This American Life: BREAK-UP

In celebration of tomorrow's NYE, have a listen to TAL's Break-Up, act one of episode 339. Starlee Kine's wonderfully produced story features my beloved song, Against All Odds, and Phil Collins is a total mensch! One of my favorite favorite episodes...

Hansel from Basel MIX

I made a mix for my friend's site - Hansel from Basel.  It's inspired by Felt, Anna Karina and girls who wear tights.

She Lives By The Castle Mix - Click here to download.

Tracklisting:

Bel Canto - The Glassmaker

Berntholer - My Suitor

Cat's Eyes - I'm Not Stupid

Emma Tricca - Paris Rain

Helene Smith - Willing And Able

Joan Armatrading - Only One

Judee Sill - The Kiss
Kendra Smith - Iridescence 31

Laetitia Sadier - Summertime

Lijadu Sisters - Come on Home

Lucie Eyenga - Yaka Mama

Madredeus - Oxala

Mazzy Star - Common Burn

Poly Styrene - Dreaming

Purity Ring - Ungirthed

Sibylle Baier - The End

Susanna + The Magical Orchestra - Condition Of The Heart

Taken by Trees - No Letting Go

This Mortal Coil - Mr. Somewhere

Wanderléa - Te Amo

SKOOL DAZE (ABD)

Here are three outtakes from the photo shoot I had the pleasure of working on with my favorite dudes. The whole thing is at 01 Magazine. Real-life PhDs featuring the brutalist architecture of the UCLA campus.

2011 Mix 3: Piano Works

Inspired by the autumnal change of season and my first Terry Riley live performance at Blum + Poe a couple of weeks ago, I compiled this mix consisting of piano works. Great to listen to while making soups, finding clarity or attempting to finish a crossword!

Click on image to download:

Hands of Russian piano virtuoso Sergei Rachmaninoff, New York, 1943

by Eric Schaal for Life Magazine

Saigon 1948

"Il parait que les français menaient une vie pas mal agreable n'est-ce pas?"

- Photos courtesy of my Uncle Bob

Dafna Maimon: Carbochondria

Untitled from Dafna Maimon on Vimeo.

via Hidden Pictures

Princess Stephanie of Monaco

As a child, I was obsessed with this song, "Ouragan," by Princess Stephanie of Monaco. It was also released under the title of "Irresistible" stateside.

2011 Mix 2

It's been a while since the last mix but here are 20 deep cuts I've been enjoying this summer. Click on the image to download (btw, you only have 4 more days to see the great Gertrude Stein exhibit at SF's CJM). I tried to make this a Spotify mix but half of the tracks are unavailable. Oh well... You know it's a good one then! (פ') ליהנות

Cinéma du look: Subway

I have this thing that I say - "I only want to watch Memphis-inspired films."* Well, I finally got to see this Cinéma du look film by the great Luc Besson. So inspiring - the cinematography, the art direction, the styling, the Memphis-inspired colors, Isabelle Adjani, Christopher Lambert, and the most incredible song by Eric Serra, "It's Only Mystery." It's currently on Netflix stream.

Cinéma du look. Memphis-Milano Movement. An aesthetic kinship between two contemporary movements.




*I find that I have a hard time finding Memphis-inspired films. Do let me know if you can think of any.*

Upside Down: The Creation Records

Upside Down: The Creation Records Story - New Trailer from Upside Down The Movie on Vimeo.

Doing this. If you're in LA this Sunday or SF on Monday, come see the west coast premiere of this documentary on my all-time favorite record label. The director will be there. Mark Gardener from RIDE will perform. And it's free. Can't wait.

LOLs Will Tear Us Apart (2011)

Unchi Neko VI (aka Matt Damhave's) new film, LOLs Will Tear Us Apart (2011) >>

Note from Neko: For an "optimal" viewing "experience," please use HEADPHONES. K? thx, bai!

Felt : Ballad of the fan, by JC Brouchard

My handsome copy of JC Brouchard's "Felt, Ballad of the fan" just arrived all the way from France. You might want to get your copy before it sells out (just like Foxtrot Echo Lima Tango's did very quickly last year).

What Happened to Fanuelle?

Almost a decade ago, I fell in love with Matthew Fanuelle's self-releases. They were simply titled C, D, 1 or 2... The proper release, self-titled in 2005, fortunately included one of my all-time favorite songs, "I've Been Killing, So."

We've lost contact in the last few years. And then I found him incarnated as Nunzio Fattini. Fanuelle to Fattini. Nice surprise. Enjoy Album Primum by Nunzio Fattini here.



One could say "Cousin" is a masterpiece.

Sanya Kantarovsky

Sanya Kantarovsky is my favorite new painter.