This pair of Joseph Arthur videos are strangely (purposely?) old-school downtown New York. In the Gabriel Judet-Weinshel-directed “Second Sight,” we get JA projected against a billboard at Lafayette and Grand, decked in his ubiquitous shades, because that’s how you achieve this second sight thing. As he sings, “I’m in the dark, but I can see the light,” etc. He basically mouths the words, but at one point wipes his face, at another he seems to get self-conscious and stops singing all together. Here and there the camera tilts to other spaces to soak in the surrounding cityscape … pleasingly, nothing happens, you just get a better sense of the area. The second video, “Paints Me Gold,” finds Arthur in a leather (or pleather) jacket, shirtless, doing some sort of Jackson Pollock live painting. Because I evoked downtown NYC, let’s say Basquiat or Keith Haring. I don’t mean the style of the work, but the style in which we watch the work get made. This work: chalk, spray paint, other paints, a broom.
“Second Sight”
“She Paints Me Gold”
We received these notes on the latter:
“She Paints Me Gold,” inspired by a collection of still photographs by Cerise Leang on New Year’s Eve 2007, documenting one of Joseph’s all night paintings.
Both of those tracks are from the Vagabond Skies EP due out 6/10 on Arthur’s Lonely Astronaut. Remember, he’s releasing many EPs this year. The Foreign Girls EP is out 7/8 and then he’s doing a full-length, Temporary People, due 9/16. If you want to rest your eyes some, here’s another Vagabond Skies track, “Pretty Good Company.”
Finally, fitting with this Big Apple them, JA has a couple NYC shows upcoming, if you’re in the area:
07/11 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom (with band)
07/12 New York, NY @ Maxwell’s (solo)
 |
 |
Joseph Arthur is amazing! Dig the song! So underrated.
Terrific!
He can’t be stopped!
Go Joe!!
JA truly kicks out the jams…EP crazy cool…Bowery with the Lonely Astronauts…see you there…
We recieve the great joseph Arthur in Rouen | France @ l’Emporium Galorium on june, 20th.
sold.
Thank you for excellent site! this is great
It’s true he’s genius, and a really nice guy. I love the “she paints me gold”, it’s such a soulful song and the video is brilliant.
Go Joe because “Bag is Hot”
erika
Thank you for excellent site! this is great
sdfgdfgdfgdfgdfgdsfasdff
fghfhfjfjfgh
asdasfsdfsdfsdfsdfhfgjhf
gyjfurty
Thank you for excellent site! this is great
Joseph’s music is timeless. He is right up there with the best musicians of all time. His music transports you to recesses in the mind that normally lay dormant…What a superb talent!
Bravo Joseph, ta peinture, ta musique sont vraies