#a friend suggested me go do this perfect blue art trend we both had the same thoughts of it being cass

[seakrisp]

Skip a beat in the bloodline.

Extra vers below:

I like this one better actually

Messy burger

[kvndeathmusic]

my favorite records of the 2010s pt 1 (the less great stuff/honorable mentions)

Neither this post or its followup are going to be in any particular order, however all the records I talk about here are, in my opinion, not as good as the records i will talk about in my part 2. they’re all fantastic but these ones slightly a little less fantastic than the ones in my “top 10″. none of this is based on stuff like 'influence' or whatever other critics base their lists on, this is solely how much I enjoyed these records. And keep in mind, I'm only human, I havent listened to a good lot of records I've heard others describe as top 10 worthy, these are just records I found and that I resonate with. long post ahead. 

Vacation - Bomb the Music Industry (2011)

If you asked me what my favorite band is i will either say bomb the music industry or jeff rosenstock, but considering those are pretty much the same things it doesnt matter lol. While Vacation isnt a perfect record, it is one I love. It lacks some of the ska elements that I love about earlier BTMI records, but at the same time, it is the first record where Jeff’s “””solo””” career sound starts to form in tracks like Sick, Later, Hurricane Waves, Everybody That You Love, Everybody That Loves You, and Vocal Coach. And these tracks are all fantastic, especially the absolutely explosive opener Campaign For a Better Weekend. Where this album suffers in my mind is the fact that it exists as a weird hybrid middle ground between BTMI and modern Jeff Rosenstock, it isn’t really ska like old BTMI and it’s not quite to the same standard as the tracks on We Cool?. And some of the songs are just, not as good as the others, like Why, Oh Why, Oh Why (Oh Oh Oh Oh), which is washed out almost entirely in reverb, and tracks like Savers feeling barren and missing additional instrumentation. But fuck man I can not dislike this record or just call it “ok” because despite this I still listen to this record a lot, it’s so catchy and fun and Im a bit too chronically addicted to btmi. 

Reflektor - Arcade Fire (2013)

i dont really get the hate/mixed feelings others have with this record. there’s so many good tracks dude!!!! sure theres a bit of a slump in the middle and it doesnt reach the same emotional heights as their previous records you gotta be ignorant to overlook this records strengths. while i do like The Suburbs more than Reflektor, man i just vibe HARD with some of these tracks; the title track, We Exist, Here Comes The Night Time, Normal Person, Awful Sound (Oh Eurydice), Porno, and ESPECIALLY Afterlife. Plus the cover art is cool and I like it. However Flashbulb Eyes is one of the worst tracks Arcade Fire has ever put out and I hate it immensely. And while far less offensive, tracks like You Already Know, It’s Never Over (Hey Orpheus), and Joan of Arc are just kinda boring and/or uninteresting. Now granted, I'm extremely biased when it comes to Arcade fire in general unless were talking about the trainwreck that is Everything Now. I started listening to Arcade Fire just before Reflektor came out, and I have a kinda sentimental attachment to the record. ill explain the feeling more when i talk about The Suburbs. anticipation oooooo.

good kid m.A.A.d city - Kendrick Lamar (2012)

i might get crucified by some for not putting this in my top 10, but whatever come at me i guess. gkmc is a fantastic record, but i do think the ending is weak, which is why it’s here instead of in the top 10. i mean, let’s be real, Real is a mediocre track, and while Dying of Thirst is an important track to the whole narrative of the record, it feels way too long. almost everything else about this record is fantastic, from the beats, to kendrick’s nasally flows, to the overall structure of the record spinning a tale of a young man battling demons both inside and out, and his eventual redemption. even if i find this record at times to drop pace, it really is flawless otherwise. it felt like a disservice to put this in the 20-10s, bc it’s a good record, but i had to make some compromises and this was one of them. 

RTJ2 - Run The Jewels (2014)

el-p and killer mike are a perfect duo, and the tracks they make together are always total bangers. and for me, RTJ2 is the best overall, with RTJ3 in a close second. it’s hard to put this on the lower half of the list, some of the tracks just don’t work as well as the others, but despite that there’s not really any tracks i hate or dislike on this record, minus maybe crown. the pure aggression in the opening track Jeopardy sets the tone for an aggressive yet highly focused record. This is some of the best rap out there right now if you want some music to fuck shit up to. 

Pure Comedy - Father John Misty (2017)

This record is both hilarious and extremely bleak. Josh Tillman is a master of satire and sarcasm, and Pure Comedy is the peak of his songwriting skills. The title track is one of the best tracks of the decade, period. And he keeps up the momentum on the following few tracks. The main problem with this record is its weaker second half, but even then it’s criminal to suggest that those songs aren’t good regardless. And despite the bleakness, the one line that sticks in my head after all this time is the line this album fades out to: There’s nothing to fear.

Knife Man - AJJ (2011)

Continuing on the trend of folky, satirical, and bleak records, Knife Man is AJJ’s defining record (next to their debut LP). AJJ blends loud, punky anthems with quieter, folk tracks that touch on sensitive issues in a way only AJJ manages to get away with. And there’s some genuine heart mixed in as well, with the final track Big Bird always striking a chord with me. However, I do feel the record is, let’s just say, padded at times in my opinion. Still, I can’t deny how much i enjoy tracks like Gift of the Magi 2, Hate Rain on Me, The Distance, and Skate Park. Speaking of which when I saw AJJ live recently they played none of those songs and that kinda sucked but hey it was like $20 I can’t complain. And speaking of not getting what I wanted...

You Won’t Get What You Want - Daughters (2018)

It was hard choosing between this record and their 2010 self titled record, but in terms of the overall narrative and variety this record shines through. If there was a number 11 spot in this unorganized list this would probably take that spot. It’s noisey, it’s abrasive, and it’s like nothing you’ve heard before unless you’ve listened to Daughter’s previous records. Tracks like The Reason They Hate Me are catchy in the weirdest and most unwelcoming of ways, Less Sex sounds like a long lost Trent Reznor NIN track, and Guest House is a masochistic and gut wrenching finisher. Fantastic record aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

We Cool? - Jeff Rosenstock (2015)

It’s obvious that I had to include this record somewhere on these list. It’s like a more refined version of the sounds that Jeff experimented with on Vacation. Definitely more punk than ska, but still some of those roots still shine through, especially in the track Nausea. Some of Jeff’s best songs are on this record, from the loud opening tracks Get Old Forever and You, In Weird Cities, to tracks dripping with bittersweet and moody lyrics like I’m Serious, I’m Sorry and Polar Bear or Africa. The main reason this record is on the back end of the top 20 is because the deeper cuts on the record do not match the energy and heights of the best tracks. Tracks like All Blissed Out, The Lows, Darkness Records and Beers Again Alone don’t feel like they belong and stick out a bit. They remind me more of the material Jeff put out on his 2012 EP I Look Like Shit. Mind you they aren’t bad tracks, but I’ll be honest I skip them often when listening to the record because i just wanna get back to the good good stuff. 

Sports - Modern Baseball (2012)

Sports is one of the best pop punk records ever, if you can even consider it as such. It’s like a blend of emo and folk punk, and it works so well. A good majority of this record is on my main shuffle playlist. Is it pushing boundaries? Not really, but tracks like Re-Do, Tears Over Beers, and See Ya, Sucker are undeniably catchy and memorable. I NEED MODERN BASEBALL BACK TOGETHER RN. There’s not really anything that wrong with the record, besides maybe lacking in variety, but at 30 minutes, it’s a record that feels nostalgic even on a first listen, and continues to feel that way even after numerous re-listens. Speaking of nostalgia...

The Suburbs - Arcade Fire (2010)

Some background, when I was 13 (circa 2013), I only really listened to whatever my parents put on for me. From my mom, I “inherited” a taste for classic pop and 80s new wave. From my dad, I got metal and hard rock. The first time I made the conscious decision to listen to a record fully, based on my own curiousity, was when I sat and listened to Sgt. Pepper in the summer of 2013, which broadened the scope of what I thought music could even be. And later that year, the first band I got into after The Beatles? Arcade Fire. When I think of my early teens, the memories are set to this record. I remember listening to Ready to Start in my brother’s old hot ass car while driving to the local fair with some friends on a chill fall night, eating tons of junk and staying up past midnight back when doing that was edgy and cool and not a symptom of my depression. 

If I was judging this record solely by its best tracks, it would easily be in the top 3. But I couldn’t place it in my top 10 because, frankly, some of the deeper cuts are lacking. I can’t say I like Deep Blue. I really don’t like Rococo. And Half Light I kills the pace of the record. But man, that title track, Ready to Start, Modern Man, Empty Room, Half Light II, Sprawl II... these songs defined my early teen years. I still tear up listening to the title track. Sure I have to skip a few songs when I re-listen, but I can’t place it any lower or my heart will break. It existing outside of the top 10 already hurts. And that’s all that’s left now. The top 10. 

But first, some random honorable mentions that didn’t make this list:

Sound & Color - Alabama Shakes

Black Star - David Bowie

Saturation II - BROCKHAMPTON

Melophobia - Cage the Elephant

Teens of Style - Car Seat Headrest

How to Leave Town - Car Seat Headrest

Daughters - Daughters

Sunbather - Deafheaven

Bottomless Pit - Death Grips

Year of the Snitch - Death Grips (should be on this list tbh)

Doris - Earl Sweatshirt

I Love You, Honeybear - Father John Misty

Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes

Plastic Beach - Gorillaz

Boarding House Reach - Jack White

POST- - Jeff Rosenstock

S/T - Joyce Manor

Firepower - Judas Priest

ye - Kanye West

KIDS SEE GHOSTS - KSG

You Were There - Kill Lincoln

Flying Microtonal Banana - King Gizzard

Infest The Rats’ Nest - King Gizzard

No New World - Mass of the Fermenting Dregs

Bury Me At Makeout Creek - Mitski

Puberty 2 - Mitski

Unsilent Death - Nails

Itekoma Hits - Otoboke Beaver

Morbid Stuff - PUP

A Moon Shaped Pool - Radiohead

RTJ3 - Run the Jewels

Angles - The Strokes

To Be Kind - Swans

Undertale OST - Toby Fox

Scum Fuck Flower Boy - Tyler, The Creator 

Igor - Tyler, The Creator

Weezer (White Album) - Weezer

nightlife - yuragi

[myselfinserts]

“While you were busy being heterosexual, I studied the blade.”

Étienne really didn’t want to be here today. He didn’t want to be at a place with needless and ink. He wanted to go home.

But he’d made a promise, so he let Reginald drag him to the little haunted house looking establishment halfway between Elspie proper and Elswood, a good thirty minutes away from civilization.

Whoever it was that they were going to had a strange taste in location.

“I’m not sure if this is a good idea,” Étienne sighed, reading the ‘closed’ sign in the window. “Perhaps we should go.”

“Chill, Étienne,” Regi assured. “Kel’s legit, I swear.”

Étienne rolled his eyes. “I know you say that, and I’ve got no reason to doubt you, but…” he looked at around, trying to resist the urge to run. “You cannot deny this isn’t…exactly the kind of place that instills confidence that we won’t fall victim to a slasher movie villain.”

Regi laughed nervously, tugging on the sleeves of his sweat jacket. “I know. But believe me. Teacake wouldn’t let anyone past the front room.”

“Teacake is the dog, right?”

“That’s right. He’s a good boy.” Regi opened the door, smiling as a loud bark greeted them. “Hey there, Mr. Cake!”

Étienne followed Regi into the house, raising an eyebrow as he saw the dark colored corgi sitting at the front desk in a blue bowtie. He had to admit, it was rather cute. Though he’d have opted for a more periwinkle shade himself.

“Can you take us to the waiting room?” Regi asked. “We have an appointment.”

Teacake jumped from his spot at the counter, pulling a basket from a nearby shelf and bringing it over to them. Étienne took a peek, noticing a few familiar lines that resembled a contract.

He didn’t remember this.

“What are these?”

Regi took the  papers from the basket, smiling fondly. “It’s the paperwork. You know, like how we have our clients fill out papers before we do the work? Same concept.”

Étienne swiped the papers from him, adjusting his glasses to get a better look. “You just sign this without reading it over?”

“I’ve been here enough to have memorized it. I’ll go over it with you if you want.”

“I’ll look over it myself.”

“Suit yourself.” Regi turned back to Teacake, taking another copy of the contract for himself. “Teacake? Can you take us to today’s best waiting room?”

Teacake barked pleasantly and scurried toward one of the nearest doors. The two designers hurried after him, one more enthused about the situation. That was fine. Étienne wasn’t the one getting the tattoo anyway.

Though he supposed if he ever did, this might be an okay place given how clean it was. And how thorough the contract was too. Choices of permanent or temporary, what kind of design, if the design was meant to be a personalized commission and not to be shared. There was even an option to be hired on to model your tattoo in the store’s advertising. 

He wasn’t going to say it, but he was highly impressed at how strong everything was on a business standpoint.

The two were lead to the back by Teacake, and after about three minutes of walking they arrived in a very nice game room. On the table were stacks of books labeled ‘designs’, and there were choices between board, card, and video games. Along with pool and air hockey against a gentle cafe jazz soundtrack on the radio. And of course, a couple of vending machines and a couple of tea and coffee makers at their own station. 

It had everything.

“So today’s best is an arcade,” Regi hummed. “Very nice.”

Étienne took a seat on the nearby sofa, picking up one of the notebooks and noticing it was brand new. And as he flipped through the pages, he saw it was empty. 

“Is this for us to design things?” he asked.

“Yeah, she lets people do designs if they want,” Regi explained. “Kel especially lets kids do it, because she has this thing for parents that want tattoos of their children’s art. Make it look like something really special.”

“I see…Wait one minute.” Étienne got a devilsh smirk as he hurried over to the coffee station. “What the hell is this poster?”

Regi’s face went red. “Th-that’s-”

“Is that you?” Étienne laughed. What is that pixel design on your face?! You look ridiculous!”

“It was my first modelling job!” Regi pouted. “Kel asked if I could model the design last minute since the last guy bailed. It wasn’t designed for my face!”

“He’s right.”

Étienne looked up, nearly jumping back when he saw a horned young lady staring at him, book open and filled with sketches. She seemed rather…unperturbed. 

Where the hell did she come from?!

“I designed it for a more rounded, stout looking face. Not a long heart like Renegade’s. My fault for not taking the possibility of my model bailing on me like a little bitch for some flaky trend start up down the road.” She shrugged. “That shop was shut down a month later after reports of infections from bad needles, so tomato tomato I guess.”

“Hey Kel,” Regi said excitedly. “Étienne, this is Kelly Hornblower, but prefers to go by Kel. She’s my friend.”

“We’re not friends,” Kel said. 

“Best friends?”

“Not even close.”

“Come on!” he groaned. “We’ve known each other for years!”

“Yeah, and while you were busy being heterosexual with Skald, I studied the blade. I can out fence you now.” She smirked. “Relax, Glady. We’re friends.” She looked at Étienne, face back to blank. “If you’re considering being friends with him, run while you can. Once he’s got you, he doesn’t let go.”

“I’m well aware of what friendship with Gladstone entails.” Étienne held out his hand. “Étienne Allard. Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Hornblower.”

“Ms. Hornblower’s my mum,” she snickered, accepting his handshake. “You can call me Kel.”

“Kel. Right.” 

She glanced at her hands as they let go. “Strong grip. Very steady. Perfect for intricate detailed work.” She smiled. “Ever thought of going into ink?”

“I found my passion, thank you.”

“Well, if you ever change your mind.” She looked to Regi, brow raised. “So, what will it be this time?”

“Cats on my ankle. Meatloaf had kittens and I want something for them.”

Kel nodded. “Well, I’m afraid I can’t help you today.”

Regi’s eyes went wide. “How come?”

“Art block.” She handed him the sketchbook. “I need to get this design right for a client. They want me to put ‘not afraid of the dark’ in fancy letters on this lighthouse but the bastard doesn’t like any of the fonts. I know what he’s looking for but I can’t seem to replicate it.”

Regi and Étienne looked at each other and nodded, each of them taking a turn and writing the sentence on a blank page of the book before handing it back. 

“Would one of these work?” they asked in unison.

Kel took a look, eyes seeming to shine with excitement. “This is just what I need. Thanks.” She closed the book. “I think I can fit you both in today now.”

“Just him,” Étienne said. “I don’t do needles.”

“I think I have just the thing for you though.” She escorted them to the next room over. “You know how people use stencils? I think I have something you’ll enjoy. And as a thank you for helping me, this is on the house.”

“I highly doubt it’ll be something I’ll enjoy.”

“Trust me. With your perfect tone and smooth skin, everyone with a brain with be fawning over you until it washes away.”

“...Very well, I’ll hear you out. What do you have in mind?”

Ceri felt his throat tighten as he did a double take. He couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t possible. Étienne would never-

But he did. Ceri could see it. The gentle golden feather design on his wrists poking out from beneath the lavender button up’s sleeves. The perfect shade to compliment his skin tone. And he could have sworn he saw some more designs barely poking out near the unbuttoned collar. Was it a full body? Or just a few specific places?

“It’s rude to stare,” Étienne said without looking up from his book.

“Sorry,” Ceri mumbled. “I just, uh...did you...did you get a tattoo?”

Étienne smirked and set his book down. “If you want to find out, I suggest you finish your cocoa.” He got up and started making his way out of the livingroom, making sure to whisper in Ceri’s ear when he stopped to give him a peck on the cheek. “And by the way. Purple really does suit you.” 

With a quick nibble on the ear, he left the room. 

Ceri sat there for a moment completely stunned. He could feel his ears burning. His face hotter than his drink. He knew exactly what Étienne had done. He guzzled down his drink and hurried after him.

If that man is trying to kill me, I will gladly embrace death.

[withinthescripts]

Season 2, Cassette 8: Ohara Museum of Art (1980)

[tape recorder turns on]

Hello, I am curator Leah Akane, welcoming you to the Ohara Museum of Art, and our special exhibit of the work of the late Claudia Atieno. Toward the end of Atieno’s life, it was suggested by friends that she was walking toward more epic depictions. But as those works are unfinished, or perhaps not begun, we have but her more intimate concepts.

In this exhibit, we will see some of Atieno’s more political tributes to classic works, which were lost in the Great Reckoning. We also have the rarely displayed “Attentiveness”, which I feel has been an underrated part of Atieno’s catalogue.

Narrating your audio guide is journalist, artist, and dear friend of Atieno, Roimata Mangakāhia. We are (blessed) to have Mangakāhia’s knowledge not only of Atieno as an artist, but as a person. While not nearly as successful as her late friend, Mangakāhia has been an invaluable champion of Atieno’s work, perhaps as important to Atieno’s popularity as Atieno’s own talent.

We hope you find deeper understanding and appreciation for Atieno’s work, a life in art sadly cut short.

The exhibit begins in the main gallery. Artworks included in the audio guide are numbered. Enjoy your time at the Ohara Museum of Art.

[bell chimes]

One. “Stars”. Little remains of impressionist Vincent van Gogh’s work. There are a handful of photographs of “Starry Night”, and a portion of what remains in the paintings hangs in Manhattan’s Museum of Modern Art. Its new (Harmer Island) structure, a masterpiece of modern architecture.

Many works of the European masters were lost in the Great Reckoning. Many works by artists worldwide were lost, but at the center of Western art history were the impressionists. “Starry Night”, Manet’s “Olympia”, Cézanne’s “The Card Players”. These paintings are often recreated by artists in our new society. An exercise in cultural reclamation of course, an attempt to return to the knowledge and art and history that was lost after the war. But with “Stars”, Atieno took this replication trend in a new direction, a direction that rejected recreating what was lot. In fact, Atieno’s replicas were reappropriations of classic images. In her way, Atieno was rejecting a return to the past and embracing the society, albeit the society she wanted, not the society that was.

From the moment I first saw Claudia in 1970, she was obsessed with replications. In “Stars”, she takes the stylized swirls and moist, twinkling glimmer of twilight, and brings all of its vibrant motion to a halt. The irony of Atieno’s version of “Stars” is its complete lack of stars. The black sky looms above a charcoal city at night, mostly war-scarred and evacuated. Or worse, eradicated. The stars likely shine and soar behind the choking clouds, unaware and unobserved. What we see is merely a moon struggling to be seen in a humid black haze above the town.

Notice in the center of her painting the church spire, broken. The rising hills along the right, rocky and charred. The homes him and roofless. There are large spirals of smoke mirroring van Gogh’s inspired blue swirls, but in Atieno’s “Stars”, we see only variations of gray. The one contrast in her bleak landscape is the tall flames in the foreground on the left.

Did you ever go to church? What is a spire? Did God do this to us? If so, whose God?

Some critics refer to this as a fire representing the destruction of the Reckoning. But I believe that Atieno was attempting to evoke a bonfire, a possible celebration by the townspeople in the universe of her painting. A communal fire to burn old art, books, clothes and doctrines of the tribes which led the world to such destruction. The art of war, obviously, paintings and written accounts of war heroes, as we know now that war holds no place for heroes. All themes of national superiority were turned one by one to ash. Underneath the bleak sky, we have a fire of a new day, of a new people wishing to rid themselves of the package of their past, the treachery of nation states and family.

It’s a brilliant work and a perfect approach to artistic repurposing. It’s difficult to say when repurposing becomes just a copy or plagiarism, sometimes even the artist doesn’t know where to draw the line.

[bell chimes]

Two. “Attentiveness”.

Many critics claim Atieno’s “Attentiveness” is her most garish work, noting its bold, almost clumsy strokes and its unsubtle praise of her own fame and wealth. I don’t disagree with them, but I would hate to completely dismiss this work simply for its lack of tact and technique.

While Atieno never stated directly that it was a self portrait, it’s easy to place her as the woman central to this painting. Her narrow shoulders and short stature contrasted against the long, dark, braided hair.

The woman is exiting a luxury automobile, her head turned from the viewer, and a woman on the other side of the open car door, taking a camera from her bag.

Look at the photographer’s mouth agape, caught in a moment of surprise and awe at this chance encounter with a celebrity. Have you ever seen a celebrity? [chuckles] Were you this obvious about it? Are you impressed by luxury automobiles? Do you wear driving gloves?

While she often bemoaned the loss of her anonymity and by extension, a freedom of self, Atieno most certainly relished the attention her career provided her. She would shower, dress, put on makeup, take off makeup, undress, shower again and repeat the process for two hours before a gallery opening.

She always dressed fashionably, but at private parties or events, she carried herself casually and comfortably. She did not like photographs, only compliments. She grew bored with conversations that did not acknowledge her talents at least occasionally. I had many conversations with Claudia that acknowledged her talents, as I urged her to focus on larger projects, pieces that could continue to impact the art world, as she slipped further an further into lazy drawings of discarded papers and staplers and weak forgeries disguised as tributes. I told her about her incredible talents and she liked that part. I followed it up with a critique of her process, and that she liked less.

In “Attentiveness”, Atieno does not paint the face of the woman, only the face of the woman who sees her.

Look again into the photographer’s stunned face. Do you see awe, panic, adoration in a single oval (moor) into glistening eyes, and a hand frantically clutching a camera strap. Do you believe cartoons are art?

This painting is garish. It is clumsy. But it’s so revealing of Atieno herself. I do not feel we can devalue its worth simply because it does not seem to show any skill.

If Claudia were still alive and could hear what I am saying, she would never speak to me again. But she’s dead and cannot hear what I am saying and will still never speak to me again, so what are you going to do?

[bell chimes]

Three. “Sunglasses and Cigarettes”.

These are two men wearing sunglasses. They both hold cigarettes. Next to them is an unpleasant looking dog. The five-buttoned suit jackets these men are wearing are dissimilar to the conservative business fashion of council employees or the simple structure of police jackets.

These men look quite different from usual police, even undercover officers. Atieno has also spent quite a bit of time on their mouths and hands. Notice the texture of her lines in these areas of the picture. Much more detail on their tight countenances and the tense physical postures. Their hands are clenched, cigarettes poking out of stone fists. Their lips curled, not in anger but stern concentrations. And unlike agents from the Society Establishment, they do not attempt to hide their observations of Atieno and her private home.

Statespeople who appeared at Atieno’s home often tried to gather information, but in a sociable and subtle manner. These two men and their dog, a mixed breed similar looking to a Dobermann pinscher though, stand brazenly at the curb staring directly inside.

Given the rectangular framing around this sketch, I believe Atieno drew this from the front window of an apartment she lived in years before I met her. It suggests she did not go outside to greet or confront them. I believe she was perhaps frightened or at least dubious of these men and their dog.

Claudia socialized with many politicians of the new society, as well as other well known artists and business owners. She wanted to be as important as her art. But the edges of these circles (--) [0:12:19] roughly with insidious people, people who do not trust nor like those within.

These men and their unpleasant dog were from some place we should not want to know. [softly] Look at the way they stand and stare. Do you feel watched? What do you think they know about you?

Who do you think they report to? Do you believe in conspiracies? Claudia did.

I saw men like these once sitting at small tables on the footpath outside a small café in Cornwall. They watched me, smoking their cigarettes. I did not believe them to be anything other than well dressed men with a bad habit and an unpleasant dog. But Claudia was certain they were dangerous and covert operatives. I told Claudia if they were a threat we should lay low, have fewer parties and get togethers, but we did not. I don’t know how strongly Claudia believed in her own stories.

We had more parties with bigger, more important, more controversial people. Her then lover, Pavel Zubov, brought many friends who talked often of the new New Revolution. Nothing ever came of their bluster. But in an unstable new world, revolutions are not difficult. What happens after a revolution is another matter, of course.

[bell chimes] [tape recorder turns off] [ads] [tape recorder turns on] [bell chimes]

Four. “Lamp”. Oil on wood.

Of this particular era of Atieno’s life, during the height of her frame, this might be my favorite work, the type of work I encouraged in her. A piece which when she finished it, I applauded and opened a vintage Cabernet (--) [0:16:43] I’d been saving for such an occasion.

Most of her paintings from this time pander to a broader pseudo-intellectual audience, in search of strange moderately confrontational art, a story they can tell others, a debate they can have over art’s virtuosity and validity. They may say this is not art, but that argument is the art itself.

In “Lamp”, Claudia basically painted an inverted yellow V atop a brown circle on a flint background. It’s geometric to be sure, and part of a post-war revival of art deco, all of the evolutionary flourishes of art nouveau eradicated, however. Here we see only the effects of the lamp, an incandescent shine in the dark, but the actual architecture of the device is missing entirely.

I spent a full 20 minutes raving to Claudia about this work when she showed it to me in 1969. We had not known each other long, and our initial relationship was almost like a master and pupil. I could teach her nothing about the craft of visual arts. But we drank wine and talked late into the night. For all of her political and refined small talk at parties with celebrities and power brokers, I was – I flatter myself, one of the few people she could really talk to.

There was Pavel, but their relationship was purely one of mutual and tumultuous passion for each other’s bodies. Claudia’s and my relationship was one of passion for creation.

My praise of this painting, original in a way she had seemed incapable of, so bold but on the noise politically, went past her. I told her this, this is what she should be creating, not staplers or glorifications of celebrity, not copies of other works.

She put the painting away and later told me she’d destroyed it.

When the staff at the Ohara Museum told me they were showing this work, I flew to Japan just to see it again. I’m glad she did not destroy it.

[softly] Look at its architecture, its balance. How it’s teetering slightly. It’s not physically possible, this lamp, but every element is in harmony. Look at that shade of yellow closely. How can a human make that color? It almost makes me angry.

Which brush strokes in this painting do you resent? Are they the same strokes you admire?

I’d like to tell you that this is her finest work, but in the past few years, more tributes and derivatives of “Lamp” have multiplied throughout the modern society art movement. Her work seems to be a cheap replica of itself, rather than an original that inspired hundreds of copies. Perhaps this painting’s brilliance has been eclipsed by the works it instigated.

Or perhaps I’m the wrong person to be narrating your walk through this exhibit. There are several other paintings I could describe to you, but I think after just a few you’ve got the idea. These works are decades old, and you’ve seen countless tributes or copies of them. You don’t need me to tell you what a clear acrylic box full of acorns mean. It honestly doesn’t mean anything. Or rather it means Claudia Atieno recognized that quantity was greater than quality, that celebrity simply means that demand surpasses supply. If she could keep generating new work, she could keep putting on exhibits all over the world, filling the needs of art-hungry survivors of a terrible war and its apocalyptic aftermath.

[bell chimes]

Five. “Box of Acorns”. Acrylic box, acorns.

I already said you don’t need to hear about this work, but oh I don’t know. [sighs] Perhaps you need to hear about it.

There was an oak tree on the island of her home in Cornwall, and she collected the acorns, I watched her do it. She found this acrylic in a warehouse of post-war debris. I was with her that day and we marveled at the number of paintings and sculptures in that warehouse.

[crying] I really didn’t… [long silence, music]

[bell chimes] [silence]

[bell chimes]

I’ll stop beeping in your ears. No, I won’t.

[bell chimes]

Eleven. There’s not actually a painting 11, but I’ll just go on the idea you forgot to press stop or you’re curious to see how far I’ll take this.

[sadly] I will tell you though that investigators found parts of Atieno’s body two years ago. They weren’t certain they were hers at first. Pieces of bone and clothing washed up on a lonely beach on St Agnes island. Then this year they found teeth and most of a torso underneath several inches of mud along a rocky beach. The torso had pieces of clothing that matched the previous clothes. They knew from the torso that the body had fallen, been crushed by the hard slap of gravity.

And 8-year-old girl found the body. The girl’s attendant had to report the girl to retraining at the institute. A-a place dedicating to ensuring that society’s new precepts aren’t disrupted.

Not much is known about the institute, and what is rumored about them goes unproven but… there is reason to be suspicious. There is reason to be more than suspicious.

I’m positive that the scars of seeing human remains were less impactful than the scars of whatever… [sigh/weep] recalibrating they’re putting her through now. Or perhaps she didn’t know what she found, just a blue gray mound of – fetid biology, vaguely human-shaped, partially preserved in salt and mud.

Maybe the girl could make out the outline of a person in this rotten flesh lump? Somehow, that’s even more frightening. Something that looks human but is not. Is not anymore.

Crushed from a fall, they said. But it wasn’t the fall that killed her. [scoffs] She’d been falling for years. It was the rocks, or something that she hit, I shouldn’t just say “rocks” out loud.

I never forgave her for slighting her legacy in favor of fame, but maybe I’m the one who needed to be forgiven. For demanding too much of her, for resenting her. [sighs] For adoring her. For lots of things.

Teeth and a torso. [chuckles] Someone should paint that. Oh god, I’m sure you’re gonna want your money back from this audio tour. Tell the folks at the Ohara that the tape player seemed broken, or tell them that you didn’t end up enjoying it. don’t tell them what I said. Or do, I don’t care. I honestly don’t.

I loved Claudia! She was a gifted artist and giving friend. She had a period of work this museum seems to like, but which I find contemptible for its naked pandering.

Maybe I’m just sad. I can’t reconcile my feelings. [whispers] I can’t believe they found her body! [deep sigh]

I can’t believe I don’t get to tell anyone anymore that she’s still alive. I probably knew she wasn’t. but I could always tell myself she was.

Bone fragments on the beach, near a home for preteens. The first post-war generation to grow up without parents. The great experiment for a bright new world. [sighs] I don’t know.

[tape recorder turns off]

“Within the Wires” is written by Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthewson and performed by Rima Te Wiata, with original music by Mary Epworth. Find more of Mary’s music at maryepworth.com.

The voice of Leah Akane was Julia Morisawa.

Don’t forget to check out the amazing “Within the Wires” T-shirts and Claudia Atieno art print at withinthewires.com.

OK. Our time is done, it’s you time now. Time to stop by the museum gift shop, grab yourself a souvenir book of paintings about [the sinus infection I have], pick up a poster featuring [me coughing] and buy a commemorative vase made out of [-].

[thesinglesjukebox]

LOONA / ODD EYE CIRCLE - GIRL FRONT [8.12] Next up, a frenzied, fizzy mystery...

Mo Kim: As it nears the end of its eighteen-month rollout, the LOONA project has grown from a series of self-contained solo releases into a universe-bending mythos which grows more complex by the second, left for fans to piece together via close analysis of meticulously-arranged videos (often with cameos), promotional graphics, press releases, and cryptic URLs referencing Mobius strips. It's to the credit of the group, however, that the music has remained its foundation: whether revealing Choerry's ability to jump between dimensions via a well-placed drop in "Love Cherry Motion" or making a 180 from the sweeter concepts of the first few members with KimLip's sultry "Eclipse," Blockberry Creative has been just as ambitious with their songs as they have with every other dimension of their unfolding multimedia narrative. Even if you didn't know anything about LOONA or Odd Eye Circle (its second subunit), "Girl Front" would still knock you off your feet like a late-summer breeze. Its Max Martin-esque melange of synthlines and sticky beats (with a generous sampling of contemporary sonic trends, especially the ominous trap-tinged coda following each chorus) distills driving down the 101 in Los Angeles with your windows down into as perfect a road trip song as I've heard. Yet there's something about the surrounding context that takes the drama of a budding romance and blows it up to inter-dimensional proportions. As the girls trade lines on the chorus about a budding romance that "makes things hotter" and "makes them draw closer," a massive mix of beat-em-up synths and hard-hitting beats wallops you with the force of an asteroid: one feels as if they could be singing about their own impact. The verses filter in bits of plucky guitar and sunny piano chords that the production leaves sounding just a touch haunted, like the cassette player which opens and closes the video. Even the one moment the song lets up, in a bridge that registers with the clarity of a daybreak, turns its wistful gaze back on us in what may be my favorite musical moment of 2017: the three members of Odd Eye Circle, finally united after four months of twists and teasers, stare lovingly into a tri-colored moon in the sky, tinged with each of their representative colors (red, blue, and purple). Composers Ollipop and Hayley Aitken cruelly let the swelling synth melody that's been looping in the background for the entire song step to the forefront for just three measures before killing it with a well-placed record scratch. On screen, the girls turn in unison and break the fourth wall, staring right into your souls: if you think this is the end, think again. Instead of easy resolution, they leave us in their final chorus with a promise: "I'll say I love you first." I'm always left wondering, at the end, what is really there. I question the irony of becoming infatuated with a song about infatuation, about how the "love" in "love song" can work like gravity, pulling you towards becoming the person you've fallen for. Maybe I spent most of 2017 buried in LOONA because, in the simplest terms, it tells a story of possibility: a girl can become any concept she puts on; can find her place in the music and the mythology; can stitch together the worlds she occupies. Return to the title of "Girl Front"; "Front" because, as the theory goes, Mobius strips enchant you in loops you circle with purpose but without end; "Front" because an empowered girl makes it happen herself. The cassette player, a signpost for our nostalgia, refuses to give us an answer, rewinding instead, and in an year that constantly challenged me to think through my place in the world, the message feels clear: you're getting closer. Keep listening.    [10]

Maxwell Cavaseno: As the LOONAverse proceeds far off into its cosmic spiral, their seemingly esoteric design evolves against tunes that feel more and more plunging away from the preceding singles and their reaches for star power into something more star-struck. "Girl Front" is a galloping rush of enthusiasm and excitement as Choerry, Kim Lip and JinSoul eagerly manage to pitch infatuation like fastballs offset by those real clunker 'drops' aiming for I guess some sort of 'hipness' that ever since "Eclipse" the poor girls have been burdened with having to appeal to (which is ever overwhelmingly pointed on fellow LOONAffiliate Yves' "new" but that's another tale), and tend to detract from the record. But the winding melody on the chorus' "woo" or the sudden shift into the dubstep-stomp along for Kim Lip on the second verse are the moments when "Girl Front" can not only sound urgent but utterly world-departing. [8]

Ryo Miyauchi: For a single not-so-slickly tucking in self-reference, it makes sense the production also picks the the best bits from each of the summer LOONAs' solo singles: the devilish sweetness of "Love Cherry Motion," the zigzagging of "Singing in the Rain," the breathtaking grace of "Eclipse." The trio get upstaged by the production despite their best efforts to introduce their individual personalities, but really, what a dazzling beat to get lost in. [6]

Leonel Manzanares: K-Pop that sounds like it takes serious cues from the #weirdsoundcloud scene. The post-chorus breaks could feel at home on a de-constructed club mix, and the synth risers, in the transition from the bridge to the final hook, could make Myles Dunhill green with envy. LOONA was the most interesting Korean project of 2017, and their brilliance lies not only in their versatility but in the quality of the execution. They've given each of their members their own sonic and visual little universe, and each release has been scarily consistent. I have big expectations for them in 2018.  [8]

Edward Okulicz: How this song turns on a dime so frequently from amazing K-pop banger, to different kind of amazing K-pop banger, to a part that convinces you the whole thing is going to turn into a god damned trap song suggests a complete mastery and love of pop as an artform. I don't think listening to it could possibly be as fun as it was making it, but it's probably pretty close. [9]

Nortey Dowuona: Glittering, shiny synths and light, puffy eyed bass spread out with blank droning synths and flat drums that become rigid and stuffy around the side. Plus the singing by Loona and the Odd Eye Circle seems both too light and yet too heavy. [6]

Alex Clifton: The best bubblegum pop feels innocuous at first, but comes out of nowhere to hit you square in the brain. "Girl Front" is sparkling and light overall, but that chorus is a knockout and is definitely going to be stuck in my head for the rest of the day. It's the kind of song I know I would have played to death when I was fifteen and unable to talk to most people I liked, but I also like it at twenty-five because it gives me the sugary rush that I need from pop music. I've not been following LOONA's formation entirely, but if this is how good their subunits are, I'm ready to be wowed by the whole band in 2018. [8]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: Shortly after the release of Odd Eye Circle's "Sweet Crazy Love," Digipedi director Seong Wonmo noted that he had intentionally included Korean-language signs in its music video. K-pop always looked to the pop culture of the West, he said, studying and imitating it in numerous ways. As a director, there was a sense that he shouldn't let Hangul appear in any frame--it would, after all, only make the content seem more "foreign." But it's 2017, and with K-pop's ever-expanding global presence, Seong finally felt comfortable with doing just that (note that this was ten years into the career of an already-legendary figure of the industry). When I read his comments, I thought about where I was ten years ago, and how much I related to what he was saying. As one of five Asians in an otherwise all-White high school, I had made subconscious efforts to be "just one of the (White) guys." But as I started learning about K-pop, I also started to take some pride in being Korean. I wouldn't dare tell my White friends about Wonder Girls or Big Bang, but I would tell them about some Korean music that seemed less embarrassing to mention. I will never forget, for example, how excited I was to show off my copy of Seo Taiji's 7th Issue to a friend--as we sat in class, I watched as he examined the album's unique packaging, and I eagerly awaited his opinions on the album's pop punk/emo songs. Years later, I'm constantly gushing about Korean music to non-Koreans, and K-pop has played an enormous role in helping me come to terms with--and eventually love--my Korean-American identity. That Seong specifically decided to show Hangul in a LOONA video is appropriate. More than any other group this year, they represented the best of what the K-pop industry had to offer in terms of engaging pop songs and their promotion. Subunit Odd Eye Circle's music was especially noteworthy; their mini album featured the incredible Art Angels-indebted "Loonatic" and an R&B song that most boy bands would kill for. The best of the bunch was "Girl Front," the lead single that took everything good about the members' solo tracks and morphed it into something more ambitious. At its core, it's a chipper pop song about being infatuated with someone, but what sets it apart is the degree to which every bit of instrumentation captures the manic frenzy of wanting to tell someone you love them. Producer Ollipop was wise to bury the arpeggiating synths low in the mix, allowing them to mimic the fluttering hearts that characterize such situations. What ties everything together, though, is the chorus. The girls initially state that they're "cool," emphasizing it with a wavering vocal melody that hops along briskly. It's immediately followed by a sultry coo that's meant to resemble the sound of their heart--an admittance of how they're actually feeling. It's considerably smoother than what preceded it, and shamelessly long. But they're not denying how they feel anymore, and they'll happily let their crush consume their thoughts. What makes "Girl Front" so heartening is that it isn't content with things ending there; this is a song that's about mustering up the strength to confess to someone that you love them. And as the song progresses, there's an "opening up" of sounds to reflect this. The first verse has flickering synths that are halted by a bass guitar, as well as a vocal melody akin to those in the chorus that abruptly ends. But in the second verse, relatively "natural"-sounding keys stand in place of their punchy counterparts. There's also a sleek mid-verse shift that registers as sensual, and it all leads into the girls shouting "woo!" before entering the chorus again. By the time "Girl Front" ends, they declare their intent to express their feelings to this person directly. We don't know if they actually will, but things look hopeful. Sometimes, the best thing you can do to keep moving forward--to get yourself to do things that seem impossible--is to constantly remind yourself of the things that make you happy. In "Girl Front," it's an overflow of desire for this person that helps them reach a point where they can say "I Love You." It turns out that listening to K-pop was a way for me to eventually say the same thing to myself. [10]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox ]

[holturkey-blog]

Over 100 Points Dog Hotel Reviews - Top 4 Hotel

Savk Hotel Alanya, Dog friendly Hotel Antalya Airport is 120 km, Gazipaşa airport is 45 km, Alanya Marina is 3 km. With the blue water of the Mediterranean, the real holiday pleasure and taste is taken with its private beach with its golden sand and always shining sun. Hotel 30 Standard Twin-bed room, 10 Konnekşın (family room), 10 standard French-bed rooms, 10 Trpl rooms with a total of 60 rooms and 130 bed capacity. Hotel Site

dog friendly hotels Alanya Top 3 Dog Friendly Hotels Alanya Reviews Review 1 I put the name of this hotel mysteriously, every day I walk in front of a hotel I always wondered, and there is a smile on the face of the people happy with the sea at this hotel is home to the beach of Cleopatra has proved itself to the hotel has years of experience No need to tell the inside if a hotel is perfect outside if you can't find the promise that evening will say to the scent of their Sefa when passing by the hotel in front of a certain evening  Also a pet-friendly hotel. Review 2 We had a very nice holiday for four days. Hotel Cleopatra Beach Zero. There is no way... The location is great, the sea is a little wavy, the swimming... Also a pet-friendly hotel. The staff is very helpful and the hotel is very clean. Thank you very much for all the employees. Review 3 This charming boutique hotel we stayed for two nights in November was quite full. He usually has a retired German customer group. The rooms were small, but everything was fine. Breakfast and dinner are served as open buffet, I'd say it was enough. The hotel is very close to the beach. Also a pet-friendly hotel. Blu Brezza Boutique Marine Marmaris Dog friendly Hotel Our family business started to serve in the month of 2016 years in the Sea zero location 10 Standard Rooms 2 Family Rooms 2 Deluxe Room Total 14 rooms in 2016 years of all the operating revision was renewed by the transfer of all the room dus, TV ' air conditioner, sheet Dryer available All rooms are made of bungalow metal in the mornings the village Breakfast is served as a sprinting Alacarte restaurant all day long fresh meat fish appetizers alcoholic soft drinks served with a certain At times you can watch the movie on the white screen through projection on the beach in the evenings can see the unique bays of the surrounding bays which are organized with musical Turkish nights and the boat with our Hotelimlet The swimming tours in the sea Enjoy eating at the tables Hotel Site

dog friendly hotel marmaris Top 3 Dog friendly Hotels Reviews Review 1 We never regretted staying in the time we stayed for five nights. From rare hotels where everything is very good. Breakfast, food, cleanliness, ambience, the sea is beautiful. Sir Musa, Mr. Sinan and all the teams are really very hospitable people thank you very much for everything we'll go again at the first opportunity also a pet-friendly hotel. Review 2 The hotel is a 3. Present. We're so happy to find my wife and the place we seek. We don't have a problem with where we go on vacation anymore. The whole year's work stress and fatigue is an ideal place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. a pet-friendly hotel.  We are facing warm and clean sea, the atmosphere of the breeze, the kind of breakfast, delicious and hearty dishes, clean and practical houses, decorated with cute and beautiful details, the garden, surrounded by nature, calm, peaceful environment, good quality Music and, most importantly, the smiling face and the attention of our house with the feel of Musa Bey, Sinan Bey and his teammates. What more do you call it constantly:) Review 3 If you are in pursuit of the rest of the sun, sea, walking, reading books with music, you are at the right address. One of the few sheep still untouched. a pet-friendly hotel. There are only 5-6 facilities, no grocery store, a sit area, mostly British tourists reading their books on sun loungers until sundown. Morning sea sheets, early this morning we swam with Caretta turtles, sandy beach according to the beaches in Datça, seaweed and lukewarm in the entrance. After 13.00, the wind fluctuates and it becomes blurred because it is sand. The property welcomes everything expected from a 3-star facility. I tried cookware for dinner, it was good. The breakfast was good. The Marmara, Dog friendly Hotel Bodrum A boutique world created for you, accompanied by a unique view of Bodrum... To wake up to the new day with the view of Bodrum's white houses and its castle, the Blue Sea... To make a "tight" start with provocative breakfasts adorned with their jams and warm breads from the fragrant oregas that our master chefs carefully chose from our own garden... Reading your favorite book by extending your feet on your balcony or terrace, while listening to the sounds of Seagall... Hotel Site

dog friendly hotels bodrum Top 3 Dog friendly Hotels Reviews Review 1 The hotel is very clean and the staff was very friendly and helpful. The interior of the hotel is full of art. They're giving you big keys, sympathetic. Everything is organic. Apart from that, they're pouring water with water on the back. Front desk staff are making all kinds of gesture and the hotel is available. The best hotels in Bodrum center. He got a prize at the SPa. They have cats. Review 2 Excellent view excellent service = The Marmara Bodrum. Thank you. Hope to see you as soon as possible. Your service quality is the real difference. From now on, you will be my only address in Bodrum. Keep your achievements at all times. We need a sense of service and quality places. Review 3 Great hotel with everything. The staff were friendly, helpful, polite. The food is delicious, the fresh orange juice served for breakfast is amazing. The architecture is spectacular with its design, decoration, tables used, views, everything. For the first time, Also a pet-friendly hotel. I was so impressed with the hotel. Thank you to all employees and everyone who contributed to the establishment of the hotel. Grand Yazici Hotels, Marmaris Hotel The Grand Yazici Hotels, which brings together the blue and green of Marmaris, begins to Fascenve you: Introducing Grand Yazici Club Turban. The location of the blue waters of Marmaris in front of your eyes, pine fragrances and the nature of the bird sounds integrated, where you will find the peace you seek. The atmosphere that combines the Grand printer experience and its accumulation with today's trends and tastes will give you the pleasure of a first-class holiday. If you are dreaming of both relaxing and having fun, Grand Yazici Club Turban is a paradise hidden for you.Seagall... Hotel Site

dog friendly hotels marmaris Top 3 Dog friendly Hotels Reviews Review 1 We had a wonderful holiday in this hotel where we came to family. The location of the hotel is excellent. Clean hotel rooms are cleaned every day. The beach is beautiful, the pools are cool and spacious enough for the large tea coffee allotted. The staff was very friendly and helpful. A hotel with activities and evening shows throughout the day has a great animation team. The animators are very friendly and friendly, so I give them all separate thanks for giving us such a holiday, especially if they give us the knowledge of all the activities and I would say thank you again again and again again in another season. Also a pet-friendly hotel. Review 2 Dear Hotel Managers, I was able to use your hotel and stay with my family for 4 days. I came to your hotel on the suggestion of a friend who lived in Muğla province, first in the first time I entered the booking process of your hotel with the smiling face of me and my family at the door, until the hotel to leave all the processes Thank you very much for your reception tasks Selin Aydın madam. Especially with the instruction that Selin Lady gave to the floor officials, my room was very nicely prepared and again with the same excitement has helped me to meet. I would love to thank you all for your hotel's location, pool, food, sea and most importantly cleanliness as someone who is constantly traveling and using hotels very often. Due to this close interest shown to me, I will make you a good customer to use your hotel in my business trip or holidays in the coming times. Review 3 2019 I came to a baby 2 children in July, the staff is friendly and helpful, thanks a lot for the room and the help of our friends at the reception again thank you a hotel. Also a pet-friendly hotel. dog friendly hotel, dog friendly hotel mugla, dog friendly hotel bodrum, dog friendly hotel turkey, dog friendly hotel in alanya, dog friendly hotel antalya, pet friendly hotel in turkey, pet friendly hotel turkey Read the full article