Photographer of the Day

© Matthias Heiderich

Matthias Heiderich.

- Joel

© Matthias Heiderich

© Matthias Heiderich

Gettysburg

I'm the nerd who ask for Lincoln at Gettyburg, a book examining the context and aftermath of one of the greatest speeches in American history, for Christmas. So naturally I loved this video. If you've never read the speech in its entirety, just click play and enjoy.

- Joel

Tennis

Tennis, the married musical duo from Denver, release their debut album in January. I really like their singer's voice. Very old school. Check out another song from the album below. Or watch a video where a guy skateboards being pulled by a car.

In other news, I go to Haiti tomorrow. It's been quite the hectic week, thus the blogging absence. But I'm bringing my Holga on the trip, so hopefully I'll return with lots of cool photos to document the experience. Not that anyone reads this blog anyway...

- Joel

Tennis - "Take Me Somewhere"

Love Is All

My favorite song ("Love Is All") from one of my favorite artists of the year - The Tallest Man on Earth. Enjoy the sentimental Swedish vacation footage - kind of reminds me of the scene in Christmas Vacation where Clark Griswold watches old family videos in the attic (Christmas is coming!).

- Joel

Air Waves

Nicole Schneit, a Brooklyn-turned-Austin resident, makes music as Air Waves. I heard her song "Knockout" this morning and found it blogworthy. Listen/download it below. Check out a demo version of the song as well if you'd like to see how the song developed. Air Waves drops her debut album, Dungeon Dots, on November 30. The album artwork, shown above, is fittingly medieval.

- Joel

Air Waves - "Knockout"
Air Waves - "Knockout (Demo)"

Bo

I can still remember fighting with my brother over the Bo Jackson card when my dad bought us a complete set of Topps baseball cards. I don't remember who won the fight but the consolation prize was the George Brett card. It was 1989. We were little. And baseball cards were the coolest.

- Joel

Photographer of the Day

© Logan Caldbeck

Logan Caldbeck. This photo makes me think of my cousins' guestroom down in Southwest Kansas.

- Joel

Ivy Mike

I'm a sucker for history. Yesterday marked the 58th anniversary of the detonation of the very first hydrogen bomb. Back in 1952, the United States detonated "Ivy Mike" off of the remote Marshall Islands in the Pacific. Though the US had tested and deployed atomic bombs in World War II, Ivy Mike was the first true hydrogen bomb. The mushroom cloud, seen above, rose to 57,000 feet in a mere 90 seconds, eventually peaking at 120,000 feet. Half an hour after the detonation, the mushroom covered an expanse 60 miles wide.

In other history making news, today is Election Day. Regardless of what party you support, I think you should get out and vote. We are lucky to have the freedom to elect our government officials.

- Joel

North Korea

I saw this video today and found it interesting. In some ways it demonstrates just how incredibly different North Korea is from the United States. Yet, at the same time, I found there to be an element of the video that showed the humanness of the Korean people; we really aren't that different.

- Joel

The Assassination of Jesse James

It's no secret that I have fallen in love with Western films. I had the opportunity to watch a relatively new Western this week, and enjoyed it so much I'll be watching it again tonight with my uncle. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is set right in my backyard; Jesse James was born and lived in Clay County Missouri, not far from where I grew up and where my parents still live. The movie, starring Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck, examines the tail end of James' lawless career and his ultimate demise at the hands of a member of his own gang, Robert Ford. I found this film fascinating on a number of levels. First, the acting was top notch - both Pitt (as Jesse James) and Affleck (as Robert Ford) were nominated for a host of awards following the film's release. However, it's Affleck who steals the show, portraying Ford's ambition, insecurity, sleaziness, and cowardice to perfection. Furthermore, I found that the film provided an interesting take on the idea of celebrity. Some scholars argue that Jesse James was the first "modern" celebrity, his fame spanning the country. Though he was cruel and merciless, robbing banks and killing anyone who stood in his way, you find yourself saddened by his assassination. But it's interesting - why are we drawn to individuals whose actions we fundamentally despise? It seems the same holds true with today's celebrities. Finally, the scenery is incredible. Most Westerns leave me in awe of the beauty of America's landscape. This was no different (although technically it was filmed in Canada). Still, you don't have to enjoy Westerns to enjoy this movie.

- Joel

Jeremy Messersmith

I came home today to my sister and brother watching the television show Chuck. I don't watch the show, but I did discover a new musician, whose song played as the episode concluded. Jeremy Messersmith hails from Minneapolis. His latest album, The Reluctant Graveyard, is fitting for anyone to discover in the month of October. Plus, he's doing like Radiohead and giving you the option to pay what you want for his music. Check out his website here and snag his albums here. For a taste of his smooth folk sound, listen to/download the track from Chuck below, or listen to his entire album below that.

- Joel

Jeremy Messersmith - "A Girl, a Boy, and a Graveyard"

The Morning Benders

The Morning Benders seem to have leaped onto the scene this year. People way cooler than me probably knew about them a few years ago. But normal people like me heard their name for the first time earlier this year. This week I revisited an album of covers they recorded a few years ago. You might like it too. Download it using the widget below. I've also included the tracklist below that...chances are I posted this a few months ago. I guess this gives you a second chance to make things right if you didn't download it the first time.

- Joel

The Bedroom Covers:
1. crying - roy orbison
2. mother and child reunion - paul simon
3. why dont they let us fall in love? - the ronettes
4. lovefool - the cardigans
5. i won't share you - the smiths
6. he's a rebel - the crystals
7. marie - randy newman
8. fools rush in - johnny mercer/rube bloom
9. temptation inside your heart - velvet underground
10. dreams - fleetwood mac
11. pull up the roots - talking heads
12. caroline, no- beach boys remix (bonus track)
12.5 why don't they let us fall in love? (live daytrotter version!)

Stanley Chow

I finally had time to watch the Mad Men Season 4 finale last night. So much happened. Coincidentally, I saw these Mad Men illustrations on the Public School site yesterday as well. Stanley Chow (the illustrator) has a great style. Check out more of his work here.

- Joel

True Grit

In 1970 John Wayne won the only Oscar of his career playing Rooster Cogburn, an indefatigable U.S. Marshall hired to avenge the death of a young girl's father. This Christmas, the Coen Brothers, who won their own Academy Award directing No Country For Old Men, join forces with Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin to bring a new rendition to an old favorite, True Grit. I for one am excited.

- Joel

Brazos

Last night I introduced my favorite music venue, The Bottleneck in Lawrence, KS, to my brother Cory. We made the trek to Lawrence to see one of my favorite bands of the day, The Walkmen. Other than the fact that the show didn't let out until midnight (and we had a 45 minute drive home), it was one of my favorite shows I've been to in quite awhile. The Walkmen do it right when you see them live. The surprise of the evening, however, was the opening act. The Walkmen are currently touring with Japandroids (my ears are still ringing from their set, and I will not be listening to their music any time soon), yet it was the third band Brazos, added late to the bill, that caught our attention. They hail from Austin, Texas and reminded us a lot of Local Natives. Check out a few tunes below. And go see The Walkmen if you have the opportunity.

- Joel

Brazos - "Day Glo" (link removed by request)
Brazos - "Tell" (link removed by request)

Halloween

From the time I was six through the end of high school, my family decided not to celebrate Halloween. I guess technically it was my parents who made that decision, one in retrospect they admit to be a bit irrational. Thus, instead of playing dress up and overstimulating my system with sugar, I spent the formative years of my childhood eating pizza and swimming at the Holiday Inn Holidome every October 31st. While my parents' decision led to many awkward conversations as a kid ("You guys don't celebrate Halloween?!"), it's a part of my story I wouldn't change if given the opportunity. Although, I do wonder if the absence of Halloween explains my aversion to costumes in any setting and my fear of horror movies. I have slowly warmed to the holiday in recent years, though my Halloween-temperature still registers as "tepid". A big thanks to Ryan Gosling and Dead Man's Bones for easing my distaste for the spookiest day of the year. Check out a song and video below, both released this time last year.

- Joel

Dead Man's Bones - "My Body's A Zombie for You"

Alexander

Apparently Alex Ebert, better known as Edward Sharpe of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, likes to whistle. The standout track, "Home", by he and his Zeros (now featured on an NFL commercial) opens with that infectious whistling. So too does his new solo track, "Truth". Listen below.

- Joel

Alexander - "Truth"

Responsibility

© Allison V. Smith

Last Saturday, as my poor, defenseless automobile waited patiently in line for an oil change, my plans and my perspective were substantially altered. A fellow customer backed into my car leaving me with $1400 in damage. Fortunately, the employees at the garage witnessed the accident, took down (most of) the offender's information in my stead, and called me to inform me of what happened. Over the past week, I have worked with the other driver and his wife to get the money, or the insurance information, to fix my car. What began as a relatively friendly interaction turned sour, and complicated, when they were given the estimate of the damages. Suddenly, in their eyes, I was at fault for parking my car too far away from the building as well as a contributor to our nation's economic woes having purchased a "German" (actually I drive a Volvo and it took all my might not to respond, "It's Swedish, thank you!") automobile. Furthermore, I was informed that their sister was in the hospital, their insurance company was almost bankrupt, and their landlord was "getting her leg fixed". Thus, they aren't sure if they can pay for the damages - yet mysteriously they refuse to give me their insurance information.

My situation reminded me of a piece Nick Paumgarten wrote for The New Yorker back in January. Noticing a recent trend across the country, Paumgarten astutely observes, "You learn, at an early age, to own up to your mistakes and misdeeds; and then, apparently, at some later age, you learn to disown them." If nothing else, this whole situation is a fresh reminder that I need to be vigilant to take responsibility for my own mistakes. It's hard enough when others don't take responsibility for theirs.

- Joel

Read Paumgarten's article here.

New Tunes

© Denise Nouvion

A few new tunes for Wednesday.

- Joel

Guster - "Do You Love Me"

Memoryhouse - "Caregiver"

James Blake - "Limit To Your Love (Feist cover)"

AVS

Silly Pond. November 2009. Rockport, Maine © Allison V. Smith

Times like these I wish I lived in Dallas. My photog friend Allison opens a new exhibition this weekend. Her photographs from Maine are outstanding. I'd expect nothing less from her.

- Joel