WHAT TO WEAR DURING AN ORANGE ALERT?

And We All Fall Down - Group Show - Monkeyhouse Toys - April 25th to May 10th - Los Angeles, CA

One of my all-time favorite artist (who just happens to be the first artist I interviewed) is Australia's Josh Taylor. He had gone into hidding for a while, but I was happy to see he is involved in a new show at Monkeyhouse with Daniel Flerus, Thom Glick, J. Fuchs, and more. The new work that I have seen is just as incredible as ever.

New Cut Vinyl Portfolio - Chris Szostek - On-line

Leah Angstman No One Gains Weight in the Shoulders (Propaganda Press, Jan. 2009)

What we need as a nation is someone who is willing to shout, to push, question and demand, even if it is in a subtle way. In her latest collection, Leah Angstman does just enough to show what I would call creative courage. She tempers her anger with images from her life, tiny observations as she travels through the country and around her neighborhood. When seen in this light it blends together, her political rants and her views on the lives around her. Many of the pieces in this collections take place in the Spring of 2008, and she sets a scene an anxious hopefulness which almost seems foreign this Spring. She alludes to a sense of impending danger, but still remains somewhat conscious of the message of hope and change.

Last month brothers Roberto and Nathaniel Aguilar (aka Dish) released their first full-length album, Ma Raison De Vivre Ton Amour. These brothers grew up surrounded by music, and let it slowly brew in their own ways. Now they come together, they discovered music together, and the pairing of Roberto’s organic, genre-busting singing and guitar work with Nathaniel’s junk-gypsy found percussion has been a decade in the making. What is most remarkable is the energy that fills their live performances and surprisingly translates on this recording.

Listen to: This Ain’t Livin’ (mp3)

Listening:
1. Alli Millstein: A young musician exploring every avenue.
2. Mira Mira: This Chicago group is releasing their latest album, Music for Scientists, today. Check out an interview with them on Radio Free Chicago.
3. Oh No Forest Fires: Toronto is about to make a splash and ONFF is leading the way!

Reading:
1. Annual Report by Jimmy Chen: "diligent, but not inspiring" it's the story of my life.
2. Yeah Yeah I Will I Promise by Robb Todd: Strangely loving, but still odd.
3. Undissolved by Paul Corman-Roberts: I don't look at the clouds enough anymore.

A vital aspect of music that is often overlooked is design. It is not just cover design, but t-shirts, posters, logos, websites, and more, and you thought you just wanted to play music. When done right all of this design work blends with the sound and style of the band, and simply becomes another aspect of what fans already appreciate. The challenge for the design is to balance the commercial nature of the packaging business and their own artistic drive. Marky Hladish, a designer and musician, has managed to strike a balance by creating album covers that are wonderfully artistic, but still professional and polished.

Marky designs under the name MidwestLove Art & Design, and he was recently kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

It is not uncommon for a band's sound to mature or evolve or even develope, but with Minneapolis band Mouthful of Bees it is something more deliberate. Back in 2007, the band, founded by the brother and sister team of Chris Farstad and Katelyn Farstad, released a picture perfect album of indie rock. The End made waves around the net, but the young band continued searching for a sound and new band members. The band added Simon Larson and Patrick Swanson, and as a result their sound much more plush and expansive. The band is still relatively young so I won't say this is a more mature sound, but it is a new direction. A direction that seems soulful, relaxed and honest.

Recently, Mouthful of Bees was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

Orange Alert (OA): Your new album is self-titled and from what I have heard is step forward sonically for the band. What can you tell us about "Mouthful of Bees"?

A certain level of mystery can be beneficial. Honestly, what’s in a name? The bedroom musician that calls himself Blank Dogs appeared quietly a couple of years ago, but he built a strong following through a series of strange vinyl releases. However, no one seemed to know the exact origin of these releases, and some even speculated that he was Madagascar (it didn’t help that the Blank Dogs website stated as much). Yet, not surprisingly the stores that most often carried these albums were located in Brooklyn. The music of Blank Dogs has been called many things, but my favorite is “death pop”. This is a dark sound, but has a somewhat comforting undercurrent of pop music. Blank Dogs is wild, original, and yes… mysterious.

April is National Poetry Month, and I have spent most of the month trying to figure why poets deserve an entire month. What makes them so special? Well, not only is the poetry one of the more neglected genres, but it is through poetry that we find the most creative and effective ways to relate to each other. It is through metaphor that situations, challenges, struggles, romances, can seem transferable and then tolerable. The poet can translate experiences, attach beauty, and tie is all together in a nice little package. It is discipline and structure, and completely deserving of its own month. Then again, it seems everyone has their own month these days.

I felt I needed to reach out to a poet this month, and instantly I thought of Austin's Philip Byron Oakes. I had seen his name in several different spots Glitter Pony, My Name is Mud, and so on, but he recently self-published his debut collection Catcus Land. It was reading through his collection that really grabbed my attention. Where as I don't fully relate to his subject matter I am still draw in by his writing and language. That is the beauty of poetry.

Recently, Philip was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

It is hard to say how much of an impact your physical environment effects your creative output, but what is clear is that some of the most inventive work can come communities of artists. Regardless of your surroundings, supportive, understanding, and at times critical friends are vital to finding your true process. This Friday three friends who came from diverse backgrounds and different parts of the country will come together at Barbara&Barbara Gallery here in Chicago. The name of the show is "Kind of, But Not Really", and it combines the unique perspectives of Emily Kozik, Alex Zak, and Noelle Sharp. What is fascinating is how three artists can come together on a theme and basically concept of a show, but take that concept in a three diverse directions.

"Kind of, But Not Really" opens on April 24th at 7pm and runs through April 29th. Recently, Noelle Sharp was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

Orange Alert (OA): How would describe your work?

Music:
Asher Roth - Asleep In The Bread Aisle
Bats For Lashes - Two Suns
Cage The Elephant - Cage The Elephant
Chester French - Love The Future
Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
Handsome Family - Honey Moon
Eilen Jewell - Sea Of Tears