way back.

air tycoon - "los angeles"

-t

just cause they're my favorite celebrity friendship.

-t

i can't remember if i liked what i said.

the new(ish) single from chad valley has a genuine sense of shared mediums. it's undeniably sensual but manages to retain his signature sweetness. it vibes of simplicity but relates a fleshed out feeling of execution. it's corresponding bare bones directed video clip is also as chill as it's source material.

chad valley - "reach lines"

-t

words can fly a thousand miles.

if you're in the mood for a lullaby of bells, hi-hats and handclaps, let detroit producer shiegto tuck you in.

shiegto - "huron river drive"

-t

smile like you've got nothing to prove.

don draper.

50% of the cast of bridesmaids.

and the always handsome adam scott.

bring.it.on.

friends with kids hits cinemas march 9th.

-t

looping state of mind.

sometimes a behind-the-scenes video is so awesome that i forget that there's an alternate result that also needs to be watched. but in the case of the making of cusp, my interest was already satisfied that i unapologetically bypassed the actual video.

check out the making of cusp below and if you still feel compelled to view the finished product click here.

-t

no. i said, what kind of bird are you?

"i'll be out. i'm going to find a tree to chop down."

moonrise kingdom

wes anderson and friends hit the theaters this may.

-t

a place to lay my heart.

there's something about san francisco that makes me feel alive. maybe it's the intense feeling of possibility in such a small but impressive city. and the newish video from san francisco twosome, midi matilda, is yet another reason how (and why) the city by the bay elicits nothing but good vibes.

midi matilda - "day dreams"

-t

i can't drink you out of my mind.

with the new year comes the usual promise of unwavering positivity or an interior change towards bigger or better things. like new years resolutions, this outlook keeps us moving with a different kind of urgency. 

the new single from los angeles four piece, princeton, seems to also bask in a specific groove of confidence. a blanket of strings and keys anchors the pace as "remembrance of things to come" moves with good intensions and future sentiments.

see you gents at the bootleg tonight.

-t

consciousness depends on manipulating time.

vacations provide a release from the beat of the daily grind. they remove the excess stresses lodged in your mind and introduce scenarios that reconnect you with the ideas of adventure and indulgence. and despite it's temporary status, vacations often leave imprints that hold dual citzenship in your memory and consciousness.

check out the new single from local beatsmith shlohmo, off his forthcoming vacation EP.

shlohmo - "wen wuu"

-t

like we always do at this time.

whose down to travel to sweden for a cup? according to the muppets, it's faster if we travel by montage.

koppi kaffe & rosteri by tim ciasto

-t

my crown is tipped up, my world is zipped up tight.

it's an intimidating 83 degrees outside, as the sun has set it's glaze upon the sweaty people of los angeles. while british producer, tropics, appears to be weather appropriate mood music, his latest self-released album is less beachside oasis and instead offers a blend of darker and more complex layers that perfectly counterbalances the january heat wave. stream it below.

tropics - nautical clamor

-t

don't think twice, it's alright.

yesterday i had an unfortunate encounter with someone whose ignorant reflections and opinions made me feel quite terrible. i wondered if his tirade came at the cost of his own loneliness and his need to bring others to his state of mind. but then i realized that his words were simply his ordinary. and whether he was actually trying to be offensive or not, he was sadly just being himself.

when i finally decided to not give in to his negativity, i recognized just how precious my own sense of ordinary had become and wouldn't compromise it for another's opposing words.

stream "new ordinary" from orlando twosome, dayjoy, below.



-t

regardless of how much they missed you, the reality is that the whole world went on in your absence.

a year and some change later, i still stand by everything i said.

-t

this will be our year, took a long time to come.

i spent most of january 1st 2012 attempting to feel like a human being again. shoutout to one of the most random new years eve celebrations in most recent memory.

for my peoples, i dedicate this song to you and may it sincerely reign true for us all.

memoryhouse - this will be our year (the zombies cover)

-t