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Beth Ditto

Books

25 Notable Books Unfairly Overlooked by ‘The New York Times’

By Emily Temple on

Earlier this week, The New York Times published their annual year-end list of the “100 Notable Books of 2012,” as chosen by the editors of The New York Times Book Review. As usual, the list is filled with very predictable (though often very worthy) choices, but this year we were surprised not only by the amazing, under-the-radar books the Times ignored, but by the equally amazing but high-profile and relatively commercial books that also got snubbed. To that end, we’ve compiled an alternative, or an addendum, if you will, to the Times’ list, including both lesser-known books we loved this year, and some big name books we can’t believe didn’t make the cut. Click through to read our list, and if you so desire, register your own addendums to our addendum in the comments. … Read More

Partner Buzz

Listen to Beth Ditto’s Exclusive MAC Mixtape

By Doug Levy on

Last week saw the debut of a match made in glamorous indie-rock heaven: Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto’s all-new limited-edition collection for MAC Cosmetics. Featuring striking colors and shades with names like “Beth or Glory,” “Booyah!” and “Vagabondage,” the line has everything you need to bring out your own inner rock star.

To celebrate its official debut, we asked Ditto to curate a mixtape that embodies the vibe of the collaboration, and what she came back with is a stirring mix of dance-floor hits and old-school jams, running from Mama Cass to Missy Elliot and from the Rolling Stones to the Fresh Prince. Check out the full track list after the jump, and then click through to rock out while you get your glam on. … Read More

Music

Hear a Softer Side of Gossip on New Single "Perfect World"

By Judy Berman on

It’s been nearly three years since we’ve heard new music from Gossip. In the time since their Rick Rubin-produced 2009 major-label debut, Music for Men, Beth Ditto’s continued her ascent from underground sensation to mainstream celebrity, modeling for Jean Paul Gaultier and releasing a self-titled solo EP last spring. But now, the boundary-pushing band is back with “Perfect World,” the debut single off a forthcoming album of the same name, which is slated for May release.

So, what does the new song tell us about the record? Although it’s got a catchy, dance floor-ready beat, Ditto’s generally electrifying voice seems disappointingly tame and edge-less — Gossip have always been good for contagious pop hooks, but they used to back them up with punk and gospel flourishes that set their sound apart. In collaborating with British bubblegum producers Xenomania, have they lost what once made them so exciting? Listen to “Perefct World” after the jump and let us know what you think. … Read More

Music

10 Egregious Omissions from VH1′s ’100 Greatest Women in Music’

By Judy Berman on

We recently took VH1 to task for including some fairly undeserving — and a few just plain awful — acts on their countdown of the “100 Greatest Women in Music.” So, who do we think would have been more deserving? We’re so glad you asked! Although it’s lacking in many categories, female rockers were especially slighted. We’ve attempted to point out some of the most egregious snubs, keeping two rules in mind: 1. VH1 has limited itself to the past 20 years, so it’s only fair to follow suit. 2. It’s not realistic to expect a mainstream TV network to acknowledge the existence of performers as obscure as, say, Carla Bozulich — so, while we certainly think she’s great, she’s not on this list. See who we would have included after the jump. … Read More

Web

What’s On at Flavorpill: The Links That Made the Rounds in Our Office

By Caroline Stanley on

Today at Flavorpill, the design-minded among us fell in love with this CMYK version of Twister. We watched a baby gorilla attempt to take its first steps. We discovered Snack to the Future — a Tumblr that combines hilariously bad food puns with existing movie titles. We appreciated the… Read More

Celebrity

What Does Your Day-Glo Hair Color Say About You?

By Emily Temple on

Celebrities are always dyeing their tresses one color or another. The normal ones usually keep it to colors that are found in nature on human heads, but then there are those other ones, who like to spice it up a bit. To help you keep up with the madness – and to get you from Patricia Field to Lil’ Kim in 6 steps flat – we’ve created this handy color-coded rainbow chart of celebrities’ day-glo hair color choices. But what do these crazy color choices mean? Do certain types of people choose certain colors? Do certain types of people just choose every color? Find out what your hair color – or the hair color you wish you had – says about you after the jump. … Read More

Web

Anne Hathaway Will Be Belting It Out at the Oscars [Morning Links]

By Caroline Stanley on

Books: Vikas Swarup (who wrote Slumdog Millionaire) might take his next novel out of India. [Business Standard]
Dance/Opera: Watch the BBC’s Comic Relief dance competition online. [New Media Age]
Design: Nicolai Ouroussoff weighs in on the new Lincoln Center. He think it’s pretty too. [NYT]
… Read More