You clicked on the title thinking there would be some naughty drug pictures in here, didn't you? Well I've got something even better for you: the cutest, catchiest, most sigh-inducing one-woman show this side of...anywhere. This is kind of a big deal for me, because I tend to dislike the current trend of cutesy, sentimental indie music and films (I'm looking at you, Miranda July), and I also prefer rock music that's on the louder side of things. But there's something about Khaela Maricich, aka The Blow, that comes across as so genuine that you can't fault her for writing embarrassingly sincere, offbeat songs about love and desire.

I wasn't disappointed last weekend when I saw Khaela perform (mainly) songs off of her latest release, Paper Television. Laptop pop genius Jona Bechtolt (aka YACHT) collaborated with her to make an album that is full of hooky electronic goodness. Sometimes the music is a minimal backing track for Khaela's sweet, wounded-but-hopeful voice, but more often than not it expands into a full blown dance party, borrowing more than a little from hip hop along the way.

The gutsy, eclectic music has a yin-yang relationship with the lyrical content of the songs, but they work together somehow. Who says you can't dance around while discussing that "oh shit" moment you have when you realize the boy you like doesn't like you back? Or even better, the mind fuck that ensues when you think about how infinitesimally small you and your lover are in the face of all that universe around you. What's even better is Khaela avoids cliches in favor of remarkable metaphors for love like the supermarket, things floating in the ocean, animals eating each other, and even the Louvre. Check out the lyrics to "Babay (eat a critter, feel its wrath)":

Pretty gross, but also pretty amazing. And to think some people claim that every metaphor for love has been explored already.

Khaela is also an adorably awkward dancer. It's hard to capture on film just how perfectly spazzy she looks when jerking around the stage, but these photos might give you some idea:









Additionally, she's way nice. Just look at her taking the time out to pose for a picture with these nerdy fucking fangrrls:



They also made a dorktastic video featuring MAGIC: the Gathering.



Yeah what!