Well it’s about that time of year- the time everyone starts schlepping off to Austin for SXSW. I’ve never gone, and truthfully the idea of that many people combined with that much alcohol (in TEXAS no less!) sounds hellacious. But if I was going, I would definitely make sure to see Explode Into Colors, because they are some of the raddest girls around today. And yes, the band features TWO percussionists!

EXPLODEINTOCOLORS = three weird aunts + basement party + drawing and sewing till our hands hurt but we keep on keeping on + lost mix tapes + lots and lots of dramedy. One of us currently plays with Kickball and some of us used to play in Thunder!Thunder!Thunder!, Hornet Leg, and Japanther. One of us sometimes dances with Janet Pants. We also make clothes, pictures of all kinds, videos, teach drums, and classify insects.

EIC SXSW shows are:
Mar 18 2010, 12:00P, KRS Day Party @ Cheer Up Charlies (ALL AGES)
Mar 18 2010, 10:00P, Wave Rooftop
Mar 19 2010, 2:30P, KXLU and Ol Factory Partay @ Domy Books

Photo by Megan Holmes, who has a super cool bloggy blog.

It’s my personal belief that there’s a high correlation between good people and cat owners/enthusiasts. Supporting evidence:

Kurt + kitties. I *think* the middle and last pics feature his cat Spina Bifida.

I’m not sure who to credit for the majority of these images (most were taken from tumblr). The polaroid, however, is originally from the book Cobain Unseen by Charles R. Cross.

Rad new grrrl zine needs YOU…

Guidelines and submission info can be found here.

Spread the word!

Yeah!

Sister Mantos – Like I Want To (Penelope Edmund Remix) by Penelope Edmund

I got the coolest package in the mail yesterday.

And in case you’re wondering, the cat book is even more phenomenal than it looks.

Maybe I’m just a luddite, but I still treasure the tactile experience that accompanies listening to an album- pulling the vinyl/tape/cd out, pouring over the artwork and liner notes, dropping the needle, flipping the record/tape, etc., etc. I mean look at the packaging for Liars’ new album Sisterworld. It’s beautiful! Don’t you want to hold it?! Expand and collapse it like a slinky?! You can’t put your arms around an mp3!

Seriously though, I’ve come to expect nothing less than amazing when designed by Hand Held Heart.

And Sisterworld is out today!

Angus Andrew/CD packaging photos via Hand Held Heart’s photostream.

Releases like this are why Teenage Teardrops is one of my favorite labels of all time.

STATION FIRE, a full color 8 1/2 X 11 collage zine by Jenna and Cali. 40 pages, limited to 150 copies. Comes with an audio companion cassette compilation which was mostly recorded in one day on the hottest day of the year while the fire raged at its peak. Features exclusive songs from John Clavin, Michael Thornhill, Nick deWitt, David Scott Stone, Lucky Dragons, Infinite Body, Jenna and Cali and more. It is dedicated to the couple from Tujunga, who, though told to evacuate, decided to ride the fire out in their hot tub.

Hot dog! (And please note I’m utilizing the 1940’s interjection, not namedropping the gross-out meat by-product.)

Station Fire is available via the Teardrops Store.

From the Slumberland Records site- Hold onto your hats: Henry’s Dress (first show in 13 years, full original line-up), Go Sailor (first show in 14 years!), The How (third show ever) and Boyracer (last shows ever? only Stew knows for sure!). That’s quite a line-up, no?…These shows are absolutely guaranteed to sell-out well in advance, and I reckon you won’t get another chance to see some of these bands play, so don’t sleep!

Tix are available now! Godspeed!

Flyer via PTP

… is a theme that has been (over?) done in fashion for some time now.  While I am not willing to subscribe to many of its incarnations (monkey fur coats?!!! thanks, but I’m not trying to wear the pelts of my distant cousins as outerwear), the aesthetic can be pretty marvelous and unexpected when brought to the realm of home accents.  Case in point:

Based on my experience staring longingly at samples sold in various neighborhood boutiques, I can vouch for their exquisite craftsmanship.  Light one up in your front hallway to make those unwelcome houseguests pee in their pants, or place next to the potpourri in your powder room so they won’t have to.

All images via DL & Company website; select items also available at Mercado in Silver Lake

Filmmaker Lance Bangs profiles Family and other super awesome LA people and places in his short documentary Family Portrait. Watching this makes me so fucking grateful (and proud!) to live in Los Angeles and be a part of such an amazing community. And yes, everyone really is this nice!

According to this dubious personality website, I am “A Melancholy.” Well, at least I’m in good company.

Iconic Ian Curtis image via last.fm, Man Ray photo of James Joyce via an English professor, and sad kitty cuteness via i can has cheezburger?

Sister Mantos record review from The Yellow Menace:

“So take some classic house stylings, throw in some shout-outs to unicorns, and hammer it home with a call for direct democracy, and you’ve got a future retro party album in Tough Love, or the Fands of Hate.”

So spot on!

And lest you have forgotten, Tough Love or the Fands of Hate can be purchased here! (Or directly from Sister Mantos!)

PURPLE VINYL!!! $13 ppd.

Dum Dum Girls’ debut full-length isn’t out until the end of the month, BUT if you act fast, you can grab one of only 400-ish cassettes compiling all their previous material. Yes, a CASSETTE!!! Entitled Blissed Out, it’s available from Art Fag Recordings. Now go! Hurry!

Totally awesome girl gang-esque pic via P-fork.

I really don’t know why I get so excited when Built by Wendy releases a new collection. It’s not like I can afford anything. Still, I can’t help looking/lusting at Wendy Mullin’s creations, and daydreaming about finding large sums of money on the ground. Here are some of my favs from Spring 2010:

All photos by Annabel Mehran via Built by Wendy

In one of the coolest collaborations of recent memory, No Age provides the soundtrack to Aanteni, a bizarre-o, high-fashion, sci-fi, short film directed by Todd Cole for superstar design sisters Rodarte. Damn! Watch the weirdness (and I mean that in the best way!) over at Nowness.

Film still via GvsB