IM // UR | Frankmusik Live & Lost // Ep 1 & 2 \\ COMPETITION!

BEFORE TODAY by Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

It doesn’t take much to make me feel stupid. Trying to find the words to describe the debut album of Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti at 4AD is just one of many examples I could give you. To me, ‘Before Today’ sounds like an album that Kevin Barnes could be recording if he loved goth bands more than funk ones. Or like the cold wave genre entering a multicoloured psychedelic stage instead of glazing at it's own depression. Don’t mind my threadbare examples; this is the album that will make it onto every interesting top 10 of the year and you don’t wanna miss it.

WE // R \\ WEARING

I can't resist (probably overpriced) basics-with-a-twist. My wardrobe, full of T by Wang, Oak, Bassike and yes, American Apparel is proof of this; and since in Australia, a new favourite has emerged in the form of Nathan Smith. His selection of supersoft tees, tanks and dresses have sucked me into buying multiples of a number of styles in different colourways. You just can't go wrong with these though! Addictively and endlessly wearable - and not in actual fact, overpriced in the slightlest - Nathan Smith is the way forward for your wardrobe.

WE // R \\ WATCHING

I don’t think any series will treat teenagers the same way that Freaks and Geeks did almost 10 years ago. Although relying on every teen American cliché they could, this series was the closest thing to reality you could get whilst still being something fun and interesting to watch – cause, you know, life is boring. With bands like The Who, The Clash and XTC being either part of episodes or the soundtrack, this 80’s based cult show was short-lived (only 18 episodes), but long enough to enrich the careers of some young actors (i.e. James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Busy Philipps and, erm, Linda Cardellini) and is greatly missed. Can we have a movie about them meeting again in the 00’s?

WE // R \\ GOING

Once, a friend of mine wanted to take me to this 'cheap Chinese restaurant', situated in the heart of Liberdade, a Japanese neighborhood in São Paulo. When we got there the place was packed, but because it looked cheesy and kinda poor, I didn't want to wait it out. It took another friend for me to go back there and fall in love with it. Now, every time the mood for some freshly made noodles (you can watch the chief making the noodle dough through a window) framed in some horribly painted pink walls takes me, I go for Rong He. Did I mention the food is also incredibly generous and cheap?

WE // R \\ READING

The ultimate in peeping tom into other, cooler, more fashionable, richer, quirkier and more-hipster-than-thou lives is Todd Selby's The Selby. Having previously been an internet only voyeur's dream, Todd has just last month released The Selby Is In Your Place, a book the coffee table tome full of twee drawings, colourful interiors and people showering. Half of the images in the books are favourites from the website and the other is stuff he hasn't published online yet. So go check it out, maybe buy it if you can to make your crappy coffee table in your crappy apartment that little bit cooler with pictures of someone else's cool stuff.

Frankmusik Live & Lost // Ep 1 & 2 \\ COMPETITION!

Wednesday // March 25, 2009 at 12:55 // filed under Music

To celebrate I M // U R's first week online and Frankmusik wandering around the UK, we've got goodies to give away at the end of the series to the fifteenth (15th) person who answers our question about the videos correctly via a comment on the final video post...So for your chance to win, WATCH, LISTEN and LEARRRRRRRN.

I was a little bit skeptical at this whole Live and Lost Tour concept at first; the premise of it all being Vincent Frank aka Frankmusik (his name is Vincent, NOT Frank!) gets deposited onto the rocky banks of Loch Ness in Scotland with a camera person in tow and twenty pounds in cash. From there he's got to try and get to his gigs in various places by using Myspace, Kyte, Google Maps and Twitter to get to where he needs to go. Vince also needs to use all that fancy tech plus his charm (or current fame) to eat, drink, sleep and whatever other bodily functions he needs to look after.

He's been on the road a few days now, but let's get you up to speed first with Episode 1...

Frankmusik - Live & Lost // Ep 1

It gives a whole new meaning to "getting in touch with your public" innit? And I suppose, in a very real way does it demonstrate that yes, there would be no success for musicians/bands/whatever without the fans and followers.

Here's episode 2...

Frankmusik - Live and Lost // Ep 2

It all feels a bit The Amazing Race (which I LOVED - all that's missing from Live and Lost is a midget) and Secret Millionaire (which makes me *tear*. So heartwarming). On occasion, HA-LAIRiously cringeworthy, but a neat little look into Frankmusik so far.

So keep watching! We'll ask you a question at the end of the series and fifteenth correct answer via a comment will receive a prrrrize along with 3 Little Words: Congratulations, You've Won.

POSTED BY CHRISTEL ESCOSA

TAGS: Frankmusik // LINKS: Frankmusik Live and Lost