Music for Lovers: Remember the Time

More Egypt-obsessing from us here at Listopad...this time it's a '90s take on the classics: gold jewelry, white tunics and jesus sandals--truly the best elements for a carefree summer wardrobe.

Music for Lovers: Egyptian Lovers, that is.

I don't want to pollute this post with distracting words, since the style really speaks for itself. Of note: rings and huge pendants, just like our very own Emily. Can't get enough? Check it.

Music for Lovers: Psychic

Weirdo video, weirdo wigs, weirdo dancing, but killer song. Telepathe's awkwardness goes unmatched. Great example of lo-fi hipster dressing: layers of vintage tees, plaid, grandpa v-necks and stripes.

Music for Lovers: Slow Summer

Inspired to be inspired by Pandahead, here's what's at the top of my mind (and Alex Wang's) for Summer '09 :



- Mesh
- Deep V
- Roots
- Red lips & nails
- Latin America
- Minis

Music for Lovers: Tight Bros From Way Back When

Yes



and Yes

But really because of this.

Music for Lovers: Fever Dreams

Listopad's love for all things Scandinavian is no secret, but Swedish band The Knife holds a special place in our hearts for their glorious imagery. The female half of the band is releasing a solo effort under the moniker Fever Ray and we are digging the suburban-tribal-warrior-lost-in-the-wilderness vibe that permeates both of her recent videos. Our inspired finds are piling up so get ready to check out the many bright tribal knits and desert-colored tunics we will be showcasing for the summer.

Just an Original Prototype

It all started when I found out that No Doubt would be making an appearance on the pilot episode of Lily, the Gossip Girl spinoff featuring Lily Van Der Woodson as a SoCal wild child circa 1980-whatever. Immediately, visions of sugarplums and bindi-bedecked, midriff-baring Gwen began to dance in my head, and I got a serious hankering to take a walk down memory lane, Tragic Kingdom style. It's now 2 AM and I am combing YouTube for the choicest cuts of decades-old No Doubt footage for your viewing pleasure.

Exhibit A: No Doubt's first-ever television appearance.



This is an awesome video because the band does this little intro-ditty and you start to wonder if the footage is so old that's it's pre-Gwen. But no - wait - here she comes, slinking onstage in what appears to be - oh my God, this is too amazing, I'm going to cry - pleated, wide-leg, mustard-yellow (slightly inverted?) overalls. You really should have seen my face at this moment - I am pretty sure that I did a Home-Alone-esque face-clap. RESIST THE TEMPTATION to not watch there entire video, because there's a little Q-and-A session at the very end that showcases Gwen's impossibly tiny and adorable speaking voice - plus you get a really good look at Tony's long, flowing hair.

Natch, our next selection is the 1992 video for "Trapped in a Box."



Here we see Gwen's affinity for all things plaid in its early stages.

OMG - upcoming is a true gem.



Gwen performing "Saw Red" with SUBLIME! My 12-year-old self is totally jizzing right now! This song appeared on an old Sublime album whose name I do not recall - which sucks, because I owned it. Nice center part and blunt cut, Gwen ... I think I might have to go back to that hairstyle.



This 1996 Access Hollywood interview confirms several things I have long suspected: Gwen has always been into fashion, she has always made her own clothes, and she has always been obsessed with Japan! Seriously - the best song on Love.Angel.Music.Baby is "Harajuku Girls," in which she (literally) sings the praises of Japanese style. (An excerpt: "Harajuku girls you got the wicked style/I like the way that you are, I am your biggest fan." The defense rests!)

Music for Lovers: "The Show Must Go On"

Ooo my lovely ladies and gentlemen. Do I have something good for you.

The Four Tops, like pretty much any band that was active in the late seventies, dabbled in disco. Some disco efforts were questionably successful; others, like the Four Tops, rode the disco pony like God invented it special just for them. (Which, let's be honest, he probably did.)



There's not much else I can say about this video other than to state the obvious, which is that it's fucking amazing. I was in a rather sleepy mood when I pulled this up, and the song's infectious, booty-swiveling beats literally injected funk into my veins. Need I point out the band's stellar, bedazzled suits?

Music for Lovers: It's a competitive world

So yes, they are my most fave band of all time, but even without such a bias one cannot deny the supreme stylishness of electro-pioneers. Check out the youngins before their power and glory:



and



Predicting and pre-dating Dior Homme, they really knew how to do it. Bring back the hair all you mens out there!

And also the new single will kick your ass, Trent Reznor.

Music For Lovers: Listopad Mix #5

A toast to the temperament of our dark and dramatic year. Many of these I culled from my main music blog, and all are favorites, old and new.

Download the mix here. (43:00)

Ceramic Hello "Dark Rain"
Jean-Michel Jarre "Arpegiator"
Starter "Is This Love"
Naked Lunch "La Femme"
Malaria! "You You"
Robert Plant "In The Mood"
Judie Tzuke "Stay With Me 'Til Dawn"
Sheena Easton "There When I Needed You"
Cristina "The Lie Of Love"
Maher Shalal Hash Baz "Chaldeans In The Ship"
Buffy Sainte-Marie "God Is Alive, Magic Is Afoot"
Cyrille Verdeaux and Bernard Xolotl "Future Seas"

Thank you to Malachi Ward for the nice purple city image.

Movies for Lovers

I recently saw My Cousin Vinny for the first time. Whoa! Sit down, guys. We have to talk about Marisa Tomei.



I know this pic is kind of questionable because you can't see her entire outfit, but you really don't need to. Generally, I am not a big fan of sheer/mesh stuff - but we've seen it done right, and this is one of those instances where it succeeds with flying colors. And what colors, indeed - it's the face-punch royal blue of this dress that makes it a Listopad fave. Add a couple of chunky silver chain-link bracelets and you have an ensemble fit for da club or da courtroom.



I imagine that in this still, Marisa is like, "Psst. My dress has geometric cutouts from neck to bellybutton, exposing skin in a characteristically artistic early-nineties way. In addition, my sunglasses and leather jackets are a testament the continuing influence of Blade Runner and my camera is large, pink, and analog. It's true - you're not worthy."



This picture exemplifies the accessorizing flair that made me bust a nut on a cloud and shout out loud. Can you spot it? Ok, that might be a trick question because it's technically not an accessory - it's the slim, bright blond streak above her left ear. Were the My Cousin Vinny costume designers madcap geniuses, or was this a trend at the time? If it wasn't before the movie, did it inspire legions of imitators? I am seriously going out to buy bleach, like, tomorrow. It's so Stacy London!

(Big fucking ups to flickr user hypostylin for having all the pictures necessary to make this post a visually informative one.)

Music for Lovers: Debbie Harry

Do you guys know about Debbie Harry’s first solo album, Koo Koo? If you didn't, that's ok, because from what I hear, the record didn't shake too many tailfeathers when it came out. Like ... everyone really hated it. It was a fervently anticipated collaboration between two mega-stars: Debbie Harry, then at the apex of Blondie fame, and Chic’s Nile Rodgers, who, despite the waning popularity of his band, was a storied and respected producer. Add to this mix, if you will, album art designed by visual mind-fucker H. R. Giger - the person responsible for any nightmare you've ever had about Alien - and you have a pretty batshit record on your hands. PS: It was 1981, and music was just like, “Whaaa?”



Seriously?

H. R. Giger directed Debbie in two videos: "Backfired" "Now I Know You Know." I couldn't decide which one to post - the videos are equally bizarre and the songs are equally ... um ... out of it? - so I am posting both! Yay!





Hmm, what fashion comments to make about these? I am sooo into the wig and printed bodysuit in "Now I Know You Know", but the cyborg headband and ballet-neck tank in "Backfired" are killer too! Above all, though, I loved the murky green-black palette that pervades throughout both videos - one that can also be seen in the diaphanous confection that Debbie sports in the video for "Heart of Glass."



You know we love neutrals here at Listopad, and this is inspiring me to further explore the greener, smokier end of the neutral spectrum - earth tones and what have you. Also, I'm pretty sure I want Debbie's haircut.

Music for Lovers: The Chain

Please don't dispute the relevance of Stevie Nicks in the fashion world. I am only going to refer to the 70s in this post, though her later sartorial choices through the decades continued to be unique and exciting--especially if you like crimped hair (don't hate on the '80s). Check out Dreams for more witchy-bohemian-hippy-circus traveller looks.

Music for Lovers

I was first introduced to Suzanne Ciani when our friend Ari showed me this record:


(via All Music for Soul.)

According to my friends, she was a master at the synthesizer, but I all I cared about was her swanlike dress and her baublicious earrings. So big!

As it turns out, she is an extremely talented musician - in addition to being one of those heavy-lidded seventies babes with an old-timey lilt to her speech.



Also, as Matrixsynth commenter Awakened Yeti notes, she looks "baked out of her gourd."

Music for Lovers: The Fabulous Stains

Let me preface this by saying I love women and I loved riot grrrl and I especially like Diane Lane--so it comes as no surprise that one of the best music films I've ever seen is "Ladies and Gentlemen...the Fabulous Stains."



The signature look in this film is black panties, see-through top and "skunk" hair, plus tons of red eyeshadow and punk attitude.

Music for Thinkers

I am being deviant (what else is new!) with today's Music for Lovers post. This is not actually a music video. It's a National Dairy Council-sponsored PSA from 1972 entitled "Why Doesn't Cathy Eat Breakfast?" Exciting, right?



I'm being completely serious - this video is fascinating and very bizarre. Try to ignore the paternal, omniscient narrator and focus on the immaculately preserved time capsule that is this short film. I still can't get over the decor of Cathy's bedroom (vaguely psychedelic), the length of her hair (astonishing), and the outfit that she ends up leaving the house in (acutely nerdy). If you prefer, ponder the question that the film poses. As the YouTube user who uploaded the film pithily observed, "it's a cross between a cereal commercial and Waiting for Godot."

Music for Lovers: Minnie Riperton

The baby's breath in her hair, the 70s goddess gowns, the layered necklaces, the unbeatable voice....it doesn't get much better than Minnie Riperton's style in the '70s. Also, loved her afro in Rotary Connection.

P.S. My favorite song

Music for Lovers

We've all heard the stories of Ike and Tina's relationship, so maybe "Music for Lovers" is not the best title for this post. But I don't want to say that this is Music for Haters, either. This is simply music for people who can appreciate hot pink minidress-clad backup singers, synchronized gyrations, legs that defy convention and explanation, and the unstoppable, earth-shaking vocal powerhouse that is Tina Turner.

Music for Lovers: Little Britain

Sure, Kate Bush is a little kooks, but that's why we love her. In "Cloudbusting" she manages to hit all my style points for this season: vintage denim, collared shirts buttoned up all the way, English knits and boots (this is what I am talking about). The sweet pointy shoulderpads are just the icing on this cake. It's the right kind of androgyny and pauper throwback that we need in these trying times.

Music for Lovers: One for the Boys

Bill Withers totally walks the line between Bill Cosby and Mr. Rogers. Turtlenecks, sweaters and cardigans are his signatures...and boy do we love them all.