MUSIC FROM THE COOLEST GUY IN THE INTERNET

Over on io9, commenter Gods-n-Clods kindly gave me the title of "Coolest Person in the Internet" something that I really take to heart. Though I was shocked to learn that it wasn't just my massive body of incredible work that caught me on his radar, but rather a while ago when I suggested some music that he then got really into. This made me really happy.

I love music. I have a shit ton of LP's and thousands of mp3's. I still have a handful of CD's that I just love and won't (or can't) get rid of, but at this point I don't see why you'd buy new one. Regardless, I feel that I have excellent taste in music, but I know that this is a feeling shared by almost anyone who listens to music so I don't pay it much mind. I am happy when my tastes are confirmed by outside sources like Gods-n-Clods, and the new army of Incredible Bongo Band fans that are out there after the 2012:Disaster trailer. I have no interest in this becoming a music blog, but I figure every so often I'll pass along some things I really love. Beginning today.

I do want to let you know that

A: I don't really do too much mainstream stuff, but I loathe Indie Rock.

and

B: I don't do "ironic". If I'm listening to something it's because I really like it and think it is worthwhile. I spent enough time in High School and college listening to things I thought were cute in order to get attention and look cool.

This brings me to my first recommendation. Montée. There are plenty of bands out there riding the new 80's synth rebirth, but too many of them seem content with doing it with their tongues planted firmly in their cheeks as they hold a copy of Vice magazine for reference to the now. Personally, I want people who are going to take the work spearheaded by people like Brian Eno, Giorgio Moroder and to a certain extent Toto, and filter it through a couple decades worth of musical advancement, not just copy a Casio Sound. Montée nails this on their album "Isle of Now". Of course they aren't American, they're Norwegian which means even if they are kidding, you can't tell.

From what I can cobble together from the limited info on the web they are a sort of Hardcore/punk/Industrial/Experimental/who knows supergroup that decided to make an album that makes a big shift from all those sounds. I could go into trying to describe what it sounds like but I'd probably fall flat. Is Epic Soft Rock a genre?

Let me put it this way. It's 5 years after the apocalypse, you and your lover have survived the cataclysm, the marauders, starvation and now are two of the few people left on earth. As you travel in your convertible through deserts, or on a sailboat through the silent waters of the planet are you going to only listen to "Kill 'em All". Nah, you'll need this album.

SONGS-(let me know if you will actually listen to these here or if in the future I should just file link you to a couple of tracks)

ISLE OF NOW:

ASCEND:

-GD

I'M CALLING IT... THE BIGGEST DISASTER IS!!!

Well done you guys. For a moment I thought I was going to have to declare it opposite day and say what we all knew...That "Transformers: Revenge (or is it Rise? who gives a shit) of the Fallen" Was the greatest thing to come out in a long while. But then... like a hail Mary pass you guys swooped in (or is it Swoped in? swept?) and declared the Battlestar Galactica Finale the biggest disaster of the last few months!!! Woo Hoo!

I'm very proud of you all. See the results here on io9 in case you think I'm lying just to make sure TF didn't lose/win.

-GS

p.s. the pic above is a super big image from a Season 1 (or even maybe miniseries) press packet I got a long time ago so click on it and then save it for your wallpaper cause I know we all love Pre-whiney angel Starbuck.

The Revenant Trailer

One of my best friends, Chris, shot a movie a little while ago that I was excited because it was a genre pic and I figured at best it would wind up on SyFy. It's actually getting some buzz and is supposed to be rather good. The trailer really gets me excited for it in a "I'd see this even if it wasn't my friend" kind of way. Check it out and keep your eyes peeled for it showing near you!!

-GD

MARVEL MANIA

So over at Comic Book Resources via io9 someone posted the menu from one of my all time favorite restaurants MARVEL MANIA. It was like Planet Hollywood or The Hard Rock Cafe, except that all their memorabilia was fictional and had to be made by a prop house. "Oh, you have Keith Richard's guitar? That's cool. WE HAVE THE FUCKING INFINITY GAUNTLET!!!"

Since I recently just bought a new scanner and dug out an old photo box I figure I'd share the scant memories I have from my one visit to the restaurant. As you can see we geared our interests in a specific direction.

PLATE: What a great logo.

SHOT GLASS: Thank god Marvel's heroes are in the real world otherwise I'd have to start calling my Manhattans Metropolises.

-GD

Not all I do is 1s and 0s

PAINTINGS:

So as you may or may not know I am coming into the homestretch of expecting a little girl. We already have all the furniture we need and the wife picked a color scheme of Pink/Fuscia and Black. She got some wonderful wall decals for one wall.

But, that was just one wall so we need to cover others, so the wife asked if I could contribute some artwork for our daughters room. I worked within the color range (for the most part though it's a bit more purple than pink) and came up with this cuddly little beast. I'll probably still tweak it, put a shadow underneath the critter and fix a couple little things but it's pretty much done. I'll also take a better photo once I find my camera charger, this is the iPhone but thought I'd share.

DETAIL

OTHER PAINTING THINGY:

So, also yesterday we picked up a couple little items. Down the street from us here is a Consignment furniture shop. It's called Consign Design, but that is not an invitation for you to go gank all the cool stuff I am now gonna look for. We have literally driven past it every day for the past 2 1/2 years and never gone in because most of the stuff we can see from the window is antiques, 80's contemporary etc... Not really my style and occasionally no style at all. But earlier this week they put a 60's orange lamp in the window so I figured I'd stop by and see how much it was. $250... way too much for me right now, but looking around the store I saw a couple other things and came back yesterday with the special lady, did some haggling with the very friendly salesman there, (thanks John) and walked away with this painting as well as 2 (original as I just discovered) cushion-less Burke chairs. All for a very respectable price. My only concern now is this... Who is the artist of this beaut'? And what do we name her, or do we just stick with calling her "Spanish Lady"? [again, iPhone pic, WHERE'S MY DAMN CHARGER!!! I've got a baby to take photos of soon!!!]

-Garrison

More Music

Ok, while I do like the work of my friend Anduze (find him at iTunes or CD Now), I have to admit I spent the better part of the weekend listening to this. The full album, which found its way to me via an industry friend, is just as awesome as the first.

I'm so happy that Brendon Small bothers to make real music to accompany his fake band. So often "parody work" winds up resting on its humor or the fact that it exists at all. No one would put the work of the Rutles or Cb4 against their real life counterparts. Even Spinal Tap, while amazing, still can be heard singing with their tounges in their cheeks. Dethklok could be put up against any band out there and probably come out swinging.

-GD

Support this man!

If you're a fan of smooth soul, new soul, old soul, slick vocals, or just good music for f*%&'n check out this new release by a friend of mine, Anduze. It's a soulful examination of love lost, well not so much lost but given away. "Speak Now" is particulary catchy.

Oh, I also did the album art. so, you know, make me look good.

ANDUZE - CLOSURE

-GD

Text Illustrations

Been playing with some very lo-res sketches of text illustrations, just to work on the process for it. The Cloud City needs a lot of work but I like where it is going I just don't know if I'm going to take it there. I'd need to see if I can make these sorts of things move in AE.

-GD