Timber Timbre - Black Water

Timber Timbre - Black Water by Arts & Crafts

Image by Adrienne K.

I think that all women are witches, in the sense that a witch is a magical being. And a wizard, which is a male version of a witch, is kind of revered, and people respect wizards. But a witch, my god, we have to burn them. It’s the male chauvinistic society that we’re living in for the longest time, 3,000 years or whatever. And so I just wanted to point out the fact that men and women are magical beings. We are very blessed that way, so I’m just bringing that out. Don’t be scared of witches, because we are good witches, and you should appreciate our magical power.

Yoko Ono

( not the most eloquent but whateves Yoko is such a babe! )

I wish I had time for this!

Listen to a great interview with Patti Smith on NPR:
"We lived in a time that had magic"

Oh and you should also watch this this video of her talking about gender. Aww i love Patti Smith!

An Artists’ Dialogue On CocoRosie’s Grey Oceans

A few years ago I wrote a positive review of CocoRosie’s The Adventures of Ghosthorse And Stillborn. Too positive, it turns out: The publication that assigned it killed the piece at the 11th hour and instead ran a snarky takedown. I’d never had that happen before and I’ve been championing challenging music for a long while. (This was 2007. I ran it elsewhere.) At the time I noticed Antony also liked the record. John Darnielle, who called it his favorite album of the year, did too. As he put it: “At its lyrical best, it inhabits its own country, unashamed of real poetry and willing to put in the hard work necessary to inhabit a space unlike anybody else’s.” Truth. Plenty of others like it, of course — though, oddly, when not spewing vinegar, there were mostly crickets from other music journalists.

Last month I posted the video for “Lemonade” from CocoRosie’s fourth album Grey Oceans. It’s a gorgeously surreal, intimately familial clip that not surprisingly didn’t get much traction. This started me thinking about the ongoing, almost singularly strange reception Bianca and Sierra Casady receive in the American press.

Grey Oceans is the Casady sister’s subtlest, most cohesive statement. (And it is a statement, something we need more of these days.) Even when they play “Hopscotch,” the feeling remains a kind of grayish blue. It may seem downcast in a way, but like all of their work, it’s uplifting even when discussing tears, lost relations, a fear of sharks, these grey (and increasingly black) oceans. As always, there are plenty of dance beats (“Fairy Paradise”), but nothing as outrageously disco as last year’s “God Has A Voice, She Speaks Through Me.” It’s for singing with a flashlight under a blanket. I’ve always found CocoRosie’s work honest and bravely naked — some of the most emotionally bare music you’ll hear. Which is part of why the shouts of “pretentious” confuse me. They give a lot of themselves, something people tend to miss because of the fake beards and outfits. This album’s no different — a strange mix of strength and fragility. Also, their ear for melody is crystalline, their compositions so weirdly fathomless. It’s hard listening to the title track without getting goosebumps.

My interest in the group — along with the strength of the new album mixed and the dismissal/lack of considered dialogue it’s again received — led me to a discussion with Antony. Instead of cheerleading in private, we decided to reach out to a few other folks for their thoughts on CocoRosie and Grey Oceans. We returned, hopefully a little wiser, with write-ups from Yoko Ono, Jamie Stewart, Annie Clark, Nico Muhly, JD Samson, Doveman, Wild Beasts, and others.



Annie Clark (St. Vincent)
The following is an excerpt from Air Guitar, a collection of essays by former art gallerist and long-time music critic, Dave Hickey. A bit of context for this essay, entitled “My Weimar”: Dave recalls the lectures of his college theater professor, Herr Volbach, a German-Jewish refugee from the second World War. These lectures would have taken place during the mid-1960’s. When I was asked to analyze the critical discourse directed at CocoRosie, this essay came right to the surface of my mind. It celebrates the subversive spirit with which CocoRosie create their art, as well as gives origin to the controversy that such art inspires. The third paragraph, in particular, resonates with me. And, of course, don’t be Aryan muscle-boys.

“These muscle-bound whiners,” he said, “they do not want to make the new world. They want to take their power back. They want to turn back the clock. You should not let them do it.” He then proceeded to explain to us that, in case we hadn’t heard, there had been two great wars in this century, and a number of smaller ones, into which most of the able-bodied and apparently heterosexual men in Europe and the United States had been drafted — excepting those in critical industries, in government, or in education. Moreover, he pointed out, the arts — theater, dance, music, painting, and sculpture — were not critical industries, nor were they government, nor were they education. They were little businesses, so all the heterosexual men were drafted out of them. “So who is left?” Volbach asked, thrusting his finger into the air and swaying behind it, “Queers and women and a bunch of old Jews! Suddenly, they are the arts! They do a little business in the night. They get paid a little for it and do their best, while the government and the goyim are out killing one another.”

“Then the war is over, and the big, brave soldiers come home — feeling very angry and very heroic — and what do they find? They find the world has changed. This was true in the Weimar and this is true again today. All these soldiers look around and see the culture of their nation being run by effeminate, Semitic, commercial pansies! And they are shocked! For the first time in history, the songs we sing, the pictures we see, and the plays we attend are not being dispensed by over-educated, Aryan muscle-boys, and these muscle-boys are very upset. But what can they do? Business is business after all. Even Aryan muscle-boys believe in that, and as long as pictures are being bought and plays are being attended and songs are being sung…?”

“Well, you might think they can’t do anything,” Volbach said slyly, “but you would be wrong. Because the muscle-boys still control the government and the universities. The professors and the bureaucrats, they were not drafted. They are cozy in their little Bunde pleasing no one but themselves. And they tell themselves that even though business is business, culture is culture too, and the culture is public business. So all the muscle-boy artists and writers, they will become professors and the darlings of professors, and they will teach the young to revere their pure, muscle-boy art, because it is good for them, and they will teach women and Jews and queers to make muscle-boy art, too. And it will be very pure, because they are muscle-boys and they don’t have to please anyone. So there will be no cabaret, no pictures, no fantasy or flashing lights, no filth or sexy talk, no cruelty, no melodies, no laughter, no Max Reinhardt, no Ur-Faust, no “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” And nobody will love it. And nobody will pay money to own it or see it, but that will not matter.”

“The government will pay for it, and the universities, because paying your own money for culture, and making your own money out of it, this is a Jew thing, a queer thing, a silly woman thing. It means you are not satisfied with what the professors provide, with what Reichminister tells you is good. It means you want more and that is unpatriotic…” Here Volbach paused for a moment, and even though I hadn’t said a single word, he fixed his gaze on me and continued. “So all you Aryan muscle-boys down there at the end of the table, Don’t be Aryan muscle-boys! I have seen enough official culture. I will teach you how to hit your marks and set the lights and make the tempo float. The rest you will have to learn from the women and the queers — out in the dark. Also, don’t be too artistic to count your own receipts. Also, carry your pistol. There are thugs out there.”

VIA Stereogum

MixTape: Gold Dust Woman

Ten Favorite Songs of 2010


CocoRosie - Lemonade

Erykah Badu - Window Seat

Fleetwood Mac - Gold Dust Woman

Castlemusic - I Loved Him Now He's Gone

Warpaint - Set Your Arms Down

El Perro Del Mar - Change of Heart

The Shangri-Las - Remember

Sia - You've Changed

Toro Y Moi - Causers of This

Robyn - Dancehall Queen

(click it to download) xox

Download

i have a new roomie. and i really like her music - you should check her band ROUGE out. ---- >>>> <<<<----- their song modern lovers II is my fav.

their bio is too freakin cute:

One day, when a young woman named Jessica was at work, a strange feeling overcame her. Trying to ignore it, the feeling became so strong that she dropped what she was doing, slapped her boss, burst out of the building, and ran down the street with a sense of urgency, and duty. Her legs did not stop moving until the earth trembled with pleasure. Before her stood a house that pulled her in like a familiar yet sinful lover. Before entering she cried out loud to the heavens: "I am about to embark on the most fantastic journey of my life!" Inside, Kelly had no idea that her song had reached Jessica's ears, but when the blonde babe kicked down the door and began singing along like it was her destiny... Kelly felt the tingling sensation of the union between them. Beats, riffs and melodies were catapulted out into the atmosphere, like ancient Chinese fireworks. They found their outfits in the back of a truck, and the dream became reality. They are excited to be recording their second EP with the help of Heather Kirby (Ohbijou), Evan and Geordie Gordon (The Magic), and Tim Brunton (The DUrbervilles). Its anticipated release is the hot and steamy summer of 2010. Stay tuned for more fabulous tales from the loins of ROUGE. note: this story is entirely fictional except the part where they found their outfits in the back of a truck... and the crap about the album is true.

TOO CUTE

Robot Ponies

This post would have been better timed for Dec 24... No worries this song is great every day of the year! A Utopian toy that 'fucking does it all' weaves beautifully through the minimalistic cadence of the strumming kalimba only to deliver dark messages of obsolescent technology and hungry consumers... Aww but at the heart of this song is the wonderful and oh so fanciful world of Laura Barret's dystopian imagination which only adds depth and political commentary to the video's haunting microfiche narrative... oh so lovely!

The Runaways: Old School Riot Grrrl!

Im not sure about the twilight chick, but I love the Runaways, and the amazing Floria Sigismondi is directing!... so it must be pretty rad!

Emma McKenna, "Slow the Moon"

Maylee - the remix

Maylee Todd- Summer Sounds Remix

under the magic of the disco ball

I have known the lovely Stacey B ( co-founder of Airheart ) for sometime, but it wasn't until I gave her the keys to my old apartment that i actually got a chance to listen to her recordings, which I'm gonna call space-dusted disco tunes! Her song writing is filled with a trip-hop infused vibrancy of beats, grooves, luscious harmonies and fat dub bass lines. Airheart's Portishead meets Goldfrapp sound, creates a performance with a raw honesty of dance inducing melodies!

NXNE recently reviewed them:"Stacey Be’s jazzy smooth vocals remind me of a combination of Esthero and Reverie Sound Review. However, combined with Mason Bach’s groovy and laid back beats, Airheart are able to bring something a little different to the table. The EP’s title track, “Mr. Lonely”, is the strongest song on the EP, combining playful and flirtatious vocals with an insanely catchy and hooky beat"

You will love it, i promise!

They're playing the Ladyfest launch party You should be there!
Download/listen to their single Mr.Lonely
Airheart

Agency, Resistance and Space

My darling pal Maylee invited me to the tents at Toronto Fashion week! Three of us dressed up as crazy space Alien woman to help promote the installation we were doing for Evan Biddell's Fashion Show After party. We roamed around the posh tents and sat front row hob knobing with the pomposity that is TO's Fashion elite.

Although we were working for a problematic industry, I couldn't help but note how a trio of us space alien gals are capable of disrupting a homogeneous space filled with white skinny bodies. As we were roaming around 'networking,' I introduced myself as a raging feminist and got some pretty uncomfortable looks. Our alien Otherness was read by way of our race, and size - which two thirds of us were not 'skinny' and one third was not white. The exagerration of this Otherness was inherently an act of resistance that helped to facilitate agency over spaces where white skinny supremacy unfortunately dominates.

We got reactions like "good for you" or "oh wow you're so brave" or "what are you doing?" or just simply scornful and critical stares. It was clear, we looked pretty different in a space where race, class and gender afford you privilege, style and sex-appeal. Our Otherness was only made possible within a space that caters to the superior bodies that are propagated as the norm.
Our space Alien outfits and make-up allowed me to think about my body politics. specifically, i began to ponder how my privileges award me space and attention, while my performative Otherness restricts my space and mobility.

Inciting our own agency to create space for our mis-represented or hardly-ever represented bodies is so important in exclusive spaces where privileges create space and mobility. At Toronto Fashion Week my Otherness ( in elaborated costumes) was being performed as a subversive spectacle. Simply performing this Otherness allowed me to experience (albeit superficially ) advantages and disadvantages of my own privilege and how it affects my mobility and perception of space.

For shits and giggles I dare you to carve out your own space through disruption and resistance - go somewhere with a group of friends, dress up, perform, and interrupt the normative nature of supremacy whether it be the skinny elite, or heteronormative bars - you choose, but find that space, make a spectacle and embrace your Otherness while resisting those nasty ideologies and structures that compromise your agency and render you inferior!

ps maylees playing tomorrow at supermarket
MAYLEE & PEGWEE POWER at Supermarket (268 Augusta), Friday (November 13), $10, 416-840-0501; and at Wrongbar (1279 Queen West), Wednesday (November 18), $13.50, 416-516-8677.

Absract Random

http://www.myspace.com/abstractrandom3

These Womyn are amazing! I stumbled upon their patio performances in Parkdale earlier this summer, and then had the fabulous pleasure to see them play last thursday! Their live shows are truly a melding pot of magical-lyrical resistance!

They self identify themselves as: "a two human animal, some call electro experimental dub hop, exploring word, sound and image to create an intergenre multimedia art experience"

check out their blog! > http://abstractrandom3.wordpress.com/

Their playing this Friday Nov 13 at the Concorde in conjunction with this fabulous collective working to create solidarity within their movement > Flyer for their Show
http://www.r3collective.org/

Ladyfest Toronto!

M A S I A O N E
http://www.myspace.com/masiaone

K A T I E S T E L M A N I S
http://www.myspace.com/katiestelmanis

E M M A M C K E N N A
http://www.myspace.com/emmamckenna

R A T T A I L
http://www.myspace.com/rrrattail

B R E S C I A R E I D + A L I G R E E Y
http://www.myspace.com/bresciabloodbeard

$10
(no one turned away for lack of funds)

Host:
Ladyfest Toronto
Type:
Party - Mixer
Network:
Global
Start Time:
Saturday, November 28, 2009 at 8:00pm
End Time:
Sunday, November 29, 2009 at 1:00am
Location:
TRANZAC :: MAIN HALL

D O O R S 8 p.m.

L A D Y F E S T i s happening November 25-29
www.ladyfesttoronto.com

FACEBOOK

About:
Ladyfest Toronto is an annual non-profit interdisciplinary festival organized by a grassroots, open, do-it-yourself collective of feminists each dedicated to having fun with feminism and putting good politics into practice through art. Each year the Ladyfest Toronto collective organizes a festival of art, music, performance, poetry, and politics meant to celebrate community and the projects and accomplishments of Toronto feminists. By offering a space to showcase some of the many Toronto artists dedicated to making their work pro-feminist, political, resistant, and inclusive, Ladyfest hopes to work as a hub of feminists activity that connects existing communities and generates new ones. In addition to practicing a non-hierarchical method of organizing the festival, our collective operates from a sex and body positive, non-exclusive, anti-oppressive, pro-feminist, politically charged framework and embraces all feminist peoples. We are absolutely dedicated to making the entire festival accessible, inclusive, and safe in every way. We hope that by making spaces for community members, artists, and musicians to share and perform we can open up places from which Toronto’s various pro-feminist political voices can be heard, where new communities can be made, and existing ones can work in coalition on shared projects and toward common social and political goals. Ladyfest is not just an annual festival; we hope that it is the kind of event that can generate new projects, possibilities, and communities and above all proliferate politics without pretentiousness. Ladyfest Toronto operates according to several key values; these include accessibility, DIY-ing, positivity, exposure, connection, and inclusion.

Lets get wild!

When I Grow Up from Fever Ray on Vimeo.

I know this video has been out for awhile, but it must be shared!
When I first saw this I was consumed with this youthful angst. It gave me that feeling of growing up and out of my old shell...a kind of ferocious metamorphosis! and all those leaves flying around are so appropriate for this windy November day.