EPT
2. favorite albums 2010
+ Show Spoiler [honorable mentions] +
Girls - Broken Hearts Club EP
Class Actress - Journal of Ardency EP
Caribou - Swim
Interpol - Interpol
Yeasayer - Odd Blood
Delphic - Acolyte
Grimes - Halfaxa
Class Actress - Journal of Ardency EP
Caribou - Swim
Interpol - Interpol
Yeasayer - Odd Blood
Delphic - Acolyte
Grimes - Halfaxa
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
#1 was an easy decision. I haven't been able to put down Beach House's Teen Dream since hearing the single "Norway" last year. every track is some masterwork in subtle, melodic pop — simple enough to love on first listen, but with the depth to reward months of obsession (every time I listen I find a beautiful new lyric/synth line/melody to dwell on). Victoria Legrand's voice carries the album; it's sublime.
it'd be a crime not to play Teen Dream straight through (click the album art to download), but I'll mention my four favorites anyway: "Walk in the Park", "Lover of Mine", "10 Mile Stereo", "Take Care" (is heartbreaking)
Beach House is playing seven more shows on this album, all in the US and all in February. in the name of all things holy: go to one.
See also: my favorite albums 2009
+ Show Spoiler [Beach House live on Conan] +
3. belated gift guide
yeah yeah, five days until Christmas is stupidly late for a gift guide. so maybe you'll just buy some of this cool shit for yourself, or get expedited shipping, or find it in a store. in any case:
- Amana nordic scarves | $17 — attractive, well-made scarves for $17. a scarf is the quintessential xmas gift, and you can't go wrong here. check out the tartans too.
- one of Ork's city neighborhood posters | $22 — cool for a sibling going off to college, or for anyone else who might want to remember home
- crystal head vodka | $45 — for your drinking buddy
- J. Press knit tie | $60 — this is just a wardrobe essential, for dressing up a jacket or dressing down a suit. see also: this alternative to a regular tie pin
- you are beautiful pencils | $10 — I dunno, could be a cute little gift for your girl who is a student/likes to draw?
- a 2 finger ring | $55 — speaking of: if I had a girlfriend this xmas, I'd definitely be buying her a 2 finger ring.
- Netflix | $10/month — my brother got me a netflix subscription last xmas, and it ended up being one of the best gifts I've ever received. the on-demand selection is getting pretty amazing (I recommend In the Mood for Love, The Great Happiness Space, and britcom Coupling, for starters), and I went through all of both Mad Men and The Wire on netflix DVDs (just starting Deadwood — is this show any good?)
- Take Ivy, photos by T. Hayashida | $14 — half style guide, half cultural phenomenon. when this book hit Tokyo in 1965 it caused a sea change in young Japanese fashion; now it's finally been reprinted in the US. inside: great photography, classic prep style, and comically idyllic descriptions of American college life. a good gift for someone looking to dress better, or any college student really.
- Fox River four layer glove | $30 — just a very warm, very good-looking glove at a very good price. if your giftee uses an iphone, try these $20 UO gloves (I've a pair and girls comment on them without fail, no idea why)
- all-black playing cards | $17 — just boss. (warning: no shipping to Australia. sorry Scaramanga)
- this 2011 agenda | 19 euro — every week is accompanied by a connect-the-dots of some iconic art! and: attractive typesetting.
- Barrett Alley disciple wallet | $95 — Barrett Alley makes leather goods (check out all his stuff) that are mad expensive because they're distinctive and will wear beautifully (last forever). this is a nice wallet made out of pretty thin leather — a fresh alternative to your typically massive tri-fold
- Mad Men Season 1 | $ 17 — on sale from $ 40 at Amazon
- subscription to GQ | $12 — something that you don't have to worry about getting shipped before xmas day, and probably the best American style magazine.
- one of the watches I mentioned here (accompany it with some bands). or, for someone who needs a more formal watch (and is worth spending several hundred (!) on), one of these gorgeous uniform wares watches
- any of the bags here
4. Dynamic Structure 29117
art by Willem van Weeghel
5. Doodling in Math Class
here for the complete series, they're all brilliant
See also: her various other cool vids
impossible fractals
how to draw an impossible triangle
not sure what this is, but it mesmerized me
6. favorite songs 2010
7. http://fraternite-ou-la-mort.tumblr.com/
(my brother and I share cool stuff with each other here)
8. body drum kit
9. http://teamliquidgossip.blogspot.com/
TeamLiquid Gossip Girl was a petty, flash-in-the-pan blog devoted to TL gossip. It hasn't been updated in about a year, and only has a handful of entries total. But some of them are interesting (including this rundown of rpf's famous facebook thread). Blog has too much of an agenda to take seriously, but for TL nerds it's really fun reading. (Does everybody already know about this?)
10. potpourri
+ Show Spoiler [rubber hitting the road] +
for ladies: http://www.iwanttobeher.com/
http://williameadon.com/inprogress/ip1.html
http://work.fourteensquarefeet.com/#812063/Poor-Me
"omfg ima play this song the day i get married"
watched this video while in a stupor from studying corporations 12 hours straight. cried laughing.
http://woodgears.ca/eyeball/index.html
is this supposed to be fun? it's totally maddening. I averaged 2.69 error on my first runthrough, and gave up there
http://yearinreview.twitter.com/
hoooooooo boy is she off the deep end hahahaa so visibly annoyed at the interviewer's "hand pose"
http://everetthiller.imgur.com/my_holiday_party
http://niemann.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/let-it-dough/
![[image loading]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ldn856RB2P1qb527jo1_500.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ldmd73O8zW1qaddeyo1_500.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lcvdgxPi701qbnks2o1_400.jpg)
http://williameadon.com/inprogress/ip1.html
http://work.fourteensquarefeet.com/#812063/Poor-Me
"omfg ima play this song the day i get married"
watched this video while in a stupor from studying corporations 12 hours straight. cried laughing.
http://woodgears.ca/eyeball/index.html
is this supposed to be fun? it's totally maddening. I averaged 2.69 error on my first runthrough, and gave up there
http://yearinreview.twitter.com/
Sedia 1 - How to assemble your chair from Ville Tanttu on Vimeo.
hoooooooo boy is she off the deep end hahahaa so visibly annoyed at the interviewer's "hand pose"
http://everetthiller.imgur.com/my_holiday_party
http://niemann.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/let-it-dough/
11. CHRISTMAS BONUS!: Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas
Download it
merry xmas TL! here's my favorite christmas album. it's the only xmas music you'll ever need. put it on, grab a hot drink, and enjoy hanging with your friends/family this holiday.
best wishes everyone
back in time: XV XIV XIII XII XI X IX VIII VII VI V IV III II I
Stupid college student budget. I intend to put up a blog regarding the bands I did get to see (one of the best years I've had for concert-going) at some point, so look forward to that.
