Models and Bottles

Noctorious hits North Beach

sexmusic:

feelin’ good // my brightest diamond [nina simone cover]

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sexmusic:

silver screen (shower scene) // felix da housecat

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sexmusic:

sunspots // nine inch nails

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sexmusic:

come on closer // jem

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sexmusic:

loving you // paolo nutini

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tuneage:

Alex Gopher - “Out of the Inside”

I have an interesting relationship with the album this track comes from. I don’t recall the circumstances in which I discovered it, but I always assumed Alex Gopher was just some French electro musician — among the legions of better, and better-known, like Etienne de Crecy, Air, SebastiAn (and indeed most of the Ed Banger stable, including Justice if we’re being generous), and so on ad infinitum — with a few catchy numbers on an otherwise mediocre album. Thing is, in the almost 3 years I’ve had this album (self-titled), the first track was the only one I really liked. But it turns out it’s just kind of a slow-burner, and it’s gradually grown on me.

With that in mind, I was surprised to learn that Alex Gopher started his career in a pop band called Orange. In the band with him? Etienne de Crecy and both members of Air.

This opening track in particular is unquestionably catchy, but your results may very with the rest of the album. Though I’m not ready to declare it a best of any time period or genre, as the timing of this post might suggest, I’ve been listening to it all morning, amidst frequent interjections from my wife that it sounds just like Talking Heads, and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to a fan of poppy, accessible electro (and French electro, in particular).

tuneage:

The Tough Alliance - “A New Chance (Juan Maclean remix)”

A problem I have with year-end lists is that mine quickly become outdated as I spend the first couple months of the following year playing acclaimed music catch-up. Last year for instance, I ranked M83 as my favorite album but over the past year, I came to appreciate 2008 releases by Air France (thanks Tuneage!), Vampire Weekend and Crystal Castles. Some spoilsports might argue that “such is life” and that it’s futile to fix the present, but an inaccurate list is a time capsule of taste and uh, why the hell not?

Hence this song: my favorite song at the moment and my personal pick for “best remix of 2009”. Those fleeting designations will no doubt change over the next few weeks, but it’s all about the message: Any day is a new chance—a new romance. The line about “a place where diamonds never fade away” is a red herring because the only such place is the here and now. In other words, embrace the present and give the new year and decade your fiercest enthusiasm.

Tristan’s Favorites for 2009:

• Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport
• Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
• Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
• Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
• Pylon - Chomp More (reissue)

Also, I’m seeking submissions for my Tumblr-oriented “albums of the decade” poll. Submit a top-ten ballot if you’re into that sort of thing.

New Years in Sydney, Australia.  I’m so there next year!

Anjulie - Boom