Liftingfaces

This is the first in a series of five volumes, each revealing a couple images from lost film rolls I have had developed. This is a phenomenon we are all familiar with, but it’s still like Christmas Day when you show up to pick up your developed rolls of film from God-knows-when.

Rome (2002)

Here are a pair of double exposures that cropped up on one of my rolls. The images are of Rome, the city wherein my wife and I were married, which makes it sort of tragic, as these are the only two photos that developed on this roll (the rest came out blank).

I think the film must have gotten caught and stopped advancing. Strangely, I have a vague recollection of this happening, almost seven years ago now.

At least the two that did develop are sort of interesting to look at. Maybe there’s a metaphor in the whole thing, but I’m not caffeinated enough to figure it out.

Yeah, I suppose there are elements of Midlake and Arcade Fire and Devotchka here (and a track that really reminded me of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s, “The Skin of my Yellow Country Teeth”), but lead singer Simon Balthazar’s London indie pop band seem to embrace the grandiose and lush sound with guilt-free arms.

Trumpets, violins, mandolins, timpani and harmonies galore adorn their latest LP, Reservoir, and I have to say, even with Andrew Bird’s Noble Beast, Alela Diane’s To Be Still and Fever Ray’s self-titled debut all heavily on my radar, Fanfarlo’s album is currently sitting at the top of my list for year’s best.

Please check them out, here’s are some samples…

Listen to I’m a Pilot,
The Walls are Coming Down,
and Comets.

It is for stories like this that I watch American Idol every year. I still don’t own any music from any of the contestants, but the show has become its own microcosm, it’s own beginning and end.

Also, I predict Danny Gokey, featured in the heart-wrenching video below, will win American Idol. I predicted it after the second round of cuts, and I’m sticking to it. As of this posting, he is in the top 36, which will be cut down to 9 next week.

UPDATE: Last night, Danny made the cut, and is now part of the top 9. So far so good.

What if land and sea traded places?

Click for Larger View.

It’s amazing what you can learn about our culture by entering just a few words. Try it for yourself.