feeling frazzled

songs that are helping me push through finals.

friday and summer cannot come soon enough.

California Gurls - Katy Perry (ft. Snoop Dog)

Tighten Up - The Black Keys

This Too Shall Pass (Passion Pit Remix) - Ok Go

Man - The Bird and the Bee (thanks rem)

22 - Lily Allen

Break Your Heart - Taio Cruz (ft. Ludacris)

picture from hipsterpuppies.

why don't you love me?

A gem of a video from Ariella.

I love the vintage clothes, furniture, and dance moves.

Wondering what film stock they shot it on.

Digital manipulation or 16mm?

Not crazy about the song, but could keep watching.

"Why Don't You Love Me" - Beyoncé from Beyoncé on Vimeo.

psychedelic pooch

The annual Intergroom competition in Seacaucus, NJ is a polar opposite to traditional dog shows like Westminster. At Intergroom, dogs are turned into works of art. Their fur is cut, sculpted, dyed, and thus transformed to resemble a number of different things. This year contestants primped their dogs to resemble Lady Gaga, Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter, and sea horses (see above). Though you would think this can't be good for the dogs, the owners and artists promise that they love it too. Definitely an alternative to most dog's lives.

in honor of...

rel going surfing this weekend in new zealand,

the man on west university running at 1:30am on saturday,

and the two weeks left until SUMMER.

blackouts fade into fresh lemonade and late night serenades

birth of cool

I once took a class called "The Concept of Cool and Its Circulation." It was an anthropology class in which we read lofty theorists' views of "cool." Their ideas rather muddled the already elusive notion and gave no conclusive definition of what it takes or means to be cool. I suppose that makes sense because the idea is completely subjective, but as someone who has always been obsessed with the concept (or rather the concept of not being cool) the class wholly bothered me. I am still on my search of cool and I recently stumbled upon this rad site, which I fell for. It's called "the impossible cool." I'm not sure if that refers to it being impossible to be as cool as the men photographed on the site or if being cool is altogether impossible. (I lean toward the latter.) Either way, this blog somewhat poses that to be cool you must be iconic-ly gorgeous and wear a mean pout. I'll work on that asap.

But the impossible cool's newest site presents a more diplomatic approach: "A Conversation on Cool." This idea of cool is offered, along with some others:

Cool is effortless. Cool is soulful, an inner peace and calm within that’s radiated outward. Cool isn’t afraid to say or do anything. The uncool is. Cool is magnetic.

JHU FILM FESTIVAL

JHU FILM FESTIVAL

APRIL 16-18th, 2010

BALTIMORE, MD

Johns Hopkins Film Fest 2010 from Carlos Valdes-Lora on Vimeo.

APRIL 25, 2010 - EARTH DAY

CELEBRATE THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF EARTH DAY

APRIL 25TH, 11AM-7PM

THE NATIONAL MALL

WASHINGTON D.C.

Join the climate rally in D.C. with the billions of people around the globe in celebrating Earth Day. It is time to stop protecting polluters and enact comprehensive climate legislation that will create American jobs, cap carbon emissions, and secure our nation's future. Passion Pit, Sting, John Legend, The Roots, and more will be performing on Sunday too. What could be better than supporting a worthy cause while seeing a free concert? There will also be speakers, including director James Cameron and author Margaret Atwood. Oh, and did I mention free transportation?

Climate Rally

Sign the Petition

Help Make a Difference

flash delirium

The music video for Flash Delirium, off of MGMT's newest album Congratulations, has high production quality and, at times, a bizarre Royal Tenenbaums-esque quality to it. If only the song actually had the same energy that the video does. There seems to be a discrepancy between the vibrance of the video's actions and the disinterested sound MGMT gives the song. But unsurprisingly, the clean look of the music video explodes into a messy mash up of images and even sounds that seem to be there simply for shock value.

swimming by florence + the machine

bonus track on florence + the machine's debut album lungs. phenomenal.

shelter with an english fry up

The English company London Undercover created this umbrella. An unusual print for a "brolly," but there's nothing like a full English breakfast to keep your spirits up when dodging raindrops. They also make a line of more subdued umbrellas here: www.londonundercover.co.uk

17

To risk harping on one artist, Sky Ferreira's music video of 17 was released Tuesday. Quite the saucy vixen for a minor. The music video itself is nothing groundbreaking, but the song is infectious. I can't and don't get enough of that voice - still waiting for her album to drop...

watch here.

bumpin to

© Julie Blackmon

Downtight - Stevie Wonder vs. Jay Sean ft. Lil' Wayne

Keep the Lights On - Wave Machine

Under the Sheets - Ellie Goulding

Up Up and Away - Kid Cudi

Rome - Phoenix ft. Devendra Banhart

I Want You Back - Discovery

watch out

In July 2009 I wrote about this 17-year old siren. In August I worked with her on Putty Hill. Today she is rising up, starting to shoot up through the LA pop music sidewalk cracks. When her album drops, be one of the few who already knows her. I recommend her cover of Stevie Nicks' "Stand Back."

She's here here and even here.

Sky Ferreira Fuck Yeah

short and extremely satisfying.