I like stuff as much as the next guy. Here are a few things: Love Connection pt. II, I Was the Dancer, Ohh Daughter/Disaster, One Father Another, The Weight She Fell Under, Survived By Her Mother, Keyholes and Curtains, Forward to Forget, The Four Platitudes, Stolen Children, The Fragile Class. "Safe as Houses" by Parenthetical Girls came out a few moons ago, but it still haunts my dreams. It's the most eeriely beautiful thing to be etched onto a cd in a long while. Imagine Xiu Xiu, but less histrionic. Tons of swirling noise, heavy delay, piercing synth, busted drums and a voice that floats above the world singing some of the most disturbing lyrics ever. Plus, Zac is cute and the band dudes are crazy nice.
Parenthetical Girls - Love Connection, Pt. 2
Consume!
Speaking of cuteness extreme!!!
I read about Fancy Nancy in Paper Magazine. She hosts a public access show called "Fancy Nancy's Funny Hour". Suck Island doesn't get NYC public access so I'm stuck watching youtube bullshit. I don't know her at all, but she seems like a cool dude so I think this is how an interview with her would go:
Josh Millrod: How are you Fancy Nancy?
Fancy Nancy: I'm pretty great.
JM: I saw the write-up in Paper in their beautiful people special section. They flagged you as a person to expect great things from. What's it like being a famous public access star who's on the brink of changing the world?
FN: Well... It was all very flattering at first, but now I can't leave my apartment without being hounded by reporters. Day and night they follow my every move. I actually found a photographer hiding in my kitchen cabinet taking pictures of my oatmeal.
JM: That sounds horrible.
FN: Seriously! I knew things were getting out of control when I saw a cup I used at Starbucks on eBay.
JM: Aside from being stalked by the press, what have you been up to?
FN: I've been napping a lot and working on a cure for cancer in between filming episodes, but my results haven't been very promising. I just can't seem to figure out the Gatorade-to-cumin ratio.
JM: Sounds very interesting. Any plans for the future of the show?
FN: Emril Lagassi's manager contacted me about Emril appearing as a special character, but I had to turn him down. I'm really trying to stay true to my roots and keep the show the way it is.
JM: Good to hear that you're keeping true to the fans. Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to me Fancy Nancy. It's been a pleasure.
FN: No problem Josh!
Paper also did a feature on my other new love.
It's like St. Valentine's Day in my heart. I saw this awesome band at the Cake Shop pretty recently. Brooklyn dudes Flying do it quartet style. Lots of cymbal rushes creating more tension than you could ever imagine. Totally unpretentious experimental twee stuff (if such a distinction exists). Cutesy, but not too sugary. The double drum/double keys action works so well, but the lone female needs to do more vocals. Her voice has this awesome lilt that makes you feel like your heart might burst. Life gets a whole lot prettier when she sings. I haven't had a chance to check out their full-length, but myspace is pretty great, most especially Falling Leaves (Even though it sounds a bit like Cheers).
Flying - Minors
Consume!
Segue to a little more pretentious, but still great and actually only pretentious if you don't know better. I saw Beautiful Weekend a while back. I was really unimpressed, but I came away really wanting to like it. Months later, I'm so glad that my brain posted this virtual stickie note somewhere amidst the awesome stuff going on in my cranium. They are all crunchy harmonies and plunky guitar counterpoint. Morton Feldman's babies fall asleep listening to this music. It ebbs and flows and flows and flows. Even their most dissonant harmonies fill me with peace and inner joy. Please give this band many chances as they may not sit well at first.
Like Woah. That's enough out of me. Buy Parenthetical Girls!!
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