Monkeywhale Productions

Have You “Liked” A Monkeywhale Today?

carolyn — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:47:30 +0000

If you haven’t, get right on it! We’ve got another great drawing for everyone who “likes” us, this time from North Carolina’s own Katharine Whalen (formerly of the Squirrel Nut Zippers) and now the front lady and founder of the very wonderful Katharine Whalen and Her Fascinators. If you haven’t checked out this band yet you’re in luck because we just happen to have made their smash hit video this summer! Katharine and the good folks at Five Head Entertainment have given us five, count ‘em, five copies of her new album “Madly Love” and five great looking stickers to give away to some very fortunate Monkeywhale fans. We feel sure that this album will bring smiles, foot tapping, and a dash of romance into your lives.

So, just “Like” monkeywhale.com on Facebook and you’re entered to win. SO easy. The drawing will be conducted at 12 EST on Friday, February 10th, so your entry must be received on or before that date and time. Each winner will receive (1) Katharine Whalen And Her Fascinators, “Madly Love” cd and one sticker. We will use www.random.org to pick the winner. Share away and keep your fingers crossed.

Madly Love, Katharine Whalen and Her Fascinators

*Amaryllis not included.

Katharine Whalen and Her Fascinators Stickers

Paul Octavious Is A Beautiful Artist

carolyn — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:43:01 +0000

Sometimes you stumble across someone’s work and you know you are in the presence of greatness. Today that happened for me with Paul Octavious. Lens has a piece on his beautiful series of photographs (and video) of a hill in Chicago. I was jealous by the second photo. Things got worse when I looked at his website. Now, REALLY jealous. Octavious’s work is elegant and whimsical and completely different from anything else I’ve looked at in a long time. Damn it, he’s not even 30. There’s obviously no shortage of creativity or ideas or capacity for fun in his world, and it’s coming through clear as a bell in his work. Do yourself a favor and take a look. I hope it’s the highlight of your day.

From “Same Hill, Different Day” Series by Paul Octavious.

Jill Andrews: The way it was (impromptu in Knoxville)

harvey — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:54:43 +0000

The final day of shooting for The Mirror music video, we cracked open a few beers while Jill and Josh played in her living room. I had been shooting non-stop for a couple of days so it seemed natural to record this.

I removed a snort about half way through the song, since one might suppose it was Jill snorting. Full disclosure, the snort was mine although the spilled bottle was not.

The Mirror album can be purchased here.

String of Peals: Rhiannon Giddens and Laurelyn Dossett

harvey — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:02:08 +0000

Returning from Maine we had the honor of helping Laurelyn with her Gathering Kickstarter campaign, editing material shot by Abigail Seymour during the recording process of the album. Following the edit we were invited to Laurelyn’s house to record a very informal version of String of Pearls, a lovely track on a beautiful album. Many thanks to Laurelyn, Rhiannon, and Nonesuch Records for the opportunity.

The album is available for purchase here.

Praise for The Gathering:

“It’s a fresh approach to wintry music, with mountain-music instrumentation and crystalline harmonies.”
4 1/2 stars
Andrew Dansby and Joey Guerra, San Antonio Express News

“Collections of Appalachian holiday tunes have come along before, but one of the finest is now ‘The Gathering,’ ”
4 1/2 stars
Thomas Conner, Chicago Sun-Times

Do You “Like It”?

carolyn — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:04:08 +0000

Monkeywhale, that is. And Stephaniesid! Before they left town after making a smash hit music video for their song, “I Like It” with us, the fine folks of Stephaniesid left us four autographed copies of their brand new album Starfruit to give away to you kind Monkeywhale supporters. It’s the holidays, people, and we’re all feeling the spirit. Starfruit is a thing of beauty from beginning to end and definitely needs to be part of your new music line-up for 2012. If you’re really nice you might even give it to a loved one as a gift, but I’ll bet you decide to keep it for yourself. Here’s a little teaser about the album from Stephanie herself…

this record is the theme music to a universe. it was born over months & months of begging, deep in the bowels of the home, underground in its basement, excavating echoes & running them backward through reverb machines. dehydrated, hazy-eyed. craving fruit. into the dim passed the offering of nine brilliant musicians, gamely entrusting a house-recording experiment with their gorgeously crafted intonations. track by track, a mouthwatering other-world reached into materialization, hovering a few feet above some cheap microphones, a laptop, & the pit of the stormy sea. only some of its characters are mortals; all sport coquettish dance moves or baskets of pineapples. in this universe, it is good etiquette to make friends with the unlikelies, & to serve them yam-blood candy out of your ripped floral handbag. in this hopeful place, it is customary to eat fruit in the shape of stars.

Once again, all you have to do is “Like” monkeywhale.com on Facebook and you’re entered to win. It’s really too easy. The drawing will be conducted at 12 EST on Friday, December 16, so your entry must be received on or before that date and time. Each winner will receive (1) Stephaniesid Starfruit cd. We will use www.random.org to pick the winner. Please share this link with your friends. Thanks and thanks and thanks again! Happy holidays everyone!

Starfruit by Stephaniesid, Monkeywhale Headquarters

Elliott Erwitt Hopes He Hasn’t Taken His Favorite Picture Yet

carolyn — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:44:08 +0000

Elliott Erwitt is one of my very favorite photographers. No matter how many times I look through his photos, I laugh and sigh and drool and learn something new every time. In May, Lens published a wonderful interview with the 82 year-old photographer (conducted by his son) as the International Center for Photography prepared his show “Personal Best”, which we were lucky enough to see this summer. After a long commute into the city from a friend’s apartment way out at the end of Brooklyn, we basically ran sixteen blocks in the rain to arrive at the show twenty minutes before it closed. The show was fantastic and sprawling. There were negatives; I think I might have shed a tear or two. If you’re stuck in a photographic ditch right now and need some inspiration or just want to hear something that might (or might not) make you feel better about trying to be a photographer these days, read this interview. Then get out there and get cracking on your personal work. Because who knows how good your next photo might be?

Elliott Erwitt by as yet unidentified photographer