British Singer/Songwriter Natasha Kahn releases a new gem under Bat For Lashes. True to form Kahn calls on forces of nature and human emotion to play the lead in each song, and masterfully crafts her music into whimsically unique tracks reminiscent of the ’80s.
“I will rise now, and go about the city…” quietly opens up Two Suns as Kahn sings the lyrics in echoey achapella, the lyrics are quickly found swirling in city sounds and pounding drums. ”Moon and Moon,” the albums third track, calls on the moon to accompany a wife looking for her husband, it features Kahn on the piano and is sure to play right on your soul, don’t be surprised if this track has you closing your eyes in order to get the full effect. “Traveling Woman” offers advice for survival in this wild world and just might have been Kahn’s theme song while writing and recording her second album as the process took place from Big Sur and Joshua Tree in California, to the Welsh Countryside, to London and New York. ”The Big Sleep,” a duet with Scott Walker and Kahn, is a haunty sleepy track almost operatic in vocals that is perfectly appropriate to end Two Suns. My favorite track off Bat For Lashes‘ new album: “Pearl’s Dream.”
A new year brings new fashion trends. Here are a few of the things you just might catch yourself wearing in 2009, even if you are the type to exclaim, “Oh, I would never wear that.”
Ladies…….
Cork Accessaries- No, we aren’t wearing wine bottle corks on a necklace chain (although we may be on to something) but clutches and shoes with cork detail are all the rage!
Let your pants sag- Instead of wearing your waste line low bring it up and allow your crotch to appear like it hangs at your knees.
Colored mascara- I know, I know it is so 80′s but you just might!
Leotards- No lie, the leotard is back and begging to be warn under those high wasted skirts and pants.
Gentlemen….
High waters- Cropped pants are no longer just for the girls or for the boys that clam dig.
Not so buttoned up- It may seem a bit 70′s disco-esque but it’s time to loosen up those buttons, the lower you button the better. Also, you’ll find more mens cotton T-shirts in a much lower cut V-neck. Let the chest hair blow in the wind!
Shoe Patches- Time to brush up on your cross stitch. When your shoes begin to wear this year grab the needle and thread. Patch away! Apparently the economy is in rough shape or something.
Gramercy Arms, taking their name from an old apartment building on New York City’s 22nd street, is all about the “New York state of mind.” We had the pleasure to meet with Dave Derby, singer/songwriter of the project, Sean Eden, and Rainy Orteca at a little cuban restaurant before they took the stage at Pianos, on the lower east side. Chatting over empanadas and coconut flan we covered everything from new years resolutions to youtube. Dave admitted his appreciation for the online phenomenon stating, in loo of their decadal music videos, “you take what you can grab.” The videos for “Automatic” and “Shining Bright” are made up of 70′s and 80′s flashbacks. ”The 80′s were moving forward”, Dave explains, while the 90′s took a step back trying “to recreate the 70′s.” Everything comes full circle and soon enough “we will be recreating and playing madrigals”, which is an idea that Rainy admits to be a fan of.
Pianos opened up the stage to Gramcery Arms shortly after 11pm on one of the coldest nights of the winter. The blistering weather appeared to have deterred the usual Wednesday night concert goers. Those who were brave enough to venture out witnessed hilarious sarcasm between band-mates, insane guitar playing, and a comical number of chats with the French sound guy. ”Automatic” is a sure hit.
Gramercy Arms just released their debut power pop album in 2008 with guest appearances such as comedian Sarah Silverman, Lloyd Cole, Chris Brokaw, and band member from Nada Surf. Keep your eyes open for their new single and perhaps EP, “Nothing I Can Do,” planned to hit shelves sometime next Spring. Gramercy Arms embodies the “gritty splendor” that is New York, or so they say.
New years always brings high expectations and apparently it should be no different for your feet. The 70′s platform and the 80′s stiletto will look like ballet flats compared to the sky scrapers of ’09. Podalic fashion of the new year is architecturally angular and the fabrics and patterns, transcendent. Maybe art is better worn than hung.
FYI: Four inches is said to be the minimum heel height; It’s time to start practicing the stilt walking, ladies.
The School of Seven Bells is said to have been a South American academy of pick pockets back in the 80s. PBS aired a special one late night on this mythical academy of thieves, which inspired a certain Alejandra to embark on an artistic journey under the cognomen School of Seven Bells.
Two years later, in 2006 this idea came to fruition and so the band School of Seven Bells was born. The core of this band is made up of twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza, and the former Secret Machines member Benjamin Curtis. The band toured with Blonde Redhead in September 2007 and on October 23rd released their debut album, Alpinisms. Filled with dreamy electronics and vocals that take wing, the psychedelic group won themselves the rating of “America’s shoegaze revival at its most meticulously refined” by SPIN Magazine.
The School of Seven Bells is opening up for M83 tonight at Webster Hall. Both bands on stage in one night? This show should not disappoint, go check it out!
Cork Accessaries- No, we aren’t wearing wine bottle corks on a necklace chain (although we may be on to something) but clutches and shoes with cork detail are all the rage!
Cropped pants are no longer just for the girls or for the boys that clam dig. 
Not so buttoned up- It may seem a bit 70′s disco-esque but it’s time to loosen up those buttons, the lower you button the better. Also, you’ll find more mens cotton T-shirts in a much lower cut V-neck. Let the chest hair blow in the wind!
Shoe Patches- Time to brush up on your cross stitch. When your shoes begin to wear this year grab the needle and thread. Patch away! Apparently the economy is in rough shape or something.
