Siria’s March Soundtrack
This month I listened to a lot more Camera Obscura (seriously, they’ve fit my every mood–I’d be okay with having “Teenager” play in the background to whatever I’m doing on a loop) and a lot of really old country, but aside from that here’s a sampling of the rest of the stuff I listened to:
WHAT I FELL ASLEEP TO:
Morning Benders – “Excuses”
I love this song, and the recording idea behind it. That’s all.
I also love this old song of theirs:
Psychedelic Furs – “The Ghost in You”
I am going to make a statement that is a little out of the character for me, being as I’m not usually so committed to anything. This song may very well be my absolute favorite all time song (EVER!), and if this song is playing in my near vicinity and you change it I will kick you out of my office/car/house with no explanation, I don’t care who you are.
If I could have a song from the Replacements and this song (or even just “Love My Way”) on every single one of my playlists I would be a happy girl. However, surprisingly I don’t believe this ever has made any of my monthly playlists until now?
Radar Bros. – “Stay”
I have a great respect for Mr. Putnam, and was bummed that I would be out of town on the evening of the release of the latest effort by Radar Bros. this past Friday. So, instead I consoled myself by listening to some of the older music that included this track. (more…)
NOTES FROM VIVACE’S MARCH SOUNDTRACK…
The Resonant Heads - “War”
The Ignorant - “The Veteran”
We Barbarians - ”Dysphoria”
RE-DISCOVERING THE SUNSET STRIP PART 3 (3 OF 3): THE WHISKEY A GOGO – DEAD ROSE BEAUTY
Third trip to the Sunset Strip: Whisky A Go Go
Re-Experience. This is part three of the Sunset Strip re-experience. For Part I click here and for Part II click here.
Off to see Dead Rose Beauty.
Parking. Free parking once again. The street meters were broken. I was told once by a friend that there is a phone number on the meters that you should call if you’re parked at a broken meter so that they don’t give you a ticket. I called that number and gave them the meter I was parked at and told them not to give me a parking ticket. (I have no clue if you’re really supposed to call the phone number on the meter. For this column, I spent time searching through the LADOT website and didn’t read anything about failed meters. I did not get a parking ticket nor did anyone else on the street.)
My friend, Thomas, is in a band called Dead Rose Beauty. My description: They’re polished aggression with a female sensibility. Their stage presence is like watching rock ballet. The last time I saw them was nearly a year ago. They might have played once or twice after I last saw them, but then they went into hibernation mode. About once a month, I’d ask, “So when are you playing again?” He’d say, “We’re re-working our sound so probably not for a few months.” Then it was, “Maybe towards the end of the year, we’ll do a set.” And then, “We’re doing a showcase in early 2010.” And finally, “We’re playing in February at the Whisky.”
About twelve of us showed up to support our friend. (more…)
DELTRON 3030 RECOMMENDED: Jonsi – Go
The reach of my bilingual abilities are more or less exceeded when I ask for ”poquito” salt when i get my street corner fruit stand bags and then watch as the dude rolls his eyes and mutters “damn gringo” (in English) under his breath. How do I explain to him that Spanish alluded me in High School. When my Cuban neighbor’s mother would try to engage me in light conversations in Spanish I’d stare back at her like Charlie Babbett and spout out nonsensical gibberish – usually falling back on my go to reply of “¿Dónde está La Zapateria?” No I wasn’t in the market for new Air Jordans, I just liked the way it sounded, mostly because it sounded like a place where I could go get some pizza. She’d smile and we’d cobble together some more pained make-shift conversations that probably sounded like a Tarzan movie on Univision. I’m sure she grew tired of the bilingual charade but I didn’t care – she made some amazing cuban pork dishes that were unimaginable coming from the LeFevre Lane kitchen of Shake-N-Bake pork chops..
Not knowing a second language has always been my secret shame. I’ve considered getting a bootleg Rosetta Stone for quite some time…but what language should I choose? After recalling my failures with my neighbor, Spanish is obviously a fine option…as is French. My last name is LeFevre so along with that name come certain expectations. However, today I’ve thought about learning the native tongue of Iceland…but it kind of seems like a waste. Even though I don’t speak Icelandic ( or “hopelandic”) I’ve always loved every Sigur Ros album that has been released. Sure I’ve had no fucking clue what Jonsi had been singing about but it never really mattered to me. The music spirits you away to a place where there are no language barriers. Sigur Ros could be singing their own personal Icelandic interpretations of “Baby Got Back” and it would still seem otherworldly and ethereal. His voice coupled with the beautiful backing music made for an uplifting, out of body, sonic experience that I’d always welcome if I found myself in a foul mood. Sigur Ros was the “Tussen” for one’s soul – a magical musical elixir that could fix whatever ailed you.
Seeing as I love Sigur Ros it was safe to assume that I’d be a fan of Jonsi’s solo album – and as it turns out it is pretty amazing album bursting with beauty. It’s also pretty different. Part of Sigur Ros’ charm has been their mystery. The listener could set the mood and pretty much write their own lyrics. That in of itself was very freeing. To make things even more interesting, ss if Icelandic wasn’t hard enough to decipher, Jonsi came up with is own language called “hopelandic” just in case anyone was fluent in his home language. Only Jonsi himself knew who or what he was singing about. This is not the case on his solo album – six of the nine songs are sung in English. Even still, his voice is so distinct and so married to the past Sigur Ros albums I can’t help but feel like I’m listening to a foreign tongue. Obviously my brain wants to keep that association with wide open possibilities alive so I’ve let it. Why wouldn’t I? His otherworldly voice coupled with the listener’s “choose your own adventure” approach is what resonates with us. (more…)
Straight Talk: Ion One Stroke Perpetual Heat Ceramic Digital Styling Iron
After my last hair straightener ended it’s life, I had no choice but to replace it. This is the second one I’ve had to buy in the last two years. The one previous to that was stolen when my car was broken into last year if you recall, but that one I had had for 2 to 3 years and was by far my favorite one, until now.
When shopping for a new straightener, the selection can be a little overwhelming. There are infomercials trying to sell you perfect straight hair with a spinning brush (I’ve tried this product, it worked ok but didn’t keep my hair straight), hairstylists trying to sell you their tools of the trade, and it can also be hard to tell which are the better products at specialty stores/beauty supplies since most boast the same qualities and are priced competitively.
I’ve had some really good straighteners like the one that was stolen (that I’d originally purchased at a Beauty Supply) and some ok ones like the most recent one (that I’d purchased directly from the headquarters of a well known hair product brand that their stylists use in all of their salons) that just stopped working (although according to my ex-roommate, it did provide us with “a summer of good hair”).
I thought back to the one that was my all-time favorite to date and decided to head to Sally’s Beauty Supply and check out what they had to offer. I sat in front of their selection for a little bit comparing heat levels, prices, etc. I ended up going with the one that seemed a little cocky claiming to “straighten your hair in one stroke.” Getting my hair straight in one stroke isn’t usually the issue, many straighteners can easily do this. The test is will it keep my hair straight most of the day? So, I decided to purchase it and call it’s bluff.
Turns out it completely lives up to it’s claims. This straightener probably straightened my hair in the quickest time (I have very thick and long hair) and also kept my hair straight even when the weather was on the verge of rainy. The true test will come when humidity of summer nights come into play, but we’ll see I am expecting it to still be able to handle that. So far I am happy with this and already recommended this to a few girlfriends.
The other people who I can imagine benefiting from this tool would be guys who also straighten their hair as it really does work super-quick and keeps hair straight for a long time. This might work superbly for guys and girls in bands who tour a lot as getting ready time can be so limited and inconsistent. My hair straightening time was probably cut in half and I didn’t touch my hair again with it until a day or two later.
The price is competitive at $79.99 (although it’s currently on sale on their site and possibly in stores for $69.99).
Click here for more info.
CLOSING OUT FASHION WEEK with THE FASHION GIRLS
Here is Good Day LA’s and Young Hollywood’s coverage of our (Brand Equity Showroom and The Gallery LA) fashion show March 21 that closed out LA Fashion Week featuring Civil Society, Zanerobe, Division E, and footwear by Report Signature.
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