Matthew Sweet talks about the album cover of 'Girlfriend'

Matthew Sweet's album cover for Girlfriend is one of my favorite album covers. I've always been curious about the choice of the photograph and who that girl is on the cover. In an interview with Spin on the 20th anniversary of Girlfriend, Matthew Sweet explains it all:

         "Record companies just want you to put a picture of yourself on the album cover. But there was something about her attitude that I liked. It's funny because she was only 13 or 14 years old in that photo. I had collected memorabilia of actresses from the '50s and '60s, like Kim Novak, Carol Baker, and Jean Seberg. It was hard to get Tuesday Weld to approve it, because she was a recluse and eccentric, but we finally got her approval. However, at the time, the album was called Nothing Lasts and the label got the idea that they should get a hold of Tuesday Weld and tell her that's what it was called. Which of course just made her feel like, "What do you mean 'nothing lasts' with my photo?" So I changed the title to Girlfriend at the eleventh hour, so we didn't have to mess with the Tuesday Weld photo. It was a better title for it because it was so much more positive, you know?" (Via SPIN)

It's a Runaway World// Fall music

Here is a collection of songs to listen to on fall days. An overcast, crisp fall day, like in Rushmore when Herman goes to Rosemary's house and she offers him baby carrots and they agree to go for a walk together. Rosemary's cheeks are always perfectly rosy like a Rococo painting.

My Valuable Hunting Knife// Guided By Voices

Music vid for "My Valuable Hunting Knife" by Guided By Voices. I like this version of the song more than the version on Alien Lanes, which sounds a lot more clean and tweaked. This version in the video has a much slower tempo and really basic, shitty (nice) sounding drums. This version of the song is on the Tigerbomb EP.

Everything I talk about I talk about with you

Club Molluska- Guided By Voices

Watch Me Jumpstart is a movie about the band Guided By Voices. This is the opening scene of the movie that features the song "Club Molluska."


It's just a runway world...

that summer feeling// july music

Simple Men "Kool Thing" dance

Dance sequences in movies (that aren't High School Musical) that start happening out of the blue are always pretty exciting. Especially when the dance is set to a Sonic Youth song. Learn some cool moves from this dance sequence from Hal Hartley's movie "Simple Men"set to the song "Kool Thing" by Sonic Youth.

Gordon Downie, Coke Machine Glow poems

c. Gordon Downie, 2001

Big Star..Ballad of El Goodo

Big Star playing "Ballad of El Goodo" live in Missouri…in 1993 (shoutout to all my '93 dawgs ). In this performance, the band members are dressed very 'Elliott Smith-normal' (hoodies, jeans…) compared to their seventies swagger as seen in my previous post. They're still talented musicians though, which is what should matter, really..

photos of big star// back of a car

By doing a Google Images™ search of the band Big Star, I've concluded that they had some pretty cool styles "going ahn" (forgive me). Blue velvet suit jackets and embroidered flowery leather bombers may not be entirely practical for 25 degree plus weather, but they're something to keep in mind for next season. Something else to keep in mind is growing out your hair for when that time comes to wear this dream jacket...because having a bodacious 'do can never hurt.

The Replacements// Anywhere's Better Than Here

I wish the Replacements were on tour this summer...ahh seeing them would be so fun. Their expansive, quasi-stadium rock riffs make me want to raise hell like it's the freakin' eighties!! Look out!

The Replacements in the Mainroom, photo by Dan Corrigan.

The Smashing Pumpkins// Quiet (live)

R u ready?!?? Are you ready to ROCK? Last night I watched this Smashing Pumpkins videotape I found for free on someone's front lawn and it's a gem. Lots of 'psychedelic' lights and video effects. And band members acting in really weird comedic skits between songs!

Gettin' pumped// April music

Get your weekend started right!! This eclectic mix of music will get your energy up after studying for exams and working on final projects all week. Who would have thought "Give It Away" would sound so right paired with "Hollaback Girl"? Trust me. It's pretty fun.

Red Hot Chili Peppers// Under the Bridge

I bet you all didn't know that the video for the best Red Hot Chilli Peppers song "Under the Bridge" was directed by Gus Van Sant... And what's supposed to be "the city of angels" is actually Portland. I learned this from a tweet from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Sooo I guess what I've been meaning to say is: thanks for the tweet guys!

The Sundays// Can't Be Sure

A hazy jangle pop song by the Sundays that sounds perfect during a sunny day...or even a gray weekend. Suddenly, against all odds, you'll find that you just can't stop yourself from smiling!! Believe me, it happened.

Though I can't be sure what I want anymore, it will come to me later...

wabi-sabi

It's the very beginning of Spring! Here is a video I made in a design class as an attempt to change a perspective on this incredibly drawn out transition season.

Wabi-sabi from Eva Link on Vimeo.

Utica Cartoon (2001)

Kind of an "effed up" cartoon. Utica Cartoon aired on Cartoon Network and is a good example of cartoon writers being subversive with their humour and writing in jokes that go right over the kids' heads and shout out to the parents/adults watching. Johnny Bravo was good for that too: case in point, it's still funny.
Warning (*alert alert*): if you weren't hungry for a hot dog before, you will be if you choose to watch this cartoon. Either that or you'll be entirely grossed out by the thought of a weiner in a bun and impulsively throw away all the hot dogs in your fridge. What was especially memorable for me about this cartoon was the music in it. The end theme (@ 7 minutes)with a rockin' organ part should be resurrected as a full song with lyrics.

Dog Day// Oh Dead Life

Dog Day are a band from Halifax. This is a video for their nearly perfect song 'Oh Dead Life'. Dog Day, if you're reading this, please come to Toronto.

I'm in command of my own fate

Henri Fantin-Latour// still lives

You may recognize Henri Fantin-Latour's flourish for painting florals from New Order's Power, Corruption, Lies album cover, designed by Peter Saville. The details in the flowers and fruit are so subtle and delicate. 'Sumptuous'would be a fantastic word to describe his painting style. The fresh fruits and flowers seem distinctively "un-winter"; it's quite refreshing to rest my eyes on something with life and colour.

Flores de Verão e Frutos (1866)

The Betrothal Still Life (1869) oil on canvas

Another new year// January music