It’s always awesome when members of your favorite bands have their own blogs: you get to see what music they listen to, get the inside scoop on upcoming releases, and generally learn what makes them tick.  For example, Aaron Turner of ISIS has been digging Deadwood on DVD and the Bioshock video game lately, and Fear Falls Burning has been listening to Sunn O))) and Miles Davis.  It’s great when an artist’s playlist not only gives you greater insight into their musical inspiration, but also encourages you to check out some musicians you never would have otherwise.

Kayo Dot violinist Mia Matsumiya’s LiveJournal is whole different animal - sure, it’s got info on Kayo Dot and Mia’s other projects, such as Tartar Lamb, Gregor Samsa, and Ghastly City Sleep, but mostly you’ll learn that Mia has some very strange and interesting ways of keeping herself entertained.  Topics range from her experiences as a medical experiment test subject to her fear of ventriloquist dummies.  Definitely one of the more interesting personalities in the world of metal, at least that I’ve come across.  Mia’s MySpace page is also worth checking, and perhaps updated more frequently..

Mia and Kayo Dot’s Toby Driver recently released "sixty metonymies" under the name Tartar Lamb, with Mia on violin and Toby on guitar and vocals.  From the press release:

This full-length CD package features the title piece, a modern electroacoustic quartet exquisitely recorded by Randall Dunn (Sunn0))), Earth, Kinski, etc) and beautiful hand-painted artwork by Toby.

Head over to the Tartar Lamb MySpace page for samples and information on how to get a copy.

Kayo Dot is also putting the finishing touches on their new album, "Blue Lambency Downard," which should be released in mid-March on Hydra Head Records.  Kayo Dot’s MySpace page has all the latest info.