Where Did That Come From?

Sometimes I get weird music stuck in my head. Like really, really weird music. Sometimes it just appears and I have no idea where it came from. I decided to write down all the things from this past week I got stuck in my head and share it because some of them are just so odd. A few I can trace the origin of when they got stuck in my head, but some of them literally just popped in there.























-Melissa

She and Him

I have been meaning to write about She and Him for a while now, but every time I start, I find a group that I want to write about just a little bit more. But I decided it's finally their time.

In case you have been living under a rock, She and Him is Zooey Deschanel's band with M. Ward. They are cute, they are quirky, they are simple, but they are definitely fun. Deschanel has a very distinctive, strange singing voice. It is both horrible and wonderful. The lyrics to the songs are very simple, almost like they were stolen straight from her diary or poem book. Though very modern sounding, their musical sound calls back to 60s pop, folk, and country quite a bit. Songs such as I Was Made For You and Sweet Darlin' bring to mind the girl groups of yester-year, but then songs such as In the Sun and Sentimental Heart are a very modern sound.

My favorite songs are Sentimental Heart (a song that brings all my relationships to mind every time I hear it), I Was Made For You, Sweet Darlin', Thieves, In the Sun, Don't Look Back, Me and You, and Gonna Get Along Without You Now. I feel their first album Volume One is a great first album, but I find Volume Two a far better album. She seems to embrace her voice's quirks more and puts them to better use, instead of fighting against them and producing a sound that is not always easy to listen to.

Deschanel is on my list of dream people to dress. My mom and I always swoon over all her clothing in the cotton commercial she is featured in. Her style is so simple and wearable, but always stylish. I love the idea of dressing her in modern silhouettes with vintage style fabric. I love that she can wear cute or sweet clothing and accessories and it never feels forced. Bows, ruffles, sparkles, sailor collars, whatever. She always pulls it off wonderfully! Check out some of her adorable outfits below.

(I really really really want the dress on the right, but maybe in another color)

(I love her shorts outfit)

(I would wear that trapeze dress in a second)

I fell in love with Deschanel's singing voice in Elf, and I was so happy when She and Him was formed. I hope you enjoy them as well. Check out some She and Him videos below!










-Melissa

You Are Who?

So, I'll be the first to admit that iamamiwhoami is a bit of a publicity stunt. Mysterious band shows up on YouTube with strange videos with riddles for song titles and no one knows who it is. Over time some very anxious fans figure out bits and pieces of what everything means and everyone has a guess at who the mysterious singer is, but no one ever knows for sure until months later when one music video shows the singer Jonna Lee (who is a big deal overseas) without crazy makeup or special effects.

Putting all that aside, Jonna Lee's side project of iamamiwhoami is really really good electronic semi-dance music. There is such a difference I learned between watching the videos and just listening to the songs. When you watch the videos all you can think about is how bizarre it all is, and if you are me, "why can't they find that male model underwear that fits his ass" (and why is he wearing socks). But when I just played the songs by themselves, I realized just how good of music it is.

It is hard to say exactly what the sound is like, but I found bits and pieces of everyone from MGMT to Bjork in the sound. My personal favorites are O and T, which I will post below, but I highly recommend you check out all her videos in order! It's like a strange puzzle that slowly comes together bit by bit, but when you are done, you're not so sure what the picture is of. You can check out the order on this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iamamiwhoami but if you only want to hear her main songs check out B, O, U-1, U-2, N, T, and Y in that order. Strange I know, but oh so good.





-Melissa

Freelance Whales

Lately, I have been discovering a lot of music that uses slightly more unusual instruments in fun ways. I think this is a trend we will be seeing more of in the future, as more and more people are getting tired of the traditional rock band consisting of four men, with one drummer, one bass player, a singer who plays quitar, and another guitarist, all of whom wear band t-shirts, dirty jeans, chuck taylors, and maybe a leather jacket or two. The instrument that Freelance Whales uses that I find so fun is a xylophone, but from what I read their collection of fun instruments is growing to include instruments such as Japanese flutes and possibly someday, a pipe organ.

I believe that the singer sounds like a slightly more androgynous version of the singer from The Format, but others have likened his voice to Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie, which I can definitely hear. The band's sound reminds me a bit of The Postal Service, though their sound is not quite as polished.

I personally think the best songs on their album is Generator First Floor, Generator Second Floor, Hannah, and Starring. Starring has super fun instrumentals (and definitely reminds me of Postal Service). Their album "Weathervanes" is the type of album that constantly gives you new favorites though, depending on your mood. As I write this I am listening to the album, and have found several more songs that I am enjoying immensely, such as Broken Horse and We Could Be Friends.

My favorite part about this band is their instrumentals, but if you choose to focus on the lyrics, there are some interesting stories going on in the album. The lyrics are based off a combination of the singer's childhood memories and dream journaling. By age six, the singer began to make room in his house for the ghost of a young girl he sensed living in his house, a detail he works into the album.

This is a super fun band, and I hope you take the time to listen to some of their music. To hear some examples of their work, check out the videos below:









-Melissa

This Time in My Life

Sarah Jaffe is the singer for this time in my life. Love lost. New love. Begging love to stay. Wishing you could feel differently about where life has lead you. Promises. Broken promises. I've felt it all. And so has she. Her style is often so simplistic, that it's easy for me to see myself in any one of her songs.

Stay With Me is a song that hardly sings, but rather whispers her pleas to the one she loves for them to stay. Clementine is my theme song at the moment. In this song, she details her journey through multiple heartbreaks and wishing she could go back to being delicate after becoming so calloused. I believe the line "I wish my name was Clementine" to refer to the song Oh My Darling Clementine, in which Clementine is remembered even after death, though it could also refer to her wish to return to gentleness. Better Than Nothing has one of the most rousing choruses I have heard in a while, as does Perfect Plan. Pretender is another song I can really relate to. The lyrics mixed with the dark music brings to mind that feeling of desperateness everyone feels for someone at one point in their life. Is she really a giver/forgiver, or is she just telling herself that so she feels better about the situation? Though her lyrics are simple, I find myself questioning every little meaning in her songs.

I would not consider Sarah Jaffe one of the new great lyricists of our time however. Her lyrics, as with her music, are simple. Songs such as Clementine repeat the same lines over and over, and some lines are slightly odd, such as Vulnerable's "You're such a baby, it's just a nosebleed. Leave me for a while, so you can go and cry." But I don't like Sarah for her lyrics. I like her for her heartfeltness and her great (and sometimes incredibly catchy) instrumentals.

As with her songwriting style, I see her clothing style as being simple. I would love to see her in fun dresses and rompers, with the occasional cardigan or casual jacket. Sarah is not a traditional beauty, so I think she could pull off some slightly unusual styles, such as rompers with tights and boots. If I was to style Sarah I would dress her as I often dress myself, taking even fancy pieces and dressing them down with boots and sweaters.

If you have not already heard Sarah Jaffe, please take the time to check out some of her music at the bottom of the page. I have found something new in her songs every time I have listened and hopefully you will love her as much as I do.

Sarah Jaffe

Fun Dresses

Dresses with Cardigans

Cute Casual Rompers

-Melissa

Epic Banjos

While listening to Mumford and Sons' debut album "Sigh No More" I caught myself thinking "Man, these banjos are epic," which are not exactly words one would normally put together. I think that choice of words is actually fitting though. Mumford and Sons is a great folk band for one who does not necessarily like folk bands due to their quick tempos and ability to keep their songs interesting, even the slower ones.

I really love this album, especially the songs Little Lion Man, White Blank Page, Winter Winds, Sigh No More, The Cave, and Awake My Soul. I love the singer's slightly raspy English voice and their use of literary references in their lyrics. As the singer put it "You can rip off Shakespeare all you like; no lawyer's going to call you up on that one."

This band does not completely fit into the theme of this blog as I have heard them on the radio a few times and were recently nominated for two Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Rock Song, but I believe them to be relatively unheard of still as they are relative newcomers to the music world. As for the Grammy nominations, it just shows that on occasion award shows actually get it right. Despite my love for many of the other Best New Artist nominees, I expect Mumford and Sons to win that category.

Check out this wonderful band below:







-Melissa

Tennis

One of my new favorite bands is actually from Denver...not that you have heard of them. Tennis is an amazing husband and wife duo that is starting to get national attention, but is practically unheard of right here in their hometown. They recently went on a sailing trip and were so inspired that they decided to record an album heavily influenced by their time at sea. This album is called "Cape Dory", named after the ship they sailed in.

With a sound that feels like a retro beach party, Tennis is great for anyone who likes Vampire Weekend or Surfer Blood. The singer's voice reminds me of girly groups of yesteryear. Every song on their album is really great, but my favorites are Long Boat Pass, Take Me Somewhere, Marathon, and South Carolina. This is a great mood album, especially in these cold winter months.

I like the idea of simplicity with dressing the singer Alaina Moore. She has big frizzy hair that reminds me of Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing (I actually think this album would fit right into the movie as well) so I think she could do fun simple pieces well. I like the idea of simple rompers and summer dresses in fun prints. I'd love to make her sundresses in sailing inspired fabric to match with their sound. And because I love frizzy hair, I say let it do it's thing!

Alaina

Rompers

Simple Summer Dresses

Some Great Prints

Check out some of this group's great music!









-Melissa

She Said What?- Kate Nash

Kate Nash writes some of the worst lyrics I have EVER heard. I really enjoy her in general, her voice is great and her songs Foundations, Pumpkin Soup, and Merry Happy are really enjoyable, but some of her other songs are absolute garbage. I thought she had some doozies on her first album "Made of Bricks" but then I listened to her latest album "My Best Friend is You" and was so shocked at the first line of Don't You Want to Share the Guilt that I burst out laughing. Here are a small selection of her gems:

"BBQ food is good
You invite me out to eat it, I should
Go, but I'm feeling kind of nervous
And not quite myself"
from Don't You Want to Share the Guilt?

"I hate seagulls
And I hate being sick
I hate burning my finger on the toaster
And I hate knits"
from I Hate Seagulls

"And I use mouthwash
Sometimes I floss
I got a family
And I drink lots of tea"
from Mouthwash

"right birds can fly so high
or they can shit on your head
they can almost fly into your eye and make you feel so scared, but when you look at them and you see that there beautiful that's how i feel about you."
from Birds

-Melissa

Modern Sixties

I was not sure what to expect when I first listened to Frankie Rose and the Outs. I expected a girly pop or rock band. What I did not expect was to hear sixties pop come from a band that looks like this:

Though very modern in many ways, my first thought when I heard Frankie Rose and the Outs was how much it sounded like an all female sixties pop group. Their self titled album has a few slow pretty songs, but most of them are fun retro rock. Some songs sound like sixties songs with a slight modern touch, while some sound like very modern songs with a sixties touch. My favorite songs on the album are Candy, That's What People Told Me, Must Be Nice, and Don't Tred.

I would love to dress all the girls in the band in modern versions of 60s dresses. Each girl would wear something that shows her individual personality, but would look good with the other girls. An example would be if they all wore black and red but had different shaped dresses and different levels of red to black. Here are some inspiration pictures:

Different Shapes of Retro Black Dresses

Fun Shapes and Patterns

Oh So Sixties

Check this fun band out below!

-Melissa

KaiserCartel

The first time I heard KaiserCartel was at the UMS back in 2009. I thought the name was related to some strange joke about gangs and bread, but was a little disappointed to find out it was just a combination of the two singer's last names. I was not disappointed when I heard their music however. Their sound is simple and fun and never feels overworked. And to add to how good they are, they are even better live, which always impresses me. My favorite songs of theirs are Oh No, Season Song, Okay, Favorite Song, and Good Ones. Some of the songs are just so damn catchy that I catch myself bobbing my head along, such as Favorite Song and Season Song (which makes me wish I knew how to whistle).

Courtney Kaiser is super adorable in a retro sort of way. I would love to see her in simple vintage print dresses and old timey country inspired pieces. On the cover of their cd "March Forth" she is wearing an adorable print skirt with a cinch belt which is very close to what I would dress her in.

Courtney

Here are some inspiration pictures

All designs by the amazing Luella Bartley. I like the shapes and the fun use of pattern.

Check out some videos by this great band!

-Melissa

My Brightest Diamond

The first time I heard Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond was in The Decemberist's album "The Hazards of Love." I must have listened to this album on repeat for about a month and while I found Won't Want For Love and The Rake's Song really addicting, the song that really got to me was The Queen's Rebuke/The Crossing which is the song that features Shara as the Queen. I remember wondering who that voice belonged to and where could I hear more of her? She is only featured in a few of the songs on "The Hazards of Love" and I needed to hear more! With the attitude and soul she gives on her songs it feels like she IS the queen of the forest.

My first thoughts of hearing My Brightest Diamond was that it was slightly like gothic opera set in a gypsy forest. In Hazards of Love her voice was soulful and almost sexy, but in her band she is almost dark and gypsy-like. Her voice trembles and warbles, she sings both high and low. I'm not sure whether to consider her modern or old fashioned. My favorite songs are Something of an End, Lucky, Freak Out, Disappear, Inside a Boy, and The Brightest Diamond.

Besides the great albums and collaboration with The Decemberists, My Brightest Diamond also performed one of my favorite songs EVER, which is actually a cover. Their version of Lucky by Radiohead is so dark and wonderful and I can't get enough of it. I will literally listen to it over and over and over. It's a great song to begin with, but her voice adds an interesting dimension to it. I would love to use this song in a more theatrical fashion show. I actually have one in mind that is inspired by religious cults and some dark features I saw against the white snow, but I won't be creating that collection for Denver, so for now I just have to keep the song in mind.

Shara is not classically beautiful, but she has a very interesting look. I'd love to see her in vintage pieces with a slight gypsy/boho feel. Chiffon, bold florals, faux fur, and modern volume would be perfect.

Shara

Gypsy Groupings from Polyvore.com

Classic Black with Gypsy Touches

Florals and Modern Volume

Check out My Brightest Diamond below, including her version of Lucky and her collaboration with The Decemberists.

-Melissa

Dirty Dirty Music

Louis XIV is one of the dirtiest bands I have ever heard- and I love it. Paper Doll, Pledge of Allegiance, and Finding Out True Love is Blind provide some of the most amazingly dirty lines I have ever heard and that is truly saying something with modern music. "Bang me like the girls in Hong Kong" "Let me buy you a lollipop you want to lick" and "We don't have to go to the pool if you want me to make you wet" are such examples.

Besides being amusingly dirty, it's really catchy as well. While this band is definitely considered rock, it's a much more like dance-y rock. My favorite songs are Finding Out True Love is Blind, Illegal Tender, Pledge of Allegiance, Hey Teacher, and Guilt by Association. If you like dance music, rock, dirty lines, or strange men in eyeliner, I highly recommend this band.

Blogspot will not allow me to post links to the top two videos (probably because they are "dirty"), but definitely copy the link and watch the videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC5W1ePDWl8&ob=av2el

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3PalaqPAEU



-Melissa

Oldies but Goodies- Andrew Bird

Andrew Bird is BARELY old enough to be put in the Oldies but Goodies category, but he is certainly no newbie, and I hope that there is no one reading this that has not already heard him. If there is, you don't know what you have been missing! I first heard him through Pandora, a little later in his career than I would like to admit to, but there was an automatic attraction.

My favorite songs are Imitosis, A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left, Oh No, Fiery Crash, Heretics, and Anonanimal, though it is quite difficult to choose because I find all of his albums very enjoyable. If you like Andrew Bird, check out his earlier project Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire. This group sounds slightly like his solo work but in a more old timey way. Besides a few modern touches, it sounds far more like something from the 30s than the late 90s. I included a link below to this group as well.

I like Andrew Bird because his songs rarely touch into the meaningful but slightly dull place where some similar artists go into quite often. He can be meaningful, but he is also interesting. He seems to like to explore human drama, as evidence in Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left and Imotosis. If you haven't already heard Andrew Bird, be sure to check him out!

Oldies but Goodies- Peaches

The second I heard Fuck the Pain Away I was addicted to Peaches. And when I say addicted it's not some cute little term I use lightly. I was actually addicted. I listened to her cds nearly every day while walking to school or work and couldn't wait to put my headphones back on when I got there. I always cracked up when I walked past the school and church in my neighborhood while blasting dirty music. The time between albums was torture and when I finally got a new album it was all I could do not to lock myself in my room and listen to it all...day...long. Peaches is the only artist I have ever preordered from because I needed it RIGHT AWAY. For the two seconds when I wanted to do roller derby (before I found out how damn popular it was) I was even going to adopt her name in the form of Peaches 'N' Scream. Addicted is a nice way of putting that I was a little pathetic for Peaches.

When asked to explain Peaches I say she is delightfully dirty. She is now a little over 40 (and to be honest, looks every year) and still as dirty as ever. Want to embarrass the crap out of your really uptight friend? Just close your eyes and pick a song. Nearly all of them will work. My friend Forrest and I used to have Forrest and Melissa's Inappropriate Dance Parties and easily a third of the music was Peaches.

That is not to say that Peaches uses her dirtiness as a schtick. Peaches is really really good music. If you like dance-y music with a great beat Peaches is an excellent choice. She is great in concert as well. She narrowly beat out Leslie Hall for my favorite concert ever, which is a hard to win category. She must have had 20 different costume changes, with as many as 6 being on top of each other.

With many singers I have a relatively easy time choosing favorite songs, but I really can't choose with her. I can not choose a favorite from each album. I can not choose my top ten. There are just too many good ones. I could more easily choose my least favorites, but no one wants to hear about those. If I had to choose a few to recommend I would go with Fuck the Pain Away, Boys Wanna Be Her, AA XXX, Lovertits, You Love It, Mommy Complex, Talk to Me, Slippery Dick, Sex (I'm A), and I U She.

Music like Peaches is practically made for runway because the beat is easy to walk to. I have actually used her for two different shows of mine. The first time was You Love It for a small fashion show I put on while still in college where my models looked like they had been in a fight (but won), the second time was Rock 'N' Roll for my senior thesis of punk rock prom wear. Boys Wanna Be Her would be great for a rock 'n' roll line for sure! As you check out Peaches videos, be sure to check out her awesome costumes. What you see in the videos is pretty close to what she wears onstage. I remember one piece being almost like a backwards thong that lit up. Who does that?

Remember, before there was Lady Gaga, there was Peaches. Check out some of her videos below:









-Melissa


P.S. Miss Piggy you dirty girl!

Broken Bells

Broken Bells is made of Danger Mouse and James Mercer, the singer of The Shins. This mixture of talent makes for a group that sounds like a mixture of MGMT and Gorillaz. This is a brand new group for me, but I definitely see the potential for more great albums in their future. Their self titled album has already produced one of the most recognizable commercial songs of last year, The High Road. This song has been featured in several commercials, including one promo for the movie Blue Valentine.

My favorite songs are The High Road, The Ghost Inside, October, Mongrel Heart, and The Mall and the Misery. I am not sure what category this band belongs in, but whatever it is, it is catchy.







-Melissa

Gravel

John McCauley, the singer of Deer Tick must be eating from the same field as Tom Waits, because he too has gravel in his throat. That's the best way I can think of to describe his voice. It is very unusual, yet I find it strangely pleasant. Deer Tick is described as a indie/folk/blue/country band, which sounds about right to me. It's very hard to limit them to even two of those terms, their sound is so varied. One way I can think of to describe this band though is very very American sounding. I half expect to see pictures of the band in front of a giant flag while wearing Levis 501 jeans and white t-shirts.

I discovered Deer Tick on a compilation album where their song Twenty Miles appeared. The song cuts off after about a minute and I found myself longing to hear the rest of the song, so I tracked down their albums. Besides that song my favorites are Easy, Friday Xiii, Ashamed, Standing at the Threshold, and These Old Shoes. These Old Shoes is a super fun old timey song about someone traveling for love who meets up with plenty of bumps in the road.

I am not a huge fan of music that is considered "American", "Country", or "Blues", but I really like this band, so I hope you give them a chance even if you aren't into that type of music either.







-Melissa

Micachu

Micachu is weird. Even the singer herself can't believe that she gets paid to make music. But she is also really really good. I know some readers will disagree with that statement, but I stick by it. It's the type of music that is very easy not to understand, but I personally can't get enough. Her latest album is only a year old and I am already anxious for the next one to come out.

Seeing how uncommercial Micachu is, I was very surprised to hear her song "Golden Phone" used in a commercial for a childrens toy. It worked surprisingly well though. Golden Phone, along with Vulture are my favorite songs on her album "Jewellry." The album is quite short so it makes for an easy listen. I can go through the entire thing on my way to work in the morning. I've always thought Vulture would be an interesting runway song, but I'm not sure for what kind of collection.

Check out Micachu below and make your own decision!







-Melissa

Seattle Sweetheart

Some musicians are defined by where they come from. You can hear the city in their sound. A Fine Frenzy is such an act. I don't think anywhere in the world but Seattle could have come up with a sound such as hers. She is neither dance-y nor sexy. She is practically all sweetness and light. How often does music like that get popular in other parts of the country?

A Fine Frenzy is the stage name of Alison Sudol. She has to date released two cds, "One Cell in the Sea" and "Bomb in a Birdcage," both of which have an impressive amount of great songs. Normally I can easily list off the top three songs from an artist when they only have two cds, but with her I have a hard time coming up with the best three from each cd. I can tell you right now though that if I had to make you fall in love with her with only one song I would pick Almost Lover. That song, along with The Minnow & The Trout, Liar Liar, and You Picked Me are probably my favorites from "One Cell in the Sea." "Bomb in a Birdcage" is a little more difficult to pick favorites from because even though I don't find the individual songs quite as strong as her first, the cd is a bit stronger as a whole. I would recommend What I Wouldn't Do, Electric Twist, Blow Way, and Stood Up to start.

Alison Sudol is exactly the type of singer I would want to dress. She is not only gorgeous but also "cute." She is also a redhead (looooooooooooove) and does not move around on stage enough to really require a specific type of stage costume. When I think of dressing her the first thing that comes to mind is white chiffon. I would love to dress her in a mixture of modern and vintage romance. This means a lot of black and white, but can also include some colors- such as green, mustardy yellow, or purple which look fantastic on redheads. Romantic dresses with modern touches such as boots or layering are the direction I am thinking.

Alison

Here are some inspiration pictures:

Check out some of her music videos below!

-Melissa

California Rock

When I think of California rock I think of it as being a little dirty, a little gritty, but typically very danceable. That is exactly what Admiral Radley is. The band, named after a stranger in a bar who would only go by that name, is a perfect example of what I view California rock to be. The album is even called "I Heart California" (which, by the way, is their best song). This band is a mixture of 90s feeling rock and modern dance-like rock, which makes the songs a bit hit or miss. That is not to say that "I Heart California" is not a good album though. The album is full of good songs and I Heart California is actually one of my favorite songs of the moment. This is definitely a band I will be keeping my eyes on.

The best part of this band is the music itself. The main singer does not have what I consider a very good voice, and though the female singer has a pretty good one, she is not heard enough- and her voice is really nothing very special. What really makes this band stand apart are the actual songs. The standout songs of the album to me are I Heart California, Sunburn Kids, and Red Curbs. I'm All Fucked On Beer is also a fun song that would be great for any house party.

Check them out:







-Melissa

Poster of a Girl

I know the exact moment I first heard Metric. Okay, so I don't know the exact date or time, but I know exactly where I was and what the song was. I was hooked immediately. I was in college in the sewing lab I frequented more than my apartment and I was listening to the school's student run radio station that I was so obsessed with. If I was listening to that station I was probably alone since all my classmates listened to the crap on KISS (sorry but playing a song 9 times in 8 hours is not acceptable- and I am not exaggerating.) The song was Monster Hospital. They never announced the name so I had to write down a sentence from the song and then google it to find out.

Once I knew the name of the song I started to crave it, waiting each day for the station to play it. It's just pure fun and I couldn't get enough. It took me a long time before I thought to check out Metric's other work, but once I did I realized just what I had been missing out on.

Now let me be honest when I say that I think Metric's first two albums are mostly throwaways. Besides a few good songs including Raw Sugar, Combat Baby and Dead Disco (which is one of their most famous songs), I do not care for most of the songs. As with many bands, they didn't find their signature sound until after their first album. "Live It Out" is a really fantastic album and has Poster of a Girl and Monster Hospital, but my favorite album is their latest called "Fantasies." This album has so many catchy dance songs that I always fight with myself over which song is the best. One moment I think it is Sick Muse, then Gold Guns Girls, then Gimme Sympathy, then Help I'm Alive, then Stadium Love. I can honestly say I love every song on this album, which is incredibly rare for me.

There is a good chance you have already heard of Metric by now because they are very popular in certain groups, but not really in the mainstream. I went to their last concert in Denver and it was PACKED. It was a really fantastic concert because the band has such charisma and they are just as good in person as on their cds.

Metric's singer Emily Haines (who by the way has another small band, Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton) is incredibly good looking and has a super fun sense of style. I would love to dress her! I think because of all the dancing she does on stage she would look great in either fringe, sequins, or something with movement.

Emily

Here are some inspiration pictures:




This band is one of my absolute favorites and I hope if you haven't already heard them you'll check them out!









-Melissa

Breathe Owl Breathe

I thought Breathe Owl Breathe was going to be soooooooo boring. Yes, I loved Swimming, and yes I play it on repeat, but for some reason I had still convinced myself that their full albums were going to bore the hell out of me. I'm really happy to say that I was wrong! Is Breathe Owl Breathe exciting knock you out of your seat music? No. But is it really damn good music? Yes.

From the first song I listened to I was hooked even though not too many of them are great standout songs. Many of them are more like great background music that you put on to get yourself into a specific mood. I like when both the female and male singer are in the song, not just the male singer by himself- but those songs are not as plentiful as I would like. My personal favorite songs are Swimming, Playing Dead, and Own Stunts. I also think Dragon is absolutely adorable, especially at the part where they both ask "how do you stop loving someone?" I admit to not being a fan of the spoken story at the beginning of the song, but I'll forgive them their small mistakes...so long as they continue to make music as good as they have been making so far!






-Melissa

Oldies but Goodies- Rasputina

I first heard of Rasputina because my favorite band in college was Matson Jones, a Fort Collins- based band consisting of two cellos, a bass violin, and drums (Matson Jones is STILL one of my favorite bands and I am incredibly sad that they broke up. Check them out for some amazing music.) Everytime I mentioned to someone that this band had two cellos their first question was "have you heard Rasputina?" Until then, no, I hadn't. I didn't really listen to that kind of music but I promised I would listen to it at some point. It took me quite a while to keep my promise, but once I did, I was a bit hooked.

It's a little difficult to pick a favorite song or even a favorite album because their sound never wavers much between all of their albums. I do love their strange stories, especially the ones that are spoken as if telling a bedtime story. They are always the most bizarre stories and many of them are about history, such as the Donner Party, human experiments by the Nazis, and yellow fever.

Rasputina is a band that people tend to either love or hate because their sound is so unusual. It is very modern yet calls upon the sound from times before, such as medieval instruments or a really old folky sound. There is definitely no other band like them.






-Melissa

In Their Talons Now

Sometimes I see a band's name or their picture and something just clicks inside my head. "I bet I'll like them." I usually have nothing to base this off of, but almost 100% of the time I am right! The Bowerbirds were one such band. I saw their name on the playlist from last year's Underground Music Showcase and decided to check them out and fell in love with the first song. Listening to their music brings to mind a concert in the middle of a swamp and they are really fantastic in person!

The Bowerbirds are considered American folk but they are definitely a modern take on the folk genre. One music writer has been quoted as saying that their sound is on "the dividing line between the freak folk contingent led by Devendra Banhart and Joanna Newsom and the more straightforward sunshine pop of Lavender Diamond." I think I would love this band even if I just saw that sentence since I love all three of those bands.

The standout songs for this band are unfortunately very obvious. When this band is good they are amazing, but when they are off, it's a little obvious. Some of the songs can be a little too mellow, a little too slow, but I still find them a great band. To fall in love with them too, listen to My Oldest Memory, In Our Talons, and Hooves. The chorus of all these songs makes me close my eyes and sway along.

This band consists of two males and one female, all of which are insanely attractive. This picture actually shows them in the exact type of clothing I would style them in if I were to dress them- cotton Americana. That means white cotton, thick plaids, lace, and tweedy type fabrics.



I would love to see Beth in loose fitting dresses in cottons and lace, a very old timey folk look but styled in a very modern way. Phil and Mark would look great in southern style hats and casual shirts with perhaps some tweedy pants. Here are some inspiration pictures:





Check out some of their videos below!

Oldies but Goodies- The Sugarcubes

In Oldies but Goodies I will discuss bands that you have probably heard of by now but maybe forgot how much you loved. Most of them will have been around for at least a decade and some might even have broken up by now. The Sugarcubes are one such band. They were together between 1986 and 1992, but are still constantly mentioned by "music snobs" when someone mentions Bjork.

The Sugarcubes was the band that Bjork was in after her (very unknown) band KUKL and before her becoming a solo artist. The Sugarcubes are slightly more pop than her solo work but slightly less punk than KUKL. Their songs strike me as a mix of very modern and VERY eighties sounding. As I listen to the albums I can't help but notice how similar some of the songs are to the B-52s. In fact, the male singer of the band sounds a lot like if Fred Schneider from the B-52s and Hedwig (& the Angry Inch) had a child.

Now let me start by saying that I am not obsessed with this band, nor am I really in love with this band. But I like this band and sometimes that is more than enough to get you coming back over and over again. I personally love Bjork's bizarre sound and some of the songs are just as good as some of her earlier solo work. My favorite songs the band recorded are Motorcrash, Birthday, Walkabout, I'm Hungry, Fucking in Rhythm and Sorrow, and Hit. The videos are really just as good. There is a certain level of eighties cheesiness that is so irresistable. I also love how you can see Bjork's famous hairstyles and dancing style from when they began.

Check it out!

Motorcrash


Birthday


Walkabout


-Melissa

Some Lungs

I think Florence and the Machine's first album "Lungs" is appropriately named. Florence Welch has one of the most amazing voices in modern music if you ask me. This band is proof that every now and then radios and award shows DO notice good music. They are currently up for a Grammy for Best New Artist, though to be honest, I'm disappointed that that is all. I would argue with anyone that this album is far more deserving of best album than Katy Perry. Obviously Katy's people forked over some good money for that nomination.

I am personally in love with Kiss With a Fist, but the most popular song has been without a doubt, Dog Days Are Over, which has appeared in multiple shows and commercials. I even heard it in a fashion competition I was just in. Unlike many albums, I have a hard time picking the "best" off Lungs because the album is that spectacular. My personal favorites are Kiss With a Fist, Dog Days are Over, Howl, Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up), and Cosmic Love. Cosmic Love makes me a little teary because I find it so beautiful. I think it would be a gorgeous choice for a runway show with a more theatrical dark romance theme. I expect to see many of her songs, specifically Dog Days are Over, all over the runways. Designers love artists like her that are just on the edge of being both popular and obscure. It makes us feel special for "discovering" them first.

I think dressing Florence would be a lot of fun because she is gorgeous but in a slightly quirky way. I definitely see her in a lot of slightly romantic vintage pieces as well as sexier modern pieces. I can see her in white chiffon as well as glittery lame mini dresses. As I do research on her personal style it is obvious why I have a hard time saying exactly what I would put her in- her style is so all over the place. I did find this picture though that I absolutely love:


The shape is simple and modern but the fabric is fun and has a retro flair to it. I think for every day I would style her in something like this dress, something with a simple shape but some fun fabric. Here are some examples of basic dresses that could look special with some great fabric:


And here is some fun fabric just so you get a sense of what I am thinking:


For performances I think she would look great in fringe dresses. Fringe is a great choice for any performer who dances a lot. Fringe can also be styled to be more casual or more dressy. The dress on the far right is a great example of dressed up.

Check out her amazing videos!

Dog Days are Over

Kiss With a Fist

Cosmic Love

-Melissa

Loud Noise

Like many bands that ended up being a favorite of mine, I hated Sleigh Bells upon first experience. Vampire Weekend was quite the same way. The first time I heard them I just didn't get it, but then I heard them again and suddenly understood. In my experience if you love a band right away it tends to be temporary. The music that stays in your heart long term is not always understood at first.

I had seen the name Sleigh Bells a million times in print and ignored it because I thought it was going to be yet another male fronted rock band. I generally tend to prefer female fronted bands. Finally I saw a picture and saw that there was a girl in it, so I thought, what the hell, I'll give it a shot. Their album "Treats" opens up with Tell 'Em which happens to be my favorite song on the album. The best way I can describe it is loud noise, but really good noise. You are confronted with noises and instruments and finally someone singing and it doesn't make sense at first, but then by the end of the song, you get it.

The album had me thinking of so many different performers it was ridiculous. The second song, Kids, made me think of a white M.I.A., while the third song, Riot Rhythm almost sounded a more hip hop version of Santigold. The fourth song (and most popular) Infinity Guitars reminded me of older The Kills and the fifth song, Run the Heart, seemed sure to be sampled in a future rap song. Yet, somehow, all those different sounds together still creates a cohesive album.

The singer of Sleigh Bells Alexis Krauss is most definitely the definition of "attractive female singer in a rock band". When she took off her sunglasses in the Infinity Guitars music video I was like "Whoa!" I haven't seen enough of her to know her personal style, but I would love to see her in something tight that is black with some bright colors as well. I found this picture of her that really inspired me:


This look was exactly what I was thinking. It is tight and simple, but has the bright colored threads. When I hear Sleigh Bells I think of both black from the rock side and highlighter colors from the electronic side. Putting them together would equal a really great stage outfit. Here are some pieces that are close to the feel I am going for, though none are exact.

I love the fit of the first dress and the stripes of the skirt. I like the third piece more for the color combinations than the shape of the dress. The bright colored zippers could be a lot of fun to play with.

I can see many of the songs on this album as having potential for runway shows, though I am not sure if any of the songs are strong enough to be the main song of the show. Electronic music is often great for shows though, even if just to add onto other songs to create a better walking beat. Check some videos out below!

Tell 'Em

Infinity Guitars

A/B Machines

-Melissa

Good Girl With a Wink

Whenever I listen to April Smith and the Great Picture Show I can't help but wonder "what type of music IS this?" Is it pop, is it folk, is it rock? I still haven't decided the answer, but whatever it is, it's infectiously good. April Smith's past album "Loveletterbombs" was good, but it's her latest album "Songs for a Sinking Ship" that really shows just how good she is.

"Songs for a Sinking Ship" is a must have in any burlesque dancer's collection. Practically any of these songs would be perfect for performances, especially because of April's cheeky good girl with a wink way of performing them. "Loveletterbombs" is a little too rock for April's voice, I think she was always meant to sing the material she now performs.

The obvious standout song is Colors, which is the type of song that is addictive, bubbly, and likely to end up in several commercials or tv shows. I'm surprised it hasn't already been picked for an iPod commercial- it's that good. Dixie Boy and Terrible Things are also excellent. Terrible Things is actually really cool because it was written as an ode to tv's Dexter, one of my favorite characters. Check out Colors and Terrible Things below.

Besides the songs just being cheeky as hell, April's voice is really wonderful. She has the type of voice that is so smooth and effortless that it makes you forget how difficult of a range she has- until you try to sing along with the songs and realize just how high those notes are. A voice that good makes sense considering she comes from a very musical family. Her stage presence is also wonderful, I especially love her penchant for tutus.

I think the song Colors would be a really fun choice for a runway show, especially if it has a little bit of a wartime/pin-up feel to it. Imagine bathing style shorts and curled bangs. If I was to dress April I would stick to vintage pieces mixed with something modern. Possibly a full skirt with a modern t-shirt. Bows and lace. A modern dress made from retro fabric with a cinch belt and a military-style jacket perhaps. Here are a few ideas (only the last two are by me):

The detailing on this dress is really wonderful, She could wear this with a belt and a cardigan or blazer.

I love the idea of polka dots for her and you can't beat the combination of red/white.

This would be a great alternative to a tutu.

I would make some changes to this for her, but I love the vintage textile of the skirt, the fullness, and the fun belt.

I would change the color and possibly add straps but I like this skirt because of how similar it is to a tutu.

I can't wait to see what happens with this group!

Terrible Things


Colors


-Melissa