this week in (juxtaposition).

This week was full of surprises – I was surprised when the weather finally permitted me to wear a sweater, and I was even more surprised when I spilled an entire cup of coffee all over said sweater.  But perhaps what surprised me most this week was the way some of my favorite musicians and designers were juxtaposing different ideas in their latest works.

When I downloaded the newest record by St. Vincent (AKA Annie Clark), I was fairly confident it would be at least as strong as 2009’s Actor.  And lo and behold, I was very pleased. St. Vincent’s third LP, titled Strange Mercy, does everything we want a new album to do – it builds upon the artist’s strengths but also pushes forward into new territory.

After a couple of times listening to the album in it’s entirety (it takes me awhile to digest new music), I started to notice the subtle cleverness hiding just below the surface of some of the new songs. 

Clark’s dark sense of humor has pervaded all three of her records (listen to “Marry Me” and “The Bed”).  But whereas these songs’ humor came purely from the lyrical content, newcomers like the instantly lovable “Cruel” juxtapose dark lyrics with Clark’s deadpan and sometimes even joyful delivery of lyrics such as, “How can they be, casually cruel?”  This juxtaposition is reflected in the tongue-in cheek music video:

Sure, the idea of juxtaposing lyrics and their delivery might not be entirely original (singer-songwriters such as PJ Harvey and Liz Phair have mastered this technique on Exile in Guyville and Let England Shake, respectively), but Clark’s always-flawless execution makes the idea seem fresh.

Case in point: standout track “Surgeon.”  Clark sings, “I spent the summer on my back / Another attack / Staying just to get along, get along,” and later, “Best find a Surgeon, Come cut me open.”  Her nonchalant lyrics juxtapose the screeching instrumentals that build into a strange, yet awesome climax.

Beyond the songs themselves, I have to bring up the album artwork.  I’ve always been interested in seeing how album artwork connects to the musical work itself.  And for once, the cover of Strange Mercy proves that the connections I make are more than just my bulls*** rambling.

Image via Consequence of Sound.

The intense intimacy of Clark’s teeth and mouth (this is her) juxtaposed with the sterile smoothness of the latex-y material is perfect for an album full of similar mixes of contrasting ideas.  I’ll say it again – Clark has flawless execution.

With Strange Mercy playing on repeat all week, I, like the rest of the world, was drooling all over the shows at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.  And while the highlights were many, my favorite tidbit this week was this ad by High-end French fashion house Lanvin.

Though some have criticized the ad campaign for trying too hard, I think it’s pretty damn clever.  Fashion, especially super high-end designers like Lanvin, can take itself a wee-bit too serious for my taste sometimes.  This ad reminds us that humor in design is refreshing, especially when it juxtaposes the seriousness of the clothes and Park Avenue setting of this video.

What’s the funniest/darkest St. Vincent song?

Is anybody else going to see St. Vincent at the 9:30 Club?
Is an album’s artwork important to the work as a whole?

Is the Lanvin ad clever or a flop?

What (________) is juxtaposing (________) in your life?