I recently discovered an artist whose work was unlike anything I had seen. Jacob Felländer is a Swedish photographer who captures cityscapes and landscapes from a unique perspective. Felländer uses film cameras to capture multiple exposures on a single image. Please check out more of his work at his website.
As a transplanted Southerner living and working in D.C., I often find myself missing the comforts and charms of my home state. From Saturdays in Athens to weekends spent out on the lake, the South is a great place to call home. Many other transplanted Southerners feel the way I do and I happened to stumble upon a couple who decided to do something about it. Micah and Marianna Whitson at The Old Try have brought a touch of the South to Boston and now you can bring the same to your house. They have created some of the most unique southern prints around using movable type and wood blocks, just as they would have used a hundred years ago. Currently they have posters representing Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, NC, Virginia, and the general South. Please check them out and find some unique prints that capture the charms and traditions of the South.
In anticipation of his new album Ashes and Fire, I want to take a look back at some of my favorite records from the greatest songwriter of this generation, Ryan Adams. After leaving Whiskeytown, his seminal alt-country band, Adams released his first solo record, Heartbreaker, a boozy take on love and heartbreak that signaled his immense talent as a songwriter. After Heartbreaker, Adams released his best selling album, Gold. Gold was a progression of styles and included two of my favorite Adams' tracks, "Answering Bell" and "La Cienega Just Smiled."
Another favorite record is Adams' first effort with his backing band The Cardinals, the double album Cold Roses. Adams' work with The Cardinals is some of the finest of his career and this album is a great introduction to their work together. Favorite tracks on this record include "How Do You Keep Love Alive," "Let It Ride," and "If I am a Stranger."
In 2007, Adams released his first solo effort since 2004 with Easy Tiger. This album was a welcomed success and his most focused and complete record since Gold. Standouts include "Halloweenhead," "Two," and "I Taught Myself How to Grow Old."
Check back in a couple of weeks when I will do an in depth review of Ryan Adams' new album Ashes and Fire.
So this is my requisite first post where I attempt to explain the purpose of this blog and tell you a little about myself. I am a young professional working in politics in our nation's capital, Washington, D.C. But fear not, this blog will never see a post about politics as I'm far more interested in exploring the beauty that surrounds us in music, art, culture, my birthplace the South, the mundane, and the extravagant.
I will also be accompanied in this endeavor by my friend Blake. He's a twenty something living in Chattanooga, TN juggling work, grad school, and the coolest dog in the world, the Duke monster.
Please join us for our thoughts as we try to navigate the real world while enjoying all that surrounds us.
