OLD CROWS/YOUNG CARDINALS – ALEXISONFIRE

Alexisonfire - Young Cardinals

I'm still not sure what I think of this album.

This is a great song, but the album I am a little disappointed in. Maybe I just need to give it more listens, but with Poison The Well's new album out (and that's instantaneously awesome!) I'm not sure whether I can. Ha...

BAT FOR LASHES

I CANNOT STOP LISTENING TO THIS ALBUM RIGHT NOW!

The album is Two Suns and it is going to be one of the best albums released this year. It is also the perfect example of an artist progressing – it is leaps and bounds better than her first (which I also love). She's becoming really adept at creating songs that are the perfect mix of indie perfection (think Thom Yorke or Bjork) with a pop aesthetic.

THE BEATLES: ROCKBAND INTRO VIDEO

The Beatles: Rock Band Intro from Micheal Howard on Vimeo.

This really is a whole lot of awesome!

Via Likecool

DAVE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

My RSS feed brought this guy up today (was linked on Flylyf).

His work is a little over-processed for my tastes but I still like his compositions a lot. There is a lot of really great stuff in his portfolio, so you should check it out. I'm especially a fan of his music stuff.

www.davehillphoto.com

NEW BOOK FROM MICHAEL SIEBEN

Michael Sieben (a.k.a. One of my favourite artists ever) has a book of his works coming out through Upper Playground. I'm so keen to get my grimy little mitts on this thing because I KNOW that it's going to be fantastic!

Ask Michael Sieben to describe his work and he’ll tell you that he’s exploring themes focusing on the fading magic of childhood and its associated loss of innocence. His characters and creatures are unique in that they are both cute and grotesque; their purpose in life is to remind us that even though we have problems we still have reason to smile. According to his website, Michael spends his time designing skateboard graphics for Roger Skateboards, writing and illustrating articles for Thrasher Magazine, operating the Okay Mountain Gallery with his fellow mountaineers, working on various freelance projects with the Volcom Art Loft, painting and drawing for personal enjoyment, skateboarding and smiling.

I’m really happy with how the book turned out and I can’t thank Upper Playground and Gingko Press enough for giving me the opportunity to put together this cross section of my work. I hope it inspires other artists to persevere and follow their dreams. Because if a weird skate/art nerd in Texas can get a book published then I don’t see why anybody else couldn’t.
-Michael Sieben

There’s Nothing Wrong With You (Hopefully) leaves no doubt whatsoever about Michael Sieben’s powers of concentration and observation. The book is available for presale now on the Upper Playground web store and will ship in early July.

You can preorder here.

Via World Moves Fast

RICK GRIFFIN X VANS AUTHENTICS

NEED!

These look so AWESOME. And I love my Authentics more than any other shoe I own.

Via Hypebeast

THE PAPER & THE PLANE

OH MY GOD ... WHY CAN'T I STOP LISTENING TO THIS BAND?!?!?!?!

ON THE ROAD

Tonight I watched Control – the bio-pic about Ian Curtis – for the first time and have developed a ridiculous crush on Sam Riley.

I don't know why, I can't explain it, I just have!

Anyway, so I hit up IMDB to find out more information and I stumbled across this.

It would appear that he is lined up to star in a film adaptation of Kerouac's On The Road. Being one of my favourite books of all time, I'm not quite sure how I feel about this, however it is something really interesting that I will be keeping an eye out for more information on.

If you know anymore information asides from what is on the IMDB page, please feel free to comment :)

"NANTES" – BEIRUT

AWESOME use of wheelie bins!

TIME TO PLAY...

...the what's on my bedside table game!

NOT THAT GREAT

I can't remember if I posted about this before, but one of Cooper's friends has a blog up that amuses me greatly – partly because it sometimes gives me insight into what goes on down there while I'm away, partly because he has an awesome sense of humour so his captions make me LOL quite often!

So you can go and check out Rhys's observations on life here.

CLASSIC RECORDS AT PENGUIN BOOKS

Huw Gwilliam beautifully re-designed a bunch of classic records mimicking that signature Penguin style. Pure genius.

There are sooooo many more at that link! So amazing!!!


Via BOOOOOOOM!

GYPSY KIDS – NARROWS

NARROWS: GYPSY KIDS (2009) 872 x 480 from My Black Cat on Vimeo.

New video from the album New Directions, which WILL be the album of 2009!

If you haven't heard it already, I suggest that you go out and buy it right now because it's SO FUCKING GOOOOOOOD!

This track is also completely different from 'Chambered' which was the first release track from the album. It's just such a diverse album, but with all the different influences and history of the members at play, that's hardly surprising!

WHY CAN'T I LIVE IN AMERICA!

Someone buy me tickets?

It's in Boston ... The baseball season will still be going (RED SOX!!!!)

Please?

TOY STORY 3

This will officially rule my life!

100 ABANDONED HOUSES

Abandoned house in Detroit, Michigan, originally uploaded by smooveb.

I stumbled across this on BOOOOOOOM! a little while ago. It's a rad project and some of the photos are really, really spectacular.

There is just something really surreal and a little scary about them all, but I think that's why it attracts me so much.

"The abandoned houses project began innocently enough roughly ten years ago. I actually began photographing abandonment in Detroit in the mid 90’s as a creative outlet, and as a way of satisfying my curiosity with the state of my home town. I had always found it to be amazing, depressing, and perplexing that a once great city could find itself in such great distress, all the while surrounded by such affluence."

You can see all 100 houses and an explanation behind the project here.

FREE DOODLES ZINE

Just a cool little thing I found (I can't remember where I found it so I'm really sorry to whoever I've reposted this from!)

It's got some cool little doodles in it, and I'm kind of a fan of that whole "make it yourself" thing. Let's face it, it's a cool concept!

You can download all the little parts to the zine to make it yourself here.

STREET DREAMS

HD Exclusive Trailer #2 In Theaters June 12th

This looks totally b-grade but I think a lot of people I know will dig it and kind of relate! Hahahaha

Am keen to see it though, if only because Ryan Dunn makes me laugh harder than almost anyone...

There's a bit of background about this film over on Defgrip.

COCO AVANT CHANEL

While we're still on the subject of films, I cannot wait for this either!

Audrey Tautou is AMAZING!

MOON

SAM ROCKWELL!!!!!

THIS MOVIE LOOKS AMAZING!!!!!

Like 2001: A Space Odyssey but for 2009. I don't knowwwwwwww ... I just want to see it so bad! AND IT'S SAM ROCKWELL!!!

Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the Moon, where he, working alongside his computer, GERTY, sends back to Earth parcels of a resource that has helped diminish our planet's power problems.



(Yes I have a slight obsession...)

Other tidbits in relation to the film: the robot is voiced by Kevin Spacey and the film is directed by Duncan Jones (which is was Zowie Bowie is going by nowadays... Yes he's the son of the great Mr David Bowie).

Released in US theatres June 12th, so I imagine an Australian release sometime around there ... i.e. SOOOOOOON!

CANELE PATTISSERIE

Courtesy of Wicked Halo.

Under the tagline "Equally Sweet, Equally Dark", the ads done by illustrator Joseph Griffith feature small children in a very tongue and cheek evil minded scenario, done in typical pop surrealist manner. These ads were commissioned for Singapore based house Canelé Patisserie Chocolaterie.

They're just ADORABLE! I would love a print of the Voodoo one for my wall ... Make sure you check out Griffith's other work because it's fair amazing!

MAKE IT COUNT

"MAKE IT COUNT" - official trailer from ELEMENT SKATEBOARDS on Vimeo.

I found this video on Hypebeast.

I'm really keen to see the rest of it.

In the meantime, the filmmaker Kirk Dianda, has a blog going where he's updating with all sorts of goodies pertaining to the film – you can scope that out here.

THE WAITING LIST

OK ... So it's finally been announced! The date for the premiere of the two new Focalpoint DVDs. The Waiting List is the full length riding DVD of the crew doing their thing. I can tell you for a fact there is some serious shredding, a killer soundtrack and some awesome crashes! The second video is Defero which follows a more video magazine style – interviews and profiles of up-and-coming riders, some scene reports and a pretty hectic report from the infamous Bendigo Jam of '08!

If you're in Melbourne on this date you should really go down and check it out. That shit's going to be mental! And best of all, you're gonna get to see two really rad videos for just a gold coin donation (that they're asking for only to cover the cost of hiring the venue!)

Head over to Focalpoint for all the details.

Below is the final Samples edit and the official trailer for The Waiting List.

Focalpointbmx "The Waiting List" promo from Focalpointbmx.com on Vimeo.

Focalpointbmx.com Samples Vol3 from Focalpointbmx.com on Vimeo.

"HE'S LIKE BATMAN, BUT BETTER"

I WANNA BE IN ENGLAND!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAA :(


Banksy, ily <3>

BARREL MONSTERS

Autoblog reports that a North Carolina State University student was arrested and charged with larceny for converting orange construction barrels into "Barrel Monsters". The artist, who goes by "U Live and You Burn" is seeking support by asking them to write the prosecutor on his behalf:

Wake County Prosecutor C. Colon Willoughby, Jr.
Tenth Prosecutorial District
State of North Carolina
8th Floor, Wake County Courthouse
Post Office Box 31
Raleigh, N.C. 27602-0031
telephone (919) 792-5000

Our hope is that they treat him fairly, as they did Roadsworth in Montreal.

Via The Wooster Collective.

SO PSYCHED...

For the August tour of the following bands:

For dates and details go to Resist Records.

RIDE BMX x SHADOW FEATURE

Sick little video ...

At about 2:30 there's a rad wall ride to tuck-no-hander and then one of the best hang 5's I've ever seen!



Plus the Black Keys soundtrack rules my life!

Courtesy of Ride BMX, where you can also see a rad little flipbook here.

LACK OF POSTS

Hey guys!

Sorry for the lack of posts. Lack of fast internet has prevented me from scoping much and from being able to actually make posts at all.

So, uber big posting session coming your way right now!!!

xo

THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH!

In the basement level of the QVB in Sydney. Right near the escalators up to Myer!

OM NOM NOM

VANS BOOK

I also want this!

Especially considering that I wear my Authentics almost every day of life!

More details here.

FAFI x ADIDAS

WANT! WANT! WANT!

Parisian artist Fafi will be releasing her third collection this October. The lineup to feature five models, with a preview of the first seen here. Utilizing adidas Honey Mid’s, the sneakers take inspiration from Fafi’s world travels and upcoming comic book.

TDEP COVERS VAN HALEN

A night of proper posting is never complete, here at A Dangerous State Of Mind, unless there is something The Dillinger Escape Plan related.

This time around you get one of my favourite bands EVER covering one of my most hated bands ever (sorry, I really don't dig 80's metal!). I'm still stoked on this video though...

ANOTHER TARANTINO POST...

The Tarantino Mixtape from Eclectic Method on Vimeo.

This time 7-minute mash-up of all our favorite Tarantino movies mixed by Eclectic Method.

DALEK VIDEO INTERVIEW

This is a really interesting watch! Especially if you're into Dalek and his amazing paintings. Space Monkeys FTW!

BRAD PITT VS TARANTINO

Yet another movie I cannot wait for!

THE WAITING LIST

The Waiting List is the name of the new Focalpoint BMX video that will be released in the next month or two. I have seen the bulk of it and it's shaping up to be a fairly epic watch, with some epic sections.

From the Focalpoint website:
"We have titled the next dvd "The Waiting List" Since half the crew have been held down with injuries and surgeries the past year or so it seemed fitting."

GUY RITCHIE'S SHERLOCK HOLMES

This looks fucking sick and I cannot wait to see it.

Is it just me or has Robert Downey Jr turned into a epicly awesome character actor all of a sudden???

HOW TO DRAW WITH MIKE GIANT

This is pretty old (i.e. you will have to go searching through the Rebel 8 blog to find the whole thing) but Mike G does a SICK photo blog where he goes through each step in the process of creating this stunning illustration.

I originally found it on Hypebeast, but I recommend scoping out Mike's original blog as there are more images and he gives a commentary for each image.


I still really want a lightbox! I've come back from spending eight days in Melbourne and a fair chunk of that was spent doing handwritten titles for the upcoming Focalpoint DVD. Cooper came up with a good improvised lightbox, but burning my feet trying to hold a lamp in place isn't very fun! Hahahaha

BANNED 3 – BETTER OFF DEAD

Banned 3 -better off dead trailer!!! from Banned Vids on Vimeo.

There are a lot of "HOLY SHIT!" moments here. I'm hoping Cooper gets a copy of it from somewhere because I'm SO KEEN! Hahahahaha

KOEN HAUSER

Anatomy + photography = FUN!

This is work by Koen Hauser, a photographer from the Netherlands.

The geeky part of me that wanted to be a doctor from the time that I was about seven finds this work really, really appealing ...

SPIDERDEATH

I was supposed to go to Spiderdeath's gallery show at China Heights last Friday, but instead got a rotten cold and asides from work I stayed home (BORING!).

So to make up for it, I'm posting a link to his work here, because it's FUCKING SICK!

If you're into mid-80s, thrash punk inspired stuff (think Pushead and you'll be on the right track!) then this is definitely for you!

ILLUSTRATIONS BY YUTA ONODA

They remind me a lot of a Japanese Dan Mumford.

You can scope out the rest of his portfolio here.

THE PRETTIEST THING EVER...

Not only is Paradise Illusions/Paranoid Delusions one of my fave EPs to come out this year ... LOOK AT THE FUCKING VINYL RELEASE! Someone buy me this right now.....

SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE REUNION?

Via: Ear Candy

"Last night Ear Candy caught wind of a strong rumor that Sunny Day Real Estate, one of the most influential and underappreciated post-grunge groups to come out of Seattle, has reunited with its original members and plan on touring this year.

The band got together in 1992 and released "Diary" in 1994, an album I discovered after Kurt Cobain killed himself and upon first listen I immediately fell in love with every song on the album. Unfortunately, after a few lineup changes and some reported struggles with its label, Sub Pop, the group disbanded in 2001. The original SDR lineup included Jeremy Enigk. Nate Mendel, William Goldsmith and Dan Hoerner and they are credited with being one of the grandfathers of emo. Now before you go blaming these guys for AFI, My Chemcial Romance and all those other emo bands, they aren't responsible for that type of emo. Think more along the lines of "Pinkerton" emo and you've got it.

If a few of those names in their lineup sound familiar it's because Mendel is the bass player in Foo Fighters and Goldsmith used to the drummer for the Foos before he left the group and some guy named Taylor Hawkins stepped in behind the kit. Oh yeah, and Enigk has had a pretty decent solo career too but not as noteworthy as the non-SDR days of Hawkins and Goldsmith.

There has been no official word on when the band will tour, but according to my source, current KEXP and former 107.7 The End jock Marco Collins, the original lineup is rehearsing and planning on touring."

GEOFF RICKLEY RANTS

From a recent show, Geoff from Thursday blows off some steam and then performs “Beyond the Visible Spectrum” off of Common Existence.

Geoff Rickley ... You rule my life!

Via Epitaph Blog

ANIME FIRE – SEA OF SERPENTS

Sea Of Serpents (Live @ YMCA HQ)

Video for a track from their new EP.

Probably one of the best bands Australia has to offer right now! They're doing their own thing and they're doing it well!

DISNEYNATURE – OCEANS

OK so yesterday was Earth Day, but in honour of the day Disney has launched the trailer for their newest nature movie Oceans, due out in theaters exactly one year from today, on Earth Day 2010.

A fascinating journey into the depths of the ocean, amidst the tumult of the storms, in the vast territory of those who inhabit the sea. Part thriller, part meditation on the wonders of the sub-aquatic world.

The videography looks to be AMAZING and I can honestly say that I can't wait for it! Hahahaha ... It's the geek in me coming out!

STANLEY DONWOOD

If you don't know, Stanley Donwood (and sometime with the mysterious collaborator TCHOCK) has been the man primarily responsible for all of Radiohead's artwork – album covers, posters, merch – since 1994.

This video is a really cool little look at some of his processes in the creation of his artwork, so you should definitely check it out!

DAVID LYNCH x MOBY

Shot In The Back Of The Head from Moby on Vimeo.

The clip is animated by David Lynch for Moby's new single Shot In The Back Of The Head from his forthcoming album, Wait For Me.

The song can be downloaded for free from here.

NEW ENTER SHIKARI SINGLE

NEW ALEXISONFIRE SINGLE

New Alexisonfire single, Young Cardinals, taken from the album Old Crows/Young Cardinals, which will be released July 23 in the US. Not sure when in Australia.

UNDEROATH – TOO BRIGHT TO SEE TOO LOUD TO HEAR

Underoath - Too Bright To See Too Loud To Hear

New Video ... It's trippy but a really cool, original concept that is beautiful to watch.

RADIOHEAD COVERING PORTISHEAD

This is what true beauty is...

BOOKS ON MY BEDSIDE TABLE

FOCALPOINT SAMPLES VOL.2

Focalpointbmx Samples2 from Focalpointbmx.com on Vimeo.

Get into it!

www.focalpointbmx.com

Fun in Melbourne!

I was in Melbourne over New Years. Cooper and I visited Michaels (an epic camera store on Elizabeth St) so that he could buy a whole bunch of disposable cameras for a trip he was going on. I was inspired to get one of my own and in the last couple of days that I was there I took a whole bunch of photos. Some are pretty cool, some are just shit!

I put some of my favourites up on my Flickr, so scope them out if you like.

That sort of started my love affair with film – not for serious photography, but more for mucking around and having fun with it all! I have a few rolls from an action sampler, another disposable camera and from this old Praktica that my dad used to have. Can't wait to get all those rolls developed! Hahahaha

THE MAKING OF NIN 'CLOSER'

NIN: The Making of the "Closer" Video from Nine Inch Nails on Vimeo.

This is a REALLY long video (like 30mins) but it's so GOOD! A combination of creepy and strange and awesome all at once! I know the finished video is really bizarre, but the way that Mark Romanek talks about it is really creepy as well!

Via: Wicked Halo

TAMARA DE LEMPICKA

I found out about Tamara de Lempicka somewhere last night. I don't know much about her but I really really really like her aesthetic.

My sister and I went to the Art Gallery Of NSW last week and while we were there we were talking about what we like. Personally, I mostly like classical stuff but I also have a soft spot for this sort of style that I kind of associate with the 1920s/30s. I don't know technical names for anything but this is what I dig! Hahahaha

WACKOMARIA SATIN JACKET

Today seems to be the day that my browsings of the Internet have me going I WANT! I WANT! I WANT!

The next thing on my "I WANT!" list is this awesome jacket from Wackomaria. From the cute pin up on the back, to the Guilty Parties embroidered on the front and just the fact that it's an AWESOME SATIN JACKET!!!! everything about it is just radtactular!

Via: Arknets

NEW MIKE GIANT PRINTS

Are available now at his online store. Got sent this in a mailout this morning and since he is one of my favourite artists I felt it important to share this information.



P.S. DESPERATELY want one of his works :(