The Nouveau Nouveau Riche

First, we have rapper/producer/all-around talented bastard Rick Ross and his obviously Warhol-inspired piece "My Face on A Gold-Encrusted Chain".



Next comes R&B heartthrob/straight thug Plies, AKA "It's Yo' Boy Plies" (you have to say it like you just downed a bottle of Nyquil) with his black diamond masterpiece which I like to call "Goon/Go On". Whoever did the typeface on that thing should be shot. You can't see it, but inside the mouth of his tiny diamond replica is a mouthful of smaller diamonds to match the set he has in his mouth.



I'm sure you can find millions of other instances of things like this. I always enjoy hearing "artists" like this saying, "When you come from da hood and you ain't got nothin, and then all of a sudden you can afford everything you always wanted, you gotta jump at it." When I hear things like that, I always find a happy place, waiting for the day when the money stops coming in and the repo company who works for the label comes to collect what is now their property while the artist shouts, "Oh man, not my car! Oh, nah, not my Lambo!"

Or, in the case of Kanye West: "Aww, fam, not my (insert Swedish/Japanese/Italian/French designer) shoes, wardrobe, etc.)

Visit his blog here. But, be warned; he is actually very talented, just very full of himself. Luckily, all he asks you to do here is look at how sophisticated his tastes are.

Honest Opinions Please

Scarlett Johansson's album comes out next Tuesday (May 20th) on ATCO Records. I was lucky (?) enough to be sent a digital copy last week. For those of you who haven't heard, she really likes to sing. She also loves Tom Waits. So, last year, she and Dave Sitek (guitarist for TV On The Radio) headed down to Louisiana to record this album. Sitek brought in a few guest artists, and then David Bowie caught wind of the project and "surprised" them both by asking them to be a part of it. Read all about it here:

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/50200-interview-scarlett-johansson

Now, we get to the "interactive" part. I can't very well share any audio samples from the album (Well, I could but then her label would be in their legal right to sue me.), so instead please view this video for the new single, "Falling Down". Ignore the...umm, acting, and just listen. Turn off your monitor if it helps:



Now, here is Tom's original version from his album, "Big Time". Don't worry, he's not doing the carny thing on this one: (and, no, the picture doesn't change)



I've yet to decide what I think of Scarlett's album. One reporter has already given it his nomination for Best Album of the Year (I'm not ready to go that far, though I do like the song) and compared her vocal styling to Nico. My fiance is still convinced I was listening to Sinead O'Connor. Or Cat Power. Or someone who's listened to a lot of both.

Your mission (if you choose to accept it) is to give an honest opinion of Scarlett's re-interpretation. You've got all the facts you need right here. What do you think: genuine talent? Or Jim Nabors 2.0? And, as this is a single, and therefore considered to be a selling point; if you had the $$$ to spend on this album, would you?

In All Its Glory

Front cover.




The signed back cover. See the previous post for the story behind this signature.





Pompous drugged-out Lou writings.




Thanks to Ronn Ives of Futures Antiques for shooting the photos and reminding me that celebrities don't bite. Maybe one day I'll repay the favor and post his "autographed" photo of Tom Waits.