Monday Musique: Arctic Monkeys

What better way to start the week off than with the a little ponce and circumstance from the Arctic Monkeys latest single "Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair" (Domino). Gone is the slick and panache of their previous efforts. Enter grimy guitars, swirly 60s psychedelia and all that youthful swagger we love so much. The album, awkwardly titled Suck It and See, will drop in June.

The Snow and the Shore

There are certain inter-web secrets that I like to keep to myself. But every once in a while, I'll get the urge to let one slip in order to share some well-curated wealth. Today, it's the photography of Michael Kenna, whose ghostly images of Japan are nothing short of breathtaking. What makes this series so striking is that you can almost feel the crunch of snow under your boots and the foggy mist on your skin as you get lost in each photograph. Ditch your compass, clear your afternoon and check out his entirely amazing collection here.

[via ISO50]

The Fizz

For the past 125 years, Coca Cola has baffled us all with fizzy nostalgia, mysterious secret recipes (the inventor was a morphine junkie!) and some of the most unforgettable advertising campaigns in recent history. Warhol popped it. Mean Joe Green got soft. Henry Miller couldn't live without it. And, thankfully, the Mexican stuff is still the best on earth. It's bottled pop-culture that never goes out of style. Get the new book here and enjoy a cold one for yourself this afternoon. I know I will be (maybe with a little rum).

[images via T Magazine and Just Be]

Skulls and Superheroes

I recently stumbled across these illustrations from Liverpool-based Boneface, and they simply must be shared. Bloody, gristly, dark, cool and comical, these are pieces worth repeated visits (and maybe a studio mural). One part Stan Lee, one part Lichtenstein, a splash of British punk, and a couple dashes of Ruscha...this is the darker side of pop culture that we all love. I mean, c'mon, who doesn't like to see that sappy Dick Grayson get knocked around a bit? Check out all of Boneface's work here.

[via Fox is Black]

Farm to Fantasy

There are few places that spark the majesty and wonder of dropping your paycheck on a chair or lamp like Amsterdam-based Moooi. If you have yet to be introduced to these quirky masterminds of high-end whimsy, consider this one of your more lucky afternoons. Whether it's a horse lamp, a chess table or simply a chair that provides the "strange sensation of sitting on burnt furniture," the fairy-tale absurdity of Moooi's studio provides a refreshing shock to the often absurd boundaries we give ourselves and our creativity. And with design rock stars like Studio Job, Maarten Baas and Marcel Wanders at the reigns, you'll be able to name drop to your hearts content...all while you explain the timeless appeal of the pig table in your living room.

Fantastic Five

I've been meaning to banter on Fantastic Man's blog for some time now, but haven't quite found the right content to get my blood bubbling (think too many gladiator sandals and other questionable European accoutrements). The concept is simple: five items added for every day of the work week. Simple, stylish, effective, and rather addictive. Last week they absolutely nailed it with five "miscellaneous" items that every gentleman (and Gentlewoman) should consider for the summer. Whether it's the in-the-know Porter rucksack, the long-forgotten Mr. Goodbar or the understated magic of Dunhill's blue welt (above),  this weekly collection of images should provide you plenty of sun-kissed inspirations for time-wasting, candy cravings and the welcome ditching of your summer tote.

Monday Musique: Fleet Foxes

I've recently been working on a music story for a particularly stylish food magazine and I've decided to dedicate Monday's posts to the songs that I've been grooving on as of late. (I mean, let's start the week off right...right?) And what better way to kick things off than Fleet Foxes? The latest record, Helplessness Blues (out May 3rd), is far long overdue, but it couldn't be more timely. Sure, it's a sound laced with flannel dreams a wintry harmonies, but this video for "Grown Ocean" surpasses our petty seasons with dreamy layers that soundtrack walks through either woods or sand. This is art for short attention spans and long summer road trips. Enjoy.


Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean from Fleet Foxes on Vimeo.