The Watch List

Listening:
1. Desmond Reed: On a small label in Peru called Susy Records comes an indie rocker from Massachusetts. Listen to: Guinea Pigs (mp3)

2. Ecce: Based out of London Nicholas Lisher is Ecce, and he is releasing an EP on Nov. 24th on Exploding Art called August Day.
3. Cult With No Name: Erik Stein and Jon Boux make lush electronic ballads, and their latest album, 'Careful What You Wish For' is available on Trakwerx.

Reading:
1. Calliope Nevre Issue #17: This issue features an interview with someone you might know.
2. The Fat Goths by S. Craig Renfroe Jr.: Seriously, is there anything worse than a fat goth?
3. Monkey and Birdie by Jill Summers: I love this story, but I also really liked the images by Owleyes.
4. Breakdown by Christian Ward: "I lathered the inside of my brain with caffeine"... so true!
5. The Walk Home by Dawn Corrigan: Never should you have to walk alone.
6. Me and Theodore Fought the Law and the Law Won by Mary Hamilton: "We talk about POETRY like it's really really really important." Who doesn't?
7. Cash Rules Everything Around Me #7 by Greg Oguss: This an essay on the N word and how it relates to the recent election.

Wishing:
1. Casperian Book's SALE: "With the economy in the toilet and sales never quite recovering from the summer slump, we're including every one of our titles in a Black Friday sale! Every book is $10 only while supplies last!"
2. Shakespear Theater - CST for $20 Program - This was sent to me in response to my conversation with Megan Mercier. A very cool program for theater goers under 35.
3. Buena Onda Series Sale from Ryan Bubnis: Normally $100 each, they wonderful pieces are $60 each through the end of the year.
4. YouTube: An Insider’s Guide to Climbing the Charts: A very interesting book by Alan "fallofautumndistro" Lastufka and Michael W. Dean

Getting:
1. Joyful Noise Recordings has released a free digital sampler of their upcoming 2009 release schedule. The "Joyful Noise 2009 Digital Sampler" as it is called, also includs tracks from the freshly released November 2008 albums of Grampall Jookabox, Prizzy Prizzy Please, and Man At Arms. The sampler also stretches well into the 2009 release schedule - offering free tracks from upcoming albums by Marmoset, Hi Red Center, The Delicious, Abner Trio, Bizzart, Valina, Push-Pull, and Stationary Odyssey.
2. New mp3 from Tigers Can Bite You - Colleagues (mp3)
3. Awel Issue #3: The theme is "Insects"

Watching:
1. Luke Jackson "Come Tomorrow"
2. The Dark Romantics "Let's Ride"
3. State Bird "I Saw The Light"
4. PH Madore opens his mail and get's an Orange surprise
5. Boy Eat Drums Machine "Crack in the Sea"


boy eats drum machine - "crack in the sea" from Jon Ragel on Vimeo.

Paint the Town Orange

November 13th, 2008 - The House Cafe - DeKalb, IL - Matt & Kim with Best Fwends and Yea Big & Kid Static

You can read my full review here.

Yea Big & Kid Static

Best Fwends

Matt & Kim

Band of the Week

Aether

I have always been fascinated by the alias' of electronic producers. In most cases the producer takes on a new alias when they want to explore a new sound while still being able to return to their old form. It has been going on like this for years, and with each new moniker the beats and production becomes increasingly creative and adventurous. There is a sense of freedom behind an alias, but there is also the responsibility to craft a sound that fits the name.

Diego Chavez (a.k.a Aether) is one half of the duo A.M. Architect, and an extremely talented electronic music producer from San Antonio. His work has appeared on compilations under his own name and as ÆTHER216, but on his solo debut it is just Aether. Artifacts (due out Nov. 25th, Exponential Records) is a collections beats, samples, and soundscapes that are as beautiful as its cover (which was also made by Diego). As the beats wrap and float, and the samples build up, an underlying tranquility is uncovered. The way Diego crafts a song is unique and I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Recently, Diego was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

Orange Alert (OA): On November 25th you will release your first full-length album as Aether. What can you tell us about "Artifacts"?
Diego Chavez (DC): Artifacts is a collection of beat sketches I've had for over four years. Some made from last winter, some from the summer, and some made so long ago that I've lost the original production files.

OA: You, like several electronic musicians, record under several different names. What does using different names for different projects allow you to do? Why is "Artifacts" an Aether project?
DC: Revealing music under various aliases allows me to explore different soundscapes and collaborate with other musicians on a clean slate, bouncing ideas back and forth. Artifacts is released under the Aether moniker due to the nature of production. Everything listed under Aether is extremely intimate and has been made as a form of self-medication-solo productions made for nobody else but myself. The tracks are created at odd hours-4 am, 5 am, 6 am. It's the early hours that I feel displaced from "time," and enter an altered state, intoxicated by a melody that suddenly transforms into a three-part act.

OA: The album is not a straight collection of just electronic beats, there are a few tracks, like "Anywhere", that feature some beautiful vocals. These do not sound like samples, who did you work with on the vocal tracks?
DC: Actually, Artifacts is a collage of audio samples. I carved out bits and pieces (vocals, instruments, drums) then layered them together. I'm working as a sound sculptor, re-presenting found objects. In the future, I hope to collaborate with more vocalists to further explore and produce future albums. Artifacts acts as a demo-tape, a blue-print of my production.

OA: You are also a graphic designer, and designed the cover for the album. What do you look for in a cover, and where did you begin with this one?
DC: I initially began with a minimalist design for the album. However, the sterile design conflicted with the depth and origin of the album's sound. Seeking inspiration, I began digging through archives of earlier works and re-discovered my graphic design--The Tecolote. The image was powerful enough to further convey the artistic nature of the album. An album cover engages the viewer through the aesthetics of design. The visual image invites the viewer to further explore it's content.

OA: What are your thoughts on the electronic music scene in Texas? There seems to be a lot of activity in electronic music and music in general in Texas right now?
DC: I'm happy to hear that local artists are gaining respect worldwide. Exponential Records is the rising catalyst on the electronic music scene in Texas. This independent record label has grown and gained much love through a grassroots approach. Texas-based musicians and supporters continue to work as a creative collective with the belief that good music can come from anywhere.

OA: What's next for Diego Chavez?
DC: Music collaborations, creative design, & film are all on the horizon.



Aether - Milla Ann from Diego Chavez on Vimeo.

Bonus Questions:
OA: Coffee? If yes, where can you find the best cup in your area?
DC: Coffee yes. Ruta Maya & Bubble Head in San Antonio, TX.

OA: What was the last great book you have read?
DC: More like fun reads...I'm reading "When You Are Engulfed In Flames" by David Sedaris and "No One Belongs Here More Than You" by Miranda July.

For more information on Diego Chavez please visit his website, and you can order his album on November 25th from Exponential Records.

Reader Meet Author

Megan Mercier

It's is almost a battle, writer's vs. bloggers! Okay maybe not a battle, but I heard the questioned posed, "Are bloggers actually writers?". The answer is it all depends on how you blog. Some use their blog to post their stories and poems, others blog about current events, some use their blogs to promote themselves without shame, and some promote others. The root of all writing is expression and writer/actress Megan Mercier expresses herself in several different ways.

What comes through when reading Megan's blog, Rubberneck Whiplash, is a mixture of daily trials and triumphs, political views, personal news updates, and so on. However, a blog can be more then what it appears to be. A blog can keep you writing, keep you thinking, expressing yourself, and keep people reading. You also get a sense of Megan personality, which is undeniably vibrant and a welcomed edition to the Chicago literary scene.

Recently, Megan was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

Orange Alert (OA): The Neo-Futurists seems like a lot of fun. What has your experience been like with them?
Megan Mercier (MM): Well, I actually haven't started contributing to Too Much Light… yet, although I did streak the stage during the show while I was still an intern with them. I'm not scheduled to start until early January. I spent about five months with them as a production intern for Picked Up this past spring while I was finishing college and I think it was more beneficial to me in dozens of ways than my last semester of classes. The entire ensemble was so welcoming and truly took me on like a member of the family. They are all uniquely brilliant artists who are so constantly aware. The most valuable lesson I've learned from working with them is to be present, engaged, and alert. The rest will come if you can be those things. And simplify. Simplify, simplify, simplify and you will discover the golden nugget of what you are trying to say.

OA: Do you see theater struggling over the next several months as a result of what is going on with the economy?
MM: People are hesitant to spend money on live theater and that's been the case for quite some time. Let's face it---for the cost of a midsize theater ticket you can get at least 3 Jagerbombs on Clark Street. Theater audiences tend to be segregated in a variety of ways, and income is definitely one of them. The average Too Much Light audience member, for instance, is not as likely to pay $60 for a ticket at Chicago Shakespeare Theater as a middle-aged professional. Young people cannot generally afford to see shows in the bigger houses, but affluent adults can. You can go see TJ & Dave at iO for $5. But from a production perspective, when money is tight, you're forced to be more creative than you might be with an extravagant budget. Minimalism can be invaluably freeing. Limitations force you to scale back on extraneous crap and delve into the meat of your purpose. The golden nugget. It makes for stronger work, and if you're lucky a few people may come to see it. I think if theater and its artists know nothing else, they know how to struggle financially. I feel like struggle within theater is more evident in terms of theme, content, & style. My hope is that, with the recent election, theater may begin to crawl out of its sardonic cave and bring some inventive, inspirational work to the foreground.

*I should mention that most houses will allow you to at least usher to see a show for free. some even have a hush-hush pay-what-you-can.

OA: You are a writer who blogs. Why do you think it is so important for writers to keep blogs?
MM: I am torn between great shame and great pride in my blog. Blogs are self-indulgent pockets of reverie, like junk-food journals. Which is precisely why I have one. The accessibility of a blog is comforting, to know that you can feel isolated and publish your personal 'now' into the ether where you may hit another point of isolated contact. The self-indulgent nature of a blog can be a blessing, because when I realize how desperate I sound as a writer, I realize that I am interpreting events in a way that is not good for me. If you use them the right way, a blog can be a good way to keep your attitude in check without censoring your thoughts. I go through spurts where I'm diligent about writing in a journal, at least every night before bed, and I'm at a point in my life where I'm not as able to do that. I think too quickly, and typing allows me to process and arrange my thoughts more to the speed of my brain. Yet when I'm typing in a .doc, it always feels formal and I get too careful. I think blogging can be a blessing for scatterbrained writers. It caters to an inability to focus for long periods of time like a synaptic incubator. You can get away with anything in a blog, especially as an unknown writer. It's immediate, it's pretty amateur, and that lack of formality allows me to cut loose with a creativity that otherwise can feel milked. I'm trying to teach myself how to dive in with less sludge. It's a personal preference for me at this point.

OA: What are your thoughts on the current stage for Chicago literature? Do you attend or participate in any of the monthly readings around town?
MM: I love literature as performance. It's vital. I have seen vastly less than I should have since moving here, mostly small readings at bookstores or open mics here and there, or solo performance showcases. It's truly always been a matter of time constraints. I moved here three years ago to get my theater degree from Columbia, and I was always going to class or working or doing shows and often all three. Now that I've graduated I hope to get more involved in the literary scene. I love David Sedaris and read that Ira Glass discovered him at a public reading in Chicago long before he was ever published, so I have great faith in the scene here. I've seen 2nd Story and I like what they do, so I'll probably submit there. I think Chicago Public Radio has some wonderful things going on from a literary perspective, and I'm a huge fan of The Believer (magazine) which is affiliated with 826CHI. I'd love to work with 826CHI in the near future.

OA: I don't normally touch on politics, but we were both recently moved by the same line spoken over the NPR airwaves. What do you feel will change if Obama is elected? What might happen if he is not?
MM: My mom is flying up tomorrow from Alabama to go to the Grant Park rally with me. I don't think she would have flown up for a Kerry-Edwards rally. If Barack Obama is elected, the world will not come up roses on Wednesday, but he is a compassionate, charismatic, gifted communicator. That is the foundation for a strong leader. He is not the messiah and he is not without flaw, but I trust him. I might have liked to see more of him from a foreign diplomat perspective, but I don't worry for him in an international forum. You cannot acknowledge Obama's story without ignoring his ethnic background, which can integral to our nation re-evaluating core ethics that America was supposedly build upon and never realized. As that NPR quote implies, this journey is a monumental event in American history. My mom gave me a necklace for graduation that says, "the journey is the reward." Win or lose, I will be infinitely proud to mark my ballot and stand in Grant Park regardless.

*since writing this, Obama triumphed. getting my hands on copies of the Tribune & Sun-Times the next day was almost a more exciting journey than the election.

OA: What next for Megan Mercier?
MM: Student loans. Too Much Light. Painting my room. More writing.

Bonus questions:
OA: Coffee? If yes, where can you find the best cup in Chicago?
MM: Oh boy, I'm torn. I love Metropolis up on Granville, especially that French press coffee I had one time (because I am the sort of person who keeps a blog, I must of course indulge the French press), but I am a tremendous fan of Noble Tree on Clark (just north of Fullerton). That place has swell coffee and three floors of comfortably furnished WiFi. Love love love that place. Ask barista Tif to make you a dirty chai. P.S. the guy who owns this place also owns Dollop in East Lakeview and a killer vintage store called Haystack. I got my bedside table there and it was a steal.

OA: What type of music do you listen to, and who are a few of your favorites?
MM: too many to list---I'll offer instead a playlist to sample:




For more information on Megan Mercier you can visit her blog, and also check out her recently piece published by the2ndhand, The Birth of a Nation.

Artist of the Week

The Searcher

2008, Oil, acrylic, epoxy, metallic pigments, collage, and sand on canvas, 9 x 12 inches

Jason Robert Bell

When left to travel the mind can go to some incredible places. Inventing new creatures and patterns, styles and forms, the artists mind was meant to roam. To approach a canvas with an open mind and a general idea, and just begin to layer paint has to be a liberating experience. The point is to allow the image to just appear, uncontrolled and wild, and it is merely defined by the artists hand.

This is part of the process in the work of Jason Robert Bell. In his latest series of work, Jason is allowing the images to come to him, and the results have been incredible. When not exploring these "Metaphysical Portraits" he is working on his pet project, Caveman Robot. A comic book and animated figure, he is quit possibly the oldest robot in existence. What drew me to Jason was fun-loving freedom in his work, and the more I explored the more fascinated I became.

Recently, Jason Robert Bell was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

Charlazander in Majesty

2008, Oil, acrylic, epoxy, metallic pigments, collage, and sand on canvas, 8 x 10 inches

Orange Alert (OA): How would describe your work?
Jason Robert Bell (JRB): This is classic question you get at a dinner party with a friend of a friend, I usually say “You are familiar with the work of a Spanish modernist painter, by the name of Pablo Picasso?” They say yes, “then I say my work is just like his expect, totally awesome.”

As for a non-sarcastic answer, my work is about using the visual arts as a mode of hermetic philosophy, to explore assumptions of the nature of reality and create new forms of expression from the vast sea of the human imagination.

OA: Your latest series of paintings or metaphysical portraits are fascinating. You call them "wholly enigmatic entities". Do you have a vision in mind or sketched before you begin painting?
JRB: Sometimes I have a set idea, other times I just start playing with the form of a head or face, I am always trying to get myself into a different mental place, a primal mystic “Eternal Now”, where the entity that is coming into existence in the paintings is a wholly distinct separate person/creation. I am not interested in depicting things that already exist, or quoting pop culture or past art, I am trying to create new culture new myths, new heroes, gods, and monster.



OA: Caveman Robot seems like it has a life unto itself. What is it like to be involved in a project like that, and to see your illustrations utilized in that way? What is the status on the cartoon series?
JRB: Caveman Robot is Mickey Mouse to my Walt Disney, I have been very lucky to be able to bring in many talented people who have worked for free on the project. We have published some great comic books, and put on a 6 week run of a Theatrical Musical, which I am very proud of. Currently however Caveman Robot is mostly me, drawing, drawing, and more drawing. I spent the last three months teaching myself a program called Toon Boom , and I am trying to translate a pilot script into a animated short. It is hard work, but hopefully the final product will be worth it.

OA: I love concept of "Trashsures". Have you done any lately? Do you ever revisit locations to see if your projects are still there?
JRB: Thanks, I have not done a official Trashsure in a few years, I enjoyed the project, and can always do more, but I can’t do everything all the time. Last year I did a three day performance/ art installation in San Francisco, called “the Twilight Kingdom” which was part of a citywide, COCA, Center for Outdoor Contemporary Art event. The project combined my Trashsures series, with my circus performance talents. I made daily appearances in 8 foot stilts and a giant paper mask, as the "Old Man", modeled after Emperor Joshua Norton, who surveyed the park and offering visitors formal citizenship notes of the kingdom. The Trashsures are part of me, and I should get back to them sooner or later.

OA: In January you will be involved in an exhibit here in Chicago at the Thomas Robertello Gallery. What can we expect to see at "The Unreasoning Mask"?
JRB: This will be my second one person show with Thomas, It will be my metaphysical portraits, small playful sculptures, one giant drawing/collage on paper, and a few surprises. The one thing I am always trying to give people is “the unexpected”, I want people to be “blown away” when they see my work. The title for the Show comes from a quote from Moby Dick, about the nature of reality.

“All visible objects, man, are but as pasteboard masks. But in each event — in the living act, the undoubted deed — there, some unknown but still reasoning thing puts forth the mouldings of its features from behind the unreasoning mask. If man will strike, strike through the mask! How can the prisoner reach outside except by thrusting through the wall?” - Ahab

That is what I am going for pasteboard mask, that hint at deeper and more powerful realties beyond us.

OA: What's next for Jason Robert Bell?
JRB: Rock 'n Roll all night, Party everyday...

Invito

2008, Oil, acrylic, epoxy, metallic pigments, collage, and sand on canvas, 6 x 8 inches

Bonus Questions:
OA: Coffee? If yes, where can you find the best cup in your area?
JRB: Coffee makes the demons in my mind stop screaming, There is Gimme Coffee around the corner from me in Brooklyn, but the best cup of coffee is made at home from my espresso pot with and Lavazza Coffee.

OA: What type of music do you enjoy and who are a few of your favorites?
JRB: What is that Kurt Vonnegut quote, "If I should die, let this be my epitaph: his only proof for the existence of God was music" I tend to enjoy music that relates to my work, mixing recognizable forms with mysterious ideas, I like music where you can understand the lyrics, but it still does not make sense. Or music with a otherworldly connection to the past. Also I don’t seek out new music, all the music I listen to has been due to find vinyl records thrown away on the streets of New York and Chicago.

My all time favorties are Steely Dan, Roxy Music, Ween, Roky Erickson, Scott Walker, Gary Numan, Queen, Nick Drake, Frank Zappa, Devo, Daft Punk, Sergio Mendes, The Silver Jews, The Move, and the immortal Django Reinhardt.

For more information on Jason Robert Bell please visit his website. All of Jason's work is available through Thomas Robertello Gallery.

New Release Tuesday

Music:

Wintersleep - Welcome to the Night Sky

Jihae - Elvis is Still Alive Listen to: Best Thing (mp3)

Longwave - Secrets Are Sinister

David & The Citizens - Stop the Tape! Stop the Tape!

Holy Hail - Independent Pleasure Club

The Postmarks - By-The-Numbers

Termanology - Politics as Usual

Vanilla Ice - Ice is Back

Jean on Jean - s/t

Moon and Moon - VII Acts Of An Iron King

State Shirt - This Is Old

The Secret History - Desolation Town EP

Blackmarket - Elephant in the Room
Butch Walker - Sycamore Meadows

DVD:

Smashing Pumpkins - If it All Goes Wrong

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

The Perfect Holiday

The Flaming Lips - Christmas on Mars

The Orange Spotlight

A.J. Kaufmann & Bill Shute Beyond The Blue Rocks (Kendra Steiner Editions #113)

"we pass unnoticed through people of paper/their paper streets/environment changes/they never do question/the western lands twinkle..."

For some faith is all there is. Every action, every word, every breathe is filled with faith. It is this complete understanding that can result in a high level of clarity, and an overwhelming sense of peace. In some Faith's you can expand your understanding and peace through meditation which can take on several different forms. It is more then just sitting a certain way and making a silly noise, it about a focused freedom. It is about expanding your mantra, and releasing everything else.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1)

Beyond the Blue Rocks is a set of meditations on the Tibetan Book of the Dead. Yet it is more obtainable and accessible then it may sound. Written by both A.J. Kaufmann and Bill Shute, the collection shifts focus and style rapidly. At it's center this collection is about the journey, through life and to faith and freedom. So if you are looking to move beyond or simply find a stronger center, check our the release from KSE.

There were only 55 copies of Beyond The Blue Rocks made and I am holding #26, so order yours today.

The New Monarchs Blueprint (Soup Bowl Records, Oct. 28th)

"A door cannot escape the space in which it turns."

A monarch is a ruler, a solitary ruler of a nation and of a people. That's not always the most pleasing image to have in your mind as you examine a new cd. However, from the first electronic noise, Blueprints, soars on electro-pop wings. You stop thinking about the name of the band, and start wondering what sound will come next. The New Monarchs formed in 2005, Sean Hogan and Taylor Nelson have slowly built and pieced together this stunning debut. Originally a quartet, the band split up as college approached, but Hogan and Nelson continued send music back and forth. They would come together during the semester breaks to put everything together with a slightly more electronic focus then when they were a full band. The results are focused and echo through the Autumn night with a gentle blue force.

Only the fourth release by Minnesota's Soup Bowl Records, Blueprints further illustrates the eclectic focus of the label. From punk-pop to jazz-pop to an electronic gem, SBR is building a catalog of music you really have to listen.

Across Your Hands (mp3)/No Commotion/Windows Down/Off The Record/Leigh/Surprises (mp3)/Common/You'll Always Know/Kiss Me At The Gate/Hold Me Quick

Orange Alert's Music Minute

Lowfish, a.k.a. Toronto’s Gregory De Rocher is one of my favorite electronic producers and I was very pleased to get word of his lastest album frozen&broken. He style is clear, crisp, and beautifully retro. With six albums and a stack of singles behind him, 2008 see’s Lowfish aggressively pushing his sound forward. He’s been hard at work distilling his pristine electro and throbbing analog buzz into a new techno variant. The playfulness of yesteryear is somewhere deep in the background with the fine detail of machinery and staccato bass lines taking the fore. The result is frozen&broken on Noise Factory Records. Ten brand new tracks of edgy analog electronica reminiscent of Lowfish’s famed Suction Records era IDM and an aberrant dance floor sound built from his most deviant sound palette to date.

Listen to: frozen&broken (mp3) and Things Fall Apart (mp3)

Two big and brief items of news to from Portland's Super XX Man. First, their entire catalog of music is now streaming at their website. Second, they have sent me two new remixes of the song Medication (mp3) from their latest album There'll Be Diamonds (Tender Loving Empire). Also, for everyone still working in an office building, check out Crazy People (mp3).

Listen to: Medication (Poddington Bear Remix) (mp3) and Medication (Eric Metronome Remix) (mp3).

The duo of DA Wallach and Maxwell Drummey more commonly known as Chester French are gearing up to release their debut EP, She Loves Everybody, digitally on November 11th and in traditional record stores on November 18ththrough Star Trak/Interscope. Discovered by Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes and N.E.R.D., Chester French has already won over critics and fans alike with their originality and pop sensibility as exhibited by their amazing performance at the 2008 CMJ Festival. See what the buzz is about and check them out on tour this month with Matisyahu.

Listen to: She Loves Everybody (mp3)

Fires of Rome are an exciting new band out of New York who just released their first digital ep called Set in Stone on Nov. 4th. They have an infectious dance pop sound, and some big name friends who can create perfect remixes. Check them out today!

François Virot is from Lyon, France, and he recently released his debut album Yes or No. When faced with this question, when it comes to Virot's music I scream "YES!". It brillant, simple, infectious, and just a great deal of fun. Any young musician from France who mentions The Jesus Lizard in his bio has to be worth listening to.

Listen to: Not the One (mp3)

Speaking of new singer/songwriters whose names I cannot pronounce, Juliette Commagere has an instantly recognizable voice. She has lent her siren of a voice to Maynard James Keenan’s Tool side project Puscifer, the latest self-titled record from road metal baddies Avenged Sevenfold, and, of course, her own band Hello Stranger, who’ve spent the past few months opening for the Foo Fighters across America. She is no stranger to the spotlight, but deserves every bit of attention.

Listen to: Overcome (mp3)

Viewzi provides Internet users a way to visually experience the best results for music, picture, video and top search engines and make search more fun. Viewzi delivers search results as "views", uniquely designed to showcase different types of content such as music, video and photos as well as topics including news, weather, shopping, and gadgets – all in an a highly interactive and visual way. At present, Viewzi provides users eighteen unique views. This is one of the coolest search engines that I have ever seen.

The Peel Back: Figurine Transportation + Communication = Love (December, 1999)

Before he was propelled into the spotlight as half of The Postal Service, Jimmy Tamborello (aka James Figurine) was one third of the group Figurine. Their debut album Transportation + Communication = Love was released in 1999, and it was so retro it was new. The casio beats, the robotic and distant vocals, the whole feel of the band and album, it was almost a novelty. "An Electronic Address" is fun exchange about dating in a mondern era, and with the detailed, but classic electro-swirls it is a perfect pop song.

"I Wait for You (By the Telephone)/"F>I>G>U>R>I>N>E"/"New Mate"/"An Electronic Address"/"S.O.S.""Batteries (Can't Help Me Now)""Robots"/"My First UFO"/"The European Beauty"/"Tired Eyes" "Digits"/"Eurodiscoteque"/"New Millennium Song"/"International Space Station"/"Lifelike" (hidden track)/"You" (recorded Live in Berlin)

The Watch List

Listening:
1. Jay Jay Pistolet - 21 year old Londoner Jay Jay Pistolet was personally picked by Laura Marling to join her for main support for here current tour. His debut Happy Birthday you EP, produced by Charlie Fink (of Noah and the Whale) will be released on November 17th on Stiff Records. Listen to: Oh Caroline (mp3)
2. The Dig : A new band out of New York.
3. Sharks and Seals: A dark and scary Chacago band.

Reading:
1. Brothers by Nick Ostdick: A letter between brother anywhere.
2. Idea for Story #1,643 by David Gianatasio: A funny piece with a little Tao Lin bashing free of charge.
3. Action Hero Defeats Terrorists by Bradley Sands: Rico Slade is a bad dude!
4. Tongue by Samantha Henderson: This is final story published by one of my favorites Dog vs Sandwich. The on-line zine are dropping like corporate employees who have worn out their welcome!
5. Several Minutes of Death and Taxes by P.H. Madore: "Onward. Meat of the day." I love that line!
6. Just One Question by John Roberts: I have many questions, but this one will do.
7. Gives Birth to Monsters by Spencer Dew: Spence is one of the brightest voices in Chicago. You can see him read @ The Whistler on November 18th!!!!

Wishing:
1. Midnight Picnic by Nick Antosca: Word Riot Press must have a gem on their hands! I can't wait to read it.
2. Spill by Curtis Crisler: The winner of the Keyhole chapbook contest.

Getting:
1. Side of Grits: Volume 1, Issue 1 - Brilliant, Michele you rock!!
2. 672 Hours by Andrew Demcak: A small e-chap from an accomplished poet.

Watching:
1. Dark Side of the Moog from The Boxing Lesson
2. Haley Bonar performing an unreleased song
3. GTA - Breakthrough 08
4. Lowtide from O'Death
5. You Don't Gotta Run featuring Pop Levi (Trailer)

November Mixtape

Suddenly Everything Has Changed

Life has a way of revealing itself, over and over again, no matter where you think you may be headed or how your want your journey to go, life will present itself. There is always a purpose, always guiding hand, and always a goal.

"Brother its such a long road we've been walking on" (from "Orange Sky")

Yesterday, I was forced to embark on a new journey, turn the page as they say, and honestly I have never felt better. I am not frightened, I am strengthened, I am ready. I have a stronger sense of urgency today, and an honest feeling of clarity. I am resolute, passionate, and ready for it all to begin.

On my way home my emotions fluttered and my thoughts raced. I drove in silence for the first time that I can remember. Where was I headed? What did I want? I stopped by my PO Box like I do every evening (only it was six hours earlier), and pulled out ...And Then Some by Luke Jackson. I played the first track, "Come Tomorrow" as I pulled into the empty parking lot at home. I had never heard of Luke Jackson before but today he is the smartest man alive!

"I haven't felt this good in years/I only hope everything's as it appears to be/I should have more faith in my heart/Instead of waiting for the moment that it falls apart"

"Come tomorrow in the depths of my despair/I am frightened, I'm enlightened, I'll survive/Beg or borrow, I could lose I don't care/ I can taste it, I won't waste it, I'm alive"

"All I want is to know for sure - the best is yet to come"

This month mix is all about change, hope, orange skies, medication, stress, strong black coffee, and melting eyes.

Reader Meet Author

Jac Jemc

Rejection is a natural part of life, and even more so when it comes to writing and publishing. In fact, it is one of the first things you are told when you declare that you want write, “Be prepared for rejection!”. How you handle this rejection will dictate how successful you will be as a writer. The issue is that every story or poem you write is special to you, it has meaning no matter how you claim to detach yourself, and it takes effort and courage just to submit it. When the rejection final arrives even the most accomplished writer is hurt. So, what can you do?

Chicago’s Jac Jemc has taken an interesting (especially for the reader) approach to dealing with rejection. Like many writers she maintains an active blog, and has logged and numbered each rejection she has received. She also mentions where her work is published, but the blog essentially reads like cathartic tribute to rejection. If you start at the beginning of the blog, you can see that as the rejections begin to pile up the acceptances starting to come at a more regular pace. It is an interesting behind the scene look at what it is like to be a writer.

Recently, Jac was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

Orange Alert (OA): Let's start with rejection. You seem to have taken what for some is the most challenging aspect of being a writer and turn it into a game of sorts. How did you first get the idea to blog each rejection, and what has the response been like?
Jac Jemc (JJ): Well, first I just decided I needed a blog so I could put links to the places my work was going up. I wanted a place that could kind of be the Jac-Jemc-Hub so that if people happened to like my work, they could easily find more of it. But I also knew I needed something else going on at the site so that people might actually check back from time to time. I imagined that the people who might be looking would be other writers, and what do other writers love more than hearing about their peers' failure? I think of the site as self-deprecation as self-promotion.

Also, I really like rejections. Of course, I like acceptances more, but at least rejections show that something is happening. I think sometimes, even if you're friends with other writers and you actually talk shop with each other, you can feel like you're working in a sort of void. Sending work out and hearing anything is encouraging, then. As for response to the blog, it's been good. My blog doesn't get all that many hits in a day: if it goes over 50, I'm skipping to bed that night, but most people say they like it or they think it's clever. A few people have written saying they're just starting out and they appreciate knowing how many rejections you can expect along the way.

One thing I'm always a little nervous about is the fact that I don't ask the permission of the people who are writing the rejections. I don't think I'm breaking any laws, but maybe I am by presenting a private exchange to the public? I try to have a sense of humor about the rejections and I never change what people say. I pretty much quote them verbatim so if someone doesn't like it, he's dug his own grave. Matt DiGangi of Thieves Jargon has been the only reader who responded recognizing that if he rejected me he would be quoted on the blog. And that was terrific. I felt like someone finally read the bio I sent with my submission.

OA: We recently saw the demise of an established literary site, Zygote in My Coffee, and just a week earlier Thieves Jargon announced that they would begin "winding things down". What are your thoughts on on-line journals, their validity, and lasting power?
JJ: Well, first of all I was sad to hear about Zygote in My Coffee and the idea of Thieves Jargon "winding down" breaks my heart a little. Thieves Jargon was a magazine I found in the beginning of my hunting and really led me to a lot of writers I love now, but in the case of Matt D, I believe he'll keep rejecting and rejecting and then rooting for the underdog wherever he ends up. I'm thought I heard he was in school for publishing, is that right? So the course is just altering a bit.

As for online journals in general, I adore them with all of my cold little heart. I think they've allowed a whole new form to emerge and gain validity. I might not know what I'm talking about, I haven't been doing this that long, but it seems to me that short-shorts and flash pieces are recognized as a valid form more and more, and I think that's got to have a lot to do with the attention span of a person reading online. There's a difference between buying or borrowing a journal, holding it in your hands, and browsing a website. I think you're more likely to feel committed to getting through whole, longer pieces of work if its in a solid object in front of you. Online, it's so easy to click away from a piece and never think about it again. I think it makes writers work harder because they know how easy it is for someone to wander away and I think it also gives permission to write really concentrated little narratives that can be swallowed whole even on a glowing screen with eight million distractions.

Validity? I think they deserve more credit. I think they're causing a revolution and opening up a strange, little, experimental world to more people.

Lasting Power? I feel like I can name more print journals that have gone under after one issue than online journals. The overhead is obviously lower without paper and mailing costs.

OA: You have several pieces forthcoming in print journals. Do you feel that print journals are carry more weight or are more respected then on-line journals? Which do you submit to more often?
JJ: I think my answer to this question might be a little like the way I keep thinking, "How could Obama not get elected?" Everyone I know gives online magazines their due, if not maybe preferring them to print magazines. I realize this might not be widely held literary worldview, but I feel like I'm coming from the far left of the writing world, and I think it might be the only part I care about, at least enough to actively participate in.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both print and online publication. I can't deny that I enjoy the little shelf of magazines with my work that's slowly filling up one of my shelves, but if anyone tells me they've read my work or comes to my blog, as far as I can tell, they're all arriving there from online magazines.

I'm not going to bother to do the math, but I probably submit to online mags slightly more because it's easier. If all print journals accepted electronic submissions it'd probably be equal. If I always had the money for stamps and manila envelopes, it'd probably be even more equal (hehe).The response time also tends to be quicker with online magazines which, I must say, I appreciate, and I write at a length that's good for online readers. It makes sense to me the scales should tip in that direction.

OA: You graduated from SAIC. I normally talk to artist from SAIC, and writers from Columbia. How did you decide to attend SAIC, and what was your experience like there?
JJ: I heard about SAIC's writing program at a panel discussion about writing programs in art schools at the AWP Conference my senior year of college. It sounded like the perfect fit. You don't have to declare a concentration; you can work on poetry and fiction and screenwriting and painting words on walls and embroidering words into socks – whatever you want to do. I was prepared to choose fiction over poetry if I didn't get into the Art Institute, but I really didn't want to make that kind of declaration. I knew, even if I joined a program that labeled me a fiction student, I was going to be writing poetry under the covers with a flashlight at night. The Art Institute also has a terrific advising program where you meet with an advisor every week or two and just talk one on one about your work. That undivided attention was the kicker. It was all about me for an hour-plus a week (kind of like this interview). I don't mind workshops and most people at the Art Institute are very open, but I do think politics can get in the way of helping out your fellow-classmates. It was also really wonderful to have all sorts of artist (photographers, sound, drawing students) in classes, too, because their relationship to work was different and it always brought surprising, more expansive ideas into discussions.

OA: What are your thoughts on the Chicago lit scene right now? Do you attend any of the local events or readings? Is Chicago a good place to be a writer?
JJ: Oh, boy. Chicago is where it's at. Am I wrong? I'm having such a great time. Did you not go to the Printers Ball? It was a dream. Really, there's so many people doing extraordinary things. I wish I could get out to more, but every month I go to the series Mary Hamilton and Lindsay Hunter host at the Innertown Pub: Quickies. Featherproof rocks my socks, so I get to everything they put on if I can. I try and get to as many of the Myopic readings as possible and I love the Rec Room when I can get there (I work Wednesday nights). There's a million more I want to get to or have been to once or twice. There is never a shortage of readings and happenings. Also the magazines and presses are the best out there: Make, Bailliwik, The 2nd Hand, The Packingtown Review, Switchback, Chicago Review, Fiction At Work – What more could a girl ask for?

OA: What's next for Jac Jemc?
JJ: I'm actually in a little place I call writer heaven right now – which actually means I'm on a writing residency at Ragdale up in Lake Forest. I get to read and write and sit on a verandah in a rocking chair with a quilt on my lap and look out at the prairie. I feel like Emily Dickinson, but much less refined. I have no idea what I'll do when they release me next week. Keep working, I suppose, but without the servants. I just finished a novel manuscript that I'm sending that out to see the world now finally. I've been working on it for about three years, so it feels great to get it out of my hands.

Bonus Questions:
OA: Coffee? If yes where can you find the best cup in Chicago?
JJ: Coffee! Metropolis and Dollop are my destination coffee shops – I will travel for the beans and atmosphere in these two places. However, because of proximity to my home and workplace, Pause, Chicago Coffee Company and Kopi are the places I frequent most often.

OA: What type of music do you listen to, and who are a few of your favorites?
JJ: I feel like all of my answers are a mile long, but they're all things I care about so much. I'm terrified of how these will be edited down. I will try to list only true favorites: Lou Reed, Cat Power, Leonard Cohen, Conor Oberst, Otis Redding, Joanna Newsom, Lucinda Williams, Feist, Dolly Parton, The Magnetic Fields, Joni Mitchell, Golden Shoulders, Elliott Smith, Patti Smith, Radiohead, Ryan Adams, Sarah Harmer, Talking Heads, Beatles, Jeff Buckley, Andrew Bird, Townes van Zandt, Tom Waits, The Pixies, Edith Piaf.

For more information on Jac Jemc please visit her blog.

Artist of the Week

Dave Demske

The artistic drive as demons pushing their way through the hand of the artist is a great way to explain the process. It makes the process seem nearly uncontrolled, and unpredictable. Yes, many artists are well trained and educated and spend years exploring and developing these demons. However, demons would explain a lot. There are just too many incredibly beautiful pieces of art in the world. They can't all be created from a simple set of skills.

This is how award winning multi-media artist Dave Demske describes his process. His work ranges from straight forward acrylic based paintings to junkyard assemblages that draw the eye in several directions at once. In September, he was presented with the William and Jeanne Batten Merit Award for Sculpture for his piece entitled, “The Nature of Love”. We have been working on this interview for the last month and in that time he won this award and created a website to display his work.

Recently, Dave was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

Orange Alert (OA): How would you describe your work?
Dave Demske (DD): My current works are cathartic, another form of therapy, an attempt either to cast out demons that have plagued me most of my life, or else to explore topics or thoughts I find significant.

To me, good art is a form of communication which interacts with the viewers and rewards them with something to ponder-sometimes challenging their illusory comfort zones.

OA: I really enjoy your various mixed media pieces. Where do you find all your spare parts?
DD: Parts are scavenged for my assemblages from junkyards, flea markets, garage sales, attics, dumpsters... the search for odd or unusual pieces which speak to me takes me into some dark, cobweb-filled places, which flavors the end result.

One certain found object might be the catalyst for a creation, but it often takes years of accumulating junk before the right combination is gathered to form a concise thought.

OA: You utilize a lot of images from childhood, clowns, babies, etc. but then twist them into a darker place. How did you get into using these types of images?
DD: Let's just say nothing is created in a vacuum. While using various substances to keep the demons at bay, I painted lots of pretty pictures, watercolors of snow scenes, barns, flowers- Hallmark crap.

After enough treatment centers, therapy sessions, and years without anesthetics, I got a little more honest with presenting my personal reality. Using unwanted, thrown-out junk, I try to create something valuable or worthwhile. Like I said, nothing is created in a vacuum. Each time I produce a significant piece of work feels like going through a horribly painful childbirth.

OA: You recently were presented with the Wiliam and Jeanne Batten Merit Award for Sculpture. What was that experience like?
DD: Out of the six times entering the Midwest Museum of American Art Annual Regional Artists Exhibit, I've won two Best Mixed Media Awards and now this Merit Award for Sculpture. The jurors for this show were Richard Hunt, Chicago sculptor, and Richard Roth, a Baltimore painter. Each time it was like going through that painful childbirth and having someone say, "Hey! Your kid's not so ugly after all!" Being short on self-esteem, the recognition from professional artists helps to reinforce the feeling that my creations do possess merit.

It motivates me to return to the junkyard and get impregnated again.

OA: You work in several different mediums, in which do you feel the most comfortable? Do you feel one is more artistic or valid than another?
DD: Construction of found objects may not be the most comfortable, but on a personal level the assemblages feel the most rewarding, and the medium is one where the voices in my head don't have power to nag me with "That's not the way you were taught to make art in school." Those interruptive, invasive thoughts are circumvented as I rely more on instinct, or the subconscious, which produces a more truthful end result. It's like writing with your left hand when you are right-handed- the internal judges are muted, because you know from the start that perfection is unattainable. The piece becomes perfect in its imperfection.

Assemblages fulfill a primal hunter-gatherer urge. The first obstacle to overcome is actually finding the stuff. The challenge to create is heightened when I'm forced to produce a meaningful, significant statement from discarded debris. The pay-off though, the satisfaction of accomplishment is magnified when my socially disdained medium (other people's trash) is re-evaluated and accepted as profound or valuable.

Any medium, any form of expression- poetry, music, clay, paint, refuse... has artistic validity to me if it bears truth and comes from the artist's core. These are the pieces that survive the judgement of time, as they possess a certain communal message on a universal level.

OA: You have been at this for awhile, what, if anything, do you feel has changed in the last 10 to 15 years?
DD: Good junk is getting harder to find, with so much crap being made of plastic now. It doesn't rust or develop character with age like old wood. People discard things so quickly the items don't have time to develop their own personality or soul. Everything is mass-produced- nothing has its own energy.

Also, my eyesight is getting weaker, which really frustrates me. I swear a lot when working. I mean A LOT.

Bonus Questions:
OA: Coffee? If yes, where can you find the best cup?
DD: Oh Hell Yeah. As an addict, as opposed to an elite coffee connoisseur, anywhere I can get the first cup of the day, bottomless, cheapest, served with the least amount of conversation, is the best cup. Also getting harder to find.

OA: What type of music do you enjoy and who are a few of your favorites?
DD: Like the mediums I use to create, my musical tastes run the gamut- from Vivaldi to DMX to the Russian Red Army Choir. No one can beat my son's lyrics. Nick Demske puts poetry to music and creates from the core. Special props also to Santana for doing the same, for understanding soul sacrifice, and also to Neil Young who knows rust never sleeps. And to Jimi, who still makes me cry.

For more information on Dave Demske please visit his newly created website.

Band of the Week

Election Day Special with Mr. Lif

In what seems like a matter of weeks the language of a nation has changed. Recession, lay-off, unprecedented, crisis, these are new words for many Americans. Too young to understand to volatility of the early ‘80’s, and only having read about the great depression, these last few weeks have been hell. The tension, the waiting, the uncertainty, it is a greater weight than most have ever felt. Individuals are questioning everything they do and everything they have ever done and evaluating each breath they take, each movement they make. I know I asked this question a couple weeks ago, but I will ask it again; where do you turn? Is all of this meaningless, I have I wasted two years of my life? Will people turn to the arts and resources like mine for enjoyment, or will it all be lost in the struggle for employment, shelter, peace of mind, and security?

Over the last few weeks a song lyric has repeatedly been flowing through my thoughts. It was writing by Boston’s Mr. Lif and included in a song called “Home of the Brave” back in 2002. Lif said, “The country's headed for recession reminiscent of the Great Depression”. In the same song he goes on to say “It's easy to control the scared so they keep us in fear”, and in a way I feel this economic crisis is another form inflicted terror in an attempt to control. The problem is this attack is much more real and relevant and hitting hard on all levels then anthrax or color coded terror levels. This affects every single individual living in American today, and as I look into the eyes of my children and question the choices that I have made and the choice I will make today, I pray that they can not see the fear and distress behind the pale blue. I pray that we may all look back that these days and these frantic words and laugh, but today I search for encouragement, for answers, for guidance, I search the knowledge to make the right decisions for my future and my children’s future. It’s clear that I understand how to asked questions, I have interviewed over 240 artists, writers, and musicians, but today I am being asked to supply an answer… “And it causes pain, stress”. “Ask me if we need a different way of life, YES”.

So on Election Day, I give you my interview with Mr. Lif, and ask you to vote, be heard, speak your mind, and pray.

Orange Alert (OA): Your latest project is unique in that it will give your audience an up to the minute look at how you are reacting to the Presidential race. Why do you feel it is important to have these singles released each month?

Mr. Lif (ML): I have shifted my focus a bit from following the presidential race (which I'm currently sick of due to over saturation) to just writing song inspired by this extremely tumultuous era we are living through. It’s important for me to contribute at least one song a month because we are bombarded with endless programming daily.

OA: With all of the media outlets these days do you feel that the monumental events of our time, like the war and the election, are being covered properly and fairly?
ML: This is a tough question. I just feel like there a whirlwind of information out there and it depends on how you process it.

OA: The incredible I Phantom album is a rare hip-hop concept album following the life a criminal turned father, turned successful businessman. Then something happens that makes everyone and everything seem very insignificant. Did you originally set out to write a concept album? Where did you begin with I Phantom?

ML: I never really thought of "I Phantom" as a concept record until people in the media began to refer to it that way. The design of the album is a reflection of the way I think about things in general. I am always analyzing situations and experiences in hopes of gaining knowledge. So when I make songs, I naturally analyze how they relate to one another to form a larger picture.

"I Phantom" grew from songs like "Earthcusher" and "Live From the Plantation" until it became a finished record.

OA: On the 2006 album Mo' Mega, the title alone makes a much needed statement about the growing divide between the rich and the poor or as you put it "the slave and the elite". Do you feel the rest of the album follows that idea? For example, Take, Hold, Fire! I feel speaks directly to this topic. Has the way you define or view "Mo' Mega" changed at all in the last two years?

ML: I would say "Mo Mega" does not stick to the issues introduced in the title. That album represents a very difficult era of my life. In my opinion, the divide between the rich and the poor becomes more clearly defined daily. The wealthy are so powerful now, that they are showing no humbleness in exhibiting their control.

OA: One of my favorite things to do is hunt for obscure Lif collaborations, be it with Jedi Mind Tricks, 7L & Esoteric, Del, DJ Vadim, Aesop, etc. How do you approach these guest spots? Is there an artist you have wanted to work with but haven't yet? The spot with Guru on the Perceptionists album was great, what about Rakim?

ML: I'd like to work with Nas, J. Electronica, Rakim, GZA.... There are others... I'm glad I got to work with Bahamadia, Dumbtron, Vinnie Paz, and Metro on the "I Heard It Today" album.

OA: Given your ability to vocalize your political views, and your skill for writing have you ever considered writing a book or maybe a collection of essays?
ML: I started writing a book, but it was sci-fi. You'll hear more about that soon.

OA: What was the last great book you have read?

ML: "A Brief History of Neo-Liberalism" by David Harvey

OA: What's next for Mr. Lif?

ML: What's next for me is to finish the "I Heard It Today" album and deliver it to the people on Inauguration Day (January 20th, 2009). This album captures the vibe of this tumultuous era we're living in and gives voice to the all too often ignored citizens of America.

Anyone who wants to be involved in some interesting conversations about important issues and hear my new music should visit me at www.myspace.com/mrlif. I take great pride in communicating with my fans.

Listen to: Presidential Report Vol. 2 from I Heard it Today (mp3) and Presidential Report Vol. 1 (mp3)

Today Lif releases he third single from his upcoming album I Heard It Today, "Welcome To The World". For more information Mr. Lif please visit his website.

The Orange Spotlight

Ernest Gonzales Lullaby (Exponential, October 21st, 2008)



"Experimenting with sound, combined with the inspiration of being a father soon, I instantly started creating an album for my unborn daughter, Sophia." - Ernest Gonzales

As a father of four a good bedtime routine is vital. We try to keep it structured with a story then teeth, and then bed. However, there are nights when they are to wound-up, running and dancing and screaming. Storytime just wasn't calming them down. That is until I received an IM from Texas producer and label head Ernest Gonzales. All he said was "Check this out..." with a link to the press page download his latest release, Lullaby. It was exactly what we exactly what we needed.



Lullaby was written back in 2004 for Ernest's unborn daughter, and has remained a personal collection until last week. I am extremely pleased he has decided to release this album whihc was completed with several remixes. Lullaby is a focused look at the honesty and intimacy that can be presented in electronic music. Mostly downtempo, the album is both interesting and musically gentle and appealing. The tones glide through with creative twists a long the way. It is a project of love and a quiet adventure.



Silke Leicher and Manuel Schreiner Bands on the Road: The Tour Sketchbook (Thames and Hudson, October 21st)

When this one arrived in my mailbox I was extremely excited because in theory it combines two of my greatest joys music and art. I say in theory because the images in the book range for incredibly interesting and complex drawings and creations to crude stick figures. The concept, however, is truly unique, what do musicians do while they are on the road? I would have guessed drugs and video games, but clearly there are a few out there that like to draw. All of the images in the collection were created specifically for this collection. In fact, the bands involved in this project were asked think about something in the past that had an important impact on them, a person or event that still resonates, and to draw it.

Featured bands include Bloc Party, The Killers, Interpol, Coldplay, Kaiser Chiefs, Belle and Sebastian, The Hives, Maroon 5, Franz Ferdinand, The Dandy Warhols, The Libertines, Dirty Pretty Things, Death Cab for Cute, Babyshambles, The Raconteurs, Oasis, Maximo Park, The Shins, Muse, Snow Patrol, Keane, Howie Day, We Are Scientists, Johnny Marr and many many more. Of course they all went in different directions, from hotel rooms to basement studios to the above day at the beach from Muse. So whether it is the house of Ricky Wilson (Kaiser Chiefs) or a sail boat and story about vikings from Matt Miller (Sparta), there should be something for everyone to look at in this collection of 220 drawings.

Orange Alert's Music Minute

After deciding to name your band a grade letter I would think D+ would be one of the last on the list, but that's not the case for the supergroup Phil Elverum, Karl Blau, and Bret Lunsford (Beat Happenings). This collective, that was once thought defunct, released a small collection of older songs back June, and now have released a full-length album called What is Doubt For? (September 9 from Lunsford's Knw-Yr-Own). Recorded nearly exclusively into a single microphone in the living room of Elverum (The Microphone and Mount Eerie), the result is an intimate series of songs that bring out the best in each musician.

D+: What Is Doubt For?:01 Attention 02 Never Sense a Thing 03 What Is Doubt For? 04 Certainty 05 How Easily Love Can Be Found 06 Wishful Thinking 07 I Regret Not 08 Ancient Drawers 09 Manipulate Me

Any time I receive an e-mail from Audio Dregs and E*Rock I pay close attention. E*Rock has the special ear that only a few have. He is able to seek out the most incredible sounds and always has inventive album covers. One of his latest album by a brilliant electronic composer Malcolm Felder (aka Lineland). Logos for Love is Malcolm's first album in five year's and is beautifully intense and colorful collection of instrumental tracks. Malcolm also runs Mutable Sound, and publishing company, Mutable Press, with Gabe Boyer.

Austin's Future Clouds and Radar not only have a very strange name, but a great psychedelic sound. They burst on the scene last year with an other-worldly self-titled double-disc debut. Returning on Election Day with an equally ambitious release, FCR have come along way in the last year. Peoria finds Robert Harrison and the band focusing their kaleidoscopic vision into a single cinematic narrative about the illusory nature of mortality. Throughout, Harrison stays true to his genre-hopping eclecticism, leading the journey through a maze of fuzz-box vocals and ethereal keys.

Listen to: The Epcot View (mp3)

Chicago's Brendan Losch has managed lined-up two incredible shows this month.

11.15.08 at Beat Kitchen (Chicago, IL) w/ Brooke Waggoner + Nathan Xander 6:30pm AA $10

11.19.08 at Schubas (Chicago, IL) w/ Greg Laswell + Jenny Owen Youngs 8pm 21+ $12

This is of course in addition to releasing a new song every week. He had fallen a little behind, but managed to release six songs in the month of October. He has now release 39 of the 52 songs he would need to write to reach his goal. Amazing!

A label that I have talked about several times this year is the colorful folks at People In The Sky. Their latest release is the debut ep from Swiss producer Ghostape. Many Stars is a great introduction to the world of Ghostape, and a slightly less analog offering then that of label mate Wax Stag. There is underlying organic nature to these tracks that could warm any November after. The story of how this release came together is interesting, here is PITS said about it. "It's been kind of complicated dealing with Swiss producer Gabs, AKA Ghostape, over the last year or so. He speaks about three languages, we speak at least, uh, one, it’s just that none of them were shared tongues. So we'd send him an e-mail asking where the masters were or something and he'd be like, "Thanks, yes, it's great. Let's do it. Whooooop - Gabs ;-)". And so another few months would drift by and not much would happen. But eventually things started to fall into place. 'After After' got finished, with it's motorik rhythm and electronic bass pulse throbbing away under Gab's picking guitars, mad yelps and shamanic whispers."

Listen to: Allez Allez (Screen Tests Mix) (mp3)

I was extremely happy to find out that things are finally starting to happen for Los Angeles' Aaron Beaumont. It was way back in August 2007 that he was touring with Orange Alert friends Canon Blue and Meshach Jackson. Aaron plays a soulful brand of piano pop, and possesses a rich and passionate voice. He recently signed to Milan Records and on October 21st they released his debut album Nothing's Forever, Not Even Goodbye.

Listen to: Julia (mp3)

Released last month, Melville, was loosely inspired by Herman Melville, and wanted to focus on all kind of stories about shipwrecks, like illness, religion dirty love and more. Founded by King Automatic in Torino Italy, Movie Star Junkies bring desperate vocals, moaning organ and trashy distorted guitar. However, they wouldn't be on Voodoo Rhythm Records if they didn't.

Listen to: Little Boy (mp3)

The Peel Back: Vanilla Ice To The Extreme (Aug. 1990, SBK)

There was a time in my life when I wanted so badly to be Vanilla Ice. I knew I couldn't be Bart Simpson and I couldn't dance like MC Hammer, but for some reason I thought I could be Vanilla Ice. That dream lasted about as long as Vanilla's career, but I will always have soft spot for this album. I may not actually play it ever again, but I do have found memories of recording myself on a small tape recorder while rapping to "Stop That Train".

The reason all of these random memories came rushing back this week is that X-Ray Records is will be released a brand Vanilla Ice album on November 11th. On this album, cleverly titled Vanilla Ice is Back!, Vanilla covers some of the classic songs of hip-hop like, Fight The Power, Baby's Got Back, Jump Around, and many more. Come on you always wanted to hear a 41 year-old white man named Robert Van Winkle rap "Fight The Power". Isn't there a line in that song that says "I'm black and proud"? Anyway, apparently Mr. Ice did not make enough on the reality TV gigs so he had to put out this unbelievable cheesy album.

You know you wanted a little taste of Vanilla, here is a sampler... (mp3)

Track List: Ice Ice Baby/You Dropped A Bomb On Me/Fight The Power/Jump Around/Baby Got Back/You Gots To Chill/I Got It Made/Buffalo Soldier/Treat ’Em Right/Insane In The Brain BONUS TRACKS Ice Ice Baby (Rock Hero Mix)/Ice Ice Baby (Club Crasher Mix)/Ice Ice Baby (New Romantic Mix)