Understand the lay of the land, and don't let it hurt you, or it will be the first to

More a short film than just a music video - this 15 minutes is mostly silent (song starts about 10 mins in). Interpretations? I don't really know, read some interesting youtube comments, etc. There's a picture that gives kind of an idea of the roles (towards end), but most is left blank, silent, unexplained. The first time I saw this, I was mainly just wondering what was going on (and thinking that Cillian Murphy is hot). Since not a lot happens I didn't really care for it (the song is lovely & haunting and does fit). However, I found myself thinking about it this winter when it snowed, and more recently just in the gloomy winter. It stands up on rewatch, still eerie and fascinating. I think that speaks to it being good (and successful), if you find yourself thinking about it later, mulling it over.


"The Water" - Feist

Good Morning! Good Morning!

Sunday afternoons seem to cry out for some calm but cheerful music, something better than usual - especially here where it is still cold and rainy. I have a whole classics/standards playlist for just such days, full of things like Frank Sinatra to serenade me while I lay around/fold laundry/play computer. Also, my last post with the cute retro "Shaker Star" video also kind of put me in the mood for some classics.

In place of music videos from that era, here are movie clips - from the golden age of movies! Such great singing and dancing and humor! I am a huge fan of good dancing, especially in men. It takes a strong person to pull off a whole-hearted crazy dance/costume/choreography/twirl your umbrella without appearing silly or weak.

These may just be bits from films, but they convey so much. Which is what I want in my music videos - show me something, make me feel something both through the music and the visuals. Take note, youthful performers of today!


"I Won't Dance" - Fred Astaire (from the movie 'Roberta'): Fred Astaire can sing, play, and dance. COME ON. (Also her fringed/sparkle dress is basically what I imagine myself wearing all the time in my head.)




and

"Puttin' on the Ritz" (Fred Astaire, from Blue Skies, 1946):



And of course - from Singing In The Rain - "Good Morning" - Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor - one of the many memorable sequences from a fantastic movie. (Warning: ads before video.)


Good Morning ! (singing in the rain) by _Fonzie_





Despite being older now, all of these were huge, lasting influences - here a young Michael Jackson tears it up in that style (and of course we all know he went on to become one of the greatest (if not THE) dancer of his generation):






And Usher did a version of Singing in the Rain -




Other more modern takes on this could be debated -

Here in the Taco version of Puttin' On The Ritz (circa early '80s) - not all that much dancing, though the heavily stylized outfit/stick remain. Also: blackface.




And I would say even something like Radiohead's "Lotus Flower" with just Thom Yorke flailing around is vaguely reminiscent - though not the same at all, it is still showman-dancing in the spotlight.


The dancing even makes its way into an Alanis video - "So Pure" - Alanis Morissette (also the guy in this was also in Romeo + Juliet which is one of my favorite movies even though I hate the story). I happen to like this video from her, I think it's cute and upbeat and I like the different dance styles pieced together. Unfortunately when I think 'Alanis video' I tend to think of the dopey walking down the road one for "Everything", even though it is not at all her most famous song or anything. It just sticks in mind (sadly). This one is much more fun and showcases real dancing. (Confession: I love Alanis. I should devote an entire post to her.)


Alanis Morissette - So Pure by Coronys

Shaker Star

No surprise that I would post this, as Eef Barzelay (@eefbarzelay)(of Clem Snide) is one of my all-time favorites. He tweeted this earlier this morning. So here you are! I recommend all of his works (as himself, with Clem Snide, all of it).

"Shaker Star" - Eef Barzelay (from Black Tin Rocket (Songs of the Transmissionary Six) - A quiet, film-like video for the song. While I do rather like the slight out-of-focus dreamy effect and the kind of slow charm of the video, not a lot happens. Restrained, subtle, a few hints of something going on with some of the facial expressions towards the end. Dream-like, memory-like, sad? Maybe? Mostly just gives atmosphere (the song to the video and/or the video to the song?)... And, I really want some dresses like that. And I wouldn't mind dancing around with some retro men...


Basically - just a lovely song/video combo.

She Wolves?

I know I haven't posted in a while. Getting back from even the tiniest of mini-breaks really throws off my routine. I spent a couple too-short days at the beginning of the month in CA visiting family and friends for my birthday and enjoyed just about every second of it. Practically perfect in every way. Even got to go to Disneyland on the actual day. And later, karaoke with old (&new) friends! Including the always delightful Miss_Michael, YAY! And I have some great memories and pictures, thankfully, which will hopefully comfort me on these cold rainy days up here. Although today is a gorgeous almost warm day with large patches of blue sky, so I can't complain about being back.

I was watching some music videos the other day and it was a "40 sexiest" which to me generally never come off as all that sexy (see also: my Fiona Apple post; yes there's sexy there in Criminal but I think also a lot of depression, not that it's mutually exclusive). The one bit that I saw had two very decidedly unsexy videos (for my tastes), so then I changed the channel and went back to Star Trek.

And I know that this is highly subjective - everyone has their own views on what construes sexiness, and are completely entitled to their own thoughts and pursuit thereof. I think music videos are often mainly aimed at what straight men find sexy, and as a straight woman, and also someone educated - a writhing female body just doesn't do it for me. I prefer some story, some reasons... IDK. I can't name off the top of my head right now videos that I consider sexier. Just that I know what I like and that these aren't it.


The first one was "Love & Sex & Magic" - Ciara (ft. Justin Timberlake) 






MEH. I don't find JT attractive like this... and I can barely tell who Ciara is, as half the time her face is in shadow. I find the whole thing very very generic. Like, ohhh what would be sexy? Zebra bodysuit! Wigs! Snap her panties! Pass.

This one and the next one - "She Wolf" - Shakira  - share a lot - women in animal print or as animals, cages/bars, and not being very sexy (again, some of you might have a very different point of view.)

To me, these two videos just come off as trying too hard, and in the case of the Ciara video, completely based on what a guy in a rap video might like in a girl. At least in Shakira's video there is no doubt in your mind that it is a Shakira video, and she is dancing and "letting the She-Wolf out" for herself - so that's good. Slightly more empowered, maybe.  I just find this whole video very dorky in theme and execution. Yes, she is hot and she certainly has enviable powers of shaking it... but then she's dancing in a bad ice-dancing outfit on a clearly fake roof... plus the fake-howl "ahhwhooo" really just kills it all for me.






Shakira is kind of hit or miss - I think she at least always comes off as having a good time, and you know who you are watching. I think this video by her is much better - I think because you kinda see a hint of story and that's pretty important to me... guy watching her, cheating, etc... so yeah. And it still has random shaking while covered in motor oil - so there's something for everyone. Hehe. Also, some completely ridic sitting while chopping onions.


"La Tortura" - Shakira ft. Alejandro Sanz





Also I like Hips Don't Lie - Thought not necessarily sexier, I think it's super happy and fun, and there's a small mummy boy (not sexy just random)... Also I like Wyclef Jean. So that doesn't hurt. Here the line that annoys me is when she says she can she his body moving "half animal half man" LOL. What is he, a centaur? (Note: I *do* know that is not at all what she means.)






Anyone have thoughts on this matter? Or good examples of sexier videos? Feel free to speak up.
And I freely admit that I wish I could shake like Shakira, so it's not about being secretly jealous =)

Friends are important

Enjoying my break back in my hometown, hanging with friends from high-school - even if you're not doing anything crazy, just running around town can be great. Hence this classic tidbit.

UhhhRrrollin' with my posse we're gettin' kinda' bored--

there's not another posse with more points scored--
we don't walk around like criminals or flex like big gorillas




In our case - if by points scored you mean academically or professionally, of course ;)

Fallen leaves in the night, who can say where they're blowing?

This came on in a shuffle playlist and it is stuck in my head now. A great song with just a horrible video. So creepy, right? The constipated faces, the cross, movie theater seats, the fire on stage, the slow sway... Just terrible. Absolutely nothing is going on. But the song is a classic. Enjoy.

Songs I needed to put on my phone this afternoon (and some others)

"The Curse" - All credit for my discovery of this goes to Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself), who twittered this link a while back, and I had to RT because of its sheer awesomeness. I had only heard a little of Josh Ritter and not really connected to his stuff, but this song is so crazy good and the video - PUPPETS! - pure genius through and through. One of the most poignant bittersweet songs/videos (ever?), and it actually made me buy the album. Warning: consider kleenex.

That was just to draw you in and because I couldn't post the following song without showcasing such an amazing video by the same artist.

The next is just a vid of a live performance by the artist, so nowhere near as amazing. But the song is really lovely as well and has kinda been stuck in my head all day.

In fact the main reason I got on my computer right this second was to move this from itunes to my phone so that I could have it for work this week. I have had a long weekend - I finally got a grown-up bed, and had to wait for more than 5 hours for mattress delivery yesterday which sucked up my entire afternoon/evening; I bought the mattress on overstock.com though, so the money saved was worth the minor inconvenience on the delivery side. And this week I have stuff to look forward to, like my birthday and related festivities (which means probably no posts for the next week or so, unless the spirit really strikes), but as much as that is great, it means that work is going to be very challenging to keep my mind on. Thus the need for any possible good song I can fit in. (Another recent helping hand has been my Echo & The Bunnymen station on Pandora, which soothed away a lot of last week.)





"Lark"







And then for something completely different - another great mid 90s classic that was also something I just realized should be on my phone, haha. The video is just terrible. I am 100% sure the keyboardist is chewing gum. But hey, black kitty! Lots of rather sad mugging for the camera with bad teeth! The song actually holds up quite well...

"Female of the Species" - Space






But to go out on a high note - here's an excellent video to another extremely catchy song where to quote my friend T:

         " dude that video's what makes the song. They defeat a giant squid with their rock.      

       There's a powerful message in there somewhere. :P  "