Sarah Renfro has new undies a new song called “Save Me” that she’s debuting online via Me In My Place, a site featuring “Real girls in their own place. Not too crazy and just a pinch of naughty.” It’s quite PG, really, but a very sexy look at real women chillin’ at home. Something cool about Sarah’s music is she could be wearing a Parka + Galoshes or be completely bare and the music would have the same effect. Expect more fun Renfro-vocalizations at the second half of the tune. There’s always a surprise or two about which way the melody is going.

Today, I’m inspired by Nico Muhly a composer of awesome music, cheeky character and witty blogger. I just watched a film called The Reader (don’t watch the trailer, just watch the film!) and was intrigued by the music, did a bit of research and found his site. Funny too how small the music world is – we even have a mutual friend on facebook.
He has a way of bringing music into the colloquial/present tense that the general population might not listen to normally. It’s great music, wonderfully composed, engaging. His own music is the same. The way he works with his orchestra(s) is so fun. You should really read his blog. Even if you don’t know music you’re going to laugh. How can you not laugh with excerpts like this: “These elements work with, and against, one another in a satisfying, loosely erotic ballet, and Reich, at the end, adds a cryptic but so fucking satisfying coda” and “If your venue is freezing cold before people come in, do not adjust the thermostat. This is good. When people come and start drinking, they will make it hot in there, and then you will wonder why it is so hot. It’s very much like resting steak. It seems counterintuitive (“I want hot meat!”) but everybody knows that you have to do it, except sometimes people don’t, and wonder why everybody thinks they steak is fucked up. The same applies to the Temperature up in here almost universally. My flat has an aircon unit and fans and a system of windows and shades; anybody who wants to come over and see how it do is welcome at The Campari and Dubonnet Masterclass in Ventilation and Temperature Regulation, weekdays, from 6:45 to 7:30, in my heezy. Closed on bank holidays, and for four random days on either side of the bank holidays, with auto-responders put on all forms of communication.”

Funny guy, really reminds of why blogging and podcasting is so cool:

Hello, Future is a music video challenge through the band Moby and agency Saatchi & Saatchi challenge now at the stage of having selected its finalists. These are my favorite three videos:

Here’s a black & white music video by Spoek Mathambo, directed and shot by Pieter Hugo and Michael Cleary. I can’t exactly say I like this music video, I just can’t seem to get some of the images out of my head and there’s high production value, which is very cool.

Control is a cover of Joy Division’s “She’s lost Control.” Shot in Cape Town, South Africa.

It’s all about the peripherals when you check out a live show. It’s not just the sound of the music that makes the show, it’s all those little adapters too – all the funny shoes, taking a sip of water at an opportune moment, unplanned jokes – you don’t put that on the studio album.
These images shot at a show by Syd Matters in Hong Kong

Folk Rock band The Loom played Austin, Texas’ South by Southwest Festival this past March and left for us this lovely video. My favorite part is around the 1:50 mark Sarah Renfro sings a solo, then around 4:50 there’s an unwitting “One Note Samba” solo over folk music (party foul!). Overall, goodtimes and I can’t help but remember that Fruit of The Loom song “Blue.”

CANADA [not the country] is a production company based in Spain. I’ve been trying to come up with an adequate genre name for their music videos. So far it’s bizarre semi-erotic European hipster. What’s your take? Gotta love the director of photography Marc Gómez del Moral.

Here’s my own attempt at the bizarre hipster vintage vibe. My art direction, photography by Oscar Azahar:

Just came back from a show by Syd Matters and Chapelier Fou, thanks to Noughts & Exes. This show at Grappa’s Cellar was one of the performances of Le French May in Hong Kong. Here is what the night looked like through my lens:

Chapelier Fou makes his music with violin, guitar and beats.
*These last three images are all of Syd Matters. They are a band with cool shoes. I like shoes

Backstage Live a few weeks ago saw a unique collaboration for Hong Kong: Jun Kung played a gig to a packed house with (former Honkie) Teriver Cheung, a guitarist now based in New York. Supporting the night were Japanese Yuka Tadano on bass and Dominican Chris Polanco on congas and piano. You should have seen Chris play both instruments at the same time! The night was very well-received and Nirvana’s “Smells like Teen spirit” was played early on and again used as an encore. At one point, Jun Kung spoke of the improvisational nature of Jazz and for the first time in HK I saw a group of musicians improvise a completely new tune. I recorded it on my phone, I was so excited. Hopefully this sets a new precedent for creative collaboration here in Hong Kong. Thank you Jun Kung.

If someone can identify the rapper, add his name in the comments! Thanks.

The Merriweather Deer had its last performance and CD release at a Flaming Lips show in Hong Kong late last year. Here’s their tune on a music video for Nikon titled “The Pair”
Gideon So plays keys for the Merriweather Deer as well as Noughts & Exes, who I periodically guest perform with on trumpet
Director: Jacky Tong jtgrafix.com
Art Director: Berry Pang bebloom.biz
Starring Ipyi