Warming up for a new season

A nice behind the scenes picture of one of the first bands I worked with, The National, rehearsing for a round of shows that will preview their new album, High Violet. Via Mr. Brandon Reid, their most excellent production manager.

New album drops May 11th. I’ve heard it. It’s good. They even have a Twitter now, too. Man, how times change.

I was not paid to post this post. I’m just feeling it.

Posted by Alec Hanley Bemis  

Tags: Brandon Reid, High Violet, Internet Poem, The National, The Problem With Nostalgia

Leave a Comment

David Bowie sang a song called cha-cha-cha-cha-changes.

Just remember, life is always a rehearsal & nobody is perfect. Even David Bowie.

Also, mix engineers are very important.

And sometimes enigmatic is best.

Posted by Alec Hanley Bemis  

Tags: Changes, David Bowie, Rehearsal, The Problem With Glamour, The Problem With Nostalgia

Leave a Comment

American Idol faceoff: Steve Lillywhite vs. Ellen DeGeneris vs. Perez Hilton

Recently talk show host and comedienne Ellen DeGeneres replaced Paula Abdul as the fourth judge on American Idol. More recently the show’s signature presence Simon Fuller announced his departure.

Last week an actual credible record producer, Steve Lillywhite, went public with his go at auditioning for the show.

Having made records with a wide array of artists — artists with admiring constituencies of quite different types (i.e. U2, The Pogues, Dave Matthews, Phish) — he seems uniquely qualified to spot new talent. Maybe he wouldn’t be the best person to pick a flashy winner, but he could certainly narrow the pool. He is, however, not optimistic about his chances, telling the LA Times “I don’t think I have a chance in hell.”

Now why is that?

Read more »

Posted by Alec Hanley Bemis  

Tags: American Idol, Celebrity Culture, Ellen DeGeneres, I Can Be Unstable In a Very Entertaining Way, Perez Hilton, Simon Fuller, Steve Lillywhite, Video

Leave a Comment

“A curiously oppressive brand of love”

Click above for larger sized image.
Read more »

Posted by Alec Hanley Bemis  

Tags: Casual Racism, Grandparents, Office Buildings, Scrolls, Snow, Street Drugs, Vanitas

Leave a Comment

Die Antwoord transcend & transgress (NSFW): A (particulary) short attention span essay on one strand of South African culture

Read this interview with Die Antwoord. Or this one. Or, better yet, catch up with them by reading this informative, catch-all post. Or just listen to their music here.

Where does it seem like their music belongs? South Africa where they’re all from? Or is it strangely Japanese in some way? Or proudly internationalist despite their talk of being provincial?

What is their cultural niche? Hipster parody? A one-note effort to garner crossover attention? Or something meant for mooks and simple rednecks?

Yes, Pitchfork has been on this for over two weeks. (I’m so behind!) But what’s the RIYL: Vanilla Ice? Kool Keith? “Weird Al” Yankovic? Zomby? Aphex Twin?

Laughing at them? Definitely not.
Giggling nervously about what it all means? Perhaps.

Like it? Hate it? Love it? Grossed out by it? Or do you find it poignant? Well, yes, the sidekick (?!?) has progeria. His name is Leon Botha. He is a painter, and one of the oldest living people afflicted with that disease.

Verdict: Completely dystopian yet hopeful, random yet specific, confusing yet compelling. WTF factor x∞!?!
Read more »

Posted by Alec Hanley Bemis  

Tags: Bogan, Chav, Die Antwoord, Ethics, J.M. Coetzee, Next Level Beats, NSFW, PC Computers, Pitchfork, Progeria, Rare Diseases, Redneck, Roger Ballen, South Africa, The Problem With Glamour, The Problem With Nostalgia, The Problem With the Avant Garde, Zef

1 Comment