
Arthur Magazine is a fantastically bizarre blip of a free publication. Nothing else really exists like it and at the moment the fate of the magazine is in jeopardy. When Jay Babcock, present manager of the mag, bought out the magazine from his ex-partner, he landed himself in a tough financial place. The magazine is looking to collect $20,000 by the first of July, in order to have enough funds to resume publication. At the time of posting, they’re close — just $317.00 away from the final goal. Scrape together a few bucks to give to them via Paypal.Though they’re close to the desired goal, anything above the line can and will help.
Arthur is a geologic sample from far below the surface of any scene. Reading the magazine brings on a grand sugar rush reminder that a million bands will spend their lives intensely focused on music that will fly below the collective radar. I have to tip my hat to any mag that’ll devote as many words as they do to noise music, doom metal, and all things on the periphery.
One of the key features that is worth reading each and every issue is Bull Tongue, a column by Sonic Youth grand master Thurston Moore and Byron Coley (contributor to another great publication Wire Magazine). Each month they dig through and discuss piles of strange records in the most charmingly relaxed manner. A lot of times people are forced to wax pretentious about the obscure and the weird, but Bull Tongue always does so in an breezy manner.
Arthur keeps an archive of recent issues up on the site in PDF form. Go poke through and read some of the fantastic words they’ve assembled over the years. If you like, give a little money to keep a unique entity afloat.

An update to earlier post regarding the tantalizingly ‘free’ Sigur Rós & Björk show to be held in Reykjavik this weekend (June 28th). The good folks at National Geographic will be webcasting the show for all to see.
Tune into National Geographic Music from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET (begins at 8 p.m. BST/London or 7 p.m. GMT/Reykjavik) to see, as they put it on their site…”some Björkage“.
National Geographic was never good at jokes.
And, please, don’t make Sigur Rós into a verb.

Björk, Sigur Rós, & múm participant Ólöf Arnalds will perform together in Reykjavik June 28th in an effort to raise awareness for the growing environmental crisis. While this concert takes place in one of the more beautiful spots on Earth, the ultimate issue with it takes to transport folks from around the world to Reykjavik might create a worse dent along with the awareness. I wouldn’t fault you wanting to go anyway. It’s free, except for the $600+ plane ticket.
Instead, you can check out the recent DVD release of Screaming Masterpiece. The documentary, which focuses on the the ever intriguing Icelandic music scene hit the shelves back in ‘06 and features live clips from a variety of the country’s top talent.
As an added consolation prize, here’s a track from Sigur Rós’s upcoming LP Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust. The simple song, almost completely unadorned by Rós-ian standards, lets the acoustic guitar provide most of the backing for Jonsi’s ever otherworldly voice. A promising prospect for the new album, which releases on June 24th via XL.
Sigur Ros - Illgresi
Gearing up for a benefit hosted by NYC’s art collective The Kitchen, ex-Talking Heads frontman/artful blogger David Byrne created a fantastic forced-interaction art piece. In honor of the May 21st’s spring gala benefit honoring Christian Marclay, Byrne has stitched together 100 effects pedals designed to be walked across as the patrons enter the space randomly engaging them with each cautious step. The above photo shows a peek at the work in progress.
If you’ve ever spent any time, as I have, hunched over a few random pedals idly twisting knobs to force out some squelches and echoed bleets, the prospect of this massive citylike grid of noiseboxes brings more than a bit of joy. I’m also a fervent fan of forced participation art. The more unsuspecting the better, in my book.
The only thing I could probably fault the revered Mr. Byrne would be for the Twin Peaks pun in the title of his post. “Pedal Walk With Me”? Let that be the greatest sin committed.
The Kitchen Spring Gala Benefit takes place Wed. May 21st at The Puck Building - 295 Lafayette Street. Tickets start at $600.00.

I think this flyer wins. Screw the specifics, nobody needs to know the cover…let’s just put the spooky visage of Hurley floating over a desert. I’m sold.
If you’re in Chicago, skip Lost and go see Mahjongg at the Empty Bottle.
As it stands, I’d probably not skip Lost for this show (a potent combination of laziness and dedication to that damn tv show), but my situation is solved by not living in Chicago anymore.
Both the Machinegong EP & Raydoncong 2005 are tinny, weirdo gems, full of danceable quirk. This year’s record Kontpab, released on K Records has yet to fully win me over but I guarantee that tonight’s Empty Bottle show will be well worth seeing.
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