Blog Two: I Forgot About You.

I abandoned this blog for a little while, and have been feeling terrible about it. It's something I really want to do, so I just need to get down to business.

Here is what I've been up to:

• School. That's going on.
• I got a job at Hobby Lobby. I know!
• I went to Forecastle Festival back in July, I might cover that in a later blog.
• I saw Andrew Jackson Jihad live... sort of. The scene was very, well, scene, so we decided not to stay. But! I hung outside a bit around the band and yes, he's a lovely beardy guy. :3
• I started an Etsy store! For those 6 of you out there that don't already know, Etsy is the awesome website where hundreds of thousands of crafty folk buy and sell handmade and vintage wares. It's gotten huge over the past few years, and anything you need (scarves, soap, jewelry, laptop bags, halloween costumes, etc.) can be found within its folds. Here's some of my favorite Etsy sellers:

Ruffeo Hearts Lil Snotty creates SUPER clever and hip clothing. With a fresh approach to fit and cut and a playful attitude towards color, this Brooklyn-based group has become a powerhouse within Etsy. Jackets, leggings, dresses, and undies are all a bit pricey, but the whimsy, to me, is totally worth it.

Little Orange Kitchen is full of truly awesome upcycled paper goods. Wallets and checkbook covers and passport cases, all with the most amazing patterns, and it's all upcycled!

JessAlfresco is me! I'm not quite on the same level as those other folk, but I love making things and I hope to gain some success! Cute little button jewelry, t-shirts, paper crafts, I make pretty much anything.

My friend Jessica just started her own shop too, Rocket Steve's. She's a great artist with a good eye for vintage finds, and her designs are super cute, check 'em out!

Okay, let's talk about something fantastic.

If you don't already know, Andrew Bird is the best there is. Srsly. And I have watched this video so many times I think I burned a hole in the internet.

I think that's a pretty good note to end on. Hopefully I'll be back soon. ;)

Blog One: Folk Punk and Life So Far

So hey! I'm Jess, and I've been attempting to start a music blog forever but motivation only just came to me... we'll see how long she lasts this time.

Background check.
I'm a smallish-town girl, born and raised in Henderson, KY. Heading to the lovely and awesome Louisville for my first year of college changed everything about everything that I ever knew, so coming back home for a year or two is going to be hard. My friends get tired of hearing me talk about music, books, fashion, crafts, fair trade, and webcomics (ha) so now they can just read about it, and so can...everyone else. I'll throw some stuff into the void and see what I get back.

So what's up?
Music reviews, book reviews, fashion, bicycles, beard-watching, craftiness, and just whatever comes to me... but mostly music reviews.
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let's get started.

So much new stuff out there to talk about, it's daunting and I'm tired. So, I'll go with what I've been listening to lately and get to that other stuff tomorrow.

My foray into folk punk started with me raiding strangers' music libraries at school (University of Louisville network is set up so iTunes users can listen to each other's stuff, isn't that awesome?) and finding Andrew Jackson Jihad. Maybe an unorthodox place to start, but it worked for me, because the man is absolutely kickass. Fueled with a fiery vengeance and biting cynicism, he's such a clever and satisfying listen with songs like this one:

Folk punk owes a ton to Plan-It-X, that independent label wreaking havoc from Bloomington, Indiana, not far from myself but far enough that I haven't actually been there... hmm... Defiance, Ohio might be their best known group, and for good reason, but, try as I might, I just can't get into Kimya Dawson. I'm not a huge fan of female singers anyway (we'll tackle this one later), but where the awkwardness and honesty of most male folk artists is endearing, I just find it irritating in Dawson's music.

I'm a soldier for the work of Mitch Clem, elder statesman of webcomics and punk music. He's always on top of the newest and rowdiest acts, and he did some album art for Mr. Jackson Jihad:

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In book news, I'm halfway through You Shall Know Our Velocity! by Dave Eggers. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius got me through a nightmare of a first semester at college, and I'm sure this one wouldn't disappoint either if I could just get through it without being interrupted by work and life and etc. Here's an interview that Dave and brother Toph Eggers did with Paste Magazine in May: Interview!

I think that's all I'm going to have today. Tomorrow should see the arrival of Blog Two, unless something exciting or terrible happens. Nighty night!

-JessAlfresco