Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra: Polly

Another music post! If there are two things in life that create a perfect harmony, it's Brechtian Punk Amanda Palmer and the eternal Nirvana. Here Amanda Palmer with The Grand Theft Orchestra have created a truly haunting cover of the grunge classic Polly, re-created here in a truly beautiful short film, set against xylophones and pianos. There isn't much I can say really, it's the sort of the thing that follows you around after it's over, hanging around your ears. A tragic, wonderful re-working of a classic.

http://www.amandapalmer.net/

Chrysta Bell 'Real Love'

What with all the Lana Del Rey hype that has been all over the internet in recent times, I found myself looking for other female solo artists that have a classical blues vibe to them, and as a result i've fallen slightly in love with the haunting Chrysta Bell, whom I found via David Lynch, and twitter. Enjoy this surreal mix of electronic soundscapes and dark vocals reminiscent of a modern Billie Holiday.

Style Icons: Hey, Mr Tambourine Man

It is no secret that I have, over the years, developed an unwavering obsession love for Bob Dylan. He is a creative chameleon, having constantly expanded his identity over the decades , to the extent where nobody really knows the real man. Well, there's the basics, born Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24th 1941, he turned 70 last year and is still writing music and touring all over the place. I also see him as something as a style icon. He arrived in New York with seemingly perfect timing in 1961, ingratiating himself with the famous and fashionable "Beat" community of Greenwich Village, known in the 60's as the bohemian heart of the USA.

The style that arose from this communicative, iconic haven of artists, poets and musicians, is a constantly refreshing and seemingly classic look. Part casual androgyny, part Parisian chic, and it is a style that keeps popping up again every year. Anyway, here are some of my favourite Dylan images. This is partly to try and inspire myself, next time I go clothes shopping, as I have been sticking that boring combination of black mini skirt and variations of a jumper. Time to try something new (or old, as the case may be).

This post wouldn't be complete if I neglected to mention one of my favourite films, I'm Not There, the 2007 biopic of the legendary musician, which won Cate Blanchett a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Dylan in his most infamous drug-fuelled era in the mid-60's. A definite must-see for anyone with an interest in Dylan.