Icarus & Occident is my new favorite blog. It’s a daily juxtaposition of photography and music. But in a way, it’s deeper than that for me. While reading, I’m sucked into the music, the lyrics and the visual. I really love this excerpt from their About page:

“This will all fade. And no, friends, your creations won’t last either. They, like your body, will be enjoyed for a few short years before inevitably eroding away with the rest of the earth.

So make them damn good.

You heard me. Make them so beautiful that the eyes of those around you shine with wonder. May your stories be so raw and captivating that audiences will weep. May your songs resonate from your chest so violently that crowds cannot deny your life was worth the blood in your veins. May your one-thousandth menial report be as thorough and thankless as the first. May your daily interactions be more than idle pleasantries and nods. May your words be few and good. May your actions be bold, out of love.”

Be sure to take a look, add to your RSS reader, and enjoy. I especially felt that little burst of emotion while listening to Dan Auerbach’s “Goin’ Home” while reading Jeremy’s thoughts on home. That’s what I love about blogging and if I can make my readers feel any type of emotion like that…then it’s worth it.

Well done Icarus & Occident, you’ve inspired me.

I can’t remember if I already posted this video but I’m begging you with all my heart…watch this video. Adam and I saw Mumford and Sons last year at a small, intimate show and they made me cry three times with their beautiful voices, music and lyrics.

I judge books by their cover. That also goes for albums and their artwork. I pinned this image on Pinterest awhile ago and then went to the source. Commence dancing booty in my chair. It took me to Fiction Fred. I’m currently exploring the blog (by Fred, a graphic designer from Cape Town, South Africa). Listen the single here and enjoy!

I seriously can’t stop listening to these two songs. Enjoy.

do you know what i love?

when you are seeing one of your favorite bands play live, and they play a song that you’ve listened to so many times before in solitude, either at home or in the car or while walking down the street on your headphones. and there’s that moment in the middle of the song where the key changes or the music swells, or perhaps the music stops and there is a just a solo vocal, quiet and steady. and you always pause, your chest swells a little bit … you love this part of the song. but here you are, seeing the band play it live, and the moment comes and it’s bigger than you remember, and everyone else in the venue feels it, too. and suddenly you realize that this moment has not been your private moment all that time, but you share it with so many other fans. it’s like this instant connection with a roomful of strangers.

i love that.

- Brian from The Blue Hour

(One of my favorite blog quotes from 2010. Design by The Craft Begins.)

We’ve been listening to Elton John on vinyl. What have you been listening to?

I usually pump out links to share on Mondays but I’ve been behind in almost everything lately. My room is covered in dirty (and clean) clothes, I’m battling a head cold and I’m juggling three jobs! Anyways, if you’re bored at work or waiting for the weekend to roll around…enjoy these links!

- Who wouldn’t want the sand beneath their feet all day at work?

- Throwing a cocktail party? Impress your guests with these invitations.

- One of my all time favorite YouTube videos. It makes me want to have a daughter.

- I wouldn’t be cool enough to live here.

- Downloaded this mix over at Pitch Design Union! Love it.

- Check out the shirts at Stymie. Found here.

- I love their use of the chalkboard wall. So clean and visually appealing.

- Buying a return address stamp here soon!

- Adam and I just saw Mumford and Sons (isn’t their site design awesome?) recently. AMAZING. Watch this video. Image above from their concert.

It’s like a got an email from my boyfriend and he thinks we should break up before the summer starts. And that he’s giving me back some of the CDs that I bought him. It hurts, you know?

This week’s MEET features one of my favorite bands, Kopecky Family Band. Band member Kelsey Kopecky was sweet enough to participate in the interview after traveling back from SXSW where they were performing. I met Kelsey about four years ago in Nashville while she was attending Belmont University and I’ve always been a fan of her music. Kopecky Family Band consists of Kelsey Kopecky (Vocals/keys), Gabe Simon (Guitar/Vocals), Ben Kaufman (Violin), Corey Oxendine (Bass), David Krohn (Drums), Steven Holmes (Lead Guitar), Markus Midkiff (Cello). They are located in Nashville, Tennessee and you can listen to their music here or follow them on Twitter. Their new album “The Disaster” is out May 2010 but you can download a couple tracks off their site for free! Enjoy the interview and enjoy the beats.

01. At what point in your lives did you know you’d be musicians? We all come from all over the US and met at Belmont University in 2007. Our musical backgrounds vary.. but mostly we are classically trained music enthusiasts that love creating art. I personally, (Kelsey) knew I wanted to be a singer when I saw a Monterrey pop festival documentary of Janis Joplin performing “Ball and Chain” at my grandma’s house. Everything about her passion and messy honesty won me over.

02. Do you have another talents, passions, or hobbies? David enjoys a great record and the latest tech news. Kelsey likes rock climbing and origami, Gabe loves video games, Markus likes to play chess, Steven likes traveling to his birthplace in the Philippines, Corey likes meeting new people and native American culture, Ben likes to drink coffee in the morning and tell jokes.

03. Where has your encouragement come from? We all come from great families. On our tours we’ve had the privilege of visiting the home towns of almost all 7 members. Each home is warm and welcoming. I think the support of our families and encouragement to sharpen our craft as musicians is the reason we are able to do what we do.

04. What inspires you? Gabe is inspired by ALL THINGS VIDEO GAMES! He’s probably the most talented video game player I’ve ever seen. I like to watch him play. It’s pretty wild.

05. What has been you favorite piece of someone else’s art up until this point in your life? I know David, our drummer would probably say his record collection. David really cares about genuine artistry and the person behind the music. His favorite’s include Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Jack White, Bill Withers, Al Green, and of course The Beatles.

06. Is your music full-time? If so- what has that experience been like? Right now we are juggling school, part-time jobs and touring and recording. It’s definitely a struggle. The need to make music a priority in hopes of it being able to be a priority while paying your phone bill is a challenge. I think we do a good job of balancing it all. David is at Belmont finishing up his Music Business degree.. working part time at the Rock Climbing Gym. Kelsey is a Belmont graduate (Dec 08) and works at a hair salon called Fruition. Gabe is a student at Belmont studying Entrepreneurship. Corey is also a student studying Audio Engineering. Ben is a Marketing student at Belmont working part time at a sushi restaurant. Markus plays cello as a studio musician when possible and does valet parking. Steven is working at Urban Outfitters. We are busy kids who have made weekly practices a priority for 2 years.

07. Do you think you have a specific style? What is that style and do you see yourself evolving out of that anytime soon? Because of the wide array of influences that each of us has on an individual level, our music can’t help but have a somehow pleasant bipolar personality.  There are moments of intricate string movements that are outlined by moving drumbeats, vocal melodies that are both emotionally deep and catchy, tempos that challenge our classical brains to think…a little bit of everything. I like that our music has an element of intelligence and sass. It’s like a smart pop song that makes you want to listen closely. It’s constantly changing. Every practice we are writing a new song that is completely different than the last. But somehow the familiar “kopecky-ness” is in all of our songs.

Design work for Courtland, a band from Illinois.