January 20th, 2009

MUSIC:

Pitchfork's got the new video for Antony and the Johnsons. Antony's voice is stunning, and the video is comparably lush and dense in the best way. God, I can't wait to buy this album.

In that vein, TMT has an incredible write-up of Antony's new album. January is shaping up to be a phenomenal month for haunting vocal performances.

DiS has a fun write-up of Eurosonic.

For those of you inclined to celebrate, which should be goddamn all of you, Jigga's remix of My President is Black is freeloadin' over on Fader.

HipHopDX has the exclusive hook-up with a free download of Junclassic's new EP. I'm really digging it. It takes a while to grow on you: at first, it just sounds messy and incomplete, but as the tracks roll by, you adjust to Junclassic's slightly neurotic style... and it's rad.

FILM:

Please, please, please let this Seth Rogen-as-Jesus clone project get off the ground.

Japanese trailers reward enterprising fans yet again, as this screencap site will prove. First Watchmen, now this HP goodness; oh global market, how I love thee.

I desperately want to see Medicine for Melancholy. Also, Cold Souls looks great.

It's not really film news, but I want an excuse to watch Epilepsy is Dancing again.

WEIRD:

I am more than proud that the people of Austin produced this magnum opus, Beastmaster Jr.

NME, uh, got it flat wrong? According to them, Aer Obama's video was released by Daft Punk. That's not true. As I've heard it, the video is by Green Dot Films, no real association to the robotic dudes. If I'm wrong, call me on it, but uh, research helps, guys.

WORLD:

It's absurd to report this as though somebody might not know, but this morning, Obama was sworn in. I found his inauguration speech refreshingly direct and felt, for the first time in my time as a politically-aware citizen, included. BBC covers some of the new-media undertones.

The New York Times reports on the rippling tension out of Gaza, in this case, in France.

The Austin Chronicle has some updates/recaps on the Brandon Darby situation.

PERSONAL:

Today went very well. Almost without a hitch. No stride yet, of course, but that will come, and my lingering stress will (hopefully) vanish. I'm sort of viewing this year as three acts: my spring semester, summer, and my fall semester.

I've pretty literally been looping that Antony track over and over for a few hours. I'm definitely excited for the album.

Oh, and for what it's worth, I feel like I'm getting the hang of this blogging business.

2009 FILMS SEEN: 1
2009 SONGS ON MY ITUNES: 79
Current Computer Situation: MacBook Pro, still cold.