Of Monsters and Men

http://soundcloud.com/island-records-uk/of-monsters-and-men-dirty-paws

(...) It obviously hasn't done them any harm that they are currently being touted as "the new Arcade Fire" – and not just by anyone, by Rolling Stone magazine – which is fast shaping up as this era's version of "the new U2". They use melodica, glockenspiel, accordion and horn alongside traditional rock band instruments, an affirmation of the idea that this is a supercharged, lusty and loud brand of folk, the songs invariably starting out like campfire singalongs before building to the sort of epic middles and codas that would make more sense being sung along in stadiums. (...)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/may/29/new-band-monsters-men

LAST DINOSAURS

Last Dinosaurs are a four-piece whose debut album has been described by one magazine as "a strong contender" for best Australian album of the last two decades. (...)
Zoom, the opening track, is such an irresistible surge (the clue's in the title) you'll assume it's a one-off. Really, you must stop doing that. Track two, I Can't Help You, has the rhythmic propulsion and funky poppiness of Phoenix but goes on a minute too long (we are available for editing at cut prices) whereas Sunday Night doesn't last nearly long enough with its stunning key and chord changes and scruffy take on Afrobeat worthy of Foals if not Friendly Fires. (...)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/may/09/new-band-last-dinosaurs
http://lastdinosaurs.com/home/
http://www.myspace.com/wearelastdinosaurs/radio

INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY (MAY 18)

This day is an occasion to raise awareness on how important museums are in the development of society.
ICOM Advisory Committee organises the theme of this event that, given the high number of countries involved, lasts a day, a weekend, a week or even a month.
From America to Oceania including Africa, Europe and Asia, this international event has confirmed its popularity.

These recent years, International Museum Day has been experiencing its highest involution with almost 30,000 museums that organised activities in more than 100 countries.

http://icom.museum/what-we-do/activities/international-museum-day.html
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/museums.html

http://www.spain.info/en/reportajes/espana_en_el_dia_internacional_de_los_museos.html

http://www.spain.info/en/conoce/museo/madrid/museo_nacional_del_prado.html

http://www.moma.org/

http://www.louvre.fr/en
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/
http://www.albertina.at/en
http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/html_En/index.html
http://www.globalmuseum.org/

LAURA WELSH

Laura Welsh (soundcloud/twitter) has been writing pretty tunes under the guises of Hey Laura and Laura and the tears for the last few years, but now it’s back to simply her own name. And with that comes a new focus on penning rich and powerful pop ballads like Ghosts  – and it’s breathtaking.
http://www.thebluewalrus.com/2012/03/20/introducing-laura-welsh/

http://laurawelsh.tumblr.com/
http://soundcloud.com/laurajeanwelsh

Tapas

Tapas (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtapas]) are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid). In select bars in Spain, tapas have evolved into an entire, and sometimes sophisticated, cuisine. In Spain, patrons of tapas can order many different tapas and combine them to make a full meal. In some Central American countries, such snacks are known as bocas.
The serving of tapas is designed to encourage conversation because people are not so focused upon eating an entire meal that is set before them. Also, in some countries it is customary for diners to stand and move about while eating tapas.

http://www.arrakis.es/~jols/tapas/indexin.html
http://www.tapas-recipes.com/
http://www.spain-recipes.com/spanish_tapas.html
http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/popular-dishes/tapas-recipes

LEONARD COHEN'S OLD IDEAS

Old Ideas is not all about death, betrayal and God, juicy as these are. As the title suggests, it is more of the stuff that has made Cohen indispensable for six decades: desire, regret, suffering, misanthropy, love, hope, and hamming it up (here's a line from "Banjo": "There's a broken banjo bobbing on a dark infested sea"). (...)

The musicianship throughout is uncluttered and swinging – a relief for those still rueing Cohen's lengthy synth phase. A bodyguard of angelic female voices (longtime collaborator Sharon Robinson, the Webb Sisters) wafts about, adding to songs like "Different Sides", and not distracting overmuch elsewhere.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/jan/22/leonard-cohen-old-ideas-review