The more I listen to Vivian Girls, the more I am drawn into their brand of simple, slightly messy, yet smiley shoegaze-surf-punk vibe. Upon re-listening to their self-titled album, I conjure a faint trickle of The Ronnettes or the mutant child of My Bloody Valentine and southern California 1960’s pop with a twinge of anthemic punk. For those of us currently disconnected from any kind of “local” scene, the sound of the Vivian Girls provided an elixer of home, of the kind of shows devoid of media attention and corporate label support. A cassette copy of this material should be in order.

A thirty minute live video from Vimeo (link below), shows me their live presence in what could be, an intimate venue. The lighting is almost non-existent, the cheers from the crowd are powerful yet few in number (sadly). All I know is that somewhere in Brooklyn, this took place – culture brews and is spread through social media channels. Meanwhile, someone in the dark forests of Japan tunes in and uses this music as the soundtrack to his “first day of fall” celebration. Thank you Vivian Girls.

Vivian Girls live at Death By Audio (Brooklyn) (September 2, 2008)

Vivian Girls links:
Vivian Girls on Myspace
Vivian Girls Official

I was watching a movie (listening would be better because I wasn’t in front of the T.V.) when I heard about a girl telling her friend that her boyfriend doesn’t love him much because he gave her a hand made gift (with clay) but the girl offered a $50 necklace to the boy. One important issue was raised in what the girl said; how to give the perfect gift?

There are two types of gift; the “surprise gift” and the “I’m waiting for it gift”.The surprise gift is the easiest one because it is surprise and a surprise is always good. An example, you drive home late and stops to a florist and get her some flower, it will definitely make her feel happy (or suspicious because “man”, the old kind of man don’t offer surprise gift unless they made some fault). For teens, passing by her favourite fast food and get her what she really really likes is enough. Surprise gift are the best thing you can do for the one you love.

The second one are “I’m waiting for it gift” who are the most difficult to offer because you got to buy her (or eventually him) what she is waiting for. What is she waiting for? You will have to find out whether it is the earring you saw when driving back home, the home she sigh every time you drives in front of it or some spare time for you and her to be together? In this case you will have to ask her question little by little to know what she wants.
One thing you can do is to show her one thing and watch her reaction; if she is delighted by the house you saw her, this is the perfect gift but if she has no reaction in front of the necklace and earing, better find another thing.

About giving the perfect gift is that you have to find something special for her, bear in mind that he/she is the perfect one, try only to amaze her by doing something she and that you didn’t even know you could do for her.

For now, I’ll say goodbye but keeps on watching her reaction, this is how you’ll know what to give her.

Cheerio…