Marblesque Redux Redux

Here is the third hand-marbled tie by Brian O'Malley of Australia to appear on the blog; here's a page of links to all the Marblesque ties I've posted. Marbled ties remain my first choice to pair with this shirt, as the multitude of colors in the ties increases the number of color matches. I matched three different shades today, yeeha!

Keane has come out with a new album of grandiose melodies and soaring vocals, The Iron Sea. The song "Crystal Ball" is an early standout; it's one of those songs that sounds instantly familiar, and not because it sounds like something else, but because it's such a perfect construction. Train's "Drops of Jupiter" and Evanescence's "Bring Me To Life" both struck me the same way; hearing them for the first time was like an act of anamnesis, as if the bands had removed a veil to reveal an eternal truth, a song that had always been there waiting to be illuminated. (Yes, I know they're just pop songs, but joy can be found even in mundanity once in a while.)

The most remarkable thing about The Iron Sea (which may not live up to the first album, I'm still deciding) is the cover art by young Anglo-Finnish artist Sanna Annukka. The days of the vinyl LP and glorious 12-by-24-inch illustrated gatefold covers are past, but the smaller CD format can still be a passable vehicle for fine illustration. Annukka came up with a massive, vertically-oriented work (six panels altogether) based on the album's lyrics and her own affinity for Finnish folk style. I haven't found the complete illustration online, but several images from it have been turned into PC wallpapers that can be seen on this page. She has also made a series of screen prints for Hygge, a London-based shop of Scandinavian-influence items for the home. Sanna Annukka has a promising career ahead of her and I can't wait to see more.