Funnest music video of the year? Probably.
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Contra is out 1/11 via XL. Pre-order it at InSound or at Amazon.
Edit: Web Sheriff sucks.
Music Videos
17
Nov 09
Grizzly Bear – Ready, Able
In many ways, the new music video for “Ready, Able” matches my feelings for the lush track off of Veckatimest, one of the year’s best albums.
The video’s best moments (see colorful melting at :47, potential alien abduction at 1:53, and awesome clay, stop-motion transformations at 3:26) come at the song’s most thrilling moments- jolts of orchestration and psychedelic jamming are recreated with colorful, magnificent feats of claymation. The video is also strange and original, much like the song with its oddly unorthodox buildup and structure.
Most importantly, the video and the song match in that I’m not sure whether I like either of them, but something definitely keeps me watching or listening. As with many Grizzly Bear tracks, “Ready, Able” is about the musical moments, the breakdowns of choir chants and lavish instrumentation it builds to. If you’re not patient enough to wait for those moments in the song (and the accompanying visual moments in the video), Veckatimest has probably already been shoved to the side on your iPod.
That aside, “Ready, Able,” while much-loved by the blog world, is not even one of my favorite songs on the album, and its selection as a single surprises me. There are too many tracks on Veckatimest that don’t stall, or make you wait, and are brilliant throughout. Those tracks really can hook a listener not yet convinced by the sounds of Grizzly Bear. “Ready, Able” cannot, and will only allow haters to continually point out that Grizzly Bear can, at times, be boring.
Buy Veckatimest and other Grizzly Bear releases at InSound or at Amazon.
13
Nov 09
Animal Collective – In The Flowers (Music Video)
“In The Flowers,” Merriweather Post Pavilion’s rightfully massive opener finally has an equally massive and weird music video. It was directed by the talented and possibly psychotic Abby Portner.
9
Nov 09
Girls, The 101-Word Album Review
I’ve held off posting about Girls because of certain reservations I had about them. Specifically, I can’t listen to the lead singer’s voice for a long period of time. But whenever I do sit down to listen to their album, Album, I’m not overwhelmed or blown away, as their 9.1 Pitchfork rating might imply.
I will admit, however, that “Lust For Life,” as well as “Laura” and “Hellhole Ratface” are essential and should be required listening in 2009. But take these tracks out of the equation and you are left with little to get excited about — a directionless Elvis Costello/Brian Wilson tribute album.
Download to my favorite songs off Album or stream the whole thing, and then watch a NSFW/XXX music video. Continue reading →
4
Nov 09
Rihanna – Wait Your Turn (Wait Is Ova)
I’ve had about a week or so to let the shock of “Russian Roulette” to settle, and you know what? I bought it on iTunes just yesterday. Why the sudden change of heart? Letting go of dreams of more Umbrella’s and Disturbia’s, I listened to this new side of Rihanna. Muumuse coins it best, “Rihan-noir.”
Rihan-noir sounds exactly how you imaged it would. It’s dark, moody, dramatic and a lot more fierce than Beyonce’s last album. In a sense, Rated R is going to be Rihanna’s 808s and Heartbreak. I’m officially on board.
24
Sep 09
St. Vincent – Marrow
The video for St. Vincent’s “Marrow” is one of the great instances when a music video adds to the listener’s appreciation for every moment of a song. The beautiful contrast of Annie Clark’s soft and sensitive yet eerie and bizarre verses with her energetic chorus is displayed perfectly in this music video.
After watching, it will be hard not to picture the middle class family, construction workers, crazy teenagers, and cops jolting back and forth during the chorus. Annie’s control over her followers during the video perfectly shows her grasp of any listener on her wonderful album Actor.
[download id="294"] ♥♥♥♥
19
Sep 09
La Roux- I’m Not Your Toy (Music Video)
This old news to some of you, but we’re finally coming around to “I’m Not Your Toy” being La Roux’s new single (we prefer “Tigerlilly,” thanks). The words in La Roux’s latest single “I’m Not Your Toy” seem fitting for its futuristic Great Gasby like video. Continue reading →
10
Sep 09
HEALTH – Die Slow (Music Video)
http://www.vimeo.com/6407654
“You don’t need to be 19 to like a band like this. You don’t need to listen to music eight hours a day. You don’t need to narcissistic or shallow. All you need to do is call.” HEALTH end their half fun and trippy half blood plagued music video for “Die Slow” with this message. Then they give a phone number to call and a website to visit.
I have not partaken in the viral advertising enough to check out the phone number, but the website repeats the message at the bottom of the page: “You Will Love Each Other.”
While watching the music video for “Die Slow”, you may be tempted to overanalyze some artsy message out of it. Instead HEALTH is saying that we all need to calm down and just embrace their accessible music, and the music is extremely accessible. “Die Slow” is a fantastic, upbeat, and fun song and the energy in the video only adds to it. Once you get hooked on the song, go get their new LP Get Color which dropped yesterday.
[download id="242"]
