At Long Last – A Real Soundtrack for Summer 08

Amidst all the strife of the moment, here comes pure sonic summer bliss via Solange – who I give insane props for working with Mark Ronson and Boards of Canada (!!!!) when she could just as easily have gone the predictable Timbaland route (not that I don't love Timbaland, and admittedly she did also go the Neptunes route). Plus this song is insanely addictive enough that I won't even bring up Bring It On: All or Nothing (though I do miss the lovely sight of Gus Carr (see below)... and all of Solange's recent interviews have portrayed her as a bit insane)... xo, B.

Why Did I Never Realize...

Hello all,

Sorry for the long pause between posts, but things are not good for me right now. Trying to escape the hell that is Los Angeles (the filthiest, most horrendously unfriendly city in the known world, especially without a car), but at least I am listening to absolute beauty at the moment, thanks to an album I should have discovered long, long ago. Lord knows I HATE "It's My Life" enough in the original, and that scaggy-ass Gwen covered it later made it even worse, but even at misguided 16 I knew that Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden was a sublime masterwork of epic proportions, only rivaled at the time by SPK's Zamia Lehammani, which will remain for all time the most beautiful album ever ever crafted. Somehow I neglected to discover Talk Talk's 1991 follow-up Laughing Stock, and I am gladly soaking in the riches of my mistakes by catching up now. It seems especially fitting after watching my man Tony Bourdain soaking in the loveliness of Laos on the No Reservations premiere earlier, while waiting for the much-anticipated (by me at least) Colombia installment, shot in Medellin, wherein I try to forget the boy who almost (and I wish he had) destroyed me. But the Talk Talk is godly, and I'm loving it more than anything. Now if somebody can give me a reason to wake up in the morning other than listening to this album again, other than seeing my Morales Astra Heights boys at the Echo tomorrow now (with Von Iva), even without my beautiful Timmy (the baby of the group, who's moved back to Texas, destined to be my new home (Austin, anyone?)), I'll give you a medal, or buy you a beer if by the odd chance I have any money left. For now, more Mark Hollis... Afterthought: how much did they get from Hula, and Dif Juz, and This Heat, and how much did they inspire my other love J. Swinscoe (other most beautiful man alive), and the other best band in L.A., Signal Hill? xxoo, B.

Carol Channing via Lady Bunny

No question that I've been a MISERABLE GIT for the past few weeks, but thanks to the mighty Lady Bunny this gave me much levity via the perennially brilliant if mildly psychotic Carol Channing. It ain't Thoroughly Modern Millie (where she gets shot out of a cannon, Mary Tyler Moore calls someone a bitch, Bea Lillie chloroforms everybody to send them to a white slavery ring in a Chinese laundry – and Julie Andrews sings in Yiddish), but it's still pretty damn brilliant. xo, B.

The Liquidator's New Residency

Hello all,

Sorry for the lack of posts lately but not much has changed – I'm still in love with the new Swing Out Sister disc, Jazztronik, my Niño Astronauta boys and their new Kobol disc... BUT one other thing that has changed is that I'm starting my new Saturday afternoon residency spinning 4PM-8PM at Silverlake Lounge with my brother Mario behind the bar. Stop by and see me, and if you do today you can wish me a happy birthday (6 days early... it's Friday, May 9) and come with me over to the Echo for the mighty Bostich + Fussible after. Best and xox to all, B.

The Inevitable Swing Out Redux: The Mighty Return!!!!!!

I'm very impatiently waiting to get my hands on my copy of Beautiful Mess (many thanks again to my boy in SF (that'd be Remi) for saving me the Japanese price tag), but in anticipation I had to post the resplendent promo spot for "Something Everyday," along with the lovely display on swingoutsister.com and a note to all that you MUST visit the SOS MySpace to hear the miraculous new version of "Secret Love" (any worries that the original drum machine version might have sparked are now well-doused by the classic Swing Out magnificence of the lavish new model) and the LP title track. More to come once I've been able to soak in all of the beauty of the full-length, but from these first tastes it sounds like a return to sublime form for the mighty Corinne and Andy, and a sweet step up from Where Our Love Grows. And doesn't Andy look beautiful in this 1993 rehearsal clip? Posted by the man himself! xxooxx to the brilliant ones for reducing me to a giddy schoolgirl once again.

Brilliant + Gorgeous Even on a Covent Garden Streetcorner: Roisin Murphy

The ever-lovely and brilliant Roisin sent out a MySpace bulletin in advance of her appearance on a Covent Garden streetcorner for the BBC Culture Show's busking challenge, but I never could have expected that it would sound so shimmeringly lustrous. That she would look impeccable was a given, but this illitimably gorgeous (and far superior to the electro version) acoustic arrangement of "You Know Me Better" (combined with the adorable nature of her rapport with her backup girls) are just too brilliant to go unviewed and unheard. Thanks to my boy Remi and the often-invaluable OMG Blog for the heads-up. This bonus clip of "Sow Into You" live at Paradiso is not as miraculous as the clip I first saw on TV in rural Spain, but it's still pretty damn lovely.

Oh My Fucking God—The Most Exquisite White Boy Alive (Mark Ronson) + The BBC Orchestra!!!!!!!!!

There are many reasons why I haven't written a word on here in more than 6 months, all of them involving my ridiculously complicated love for the most epically beautiful boy alive in Manizales, Colombia, and an ill-fated trip to Buenos Aires that resulted in a horrifically painful broken shoulder and 2 subsequent surgeries (all good now at long last), but I'm back – and can't think of anything MORE INEFFABLY FUCKING MIRACULOUS to rouse me out of my slumber than this new (to me at least) footage of the also godly beautiful Mark R. conducting the BBC Concert Orchestra as if he WERE David Axelrod. Sonic sublimity rivalling Ryota + the always lustrous sight of Mark in all his exquisite loveliness – with the added bonus of the also slightly lovely Charlie Waller from the Rumble Strips (on his miraculous rethink of "Back to Black" that's one more distancing step from Amy, who I now hate with a passion – all of her success should be going to Alice R., who would handle it with actual GRACE), and the more beautiful Alex Greenwald (my Phantom Planet love) in the shimmeringly radiant spot for "Just." Dig. xxoo, B.

Lovely Interlude: It's Better to Travel (More So w/ Janet Lawson as Soundtrack...)

Distracting My Eviscerated Heart: The Goddess Monday M.

Rivalling Ryota and Utterly Sonically Miraculous: Live Oi Va Voi

Oh My Fucking God—Jazztronik LIVE

Sun-Drenched Loveliness from the Mighty Jazztronik

My Goddess of the World: DSB @ Glastonbury + Bonus Arctic Monkey Loveliness

New Loves (Part 4): Ryohei Yamamoto (With M-Flo + Beyond)

I first caught sight of the beautiful Ryohei Yamamoto in M-Flo's "Summer Time Love" clip (also further sonic proof that DJ Taku is a brilliant producer), then found the blisteringly brilliant combination of shimmering D+B loveliness and j-pop fluff that is "Miss You" (the spot is loveliness, but the live performance is SUBLIME (and further proof once again that I need to move to Japan). Last on the roster is a static frame with preview tracks from part 1 of his lovely new house covers project (Cavaca) – one track of which is produced by none other than my sonic god of the world Jazztronik. Of course whether or not we'll be able to find it on these sad-ass shores is another matter, but we shall see. Dig.

Tracklist:
1. You Gotta Be (Track: Kentaro Takizawa / Original: Des'ree)
2. Sweet Soul Revue -ENGLISH Version- (Track: MAKAI / Original: PIZZICATO FIVE)
3. Calling You (Track: CLAZZIQUAI PROJECT / Original: Holly Cole)
4. Lately (Track: Jazztronik / Original: Stevie Wonder)
5. Human Nature (Track: LAVA / Original: Michael Jackson)
6. Georgy Porgy (Track: eighteen degrees. / Original: TOTO)
7. She Will Be Loved (Track: cargo / Original: Maroon 5)
8. I Like It (Track: AKAKAGE / Original: DeBarge)

Sex God of the World Fernando Montana Sighting – On Top Chef!!!@!!!

There's no denying that this season's roster on Top Chef are incredibly dull and there's no aesthetic loveliness to be found among any of them. There's no godly Sam T., or even a Harold. The only possibility was the slightly cute in a white trash way (yes, there can be such a thing as hot white trash but it's a rarity you won't find 99.9% of the time) Clay, who was the first to go. (This season of the Next Food Network Star has the same problem, but it's still more watchable – and I'll never get over my love for last season's magnificent Andrew Schumacher.)

But tonight I got an ineffably lovely respite for a brief second when, as the chefs were catering a gourmet BBQ, I caught sight of one of the most exquisitely beautiful Latin porn boys ever – the epically sublime Fernando Montana. (My reaction obviously was to scream "Holy f*ck" at the top of my lungs.) Fernando only did a few rare films for Falcon and one for Hothouse over the span of a few years, but the second I first caught sight of him I fell in mad love (yes, again). And there are only three other men in the history of porn that I've wanted to see get f*cked as much on film (and whom never have) – Manuel Torres, Vin Nolan (who did get gangf*cked in a scene in the documentary Sex/Life in L.A., but as it's not a real porn film you don't get to see anything good), and Aiden Shaw. Evidently Fernando must live in Miami, along with fellow Latin porn god Alec Martinez, who thankfully has gotten f*cked (and even nightsticked once) in many films.

To see him on Top Chef is something lovely and brilliant (though clearly the producers can't get any credit for it) that I never ever ever would've expected. And it's a beautiful thing.

And I have to add that these photos don't begin to articulate how lovely he really is, but they're the best I could find. Seek him out on film to see him in all his real sublimity.

Redeeming My Sonic Credibility: Nortec y Banda Agua Caliente Live + In Rehearsal

New Loves (Part 3): Brandon Buddy + Jason Tam

I was feeling only slightly pervy for falling in mad love with Brandon Buddy and Jason Tom, two godly beautiful boys who play teenagers Cole and Markko (respectively) on my favorite not the least bit f*cking guilty pleasure One Life to Live, a show that I first started watching many years ago for the also perennially exquisite Kamar de Los Reyes (who I'd loved previously on the short-lived but brilliant CBS series Four Corners – with the also godly sublime Justin Chambers, who I had the pleasure of spotting at Sunset + Sanborn recently, but I digress...), and later also for Kamar's onscreen brother David Fumero.

The only redeeming thing about OLTL's ill-conceived musical endeavor of this week was the adorable and mad f*cking lovely spectacle of Brandon and Jason trying to sing. I do love Jason as well (and am saddened by the fact that we didn't get to see him run naked through the halls of his high school, as Markko threatened to do on a dare), but it's Brandon who I'm most in love with. I have no problem perving on teenage boys (usually Latin boys, one reason I loved Wassup Rockers (though I'd previously hated all of Larry Clark's other films)), but as it happens Brandon is actually 23 and Jason graduated from high school in 2001, in his native Hawaii (also explaining his loveliness). Now the only reason for feeling like a card-carrying perv (which I am and mad proud of it, incidentally, a fact of which all who know me are fully aware) is all the things I'm imagining Brandon and Jason doing together, but I'll leave that to your imagination.

As one who's been chased by disgusting old men all my life, I would feel guilty for that reason alone, but I decided long ago that as long as I still look 20 I don't give a f*ck.

One last thing about Brandon, he's now officially on my roster of the four most beautiful white boys on television, second only to Dave Annable, and alongside CSI: Miami's Jonathan Togo, and my other perennial love Milo Ventimiglia.

And, yes, I do know that this post makes me sound like the biggest faggot in history, but, once again, I don't give a f*ck...

One last disclaimer, obviously I know full well that the clip below is the most horrendously misguided spot I'll ever include on this blog and I KNOW how awful it is but if you don't think these two boys are beautiful there's something wrong with you. Enjoy. xo, B.

The Reason I Became a Graphic Designer: Design God Swifty's London Exhibition

For anyone who doesn't know me, the sole reason I sought to become a graphic designer is because of Ian "Swifty" Swift. From the seminal early Talkin' Loud covers through what continues to be my bible – the mighty Straight No Chaser – Swifty has been my god for all things aesthetic design-wise. True, before I discovered Swifty I worshipped Reid Miles, Neville Brody, 23 Envelope, Chris Biggs' Sweatbox covers, Jon Wozencroft's work for the Touch label and so on, but it was Ian's ineffable visual articulation of all things jazz and the Gilles P. aesthetic that sealed my fate.

So it was with much much sadness that I had to miss the London Illustration Gallery's recent Art of Straight No Chaser exhibition, and the previous show strictly devoted to Swfity and his boy Mitchy. Most definitely a F*CK I WISH I WERE RICH ENOUGH TO JUMP ON A F*CKING PLANE TO LONDON moment (the last one being the last Jazztronik Jazz Café gig)...

All that said, I have years to go before I can even begin to aspire to reaching Swifty's aesthetic benchmark, and at some point I'll have to get more real training, but it's his inspiration and his continued work for SNC, Especial, Far Out, and so on that keeps me going. xo, B.

Hamachi Negro

Hello all,

Just a quick note to announce that the new CD by Baltin is available at long last, and yes it is Volume 30 (for anyone who wonders why the disc numbers might be out of sequence the Volume list includes three mixtapes that are no longer in print and one that is temporarily unavailable).

Here's the track roster:

Disc 1:
Alice Coltrane, Blue Nile
Janita, Let Me Love You (Tamita Mix)
Bird, Game (Jazztronik Triple Headz Mix)
Tre/Molo, Nylon
Democustico, Vaga-Lume
RSL, Inside Looking Out
Reel People + Dyanna Fearon, Washing Away
Kinky, Sol (Batucada) (live)
Monday Michiru, Yellow Light
The Matthew Herbert Big Band, The Audience
Re:Jazz + Ultra Naté, Twisted
Jazztronik, Listen to Your Love (DJ Mitsu the Beats Mix)
Mariah Carey, Stay the Night
Vicki Anderson, What the World Needs Now

Disc 2:
Mavis Rivers + Shorty Rogers, I'm Gonna Live Till I Die
Troubleman, Have a Good Time
Jazztronik + Monday Michiru, Tiger Eyes (English Version)
Everything But the Girl, Corcovado (DJ Marky + XRS Mix)
Patife + Cleveland Watkiss, Overjoyed
Amy Winehouse, Tears Dry on Their Own
Anjali, Asian Provocateur
Reel People + Dyanna Fearon, Butterflies
Mondo Grosso + BoA, Everything Needs Love
Restless Soul + Rasiyah, Time to Fly
Alice Russell, Mirror Mirror on the Wolf (Bonobo Mix)
Skye, What's Wrong with Me? (Nouvelle Vague Mix)
Gustavo Cerati, Beautiful
Swing Out Sister, Will We Find Love?
Peggy Lee, A Taste of Honey

For the full rundown, visit the Hamachi page on the official Liq site, and for anyone who feels inclined to give me any guff about including a Mariah song on a Baltin CD, I say what I've been saying: if Gilles can do it, so f*cking can I, and that track is MAGNIFICENT.

And, yes, that epically sublime boy on the insert is my dream husband P-Rod (Paul Rodriguez Jr.) on the inside cover. For more of his crushingly devastating loveliness, visit his Plan B page, his Nike page (search riders), and the bio on paulrodriguez.com. xo, B.

Still More New (Sonic + Filmic) Loveliness: Brand New Alice R. + Brilliant Monday M. News

I just stumbled on this new bit of jewel-like opulence (I know, I'm feeling back-in-the-day verbose this evening) from the goddess Alice Russell, and while I don't yet know where it's from, I have no problem saying that it's the most radiant dancefloor killer track from her in a long long while.

Also on the goddess front, for anyone who doesn't yet know, the new Monday Michiru cover album – with the title cut being "My Ever Changing Moods" (!!!???!!!) – is set for Japan-only release on Geneon on July 4th. Consult the official Monday site for the occasionally perverse but for the most part characteristically brilliant tracklist. And drench in this other bit of magnificent news culled from the girl's email newsletter:

"NEW JAZZTRONIK COLLABORATION!: You know I'm a fan of Jazztronik; I think Ryota is really talented as both a beat & track maker as well as a musician and composer. So when he asked me if I could sing and write lyrics for a new track, I leaped at the chance – HELL YEAH! We just finished last weekend and it's a fun Latin Jazz House number entitled "Mista Swing." To be released June 27th from Pony Canyon in the album entitled 'Grand Blue.'"

And the gods collide to provide more prescient Technicolor and vivacity once again... (xxooxx)