All you need is love.

The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program is the largest public art program in the United States.

Learn more about Philadelphia's Mural Arts Program here: http://muralarts.org/

The Late Call.

The Late Call, an indie folk band out of Stockholm, had their new album "You Already Have a Home" release yesterday, October 22, 2010 on Tapete Records...and everything I've heard from it thus far, is pretty spectacular.

http://www.myspace.com/thelatecall

Yulie and Yulia.

In case you weren't sure, yes, this album {WOLF PARADE : EXPO 86} is amazing.

An amazing everything.

Holstee, a company that is dedicated to design with a conscience.

This is their quote.

"To deliver on this, we hold every design accountable for the impact it has for on all people, our planet and the product's quality. 10% of all Holstee revenue is used to empower entrepreneurs in the developing world through micro lending."

This is their manifesto.


This is their address.

http://shop.holstee.com/

This is what I love.

Seven Saturdays any day of the week.

One of the EPs I have been anticipating the most for 2010, The Snowflakes That Hit Us Become Our Stars by Seven Saturdays, is now downloadable online, at a name-your-own-price. Not since the first time I heard Explosions in the Sky has such a richly emotional, mostly instrumental sound stirred up my insides in the way that these songs are responsible for reigniting right off the bat.

The Snowflakes... is Jonathan D. Haskell's second EP being released this year, preceding his journey from Los Angeles to Edinburg, where he has been working on his first full length album. The EP was recorded entirely in downtown Los Angeles with an impressive list of accompanying musicians : Lester Nuby (Verbena, Terra Naomi), Morgan Grace Kibby (M83), Mike Garson (David Bowie, Smashing Pumpkins), Wesley Precourt (Dave Stewart, Jenny Lewis) and Eric Heywood (The Pretenders, Ray LaMontagne). It was recorded, produced and mixed by Haskell and Daniel Farris (St. Vincent, The Black Pill.)

Download The Snowflakes That Hit Us Become Our Stars here : http://www.sevensaturdaysmusic.com

Listen to the second track "Au Revoir" now:


PS. Los Angelenos: Seven Saturdays will be playing at the ECHO CURIO in Echo Park on November 5. Hope to see you there!

Don't worry, you'll get it.

You and me, let's be friends ok?

Parlovr - Pen to the Paper from *safe solvent™ on Vimeo.

My j-o-b.

I know I haven't mentioned it much here, but as of June, I started a new venture in the TV/Film industry.

SO, here's the cliff-notes version: I now work full-time as a producer for an entertainment production company (here in Los Angeles) that is in the process of launching a new "under the umbrella" sub-company. The new project is an ipad/iphone app and website that provides short-form entertainment news blasts and original segments. Additionally, the main company is the west-coast/Hollywood affiliate for Canal Plus Spain, a popular cable network in...you guessed it...Spain. Basically, what that means for my part is that I get to do international press junkets, interviews, etc. (for upcoming films), which has already turned out to be pretty interesting.

Some of the segments are typical entertainment news format, but others...well, we're working on exactly how much creative wiggle room we're going to afford ourselves. So far, it's been an incredible ride and I'm ridiculously lucky to be a part of this process.

ANYWAY, my new job covers a lot of different ground; one of those facets being that I often do voice-overs for the segments that I write and produce. Yeah, that's right; you will now get to hear my charming coos in the palm of your hand (iphone) anytime you please. BUT, the entire point of this entry, and I'm pretty sure the question on your mind as well as mine, is WHERE THE HELL DID MY SOUTHERN ACCENT GO?

Giving credit where credit is due.

Now, my only brother and I are very different in almost every way imaginable. You know, the little things in life; ie : careers, life paths, activities, interests, location, etc.

HOWEVER, this same brother of mine, who lives in the DC area (like I said - we're even very different in terms of location), recently turned me on to a new musician that's leaping onto the music scene in his city. (Baltimore, sure. But DC? I'm starting to notice, there's more creative presence coming out of DC than I've ever seen before, causing me to rethink my take on that seemingly linear place.)

His name is Matthew Hemerlein, and he recently landed the Young Performing Artist Grant from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities to use towards recording his forthcoming album. A grant well deserved, indeed. I expect there will be an endless supply of amazing things coming our way soon, and I have every intention to follow this fellow, and his home, very closely...and perhaps you should too.

Matthew Hemerlein performs "Gyllenhaal Sandwich" :

Johnny on the spot.

Forest Fire :: Fortune Teller

Allow me to introduce my new favorite band...

...Future Islands, a post-wave/synthpop band out of Baltimore. They've been around for a few years, but have just landed on my radar; their latest album, "In Evening Air" was released in May of this year on Thrill Jockey.

I'm losing my mind.

Terry Gilliam directed Arcade Fire's concert at Madison Square Gardens this week, and partnered with YouTube for a new concert experience that is up for viewing: www.youtube.com/arcadefire. Aside from Terry Gilliam being a god, I can't imagine a better band for this project; in fact, I think it's safe to say that Arcade Fire is one of my generation's greatest products, ever.