Beyond Eden 2011: Kill Bill, Big Lebowski... Re-imagined.



"...a multi-gallery event celebrating the new contemporary art scene in Los Angeles."

Where:

LA Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Park
4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027
www.beyondedenartfair.com


When:

Saturday, October 1st 6PM-11PM
Opening Reception with live painting, a sponsored bar, & tunes from DJ Mr. NumberOnederful
8PM – special presentation celebrating the art and accomplishments of Anthony Ausgang
Admission is Free / Open to the Public

Sunday, October 2nd Noon-5PM
Art viewing / Last chance to see the exhibition
Admission is Free / Open to the Public


If you re lucky enough to be on the west coast this weekend and want to see some stunning visions of some cult classic flicks such as 'Kill Bill,' 'The Big Lebowski' and 'Resevoir Dogs,' then head over to Beyond Eden where contemporary art is making a come-back.

Now in its third year--and perhaps the biggest ever, Beyond Eden 2011 will showcase the works of a half dozen galleries and will be held inside the beautiful confines of the historic Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery during the weekend of October 1st and 2nd with an opening night celebration planned for Saturday, October 1st. Participating galleries include C.A.V.E. Gallery, Copro Gallery, Gallery Nucleus, La Luz De Jesus Gallery (in celebration of their 25th Anniversary this year), Toy Art Gallery, and Thinkspace.

Presented by:
Arrested Motion
Blik Wall Graphics
Color Ink Book
Daily Dujour
Hi-Fructose
Juxtapoz
Lee Joseph Publicity for the Visual Arts
Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery Associates (LAMAGA)
Sketch Theater
Sour Harvest


Please be sure to join the Facebook page at:
www.facebook.com/groups/BeyondEden

Check out some pix of the type of talent to be be hosted:

Sarah Joncas [2011]. Thinkspace.

David Cooley [2011]. Thinkspace.

'Creator/Spectator' to be featured at Beyond Eden 2011.

LCD Soundsystem's Death Brings New Life With Hot Chip Collaboration

Members from the recently-disbanded LCD Soundsystem may be doing the totally thinkable and collaborating with the British electro-wizards of Hot Chip, who broadcast the news and a first track, 'Finding Reasons,' this week in an enigmatic tweet. The band's already shared guitarist Al Doyle, who's at the heart of the joint venture, 'New Build'. It's not clear if Doyle is the sole reason Hot Chip is billing this as an LCD Soundsystem project, or if there are others onboard. So far the only named New Build members are Hot Chippers Doyle and Felix Martin, plus engineer Tom Hopkins, who handled Hot Chip's last album, One Life Stand. But as any LCD Soundsystem fan will tell you, if it doesn't include manic frontman and singer James Murphy---it just isn't LCD Soundsystem.

  

Hot Chip [2010]

'Finding Reasons' features synth, guitar and groovy steel drums, with backing vocals from multimedia artist Janine Rostron, aka PlanningToRock. The full debut is said to be slated for an early 2012 release, and Pitchfork hints a Hot Chip album will surface soon after.

Its hard for me to get into this personally, but for those willing to forget the [very important] fact that Murphy isn't attached as he has left the band and is currently busy being a chef, have a listen here:

New Build - "Finding Reasons" by newbuild

Flaming Lips: 6-Hour Song is Experimental Nonsense..In a Good Way.

Considering the guy paints in his own blood, it shouldn't surprise anyone that Wayne Coyne [The Flaming Lips] likes to get experimental with his music as well. Just last month, word got out that Coyne and the gang were working on a highly unusual project:

...a 6-hour song.

Now, for anyone who is a fan of the Lips, that is probably not the most difficult thing to wrap the ol' brain around. What is interesting, is that its actually highly infectious and achieves a remarkable psychedelic credibility without having barely any words other than the line 'I Found A Star'--which is what the 'song [if you can even call it that] is titled. But you won't hear those words uttered until about 64-minutes in.

Its quite an investment, I know..

But the song is something you can put on and sort of tune in and out of without missing anything of great musical importance. But the creation of this epic track has itself a great deal of meaning to both Wayne and Oklahoma. The Flaming Lips previously stated that anyone could enjoy one second of fame if they paid $100 to have their name included in the song. That money will be donated to the Central Oklahoma Humane Society and the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma. If you're one of those people, you might be feeling a little cheated right now, as a lot of the words -- at least at its one-hour point -- are mumbled and incomprehensible. But hey, at least you gave to a good cause, and Wayne Coyne or some unidentifiable voice will be speaking your name.

You can check out the track below, which is split into three parts, each roughly a 120-minutes long.


PART I:
The Flaming Lips - I Found a Star On the Ground [Part One of Three] by Slow•Nerve•Action 3

PART II:

The Flaming Lips - I Found a Star On the Ground [Part Two of Three] by Slow•Nerve•Action 2

PART III:
The Flaming Lips - I Found a Star On the Ground [Part Three of Three] by Slow•Nerve•Action

Daft Punk Digs Up Unreleased Track From 1994

Techno music phenoms Daft Punk have unearthed a track from back in the day [1994 to be exact] that had been previously lost on a cassette tape, "recorded over an old tape belonging to one of band member's parents." It was originally sent out with 'Rollin' and Scratchin', but got shelved for a later date and, eventually lost. After standing around in awed silence for awhile, Soma record execs let the song see the light of day on BBC Radio 1, and have included it on a freshly released compliation album that celebrates SOMA's 20th anniversary.

Check out  a preview of the track below:

Daft Punk - Drive Unreleased 1994 (Preview) by soma

..Or do the smart thing and listen to the full track here:



Geek Goddess: Zooey Deschanel Sings Her 'New Girl' Theme [Song]

Photo: Isabella Vosmikova/FOX

For as long as her face and those baby blues have graced the silver screen, Zooey Deschanel has been the quintessential epitome of a Geeks wet-dream. Now that she has made the transition to the smaller screen, we get to enjoy her zany antics on a weekly prime time basis. Since she is also one-half of the group She & Him [the vocal half no less] its only right that she sing the theme song to her own show, right? Of course! Enjoy the full version below or purchase it on iTunes.  Catch her show every Tuesday at 9pm on FOX.

Zooey Deschanel - Hey Girl! [Theme From 'New Girl']

Click here: Listen to Zooey Deschanel Sing the New Girl Theme Song

Banksy Vs. King Robbo: Battle In The U.K.

When you hear the name Banksy its hard to pretend you haven't at least heard it mentioned before. And for most, its hard to not know who he is as well..

HINT: He's does stuff with paint, a mask and walls.

Often combining physical elements of the surface he creates on with politically/socially-charged graphics of his own design--Banksy is a universal name these days with his work, and many imitators, Banksy has been garnering the attention of movie-makers, galleries that steal his controversial works, and even the acting community by almost beating out 'Inside Job' for Best Documentary at the Academy Awards.

 Often, utilizing a 'stand-out' color, preferably red--the spray bottle-wielding masked mastermind creates some vivid and thought-provoking wall art.  Here we see the depiction of both the sometimes futile and often frustrating elements of life:
Hope & Hopelessness 

The guerrilla-'gorilla' is among the most controversial street artists not just for his work on walls, but also for the fact that he has remained within the realm of anonymity for as long as his name has been uttered. No one knows what he looks like due to the gorilla mask or silhouette shadows that have taken up permanent residence on his face.

This mural illustrates the innocence and privacy that often is removed by societal forces.
In this case, and as in most cases the military has their hand in removing Dorothy's rights.

Not everyone is such a huge fan, however. One particular graffiti artist, King Robbo has been long feuding with Banksy and it has surfaced not just in their work, but also generated many a question about the foundation of street art, its roots and the true meaning behind it.

 King Robbo [2009]. Sabotage Times.

At the very core of this 'war of walls' is the the disagreement over the meaningfulness of the art. On one side, you have artists like Banksy who utilize similar guerrilla methods of painting, but choose to step outside the medium of pure graffiti in order to create a more accessible form of art--often viewed as less detrimental and more credible. On the other side, you have graffiti artists such as King Robbo who believe that street art should be a form of rebellion and expression that doesn't need to rely on the physical attributes of the environments to be meaningful.

The feud between then re-erupted when Banksy allegedly painted over one of the oldest Robbo works on the Regents stretch of canal in Camden, UK.

Here is the original King Robbo graffiti as it were 25 yrs ago...

..And here is the same mural, painted over by Banksy in 2009.

So was Banksy justified? Who knows. The rules of graffiti and the ethics that surround its creation have long been up for interpretation. But luckily for us, UK Channel 4 is set to air a documentary highlighting this spray-bottle battle. If you live in England chances are you've already seen it [if this your cup of tea]. But for those of us across the pond, you can check out the full documentary below:

The documentary provides an in-depth look at a dichotomy that's frequently oversimplified in order to show how an entire movement has come to mature and reflect on its purpose through a changing visual language. It shows that while the public have come to embrace street art as legitimate movement, there are still issues of politics and tradition that are overlooked in the general discourse.

Welcome Back, Wilco!

Its been a couple years since their last release, but Chi-town's own have been anything but kickin' back. Having just dropped their eighth album  The Whole Love, Wilco has been relentlessly touring, constantly recording, and just headlined the Solid Sound Music Festival @ the Mass MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts for the second time earlier this summer---There appears to be nothing slowing these 'Windy City' boys back.

Taking some interesting chances on this album, Wilco combines some of their classic country-esque blues elements with some even more retro-fitted musical accouterments. Most notably on tracks like 'Standing O' and 'I Might' where the organ piano can be heard channeling the head-bobbing power of The Doors.

Very ethereal and very hypnotizing--the track 'Art Of Almost' has most certainly laid down the foundation for many an indie-dance club remix with its use of synths, simple break beats and electro-poppiness. Possibly my favorite track on the album, it stands out from the rest as being the most experimental of the bunch--and is quite reminiscent of The Antlers 2011 release 'Burst Apart'. Fast accurate guitars, haunting vocals and crashing cymbals make 'Art Of Almost' a fast favorite for a vinyl release [I hope!].

'Open Mind' and the albums title track 'Whole Love' bring us back to Wilco's roots of simple strumming and the falsetto vocals of Jeff Tweedy. These tracks remind me of what makes their music so accessible but also undeniably catchy.

Notably, 'One Sunday Morning' is a great track that gives us that lazy day vibe-along that I had really hoped for somewhere in the mix. Not only does this song close the album, but it unwinds and massages the mind from the cornucopia of sounds that washed over our brains for the last hour. Coming in at 12-minutes, and often instrumental, its the perfect end to this audio adventure.

Make sure you check out the limited deluxe edition featuring four stellar bonus tracks:

1. I Love My Label
2. Message From Mid‐Bar
3. Speak into the Rose
4. Black Moon

Wilco's album 'The Whole Love' drops Sept. 27th.

Buy it. Listen. Looooovvve it..

Allison Mosshart Channels Louis Armstrong On 'S.O.A.'

Louis Armstrong had a very optimistic view of the world. One full of red roses, blue skies, and a whole bunch of other mushy yet wonderful stuff. With happy lyrics and smooth even melody, its hard not to sway with joy and feel serenity all around you.

Flash-forward to today---where the Sons of Anarchy season premiere continues where they left off. With the brothers on bikes owning the open road with brute force, dirty-dealings and a complete lack of respect for ol' 'Johnny Law.' But no matter, Alison Mosshart, lead singer of The Kills and Jack Whites side-project The Dead Weather offers her own creative interpretation of Louis' golden oldie.

Not stripping away all the happy melodies--she inputs her own unique raspy voice and grungy energy into a still mostly acoustic rendition. Of course, her patent darkness is only a stone’s throw away, as the cover was appropriated for a brutally violent montage during the most recent Sons of Anarchy episode.

Check out her rendition below and catch Sons Of Anarchy Tuesdays on FX:

Bon Iver - Justin Vernon Gets Mellow..er. (AUDIO)

Justin Vernon, aka 'Bon Iver' aside his Bruce Hornsby-channeling, synthesizer-driven studio take on the closing track to his new sophomore record, Bon Iver, Bon Iver, for NPR’s World Cafe recently, unplugging the tune with just a solo piano backing. The new version recalls his alternate version of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” we saw — and loved — earlier this year.

In addition to trading the keyboard for the ivory keys, Vernon varies his pitch more, alternating between his trademark falsetto and a breathy baritone--both of which compliment each other well. In short, this version is quite hauntingly beautiful in its own right and well worth a couple spins. Check out and download below:

Bon Iver - Beth/Rest (Solo Piano Version) by MiscMusic.net

On “Calgary,” Justin Vernon’s vocals lay in a cloud of gloomy synths and anxious electric guitar tones, suggesting a sonic shift from the grainy For Emma formula. But not too much has changed — the ghostly falsetto remains Bon Iver’s calling card. JV’s voice has also been unmistakable on recent collaborations (GAYNGS, Volcano Choir, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy) and an asset when he takes on someone else’s song. So I’m especially looking forward to the “Calgary” 12″ b-side, a combined cover of two Bonnie Raitt classics, “I Can’t Make You Love Me” > “Nick Of Time.” (Bon Iver once deejayed the latter at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.) While we wait to hear that (it’s out 7/4), let’s take a listen back at all the tunes by other folks Justin’s successfully made his own.

DOWNLOAD MP3:

Bon Iver - Beth/Rest (Piano Version) @ NPR Cafe

Bon Iver – “Why” (Annie Lennox Cover) [w/ St. Vincent]

Bon Iver – “A Satisfied Mind” (Red Hayes & Jack Rhodes Cover)

Bon Iver – “Blue Tulip” (Okkervil River Cover)

Bon Iver – “Mercury” (Kathleen Edwards Cover)

Bon Iver – “Crawling Back To You” (Tom Petty Cover)

Bon Iver – “Train Song” (Vashti Bunyan Cover) [w/ Feist & Colin Stetson]

Bon Iver – “The Park” (Feist Cover)

Bon Iver – “Bruised Orange (Chain Of Sorrow)” (John Prine Cover)

Bon Iver – “Come Talk To Me” (Peter Gabriel Cover)

Bon Iver – “Your Love” (The Outfield Cover)

Bon Iver – “I Can’t Make You Love Me”/”Nick Of Time” (Bonnie Raitt Cover)

Bon Iver – “Love More” (Sharon Van Etten Cover)

Bon Iver – “Who Is It” (Björk Cover)

Mos Def To Retire...His Name! Will Now Become Yasiin (VIDEO)

Mos Def will soon be the rapper formerly known as Mos Def.

At this weekend's "Rock the Bells" concert in New York City, where the musician performed with Talib Kweli, Mos Def revealed that he's retiring his name by the end of 2011. The new name? Yasiin.

"I’m retiring the Mos Def name after 2011. I’m actually doing it," he told Sucker Free. "Mos Def is a name that I built and cultivated over the years, it’s a name that the streets taught me, a figure of speech that was given to me by the culture and by my environment, and I feel I’ve done quite a bit with that name and it’s time to expand and move on."

Check out the video below:

Get More: Sucker Free

 
After only knowing the talented wordsmith by this name, its hard to imagine starting over as someone else. Will his style change too?? Who knows. But it will undoubtedly be something worth watching!