Video: LORD KNOWS

Tim Lampe is a designer in Atlanta and writer for I'm A Bear! Etc and is currently focusing on the fact that it's Dum Dum Girls release day.

As you readers may know, I really like the Dum Dum Girls. Last year they released one of my favorite albums. Dee Dee went back in to the studio shortly after and recorded a few new tracks that didn't fit the themes on "Only in Dreams". She added two covers and another B-side and this week released the End of Daze EP. It's short, it's sweet and it's really really good. It's a great progress for Dee Dee and her Dum Dum Girls project and it only gets me more excited for further records from her. If you have Spotify or Rdio, check out End of Daze, or even purchase the EP on iTunes or in record stores. You'll be glad you did. Here is the video for the single off the EP titled "Lord Knows".

Video: BLACK BUZZ

Tim Lampe is a designer, writer, and explorer in Atlanta, GA who shares vibes with everyone on a daily basis.


This week's video is Lotus Plaza's "Black Buzz" and what a great video it is. As some folks may know, Lotus Plaza's "Spooky Action at a Distance" is my favorite record of the year so far and you may know Lockett Pundt better as the guitarist and sometimes vocalist from Atlanta-based Deerhunter. The video features a battered girl dealing with some rough stuff but eventually ends up in a breathtakingly shot sequence underwater. It goes perfectly with this slow-track that serves as the closer to Lotus Plaza's most recent album.

Home // Closet // Tool: DANIEL SCOGGINS (COUSIN DAN)

Daniel Scoggins is a very sexy musical performance artist/best friend known as "Cousin Dan". He has spent the past two years paving his way in the music scene, playing shows around the country and making ladies swoon. Dan has an unquenchable thirst for life, and he likes to spend his time shooting for the stars. (You might remember his name from this previous post/gif)



Home //
Music and art are very important aspects of my life and I feel like my home should be an environment set up to inspire and foster that creativity. On the right you are looking at my vintage Concert Hall record player, set in front of my disco-black guy-holy virgin Mary of Guadalupe fireplace shrine. On the left is a shot of my basement studio and the heads of some ex-concubines that didn't know how to make a good meatloaf.



Closet //
I got this shotgun for my 12th birthday. Growing up my Dad used to take me hunting where we shared some pretty quality father-son bonding time. It taught me a about life, death, and survival. Though now I just keep it around like a can of whoop ass that I'm ready to open up on some burglars. I think I'm going to convert it into a sawed off shotgun so I can be tough like that beautiful bastard Arnold Schwarzenegger in T-2 Judgment Day. (my Dad loves Arnold)



Tool //
This is my 1974 Gibson Midnight Special. I love how worn in this guitar is, my mind wanders thinking about where its been and who has played it. This guitar really inspires me to strive for greatness, it's almost like I have an obligation to be awesome and contribute to its story.



facebook page // tumblr // twitter


photos by jason travis

SEXY: A MIX

Tim Lampe is a designer and explorer in Atlanta, Georgia. You can find his work at timlampe.com and he writes occasionally at I’m A Bear! Etc. He wore sunscreen while writing his, but that’s not really important right now.

That’s right, it’s sexy week. After Ciara told me about who she was going to feature on this week’s Home // Closet // Tool, I insisted that I make a sexy playlist to along with this week and then the rest of Sexy Week came together. This playlist is fun. It has a few tracks that haven’t technically been released yet, a cover, a sing-out-loud track, beat-box drums and some Gayngs. There’s no other real intro to this mix except to just jump in and get inside this playlist. I hope you do enjoy.

♫ 8tracks

1. Baby // Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti
2. Wrong Feels Right // Dum Dum Girls
3. Nocturne // Wild Nothing
4. Odessa // Caribou
5. Somebody // Niki & The Dove
6. Stay Don’t Go // Spoon
7. Trick Pony // Charlotte Gainsbourg
8. Like the Ocean, Like the Innocent Pt. 1: The Innocent // The Besnard Lakes
9. Beast of Love // Cloud Control
10. The Last Prom on Earth // Gayngs

SEXY & INDIEROCK

Tim Lampe is a designer and explorer in Atlanta. His work can be found and timlampe.com and he occasionally writes at I’m A Bear! Etc. He is also Glass and Sable’s Chief Counselor of Sexy but that’s title only, no raise, he is assured.

We’re knee deep in Sexy week, and as a contributor to Glass & Sable this week, I’m taking it very seriously. The next segment is your dish on this summer’s hot cast. They’re so hot right now they’re literally on fire. It’s broken down into 5 guys and 5 ladies that you may or may not be familiar with, but this isn’t a focus on looks. All these folks have some real talent that’s not to be overlooked. Here we go:



It’s a no brainer, but the brains behind Dum Dum Girls is the first on my list. Last year she released her first full-band record “Only In Dreams” and is about to release a follow-up EP titled “End of Daze”. She’s also smitten with husband Brandon Welchez of Crocodiles. Make sure to bring extra ice to your Dum Dum Girls cocktail party because it’s going to be hot out there.



Not content with just having released Strange Mercy last year, she’s following it up with her long-awaited collaboration with David Byrne, silver-fox of Talking Heads fame. Her guitar work is on fire, she’s crowd surfing at her own shows. Annie Clark is so hot this summer you’re probably going to have to wear shades while listening to St. Vincent.



Jenn has been cracking out albums as part of Wye Oak but her focus this year has switched to a new side projet called Flock of Dimes. A little more electronic, a little more dancing, and a lot more fun. Her and Andy Stack seem to have found a way to expand Wye Oak’s sound on an new single for Adult Swim’s Summer Singles. Slap on some sunscreen and cue up some jams from Jenn Wasner.



Not the most summer-like music, but regardless Sharon Van Etten is having one hell of a summer promoting her most recent release. She’ll be taking her emotional baggage on the road with the likes of Damien Jurado and Crooked Fingers. Grab a slush puppy and crank up some Sharon Van Etten.



Beach House have found a way to make a record that is even better than 2009’s “Teen Dream”. Victoria Legrand is taking her band on the road all year long around this record, and brings a breath of fresh air on tour with her. No ceiling fans needed, Beach House shows are plenty cool this summer thanks to Victoria Legrand.



Hot off the release of “Confess”, Mr. Lewis is making plenty of pitstops this summer as the frontman of Twin Shadow. Whether he’s riding a motorcycle in his scripted miniseries of videos or riding a motorcycle into your town, you shouldn’t miss him. Pro Tip: Make sure to wear a helmet when riding on George’s motorcycle of 80’s pop this summer.



Cooler than ice, Jack Tatum is releasing his second album as Wild Nothing this year. How do you follow-up one of the chillest albums in recent years? You add more layers to the mix without compromising your sound, and that’s exactly what Jack Tatum has done on this new record “Nocture”. This summer is all about Wild Nothing but Jack Tatum would like you to know his album does not come with a free surfboard, so you’ll have to buy your own.



Scott Hansen has the distinction of being the only professional graphic designer and musician on this list. While legions of pixel pushers (especially this one) have followed him for years as ISO50, he’s spread his bleepy-bloopy wings as Tycho in recent years. Charge up your Game Boy Pockets, because you’re going to need all the battery you can get thanks to Scott Hansen this summer.



Josh Tillman left the Fleet Foxes, which made a lot people sad. It was a short lived sadness as he released a triumphant album as Father John Misty, an alter-ego that seemingly fits in and makes fun of the new-wave-folk movement he’s part of. It’s hot out there this summer for beards, but the forecast is looking super classy thanks to Father John Misty.



You might wonder why he’s on this list, but this year proves there’s really nothing Jack White can’t do. He runs Third Man Studios where he has hailed the triple-decker record, liquid 7-inch and singles with Beck and Insane Clown Posse in the first half of the year. The most important piece of his puzzle for this year was his first solo release, and it shows no signs of letdown from Jack or any of his Third Man friends. Are funky hats in this season? Just ask Mr. White because I really honestly don’t know, but he’s clearly pulling it off.



dee dee // annie clark // jenn wasner // sharon van etton // victoria legrand
guy images: george lewis jr. // jack tatum // scott hansen // josh tillman // jack white

Video: LAURA

Tim Lampe is a writer for I’m A Bear! Etc. and is watching you eat that sandwich.

If you’re not aboard the Bat For Lashes bandwagon, you better get on it as soon as possible. For those that were keeping track, it’s been a few years since Natasha Khan released “Two Suns”, an excellent album showcasing her unique voice. She’s back with a new album The Haunted Man, and released the first single. The single is the haunting track “Laura” and the video is showcased above. I’ve already listened to the track more than a few times in a row, and it’s just completely mesmerizing. It’s our first taste of the new album, a little more low-key, but keeps the focus on Khan’s distinct vocal qualities. Take a listen and seek out “Two Suns” if you’re not familiar with her work.

Video: IT'S ONLY LIFE

Tim Lampe is a writer for I’m A Bear! Etc.who loves long walks on beaches accompanied by a good taco.

The Shins have created a remarkable album this year, and as the year progresses, it’s seemingly fading into the background of crtiics and fans everywhere. I’d like to reassess that and say that Port of Morrow has really kept growing on me emotionally. The first video for “Simple Song” was an emotional tour de force and this one follows up with some more childhood themes. “It’s Only Life” sees James Mercer himself being dragged away by strange creatures and a narrative involving a kid walking around with a cape and baseball helmet with antlers on it. Is the video heavy on emotion? Yes. In a music industry where the songs that rise to the top are normally LMFAO party dance songs and electro-pop ballads, it’s a nice change. Check out the video, and make sure to listen to Port of Morrow if you haven’t yet.

Video: ERICA AMERICA

Tim Lampe is a writer for I’m A Bear! Etc. who (insert quirky thought here).

Jens Lekman is a Swedish musician who is great and this will be a great introduction if you’ve not heard him. With only 2 albums and a handful EPs under his belt, he’s got a good collection of music. I Know What Love Isn’t will be his first LP since 2007 and the first single from that album titled “Erica America” is absolutely dreamy. It has all the requirements of a great song; jazzy and including a sax solo. There’s really not more you could want out of a new track from Jens Lekman to set the mood for his new album. Watch the music video featuring Jens and his band performing the track and let it be your perfect summer relaxation tune for the moment.

Video: LAZULI

Tim Lampe is a writer for I’m A Bear! Etc. and wears shirts made of pizza.

In case you haven’t had a chance to listen to what may be the best record of the year so far, take a listen and feast your eyes on Beach Houses’s “Lazuli”. This song is a complete landscape of pleasing dreamscapes and I can’t talk highly enough about this track. It also happens to be a spectacular video too. Beach House’s “Bloom” is a record you need to listen to now. Also; check them out on the road as they’re touring extensively around this record.


Note from Ciara: Tim really does have a pizza shirt. IT'S AWESOME!

Video: MIND CONTROL

Tim Lampe is a writer for I’m A Bear! Etc. and is overwhelmed by the amount of new music this week.

The video I’m featuring this week may be a little weird, but there’s a lot of familiar elements in the music that Friends makes that you’ll enjoy. The track is called “Mind Control” and features almost anything you liked about tracks from the 80s; bongo drums, zingy synths, vocal yelps. Fans of YACHT will likely rejoice at the music that Friends makes as well. The video heads into some weird territory towards the end, but overall the esthetic is great. Their debut album “Manifest” is also released today and you can check it out on your handy Spotify/Rdio/iTunes or however you delightfully consume music.

Video: COMING DOWN

Tim Lampe is a writer for I’m A Bear! Etc. who may or may not wear bright colors on most days instead of black and white.

The video for Dum Dum Girls “Coming Down” is in Black and White, and it perfectly fits the mood. “Only in Dreams”, the latest Dum Dum Girls album was my favorite of last year, but you won’t find lead singer/songwriter Dee Dee wearing pink and singing bumble gum pop anytime soon. Her roots are a little more somber and a little bit personal. This song is a perfect slow-burner, erupting with Dee Dee’s golden voice. The song similarly rides Mazzy Star vibes (brings to mind Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into you”), but that’s not a bad thing, is it?

WEEKEND PIE

This weekend was a very nice, sometimes relaxing, sometimes entertaining and exciting weekend. I got a new iMac, (wahoo!) after spending too much time going to work early to use that or my lagging 5 year old macbook. It was time for something I could rely on - especially with design school on the horizon.

Later on Saturday I saw Beach House with Tim and our friend Emily in Athens, Georgia, at the Georgia Theatre. I love taking little trips out of town to see a show. It's funny, and it's exciting. Of course the best part was the post-show hotdog from the guy who sells them outside the venue. It's a must.

So let me explain this whole "Almost breaking leg" thing. I was standing on the toilet seat lid, slipped, and all my weight via my shin hit the edge of the clawfoot tub's edge. I'm not sure I've experienced pain like that. I was laying on the ground sobbing my eyes out for 15 minutes before I looked at my leg, half expecting the bone to be sticking out. No bone, and I'm assuming no break, because it's just sore now. One hell of a knot and bruise came up, but I was able to stand on it after a few minutes of icing it down. It sure is a ghastly sight, but I'm fine. Totally scary though.

Mother's day was sweet. My mother and grandmother live in Florida, so I skyped with them for a while in the morning. It was nice to see them and talk about things. ♥ The dinner later in the day was spent with Tim's family and his mom, who is also a doll. We went back to his parent's house after dinner and caught up on all our shows. I don't know if any of you watch Girls, but I loveeee it. Lena Dunham is a genius.

Hope you had a lovely Mother's Day, all you mamas out there!

Tim Tuesdays: EXITMUSIC PASSAGE

Tim Lampe is a writer for I'm A Bear! Etc. and doesn't wear hats but sometimes writes about music.

Every week comes along a new set of albums that are streamed online, announced or released. This week NPR Music is streaming 3 great albums: Beach House's "Bloom", Best Coast's "The Only Place" and Exitmusic's "Passage".

I'm focusing on the least known of these three and one you really need to pay attention to. The band is Exitmusic and their debut album Passage is released on May 22nd on Secretly Canadian. The opening track off that is "Passage", an emotional tour de force. A track with a great build-up with a proper vocal release, the video perfectly matches the sheer audacity of this track. It's one of the most powerful tracks released yet this year, and the rest of the album matches the same ambition this track sets out.

Video: FRIENDS OF FRIENDS

Hospitality is an amazing band on Merge Records that is coming through Atlanta on Saturday. I'm so excited to see them, that I thought I'd share my joy with you via this video. Catch them while they are on tour, I promise you won't be sorry!

Tim Tuesdays: BOWERBIRDS

Tim Lampe is a writer from I'm A Bear! Etc. who sometimes dreams he's in a narrative involving him dressing up as a fish. Long story.

Every once in a while you see a music video that has such a strong narrative that you can't help but praise the creators for pairing such a great song with a great story. This is the case with the new video for Bowerbirds "Tuck in the Darkness In". It's easily my favorite video of 2012 so far.

If you've not heard Bowerbirds thoughtful compositions, let this be your introduction. The video revolves around a kid who wears a reindeer hat and follows his dad along for a fishing trip only to be confused by what happens to fish after they're caught. The video perfectly captures a kids wonder with fish and masks some fears. It'll have you smiling and left in whimsey, as well.

Tim Tuesdays: ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER

Tim Lampe is a writer for I'm A Bear! Etc. and approximately 3 days ago he experienced the consumption of his first Waffle Taco in Austin, Texas and hopes you are all jealous.

This week is all about Eleanor Friedberger. You may not know her, but if you've heard anything from The Fiery Furnaces, you'll be familiar with Eleanor's voice. Fiery Furnaces is the project she has along with her older brother Matthew, but last sum me she went into more pop territory by releasing a solo record "Last Summer".

The video above is for the track "Heaven" off that album, and it should give you a taste of Eleanor's conversational delivery and quirky video in which she's reviewing her life as she's gotten to heaven. You can also download my favorite track from the album and one of the best tracks of 2011 "Roosevelt Island" below. She's on tour with Hospitality, so you should probably check her out in a city near you!

Next week: I use science and deductive reasoning to talk about my experience and bands I loved coming out of South By Southwest in Austin last week.


Download Eleanor Friedberger's "Roosevelt Island"!

VIDEO: MARY YELLOW OSTRICH

Tim Lampe is a writer for I'm A Bear! Etc. who went to a show last night that featured a band on stilts playing a synthesizer attached to a shovel.

Yes! It's Music Tuesday again on Glass & Sable. Today's post is dedicated to all things Yellow Ostrich. Before getting to that, it's a magnificent release day for music. Andrew Bird has a new one called "Break It Yourself", White Rabbits have released their new one "Milk Famous", and Miniature Tigers "Mia Pharaoh" is out too.

This week I'm focusing on Yellow Ostrich, who have released their sophomore effort "Strange Land" today! Yellow Ostrich was a project started by Alex Shaarf and he created the debut "The Mistress" all by himself, using loops and doing everything himself. This time around he's back with Michael Tapper and Jon Natchez and a full-band sound.

The video featured here is for the track "Mary", an alternate version of the track featured on "The Mistress". I think the video is fantastic, and stay tuned to the last leg of the video in which it explodes into color.

Additionally, for your listening pleasure, you can listen to the first single off "Strange Land" titled "Marathon Runner" below! You won't be disappointed.

Yellow Ostrich -- Marathon Runner by deadsoundie

SIMPLE SONG

A new song from The Shins. It's been stuck in my head for the last few days. Enjoy!

VIDEO: The First Time I Ran Away

Here's a beautiful artsy video from M. Ward. I like the work, but I have to say, I find it a little annoying how literal the animation is to the lyrics. Maybe that's just me. Otherwise, I love it and the song is great. Coming soon on his new album, A Wasteland Companion.

NOT YOUR TYPICAL VALENTINE'S DAY MIX

Tim Lampe is a writer for I'm A Bear! Etc. who appreciates Valentine's Day but thinks it's better known as "National Reeses Appreciation Day".

I have a mix for you this week that I think you're going to really like. It's both a mix for Ciara herself as it is for all her readers. Since it's Valentine's Day, I wanted to make a mix but didn't want it to be full of cliched songs that you've heard over and over. It's a mix that includes a lot of old songs, but a collection of well-worn songs for me. You might wonder why it starts with Guess Who's "These Eyes" because it's not necessarily a love song. It's a simple answer; I find more joy in belting out that song in public than what the subject matter is. You might also remember a famous movie scene from Superbad involving Michael Cera singing it too, but I digress.

I love every track on this playlist, and a lot of them are slower than previous playlists, but I think you'll really enjoy it. Midway through is GAYNGS (a band compiled of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and over 20 other collaborators) doing a cover of SADE's "By Your Side". I don't have scientific proof, but I'm pretty sure this track is the sexiest songs ever put down on record. Just listen for yourself. And any great Valentines playlist wouldn't be complete without ending it with Mew's "Comforting Sounds". That track means a lot to Ciara and myself.

-Tim



1. These Eyes // The Guess Who
2. Anthems For a Seventeen Year Old Girl // Broken Social Scene
3. VCR // The XX
4. Summer Holiday // Wild Nothing
5. Slow Show // The National
6. By Your Side // Gayngs
7. Strange Things Will Happen // The Radio Dept.
8. Bookshop Casanova // The Clientele
9. Vittorio E. // Spoon
10. Comforting Sounds // Mew


If you'd like to listen to the playlist in Spotify, put this link in your search bar: spotify:user:bearetc:playlist:2OPTWQwbTZnRrigtoo6kad