Spent the weekend on an island for my cousin's bachelorette party. It was lovely, but I feel ready to drop dead upon returning... We were treated to not just guests' playlists but the host's neighbors were also having a backyard party and had a live folk band ensemble, which was just delightful. And then we listened to some more good selections this morning over brunch and Uno. One of which was the following, which has always been a favorite, and is kind of a nice selection for pre-wedding festivities (or at a wedding).
Rave on, it's a crazy feeling
And I, I know it's got me reelin'
When you say I love you, rave on
Rave on, it's a crazy feeling And I, I know its got me reelin' I'm so glad that you're revealing your love for me Rave on, rave on, tell me, tell me not to be lonely Tell me, you love me only, rave on to me
"Rave On" - M. Ward (Buddy Holly cover). What do we think of the papercut/3d animation? I think it's adorable. Cutesy without going too overboard. Enjoy this warm embrace of a song as you start your week!
Willie Nelson is a national treasure. Gonna see him tonight at the fair, and I am sooooooo thrilled.
The man is a gem.
His latest, Just Breathe - is an amazing, earnest Pearl Jam cover (the original, below, is also a gem). Not too shabby.
Here is the original with Eddie Vedder's melty voice....
Back to Willie, I actually have also always had a soft spot for the still recent (for him) Maria (Shut Up and Kiss Me) and it's cheezy video feat. Luke Wilson. It's so ridic. But beardy Luke Wilson lookin' cute and dopey!
And of course we couldn't enumerate all his many songs, for there are thousands, but how could anyone resist a song titled Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die:
And finally - one of my favorite songs - originally written/performed by Willie and then covered by the excellent and beloved band Cake - which is how I first heard and fell in love with it - Sad Songs and Waltzes. Swoon.
I was kind of hoping the many announcements were leading up to a tour, as Tom Waits is on my list of people I want to see before I die, but I guess a bleak video is good too!
"Hell Broke Luce" - Striking, grim, sad... got the anti-war thing going on...
It's just Dark and almost horror movie feeling, which seems to be the point. I love the boxy shark/subs. It's quite an epic video, and I think the image of him dragging that house around will stay in my head for a while. A not-so-cheerful way to start your day!!
I am slightly in love with Mirah. I like her duo work with her friend Thao, but her solo stuff is just lovely and almost perfect (You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This was just such a strong, classy debut). Great voice, and her lyrics are usually nice, thoughtful, sometimes very earnest, maybe a little sad at times.
The last line in the first verse of "Sweepstakes Prize" is what won me over. And this is the song of hers (because it was the first I heard, I think) that is often stuck in my head.
You remind me of a firework, boy, You touch the ceiling, you touch the floor, You sparkle and burn, but you take your time And I bet I could carry you across state lines.
"Don't Die in Me" - an interesting handpainted fan vid...
"The Garden" - was featured on SYTYCD, I guess?
And in case you have nothing better to do, here is that performed on that show, just for the LOLZ -
More recently, she has been performing in Thao & Mirah - they are both talented and the songs are good, but I still think I prefer Mirah solo. "Little Cup"
... that means you, readers. Because it will be sad when this post languishes here sans any participation. Really sad.
But I can't stop listening to this song and I think it would make for fantastic movie montage music. (Yes, people already know this, it has been on like Grey's Anatomy and etc...)
The UK version of this video is more fun than the US version because she strips in a spaceship (cuter than it sounds). The US version has her 'breaking rules' which just comes off lame.
The operatic sampling, the build/climb of it... Tension, action, preparation! Regret? There are an awful lot of "I'm sorry"s...
So my challenge is - what scene in your long-cherished secretly half-written movie does this music score?
Personally, I see it as good building/action background music, as it kind of climbs and has that nice operatic sampling going on - so I see some kind of action or preparation going on. And I also read some dark but glowy evening sky and a lot of snow. Or a nice sparkly wet city scene, our heroine stalks through the city in her black trench coat while crowds flow around her and city lights cast deep shadows on her... The "I'm sorry" parts could lend itself to a tone of regret... I think the heroine maybe has to do something unpleasant - bad, or just morally grey... maybe set something in motion that she would rather not - rig something, play along with some kind of trick, find someone unsavory she needs, play a part she'd rather not to get something, revenge plot, leave something/someone behind... Admit she needs someone? Frame someone? (Someone who deserves it, naturally).
Final shot - something goes up in flames, while she stands in the background.
Cliché? Too dull? Your turn! (50 gold stars to the winner(s))
Ahhhh Superfreaky Memories... only one of the best songs ever. It has found its way on to many an ancient mix cd that I have made. I not-so-recently let go of my beloved truck (my first vehicle, had it from age 17, paid for it myself and everything *sniff* memories *tear*), and I had to clean it out. Then I had to sift through the assorted decade+ of crap that had been floating around in it forever. I found quite a a number of old cds (obviously my truck only had a tape player, but there are workarounds). Anyhoozle, so I've been listening to a lot of my old cds and reminiscing. I am a huge fan of a good mix tape/cd/playlist and I am always thinking of posting some here. Maybe someday.
But for now, please enjoy this favorite of mine.
This reminds me of being a lot younger, the wonders of the internet (and getting my brother to let me use napster on his computer and leaving it running all night) and the sheer joy of music discovery. Discovering things I liked. Liked by myself, without input from others.
Like cool warm mellow indie dreampop. (And some elegant strings.)
This song has been stuck in my head recently. I love folk/roots old-timey songs, and it feels like that kind of Sunday afternoon to me today. Love the notion of young people embracing the classics - you can be hot young and armed with every modern convenience, but the world still is full of misery! Some things never change. Something about the sad soulfulness of strings (and their happy furious joy at times as well)... resonates with me (I know,bad string pun, sorry I had to do it).
"The Littlest Birds" - The Be Good Tanyas
Also by The Be Good Tanyas:
I also like this one (no official video) - "Only in the Past"
And then there's - "Scattered Leaves"
Even an animated video - "Human Thing" - it's so calm and quiet...
A more modern take on this style can be found in The Civil Wars (I can't decide whether I give them point for the name or points off for it... LOL).
"Birds of a Feather" - her kind of leaning-stompiness in this really bugs me. But she can sing!
"Forget Me Not" - Love the old-fashioned feel of the song... But not a fan of the just walking along thing.
"Barton Hollow" - I do feel like they could have done more with this video, but at least it comes across very visually striking (and nicely, a little bit menacing), and has more than just them standing around!
They also cover Elliott Smith's "Between The Bars" which is one of my favorite songs. I think they do a good job. Nowhere near as good as the original, of course! But their folksy take allows for a lot of melancholy/misery to shine through. However, I can't bear to look at their smug faces singing this.
Old Crow Medicine Show also cranks out charming folk rock. I could listen to them forever... I saw them in Seattle and it was quite the show, much more energetic and wildly delightful than I would have guessed (you can see glimpses of that in the Cocaine song below). It was a pleasant surprise.
"Wagon Wheel" - This song was originally written (unfinished, the chorus part) by Bob Dylan, and then they filled it in and made it their own. I don't know about the video's sideshow setting and scantily clad ladies, but the song is great. (This video abruptly cuts off towards the end, click here to see them perform it at Coachella in full). Truly, some people were born to be fiddlers in old-time stringbands...
"Cocaine Habit" - The best YT comment on this video is:
The base player looks like a shark and the six string banjo player looks like a clown but it sounds great IantheSuperSaiyan
"New Virginia Creeper" - a hilarious song, but at its best when performed live (when I saw it there was much in the way of crazy train impressions, shaking about, etc... I can't really even describe it, but it was magic. MAGIC.) Partial live video:
And finally, I humbly submit that there is not much better in life than reallllllly hot string playing. Exhibit A: the classic American song "Soldier's Joy" -
"I Hear Them All" - I guess if you're old-timey, you are obligated to do a video with shots of like New Orleans streets and cemeteries? But again, great song.
I know there's TONS more great young bands out there rocking the old-time vibe - I just started with my current earworm and went from there...
But do feel free to hit the comments with your favorites/links to great songs! Bonus gold stars to anyone who digs up more hot fiddling (preferably by good looking young men, but I won't discriminate).
Another wasted weekend of laying about and reading and drinking my weight in tea (it was all thunderstormy and I didn't feel like going out). I have been trying to scope out if I can see any good shows in the near future, but I have reached the point in every hermit's life where I am in DIRE need of a new all-purpose concert buddy. It's a sad state.
One of the upcoming shows I want to see is Beirut, as they have been in pretty heavy rotation over here for quite some time. I am kind of picky about what I want to see live (what is worth the hassle? People at shows get more terrible every time I go. I think that's a sign of getting old.) But Beirut = so much win. Strummy, folksy, excellent use of brass (!!), a little EasternEuroGypsyTrashy... all things I adore. Vehemently. Pretty sure at this point I would brave the PacNW hipster scene to see them.
"Elephant Gun" - oooh mustachio! Love the song, but I find this video just much too performance-artsy... as if they all brainstormed the most cliched things possible - lingerie and trucks then group dancing? O RLY? That's the best they could do? I guess since there's a lot going on in the music already, that I can (kind of) see the desire to match that in visual form... Or something. I don't care. I just love the troubled face of the singing mustache horn guy (especially that opening, preciously pained). I could just watch him and be happy.
"Postcards from Italy" - Another great song, but an even more meh video. I don't really care too much for music videos that are done like memories/clips, but that sort of goes with "postcards"... I guess I don't hate it. I just feel like it could be more interesting, tell more of a story... Favorite part is the spanking (1:46).
"Mimizan" - This appears on the lovely compilation album "Dark Was the Night". Couldn't find a real video for this, but it doesn't matter, the song is just too good to pass up.
I know I have been slack in posting, but there are semi-legitimate reasons, like how hard it is to type with a lapful of kittens. Yes, I got new kitties! They are adorable and keeping me busy. They have each other to tear around the house with all day while I'm at work, and they still have plenty of energy at night to terrorize me. Also it's summer and I find it hard to post while trying to enjoy the elusive warmth. Friday started off with crazy monsoons, then warmed up, and went out with a bang. Literally. Freak thunderstorms! So strange.
Enough excuses! Post!
So yesterday I was at work and feeling the summer Friday afternoon doldrums, which are, naturally, much worse than the normal afternoon doldrums. And I was not even feeling very into my music... Just sitting there trying to work on things and feeling meh. Then this song came on, and I was like, YES. YES. YES.
Which song? Surprisingly, it was "Sleep" - The Dandy Warhols, which I have not heard in agggggeeesss. I like them, but not religiously. They have a pretty fair representation in my standard shuffle playlists and my generic party one. So this is gonna be a long post. Be warned.
Have you seen "Dig!"? It is a rather interesting documentary chronicling the relationship/rivalry between The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. It's weirdly fascinating. The narration from Courtney Taylor-Taylor (The Dandy Warhols) comes off as kind of... you know... dickish? But not totally, you can see they are friends, but there's so much swagger involved there has to be conflict? You can see the talents of everyone involved. It's dark and troubling in a lot of ways also. It kind of made me want to listen to more BJM, even though Dandy Warhols is more my style of music.
And of course I, like every '90s teen, totally loves "Bohemian Like You" (who doesn't?). And, well, actually I really like a lot of their songs... the more I thought about it... So I dug through my iPod to listen to what I had and it was actually quite perfect for that afternoon, just what I needed. They have that slick jaded too much on purpose posturing thing down cold (which invites both love and hate).
Charming points? A) They were hipsters mocking hipsters before it was cool. That alone should win them a lot of gold stars. B) Veronica Mars theme song is their "We Used To Be Friends"... and he shows up in one ep, soooo there's that. C) They have some really stellar songs.
Not so charming points? Hipsters mocking hipsters = Smug. Trying too hard. Abovementioned dickish sort of rivalry. There is A LOT of vitriol floating around out there directed towards them. Lots of internet hate.Watching Dig! is amazing but also kind of off-putting... there are valid points to be made against them.
Looking for music videos of their stuff, one can see lots of fanvids, LOL, which I think speaks to how much people must secretly/not-so-secretly love them. Also, let's be real, a lot of their work does have that "chill" & cinematic quality that occasionally shines through. If I ever make my own twee mumblecore movie (you know that'd be my niche), I am totes putting in stuff like Sleep. But then again, if you read the comments you see both the love and the hate, people picking their sides. Is it cool, not cool, so not cool that it's cool again... etc. They have a major cred issue... But that shouldn't really matter... As long as the songs are good? Or at least some of them are? Why do we demand so much from a bunch of musicians? They are in interesting case.
"Sleep" - The Dandy Warhols are sometimes (often) compared to The Velvet Underground in style/sound/etc. It definitely comes out in certain songs (the aptly titled "(Tony This Song is Called) Lou Weed") I think on "Sleep" they also really bring it - it gives me almost the same feeling as VU's "Sunday Morning", that soft sound, that perfect sleepy/sleepless-warm-fuzzy music-to-kill-yourself-by vibe. Let's all go to sleep in your dirty dirty distressed arms, Courtney Taylor-Taylor....
Sadly, no brooding official video to go with this. (Confession, were I making this I would shoot this vampire-y, even though that, like heroin, is so passé.)
"You Were The Last High" - As featured in the movie, 9 Songs. Track co-written by Evan Dando, if that helps some of you (huzzah; I should really do a Lemonheads post!). I have not seen the movie. But the song is quite nice. No good video.
Ok, on to actual videos - warning, some of these are almost unwatchably terrible/cringe-inducing... the outfits, the mugging... Yet, at least mostly interesting? Amusing. Trainwrecky.
"Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth" - an amusing confection in which I cry for the years of my life I spent wearing those babydoll tshirts, ill-fitting pants and chokers (only half kidding). And if you saw Dig! you know the drama about this song (and check out the BJM reply "Not If You Were The Last Dandy On Earth".Both rather delicious in their own ways.)
"Every Day Should Be A Holiday" - I hate videos that tie into the movie they are featured in. Gross. But I do like claymation, and the riffs in this song burrow into your brain.
"Get Off" - hmmmm, where should a video for a song with this theme be shot? Western brothel! (Between the standing in-front of the flag and his face, it reminds me a little of One Headlight, even though they are wildly different songs featuring wildly different singers. I dunno, they have similar eyebrows? The pouty lips, stick out your jaw thing? Jakob Dylan is like 100x hotter. Sorry. Random face digression.)
"Godless" - Sharing mainly because: hula hooping dude. The video is quietly cinematic (but ultimately dull) and the song, very very smooth. (Note: As it's a song with the word god in the title, I recommend you avoid the YT comments on this at all costs.)
"Ride" - motorcycles.
"Good Morning" - in case you needed your dose of late '90s posturing! I know I sometimes do. My favorite YT comment on this is:
"I'd start with the keyboard cutie and work my way from there. -10 points for not knowing her name. To use West Coast dialect, she's hella wicked rad."
LOLwut?
"Plan A" - A newer offering. Still just as much face-making. Never change. Please, never change.
"We Used To Be Friends" - familiar to all the VM fans out there. His faces are so ridiculous, but I appreciate his armpit hair.
"Bohemian Like You" - the ultimate song of trying-too-hard. And their most famous. It's perfection. The video is spot-on. Exactly the kind of thing you would imagine for such a song. (Confession: I would probably stab someone in the face to be able to say I was in a video/song this hilarious. Any of you creative types out there, call me when you shoot anything so sublime/dorky.) And more hula hoop!
Random tidbits -
1) Also, well, ummm, they covered "Blackbird" after Michael Jackson died. Because they said they would in an earlier song? Yeah. I don't really like it, LOL. Decide for yourself.
2) ANDDDD apparently Courtney Taylor-Taylor has written a graphic novel? About a fantasy krautrock band? Ohhh the things I am learning today! I love this idea. ENJOY.
"Transmission" - One Model Nation
3) Somebody used "Love Is The New Feel Awful" (how can you resist such a great title) and put it with Midsummers Night Dream old footage? It's weird and delightful.
"because portland is to new york exactly what the dandy warhols are to the velvet underground"
It is not to be missed. I just laughed hysterically for like 10 minutes straight. Genius.
And most importantly,
5) Open referendum on his face & swagger in the comments! GO! (Also, you know, their talent, pop v. indie v. sellout v. Dig! struggles! And Trying too hard! v. Trying too hard to try too hard v. Trying too hard to try too hard! ad infinitum. And whether or not this is all smug or there's a sense of humor underlying? (Yes?) And Zia!)
Galaxie 500 - "Fourth of July" - I totally forgot about this song but it appeared in a great Pajiba post about better patriotic clips for your fb. Awwww Galaxie 500! One of my first indie band discoveries back in the dark dark days of dialup and leaving napster on... (don't worry, kids, I pay for all my music now.)
Excellent list from The Hairpin - Songs about musical genres that are not done in the style of said musical genre. Often list posts are just dull, but this is a my-kind-of-music list! One that I can get behind, as they have the excellent Blame it on the Bossanova as their opener, and include The Mountain Goats, The New Pornographers, Mogwai, Dean Martin, etc... perfection.
Going through some of my older songs. Trying to find ones I was obsessed with, which led me to one of my first posts here, which included old fav by Maximo Park. So then I had to go listen to some bits from their albums, and some video searching. And they have a new album coming out that I am eagerly awaiting.
And then I remember that I had RT'd the video from the new single a few days/weeks ago? So I should probably be posting that here as well (though I don't keep up with every thing I RT). It's cute. Lots of dancing around by a very British boy.
"Hips and Lips"
Because let's be real, sometimes you just need to watch some dancing/thrashing around. "Our Velocity" has that energy (and some to spare).
"Going Missing" has some nice thrashing as well (undressing, hitting things, jumping, seated, I love the twitching... when I saw them live there was also awesome dancing. They are not afraid of committing to the the crazy dance. And far, far, far, above average face-making. I adore that. Gold stars.)
"Books from Boxes" is less dance-able (given the subject matter), but only slightly less so. I love how she seems to float/slide in front of him the whole time, especially the bit from 1:11-1:29 where they appear to be in some kind of old-fashioned garden/cemetery or something... it's very romantically bleak.
They go a bit introspective with "The Coast is Always Changing" - I am young and I am lost.
Anyhoo, that's it for now. For my few loyal readers, heads up - posting will be even more sporadic than usual through June.
It's Morrissey's birthday today! I know it's silly to celebrate (or even note) the birthdays of celebrities. However, Moz has long been a sustaining force in my life, so... here we are!
A few selections of this charming man himself, swanning around and being his awesomesauce self.
"There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" - The Smiths (my favorite song ever; note: the dancing of the people in the crowd is really the best part of this video though - it's... yeah).
"The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" - The Smiths
"The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get" - Morrissey - Hit those lights, baby.
"Suedehead" - Morrissey
"Let Me Kiss You" - Morrissey - Close your eyes, and think of someone you physically admire. And let me kiss you. Let me kiss you.
Assembled this post on Friday night, whilst everyone is out partying. Which meant I was home drinking cheap wine and watching crap on YouTube. So a nice random selection.
If you are going to shoot a video, you might as well include pogo sticks. And bikes. And a marching band. And a pineapple.
"Travelling" - Paper Lions
And then this one is like everything you could want in an indie vid. Bookstore/library meetcute, romantic map, the use of a compass (anytime anyone whips out a compass that's like 25 gold stars in my book), tent, lights, pipe, cat, train tracks, suspenders, nature... they basically checked off everything on the hipster list. It kinda works. I want to dislike it because it's so twee, but I really can't.
"To Be With You" - The Honey Trees
This guy really works a beard and STRINGS. You know my love for good strings. They bring good strings. I am not 100% on the singing bits, but I kinda like the whole effect. Name is too long though, and the song too short. Too much gimmick, needs more cello.
"I See Things That You Don't See And That Is Blue, Blue, Black And Dylan" - Sweet Sweet Moon
These peppy assholes frolic in an apple orchard. I actually like the song, and I feel the good intentions but really find it cloying. Too much cheer, too much folksy apple hijinking... The best YT comment is the person who asks:
"Is this a Levis Jean commercial?"
"The Light Is You" - Said The Whale
This song has no words. But lots of great strings... and solemn/sad figure ice sculptures, which are amazing. The whole thing is strikingly simple, beautiful, and evocative. "The Winter" - Balmorhea.
And I will close with "Kisses" - The Shivers - if you haven't heard"Beauty" by The Shivers, you haven't lived (I got the song online like a hundred years ago from a livejournal site, of all places... and was instantly smitten and then had to get the album). My mother thinks the singer is "thinks he is Dylan" (with an implication of "he's not" and "trying too hard" - my mom is oftentimes kind of a great indie rock critic), but I kind of love that. I love this song as well. The video is clearly something someone just put together? Lots of stills of band and then kisses... but just go with the song.
I hope you were all out doing happy things! Enjoy the weekend! Hit the comments with any random music you ended up clicking-through-to this weekend.
Hey guess what!!!!??? It's almost time for EUROVISION 2012!! YAY!!!! One of my favorite times of year. I just love how crazy it can all get.
This year seems to be so far dominated by more of a political drama surrounding host country Azerbaijan. But regardless, I am sure the show will go on! While you could go to the actual site or YT for the whole selection, I will just post ones with good videos, or that I like, or etc. For instance, I will not post full video of the UK entry by the ancient Engelbert Humperdinck - "Love Will Set You Free" - because he just stands there, and it's an ok but boring straight treacly platitudes type song. The same goes for Serbia, with"Nije Ljubav Stvar" - Željko Joksimović -which is only mildly noteworthy because it incorporates sign language (which is nice, but since I don't speak it, it doesn't help me). "Suus" - Rona Nishliu from Albania, is only interesting because she is a statue(?) and there are slightly creepy children.
Then there are ones like the very strange "Euro Neuro" - Rambo Amadeus.From Montenegro, which is just a really random rap/talk thing. You should probably watch it and be confused, as I was. But points for calling yourself Rambo Amadeus.
What *IS* more exciting? Italy. "L'Amore É Femmina (Out of Love)" - Nina Zilli. Super cheery and she has that smoky-jazz swingy quality (perhaps going for a poppy Amy Winehouse thing?). I like it. I especially love her herd of male dancers (also the staircase dancing is a nice touch). You go girl.
Cyprus - The song here is very standard pop. "La La Love" - Ivi Adamou. But I like this video, because she has a little bit of a Liv Tyler/Arwen look and the whole thing is trying very hard to be Gaga-fairytale. I appreciate that in a video - try to tell a little bit of story, even if it's just ripping off Snow White, that's OK. I wasn't bored, and I love the outfits/makeup and that it ends and they don't even look too happy. A little grim, let's be real. I may also be biased in favor of this video because the parts with the girl running through the forest remind me a little bit of the video to one of my all-time favorite jams (and very first post here!) - "Send Me an Angel". Anyways. I enjoyed this. And while I don't want you to steal the idea, since few people read this and I am a happy singleton, I feel it's safe to share that I would totally use the "awkward pose in a tree with paper lanterns" shot for an engagement portrait idea (2:28). SSHSHH.
Then there is Israel - "Time" - Izabo, which does its part as far as strange and crazy Eurovision antics are concerned with the oddly-popular Circus theme. I swear, every year someone has a circus themed video. Give it up, people, circuses are CREEPY, not cheerful or sexy.
And also there is the delightfully trashy entry from Romania(one of my personal favorite things to do in Eurovision season is try to picture the video that would come from blending that of the countries represented in my heritage - it would be a disgusting Englebert (UK for Scotland)-Israeli circus-and THIS, with some boring and bad-dancing from Sweden as well. MMMM. EPIC terrible mix). "Zaleila" - Mandinga starts with her singing her own name (WHICH I HATE in all songs) and is basically going for some kind of horrible horrible awful American hiphop Kardashian thing. But she earns mega points for working in both a cute piper with bagpipes AND accordion.
And if that wasn't quite ridiculous enough, just wait for it. The entry from Turkey - "Love Me Back" - Can Bonomo - they start off so well!! Slaves rowing a boat? Way to draw me in immediately! Then some kind of epic palace and traditional instruments and lots of possible dancers... we could be going places.... Aaaaaand then it starts - and it's some dopey kid and the song is dumb. Good music, love the instruments, the people sitting around in water and etc, love the use of umbrellas and nice shots. All around excellent settings and support. The song? The singer? Not so much. But hilariously so.
Lest we close on something less than stellar, thank God for Iceland - "Never Forget" - Gréta Salóme & Jónsi . They are at an advantage because they have secret weapon Jónsi (of the delightful Sigur Rós). Iceland is too cool (harharhar). While I don't think this song is great like SR stuff (for instance, if you don't feel anything in your heart when you listen to "Starálflur", you should check if you have a pulse. Or a soul. J/K. Partly.), I do think that the video is excellent. Bleak and empty, you can almost feel the frostbite creeping up your toes. Excellent use of strings and desolation. And it comes off feeling (to me) that there is a lot more to the story that you are not seeing/hearing. Maybe she's a thousand year old vampire or an ice goddess or lost/vengeful spirit or returning ghost of a murdered child or something. I like it. A lot.
Hit the comments with your thoughts, votes, and any entries you think I should have featured! Bets?
So this just came out! I <3 you Blitzen Trapper. I really want to see them in Idaho or Montana or wherever else they are touring with Wilco (who are amazing live) and I think that's just a Naomi double-bill of ultimate happysadness.
"Stranger in a Strange Land" - just some gorgeous Alaska scenery and loneliness.
This song gets a lot of radio play right now, and despite that I confess I still find it really charming (the folksy dirty rock mountainman vibe thing has always been my jam, so naturally I mildly resent its current popularity). I also love their name, it reminds me of toothpaste and Disneyland ("imagineers").
"Ho Hey" - The Lumineers - This video looks about exactly as you would expect (having heard the song first). But it pulls it off in a good way - the flicker of the lights is a nice touch. Not too heavy handed. The only surprising thing about this song is that the beards aren't bigger. Nice and warm and cheery.
Hit the comments with whatever song you find really overplayed right now, but you are still digging anyways.
Hope you all have a lovely warm weekend! (Warm in song/feeling/weather/whatever! I hope the sun comes out here. Fingers crossed.)
Let's enjoy a brief retrospective of The Killers. They are so solid and under-appreciated - they don't get nearly enough radio time as I think they probably should.
Somebody Told Me - this is the first song I heard by them, and I loved it. The video is not super exciting, except that it has lights/silhouettes/screens, etc., and when that all flashes by it matches the pace of the song, I guess. The key point is that he makes preciously precise hand motions and dance steps. And look how wee and normal (normally dressed as well - no feathers yet) he looks at this point... not too much guyliner, not the scruff that makes an appearance later, and he certainly has a far fresher/less careworn look about him (he really cultivates well that at times). This first single and video are pretty generic, when you get down to it. But thankfully, it gets better!
Mr. Brightside - Their most famous and memorable video, and well-deservedly so. This video has all your important components: super catchy delightful song with a clever pause for you to fill in the next word, men in lipstick, big hair, Eric Roberts with a smattering of glitter across his leathery orange face, her perfect white face, brothel setting, interesting and appropriately hilarious outfits, the vaguely faerie-tale apple, checkers (I have a thing for watching guys play chess, and this is pretty close), a tantrumy table flip (reminiscent of the epic one about 40 seconds intoHungry Like The Wolf), and the incredible hand motions (0:12, 0:27, 1:20, 1:43, 2:40, 3:35) and facial expressions (1:13, 1:40, 1:52,3:28, etc - he really has adorable worried schmoopyface down) of Brandon Flowers playing up the whole thing with admirable élan. Extra gold stars for his tongue at 1:27.
Human - I am not a huge fan of this video, I think it's dull (come on, a white tiger, reallllly?) and it reminds me a little, because of the setting (and a little when he kneels down a bit too), of the far more ridiculous (but beloved) November Spawned a Monster.
But I do love his stupid feather coat. And the song is great and dancer-y (even if it sounds like denser).
Spaceman - I like this one because it such a nice random creepy desert rave carousel setting (which goes with the song), and I love that he kind of looks like a porcupine monster (from The Village maybe?). But I present no more additional thoughts on the matter other than my favorite truthy YT comment on the video:
I'm surprised GaGa hasn't swagger jacked that outfit... idoliketractors
All These Things That I Have Done - more dressup, a very luxuriant mustache, women, trailers, cowboys, a little person, a donkey... what more could you want? What? Well how about a more compelling video for such a great song? This is ok, it's vaguely interesting but not that exciting.
Read My Mind - I am of two minds on this video - I love the song, a lot, hard (it's been stuck in my head all day today). But I feel they try to just throw in everything cutesy they could think of here... it borders on the trying too hard. But it is saved by the kiss at 2:14, and the dancing with Elvis impersonators, and schoolkids, and the ending. Mainly that peck (which is a nice touch (for a married religious man) to throw in there, LOL).
A Dustland Fairytale - I love this. That is all.
And I will close with a favorite from Brandon Flowers' solo work. "Crossfire" - While I find the idea of pretty blonde ninja to be a little laughable, they really pull it off well. This is a fantastic video - I love that she keeps having to save him. So adorable. And they exchange nice, understanding looks, you can almost feel the love (well-worn, it's a routine saving him; but still tender as evidenced by the last frames). As one YT commenter puts it "sad puppy eyes... <3" EXACTLY.
I would watch the crap out of a movie of those two.
In sum: methinks he really likes to play dress up! And I am solidly behind that in a rocker, especially a hot one. Not all of the videos are winners, but in all of them you can see they always bring the theatrics - whether it's costumes or tigers or filming it B&W, there is stuff being tried. Very cinematic for the most part, lots going on, which I think is the key to the good music video - go big or go home! Try something! Dress weird, work on your dance moves and take some time applying that guyliner around your pretty eyes. It works.
He should win some kind of award for making faces and hand motions and lovely mainly in-place dancing. Perfection.
I love The Guild which is the supercute Felicia Day's fantastic web series about a group of online gamerz and their adorable, bittersweet, hilarious (mis)adventures, and they have just put out the following amazing video on her promising new YT channel "Geek and Sundry" - "I'm the One That's Cool" - a nice anthem for anyone who ever felt left out.
***
And then, on a completely different note - it's Passover! Happy Passover! I still need to clean all the leavened stuff out of my house this morning real quick...
As you know from previous posts, I love a good cover/adaptation, especially for the Jewish holidays which have plenty of old traditional songs, but not always so many modern fun things, and I realllllly enjoy the adaptation here, I think it works out pretty well. Who knew that Cee Lo + Diddy = Passover?
"Dayenu, Coming Home" - The Fountainheads
A slightly less successful version would be this rather creepy puppet Passover Rhapsody. I had to include it because a) CREEPY PUPPETS and b) QUEEN.
***
ETA: METALLICA!!!! Excellent job, person that made this! I looooove (truly an EPIC) The Ten Commandments. It's a kickass movie. I hope we all agree that Yul Brynner is FIERCE as hell in this movie. Between him and all the bare chests and ladies swooning "Moses, Moses" it's a pretty fantastic experience. The clothes/jewelry/sets are all amazing.
Someone has set clips from it, to the perfect song - "Creeping Death" - Metallica - enjoy!
Home sick (I get every cold that goes around), so have been enjoying perusing The 405 (@The405) while intermittently coughing up a lung. I highly recommend it, they always feature great videos (and other tasty tidbits, interviews, etc.). The La Sera (Real Boy/Drive On is 2 videos for the price of one, and I already RT'd the latest Belle & Sebastian which is super cute). But I thought I'd share this one here as well - from The Kill Van Kulls, even if it's a little depressing... I really like the singer and the whole setup, as you kind of know what is coming, feel that inevitability of the future...
The sun is actually out today! It means there IS hope after all. I've been in a funk and while I enjoy wallowing in sad music - eventually you gotta shake it off. It has been a long, hard (for me, personally), overly-eventful winter, so that means it's almost time for SPRING to appear, and with it, a slightly hopeful song.
"Lost In My Mind" - The Head and the Heart - Local Seattle band. Yay! I really like this video, it evokes wilderness and solitude, but also the quality of not actually being alone; hope; of being incredibly small, but also vast; cold, but with all the promise of warmth. Nothing like lights in the snow.
There is no easy way to say it, but my beloved cat died over the weekend (which was also my birthday weekend), so I am not really with it... I was having a ton of fun beforehand (pre-birthday girls weekend in Vegas, etc) which explains some lag in posting as well, and now I am not really feeling any music at all, as I am just griefstricken. Music will still help me through, but it's going to take some time.
So that means music from Saddle Creek artists.
"Why is the Night Sad?" - Orenda Fink - her voice is so lovely and the song so haunting... I miss Alfie the most at night (he was a non-stop cuddler), so the whole sad/cold night thing... it speaks to me.
"Bowl of Oranges" - Bright Eyes - A classic song. The first time I heard it, I knew I would love everything else by the artist. Because it is perfect. Also a cute video. I think I may have posted it a long time ago, but I have been listening to it a lot today while I was at work - the hopeful sentiment comes off as earnest but not cloying (a fine line) and how could I not love a song that suggests:
"When crying don't help, you can't compose yourself, it's best to compose a poem..."
So I have been struggling with going to the gym, because I need it but I hate it. I am just not one of those people who love working out. If someone could work out for me, and I could read all their books for them (or write all their papers), I would consider it a perfect trade. But alas, it doesn't work that way, so off I dutifully and regularly go to sweat and toil (to sadly little result).
But I am not here to complain - I am here to discuss what music helps! This is, of course, highly personal and ever changing. You have to have the right music for the mood. And in some situations, you can't hear your own music (like in my spin class, for example), so you are stuck with what other people choose. I could write several rants about what I am forced to spin through... seriously, instructors make really odd choices (and they all have their own weird tastes to begin with (I cannot exercise to country, I'm sorry, I love it, but no), and often-grating favorites that they repeat).
But recently my one old man (old and very very very fit) instructor has eased off of his weird trance crap (that made me want to stab people) and blah pop songs, and incorporated some Eminem. To which I say: HALLELUJAH.
Because I love the rage. Eminem's bitter rage about his life - that is how I feel about having to go the gym (or do anything I don't like). Both of our feelings are often overblown, cleverly worded (he really does have a way with words), white-hot, scathing, and profanity laden. Bless him and his endearing straight served anger and arrogance; and the fact that he loves his kids. Also I think he's super hot (when he's not too thugged out or making crazy-eyes, like when he goes to court).
"Till I Collapse" - Eminem ft. Nate Dogg - the thought of not giving up 'till my legs give out' is very fitting, and I find it is possibly my favorite song right now to spin/run to. The video is not an official one - but it doesn't look like there is one (just ones with the video to Lose Yourself)
I also like his recent collaboration with Rihanna - "Love the Way You Lie" - "You don't get another chance, life is no Nintendo game." (Favorite YT comment? Has to be - "2:40 showing her the way to Mordor" - Genius.)
"Not Afraid" is also good for a motivational song - very "uplifting" which comes across in the Superman-esque video. If he didn't end up flying, it would be a pretty boring video. But he pulls it off. Along with "Without Me" (see below) you might surmise he has some superhero issues. And that is just fine, it really works for him.
Favorite line? (LOL)
"So I solemnly swear to always treat this roof, like my daughters -
and raise it..."
Funny to think how he's come a long, long way since he first appeared. The much more controversial days of the earlier 2000s, and various legal problems and etc. No recent feuds, right? Haven't even heard any recent outrage over any of his lyrics in a while. With age comes wisdom! (And increased hotness, seriously, how good does he look in Not Afraid??!) And the videos have changed as well, from the less-polished but let's face it - far more entertaining - older videos for My Name Is, and The Real Slim Shady to much more mellow (and daresay, serious??) things like Not Afraid; and singing with Rihanna in a fancy pop video with actors. He's all clean and sober and grown up.
Personally, I still really enjoy the goofier side seen in (the Batman-inspired, complete with glorious graphic novel sound effect words) "Without Me" - how can one not like a video that references so much (Batman, Elvis, bad TV shows, Osama Bin Laden, etc). Who doesn't love a man with both anger issues AND a clearly dorky sense of humor? I hope he doesn't completely lose the sense of humor, it softens him and makes for memorable videos.
I will probably have many more gym music rants and picks (not all angry, I promise). In the comments, feel free to contribute your own current motivational, keep-moving-those-jelly-legs gym gems - angry or not.
Don't you miss the glorious alt rock of the 90s? I do. This song is super rapey/serial-killer-y (as evidenced by the 'ominous' clips in the video) and makes for amazing comments and theories (always my favorite: vampire!), but once you hear that guitar... It just sweeps you up. I also probably love it so strongly (besides it simply being a great classic 90s piece) because it makes me feel those early thrills of being something like 12, and illicitly listening to music I would get in serious trouble for listening to (AKA the joy of conservative parents who don't take kindly to that sort of thing).
If you hear it young, it never lets you go. And I am so happy for that. Also, if you are female and you hear the song that young, you are instinctively skeptical of long walks around dark lakes late at night from then on. So that's helpful!
Gold stars for my friend J for referencing this song once when we were by a lake at night as teenagers - 'tis also a thrill, of kinship, when you find someone thinking of the exact same song out of a sea of boring people who don't know anything. Fond memories.
"Possum Kingdom" - The Toadies Fun fact - Possum Kingdom is a lake in Texas! I think the video is good, because really, with a song that tells a story about long walks, a lake, and centers heavily on promising not to be a gentleman and features shouts of "do you want to die" - you don't have a lot of room to go in too many other directions with the video. I think the only other option (which wasn't as trendy then) would be the vampire route, which would probably look even worse and much more dated (now) had it been done then. So, I think they did alright with what they had. Kept a little menacing tension, lots of hair whipping by the crowd, not bad.
Favorite YT comment on this video is the one asking something like, "is the drummer 50?"
How would you have done the video, given the lyrical content? Good old fashioned serial killer? Or vampire? Completely unrelated video? Feminist empowerment where he gets her out to the lake but then she whips out her .45 and shoots him behind the boathouse when he tries to murder her? (The lake is in Texas, after all.) I kinda like that one, LOL.
Please describe your remake in the comments!
Is there anything hotter than being well-read? I think not. This video by the obviously quite literate (fantastic lyrics in addition to solid indie dream pop) Belle & Sebastian features cute people in the best of locations - a bookstore or library; with the hottest of accessories - books. And a book chair. And a bed of books. And glasses. No need to hide your inclinations in looks, my friends...
Pajiba had this in one of their posts, and it is too good to pass by. Chris Cornell's voice is a soothing growly river with just the right hint of a soulful wail (and I love his 90s hair, which is exactly as wavy and frizzy as mine). And it's also kind of a nice departure to hear this song done by a man. It is much, much, smaller sounding than the iconic version we are used to, but as an homage, at this time, the quiet-yet-simmering stripped-down-ness seems very appropriate.
I love musical saw. That haunting whine is lovely.
This song is beautiful - "Viola" - Sakita Hajime
And I know it's no longer Christmastime, but "Silent Night" with Saw and Cello (which you know I also love) done by Stjepan Hauser (seen before on this blog in a previous post just shredddding the cello) & Austin Blackburn is also quite nice.
And then there's this - the Love Theme from Cinema Paradiso - which is amazinggg on the saw.
I will be back to posting normally soon, I hope. Getting over being deathly ill. It's always something! January was so rough. Very happy that it's February.
In the meantime - enjoy the latest from The Magnetic Fields - "Andrew in Drag" - NSFW for some mild nudity of people getting in/out of drag. The title should be enough to warn off people who are offended by the idea, but just in case you're at work or have grandma around or something, be aware! Catchy song, very striking video. The people, the very deliberate getting dressed, the colors, all very nicely staged. I am just happy that they made an official video! More videos, please! I always want to share their music and more videos would be awesome. (I hope for some more, and for some that are indeed safe for work and those with delicate sensibilities.)
And I didn't tweet it as a new post, cause it's a comedy video, but my last post got a TON of views, LOL, I almost had a heart-attack when I saw the stats. So check it out as well if you missed it, it is hilarious.
This is mildly offensive to cowboys, country music lovers, creationists, and probably several more groups. But it is HILARIOUS. (Came across this on pajiba. Was reading their recap of the night's best lines - Parks and Rec was just fantastic last night - the Ben punch / Ben & Leslie kiss were just the best things ever.) This video is so random and is completely sold (dun sold me hard, LOL) by the facial expressions, the costumes, the dancing... take a moment and enjoy.
The new Wilco video is adorable - you've probably seen it, but I must reshare as it's just too cute. Excellent work.
"Dawned On Me" -
And then for something completely different - I came across this next gem from someone's FB (I guess it's raining a little (says the jaded WA resident) in Southern CA recently and that has everyone I know down there talking about rain, LOL; it's rained so hard you can barely see at times for the past couple days here and I still have snow lingering, in case anyone wanted to compare weather). This is just fantastic. I wish someday to be even half-as-awesome as Sister Rosetta Tharpe is in this video, because then I'd be ridiculously awesome. (Also I'd like to rock that coat/shoes look.)
Sorry no recent posts - winter finally happened here - snow, ice, I didn't have power for 4 days, etc. Things have been kind of hectic around these parts.
So a taste of weather songs - over on my FB, someone had asked for favorite songs with 'rain' in the title - and I was going to put this one, but someone beat me to it, LOL. I remember the first time I heard this song, I was pretty young like 11 or 12 (a formative age!), listening to my walkman in bed, and this song came on the oldies station and I was just blown away. It has been a beloved favorite ever since. There's something completely perfect about the rain sounds, the plunky xylophone type sounds - and that opening:
"Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain / telling me just what a fool I've been / I wish that it would go and let me cry in vain / and let me be alone again..."
Followed later by the superb "Rain won't you tell her that I love her so / please ask the sun to set her heart aglow / rain in her heart and let the love we knew start to grow"
"Rhythm of the Rain" - The Cascades (look at these charmers/creepers!)
And I know that I must know more songs about snow, but I am still kind of mentally exhausted from the prior week of actual weather drama, so the first one I could think of was the Belle & Sebastian classic "Fox in the Snow" and followed by "Rain and Snow" a delightful American classic performed by The Be Good Tanyas (I love them, you should really check them out if you're not familiar with them).
"Fox in the Snow" - Belle & Sebastian (this is not an official video, but it is super adorable!):
"Rain and Snow" - The Be Good Tanyas
And perhaps a more easily appreciated of their songs (and one of my favorite songs ever) - "The Littlest Birds" - The Be Good Tanyas (which also aptly references "the cold and the rain"):
"I love you so dearly, I love you so fearlessly..."
But I saved yet another delight for last - "Only Time" by The Magnetic Fields - Stephin Merritt (you will eventually get sick of my fangirl adoration for him, apologies (not really)) is the greatest songwriter of his generation, or possibly of all time. His more lyrically playful songs are amazing and clever and he has a knack for perfect turns of phrase to thrill the heart of word-nerds everywhere. But even his simplest songs - like this one, not a ton of flowery lyrics or anything - convey such richness of emotion, such depth of sadness & woe & love & sweetness & bitter longing and everything all at once. (I made my favorite line the title of this post.) And TMF have by far the best strings around, which is also a personal obsession.
This piece of awesomeness comes via my friend W who shared it on FB. All credit to him for finding it.
It may warm your heart. Or cause you to roll your eyes. Maybe both. Maybe neither. It might depend on whether you are familiar with the source material, in which case I think you might enjoy it. But then again, the music is actually great, and she is clearly talented, so even if you've never heard of Zelda because you've been living under a rock, you may still enjoy it.
Personally, I found it a delight. That someone would do this - it just makes my day.
I know, it's too too too too sweet. And I couldn't find a video. But it's such a beautiful song! Mellow, adorable, enchanting - all without crossing the border into overly saccharine. A gem. Long live Stephin Merritt (and Katharine Whalen, the singer). This song is also on the Pieces of April soundtrack (a good movie (one of the only times you might find Katie Holmes bearable) with a perfect soundtrack).
"You You You You" - The 6ths
Note: the city of Dublin shows their wisdom by using it in a tourism video, and that alone makes me want to go there. (I already did, but seriously, good call guys!)
***
I really only meant to post the above because it's so darling, but then I fell down a YT hole and voila! Extra content!
Katharine Whalenherself is probably most known for her work in the Squirrel Nut Zippers, but her beautiful and distinctive voice is also perfect for her jazz work; and her current project seems to be Katharine Whalen and her Fascinators (old timey folksy).
"Yesterdays" - Katharine Whalen
"Madly Love" - Katharine Whalen and her Fascinators
"Put A Lid On It" - Squirrel Nut Zippers - I include this because it is cute (and you've probably already heard "Hell" if you lived through the mid/late '90s; a unique classic in its own right) and features her prominently. I like the speakeasy setup, it works perfectly (a bit dated, the 90s really leaves its mark, but still cutesy).
In addition to the delightful/insidious Muppet mahna mahna song (thanks to a coworker), this is my current earworm. There is something so beautiful (and terrible / sad / perfect) about this song. It is one of my favorites.
I have been super broken up about the failing health situation of my beloved cat, Alfie, and so I have been in the music-mood of wanting the soft, sad, more wallow-appropriate and/or soothing melancholy that I can dig out of my playlist. Billy obliges. Bless him.
I am home sick today trying to fight off a particularly nasty cold that I've had since before the New Year. Terrible vacation souvenir. Can't stop hacking my lungs up. It sounds like it would be nice to have yet more time off from work, except that I am so miserable I can't enjoy it. Yay.
"Beggar in the Morning" - The Barr Brothers - I really like this song, but I could do with a little less of the extreme sleepiness that comes across in this performance. Beautiful music, but I want the world to know it's OK to open one's eyes sometimes. You can still look contemplative/introspective/hip etc. The drummer has his eyes open, and comes off as the most engaging person because of it.
Super bonus points for having a harp.
Also, yay us - over 2000 page views. Just a drop in the bucket, but not too shabby for my irregular rantings.
"...As vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart." Proverbs 25:20 (KJV)
This could be interpreted as bad - corrosive, acid; or as a good thing - effervescent, cleansing.
It probably depends on the song and the heart.
(Disclaimer: videos are posted from outside sources that are beyond my control, I cannot assure what copyright protection practices each individual site may have.)
All you need to know about me is that I love Bob Dylan, Jesus, books, art, music, the internet, bad TV, cooking, my cats and crossword puzzles. In some order.
