Working Myself into A Fine Frenzy

My love for stop-motion animation is no secret. Give me Švankmajer, give me Brothers Quay over rubbery slick CGI any day. Coraline and Fantastic Mister Fox make me positively quiver with glee. So it's no surprise that this music video for A Fine Frenzy stopped me in my tracks.

It's all too easy to see why I loved this brief little gem of a film, as it's also packed with imagery I adore... from paper umbrellas to tall ships, vintage sewing supplies to doll parts. And much to my delight, I found the singer / songwriter behind A Fine Frenzy, who stars in the video, is an impossibly luscious fiery-haired young vixen named Alison Sudol.

Her sophomore effort as A Fine Frenzy, Bomb in a Birdcage, is the second album I've discovered solely from my love of a music video, the first being the incredible Ramona Falls. The album is at once stirring and ethereal, layered and playful. Sudol's voice is something like a blend of Feist and Regina Spektor, her songs filled with glorious vocal acrobatics... ear~candy for a chanteuse like myself.

While rooting about for more images, I found that she had modeled a line of one-of-a-kind couture vintage-inspired headpieces from L.A. called Ban.do. Photographer Angela Kohler's work resulted in a series of jaw-droppingly gorgeous portraits that feel almost pre-Raphaelite in their dewy glory.

As it turns out, Angela Kolher and her partner Ithyle Griffiths also directed the "Lost Things" short film above that started me down this particular rabbit-hole. They used a similar style to win a contest to design a stop-motion ad for Amazon Kindle in 2009, which became very popular. But it's their work with Alison Sudol that strikes my fancy most.

Ah, the joy of lush new music, a pretty girl, and whimsical stop-motion animation. What more could I wish for?

Non-Stop Shenanigans from Jeunet

I've only ever adored anything that was born in the imagination of French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet. From the seedy dark delights of Delicatessen to the whimsical romantic giddiness of Amelie, Jeunet never fails to delight me. So it was a given that I'd fall for his newest film, Micmacs à Tire-Larigot, a phrase impossible to translate, but roughly meaning "non-stop shenanigans".

Like much of his work, the world created in this film is a saturated one, filled with magical realism and exaggerated caricatures. Micmacs is an unabashedly silly romp liberally dusted with joyful subversion, with an improbable plot about arms dealers getting come-uppance from a merry band of misfits.

Jeunet masterfully weaves his fairy-tale to feel like found-object assemblage art ~ visually enchanting, a finished piece that is so much more than the sum of its junkyard parts. The soundtrack is also lovingly chosen to win my heart, with a distinctive gypsy jazz feel sprinkled with mechanical sounds that add quirk and flavor.

Like one long Rube-Goldberg-esque sequence of related events, the film comes together perfectly in the end. Although nothing can ever top the glory of City of Lost Children, which consistently makes my top ten movies of all time list, I'd highly recommend this one to anyone who likes films of marauding and merriment. And who doesn't, really?

Noble Beast, Indeed

I fall in love with some albums the same way I fall in love with people... immediately, with abandon, and with all my heart. And I've got a serious crush on Andrew Bird's 2009 release, Noble Bird.

I've known of the quirky Chicago song-crafter for quite some time, but was most familiar with his early music, as a collaborator with the great Squirrel Nut Zippers and then with his genre-confounding outfit Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire. His solo work is a departure from the old-timey jazzy stuff, and wanders instead to shoegazing indie, but is just as pleasing.

An accomplished classical violinist trained from the age of four, he seems equally at home juggling four instruments and a loop pedal as he is with his trademark astonishingly lovely whistling. He often collaborates with fanciful artists for his album covers and tour posters ~ this one by Diana Sudyka is particularly incredible, and she has prints in her Etsy shop.

A chameleon of a songmaster, Bird's lyrics tend towards the nonsensical, chosen more for poetic aural cartwheels than meaning. Extra points for penning lyrics like this ~ "No peace in the valleys, malarial alleys, where the kittens have pleurisy... Donning our goggles, Valerian ogles, to see microscopically." In this video, he manages to conjure up an amazing maelstrom of swirling sounds by himself, in a church.

On the amazing resource Internet Archive, a simple search for Andrew Bird yields audio from more than a dozen live shows, interviews, and more. I highly recommend pursuing them, and letting Mr. Bird take you on an audio journey.

I mean, the man wears stripey socks in his press photos. How can I not adore him?

Frolicking in the Evil Garden

It already feels far away now, but the Edwardian Ball was, of course, absolutely splendid. This year's theme, The Evil Garden, invited escapades involving indoor croquet and all manner of strange foliage.

It's always a pleasure to see the usual bands of miscreants - the Golden Mean Snail Car crew, the merry pranksters of the Neverwas Haul, Fou Fou Ha, and Kinetic Steam Works...

The Adornments for Tarts booth was much~visited, and copious quantities of both good bourbon and dark chocolate were consumed, as is only appropriate. I had a lovely time sharing my space with Industrial Fairytale, and some plans for collaboration were concocted...

And I was so pleased to be assisted by my dear Stache, who took his handlebars to a new level for the occasion.

(Picture by Mr. Nightshade)
Perhaps my favorite part of the weekend, besides the incredible costume~watching, was connecting with all the other artisans with an eye for opulence and detail. The vendor rooms were a glory to behold. I was mesmerized by the work of Rachel of Rubyblackbird ~ her meticulous processes, the intricate embroidery, and the marriage of soft textile arts with metallurgy won my heart.

(Picture by Mr. Nightshade, actually from 2009, shhh!)
She was booth-sharing with lovely Rachael of Nouveau Motley, who had a display of incredibly gorgeous assemblage jewelry. I was also thrilled to meet Tricia of House of Nines Design and see her most delightful hand-crafted hats in person... one could find her hats perching jauntily on the heads of many an attendee and performer, and Tricia herself looked impeccably fabulous.

(Picture by Lbc42)
Having the vendors downstairs from the stages caused me to miss much of the entertainment, but I did manage to sneak away for a few songs from my beloved Vagabond Opera. I hear that Blaze and David of Flynn Creek Circus put on an incredible double-trapeze act... and I was pleased I was able to see Justin, the event's incomparable producer, perform with Vau de Vire Society and his band Rosin Coven for a few mad and wonderful songs.

(Picture by Mr. Nightshade)
The whole weekend was a blurry bliss, if a wee bit exhausting. In the few precious moments of quiet, I kept myself entertained with handwork... and I have a never~ending supply of that.

(Picture by Heather Wakefield)
If you're intrigued and want more imagery, the best place is Mr. Nightshade's gallery on The Blight. And now, to finish a few custom orders and prepare for the next event... the Nova Albion Steampunk Exhibition in March!

The Lovely Robots of Machinarium

I'm not much of a gamer, though I'll admit I've been sucked in more than once by an addictive puzzle game (ahem, Dr. Mario). But sometimes, a rare game comes along that's so lovely to look at, I just want to lose myself in the world of it. Machinarium is such a game.

The blogosphere has been gushing over this one since its mid-October release, so I'm not the first one to fall for it - you can read about it on my beloved Coilhouse, on Boing Boing, and countless game review sites. But the attention is well-deserved ~ it's a worthy play, my friends.

Within the first few moments of the game, I was smitten with my earnest little robot character. The quirky sound design and luminous, eerie soundtrack are enchanting. The point-and-click simplicity belies the game's depth, delightful intrigue, and humor.

But the the real magic of Machinarium is in the way it pulls you in to its entirely hand-drawn, gorgeously detailed, arcane world of decaying metal. You must slow to a snail's pace to enjoy the beauty of your surrounds, pull each lever and touch every gear to solve the sometimes maddening logic puzzles of all varieties...

An interview with Jakub Dvorsky, founder of Amanita, the Czechoslovakian company that makes the game, reveals that the company's fanciful first release, Samarost, was created as his thesis project in 2003. Like Machinarium, Samarost is a whimsical puzzle game, with every small action compelling a chain of Rube Goldberg-esque events.

I haven't even fully explored the rich post-apocalyptic environs of Machinarium, and already I'm feeling sad to finish it, reluctant to go back to the break-neck pace of my own world. For a chronically busy multi-tasker like myself, Machinarium is more than a diversion ~ it's a lovely respite. I highly recommend it.

Textured Bliss from Ramona Falls

I have actual hard evidence of the power of social media marketing, and it is this: I just purchased an album from a band I'd never heard of, simply because of their incredible video that was released a mere month ago and has been going around on Facebook. And I am well pleased.

I was completely captivated when I saw the video for the Ramona Falls song I Say Fever. Unlike anything I've ever seen, it's some sort of magic combination of Victorian paper animals and stop-motion animation, and yet feels totally edgy and now. See for yourself ~ and do go full screen.

A side project from Brent Knopf of Menomena, whom I haven't yet heard but will surely pursue, this album, Intuit, is absolutely brilliant. The songs are like complicated blossoms unfolding, opening to expose new treasures with each listen. The epic opening song, Melectric, sends me off to into visceral, textured bliss.

Unexpected percussive elements, shimmering vocals, orchestral arrangements, and sweeping variations in mood (due, in part, to the many guest artists who contributed) ~ the layers keep peeling away to reveal more loveliness. You can watch Brent get wicked with the looping here, as he records the luscious song Going Once, Going Twice.

Just doing my part to virally spread lovely music ~ so go listen.

The Wild Rumpus!

It's been some time since I've sat through an entire film beaming from ear to ear, but last night I left the theater giddy from the brilliance and purity of Spike Jonze's new interpretation of Where the Wild Things Are.

Not to raise anyone's expectations to unhealthy heights, but set aside all that buzz, rumors of poor test screenings, and the anxiety about the corruption of a classic book, and this is an stunning film in its own right.

Jonze perfectly distills the pathos of childhood, and in particular the challenges of being a creative and intense child, without trivializing it. Though the Arcade Fire song that made the trailer was conspicuously missing from the film, the score by the phenomenal Karen O creates a sublime backdrop of frenzied raw emotion. And the Wild Things themselves, massive monsters made by the legendary Jim Henson's Creature Shop, are surprisingly sympathetic and compelling.

Though the film may not mirror the book exactly, author Maurice Sendak approached Jonze to take on the project and worked closely with him throughout, urging him to "keep it dangerous". I've always been one for the darker themes, scoffing at those who would shield their little ones by offering only sanitized stories, so I love that Jonze preserves the peculiarity and wickedness that earned the book criticism in the first place ~ while making the story his own.

A good article with more making-of back-story can be found here, but I say just go see it. And then let the wild rumpus start...

Everything that Creeps: Elizabeth McGrath

I've long been an ardent admirer of Liz "Bloodbath" McGrath ~ woman of innumerable talents and one of my aesthetic heroines. Equally comfortable in a gallery, on a stage, or wearing a dress made of candy wrappers.

(Portrait by Darla Teagarden)
You see, as if it weren't enough to be an auspiciously brilliant pop surrealist sculptress and artist, she also fronts the theatrical L.A. outlaw rock band Miss Derringer, along with her husband, Morgan Slade. Liz creates all of the album cover designs, naturally.

She sings, she paints, she draws, and she sculpts. But my true love is for her compelling dioramas. Like so many artists I'm drawn to, she finds the loveliness in the grotesque, the magic in the wicked, and binds it all together to craft dark and whimsical little worlds for us.

(Sailor's Valentine, 2001)
I'm mad about McGrath's meticulous attention to detail and her penchant for the macabre ~ the unlikely bedfellows of preciousness and freakish oddity. Many of the pieces have a carnival side-show feel, like she's built a tiny stage for a character with a story to unfold...

(Detail from Honey Creeper, 2006)
I'm fortunate enough to own a copy of her lovely and sadly now out-of-print book called Everything That Creeps, which contains gorgeous full-color images of her work, so one can get close to the haunting creatures she's created.

(Detail from Queen of the Inanimate, 2001)
Wide-eyed blue-lipped waifs and mournful two-headed fawns, winsome skeleton birds and tutu-wearing insect girls, they're all in here.

I hope to see her work in person, someday, to peer into the vast reaches of the twisted universe of her imagination.

(Portrait by Mark Berry)
Until that day, I'll content myself by reading about her adventures on her new blog at my favorite underground art mag, Juxtapoz.

The Sinners' Circus

Sometimes you just have to run away with the circus, you know? Along with co-conspirators klown-fi band GOOFERMAN, the Sisters of Honk, Circus Metropolus, and a whole slew of other moderators of mayhem, my band Baby Seal Club hosted a 3-ring sinfest called the Sinners' Circus at a local brewery last weekend.

Glorious moments were plentiful, but here are a few top ones: seeing my beloved Stache go-go-cage dancing in a vintage band jacket and a Lucha Libre clown mask... joined shortly thereafter by my brother in a bear suit.

The stunning 10-cent Absolution Booth confessional hand-built by one of our dear friends and local mad genius Muir... you confessed your sins into an antique telephone inside, and they were broadcast out to the surrounding crowd.

My beloved band-mates getting theatrical for the Seven Deadly Sins theme... Wizzbang as a gorgeous and aloof Pride, 19 as the avaricious banker Greed, Doc as a terrifyingly wicked Lucifer, Fudo as a powerful preacher named Wrath, and your own Choklit, of course, as the harlot of harmonies ~ Lust.

The brilliance of the wanted posters Stache made for us to put up around town and in the venue... See the full set here.

Amazing performers on both stages, outside and in, including a mesmerizing show by fire-eater Monique, who absolutely embodied an enchanting swamp priestess.

Once again, we pulled off a spectacle of epic proportions - complete with tent revival faith healing, fire-dancers, carnival games, stiltwalkers, jugglers, and an oversized bear. And plenty of klowns, of course.

We worked all day Saturday to transform the venue into a red velvet big-top, performed, stayed up being debaucherous with the clowns until dawn, and tore it all down the next day. More pictures are coming from the fabulous Miss M - check back here.

Ah, sweet ephemeral events... so fleeting. And now we start the planning for the next one!

Aural Goodness

I've been consumed with putting on a circus for the past few weeks ~ which I'll be writing about as soon as I have some good imagery. In the meantime, for your various and sundry entertainment needs, here are a few tidbits of aural goodness from my music world.

Three albums that have been garnering my attention as of late... first, My Maudlin Career, the new offering from the luscious Scottish indie pop band Camera Obscura. Not unlike my other favorite Scottish band, they spin a lovely web of stories and sounds.

The shimmering, tambourine-rich, sixties candy-pop sound reminds me of the soundtrack of my early college years ~ that would be Mazzy Star ~ but with a horn section that gives it a more soulful flavor. The singer, Tracyanne Campbell, has an endearingly human voice - not seductive or terribly powerful, but lovely in a vulnerable way. If you're in the mood for perfect pop charm, listen to this.

On another end of the indie spectrum, NYC-based Grizzly Bear has been intriguing me with their much-lauded new album, Veckatimest. The band pushes the boundaries of indie rock with slightly dissonant harmonies and unexpected rhythmic changes, but somehow it all comes together in a surreal and mesmerizing stew of dense textured beauty.

I find myself at a loss for words to describe this album well, and it keeps growing on me. There's nothing simple here; many of the songs disperse and regather like oil on water, moving you from folky chamber-pop to epic wall-of sound rock with ease. But if you have a soft spot for complicated artistry and risk-takers, like I do, you just might fall in love.

The last album on my playlist is Dark Night of the Soul, the phenomenal and mysterious collaboration between renegade producer Danger Mouse and reclusive genius Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse. This project is noteworthy for a variety of reasons - first, their third collaborator was David Lynch, who put together a collection of his photography based on the music. Even more intriguing was the unconventional release ~ because of a legal dispute with industry giant BMI, they were unable to release the album, and instead published the book of Lynch photos packaged with an art-printed but blank recordable CD-R.

Best of all, though, is the music itself, which is dark, lush and surreal, and varies as greatly as the all-star cast of guest vocalists, including James Mercer of The Shins, The Flaming Lips, Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, Frank Black of the Pixies, Iggy Pop, Nina Persson of The Cardigans, Suzanne Vega, and more.

Read more of the story, and hear the whole album, on the NPR web site.

Vagabond Opera Glory

Sublime Moment of the Week: dueling cellos, a guitar, and a clarinet, being played by various members of the indescribable cabaret band Vagabond Opera, while sitting on the Hennepin Crawler, in my driveway.

Last Friday night, my dear Amber Lee played a show with the fabulous vaudevillian roustabouts from Portland, to promote their new CD, The Zeitgeist Beckons. The performance was brilliant ~ complete with hypnotism, playing card tricks, toy chattering teeth, and oh so many sequins, hats and stripes...

Vagabond Opera is the kind of band that entertains you from the moment they step under the lights until the raucous finale where they jump off the stage and dance among the blissful fans. One song even compelled Lord Hopton to sweep me away into a vigorous tango number that left me completely breathless. Following the after-party at the home of the Mad Maggies, who had also played, Stache and I were thrilled to play local hosts to the travelers ~ half of them stayed at our house. And of course, we all realized we were cut from the same cloth and fell in love.

In the morning, after brunch, sax and clarinet player Robin (who also moonlights with my beloved March Fourth!) and Stache had a giddy dandy-accessory-trying-on party, and my living room became an internet cafe, as no less than five laptops were put to use. Before they departed for their next show, we tooled around town a bit on the Hennepin Crawler, much to everyone's delight. And soon half of the band was playing instruments in an impromptu interlude on the Crawler.

Full Flickr set here, with more to come (and look, here's video on Facebook!). And then they all drove away in their very large van, blowing kisses and with promises of future visits. Huzzah for the unexpected glory of having a magnificent band you love come for a sleepover at your house!