March 25, 2009
Pretty next-level video for Department of Eagles’ “Nobody Does It Like You,” directed by Marcel Dzama and Patrick Daughters. Daughters’ did that famous-ish Feist “1-2-3-4” video, which makes sense given all the choreography going on here. Interesting to see Dzama doing videos now. This one definitely looks like a live-action incarnation of his creepy/pretty drawings. I do wonder where videos like this end up these days. This one seems too violent for MTV, and getting posted on Pitchfork and Stereogum (and TRMW!!!) only goes so far. The directors can use this in their reels and get paid buttloads for commercial work, but how much does this do for record sales? I’d say that’s the elephant in the room regarding the current music-videos-on-the-web renaissance. Regardless, this still stands as quite lovely art-in-and-of-itself, which makes sense given that it premiered at MOMA.
March 10, 2009
White Fang: SpaceGemz [Marriage]
This looks like an E*Rock/Wyldfile joint to me. Watch for the green peace-sign-flashing Alf at the end!! *head explodes*
March 5, 2009
Holy crap, this Vetiver video is awesome. It’s faux-karaoke (that would be an awesome[ly lame] band name, btw), and I’d say they 100% nailed it. The late 80s / very early 90s fashions, hair tossing, random dancing, ridiculous plot, rollerblades (lots of rollerblades)… it’s all in here. Also, the new album is good.
March 2, 2009
Alela Diane DUMBO session: My Brambles | Pitchfork.tv
Here’s a little sunshine for you. Alela, her dad, and her boyfriend, filmed at a funky old church (that’s called The Funky Church) in Portland, Oregon. Just three people who love each other making lovely music about love. It’s a good thing.
February 11, 2009
Bentley Rhythym Ace “Bentley’s Gonna Sort You Out”
Listened to the Bentley Rhythm Ace album on the way to work today, and it remains totally enjoyable. Loads of samples, lots of playfulness, and warmth. Makes me feel like I’m walking around a retro-futuristic Tokyo, sipping lemonade, on acid — that kind of thing. For those unfamiliar, these guys were one of the “electronica” “bands” Astralwerks put out in the mid/late-90’s (see also: Chemical Brothers, Air [French Band], Cassius, Tranquility Bass, QBurns Abstract Message, Freaky Chakra, Photek). I was all about this stuff back then, and really, still am. Some of it was lame, but some of it was really fun and catchy and melodic and good. BRA are definitely the latter.
December 3, 2008
Kermit vs. LCD Soundsystem →
This is genius.
September 29, 2008
XL Recordings: The First Chapters →
Holy crap, this is totally fantastic. Old school super catchy breakbeat jams, from the label that’s now putting out the White Stripes and Beck. I am totally down with both sides of that trajectory, and listening to this comp just reaffirms for me what a uniquely great label XL really is. Hey, I think this calls for some gratuitous YouTube embedding!
So here’s a (very) vintage clip for SL2’s track “Way in My Brain (Remix),” which apparently hit the UK top 40 in 1993. Enjoy the music, but don’t pay too much attention to this video (trust me).
And here’s Kick Like a Mule’s remix of Awesome 3’s “Don’t Go.” Love those vocal samples!
And this is Prodigy’s “Everybody In The Place (Housequake Remix).” Watch out, these breakdowns are super peaky.
Good times. You can buy The First Chapters off Amazon MP3 here.
August 11, 2008
nudge ‘cymatic’ (via Vimeo)
June 12, 2008
Pure audio/video sunshine featuring David Byrne and Dizzee Rascal. Maybe this BPA group is that Byrne + Fatboy Slim collaboration that’s been mentioned in the press a few times now? And one of the other BPA tracks has Iggy Pop on vox, sounding strangely like Mark Lanegan (also hack-job fan-made youtube videos are the best). Interesting. Anyway, happy Thursday!
(via Sasha Frere-Jones)
