Blabbermouth : Lure Design » Diversions

Life of Print

Jeff Matz — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:22:53 +0000

This video was done by Noah Levy, a student at Full Sail University and Sarah’s protegé in the AIGA mentorship program.

The Film Marathon Begins

Jeff Matz — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:50:15 +0000

After countless days and hours of design and production creating a plethora of marketing materials for the Florida Film Festival, it will finally be time to slow down — if only for a bit — to enjoy the great movies and events the Festival has to offer.

These next ten days of discovery are something I look forward to every year. Sitting in the dark with friends and strangers–probably with an adult beverage in front of me–watching stories unfold from aspiring and accomplished filmmakers alike. The documentaries are always fascinating, but I’ve heard from Festival folks, like Chris Blanc, that the narrative features this year are really strong. And the festival review I read in the Weekly backed up that claim.

Already on the agenda for this weekend is the opening night film, Paper Man, and party Friday night, where I know there’ll be good eats when I see that the Ravenous Pig and 4 Rivers (among others) will both be there servin’ up vittles. Saturday, I’ll start with seeing the Academy Award Nominated ‘The Secret of Kells.’ That might be the only movie I can catch because I’ll be at the Lee Bros lunch and talk. Then it’ll be on to the Tennessee Williams ‘Family’ Reunion dinner at 6:30. Sunday, I’ll miss the brunch, unfortunately, but I”ll try to catch No 4. Street of Our Lady and Con Artist that night.

What more can I san than, psyched!

Cover of this year's Film Festival program

Interior of the Film Festival program

Interior spread of the Film Festival program

We’re all Being John Malkovich

Jeff Matz — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:38:24 +0000

Sarah Jaffe at the Social. January 7, 2010.

Jeff Matz — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:01:53 +0000

Every once in a while, an opening act you’ve never heard of takes you by surprise and truly impresses. You weren’t planning on paying that much attention. You were just going to have a couple of beers, talk with your friends and maybe check out the merch table. These guys were just going to provide an inconsequential backing soundtrack for the moments that led up to the headliners taking the stage. But they start playing. And they’re good. Really good. You stop chatting up your friends and you fall in love with finding new music again.

It was a cold Thursday night and after a Guiness at Finnhenry’s we were headed to the Social to see Midlake, the seven-piece folk rockers from Denton, TX. From the moment we walked in, I was drawn in and made my way to the floor. Sarah Jaffe had already started her set and I was immediately disappointed that I may have missed something–even if it was only one song. It was mezmerizing. Sarah delivered smart, sensative lyrics with elegant phrasing, beautifully restrained melodies and a very honest, soulful voice. Thankfully, I can’t exactly pin down the sound. A little Neko Case. A bit Madeline Peyroux. A touch of Adele. She and her band, featuring some very tasteful guitar and accordian work from Robert Gomez, switched seamlessly from swing to sorrow.

“Somewhere someone is listening to the sound a record spinning.” That would be me. The record would be Sarah Jaffe’s EP, Even Born Again. And that should probably be you, too.

Top albums of 2009

Jeff Matz — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:46:25 +0000

It seems like we didn’t listen to as much new music this year as we have in the past. Maybe it’s that we bought less given the tighted purse strings of 2009. We missed hearing some things like the Neko Case and Animal Collective releases. But we did manage to come up with some favorites for 2009. Here they are, in no particular order.

Horehound, The Dead Weather

Fever Ray, Fever Ray

I Blame You, Obits

Geneva, Russian Circles

Embryonic, The Flaming Lips

It’s Blitz, Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs

Curse Your Branches, David Bazan

Kingdom of Rust, Doves

No More Stories are Told Today, Mew

Lost Channels, Great Lake Swimmers

The Fourth in Waycross

Jeff Matz — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:37:53 +0000

At the in-laws

At the Okefenokee Swamp Park

The Lakes Golf Course at Laura S. Walker Park

Hot boiled peanuts. This dude cooked 1100 pounds of 'em that day.

Waitin for his hot boiled peanuts.

For the love of Comic Sans

Jeff Matz — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:46:33 +0000

The response to our typographic pledge poster has been great so far. But not all of them have been positive. It’s been entertaining. This one cracks me up on a few levels:

Beer and musical whiplash in Boston.

Jeff Matz — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:18:37 +0000

I just got back from a trip to Boston with my friends, Mitch and Gary. Aside from spending an inordinate amount of time in what is probably my favorite bar anywhere, Bukowski Tavern, we managed to fit in some other activities. Things kicked off Wednesday night with a performance by Wayne Shorter at the Berklee College of Music. While we were left scratching our heads afterward, the rest of the audience seemed very impressed. There was a lot of musical dexterity going on, but to the point that there seemed to be little structure or melody left. I can take some improvisational jazz, but throw me a melodic bone now and then. The drummer was fun to watch.

Thursday we visited the Boston Museum and Fine art to admire some Sargent paintings. From there we went to the new Institute of Art on the Bay where I thoroughly enjoyed an exhibit by Tara Donovan. I think i was alone in my appreciation. That night we bowled a few frames at Lucky Strike and finished at Bukowski.

Bukowski Tavern

Lucky Strike

Friday was the event we traveled to Boston for: the Boston symphony doing Stravinsky’s ‘The Rite of Spring.’ The whole program was great including a very interesting piece by Elliott Carter. The Stravinsky did not disappoint. It was big, loud and powerful.

Symphony Hall, Boston

I just bought the near brilliant (in my opinion) new record from Mercury Rev the week before heading to Boston. I noticed in the local paper they were playing that Friday night at Paradise Rock Club. Since the Symphony was a matinee, that worked out perfect. We could hit Bukowski, buy some LPs at Newberry Comics have dinner at Sonsie and head to Paradise. They put on a great show at skull splitting volume and threw in some retina burning multi-colored strobes for good measure.

Mercury Rev at Paradise Rock Club

We wrapped things up at Petite Robert Bistro for a light lunch of seared foie gras, lobster mac and cheese, braised lamb shank and crepes suzette. Then more LP shopping.

Oh, Bukowski. How I miss you.