In 2000 the Aussie contingent/band/group the Avalanches released an all-time classic, Since I Left You. The album still sounds unique and has an insane amount of depth and layering to the tracks. *Over 900 samples are on this disc* so somebody’s lawyer got a check before this thing got released. A good reference point for the sound might be DJ Shadow on laughing gas, but in my opinion no one has ever created better mood and soundscapes with sampled bits than the Avalanches. Pitchfork Media gave the album serious love.

Now for the bad news, the boys in the band have been a little gun shy to release a second album. I suspect the critical acclaim may have ratcheted up the pressure to produce a world-beating second disk, not to mention that clearing hundreds of obscure samples must be a total bitch.

NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS! It seems like the new album is actually getting finished! You can go to the Avalanches website and listen to a 20 minute teaser of the album! Just click on the “Brains (TEAZER)” in the bottom right-hand corner and prepare to get hit with a mix that washes over you like a warm breeze. Free your mind and your ass will follow!

This company consistently puts out fresh new hats, and their own site has a HUGE selection of new and old styles. Last time I checked their site was a little bootleg, and I have had a couple funky customer service snafus with them. Honestly, they are not very skilled in the Ecom game, but the hats are still the shit cause they are all league in the hat game.

Half of my AM outfit can usually be found within 12 feet of my bed. Yesterday’s jeans? CHECK. Goorin hat? CHECK. Purple banana hammock…uh. I digress. Buy a hat you nosy prick!

This is the portal to a lost world of fresh shoes! Flight Club New York and Flight Club LA are consignment based shoe stores that sell only the cream of the crop of old school shoes in kickass colorways. Some of the shoes are very rare and their prices are sky high, but those are really for OCD collectors, bratty rich kids or dudes who just got an advance on their record contract. There are a lot of shoes at decent price points, and even if you never buy this site is a straight up sneaker museum. Take in the sights and keep your greasy paws off the art!
Money green Adidas! Tell me the world isn’t a beautiful place.
I’m in love with these. They will be bought, and worn, and someday probably ruined. Still, they deserve to hit the street, not stay in a shoe box hidden under some guys bed.

About the same time I got involved with the fashion biz, these guys were coming to market with a kick-ass website, and a lean and efficient business model. Well…ALAKAZAM! They are pretty big now. They are kind of a big deal. $25 million in sales is a bloody big deal!

Well they certainly don’t need my dap, but I’ll still give it where it is due. They have come correct, and grown without completely screwing up their products, or alienating their base, respekt! But…as the community has grown some of the winning designs have become a little less funky fresh. More frat boys have their fingers on the voting buttons these days, and it may only be a matter of time before a shirt with a picture of a rooster and “cock” written under it wins. (sigh) But this is still a great site, and the “Threadless Select” tees are still coming quite strong. Threadless deserves a “Rockin’ Steady” award for keeping to the straight and narrow…and fresh.

Def check Threadless Select.

Lets say your brother graduated from MIT in 1982, what is he asking for as a graduation present?  Gold-ass funky-fresh calculator watch, thas what!  This is the first calculator watch ever made, and it’s gotta be the only one that costs more than $14.99.  It will be mine someday.   If I can get my hands on a time machine, I will go back to 1931 with a fake accounting degree. I will then spend 40 years working diligently for a small accounting firm outside of Buffalo. I will retire in 1971, and sit back and wait for them to present me with a brand new 14 carat gold calculator watch at my retirement dinner held in the Radisson ballroom. Then I will naturally yell “Fooled ya! I’m from the future you morons. PEACE” ZZZAAPP!

At Streetsy.com their goal is “to create the largest curated street art site on the web,” and I think they can claim that starting…now. Well, probably long before this post actually. The collection is HUUUGE. The curator, Jake, adds pictures every day. But the online exhibit really blows up over at Flickr.com, at the Streetsy photo pool. Here people from all over the world post pictures of great street art and there have been almost 50,000 pictures added to date. It’s refreshing to know that all these bits of expression are living all around us.

The body of work that this group has put together and cataloged is an amazing cross-section of thought out and beautifully executed art put in public spots by hyper-talented folks.  They are named after an area of Soho that is worth a look for anyone in need of a pilgrimage. Definitely check it out.

Freshism.com is the freewheeling, ass-kicking, uncontrollable cousin of Always Urban. Always Urban is a urban apparel marketplace. Basically, we are bringing together a collection of amazing street wear brands. It’s gonna be steady rockin’ all night long, so either join the party or move.