They've got class, they've got style.

This is the newest release from Girls since their 2009 album debut Album. If you ask me (and just by virtue of reading this, you kind of are), I think it's the perfect follow-up. I suppose now is as good a time as any to let you know that I'm kind of biased... I mean, I love this band but even so, I don't necessarily think that my review is through rose-tinted glasses-- this EP is straight quality. The only problem, as far as I'm concerned, is that it's just an EP and not a complete album. Oh, well... beggars can't be choosers; I'll take what I can get. 

Throughout the EP, Broken Dreams Club, the lyrics swing from introverted to global, from questioning yourself to questioning the world. Nowhere is this more evident than the title track. Christopher Owens opens by acknowledging "It's hard enough to be alone. It's harder still to spend so long looking for happiness and feelin' so restless" and progresses to the last line of the chorus and beginning of the second verse, with the admission that he  "still don't understand how the world keeps goin' nowhere. There're still so many people poor. Can't get my head around these wars, all of this senselessness. I'm feelin' so helpless." The bridge of "Broken Dreams Club" features a sorrowful trumpet solo that's totally striking. 

The first track, "Thee Oh So Protective One," starts us off with a bang--with an exuberant jangle-pop tune under lyrics filled with loneliness and angst (in a good great way). Over bright trumpets, Christopher Owens croons, "Oh little girl, they just don't know about the weight you carry in your soul... He'll never know about the times that you cried in the movies, about the times you cried to the music, about your mother, or your father, or the way you got your broken heart." This is the type of song that could bring you to tears if you listen to it at just the right moment. It primes us for the rest of the EP, throughout which Girls addresses drug use, broken hearts, and feeling alone and lost in a tumultuous world.

While all of this may seem a little heavy, "Broken Dreams Club" has that light, beachy feel that Girls basically owns in today's music scene. However, while staying true to their sound, they've clearly grown as a band and it's really all coming together for them. Although I initially would've thought it impossible, they've improved upon "Album," working out many of the kinks critics acknowledged (critics with whom I disagreed... haha obviii). And they don't take themselves too seriously... During the song "Substance" (which is about exactly what you're thinking), Owens introduces a guitar solo, nonchalantly saying "Guitar solo, c'mon." 

I suppose I can't speak for everyone, but this EP really strikes a chord with me. There's so much to worry about in this world and at times I can hardly keep my own mind in order, let alone imagine a solution to any global problems. It's a burden I've been feeling more and more as I've grown older and it shakes my confidence daily. Love is so elusive (on a personal level) and it seems like there's a startling lack of it out there in the "real" world as well. So I guess what I'm trying to say is... You should get this EP, ASAP... and Christopher Owens, I feel ya. I will definitely be picking up a copy of this on vinyl as soon as I can.

Give it a listen below.

Girls - Broken Dreams Club by indieistanbul

Happy Thanksgiving

courtesy of Rolling Stone Magazine

Cher-- "Half Breed"... AWESOME video

Well, I've travelled home to visit my parents for Thanksgiving, via Greyhound. It was a loooong trip. I would've driven but the weather was just terrible. The whole Northwest has basically been covered in snow and tortured by single digit temperatures. Yikes! The busses had crazy delays and were full all the way but I guess that just bolsters my parents' argument against me driving (not that I was crazy about it, myself!). I even got to sit next to a veryyy handsome professional snowboard coach! Thanksgiving magic! That never even really happens on planes, let alone busses! We talked a little... he told me he was going to have to "talk" with his long term girlfriend (3 years, two long distance) because he's sick of it and she's "difficult" (alas, if only I'd sat next to him on his trip home! haha). For the first leg of the trip, Tony (the pro snowboard coach) and I didn't talk but I listened to the (non-stop, one-sided) conversation of the woman across the aisle from me. 
"Yeah, I mean, my whole body was just like, vibrating... not even really with pain... it just felt so weird!"
(What could she be talking about!? What happened to her!?)
"'Cuz ya know, that's just like, right over your cerebellum, ya know?... Like, your nerve central... I did notice, though, that after that one, like, my pain tolerance for tattoos went waaay up!"
(Oh, her head tat... of course.)


Anyway, I watched the Macy's Day Parade today... Gawd. The "celebrities"... the music... terrible! So cheesy and not really even in a cute way. Kind of sad... Oh, America... My parents are watching the football game right now between the Patriots and the Lions. Kid Rock is performing a song called "Born Free" at the half-time show as I type. It. Is. Horrendous. I swear the only lyrics are "I'm born free whoa oh oh oh born free whoa oh oh." Kid Rock: "God bless Amuhric-KAH!" Kill me.


So on a less pretentious note, what am I thankful for?
My health! My mind! My parents! My dog (she's so sweet... I'll probably post photos soon)! My brother! Our safe trip home! My sister and her husband (even if they are with his family way down in Oklahoma for the holiday)! The snow! My cute little apartment! My job and coworkers (I work in a neat little locally owned market and deli making sandwiches)! My friend Kroll and our plans to relocate to Austin! My other friends-- especially Sasha, Miranda, Emma, and Maggie, Dustin and Chance! Oh man, and I suppose I'm just thankful to be alive and for all my good fortune! And especiallyyyy for anyone out there who reads this (ha ha!)


Happy Thanksgiving, birdies!

I want to be CHARLOTTE KEMP MUHL's best friend.

images courtesy of getty images, l'official, nylon, life

She's the latest It-Girl, my favorite It-Girl. She makes up one half of the latest It-Couple-- She's dating Sean Lennon. They've formed a band (Ghost of a Saber Toothed Tiger-- GOASTT). She's a model. She has an incredible style all her own. She's living the dream, basically. I first ran across her in November 2010's issue of Nylon magazine (Megan Fox graces the cover). I read the article because I was soooo enticed by that photograph (above) of her singing in that dead animal headdress. The article was pretty much about how awesome she is-- ya know, what with that très chic band/career/boyfriend. She's killin' it on all fronts. 
Kemp Muhl-- Let's be friends? K?


xoxo

To be honest...

I just reread my last post and I'm not huuuuge on my tone... what was my problem!? haha
jeezlaweez 
désolée, mes amis :)

Gay Human Bones

Hullo hullo, it's been awhile since I've posted anything. I ran across this video today. It's a song called "Gay Human Bones" from a band named Harlem's new album "Hippies." I have yet to procure the album, but this song and video have certainly whetted my thirst. I can't wait to listen to the whole album!


On another note, I know that my content here has been heavy on the musical side of my interests (um, get used to it? maybe) but I promise promise that I have some posts in the works with more varied content. I'm working on putting together a semi-comprehensive post about this charming little town in which I live, called Missoula. I also recently received a gorgeous sweater I feel compelled to tell the world about. Hmm what else? Oh yes! Get ready for an arts and crafts project, birdies! And for the Holiday season, we'll be making some of my family's unbeatably delicious cookies. So be ready... with yarn and butter. Cooking, clothes, crafts!


be back soon.
love you, birdies.

There are no words for what you're about to see...

Vampire Weekend's "White Sky" and Ken Shimura.

Speechless, in a good way.

One of My Newest Obsessions

Click to watch Shy Child's wonderful new video, "Dark Destiny"
I have been listening to this song on repeat. I mean, the whole album ("Liquid Love") is excellent but this song just gets me! The video too... The song is all about celebrities and how they can tumble right off the pedestal we put them on. I mean, obviously that's what you get from the video too... I just love the concept behind the song/video is so poignant. All the celebrity mug shots juxtaposed to footage of their glory days... I grew up with the Celebrity Princesses like Lindsay and Britney, and it really just kills me to see how far they've fallen. They were the poster girls of our generation and now... well, I really hope their fate isn't indicative of ours. (Not that Britney's been arrested or featured in the video but she has certainly had a rough go of it in the last 5 or 6 years.)


The video just makes me feel so... glamourously hopeless... looking at all those hopelessly glamourous people. Just the right amount of weltschmerz (which is the perfect word for it all-- don't you just love that? finding the exactly perfect descriptor?)

weltschmerz: noun: 1. mental depression or apathy caused by comparison of the actual state of the world with an ideal state 

2: a mood of sentimental sadness

For starters...

 the "Torin" Bootie by Sam Edelman

I'm in love, my god. There's a zipper running up the back all the way from the bottom of the heel. Killer.

New Kid on the Block

Helloooo? Is anyone out there?

...?

...I didn't think so. Oh well. I'm here, and that's what counts... right?

I've never had a blog before, so here goes nothing! But what's the point, huh? Well, I think I'm here to write entertaining stories for you to read, post music I find enchantin, as well as photographs of wonderful places and clothing... oh yes, and I'm sure food(/booze)stuffs will work their way in here-- restaurants, recipes, etc. Food is an addiction of mine, really. All this means is that this will be a blog about things I like- all kinds of things! You got a problem with that? I didn't really think you would :)

So, what types of things do I like? Will they be the same kinds of things you'd like too? Is this going to be your kind of blog?

For starters-- I'm big on clothes! Eclectic clothes. If I had to sum up my style (/dream style) in one sentence I suppose it would be:

Edie Sedgwick meets David Bowie for black coffee in a French café and a stroll through a flower garden before catching their transatlantic flight to Brooklyn, where they ride a motorcycle to a late-night soirée.

Sounds like a terrible bore, I know! Heh, just kidding! It sounds like a dream come true.

Next up, we have music. Unfortunately, I'm incapable of making my own music, so I adore other people's music instead. My favorite music is the kind that moves me (with a beat, lyrics, melody-- what ever!). I listen to quite a bit of music and it's always changing. One of my favorite pass-times is finding new, awesome music. As far as good ol' standbys go, I'm always listening to David Bowie (obvi!), of Montreal, The Smiths (the source of my blog's title!), M. Ward, Girls, Brighteyes/Conor Oberst, She & Him, Goldfrapp, Joanna Newsom, Spankrock, TV on the Radio... and oh, gosh, there really are just too many to list. I like dancey, folky, poppy, acoustic, electric, and rocky with a twist of hiphop. It's all music to my ears, baby. Oh yes, and I also must admit to liking really, really kitschy Top 40 songs (i.e. Fergalicious).

My love for kitschy things spills over into home décor, admittedly, albeit a different type of kitsch. We'll talk more about this... my tiny apartment is always a work in progress.

As far as fun stories, it's slowly come to my attention that my friends and I have a bit of a magic touch. We find ourselves in the most outlandish situations from time to time and I suppose I'll end up sharing a few of those with you. But even if I change the names, the meat and potatoes with always be true-- scout's honor!

So I guess what we have here will be a little hybrid number-- part fashion, part food, part music, part gossip, part travel guide, part Better Homes and Gardens, all fun!

Oh, and I suppose out of pure curiosity, you'd like a picture of me, huh? The face behind the words, if you will... Well... ok. Here...

This was taken on my birthday last March... I suppose I could've mustered a bit of a smile, but oh well!



I'll be back soon, birdies! <3