tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71630790313116620162024-03-05T15:13:50.943-08:00THESNEAKYSPOONLuci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.comBlogger143125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-8298821103182517572016-05-31T21:05:00.001-07:002016-05-31T21:05:28.257-07:00Faves | Porches + Frankie Cosmos + Bombino<i>I've taken to listening to a lot of stuff on <a href="https://soundcloud.com/lucizzle" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a> and <a href="https://bandcamp.com/lucizzle" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> as both are really great spots for finding new shit that I might have otherwise overlooked. </i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>Honestly, I feel like a tool for not sharing these guys sooner - I logged into my <a href="http://www.last.fm/user/lucindyation" target="_blank">last.fm account</a> and these were the three music making entities that I had listened to most over the last year and I haven't mentioned them here anywhere! Apolojeez!</i><br />
<br />
<div style="float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0px 0px;">
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1225027598/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=f171a2/minimal=true/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 250px; width: 250px;"><a href="http://porchesmusic.bandcamp.com/album/pool">Pool by Porches</a></iframe><br /></div>
<h3>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">Porches • Pool</span></u></h3>
<b><a href="https://porchesmusic.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> | <a href="https://soundcloud.com/porchesmusic" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/porcheshiii/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></b><br />
Porches is a band out of New York lead by front man Aaron Maine. I've been into their music since <i>Slow Dance in the Cosmos</i> but the release of <i>Pool </i>really solidified my adoration for their music. It's moody dark danceable synthpop that most mornings I sing along to in the shower.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0px 0px;">
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2152703168/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=f171a2/minimal=true/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 250px; width: 250px;"><a href="http://ingridsuperstar.bandcamp.com/album/next-thing">Next Thing by Frankie Cosmos</a></iframe><br /></div>
<h3>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">Frankie Cosmos • Next Thing</span></u></h3>
<b><a href="http://frankiecosmosband.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="https://ingridsuperstar.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a><span id="goog_661279208"></span><span id="goog_661279209"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FrankieCosmos/?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a></b><br />
Frankie Cosmos is also straight out of New York City and began as a solo project for one Greta Kline (her bandcamp goes way back to 2009 - when she was only 15) and is now a fully fledged band. I love the simplicity and honesty of Frankie cosmos - there are wonderful sweet songs about missing her dead dog, to feeling inadequate, relationship breakdowns, and all the other mundane miracles that make up being alive. <i>Next Thing</i> is really great. Listen to it eh!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0px 0px;">
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Aalbum%3A4wqCFcOyC4lWUnJjz9Qc6e" width="250"></iframe><br /></div>
<h3>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">Bombino • Azel</span></u></h3>
<b><a href="http://www.bombinomusic.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bombino.official" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/BombinoOfficial" target="_blank">Youtube</a></b><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/martynpepperell" target="_blank">Martyn Pepperell</a> got me into Bombino after tweeting that the new album was being produced by Dave Longreth of Dirty Projectors (one of my favourite bands).<br /><br />
Omar "Bombino" Moctar is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuareg_people" target="_blank">Tuareg</a> musician who hails from Niger and makes a version of desert rock that he referred to as "tuareggae" - while reggae is not my bag, this music definitely is. It's such a beautiful soulful album with such incredible musicianship. Their voices give me chills. I've totally converted my workmate Kat and the two of us have listened to <i>Azel </i>countless times over the last few months.<br />
<br />Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-91697071907608736802016-02-25T13:04:00.000-08:002016-02-25T13:06:01.138-08:00'Manta Ray' by J.Ralph featuring Anohni (fka Antony)<iframe align="centre" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="370" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f1JiJhWkM9M?rel=0&showinfo=0" width="660"></iframe><br />
<br />
When I first heard the album "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wr89BPcSU4" target="_blank">I Am A Bird Now</a>" by Anthony and the Johnsons, I felt like someone had reached deep inside me to the part of me that is weary and tear-stained, and lifted its face to the sky and shown me that I'm not alone in my sorrow - the mournfulness, hope, and vulnerability embodied in the music was so very necessary for me to connect to a part of myself that most of the time I would rather pretend didn't exist.<br />
<br />
This new song<i> Manta Ray </i>was written for a documentary called "<a href="http://racingextinction.com/" target="_blank">Racing Extinction</a>" with the composer J.Ralph and it's very beautiful and bright and sad. The song has been nominated for Best Original Song at this year's Academy Award which is totally deserved and really cool - what's not cool is that Anohni wasn't invited to perform at the Awards Ceremony.<br />
<br />
Like, REALLY NOT COOL GUYS. One of the things I had always liked about the Oscars was that all of the nominees for Best Original Song would perform over the course of the night - a nice break from Billy Crystal lollygagging about, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHLmlPMq3yY" target="_blank">a chance for gems like this to occur</a>.<br />
<br />
Well, not this year. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_774535664"></span>I recommend reading this piece<span id="goog_774535665"></span></a> that Anohni wrote about her decision not to attend this year's Oscars. Made me sad and furious.Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-85420898098517403792016-01-28T13:35:00.002-08:002016-01-28T13:36:24.600-08:00Week in Tunes | Chairlift, Florist<i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 23.76px;">I've taken to listening to a lot of stuff on <a href="https://soundcloud.com/lucizzle" style="color: #990000; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a> and <a href="https://bandcamp.com/lucizzle" style="color: #990000; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> as both are really great spots for finding new shit that I might have otherwise overlooked. Here's some great stuff I've been into this week.</i><br />
<br />
<div style="float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0px 0px;">
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Aalbum%3A4j7QJ7DKZ0cBsNuD7GmJFx" width="300"></iframe><br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">Chairlift • Moth</span></u></h3>
<b><a href="https://soundcloud.com/chairlift" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chairlift/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://chairlifted.com/" target="_blank">Website</a></b><br />
<br />
<b>Chairlift</b> are an American outfit (originally from Colorado but New York based now) who have been together since 2006. They make some pretty choice dancey "avant-pop" music that I've been listening to a lot this past fortnight.<br />
<br />
<i>Moth</i> on the whole is well worth a listen - you may have already heard the lead single 'Ch-Ching' but I highly recommend 'Moth to the Flame' as the best track on the album. It's my number one jam at the moment.<br />
<br />
Other boss as fuck tracks include:<br />
- 'Polymorphing'<br />
- 'Crying in Public'<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0px 0px;">
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2795425460/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=2ebd35/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 450px; width: 300px;"><a href="http://florist.bandcamp.com/album/the-birds-outside-sang">The Birds Outside Sang by Florist</a></iframe></div>
<h3>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">Florist • The Birds Outside Sang</span></u></h3>
<b><a href="http://florist.life/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/floristband/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://florist.bandcamp.com/album/the-birds-outside-sang" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a></b><br />
<br />
<b>Florist</b> is Emily Sprague and chums and they're also from NY, but originally from the Catskill Mountains which is what their first EP is kind of about.<br />
<br />
<i>The Birds Outside Sang</i> is a really lovely tender album - reminds me lots of Frankie Cosmos sonically but lyrically has the same poignant awareness of mortality you might find Sufjan's <i>Carrie and Lowell</i> or some of the tracks on <i>Oh, Inverted World </i>by The Shins.<br />
<br />
Bandcamp did a really neat interview/profile of the band and the how the album came about (short answer: Sprague got fucked up after being hit by a truck and made the album while recovering) - <a href="http://blog.bandcamp.com/2016/01/26/florists-beautiful-help-me-sound/" target="_blank">check it out if you've got a few minutes</a>.<br />
<br />
> <a href="http://hypem.com/premiere/florist" target="_blank">Hypemachine has the whole album up for streaming here</a>.Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-17915974673286970982016-01-13T18:35:00.002-08:002016-01-13T18:35:55.713-08:00Week in Tunes | Wafia + She-Devils + Cameron Avery<i>I've taken to listening to a lot of stuff on <a href="https://soundcloud.com/lucizzle" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a> and <a href="https://bandcamp.com/lucizzle" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> as both are really great spots for finding new shit that I might have otherwise overlooked. Here's some great stuff I've been into this week.</i><br />
<br />
<div style="float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0px 0px;">
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1787821430/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=e99708/minimal=true/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 250px; width: 250px;"><a href="http://wafia.bandcamp.com/album/xxix-ep-2">XXIX - EP by Wafia</a></iframe><br /></div>
<h3>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">Wafia • XXIX EP</span></u></h3>
<b><a href="https://soundcloud.com/wafia" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a> | <a href="https://wafia.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WafiaMusic" target="_blank">Facebook</a></b><br />
Wafia is based in Brisbane, Australia and makes mellow melancholy jams. I heard <i>Heartburn</i> and just couldn't stop listening to it. Slick production and a sentiment I feel uncomfortably familiar with.<br />
<br />
<b>Bonus:</b> there's also a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdZd5FQ5etA" target="_blank">great video</a> of her performing it live with Ta-Ku which is worth checking out. I also recommend the cover of <i><a href="https://soundcloud.com/mrsuicidesheep/wafia-let-me-love-you-prod-thrupence" target="_blank">Let Me Love You</a> (</i>originally by Mario).<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0px 0px;">
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=4291133431/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/minimal=true/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 250px; width: 250px;"><a href="http://she-devilsinc.bandcamp.com/album/she-devils-ep">She-Devils EP by She-Devils</a></iframe><br /></div>
<h3>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">She-Devils • S/T EP</span></u></h3>
<b><a href="https://soundcloud.com/she-devils" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a> | <a href="https://she-devilsinc.bandcamp.com/releases" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a><span id="goog_661279208"></span><span id="goog_661279209"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shedevils666" target="_blank">Facebook</a></b><br />
She-Devils are a duo, Audrey Ann and Kyle Jukka, out of Montreal Canada and their sound has a real 60's hazy surf throwback vibe while still being fresh and lush. Super chill, makes me want to get high and lie in some grass squinting at clouds.<br />
<br />
Basically, the whole EP is the perfect soundtrack to listen to while dreamily plot the capture of your latest obsessive crush.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0px 0px;">
<iframe frameborder="no" height="250" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/236488801&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="250px"></iframe><br /></div>
<h3>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">Cameron Avery • We're Just Making It Worse</span></u></h3>
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/shedevils666https://www.facebook.com/CameronAveryMusic?_rdr=p" target="_blank">Facebook</a> (doesn't seem to have much else online!)</b><br />
Cameron Avery is an Australian bloke who used to front a band called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1rSu3dQz-Y" target="_blank">The Growl</a> and currently plays bass for Tame Impala. He's had his fingers in many musical pies to say the least.<br />
<br />
That his previous band was called The Growl is kinda telling - guy has a beautiful throaty expressive voice, and paired with the vocal sweetness of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AlexandraSavior/" target="_blank">Alexandra Savior</a> this track is such a longingly chic duet that I've kept coming back to it.Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-74831903908207487872015-11-25T20:10:00.002-08:002016-01-13T18:36:23.310-08:00Cry Guy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWZmKJ4Nvvh-GsFLN5JlxKwpQyU0yTwPH-HIkdugA2MHaU4cGcdJGcs0333ndOwjot-IAydZWCMhTfhuSb5waEbB6Gdo2kDzOw6AC1g3kEN9as110ZG8c46pBtz4kw08gZVEk3u_7Klfm/s1600/CryGuy-CMYK.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWZmKJ4Nvvh-GsFLN5JlxKwpQyU0yTwPH-HIkdugA2MHaU4cGcdJGcs0333ndOwjot-IAydZWCMhTfhuSb5waEbB6Gdo2kDzOw6AC1g3kEN9as110ZG8c46pBtz4kw08gZVEk3u_7Klfm/s640/CryGuy-CMYK.png" width="640" /></a>I have had a really challenging year. Like, next level difficult across the board. I've been struggling with changes and relationships at work, I've had some really intense personal relationship upsets, and a month ago my father died in a car accident. 2015 can suck a bag of dicks.<br />
<br />
For all of the above reasons, I am about to go on break from work for the next six weeks. This will be the longest holiday that I've taken in 8 years. One of the reasons that I decided to take this big break is because my creative juices have receded deep within me to an almost California drought-esque level and I'd be doing a disservice to my employers and to myself if I kept coming in to stare at the screen and scroll through the internet numbly rather than produce anything of value. I'm going to take care of myself, take care of my house, and probably cry a lot in the sunshine as I rip out weeds.<br />
<br />
When I do manage to get drawing, I inevitably make the kind of work that isn't quite right for promoting fun student events but feels good for me. At least with this one the colours are fun?Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-25698088206185518222015-09-07T18:41:00.002-07:002015-09-07T18:41:38.726-07:00Cool peeps: Sea WolfI stumbled across the song<i> Young Bodies</i> by <a href="http://seawolfmusic.com/" target="_blank">Sea Wolf</a> one day listening to a spotify track radio station and was instantly hooked.<br />
<br />I've listened to it repeatedly, to the point where it would be apt to say 'ad nauseum' only I'm not even close to being sick of it. The album that it lives on, <i>Song Spells, No.1: Cedarsmoke,</i> is beautiful and haunting and wistful. Give it a listen eh?<br />
<br />
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=4035629219/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=63b2cc/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 1086px; width: 650px;"><a href="http://seawolfmusic.bandcamp.com/album/song-spells-no-1-cedarsmoke">Song Spells, No. 1: Cedarsmoke by Sea Wolf</a></iframe>Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-63306158951185971562015-08-03T18:50:00.000-07:002015-08-03T18:50:15.498-07:00Cool Peeps: Jotaká<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/2255c528419195.55bf8ac3492b5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from 'La Siesta' - <a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/28419195/La-siesta" target="_blank">more on Behance</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />Jotaká is an illustrator from Spain who does lovely graphic work that is quite sweet - I was really taken with his personal project 'La Siesta' which is about the importance of hugs. Bless.<br /><br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.jotakaillustration.com/" target="_blank">WEBSITE</a> | <a href="https://www.behance.net/jotakaillustration" target="_blank">BEHANCE</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jotakaillustration1?ref=tn_tnmn" target="_blank">FACEBOOK</a> | <a href="https://instagram.com/jotakaillustration/" target="_blank">INSTAGRAM</a> | <a href="https://www.etsy.com/nz/shop/Jotaka?ref=l2-shopheader-name#" target="_blank">ETSY</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/57c80428419195.55bf8ac33e004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/57c80428419195.55bf8ac33e004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">from 'La Siesta' - </span><a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/28419195/La-siesta" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;" target="_blank">more on Behance</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-14220310735313658362015-02-08T13:01:00.001-08:002015-02-08T13:05:34.760-08:00Tomemitsu / High Maintenance<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/45631589&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
It's been a while since I posted a thing. Sorry about that. Hope you didn't miss my very sporadic posts too much! (Hilariously, my New Year's resolution was to be resolutely less apologetic about my life choices. Whoops!)<br />
<br />
I've had this beautiful tune by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/tomemitsu/371079802902073" target="_blank">Tomemitsu</a> called 'In Dreams' wafting through my brainbox and haunting my vascular muscle pumping place ever since I first heard it in the closing credits of an episode of "<a href="http://vimeo.com/90011431" target="_blank">High Maintenance</a>". It's just mournful and lovely and resonates with me in a deep and true way. Or something. I listened to the closing credits a few times and then speedily went to bandcamp and bought the album. I'd <b>highly</b> recommend giving it a listen up above (pun only somewhat intended).<br />
<br />
Speaking of High recommendations, "<a href="http://vimeo.com/highmaintenance" target="_blank">High Maintenance</a>" is a brilliant show that <i><a href="http://www.critic.co.nz/" target="_blank">Critic</a> </i>design whizz kid Sam Clark sent my way. Excellent funny/poignant little vignettes of people with the commonality through them all being a dude who sells weed for a living.<br />
<br />
The episode below is the one that features 'In Dreams' in the closing credits. Treat yourself.<br />
<br />
<iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/90011431?color=cf6b6f&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="695" height="391" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/90011431">High Maintenance // Rachel</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/highmaintenance">Janky Clown Productions</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-62564120405627043742014-05-08T15:12:00.000-07:002014-05-08T15:26:36.035-07:00Cool Peeps: Sharon Van EttenThere are two ladies that I discovered while working at Marbecks - one of them (Jessica Lea Mayfield) I have <a href="http://thesneakyspoon.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/music-recommendations.html" target="_blank">already talked about on this blog</a>, but the other I have not. I shall dance about this subject no more! Her name is <a href="http://sharonvanetten.com/" target="_blank">Sharon Van Etten</a> and she released an album called <i>Tramp </i>which is <b>to this day</b> one of my favourite albums of all time. It is mournful and heart-rending and beautiful. You can listen to it as it was recorded on Spotify or buy the damn thing (worth it), but I've put together a playlist on youtube which has all the tracks from <i>Tramp</i> on it with an emphasis on good live recordings of the different tracks - there is also the demo version of <i>Serpents</i> which was used in an episode of <i>The Walking Dead</i>. Great stuff! Listen!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLbFVF6ZBM7INf0MNQ8YA7XzGUK1fA7bVo" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
Anywho, what sparked this off was that I awoke the other morning to an email from a musical physicist friend of mine (the wonderful Mr Barker) linking to a webpage with the lead single and a date for Sharon's forthcoming album <i>Are We There </i>- the new single is called <i>Taking Chances</i> and I wanted to share the slightly creeptastic video for it.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/80-_CpH07QQ?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
SO EXCITED FOR THIS ALBUM YOU GUYS! x<br />
<br />
<b><u>Bonus link for the enthused</u></b>: <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2014/04/video-sharon-van-etten-performs-in-her-apartment.html" target="_blank">The New Yorker</a> did a lovely little video of Sharon hanging out at home playing one of the tracks from<i> Are We There</i> called <i>I Love You But I'm Lost</i> and she talks a bit about making music and what it means to her, and flicks through some records at a local store, and generally you get a little insight into her life as a person. Pretty neat. I recommend clicking through!!Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-29816994141838065152013-09-29T21:07:00.000-07:002013-09-29T21:07:02.756-07:00Not dead, not for saleTeam! Hi!<br />
<br />
Sorry for being so neglectful, my only excuse is that I've had a lot of work on, and whenever I find myself in front of a computer in my spare time I want to either a) <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/lucindamcc/gonnagetmarried/" target="_blank">look at wedding stuff</a>, or b) play <a href="http://oce.leagueoflegends.com/en" target="_blank">league of legends</a>. Also netball. Netball is taking up a fair bit of my "not-at-work" time.<br />
<br />
I think given that I now spend 40 hours a week looking at a computer and thinking about design, my motivation to post about my own work has been flagging. So I'm not going to beat myself up about that - if I want to post about my biz then I shall, but otherwise I'm going to use the blog when I feel like I've got something cool to share, or a rant that has bubbled its way to the top of my brain.<br />
<br />
Sound good? Good. xLuci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-71069758267023835952013-05-06T22:03:00.001-07:002013-05-07T15:33:55.786-07:00Cool Peeps: AJ Fosik<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://static.wix.com/media/765d6e_7f8dec184334899f4a0c759f394a7aed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://static.wix.com/media/765d6e_7f8dec184334899f4a0c759f394a7aed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://static.wix.com/media/765d6e_7a96ac9ca17fb187f5c58b5e5e509545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://static.wix.com/media/765d6e_7a96ac9ca17fb187f5c58b5e5e509545.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://static.wix.com/media/765d6e_ff634d23fb522a7b613aea2ba23c0e6c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://static.wix.com/media/765d6e_ff634d23fb522a7b613aea2ba23c0e6c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://static.wix.com/media/765d6e_5b03fc2c736e15a8c1213f4010ecb447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://static.wix.com/media/765d6e_5b03fc2c736e15a8c1213f4010ecb447.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://static.wix.com/media/765d6e_e45d022cf4670c0be97c16bd2fab6d4f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://static.wix.com/media/765d6e_e45d022cf4670c0be97c16bd2fab6d4f.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.ajfosik.com/" target="_blank">AJ Fosik</a> is a total freaking bad-ass. I found him during my sculpture module that year I thought I'd be an Art School kid and I've been jealously checking in on his work ever since. The guy has SKILLS - he did a some brilliant artwork for the most recent <a href="http://www.mastodonrocks.com/" target="_blank">Mastodon </a>album (a video of him making it can be seen below!), and his sculpture is honestly just the bees knees. It creeps me out in the best possible way.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hwgqenxNUfs" width="640"></iframe><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/AJ-Fosik/199907496688412?fref=ts" target="_blank">his facebook page</a></i> |<i> <a href="http://www.ajfosik.com/" target="_blank">his website</a></i></div>
Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-61749728363920272852013-03-29T00:03:00.002-07:002014-11-12T19:53:33.623-08:00Cool Peeps: Vivian MaierI have always wished that I had the courage to be a street photographer but the fear of rejection, of having people angry at me for not seeking their permission - I haven't the kind of bold devil-may-care attitude of some, or the unstoppable force of curiosity, the compulsion to take photos, that other street photographers have.<br />
<br />
Vivian Maier is the shit. She is amazing. Long story short, a whole bunch of her negatives (like, 100,00 of them - mostly undeveloped) were sold at auction in 2007 to a chap - he developed and printed her photos and was astonished at the results. Hundreds of beautiful images of people living in (mainly) the '50's and 60's.<br />
<br />
Here are some of my favourites - click them to get glorious larger images :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/travels_1/4036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/travels_1/4036.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a><a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/chicago/56-655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/chicago/56-655.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/chicago/57-198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/chicago/57-198.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/unknown/2646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/unknown/2646.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/travels_1/60-106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/travels_1/60-106.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a><a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/unknown/3618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/unknown/3618.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/travels_1/4044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/travels_1/4044.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/chicago/2257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/chicago/2257.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/travels_1/4044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/new-york-1/55-140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/new-york-1/55-140.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a><a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/unknown/3382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/unknown/3382.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/self-portraits/55-90_feb_1955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/self-portraits/55-90_feb_1955.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/chicago/56-588.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vivianmaier.com/media/gallery/chicago/56-588.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
images taken from: http://www.vivianmaier.com/portfolios/new-york1/ - I love her sneaky self portrait on the bottom left, so sly!<br />
<br />
<b>BONUS</b>: There is a doco coming out about her work/life/discovery called<i> Finding Vivian Maier</i> and the preview for it looks amazing. I can't wait.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/2o2nBhQ67Zc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
<br />Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-16024275115063641782013-03-25T16:01:00.000-07:002013-03-25T16:01:15.457-07:00Music RecommendationsI just realised that even though I worked in a music store for three years, I never really put any music recommendations up on the blog! Well, that's about to end. I'll try not to overload the blog with tunes, but that said, here are three albums that I have been playing an awful lot of lately.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Jessica Lea Mayfield - Tell Me</b></div>
<span style="text-align: start;">I freaking love this album. I love the moodiness, the loneliness, the angst - I always have loved angsty music and while Jessica has a bit of a country feel to her, her voice is so beautiful, lyrics so good, that I don't mind. (Kinds like Justin Townes Earle - more bluesy perhaps?). Excellent alternative folk-rock. Well worth a listen.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: start;"><br />
</span><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:album:61X8msx06YFzh8cKZosD5X" width="300"></iframe><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan</b></div>
<div>
These guys are nutso geniuses. I love how catchy and quirky their music is. This is hands-down one of my favourite albums to listen to at the moment. It makes me really happy.<br />
<br />
If you've got time to sit down and watch a 20 minute long short-film, you should check out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vncbG-QJlng" target="_blank">Hi-Custodian: a conceptual film by David Longstreth</a> (the main dude from Dirty Projectors) using the music from Swing Lo Magellan featuring the band which is just as strange, dystopian, and beautiful as one would expect. Recommended SO HARD!<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Bonus: check out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytIfSuy_mOA" target="_blank">Amber from Dirty Projectors in her collab with Major Lazer, "Get Free"</a> - it's so, so good.</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:album:31hI5dQfm3EiNfzEPeny5k" width="300"></iframe><br />
<br />
<b>Foals - Holy Fire</b><br />
I am a long-standing fan of Foals: I enjoyed <i>Antidotes</i>, and thought <i>Total Life Forever</i> was the bees knees - one of those albums you can't help but play over and over again. I think Holy Fire might be my favourite of the bunch though - it has a sophistication and polish that is so nice to listen to. <br />
<br />
I make few excuses for my earlier life as an angsty teen who loved Bush, Incubus, A Perfect Circle, Deftones etc yet I feel like even young (semi-tasteless) Lucinda would have approved of Foals' new album as much as current Lucinda does. So moody, so dark, so good.</div>
<div>
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:album:0PIR7PK8DMB4pgoxq7F9Ad" width="300"></iframe></div>
Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-16899077978348981982013-03-14T21:38:00.000-07:002013-03-14T21:38:21.209-07:00Finally, a "Real Job"!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
That's right friends, I am no longer a retail wench. It was sad to leave Marbecks after three years and I'll miss the peeps I worked with but for the past three weeks I have been ensconced behind a desk getting to grips with the behemoth that is the Otago University Students' Association. My new co-workers have been lovely, and none of them judged me when I was introduced to beer pong on the last day of my first week and got quite drunk. It was Emersons Pilsner! And I am competitive as all hell so losing a game just makes me want to win it all the more... <br />
<br />
It is so good being challenged on a daily basis. I know I complained about how much I wanted a challenging job while I was at Marbecks and, well, you get what you wish for right? REAL JOBS ARE HARD. Man, but they are so satisfying! My brain has been pulled and stretched like taffy over the last three weeks, and thankfully it hasn't fallen apart yet.<br />
<br />
There are some pretty exciting projects coming up in the next month - the annual Capping Show which this year is themed around the Wizard of Oz, and the Battle of the Bands being the two massive ones. I've been spending a fair chunk of time on designing stuff for the Uni Games which are being hosted here in Dunedin in April. So much!<br />
<br />
Here are a few wee things I've done this month <i>and</i> a taster of the Battle of the Bands artwork! Ooo!<br />
<br />
x<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6YARnMucQM84mx3sgnYHNzrSLdTFexveK4ufG9JJPDobrumaaDYaz6Z41AtEalxtPu9C5pYE5Z1K5SfC1avj2sTuIjUQykd_YZ9vw8he1rIUIF92RQLdeCR263iiCkKR7s3k6LgxFO9V/s1600/SOULStenancy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6YARnMucQM84mx3sgnYHNzrSLdTFexveK4ufG9JJPDobrumaaDYaz6Z41AtEalxtPu9C5pYE5Z1K5SfC1avj2sTuIjUQykd_YZ9vw8he1rIUIF92RQLdeCR263iiCkKR7s3k6LgxFO9V/s320/SOULStenancy.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDuBiJR5m5_qvqGsHDq90D6SdICOPx7RwLVDvJSBNKi8YaiCGqCF3k382JHvrj03xifF3919PSRBM2mKDJB0IRvlwFhAx6F5YIlH4J0-E7JJvr7JEB0099LjBckn8tx0GXdQ3Wm6A-rQt/s1600/SexualHealthWeek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDuBiJR5m5_qvqGsHDq90D6SdICOPx7RwLVDvJSBNKi8YaiCGqCF3k382JHvrj03xifF3919PSRBM2mKDJB0IRvlwFhAx6F5YIlH4J0-E7JJvr7JEB0099LjBckn8tx0GXdQ3Wm6A-rQt/s320/SexualHealthWeek.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJnUiiUGF2ms0AOyp7taKJdvdT0jNboqFK9yq4bzZzn_CXRnCBbOi8TNIt1k2CbcOirnRhRg2mm7rjhxfHs5dB47x5pm4ZOMubNDhv8o13x5dOHXc_wlT4iVOOTsHLwkosTfYe5qrmhWi/s1600/SSC_Review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJnUiiUGF2ms0AOyp7taKJdvdT0jNboqFK9yq4bzZzn_CXRnCBbOi8TNIt1k2CbcOirnRhRg2mm7rjhxfHs5dB47x5pm4ZOMubNDhv8o13x5dOHXc_wlT4iVOOTsHLwkosTfYe5qrmhWi/s320/SSC_Review.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMUmHgZ849bx67KLchIqe5s2yNDH-6zvuj9gUNS-MkxUYew2dUuWvwV9espaFVfFQjyw3hOwl-LNmxYJOA9A2keh_uxOIMiZ_OvqQOHJK0rc71pMbeFGKoCmsqJoQJFIocDEPJkbpYgahK/s1600/BOTBpreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMUmHgZ849bx67KLchIqe5s2yNDH-6zvuj9gUNS-MkxUYew2dUuWvwV9espaFVfFQjyw3hOwl-LNmxYJOA9A2keh_uxOIMiZ_OvqQOHJK0rc71pMbeFGKoCmsqJoQJFIocDEPJkbpYgahK/s640/BOTBpreview.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-28211580866170490002013-02-17T19:26:00.000-08:002013-02-17T19:30:09.681-08:00Matt Langley @ Puppies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv45Sfsy0dtpvkJmxKIi13M_QvwjfzlhaouQlAZUepHz8kPqUlc-86F9JqVo9hP61iuYjNuXrCzA0vAXglzMGayP4tFgl5qypJ1IV28lpOx5jH4J3Bq5ghrnNyRQloYYsO4968a_h9D22Q/s1600/mattlangley.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv45Sfsy0dtpvkJmxKIi13M_QvwjfzlhaouQlAZUepHz8kPqUlc-86F9JqVo9hP61iuYjNuXrCzA0vAXglzMGayP4tFgl5qypJ1IV28lpOx5jH4J3Bq5ghrnNyRQloYYsO4968a_h9D22Q/s1600/mattlangley.jpg" width="600" /></a> <br />
The lovely Mr <a href="http://mattlangley.co.nz/">Matt Langley</a> asked me to make this poster for him. Such a treat! If you're in Wellington, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/385758724856193/">head along</a> - it should be a fun show to see Matt perform with a band for once!Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-12446962007024880822013-01-28T20:39:00.001-08:002013-01-28T20:41:18.742-08:00Getting amped about Amped. Heh.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAE0oHCwqDYac4o-diAZshGUNNqeZfa7WWqm63ZN31UXlFqfwkn2YYUGIoZcDqLAG5CjNJg4Gxpv6vVufWk8b5o0RDuzS3ukmHVt0szJDI5Q6sJJj_hK2KtFx8DbsKCI0SefXk_knpN44t/s1600/AMPED_colour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAE0oHCwqDYac4o-diAZshGUNNqeZfa7WWqm63ZN31UXlFqfwkn2YYUGIoZcDqLAG5CjNJg4Gxpv6vVufWk8b5o0RDuzS3ukmHVt0szJDI5Q6sJJj_hK2KtFx8DbsKCI0SefXk_knpN44t/s640/AMPED_colour.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
This has to be one of the projects I am proudest of from last year - making a logo for <a href="http://ampedmusicproject.weebly.com/blog.html" target="_blank">Amped</a> (formerly known as the Chick's Project). <br />
<br />
Amped is one of the raddest things in Dunedin providing music mentoring for high school kids, and setting up booze free shows so that they can showcase their skills to their peers (and, to be honest, a lot of older folks like me who can't help but dig their music too).<br />
<br />
If you want to download (for free) some sweet tunes made by some hip young things, you can do so <a href="http://ampedmusicproject.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-61673605649773620092013-01-28T18:31:00.000-08:002013-01-28T18:31:20.632-08:00Paquin 2012 Tour Poster<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj681QQGxTYIhpr_im8ZmNJ6Sx8HE7nVTg86VneesekHrkMLRaB8NXBxU3qQMlM4BPULGQjC5WBmr-ABdNg3KbmCSn4oES7h3YV-zG83K-DmszeGefH4pwz1QAD3aBVJutDdLA2bYUUFTS/s1600/PAQUINTOUR_A3colour_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj681QQGxTYIhpr_im8ZmNJ6Sx8HE7nVTg86VneesekHrkMLRaB8NXBxU3qQMlM4BPULGQjC5WBmr-ABdNg3KbmCSn4oES7h3YV-zG83K-DmszeGefH4pwz1QAD3aBVJutDdLA2bYUUFTS/s1600/PAQUINTOUR_A3colour_web.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
<br />
Woohoo! What a fun time I had (until I smoked too many cigarettes and made myself seriously ill... never again folks) listening to bands and socializing! Dunedin in December is wonderful if only for the fact that the weather is good, the couches are unburnt, and people who normally live in warmer climes return to have family time.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Prophet-Hens/158149474294565" target="_blank">The Prophet Hens</a> were great, <a href="http://malesmalesmales.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Males</a> were excellent, and <a href="http://paquin.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Paquin</a> were fantastic. So good to see bands I had (shamefully) never seen before, and at the same time get to hang out with old friends again. <3 br=""></3>Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-25305263371892472182013-01-22T20:11:00.001-08:002013-01-28T18:08:56.854-08:00Hey Friends! It appears to be 2013!Sorry Mayan apocalypse theory lovers, guess you'll have to get out of your bunkers and on with your lives. I am quite happy about it not being the end of the world but it does mean that I really ought to get onto planning both a bathroom renovation and a wedding. Gah! I am a terrible procrastinator and both of these tasks are not the kind of thing you want to leave to chance. Better get onto it eh.<br />
<br />
One of the good things about the world not ending in mid-December was that I got to celebrate NYE/my birthday with a bunch of chums. The wonderful Dr. Salis hosted a shin-dig for me at her house complete with a sheet fort in the backyard, temporary tattoos, punch, party hats, delicious snacks, a cake-like thing of deliciousness, pass the parcel, watching the Octagon fireworks from the backyard at midnight, AND a piñata. I tell you, that lady knows how to throw a party. <br />
<br />
There are a bunch of things that I have done in the last year that I have that I never posted about - some logos, a couple of posters, and a wedding invite that just went to the printers last week! I will throw some of them up onto this bloggity-blog-blog laters. Promise.<br />
<br />
Speaking of things that I have done recently, I painted a room in our house <i>and</i> made a roman blind for the window! Making the roman blind was simultaneously easy and hard - hard because it has been such a long time since I sewed anything that simply pinning two squarish pieces of fabric together and then sewing in a straight line on three sides was a challenge that I was not really up to. Moral of the story is that I need to sew more.<br />
<br />
I think the room looks much better now than it did before, but I'll let you guys be the judge using these amazing photos I took before and afterwards.<br />
<br />
<b>Before: </b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6p82gJ7hXnrxoB17F87Fk7RktMpUPrVP9tVOcLbrxKsFWagHUJ9dF736xX0Ex1DMx5l84ER1-ygkvzRes-TL0nZPPdjQJcRQmq8JYWGBnWnLCY7n_DPlom_oVayfOChnepZ649NABqfpO/s1600/before1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6p82gJ7hXnrxoB17F87Fk7RktMpUPrVP9tVOcLbrxKsFWagHUJ9dF736xX0Ex1DMx5l84ER1-ygkvzRes-TL0nZPPdjQJcRQmq8JYWGBnWnLCY7n_DPlom_oVayfOChnepZ649NABqfpO/s640/before1.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkXkmYxFeou933hHkx0cSDTiTqT-HiMkqTbeplJadfIRZcF-jJHLY4wX58zct-P7hTEZSqjHwN5RP3hmS1lg1NunUIykKRIH_rvcxw70kWmMqYEUGP0iAxI9pqAKEXU_NwNvlQ0FAjSS9/s1600/before2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkXkmYxFeou933hHkx0cSDTiTqT-HiMkqTbeplJadfIRZcF-jJHLY4wX58zct-P7hTEZSqjHwN5RP3hmS1lg1NunUIykKRIH_rvcxw70kWmMqYEUGP0iAxI9pqAKEXU_NwNvlQ0FAjSS9/s640/before2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b>After:</b><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLc-Jfl0jvf1QOhOjad1yG0666KXUx226w9oNGisMNR7bd86EOocE7fAJVL1A5ZHeNmeuV7xXp1A6KVK35tkYfJafhsg59-D2MLB15tEzT6peNnLrGTly2aeDzc_4jpmmuAlE2aZbI-_VB/s1600/after1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLc-Jfl0jvf1QOhOjad1yG0666KXUx226w9oNGisMNR7bd86EOocE7fAJVL1A5ZHeNmeuV7xXp1A6KVK35tkYfJafhsg59-D2MLB15tEzT6peNnLrGTly2aeDzc_4jpmmuAlE2aZbI-_VB/s640/after1.jpg" width="640" /></a><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EfIsXzIwKxs3YNdGEbX0sp6oFeHVrVMpjf93q2y8OigL879X84Jq0ecirmY-px1X2qyC9-fqDhtF-_-E_M-lfqrer9JH2h1iIX_HL2KMPIeVo4cjCryzaQcILWccbqxm3qZa1Mdhb2Be/s640/after2.jpg" width="640" /><br />
<br />
Better no? Please forgive the scruffy door - all the doors in our house are equally scruffy, so at least we're co-ordinating well right?<br />
<br />
So now we just need to:<br />
- plan a bathroom renovation (purchase all the guff, hire the trades-peeps, get accustomed to hose showers)<br />- repaint the ex-lounge (now dining room) and buy a dining table<i> that we both like</i>...<br />- move the pantry to the alcove by the pantry<br />- move the laundry into the pantry<br />- put down new floor in pantry/kitchen/laundry (NO MORE CARPET)<br />- add extra insulation under the house, extra lining to the curtains, and insulate the hot water tank <br />- build in bookcases in the living room on either side of the fire<br />- garden. Garden. GARDEN. GARRRGHGHGHDEN.<br />
Easy right? Piece of cake, get that lot finished this weekend no worries.<br /><br />
:-/Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-62664713560435596252012-11-18T02:33:00.001-08:002012-11-18T02:33:25.313-08:00WowI appear to have undergone one of those momentary lapses you hear people talking about where, for example, you get into your car and you start driving and then BOOM you're parked in front of your house and you've no idea how the hell you got there. I mean, sure, you can figure out that you must have driven but there's a gap in your memory and it's a touch concerning.<br />
<br />
That's how I feel about this year. It's middling along in August, then, completely unexpectedly, it's mid-November. Woof! How time flies when you're doing essentially the same stuff every day, every week. My netball skills have vastly improved this year, but concurrently my fingers have been brutalized. Thanks co-ed netball! I also write rhyming couplets in my head now to distract me from customers who make me annoyed. Here is an example:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
sorry but brooke fraser doesn't want your babies</blockquote>
<blockquote>
when you smile like that it looks like rabies </blockquote>
Anyway, I've made a bunch of stuff (better than my customer complaint couplets) that I intend to put on here soon. Just a note to say that I still exist! Heh.<br />
<br />
LLuci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-42271504044185072252012-08-19T04:55:00.002-07:002012-08-19T05:09:06.545-07:00Some posters!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2kMcoBk-b3CsToMw_2FicpyueU1q35L1vL-USikXwZegVELvj0EKBUFohyE_siw3AbJUQWqWGofTKCR_EZJNjEqpXitl6hE_luOJjmoEyrGBLpfMYoKzaZsu2CR8Fh0z6-4rEIeBYmcQ/s905/DB_070912_PRINT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2kMcoBk-b3CsToMw_2FicpyueU1q35L1vL-USikXwZegVELvj0EKBUFohyE_siw3AbJUQWqWGofTKCR_EZJNjEqpXitl6hE_luOJjmoEyrGBLpfMYoKzaZsu2CR8Fh0z6-4rEIeBYmcQ/s905/DB_070912_PRINT.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcel5c5ZdDCc0Xiz7mgyPVr-Wpv34H5-05QCWrWNpVTQzjpDDPOTlcvDxy-u7ZGFTrdgjyri0_HWspLbBamG_6sYpycd-fgTdrOUhnfzuugiZNxcYh5l8asg-XOZWIK3YwxcbMdo2pUGn/s905/150812Refuel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcel5c5ZdDCc0Xiz7mgyPVr-Wpv34H5-05QCWrWNpVTQzjpDDPOTlcvDxy-u7ZGFTrdgjyri0_HWspLbBamG_6sYpycd-fgTdrOUhnfzuugiZNxcYh5l8asg-XOZWIK3YwxcbMdo2pUGn/s905/150812Refuel.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I love having friends in bands who contact me and say "any chance you want to whip me up a poster asap?" For the record, the answer will almost always be yes.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dictaphone-Blues/191415510888687" target="_blank">Dictaphone Blues</a> | <a href="http://pooryoupoorme.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Poor You Poor Me</a> | <a href="http://paquin.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Paquin</a> | <a href="http://grasscannons.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Grass Cannons</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/themaybepileband" target="_blank">The Maybe Pile</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/TheFuKing/timeline" target="_blank">The Fu King</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/strangandthestrange" target="_blank">Strang and the Strange</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-46881588977549913122012-06-22T18:13:00.000-07:002012-06-22T18:13:42.840-07:00Queerest Wine and Cheese Evening Poster<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5040/7417967388_822b45854f_h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5040/7417967388_822b45854f_h.jpg" width="454" /></a></div>
As the designer for OUSA is away on holiday at the moment, I've been doing some bits and bobs for them. This was heaps of fun to make. Such a cheesy couple right? Heh.Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-35829817416383129232012-06-21T21:08:00.000-07:002012-06-21T21:08:10.236-07:00Pecha Kucha for Puaka Matariki Poster<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7255/7417966472_96ffb3499f_h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7255/7417966472_96ffb3499f_h.jpg" width="454" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Oh yup, I made this too!</span></div>Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-16949399583062406832012-06-21T20:51:00.000-07:002012-06-21T20:51:14.147-07:00Dunedin Midwinter Carnival poster - processI got asked to make the poster for this year's <a href="http://www.midwintercarnival.co.nz/" target="_blank">Dunedin Midwinter Carnival</a>. It's a great event that I've been going to for years to enjoy the festive atmosphere, great lanterns, talented performers, and (above all else) the faces of adorable awestruck kids. I was pretty chuffed to get the chance to contribute to it.<br />
<br />
I started off with a concept of a kid exhaling a big cloud of breath - luckily the festival director was down with that so I started off sketching it out a couple of times before moving onto the computer and drawing it up, then refining it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7130/7417778014_029a05d5a1_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7130/7417778014_029a05d5a1_b.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="281" /></a><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7113/7417779498_0ec601b22b_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7113/7417779498_0ec601b22b_b.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white;">We decided the kid looked a bit frumpy in their baggy old sweatpants and sweatshirt, so I gave them a makeover making the kid look a bit sleeker and more cosmopolitan. Bam.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7267/7417777578_0b45628314_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7267/7417777578_0b45628314_b.jpg" width="283" /></a><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7251/7417775156_03fc0cb80b_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7251/7417775156_03fc0cb80b_c.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br />The next part was deciding whether or not to include Jack Frost in the breath cloud or not. The festival director really wanted me to put Jack in (as the carnival's theme this year is "A Frosty Night" and the two main stilt walkers are going to be Jack Frost and the Snow Queen) so I drew up a couple of options. There was a fair bit of to and fro on this part.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5231/7417776296_21a84bebf9_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5231/7417776296_21a84bebf9_c.jpg" width="281" /></a><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5450/7417777308_0fb8db97ba_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5450/7417777308_0fb8db97ba_c.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br />In the end though, they decided to go with my original concept of the kid on their own. I didn't have to think too hard about font choices as they'd asked me to use the display font that has been used for all their promotional material for the past few years, and I decided on Gotham Rounded for the other text as it's a nice family friendly kind of face. So yeah! That's how the final poster came into existence - I also made a poster for the lantern making workshops which I've popped in for you to have a look at too.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8001/7417788540_ed03fb3cde_h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8001/7417788540_ed03fb3cde_h.jpg" width="283" /></a><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7417774336_a8bb5a5bf7_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7417774336_a8bb5a5bf7_b.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br />If you're in Dunedin, this is on tomorrow night! Good fun times.</span>Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-67632441240836267102012-05-17T23:02:00.000-07:002012-05-17T23:07:07.365-07:00The Eversons - Summer Feeling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://sounzgood.co.nz/Assets/CSS/SiteImages/eversons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://sounzgood.co.nz/Assets/CSS/SiteImages/eversons.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In case you haven't already heard of this band of dudes, let me introduce you to <a href="http://theeversons.lilchiefrecords.com/" target="_blank">The Eversons</a>. Four guys based in Wellington making sweet indie pop together - I recognised Mark from his old band Little Pictures who have played here in Dunedin at (the now defunct) Arc with Blink's (now defunct) Low Hum Tours years ago, and also played at the first couple of CALH where I recall they did a sweet, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL7ocxzuvVU" target="_blank">sweet cover</a> of <i>Buddy Holly</i> by Weezer.<br />
<br />
In any case, I fucking love their album. It's like it was written for people in their late 20s with B.A.s living in New Zealand. It's like they have been facebook stalking my wall for the past four years. It's like they <i>know me</i> maaaaaan. From insecurities about the best part of our lives being over, to never finding that special someone to settle down with, to the constant feeling that everything cool is happening someplace outside of NZ (damn you Melbourne), to the realisation that perhaps that B.A. in Design and Theatre Studies wasn't the best thing I could have done with my life... these guys nail each and every topic with witty lyrics and catchy melodies.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One of my favourite songs from the album is Creepy. In my early twenties, this could have been a song about my obsessive crushes. Here is a video of The Eversons performing <i>Creepy </i>at the BFM sessions for your viewing pleasure.<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/fb7Stnq2AKE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>- You can stream or buy the whole of Summer Feeling online <a href="http://theeversons.lilchiefrecords.com/album/summer-feeling" target="_blank">here</a>. It's a steal, it's a deal!</i></div>Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163079031311662016.post-59083943211017353112012-03-25T20:47:00.002-07:002012-03-25T20:51:27.426-07:00Griping about album packaging designWorking in a music store, I see all kinds of album packaging coming through - from insane amounts of packaging with specially embossed slipcases, through to single cardboard sleeves. In the past few years my ideas about what constitutes good album packaging have crystallised from just knowing what I liked aesthetically, to knowing what WORKS.<br />
<br />
Firstly, there are some conventions of packaging an album that I don't think should be broken for numerous reasons, mainly to do with the ability for a store to sell the album well. Sure, we can have the argument that most bands no longer rely on record stores as the main means of selling their music, but if a musician is planning on selling any of their albums in a store, here are some things to consider:<br />
<br />
<b>The shape of your packaging:</b> if your CD case can't fit into the store's display shelves/racks/bins, then most likely your case will end up in some dusty corner, badly displayed. It astonishes me that so many artists don't see the logic of making their packaging fit within industry standard guidelines.<b> </b><b><br /></b><br />
<b>The visibility of your spine:</b> sure if you've got a best-selling CD your case is going to be front and centre face out prominently on display, but even the most popular CD is eventually relegated to the bins. This means that your best bet of having someone pull your music out of the masses of other music is to make the spine wide enough to be seen AND to put your name and the title of your CD on the spine. Simple right? The best way a band can avoid this issue, is to make sure that they never release their music in a single pocket cardboard sleeve. Those suckers never have a visible spine and they look like shit. Fact.<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Get a Barcode or a CAT number:</b> again, this is simple stuff - if you can't be arsed registering your album for a barcode, get a catalogue number (either from the company distributing your music, or if you're distributing it yourself, just make something up) and place it on both the album and the disc itself. "Oh but Luci!" I hear you cry, "We're self-published! Why would we need a catalogue number?" Well dear reader, it's because a lot of record stores separate the disc from the case - if the disc and the case have a catalogue number, it makes it easy to be sure you are putting the right disc in the right case. This is especially important if either the disc or the case doesn't have your band name and your album title on it. <br />
<ul>
</ul>
Which brings me to my next point.<br />
<br />
Unless you are mega-super-famous, don't be a tosser; <b>put your name and your album title on the cover</b>. It doesn't have to scream your name, it just has to whisper it at the very least. If that's too cliché for you, at the very least, sticker your cases so that the information is there when it's being displayed.<br />
<br />
Finally, and this is one I'm a bit more forgiving about, <b>seriously consider whether you go cardboard over plastic cases</b>. I know plastic cases are worse for the environment and also cost a bit more, but cardboard cases fall apart really easily and they don't protect your music half as well especially if you've got a set-up where the discs need to be pushed and pulled in and out of a tight wee pouch without the protection of a paper sleeve. Think about how vinyl is packaged - LPs are usually put into a paper slip before they're slammed into the cardboard sleeves. <b>Protection first</b>! A nice solution to look into is the digipak format: having a cardboard outer with a glued in plastic CD tray (like <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDNCT-iO18KZ0r6v_ZQ_yWsSsIzQqlPq6LnbdwhJ7n1fivD0I-mhqGBTkYlyXnIFNtRZTbDqyaVVpBO_4FoIrgQ9hK_gu_-dSW-HELktNL4SFGXv8mRjlw_tZH6pZWUFWdAopEFpdFE1b/s400/DIGIPAK+01.jpg" target="_blank">this one</a>,<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgexGwvdnqOIpY8Rx76tzZ8p9dVtMbqm6VUNi0tvW_KJdiQZHcZNKnSIYXOQfdKYYp_OjGEkRap4BEqFLqbEyrdeg62uACYsbDAyKzsqAq9IIV95n1zstnRC3Fy_18TFhcFwzJwnEGefA/s1600/digipakkruis.jpg" target="_blank">this one</a>, or even <a href="http://images1.hellotrade.com/data2/KM/PB/HELLOTD-1383319/paperfoam-digipak-250x250.jpg" target="_blank">this one</a>).<br />
<br />
Also, if you are getting cardboard sleeves printed for your album,<b> talk to the printers about the kind of card stock they recommend you use</b>. If you print on certain stocks, when folding and scoring the card into your case, the card will crack and tear the printed image. Printers know which stocks hold up to being brutally folded and scored and are more than happy to share their knowledge. Ask them!<br />
<br />
It pays to remember that with the advent of digitized music downloads, if someone is wanting to buy a physical copy of your music, they probably are buying it for the aesthetic delights the packaging holds/nostalgia and ergo they will want it to last - both the physical packaging and the disc itself.<br />
<br />
That's about it - what do you think? Do you disagree with me? Or are there other things that bug you about music packaging?Luci Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778180381408689969noreply@blogger.com2