Remember the Sketchel Project? How could you forget those awesome, limited-edition artist series satchels with art by more than 300 of the freshest and most talented artists in the world today? Music-marketing geniusBeck just introduced a bag designed by French artist Genevieve Gauckler (who also contributed art to Beck’s album sleeve) as a promotion for his upcoming tour in Japan in April. We’ve got good news though, you don’t have to fly all the way to Tokyo to get one, they’re available in a very limited quantity online for $90.
While there’s no doubt that Mute Math was built for a major record label (in this case it’s major “Indie” label Teleprompt/ Warner Bros.), I’m still excited to hear them play live when they come to Boulder’s own Fox Theater on April 16th. Not going to lie– it wasn’t until I got a robustly supportive email from a reader telling me that their show is a “complete spectacle…blew away every other live act I’ve ever seen” did I decide that I wanted to see them live (and that reader best realize that I’m holding him personally responsible for my having a good time at this show). MuteMath hails from New Orleans, and from the look of this video, for their song ‘Typical,’ their show should be fun indeed. Tell me if I’m experiencing audio hallucinations, but the lead singer’s voice at times reminds me of Peter Gabriel, and at other times Sting. You can download their new album from iTunes or stream 4 tracks on their Myspace page.
Adriean Koleric, a refreshing designer out Alberta (and a long time favorite of Josh’s) has teamed up with a selection of artists and given them free reign over his Monster Lamp. We’re thrilled to report that the first featured artist is Spear Collective’s very own Motomichi, and even more thrilled to show you this awesome result of the collaboration. Motomichi’s tendencies toward minimalistic use of color and monster-infused methodology blend naturally with Adriean’s lamp– I’m seriously lovin’ the layered effect of all these monsters. This one made it to the Prototype exhibit at the Toronto Interior Design Show last month, but I’m not sure where it’s living now (probably munching on someone’s living room). This is too great a surface for an artist not to turn out something worth noting, so we’ll keep an eye out for the rest of the collabs and keep you posted. Full photos after the jump…
For all the angst that so many of us claim to feel over the eighties, there definitely seems to be little resistance to the throwback era creeping in on us. I don’t really know why I’ve been tainted with such an intense nostalgia recently– I thought I saw enough of that mess the first time around– but these days I’m collecting endorphins off of hightops and haircuts that are getting a little flirty with the mullet. I’m not really ready to commit to shoulder pads again, but I might be up for a dose of ‘87 in the form of one of these little cassette tape wallets. Created by Italian designer Marcella Foschi, these zip-ups are made from one-of-a-kind recycled cassettes, mostly from Italian artists, and are really just a little case as opposed to a wallet (no slots for credit cards, just plenty of room for scrunchies). These sold out pretty quickly at Designboom Mart in Tokyo not so long ago, and the designer makes them herself in small quantities, so if you want one, you might want to jump on it soon.
In the good ol’ U.S. of A, we have eminent domain laws that allow the government to take land from citizens as long as they pay the dispossessed a fair market fee for the “taking.” Yang Wu and Wu Ping, a couple living in the Chinese city of Chongquing, have been holding out in the most extreme sense to a real estate developer who wants to build a shopping mall where their neighborhood once stood. The conflict has been going on since 2004, when the developer paid the couple’s 280 neighbors to vacate their domiciles– as you can see in the photo, it has gotten to the point where their two story dingzihu (or "nail house") is now perched precariously on a little spire of land around which the developer has begun to dig the mall’s foundation. A local court recently ordered Yang and Wu to vacate their home, but they nevertheless remain, holding out for more money, despite being offered around $450,000 USD (a very high amount for that particular region)– utterly determined to exercise their rights as property owners. They’ve garnered the support of fellow citizens and are getting a boat load of media attention. Any thoughts about this? Do you think the couple is justified in their actions? Or do you think they’re beyond reason?
In the good ol’ U.S. of A, we have 
