If a Japanese cell phone ad falls in a forest...

This is enthralling!

love

Miss y'all.

Art, Dahling...

I'm also watching a series on youtube at the moment on the history of art in the US, which reflects the social and historical changes of the country and its society. Right from its foundation - right from the country's birth.
Faaaaaaaaascinating work. Actually Nick Rose sent the link around, and it's EXCELLENT.

Here some episode snippets relevant to this discussion:

"The Wilderness and the West"


The 1930's. The Depression and Urban America
(start at 1:50)


Throughout the series, New York features prominently. Anyway, i won't go too into it now, but I will note that it traces the history of the city's skyline, too, which you might find particularly interesting Alex...see your home in a new light :)

Amerikosh (cont'd)

There is something beautiful and compelling about this song, simple as it is. I redicovered it today, buried in a playlist. It jumped out! And I just got this feeling that its folksy naiveté belies much depth.

Listen to it. At first, it sounds almost a little daft (what's with calling everyone Jimmy - 'your and your auntie jimmy and your cousin jim' -- is it, like, supposed to be ironic?).

But then no! Woven into it are are some of the strongest threads of the American ethos, moving and heartbreaking. Doesn't it conjure the image of the wanderer? The loner, the explorer, the cowboy, the drifter. And the vastness of the land he sets off across in his coming of age -- as his coming of age.

What is the American story if not that of the individual and his journey, his relationship with the land, his relationship with the Lord, his private conversion and rebirth. Think of the ante-bellum push across the Western frontier (those iconic covered wagons). Long before that even, think of the impulses that compelled the very first Puritan settlers across the Atlantic to a harsh and unknown country, where they set off to build their City Upon a Hill, their New Jerusalem.

Go West young man, and grow up with the country!

But then, as I was listening to it again...you get the sense that the song is about finding home, coming home.

And the buffaloes used to say be proud of your name

The Buffaloes used to say be what you are

Perhaps this isn't a song about the frontier and about the land - not in the literal sense. Maybe those are metaphores for the inward journey we all embark on - the self as the untamed frontier and the thing to set off and discover. Is there a plainer name than Jimmy? He's a man, yes, he's who she is signing to mournfully. But he is also everyone, in a way. Everyone who sets off on this grandest of journeys which we all have to embark on before we can return home again. Ideally, set tot he rhythm of plucking strings...

Jimmy won't you please come home
Where the grass is green and the buffaloes roam
Come see Jimmy your uncle Jim Your auntie Jimmie and your cousin Jim
Come home Jimmy because you need a bath
And your grandpa Jimmy is still gone daft

Now there's buffalo Jim and buffalo Jim
And Jim buffalo now didn't you know
Jim Jim Jimmy its your last cigarette
But there's buffalo piss and it's all kind of wet
Jambo Jimmy you'd better hold your nose
All roads lead to roam with the buffaloes

And the Buffaloes used to say be proud of your name
The Buffaloes used to say be what you are
The Buffaloes used to say roam where you roam
The Buffaloes used to say do what you do

Well you've gotta have a wash but you can't clean your name
You're now called Jimmy you'll be Jimmy just the same
The keys are in a bag in a chest by the door
One of Jimmy's friends has taken the floor
Jimmy won't you please come home
Where the grass is green and the buffaloes roam
Dear old Jimmy you've forgotten you're young
But you can't ignore the buffalo song

And the Buffaloes used to say be proud of your name
The Buffaloes used to say be what you are
The Buffaloes used to say roam where you roam
The Buffaloes used to say do what you do
If you remember you're unknown
Buffaloland will be your home

*DISCLAIMER* I've been kindof engulfed in American cultural history lately (PBS online ftw), and maybe that's why it resonates so. May I particularly recommend the 'God in America' series http://www.pbs.org/godinamerica/view/. So worth it.

*UPDATE* So I just looked up the band..and Moriarty is actually a FRENCH-AMERICAN band! With band member names such as the très cowboyesque:

Charles Carmignac

Arthur Gillette
Thomas Puéchavy
Rosemary Standley

Stephan Zimmerli.

Oh my God that almost ruins it... Whatevs, I'm not about to let a little something called reality affect my thoughts on the matter - I stand by it all (especially since they are avowedly inspired by Irish folk music, country and the blues)

...ahh, maudite merde!

Coffee

Let me ear you say hey hey

I found this on facebook, and it's really funny and stupid.
I should probably anonymize this, but oh well...

Illustrator Noma Bar

Israeli illustrator Noma Bar makes incredibly clever and evocative images, which are all the more impressive for their simplicity. You may recognize this cover of the Economist from a little while back:

He also makes images to accompany news stories:

Beware the Wolves

Artwork for an article on older men who pursue younger women.

Fat Cat

Artwork for an article on how CEOs invest their personal wealth

The Big Squeeze

Artwork for an article on the oil politics behind the Iraq war.

This one is simply entitled Prison.

And few other neat ones...

If it's the beaches

Artist: The Avett Brothers

Song: 'If it's the beaches'

Band: Built To Spill

This is probably in my top 20 favorite songs of all time. Great Indie band called Built to Spill who've been performing for like 20 years and make some pretty good summery type music.

This is a great song from their '99 album Keep It Like A Secret.


These two are from their '94 album There's NothingWrong With Love, whichI highly suggest you download and have a listen.. I find the band really grows on you.