Leah's Bonus Pick of the Week

I'm calling it a bonus, as it's not really a song. I just love Jane Birkin, record players, baths, and people in love.

For your downloading pleasure

Check out the garage-heavy mix I made for the fantastically en-pointe, Philadelphia-based dating blog, Shmitten Kitten.

Leah's Pick of the Week - take 2

I'm having a Gunilla Thorn evening. Tonight, when I went searching for the video for "Go On Then" (which appears to have been deleted, as has the video for "Merry Go Round") I was delighted to see somebody had uploaded a clip of my favorite Nilla song, "Jealous Woman." Dig it while you can!

Leah's Pick of the Week

cherry bomb presents: holiday rock 'n' shop

get your holiday gifts the smart and sassy way:
by supporting your local artists, crafters and record-sellers!
listen to the cherry bomb girls for 6 hours of awesome!

Leah's Pick of the Week - take 2

Rainy Day Playlist

It's raining. And dark. And cold. These kept me warm and inspired whilst I attempted to clear my long assignment list when all I wanted to do is get back under the covers.

• Snow Patrol: Late Night Tales...not what you'd expect if you didn't know Snow Patrol apart from Chasing Cars, Signal Fire or Run. All these are beautiful songs, but there's so , so much more. Snow Patrol, or in this case Gary Lightbody and Tom Simpson, know what time it is. This compilation is a chill, warm, groove. Liner notes from Bill Brewster.
• Mike Watt: Ball Hog or Tugboat...yeah!
• 3rd Bass: The Cactus Revisited...yeah!
• Dusty Springfield: Dusty in Memphis...oooh yeah...

As inspired by Late Night Tales, I wanted to listen to A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders, but I couldn't find it-my darkest secret is that all my music is no longer in alphabetical order.

So many rights about this...Alice Cooper 1971

From the pitchfork, leotard and tights combo, to the silver jumpsuits, to the hypnotizing scene in the electric chair. And don't get me started on the hair...so much great hair!!!!

Leah's Pick of the Week

This isn't one you're likely to hear me play at a Cherry Bomb event, but I chose it as my POTW as an homage to a passion from my "other" life: salsa music and dancing! This 1965 Peruvian release makes me lose. my. MIND on the dance floor. There isn't much going on in the video, so feel free to open a new window to browse while this tune floods your veins with the urge to get up and move!

vilkas's pick of the week

The first video is apparently the official video for Kylie Minogue's song off her 2008 album, X. The second is titled official also, but is probably not, but is still totally sweet. The shszhing, the percussion, the loops, the layering - damn girl.

If you're not doing anything this evening, I'd suggest checking out the Richmond Zine Fest at Gallery 5.

It features tons of free workshops, music, readings, underground publishing and art, and yours truly on the turntables.

It's also First Friday, which means lots of walking around to other open galleries to see art. And did I mention it's all free?

All you need to know about this event beyond the great music we will be playing (lots music from or inspired by Spy film soundtracks) is that each of us will be dressing up in our best spy femme fatale outfits and we hope all those who attend consider dressing up for the occasion too.

Not sure what to wear? Think classic Bond films, campy 60's spy movies, Get Smart, Mod Squad, The Avengers (UK TV show), Austin Powers...and if you are still stumped check out an episode or two of Mad Men. Dapper will do!

And in the spirit of an event that is women spies of TV and Film inspired here is a video of Agent 99 from Get Smart that features great pictures of her plus the music from a 45 record she recorded that is most collectible and cool!

Sara's Pick of the Week: Jonathan Halper, Mystery Man of Music

Perhaps this is cheating a bit, since the music I am about to share cannot be tracked down to own (more on that later) - not in any official format, that is.
But no matter; music is our main focus here and it's what Cherry Bomb is all about, so here it is: this is the soundtrack to a six-minute short film by Kenneth Anger that sends out little glowing hearts from my ears, and it's only two songs.

PUCE MOMENT
(Embedding is disabled for this youtube video, but seriously - Watch This.)











A brief bit about the film first:
A result of the unfinished work "Puce Women," Puce Moment opens with a display of shimmering 1920's flapper-style dresses, pulled out one by one and shaken slightly as if to indulge in the shining beauty of each object. The scene thus follows a young woman in her boudoir as she wistfully enjoys her glamour in solitude, floating and dreaming until we see her all made up and triumphant - taking a group of dogs out for a walk.

This film is from 1949, but the subject matter of glamour and decadence in Old Hollywood - that of the 1920s and '30s - is one Anger tackles throughout his work. So brings us to the music Anger chose for this film, two songs titled "Leaving My Old Life Behind," and "I Am A Hermit" by a man named Jonathan Halper.

His name is virtually all anyone knows with any certainty.

When you hear these songs in the film, it is extremely difficult to believe that they were made in the 1940s. The folksy sound and the psychedelic backwards-tape effect of the guitar generally lead to speculation that these were tracks recorded in the 1960s and later added to the master film, which originally featured a classical soundtrack, but again - there's just really no known facts to pin anything down.

Some postulate that the name "Jonathan Halper" could have been a pseudonym for a more well-known musician, choosing for whatever reason to remain anonymous. Then there's a theory that Jonathan Halper was a real man who became a monk shortly after completing this recording.
And on the WFMU blog, someone left this cryptic remark in the comments:

"J.H WROTE THESE SONGS IN EDINBURGH CIRCA 1969,WHEN THEY WERE RECORDED????
J.H WAS THE REAL OCCULT DEAL!!!
HE MADE MANY THINGS HAPPEN!!!!
HE PISSED OFF SOME HIGH BEINGS!
OTHERS LOVED HIM AND PROTECTED HIM!
I GUESS ANGER WAS ONE OF THOSE.
HE DID AT THE TENDER AGE OF EARLY 20 SOMETHING!
RETIRE FROM THE WORLD,AND THEN LIVED UNDER THE PROTECTION OF A TIBETAN LAMA.
HE AT ONE POINT HAD A BAND CALLED DEVOLUTION,CIRCA 1969-1970.AND PLAYED IN MENTAL HOSPITALS ETC IN THE EDINBURGH AREA OF SCOTLAND."

Um, OK...?


Anyway, regardless of the true story of his identity, the words of Jonathan Halper's song "I Am A Hermit" seem to ring true indeed.
We may never know anything more of the man behind these tracks, but they are nothing less than beautiful and haunting.


The songs can also be found here.

my life is now maybe complete:

The Roots, on The Jimmy Fallon Show, just covered Belle and Sebastian.

Talia's Pick of the Week

When I was in ninth grade, the coolest girl I knew, who was also a senior, told me that I couldn't listen to anyone cooler than Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. So I ran out and bought Orange, and I've been in love with them ever since. Occasionally I'll forget about this love, and something will remind me and bring it all back. This video just brought it back, super strong! Also, if you've ever seen the Run DMC/Aerosmith "Walk This Way" music video (which I think, probably everyone who has a tv has seen), you'll appreciate this.