Been having another one of those weeks-long stretches where energy, inspiration, and confidence is just drained right out of my soul. You can ruin a battery by running it too low, and I need to be careful about scraping all the way down to the lead. Again.

In times like these, it’s good to look up and take comfort in just how insignificant it all is anyway…no matter what anybody says. We are all truly nobody—together—and for some weird reason, that makes me feel a whole helluva lot better.

Mrs. Hateball sent me this amazing photo taken to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory’s launch. It reminds me of what the stained-glass windows in the church of Total War must look like as some alien and unknowable sun rises. Doot.

X-ray fireworks
This image of the debris of an exploded star – known as supernova remnant 1E 0102.2-7219, or “E0102″ for short – features data from NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory. E0102 is located about 190,000 light-years away in the Small Magellanic Cloud, one of the nearest galaxies to the Milky Way. The image was released July 23 to mark the 10th anniversary of Chandra’s launch.

I’m not sure how often most fans think to frequent  Yahoo! Sports for their sport news updates, but they actually have some of the best sports blogs on the web. Greg Wyshynski’s Puck Daddy (Yahoo’s resident NHL blog) is probably my favorite sports blog on the web actually. It’s always informative, witty and reports on the sport and it’s players from a multitude of interesting angles.

I came upon a post today Where Greg spoke with Klaus Stadler who runs the NHL Patches website. For those unfamiliar with such nerdy obsessions as sports jerseys, NHL teams tend to wear Patches on the upper chest or shoulder area of their jerseys to commemorate various events, milestones, players or owners/executives.

Being a huge hockey and vintage sports design fan I totally geeked out over this site! So many great and random team patches. I wonder if there’s a database of sports pins out there somewhere as well?

Also since I’m on the subject of sports and Hockey, I also came across this great interview today with Mike Heika, Bob Sturm and Greg Wyshynski on how new media, blogging, twitter, etc, etc is changing the face of Sports journalism. Read part one and part two.

Bears playing hockey? It’s like it was meant for Mishka.

Black Pyramid – Black Pyramid (2009) [Electric Earth Records] // Grade: C+

I never listened to Artemus Pyledriver or Palace in Thunderland, the two bands who since their demise, went on to form Black Pyramid.  But their demo and 7″ were both good enough to have me eagerly awaiting this, their debut album. I was a little disappointed to hear that a lot of the songs on the demo and 7″ were repeated on Black Pyramid. It’s not that the songs are horrible on the 7″ and demo, it’s just that they left off the best track from the 7″; “Caravan”! If you’re going to put songs on an LP from a 7″, at least put them all on it.

That being said, this album has potential but something about it just doesn’t play well. I’ve still yet to decide whether or not it’s me holding every Doom/Stoner-ish album up to the standards of Cathedral, Electric Wizard, Sleep and Saint Vitus. In fact, Black Pyramid almost sounds like some intermediary period between Sleep and High on Fire. It’s too heavy to be so melodic, or too melodic to be so heavy. One of the two. Either or, it’s just uninspiring as a whole.

The most interesting tracks on the album has to be “The Worm Ouroboros” followed immediately by “The Cauldron Born”. They’re the only tracks that have me convinced that the band has a lot of talent, but just needs some better direction. It’s sad, because every review I’ve read says that this band, along with Elder is “saving doom metal”. Really? Maybe if you hook them up with Steve Albini something solid would arise from this crumbling Black Pyramid.

I’m doing a  shoot with Ariel tomorrow that im styling with my friend Kerin’s accessory line A-Morir.  We are going to have such a fun day. Ariel has learned all these new make up tricks and Kerin’s sunglasses are amazing.

When I usually shoot my nude models I just find a fun location and a pick out outfits that the girls bring with them.  It is hard to have concepts when you’re doing your shoots on a budget.  But when Kerin asked me if I was down to shoot with her stuff, I jumped at the offer.  A hot naked girl with big bedazzeled sunglasses, feather necklaces and fringed gloves, YES PLEASE!!!

I’ll share shots with you next week, but check out this very sexy pic of Ariel (above) in the mean time. The NSFW image after the Jump
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Study For “A Moral Society” from russel fong on Vimeo.

Anyone who’s lived in Williamsburg for at least 6 months is probably familiar with Laurence LaDouceur, or just as “you know… that crazy guy” like most people refer to him. Laurence spends a fair amount of time at the cross-section of Bedford and North 7th shouting about the ills of our society at indifferent cops, astonished tourists and snickering hipsters.

Laurence also happens to be our neighbor, living directly across the street from our 350 Broadway shop at the Glenwood Hostel. We’ve often commented on how normal he seems as he strolls back to his home away from his Bedford Ave. soap box. We’re still waiting for the eventuality of having Laurence wander across the street into our shop… someday soon I hope!

Russel Fong sat down with Laurence for this short study about him and his life. Laurence is not surprisingly a Vietnam vet who while lucid is clearly suffering from some form of psychosis. Aside from an interesting look into his life and his motivations, Study For “A Moral Society” also shows a rare glimpse inside the creepy and oddly Magenta and Sea-Foam colored Glenwood Hostel. This includes a tour Laurence’s room or rather hovel as he explains the difference and power behind his glass and quartz crystal collection.

I’m not sure how much anyone outside of Williamsburg will appreciate this but I was pretty stoked to discover this short documentary.

The Fiery Furnaces – I’m Going Away (2009) [Thrill Jockey] // Grade: C

CAVEAT: I really dislike the Fiery Furnaces. Sorry. I understand why people love them: the retro-weirdo, quirky-bluesy, irreverent down-home sound collage thing that defines American indie music from 2004 on. It’s just that everything about them is so precious and self-consciously different, I’m instinctively nauseated 10 seconds in. Music made for music writing, you know? An entire band born to be described by adjectives like “rollicking” and “bombastic” (both of which, let’s be serious, I’ve probably used, so no dig intended).

Let’s just say this about I’m Going Away: I hate it the least of anything The Fiery Furnaces have done. It’s as subtle as they’re likely to get, focused almost obsessively on the bare minutiae of sound and structure. The most captivating melodies (see: “Drive To Dallas” and a shockingly honest “Lost At Sea”) develop rather than explode confetti-like into a tangle of disparate influences. It’s a nuanced accessibility that may alienate some die-hards but is ultimately the freshest thing they’ve ever attempted. Restraint: they use it.

Still, a quarter of the album leans on the quirk crutch, especially closing track “Take Me Round Again”, a cultural clusterfuck of popular music from the past 50 years (at least). So The Fiery Furnaces aren’t totally out of the red, but I didn’t automatically cringe. That’s something, right?

Above is the first trailer for the new Coen Brothers film A Serious Man.

A black comedy set in 1967 and centered on on Larry Gopnik (Stuhlbarg), a Midwestern professor who watches his life unravel when his wife prepares to leave him because his inept brother (Kind) won’t move out of the house.

I’ve been on the Coen Brothers’ jock since I was kid and saw Raising Arizona – which to me is still one of the funniest movies ever. I’m also a big fan of Ethan Coen’s short stories and poetry. Their last outing, Burn After Reading, was as dark and hilarious as the Coens have ever been, so I’m pretty amped for this one. The trailer itself is amazing…when is the last time you saw a trailer timed to the beat of a man getting his head smashed against a wall? Look for this one in October – a limited release, of course. Because only people in LA and NYC like real movies.

Wu-Tang Clan – Careful (Click Click)

RZA feat Method Man & Cappadonna – Wu Wear the Garment Renassiance

Wu-Tang Clan feat. Issac Hayes – I Can’t Go to Sleep

Ghostface Killah feat. Jadakiss – Run

Cappadonna – The Annointing (Slang Editorial pt. 2)

Pitchfork has just posted a short interview of one of my favorite new bands, Wavves by one of my favorite people, Damian of Fucked Up.

During the whole interview I secretly and selfishly kept hoping Nathan would turn to Damian and say “Hey I have that same hat in a different color!” Anytime you need a new hat Nathan, hit us up! I’ll trade one for one of these nifty Wavves T-shirts.