Memento Mori

I was inspired to put together this small mix by one of my favorite Nina Cassian poems.

Evolution

Today a grandly furious storm
hurled a pile of mussels at my feet,
reminding me of the first creation.
O sea, that element in which I was born.

Cradle of life, long convoy
of sea anemones, reptiles
and scaly monsters, winding toward us
imprisoned in our sweet and fragile forms…

I came from the sea and to the sea
I would return, to be immersed in her story,
ever lost and everlasting.
Black mussels on the sore: memento mori.

Jane Vain & The Dark Matter are rapidly becoming one of my top picks for the year. They are currently on tour in their native Canada, so if you are ever so lucky to see them live, please do! And if you didn't already know, their fellow countrywoman, Melissa Auf Der Maur is hard at work on her new album which from I gather on her blog (the woman is also fond of lightning-- love her!), is going to be very dark and mysterious. The New Cassettes are a group of newcomers who are currently unsigned at the moment but I’m betting their indie rock tunes translate really well in a live arena. I'm capping it off with some Audrey Hepburn a la Breakfast at Tiffanys. Holly Golightly, I always try to start my morning with coffee and window shopping too.

Melissa Auf Der Maur- Followed the Waves

(Buy Auf der Maur)

New Cassettes- I Built The Ark
(visit the band's myspace)

Jane Vain & The Dark Matter- Ships
(Buy Love Is Where The Smoke Is)

Badly Drawn Boy- River, Sea, Ocean
(Buy About A Boy OST)

(Rent the movie!)

Audrey Hepburn- Moon River

(Buy Breakfast at Tiffany's OST)

(Rent the movie!)

Two things

I'm going to take a little break from posting before the super duper exciting Interpol/Cat Power concert this Friday at MSG.

So getting on with it,

1) Erykah Badu is slated to release her new album "The Kabah" on October 23rd, but I haven't heard a peep about the new record. There doesn't appear to be any press on it, and a single hasn't been released. What does this mean?!? I could really use some new Baduizms.

2) Melissa Auf der Maur has been hinting about the release of her second solo record, "Out Of Our Minds" aka OOOM on her blog for some time now (make sure you turn off the creepy sounds streaming on the site). It's going to be a multi-media venture with a companion film and comic book. The website for the album is up, but there's not much content so far-- just teasers, and no release date is set. The new sound and the new look is kind of eerie and creepy, but I love how she's open-minded and unafraid of experimentation. Read about her new album in her interview with Billboard here.

Be back soon.