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Video

• 08.31.10
  Eclectic Method’s New 8-bit Mixtape   Video (0)

  Eclectic Method has released their new homage to the best of 80’s and 90’s pixel beats. The accompanying video is badass, a stroll down Contra Lane populated by the ghosts of the classic Sega and Nintendo greats. I love the addition of a Mega Man-ified Blanka. For no reason but awesomeness, here’s a pic of the whole cast of Street Fighter in Mega Man style.

  

  Take a look at The Creators Project Blog to read a full interview with Jonny Wilson & Ian Edgar about the track, their VJ’ing process and what’s up next for the group.

• 08.25.10
  Jónsi – ‘Go Do’ and U.S. Fall Tour Dates   Video (0)

  
  JONSI – GO DO

  I don’t know why this album is finally making sense to me. There was probably a lot of expectations wrapped up in the thought of Jónsi doing a solo release. I’ll go as far as to say that Sigur Rós doesn’t really even sound like Sigur Rós anymore, but upon first listening to Go, it still felt additionally foreign. Ignoring the fact that initially in comparison to most popular music Sigur Rós sounded more alien than foreign, I think the 10 years of acclimation has let us learn the language of Iceland’s second weirdest exports (should current Reykjavik mayor Jón Gnarr, a former comedian, hits the spotlight I can only guess he’ll be up high on the list). With 2005’s Takk… and 2008’s Með Suð I Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust, their last few efforts felt like the process of sobering up as the sun rose…beautiful for sure, but on another level tiresome. The expanded instrumentation helped, but the shock of their otherworldly originality had faded. The live acoustic album Hvarf/Heim that accompanied the documentary Heima, got more listens from me than the previous two albums combined, even though it just served to remind me that their earlier albums were more awesome than their later output.

  When ‘Go Do’ came out, it was like the sun had fully risen. The song’s propulsive beat and Jónsi’s tendency to sing in english (not his Cocteau Twins-ian language of Vonlenska) were even more off-putting to me, as I just wanted to nestle back into the darkness of 2002’s ( ). Odder still to see the song playing over the end credits of How To Train Your Dragon, a fine film…but an odd context. The connection I later learned is that director Dean DeBlois not only helmed the aforementioned dragon flick, but also their Heima documentary.

  I won’t lie, internet marketing had a role in my coming back around on Go. A few months ago, they cut together a trailer for the tour:

  I had to sit through it before watching a handful of dumb cat videos on youtube and for some reason, it reminded me that I really liked his voice. So, I went back to the album and found it to be far better than I remembered and ‘Go Do’ suddenly appeared to my ears to be something that a Sigur Rós song achieved: catchy. It’s been on repeat lately more than I’d like to admit.

  Jónsi is taking Go on a national tour very shortly. On my previous experiences with Sigur Rós live, his voice live is incredible weather uptempo or down.

  U.S. dates below:

  October 15th – 4th & B – San Diego, CA
  October 17th – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA
  October 19th – Fox Theater – Oakland, CA
  October 21st – House of Blues – Las Vegas, NV
  October 22nd – The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
  October 23rd – The Marquee – Tempe, AZ
  October 25th – Verizon Theatre – Grand Prairie, TX
  October 26th – Austin Music Hall – Austin TX
  October 27th – Verizon Theatre – Houston, TX
  October 29th – Voodoo Festival – New Orleans, LA
  October 30th – Moogfest – Asheville, NC
  October 31st – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
  November 2nd – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO
  November 3rd – Vic Theatre – Chicago, IL
  November 5th – The Fillmore – Detroit, MI
  November 6th – Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH
  November 8th – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
  November 10th – Hammerstein Ballroom – NYC, NY

  Though the limited edition of Go (featuring a live acoustic dvd and housed in a velvet lined box) has sold out, you can still purchase the digital limited edition direct from his website. This version features a download of the album in lossless and mp3 format, the live dvd that came with the physical limited edition as an mp4 and an additional 4 song performance with Jónsi and Nico Muhly.

• 08.02.10
  Dad Rocks! – ‘Nothing Keeps Up’   Video (0)

  Sometimes, out of all the press releases that find their way into my inbox one or two will yeild a reward. Dad Rocks! was a bit of a hard sell, what with the cheeky name and all. The man behind the band is Snævar Njáll Albertsson, lead singer for the Danish band Mimas. I was ready to pass the song by…it’s got a charming enough single take video that ends in a bunch of kids dancing (call me a grump…points off for that), but the moment the loose drumbeat and horn snuck in my heart melted a bit. The echoed piano toward the end only boosted the atmosphere and enhanced the Why? vibe. I’ve listened to the song a few times now and it only grows on you.

  Plus if I didn’t post the video, how could I find an excuse to show you this wonderful promo still:

  

  Is the space get up a sly reference to Mimas’s early name Astronaut? Is Snævar eating a taco or a hot dog? I’m guessing hot dog, since in my experience Icelanders do love their pylsur. *

  ‘Nothing Keeps Up’ is from the forthcoming Digital Age EP, which features a pretty nifty hand-made digipack with a pop-up inside.

  

  DAD ROCKS! – NOTHING KEEPS UP
  

  Digital Age EP will be released August 16, 2010 via Big Scary Monsters. You can pre-order a hard copy from the label or get it digitally now from iTunes.

  * Editors Note: Though Mimas is a Danish band, Snævar hails from Iceland. **

  ** I love editors notes.

• 07.28.10
  Local Natives Live At The Bowery Ballroom   Video (0)

  
  

  So, seems Baeble is taking charge in hosting up some pretty sweet live shows. Be warned though, as the first time I tried to bring up the setlist function on their player and skip songs…flash just completely died. Linked here is the Local Natives show from the Bowery Ballroom in NYC, back in May. Their album is fairly deserved of the showers of praise its received and takes on an additional charm in a live context. The vocal harmonies are not studio trickery and form a lovely enveloping warmth that brings the songs an added dimension.

  Also worth checking out, Local Natives just finished a semi-acoustic Daytrotter session which you can find here.

  Baeble also has a killer set from Tokyo Police Club at The Studio at Webster Hall. Watching it makes me feel less shitty for missing their most recent tour.

  Enjoy!

• 07.14.10
  Maps & Atlases Perform “The Charm” With A Jr. High Drumline   Video (0)

  A pretty excellent rendition of the song.

  From the press release:

  “Chicago songsmiths Maps & Atlases have been making the rounds across America in support of their Barsuk-released debut LP, Perch Patchwork, recording in-studio sessions with Daytrotter, Done Waiting, The Wild Honey Pie and Big Yellow Couch. This week they add another hot destination to their list, this time complete with a middle school marching band drum-line! Maps & Atlases recently visited San Francisco’s Yourstru.ly studio, and had the opportunity to perform the song “The Charm” with a talented group of eighth-graders from Willie Brown Academy. According to Yours Truly’s Will Abramson, it wasn’t easy to track down a drum-line in SF, but he lucked out with these kids, finding them decked out in full marching band gear for their big gig. “The kids were a bit shy at first, but afterwards they all thanked the band and told them how it was a cool experience getting to listen to a song that wasn’t on the radio and actually play alongside a real band.” Aww.”

  Perch Patchwork was released June 29th, 2010 via Barsuk Records. You can get it digitally from iTunes and on vinyl from Insound.

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