Adventures in good design, good eats, and everything else.

Photo via Chen Kuei Bao

Lost loves, too much love, and not enough.

Wild Beasts – Lion’s Share

There’s not much more I can say about Wild Beasts that I haven’t said already. Lion’s Share begins and I can’t help but imagine the curtains rising to begin a glam rock musical. Hayden Thorpe’s delivery is as smooth and evocative as ever—swooping and enunciating with great effect—in telling the gender-ambiguous and possibly morbid story of a greedy lover.

Joanna Newsom – Does Not Suffice

The process of leaving an ex-love has never been told with such poignancy as in this song. First, we have Joanna‘s lyrical genius striking up some amazingly sad imagery (..and everywhere I tried to love you is yours again and only yours–damn, girl) and then there’s the beautiful instrumental denouement beginning at the 5-minute mark, ending on a note of uncertainty. Not to get overly cheesy but if this was made into a music video, I always imagine that 5-minute mark as the slow motion closing of the front door.

The Antlers – I Don’t Want Love

I’m glad The Antlers decided to do more songs in this vein. I feel like it was such a rare thing to get Peter Silberman’s voice without any distortion on their earlier albums. On Burst Apart it’s allowed more freedom, resulting in some really powerful moments and one of the best albums of the year so far.

Love Inks – Skeleton Key

Featured on Stereogum, this track by Love Inks lurked patiently in my hard drive for weeks until it finally was clawed up by iTunes on random and got my attention. I’m really enjoying the minimal arrangement and Sherry LeBlanc’s voice, which reminds me of a softer Karen O.

If you’re not sure where the Alexander McQueen exhibit is amongst the winding galleries of the Met, just look for the line. A thirty minute wait was the precursor to a beautifully presented collection of the late designer’s work. The exhibit definitely lived up to its title with sets perfectly complimenting all things sinister, lurid, and haunting in McQueen’s work. Black walls, aged mirrors, a soundtrack featuring a woman moaning. It was delightful in such a dark way.

Highlights: Pieces from The Girl Who Lived In The Tree, Sarabande, and especially The Widows of Culloden were really just too amazing for words. Don’t miss the Philip Treacy headdresses in all sorts of flavors—wire, coral, feather, and Chinese garden—as well as the wood and leather butterfly harness tucked away in the corner of the accessory portion. Almost every mannequin was outfitted by Guido Palau with a custom mask and are amazing works on their own.

Wind machines, mini holograms, two-way mirrors, blood masks, a TV on the ceiling… shit got crazy. In short, you need to see this exhibit. More photos to come!