look around you, you're surrounded. it won't get any better.

there are a variety of reasons that im drawn to the music of brooklyn foursome, small black. their layers of fuzz and haze seem to perfectly compliment the sounds of vulnerability and sincerity that exit from frontman josh kolenik.

in their latest video collaboration with gothamist, their carefully crafted architecture of music is beautifully paralleled by an abandoned building in NY. the two tracks below can be found on their amazing new record, new chain, which is available now.

-t

good weed, white wine. i come alive in the night time.

oh you just knew i was going to post this. cue spilt milk!

fivehead x platypus collabo.

ya, you know word of mouth!

-t

sometimes it's the little things that occupy the biggest part of our lives.

dear blog,

meet roy.

he's rad.

love,

-t

we have to pay for the love we stole.

usually my mental calendar is pretty spot on. i'm great with remembering birthdays, impending events in the lives of my friends that deserve a text message or a visit and shows i must be in the audience for.

so im especially mad at myself for missing stones throw maestro, aloe blacc's free show at ameoba last week. the throwback singer has got a brilliant new record to show off and if your only familiarity with him is because he's the voice behind the theme song for the HBO hit, how to make it in america - then allow me to enlighten your ears with the soulful and sexy jam, "dark end of the street".

and if you're still not convinced, his recent take away show will certainly seal the deal.

-t

you with all those curves, me without no breaks.

my mom has made it her mission to clean out the garage of the house my family has resided in since 1991. filled with mementos and crap from the collective childhood and teenage years of my brother and i, there truly are some hidden gems and forgotten embarrassment.

before the inevitable trip to the garbage dump, she had set aside some stuff for us to look through to either veto or keep. i happened to find a handful of notebooks from my last year in college. bursting with essays, syllabuses and homework, it was all from my upper division english courses (and lower division spanish classes. the irony!). it was interesting to see how i sounded back then and the dumbass ways i tried to impress my professors with my word choice.

despite my college years remaining in my rear view mirror, there's absolutely no reason for me to let my vocabulary skillz go down the shitter (yeah, i just wrote that). so i will continue to impress folks thanks to my new favorite website:

the fucking word of the day.

enjoy!

-t

it's no fun, to be predictably lame.

for some of us, expressing need and want is virtually impossible. there's a few theories behind such inabilities. perhaps it's because some folks believe they don't deserve the things they desire. or they're worried about how their urges will be perceived. or the answer could be as simple as them not knowing what's best for their life.

my current favorite band of drunks and geniuses, lcd soundsystem sure know what they want and aren't afraid to admit it, even if it handsomely drips of desperation, isolation and break-up induced melancholy.

stream the live version of "all i want" from their upcoming live album, the london sessions HERE.

-t

all you have to remember, is that everything will be okay.

james franco vs. the world.

my money's on franco.

-t

not quite sure where we're going, but I know we're gonna get there soon.

it always surprises me when people make a big deal about youngsters writing simplistic, yet exquisite songs about love. let's be honest. no one falls in love quicker, with more unforgiving vulnerability than teenagers. it's bare bones heart-on-the-sleeve emotion, that exposes a universal sympathy. because we've all been 14 and love struck at some point, right?

check out oxnard's finest youngsters laying it all on the line.

catwalk - "please don't break me" MP3

-t

the tipping point is the biography of an idea.

for everything good and bad, there is someone behind it, spreading their ideas, talents and point of view. they don't strong-arm others into acceptance, but in fact easily infiltrate the process and way that people see and want things. who influences you? and more importantly, who do you think you influence?

-t

there is a light that never goes out.

captivating doesn’t seem to be a strong enough adjective to describe the ladies of warpaint. the foursome always seem so cool under pressure, while managing sexy glares and stylishly mangled hair. even more intriguing is despite being shrouded by moments of darkness, their fans aren’t scared away - but instead become even more emotionally drawn in.

their latest collaboration with yourstru.ly showcase all of the reasons warpaint are probably cooler than you.

what's the matter? you hurt yourself?

-t

so what's it gonna be? dessert or disaster?

drinks + costumes + cabs + friends + selective memory = halloween 2010.

-t(ricksten)

stacks like the international house of pancakes.

when i was in oregon a few months back, i caught a live set from UK producer and hat enthusiast, slugabed. i didn't know anything about him or even how to correctly spell his name.

now he's back on my brain with this ridiculous remix for a kankick track called "say".

press play and let this banger help you get over your halloween hangover.

-t

im hardly alive if i try to survive, with just a paper heart

for everyone that enjoys that complimentary basket of hot bread upon entering a restaurant, allow me to introduce you to butter! better!

-t

the person you love is 72.8% water.

i'd like a hug, a hi-five, a platter of mimosas, an ounce of respect, a warm towel straight out of the dryer and a massage. but i'll settle for some sugar.

young prisms - "sugar" MP3

-t

for you i keep my legs apart and forget about my tainted heart.

without naming names, there are a few folks in my life who could benefit from getting some. i think it would help relax them and make them less...aggressive (or passive aggressive for others).

so for those folks, listen to lykke li's new song and go forth young bucks.

imjussayin!

-t

a chance is just a picture, i'd be nice if you just take it.

i really love listening to records inspired by los angeles. it's refreshing to hear different perspectives, even if the finished product doesn't entirely have nice things to say about my city.

luckily, austin-by-way-of-los-angeles producer anthony arroyo aka (el nou mon) does his hometown some justice with the perfect amount of atmospheric fuzz and flirty woodwinds.

his latest 6 track EP - fuck your bad vibes, bro - has not only become a contender for album title of the year, but sounds like all of the lost puzzle pieces that are hidden across this lovely town.

bummer solstice,

-t

make me sleep so badly, invisible friend.

can you believe ive gone over 100 posts without gushing about my favorite producer/musician/dj - nosaj thing? since the boys of MHD introduced me to this local beat wizard, i haven't been able to get my head out of the clouds. cloud nine status.

his debut record, drift, would've been my favorite record of 2009 - that is of course if the band phoenix didn't exist and didn't put out their nearly perfect album wolfgang amadeus phoenix. ive seen him spin and do live sets all over socal and even bought the last ticket to the debut of his visual show at the downtown independent last year. now he's set to release the accompanying, drift remixed on november 2nd. get your first taste below, courtesy of one jamie xx.

nosaj thing - fog (jamie xx remix) MP3

ps: get your mind blown as nosaj once again brings his stunning visual show home with another wiz kid, toro y moi, on november 11th.

-t

fascination ends, here we go again.

on sunday, i rounded up some troops and made my way to the do-over. more like the drizzle-over, it was a spectacular sunday spent with randoms, classics, pitchers of sangria and cigarette smoke under scattered raindrops. my main motivation to go, was that parisian producer (and resident cute face), ONRA was in town.

listen to him describe his sound (his accent kills me) and watch the man play some ball in a pair of skinny jeans and a beanie. his latest record, long distance, is out now via all city.

-t

it takes two to make a thing go right.

there are quite a few things i love about this video.

and since im a virgo, i will just list them:

1) homegirl has a giant tiger tattoo on her left arm.

2) this may be one of the cutest, musically inclined couples ive ever seen.

3) tiny animal decor!

4) reading rainbow!

-t

i will sneak myself into your pocket.

and i thought i was detail oriented.

beautiful x 100,

-t