Contestmania.

 

Photo by  Eric Levin.

I really had no idea that this article would become what it has – most e-mailed and viewed, a topic of debate with WFNX DJs and amongst message board members, etc. – I just thought it was right along the lines of what I love writing about: ordinary people doing extraordinary things. It’ll most likely be a 15 minutes thing, but it’s an enjoyable 15 at least, especially for Weth, who gave me this update today:

“The media frenzy continues! It’s interesting to note that the article appears to be the “Most Viewed” and “Most Emailed” article on the Phoenix this past week. So far, Weth has given interviews to three radio stations (KXPX in Phoeniz AZ, WXLP in Iowa / Illinois, and on the Jay Thomas Show on Sirius 102), three magazines have expressed interest on doing articles on Weth (the tabloids National Examiner, National Enquirer, as well as the somewhat more reputable MIT Alumni Review), and there have been discussions with both CBS Morning News as well as Good Morning America. Weth hasn’t heard back from GMA since Monday, but CBS Morning News is tentatively scheduled to film a segment at Weth’s house this coming Saturday.”

Daily street art.

From the phlog:

In Boston (Cambridge): Stenciled-on musicians are brightening those bleak, concrete walls

Awesome pics by sushiesque, who also captured a heartbroken Loch Ness monster. We miss Elliott and Kurt too, Nessy.

Not in Boston (???): Christine Autturio, my artsy, in-the-know co-worker, pointed out Skelewags, the crafty, Tim Burton-referencing street art currently decorating sewers and other unappealing city locations, by an artist called Chewy, on conceptart.org.  Actually, decorate isn’t even the right word, because Chewy incorporates his artwork into pre-existing structures, cracks, pipes, plants, etc. These things are not just canvases for the artwork, they’re part of it. It’s sort of Banksy-type thinking, that street art can be both inspired by and an improvement upon it’s surroundings. Chewy’s website is currently unfinished, and I wasn’t able to pin down exactly what city these photos are from, via extensive Google researching, but my could-be-totally-wrong guess is somewhere in Portugal, based on this. If anyone knows for sure, help a sista out and shoot me an e-mail.

Photos by Nuno Caria.

My most enjoyed songs for the week.

Someone turn this into a mix tape or something.

“out of reaches” by stephen malkmus – real emotional trash

“recent bedroom” by atlas sound – let the blind lead those who can see but cannot feel

“so happy (bored remix)” by hooray for earth – b-sides disc from the cellphone ep listening party

“4 minute warning” by radiohead – in rainbows, disc 2

“kids” by mgmt- oracular spectacular

“tears in the typing pool” by broadcast – tender buttons

“all in it” by british sea power – do you like rock music?

“lost women” by yardbirds – roger the engineer

“sisters of the moon” by fleetwood mac – tusk

“rose parade” by elliott smith – either/or

World premiere: Hooray For Earth’s “Warm Out” video

I can’t decide which part of this Hooray For Earth video I like best  – Noel Heroux in a sleep mask, the canoeing on Lake Winnipesauke scene (a reference to the classic film What About Bob?, which was also filmed there), the abundance of lamps, or the “happy springtime retreat ruined by axe-wielding creepy guy” theme. Or maybe it’s just that “Warm Out,” from Hooray For Earth’s upcoming Cellphone EP, is an effing fantastic song; one that follows HFE’s trademark amalgam of rumbling, snarling guitar, sweet blips of synth, and “goosebump melodies,” as one Phoenix scribe so adequately put it. Both the song and the video debuted at HFE’s Cellphone listening party at Middlesex last night, along with a hilarious film montage of Jagermeister-fueled “failed interviews” with the band (which is sadly not on YouTube). No word on whether there’ll be a re-screening at the EP release show at the Middle East Downstairs on February 29, with Caspian, Age Rings, and Zambri (a grungy NYC glam pop band who need to be seen live “because they’re animals, and if you capture any of them and return them to the zoo, you get 50 grand,” according to their MySpace), but if hearing “Warm Out” live is a guarantee, I’ll be there.

Also, February 29 is the single release show for Age Rings, and they’ve got a spiffy new website up, where you can listen to their songs, “Big Black Hole” and “Vanessa’s Neck,” from the upcoming double album Black Honey. Go! Do it!