Weekly Denim Saturday: 2

Hello everyone, I figured for my second WEEKLY DENIM SATURDAY I'd post a bit of news I discovered that's making me quite excited. Adidas is collaborating for a second time with Diesel (as they did in 2008). The plan for this new development is to have five Adidas classics reimagined by Diesel. This hopefully means that Adidas footwear is going to be accompanied by fine denim! We'll have to wait and see. The collection is set to launch January 20th of this year. There will be a limited supply available, and that means the price will probably be quite high.

Devendra Banhart: Oh Me Oh My... (2002)

While Devendra Banhart is quickly becoming more and more famous, one must not forgot the god of folk that he once was. "Oh Me Oh My..." is a large collection of quality psychedelic-folk tunes, all of which seem to be recorded on an answering machine. Devendra layers his own vocals over and over to make his quivering voice even more fragile. The recordings are all incredibly "lo-fi" and yet they portray the music well. This album really is a "keeper."

Akron/Family: Self-Titled (2005)

For me, Akron/Family is a band that changed my life. I started listening to them in around 2007 when "Love is Simple" came out. It quickly became one of my favorite albums of all time. From there, I went backwards in their collection and discovered gems like this self-titled debut LP. This album truly changed my life. While most of the songs seem to be about either loving the world and all of its people, accepting your role in life and recognizing its beauty, or several other various philosophical beliefs often held by Buddhists, the foundation of the album seems to be sadness. This makes the music beautifully human in a way. This album truly is nearly perfect, and I recommended it.

Jana Hunter: There's No Home (2007)

Jana Hunter first came into the attention of most listeners on the split LP she made with Devendra Banhart in 2005. She is a powerful songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist. This CD contains mostly stripped down acoustic works of hers. Her music is minimalist, delicate, and truly calming. Hunter's unique voice accompanies the gentle strum of her guitar perfectly. Crossing between genres such as shoegaze, folk, and psychedelic (to name a few).
This album is not something to be missed.

Skrillex: Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (2010)

Skrillex is currently one of the best producers in my opinion, especially in the genre of dubstep. I love dubstep, but recently it's all been sounding the same. Skrillex is finally breaking that trend by making his basslines not only filthy, but also vicious and brutal. The intensity is crushing compared to other current artists. Skrillex also put out a debut ep called "My Name is Skrillex," which I'd definitely recommend checking out.

Black Swan (2010)

Natalie Portman is one of my favorite people of all time and she recently starred in a film that is quickly becoming one of my favorites films of all time. The movie truly is exceptional, not just because of Portman (although she is "icing on the cake"). I definitely recommend seeing this film. It made my body shake both times I saw it. That is all.

Weekly Denim Saturday: 1

Denim is an obsession of mine. I own three pairs of dry denim from various brand names.Dry denim is denim that has never been washed in the factory. When one buys dry denim, it's recommended that they should not wash the jeans for six months minimum. This is so the jeans can fade naturally in accordance with your body. I recently (3 months or so ago) purchased a pair of Cheap Mondays from Sweden. This is my progress.

Baths: Cerulean (2010)

Baths has managed to make some of the best electronic music I've heard in a while, it truly is inspirational. This album fits nearly every mood one could be in. The songs of "Cerulean" are very sample-oriented and usually include a hip-hop beat as accompaniment. Nearly every sound on this album is new to the genre of electronic music. While only a few of the songs have vocals and lyrics, "Cerulean" somehow has the ability to speak to the listener,

whoever said listener may be.

Grouper: Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill (2008)

This is one of the most beautiful albums I've ever heard. Grouper is Liz Harris's ambient solo project, and it has been around since around 2005 releasing scattered EP's and LP's. "Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill" is by far her most accessible. The melodies are in more of the forefront rather than the trembling drone of her guitars as with her past releases. I'm not saying this is her best work, but it is the one I would recommend to a first-time Grouper listener.

Avey Tare: Down There (2010)

Avey Tare's second official solo release is darker than nearly all of his previous work. Throughout the album his sunny melodies and synthesizer riffs are pulled down and dragged through the mud by groggy bass and watery sounds. "Down There" has the feeling of struggle, while also giving off a glimmer of hope.It's the sort of album that one needs to listen to all the way through to get the full effect. While each song already seems to play off the others, the tracks are all bridged together by various samples and gloshes giving it the feel of a muddy bog. The music sounds dirty, but the delicate melodies shine through the grime making the album truly an experience.