TURNTABLE LAB

DFA
DFA 1" Die Cut Pin - Black

Those three little letters mean a whole lot when it comes to new disco and dance music. They've come a long way and with their wave of new releases of Hercules & Love Affair and Syclops, it's safe to say that trust is secured. This one's for the fans.

reviewed by C'mish

file under:
various objects / all

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Ed Templeton
Deformer Book

Third book from skater-artist Ed Templeton. Personally, I am a fan of Ed's work. It's gripping, engaging, sexual, pubic, teenage, dark, and always entertaining on several levels (from cheap shock to artsy deeper meaning). Deformer is a collection of photographs, drawings, and collages that loosely serves as an auto-biography. Beginning with Ed's personal adolescent pictures and scrapbook moments (his embarrassing report card is awesome), the book slowly builds into a inferno of sex, youth, and death. Yeah, sounds like an overstatement, but really, the book has an epic song quality to it. You're bombarded with images (and nudity) in unrestricted layouts... part thrash metal, part jazz. Hardcover, 166 pages, 12" x 9.5". Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
lab recommended / art + design books

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Justice: A Cross The Universe CD + DVD

Justice have had a mind-blowing two year run of gigs, shows, appearances, and whatever (why am I picturing doing lines off some hot model chick's boney ass?). This tour DVD, put together by Justice, Romain Gavras, and So-Me, attempts to capture the madness by documenting three long weeks of touring. They taped every waking second of the three weeks and condensed it into this one hour plus documentary. They exclusively focus on the off-stage life in the video, but they've also included the performance aspect on a bonus audio disc, featuring 18 tracks from their San Francisco date. Craziness is an understatement. Recommended.

- 60 minute plus documentary
- bonus audio disc featuring live performance, 18 tracks
- all region ntsc dvd
- english / japanese / french subtitles
reviewed by the mgmnt


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Off Bowery
Backdoor Book

The Backdoor Book is an intriguing look at NY's downtown scene through the fixed environment of the aNYthing store's backdoor. A continuing project conceived by A-Ron, its idea is so simple, yet the very fascinating. Who are these people? Why do you care? What are they wearing? This is the kind of incidental art that stands the test of time. Name check: Neckface, Espo, Terry Richardson, The Virgins, Harold Hunter, The Gonz, Benjamin Cho, Spank Rock, and many otherz. 8.75" x 12", 48 pages, softcover.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
music + culture books / all / photography books /

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Peter Saville
Estate 1-127 (Factory Records) Book

I've already drooled over Peter Saville's accomplishments in previous Lab musings, but this is the finest monograph on Saville's work to date. While other recent books on Saville and Factory Records have been consistently excellent, this book gets even deeper into Saville's work archives and thought process. For a little color, the press release says it best: "The now legendary cover designs for the Joy Division album Unknown Pleasures (1979) and the New Order single "Blue Monday" (1983) brought the Manchester graphic designer Peter Saville immediate international renown, with their somber yet lush Modernist edge. Saville was the cofounder of Factory Records, and was single-handedly responsible for its unique house style, so widely imitated, and so entirely Saville's own. Outside of the Factory stable he has produced covers for, among others, Patti Smith, Roxy Music, Wham!, Suede and Pulp, and has also collaborated on many architectural, fashion and interior design ventures, including the famous Manchester nightclub the Hacienda, and collaborations with Nick Knight, David Chippenfield and Stella McCartney. His sensibility combines unerring elegance with a remarkable ability to facture imagery that epitomizes and defines a cultural moment. Based on his solo exhibition at the Migros Museum in Zurich, which also traveled to the ICA London, this book surveys Saville's extensive archives for the first time. It was conceived and designed in close collaboration with Saville; as such, it is the first publication to be designed by the artist. Paperback, 8" x 10.5", 272 pages. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
lab recommended / all / art + design books / graphic design books

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Serge Gainsbourg: Coffret 2DVD

Don't be scurred! The box may be in French, but this thorough (and I mean THOROUGH) Serge Gainsbourg videography is region free (playable on all DVD players) and has English subtitles throughout. This review would be pages long if we went into details on this DVD set, but suffice it to say that any Serge Gainsbourg fan is gonna be VERY happy when they see what's on here. Presented in chronological order and spread over two jam-packed discs, you'll see loads of rare interviews, live performances, early music videos (more like short films) and, of course, lots of Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin. If you've ever said to yourself, "I could watch Serge Gainsbourg chain smoking and being sleazy for HOURS," well, here's your chance! Nearly 5 hours of material. Highly recommended.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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Steve "Espo" Powers
Studio Gangster Book

The evolution of Espo from graf artist to fine artist has been quite amazing. Not to take anything away from his graf career, but he has taken his letterforms, subversive quotes, and sign painting styles to unexplored territory. This latest book, on occasion of his recent show at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, is yet another step into the unknown. Espo created this world of signs and iconography that hits you like a powerful blues song. Not sure what the message is, but it hits you in some dark places despite the bright palettes. But if you don't want to go there, just step back an admire the perfect lettering, throwback graphics, and humorous details. For an Espo fans, this is probably his finest book yet. Hardcover, 115 pages.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
art + design books

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Steve Espo Powers
Handy Signs Print

The master of NY signage kills it once again! When it comes to NY's gritty cast of characters, Espo couldn't say it any better than this. Super quality Giclee print on 310 g/m2 archival paper. Limited to 250 pieces, signed and hand numbered by Espo himself. Get a frame for this one, it's gallery worthy.

- 24" X 30"
- Giclee Print on 310 g/m2 archival paper
- Edition of 250 signed and hand numbered by the artist
- Published by Headless Heroes
reviewed by C'mish

file under:
all

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The Virgins
The Virgins CD

Lab exclusivo! Aron from the venerable NYC entity ANYthing hooked us up with an early advance of the Virgins EP. You've heard "the next Strokes" label a zillion times now, but phuc it, these guys are going to be better than The Strokes! Even all the usual haters (Roc, Frogman, PH), are jumping on the bandwagon with a quickness. 6 tracks in all, with 2 demo versions that probably won't be on future releases. Finally, quality to go along with the style. Highly, highly recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt


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