I Need Some Summer Sun

With my parents in Napa, CA right now enjoying a four day music/wine/food festival called "Live in the Vineyard" (which I am being updated on through facebook by my dad's mobile picture updates, didn't think that day would ever come) I figured I'd put up a very Beach House-eque tune I came across last week. The band, Dirty Gold, is made up of two teenage brothers from San Diego. The song,"California Sunrise,"  has a retro feel to it with it's fuzzy vocals and catchy drum beat. The video features footage from a California summer back in the 60′s/70′s. Even though winter hasn't arrived yet it's never too early to start putting together your "Summer Beach Mix 2011" playlist.

Hear the rest of the 5 song EP here: http://milksandrectangles.bandcamp.com/album/dirty-gold

Brothers of Dirty Gold Looking like they're on tour with the Beach Boys with that VW Bus:

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Big Time Timmy Jim

In honor of of the World Series Champion, the San Fran Giants, and the most legit pitcher in the league, Tim Lincecum, here is the pumpkin that I carved for Halloween this year (I also carved a Brian Wilson pumpkin but his beard broke so that one didn't make the blog cut).

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Beefy Bummer

So thanks to unemployment ive been back home in the great city of Appleton, WI for about a month now. Can't complain I've spent about $20 total in that span and am living comfortably with all the amenities a 22 year old could possibly need. Today while the bears game was on (by no means a fan), I got the craving for a big ol' italian beef sandwich topped with peppers and drenched in au jus. Conveniently there's a place relatively close called the "Taste of the Windy City" which you would think would be relatively similar to an establishment you would find in the city. I pictured the owner of the place being a former Chicago fellow, maybe an older guy that retired from a financial office downtown, just working behind the counter cooking up some of the staple items you would find at a place like Al's Beef. Just a little side business to keep him busy and get him out of the house, you know what I'm talking about. Anyways, not the case. The saying "not as good as the real thing" definitely applied in this occasion. Be the Judge for yourself: 

Taste of the Windy City (Little Chute, WI):

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Al's Beef (Chicago, IL):

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There's 3 personal critiques about the first sandwich that I just have to point out quick:

1) Ditch the Jimmy John's style bread and invest in some quality loaves. The underrated key to any successful sandwich.
2) Don't skimp me on the meat. I feel like you just questioned my manhood by thinking that would fill me up.
3) An Italian Beef should never look that clean when I unravel it out of the wrapper.

Hey, I respect the entrepreneurship of Taste of the Windy City and I think places like that could really thrive in the Fox Cities, just step up your game player.

"music always takes special forms when it's intertwined with nostalgia." -Bradford Cox, Deerhunter

So the Atlanta band Deerhunter has a new album out called Halcyon Digest. I've only listened to the single "Helicopter" but it definitely deserves a listen (below). I'll be throwing on the rest of the album tomorrow during my strenuous job hunt so more songs to come possibly.
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Who else is digging the funky, underwater-sounding drum machine in the background?

UPDATE: I actually just came across a pretty cool Diplo remix of this same song. I almost like this better than the original. Have at it.
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A Legend in His Own Right

If you’re not a Green Bay Packers fan, you might not be familiar with the name Vernon Biever but if you follow any football at all you have seen his work. Vernon is a man that made a huge contribution in preserving the game’s history by being the official photographer of the Packers for 69 years. He died this past week and it's worth sharing some of his photos in his honor. Through his photos, many people, including myself, are able to live in a period we are too young to have known. The man stepped onto Lambeau Field when he was in high school as the Packers official photographer in 1941, working for no money. His passion for the art of photography and the game itself is something to admire. Here are just a few of his photos I picked out from his elaborate portfolio.

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My favorite not for the action shot but for the man standing in the distance on the left side. Vince Limbardi in his classic trench coat and top hat looking on in his distinctive badass pose.

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Simple yet awesome sign giving praise to Bart Starr, one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game. Wisconsin does not look like it was any warmer during winter in the 60's from the look of the faces in the picture.

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Something tells me that this helmet wouldn't pass the safety inspection today.

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Bart Starr and Vince Lombardi. Two guys that ran the show in the 60's winning three league championships together.

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One hell of an action shot. Rest easy, Vern.

|| Come Around Sundown ||

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The Kings of Leon, a band that I'm still hanging on to since my junior year of high school (shit six years ago now), have put out their first album since their Grammy winner "Only by the Night." I set my expectations aside for the new one, and just dove in expecting to hear the music start to reflect their new-found fame and fortune. After a couple of listens through "Come Around Sundown," it's pretty obvious the Followil family can still make some kickass songs. I'm no savvy music critic, by any means, but one thing you have to acknowledge is the diversity throughout the 13 songs. After a few listens through you begin to realize each song is distinct in its own respect. There's no real anthemic songs (besides "Radioactive") like "Sex on Fire" or "Use Somebody" which blew up on itunes and the radio airwaves, but hey...maybe that will help weed out some of the fair weathered fans so I won't have to pay $75 to see them live.

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"Beach Side": Caleb's voice is the reason this band is successful. The proof is in the pudding...

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"Pony Up": Fun jam with a little funk vibe to it.

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"Radioactive": And if you haven't heard their new single yet. Well, get ready to hear more of this song in the near future.
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Advertisings High Art

If you're familiar with Chicago, more specifically Clark Street, then Houndstooth (the original) surely rings a bell. What you probably haven't seen, and if you did you probably don't remember, are a few hand-painted advertisements on the side of the building that have remained in awesome shape. 

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Simple. Yet classic. Who isn't excited when they see a big frothy mug of beer?

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Not only does this one say, "Check your firearms at the door," but what the hell are "Prickley Ash Bitters"? I did a little research..."Purify the sewers of the body and stimulate the digestive organs to maintain health, strength and energy. Prickly Ash Bitters is a tonic for the kidneys, liver, stomach and bowels. Sold by Harbert & Sheldon." So a post-drinking remedy to prevent hangovers? Genius.

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"Come in for a stiff one." Sexual innuendo? I think so.


There are still things to be said for the traditional way of doing things. A few months ago I watched this short 13 minute film titled "Up There" showing the dying craft of large-scale, hand painted advertisements in New York City, specifically Stella Artois ads. With the rise of vinyl banners to cover the entire side of buildings it's no wonder why this symbiotic relationship between labor intensive art and advertising has diminished. If you have 13 minutes to spare in your busy day trust me you will not be dissapointed.

<p>UP THERE from Jon on Vimeo.</p>

 

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The Walkmen - "Woe Is Me"

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An addictive song off their new album "Lisbon." If the light-hearted, surf-rock vibe of this song doesn't have you tappin' your feet, well, then I feel sorry for you. This is just damn good pop music, who can't dig that?

Check out their song "Angela Surf City" if you're craving some more. Or, why not just download the whole album?