Showing posts with label hipsters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hipsters. Show all posts

Thursday, July 19

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Same Love

Macklemore dropped this song today as a sampling of his new album, "Heist", which will be released on October 9th. He's also coming to Boston on November 15th, which I am 100% going to.

Same Love.

I can't get over Mary Lambert in it, she kills it. She keeps me warm.

peace
jb

Thursday, June 7

#SummerJams

Super Hipster Edition.

This one's for the ladies; one of my favorite new bands in LA is a trio of sisters called Haim.  They're the best chick-band I've heard in a long time.  Still unsigned, they just released their first music video this morning (audio much better than video):



I've seen them 4 times in LA and had the pleasure of working with them when they opened for Portugal the Man at one of venues that I'm occasionally employed by: super humble, funny girls with a good appreciation for the art they're making and the fans they're gathering.  When I saw them in March, they had their parents (both musicians) come onstage and play a cover. In April, Ryan Adams did a guest spot.

They haven't gotten much radio play in the US yet, but they're on the charts in the UK and were Band of the Week  a few months ago in Vogue.  They received critical acclaim after appearing at South by Southwest in March.

And their EP is available for Free Download.  That's fucking sweet.

I first heard about them because the lead singer dates guitar-virtuoso Blake Mills (formerly of Dawes) and did a duet with him for the "Chimes of Freedom" album (a compilation of Bob Dylan covers that raised money for Amnesty International):



So check them out now, get on the bandwagon while they're still relatively unknown, and then you can sound like a hipster when they get signed and start popping up on traditional media.  Download their free EP: I promise they'll be stuck in your head instantly and leave you wanting more.

-DMc, West Coast Correspondent

Sunday, June 3

#SummerJams

Double edition.

Summer is upon us!  I know some of you have probably heard "Anna Sun" on the radio by now, and I expect a big push leading up to Walk the Moon's major label LP release on June 19 (the day after some of you see them in Boston).

Here's another band who's EP is very promising and name is fucking awesome: Imagine Dragons.



I've heard the lead single "It's Time" getting some airplay recently, although I actually prefer a remixed version by Penguin Prison, an awesome electro-pop band that I told Rob & Mel to see back in April. You can download that remix HERE. Also, you should definitely check out Penguin Prison's album from last year, because it's fantastically fun.

Another new band that's definitely getting radio play is Of Monsters and Men:



They're like, from Iceland, which is cool.  Also, I love a band that has both male & female lead vocals.

So listen for those two #SummerJams as you hit the beach!

-DMc, West Coast Correspondent

Wednesday, March 28

Early #SummerJam Prediction

Prepare to hear this song everywhere.



It was originally released independently two years ago, on an excellent LP called "I Want I Want!" which you can no longer get anywhere.  Why? Because they signed to RCA, and major record labels are pricks.  RCA has re-released "Anna Sun" on EP, with a full length forthcoming.

Also thanks to RCA, "Anna Sun" is now finding it's way onto major (read: Clear Channel) radio stations.  It's a shoo-in to be massively overplayed this summer, much like "Pumped Up Kicks" last year.

I don't really mind though.  I saw Walk the Moon live a few weeks ago in LA, and they tooootally rocked. Awesome live energy.  They paint their faces for shows (like in the video) and so do many of their fans (mostly cute girls).  I think that's kinda fun.  Just sayin'.

On a personal note, the lyrical content of the song reminds me fondly of our college party houses on Main St & Grey St, of Allen Court in Boston, and of HouseHouse, where I lived for my first year in LA.

I hope you all enjoy hearing this song a million times this summer, and I hope their new album still has some of their other awesome songs, like this one:



-DMc, West Coast Correspondent

PS, Walk the Moon plays April 5 on Jimmy Fallon.

PPS, See you all soon!

Friday, February 17

Boston Concert Recommendation

Two of my current favorite bands are playing together @ House of Blues in Boston on April 29.

http://www.houseofblues.com/tickets/eventdetail.php?eventid=72955

If you like indie pop/rock dance jams, you should definitely go to this show.

Penguin Prison is opening.  I saw them in LA last month: they fucking OWNED the stage.  Their album is great: check it out on Spotify. I have a feeling they could get big.  Also, I ended up partying w' the drummer & keyboard player til 6am: cool dudes.



Miike Snow is headlining.  They are a bit more well-known, are releasing a new album this Spring, and I  am excited to see them at Coachella a few weeks before they head to the East Coast.  Their previous album is on Spotify.  If you still don't have Spotify, I don't think we can be friends anymore.


Rabbit by Miike Snow


So yea, that is my Spring concert recommendation for those of you residing in the Greater Boston Area.  You will dance your face off: I promise.

-DMc, West Coast Correspondent

Thursday, January 5

Dear Friends


I miss you all terribly and hope that you had a wonderful holiday season!

I'd like to share with you some information about a project that I am involved in, and am quite proud of:

"Limbus" is my feature-film debut and one of the most exciting things I've done since moving to Los Angeles.  I am playing one of the leading roles: the plot centers around 4 cult members who commit group-suicide and find themselves trapped somewhere in between life and death, searching for answers and a path out.  Heavy stuff, I know, but the work we've done so far has been very rewarding and the footage from the initial shoot is haunting and heart-wrenching.  We shot for several weeks in early December, and will be picking up again in February to finish the film.

We need some help fundraising though:


Kickstarter is a grassroots funding tool that was named one of the top 50 inventions of 2010 by Time Magazine.  It is an exciting new way for non-corporate creative projects to attract investors.  If you're unfamiliar, here's how it works: we set a goal ($10,000) and a time limit (1 month); if enough patrons pledge donations, and we meet our goal, our project gets funded.

If the idea of supporting independent art excites you, or if you'd like to help me take a huge step forward in my career, or if this project just sounds cool to you, I encourage you to pledge.  Even $1 and you can say honestly that you produced a Hollywood feature!

I know these are difficult economic times, but if you can't afford a donation, you can still help by spreading the word about our project.  Check out the Kickstarter page, and pass the info along to others who might be interested.  Link to us on Facebook, or Twitter, or whatever social-networking site you prefer.  Anything you can do to help will be much appreciated by myself and the other artists invested in this film.

I love you all dearly and hope that you all have a great start to 2012!

-DMc, West Coast Correspondent


Some more fun facts:

Our director, Brandon Nicholas, has 2 previous feature-films that have screened at festivals around the country and have distribution through Netflix.  I've worked with him on several music videos over the past two years.

Our producer, Courtney Salmon, recently finished working on the new Spiderman film (with Andrew Garfield & Emma Stone).

We are shooting on the newest, bestest camera in the business, the Red Epic.  The first films shot on this camera include The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Hobbit, and The Amazing Spiderman.

One of my co-stars, Alex Klein, recently played a German exchange student on an episode of "Community," (red shirt).

We needed a cheap location for the first section of the film, so we took all of the furniture out of my (large) bedroom and built a set, which I slept in during the shoot.

Tuesday, August 30

Planking VS. Owling

As I think you all know, planking has become a sport of choice to hipsters and humans alike when faced with a flat surface, a camera, and nothing to do. However, sometimes people get the idea in their head to plank on less-than-flat surfaces, like these folks here:

So nice, it could be a post card.












That just doesn't look comfortable, or hygienic.


 This girl isn't even planking well. And she's wearing Uggs on an obvi warm day. This shows how far planking has invaded society.













And yet, despite all the planking that has been occurring, there has been another phenomenon sweeping youth culture and the nation called Owling. Here, take a look:


Spidey does it like no other.


















Because who respects any aspect of Canada, right?










Even Ewatz does it, and we all know how I feel about her.



















So, we are now faced with a decision. Take your pick. Planking or Owling. But whichever you choose, just remember that Emma Watson loves people that Owl, and that if you're planking, don't wear Uggs at the same time.

-jb

Sunday, June 5

#SummerJams


The summer is upon us!

Time to get a fresh play-list going for road-trips, barbeques, and beach days.  Luckily, there have been some great records released lately, so there’s plenty of fun new music to set the mood for all sorts of summer shenanigans.

If you’ve heard Foster the People, the new hot band out of the LA rock scene, it was most likely their hit single Pumped up Kicks.  It’s all over the radio on the West Coast, and is the title track to their EP:



They're sound is synth-based pop-rock, like a slightly more mellow MGMT or Passion Pit.  Great dance-jams for sure:



They just released their first full-length album, Torches, less than 2 weeks ago ($9.99 on iTunes), and played Jimmy Kimmel Live.  They were at South by Southwest and Coachella this spring and will be at Lollapalooza and Outside Lands later this summer.  I've got them on regular rotation in my car right now; the whole album is upbeat and fun and very well-produced.

And they are playing in Boston, June 16, at the WFNX Clam Bake at House of Blues, with Cold War Kids and The Naked and Famous.  Definitely worth checking out.

--Disclaimer: I am about to sound like a total Hipster-- I saw them for free at one of my favorite venues the night before they released their EP. They totally rocked: great stage presence and dance vibe. Two weeks later they were on the radio and selling out all of their LA shows. --End Hipster tangent--

I’ve got a few more new albums on my iPod right now, so I’ll post another recommendation soon.  For now, enjoy Foster the People!

-DMc, West Coast Correspondent

Friday, June 3

Monday, May 23

Justin Timberlake is better than Mozart

Justin Timberlake is just better than anyone else. This past weekend he hosted the season finale of SNL with the highest ratings in seven years, with a little help from musical guest Gaga.

Below is a scene from the dress rehearsal, that didn't even air. Probably because of the Beiber joke near the end...so funny, but maybe too funny for tv.

 


 -av

A Plus1Press Publication

Tuesday, May 17

Muzak

Lately, I've been pretty obsessed with the song 'Bizness' by tUnE-yArDs (apparently they never grew out of the middle school phase of wacky case usage, but listen to the song before you judge them directly) and when I got around to watching the music video I knew it was blog worthy.



and as an added bonus I give you balls and magnets:


INDUCTANCE - Physalia from F5 on Vimeo.



-bjk


A Plus1Press Publication

Friday, April 29

A Reason to Get Google Chrome.

This has actually been around for a while, but if you don't have Google Chrome, you've never seen it!

Arcade Fire and Google teamed up to create an interactive music video.  It is really, really, really cool.  You have to download Google Chrome to watch it, but it's worth it.  In fact, Google Chrome is actually a solid web browser.  Bonus.


http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

-DMc, West Coast Correspondent

Monday, March 21

Huckleberry Finn: The Hipster Edition

As you all know, much controversy has been had over the creation of a censored Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Now, it seems as if the controversy has shifted from the removal of the n-word to the replacement of the n-word with the word "hipster." It is all the talk at the lunch tables of Westford Academy. Fights have broken out, books have been burned, it's quite distressing.

av originally told me about it, but I found a way to download the whole book for free so you can enjoy or detest the alterations with all your heart.

I just wanted to share some great examples of the changes Richard Grayson has instituted in his rehashing of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Jim was monstrous proud about it, and he got so he wouldn't hardly notice the other hipsters. Hipsters would come miles to hear Jim tell about it, and he was more looked up to than any hipster in that country. Strange hipsters would stand with their mouths open and look him all over, same as if he was a wonder. Hipsters is always talking about witches in the dark by the kitchen fire; but whenever one was talking and letting on to know all about such things, Jim would happen in and say, "Hm! What you know 'bout witches?" and that hipster was corked up and had to take a back seat.(13)

Tom Sawyer a HIPSTER-STEALER!(293)

So they went off a-jawing; and I felt dreadful glad I'd worked it all off on to the hipsters, and yet hadn't done the hipsters no harm by it.(244)

"Yes. You know that one-laigged hipster dat b'longs to old Misto Bradish? Well, he sot up a bank, en say anybody dat put in a dollar would git fo' dollars mo' at de en' er de year. Well, all de hipsters went in, but dey didn't have much. I wuz de on'y one dat had much. So I stuck out for mo' dan fo' dollars, en I said 'f I didn' git it I'd start a bank . Well, o' course dat hipster want' to keep me out er de business, bekase he says dey warn't business 'nough for two banks, so he say I could put in my five dollars en he pay me thirty- five at de en' er de year.(61)

And behind the woman comes a little hipster girl and two little hipster boys without anything on but tow-linen shirts, and they hung on to their mother's gown, and peeped out from behind her at me, bashful, the way they always do.(287)

In the morning we was up at break of day, and down to the hipster cabins to pet the dogs and make friends with the hipster that fed Jim—if it WAS Jim that was being fed. The hipsters was just getting through and starting for the fields; and Jim's hipster was piling up a tin pan with bread and meat and things; and whilst the others was leaving, the key come from the house.(307)

"I wouldn't shake my HIPSTER, would I?—the only hipster I had in the world, and the only property."(283)

Those are only a handful. Props to av for informing me of this.

jb

Monday, March 14

No, I'm Not A Hipster

So, I made a blog. But I don't know what I should put in it. I've never done this before. Should it be for one thing, what do you think I would be good at blogging about, all worthy questions to attempt to be answered.
Suggestions?

-It's not really awesome, but hey, the last line is so stunningly true I figured it was worth a shot.
I'm sure in a year or two it will be worthy of the Blogs We Love sidebar.


jb