Cat Power

Steve Aoki, DJ to the LA hipster-elite, releases his first mix album today, the obliquely named Pillowface and His Airplane Chronicles, a Cobrasnake soundtrack populated by the Pitchfork-crowned Justice, Klaxons, Bloc Party, MSTRKRFT, Peaches, and the like. Released in part by his own label, Dim Mak, the album will answer that long-held question, what does ironic '80's glam thrift chic sound like? Judge for yourself. Here's a taste, part of a live performance where he mixes Justice and MSTRKRFT—dare I say it sounds fun?

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Everybody needs to stop complaining about Chan Marshall. If I hear another person talk about how she has smoothed over the rough edges that made her so great and eradicated all the warts-and-all charm from her repertoire, I'm going to spit.

Just a year ago, after releasing the strongest album by far of her career, Ms. Marshall, or Cat Power as she's known, cancelled a tour due to a breakdown. Plenty reacted with smug I-coulda-called-it satisfaction given her reputation for stagefright and worse. Then, a few months later, Ms. Marshall emerged stronger, leaner, and meaner than ever, and has since been treating audiences (ever larger, ever more thrilled audiences) to some of the best performances of her life. One review of her new album actually praised her former "paranoid-but-pretty" style in contrast to the strength and poise she now exhibits. You'd think people wanted this woman dead.  read more »

On Thursday, Jan. 17, Manhattan photographer Patrick O’Dell sent a message to his friends on MySpace urging them to come to the opening of his first solo exhibit.

“I have a fear this is going to be like my birthday or whenever else I invite everyone I know to something and like 4 people show up...I've already had bad dreams about it,” he wrote.

On the contrary, Mr. O’Dell’s opening Saturday night at Fuse Gallery, which is housed in the back of the cave-like East Village bar Lit, on 2nd Avenue, turned out to be a generously attended affair. A mixed crowd of downtown hipsters and art patrons snaked through the 33-piece photo exhibit, sipping on bottles of Bud and Red Stripe as actor Leo Fitzpatrick, a friend of Mr. O’Dell’s, spun classic ‘80s records.  read more »