Tommy Peters' Bicycles

When was the last time a name of a band influenced your history? Unlike some notables where choice of names are found wanting­, a Glaswegian foursome, who opened gates to the likes of Kaiser Chiefs and Futureheads , is named after a nineteen- century Austrian-Hungarian prince, Archduke Franz Ferdinand , heir to the throne before his assassination that precipitated the Serbian war and world tension that followed. The cover design of the second album is more telling than the bland design of their debut. It's beautifully vintage and reflective of the era – a dame with a period head covering ‘calling out to her Prince’ is relatively mild but a refreshing change, considering the decibels offered in this genre. Fade Together is a slow to medium ballad played to 'hopeless' remnants left behind before closing. The gem is nestled amongst a punk indie spread and comes with a disguised Gregorian Chant in its basement. Surprisingly though, it is not one of the f...

Liu Yi, an artist based in Toronto, authored ‘The 2008 Beijing Mahjong Game’ in 2005. He exploits to the hilt, female sensuality in a power equation between the United States, Russia, China, Japan and Taiwan, where girls analogise the nations at a game of mahjong while exhibiting modesty levels that represent their respective positions. The tattooed girl in pigtails is China, and on her left is a bare-naked Japan in full concentration. The U.S. is represented by the Caucasian in lingerie. She is looking to her left at a relatively young Taiwan who is apparently out of the game, but holds a fruit basket with a knife by her side. Russia prostrates herself in reckless abandon, engaging the proceedings from her viewpoint. Naked Japan contrasts with an engaging China who is partially covered below her waist, indicating contingency options that others have to guess. In vulgar fashion, Russia exposes her smalls to the U.S. while reaching out to China who is cheating...