“Chains, Chains, Chains” is the latest single from Elvis Perkins in Dearland. Spinner called the song a “poetic hymn” and featured it as their video premier on June 30, 2009.
Category Archives: Music
“Honey in the Sun” by Camera Obscura
Image above at the Helpless Dancer WordPress
The indie pop band from Glasgow has just finished the North American leg of their tour and is now headed back to the UK and Spain. They made their TV debut on my favorite late night talk show, The Craig Ferguson Show.
Plus, they have a video for their single “Honey in the Sun” from their album, My Maudlin Career.
500 Days of Summer
Image courtesy of the Minneapolis/ St. Paul International Film Festival Official Site
“You should know up front, this is not a love story.” Are you sure Mr. Webb? Isn’t it about the heartbreak of being in love and not being loved back? Isn’t it about the difficulty of being loved and not loving back? Furthermore, isn’t the overall theme based on the concepts of fate and true love? Although the movie doesn’t culminate in the way a traditional love story would, it is most definitely about love. I cannot count the amount of times I recognized a goofy grin painting my face while viewing this movie. One that lasted well past its initiating scene and, every time I realized the expression had not left, I felt a little silly. I always say I’m no hopeless romantic.
Zoey Deschanel plays a character that I would imagine her resembling in real life. Summer is honest and free-spirited. She’s someone who knows what she wants out of life and, coincidentally, what she doesn’t want. On the other hand, Tom, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, lacks confidence and is unsatisfied. He holds a job that he has settled for because he doesn’t think that he can hack it doing what he really wants to do. Furthermore, he believes that Summer is the girl of his dreams but that he could never nab a girl like her. Conversations he shares with his buddies provide evidence of the latter belief. The fact that we hear the guys talking about the girl, instead of the more common reverse, is refreshing.
Humor prevails in even the darkest of moments. For instance, while fleeing Summer’s apartment following their first confrontation, Tom quickly descends the stairwell and, rather than consuming the scene solely with frustration and agony, director Marc Webb must have thought, “ok, something else needs to happen on these stairs.” Thus, the obstacle of two girls blocking his exit. Tom must now react and he does so with an impatient display of politeness. He invites the girls to pass first with an annoyed, “after you,” and an exaggerated guiding gesture.
Another thing I love about Marc is that he’s not afraid of taking risks and being inconsistent. At times this movie does seem like your typical romantic comedy. Until the rib-tickling song and dance number illustrating Tom’s elation at possibly having a chance with Summer. Or, the split scene showing his expectations of how a night in Summer’s presence will unfold while, at the same time, revealing the reality of how the evening actually goes down. Again littered with hilarity, I’m sure you can guess which side contains a better chain of events for Tom.
“Mad World” by Soft Charisma
Over the weekend I attended a Word Camp (WordPress Blogger Conference) and I learned a lot of new things and am now inspired to make my site more professional and exciting for you! After I get back from vacation that it. I will be spending the 4th of July in up north Michigan. I’m not even sure I’ll find Wifi up there!
Anyway, over the weekend I heard several great speakers, all of whom were expert WordPressers, including 16 year old Dave Moyer and Matt Mullenweg, founder of the WordPress platform and Automattic.
Also among the presenters was Scott Kingsley Clark, a Web Developer since the age of 15, specializing in PHP development. Scott also has a band called Soft Charisma. Their latest album, Life Inside the Robot Man, is available for download via their website. It includes covers as well as original material. I’m going to go ahead and provide a site visitor pleaser by posting their cover of “Mad World” by Tears for Fears. However, here they are covering Gary Jules cover of Tears for Fears.
Photo courtesy of the Soft Charisma Official Website
[audio:Mad World.mp3]
“Mad World” by Soft Charisma
Remembering Michael Jackson
My sister told me of a co-worker who got a call from her husband informing her that Farah Fawcett died. Three hours later she got another call from her husband saying Michael Jackson died. She said, “You’re stupid,” laughed, and hung up on him. But before the end of the work day yesterday we all knew her husband wasn’t kidding. At 50 years old Michael Jackson died from cardiac arrest in his Bel-Air mansion. June 25, 2009 will be the day we remember.
I wanted to post a song today to document this unfortunate incident chronologically in my blogroll, as it’s a historically tragic moment. Michael Jackson reached so many fans for so many years. Thriller lingered substantially for more than a decade, and can still be heard on occasion. It was released in 1982, a year before I was born, yet I must have been 8 years old before my MJ phase began. Furthermore, a little boy named Brian, who was my neighbor and babysitting income source, ten years younger than me, asked to borrow my Michael Jackson VHS collection when I was probably 16. This goes to show that talent and innovation can prevail over time and impact multiple generations.
Yesterday, when I remembered the “King of Pop,” one song innitially came to mind. Maybe it’s not one of his music video legacies, but “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” from 1979’s Off the Wall album is still a memorable one for me.
Numerous other artists respect, admire, and give influencial credit to Michael Jackson. The latest J5 tribute comes from Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend and Wes Miles of Ra Ra Riot. Their cover of “I Want You Back” to be released on July 7, 2009 can be found on their collaborative debut, Discovery.
[audio:I Want You Back.mp3]
“I Want You Back” by Rostam + Wes
“Black Sand” by Jenny Lewis
The single “Black Sand” off of Jenny Lewis’ 2008 release, Acid Tongue, finally has a video. This was always one of my favorite tracks, while others tell me that they initially disliked it. I’ve heard it described as one of those songs that has to grow on you.
I will be seeing Jenny Lewis tonight at Warehouse Live in Houston. As a great prelude to the evening, the Hearless Bastards will be playing first.
Awesome Widget
I was visiting the Low vs. Diamond website, as I occasionally do, and I found this amazing widget. This is all you need today. I don’t have to say anything more.
“Sweet Disposition” by The Temper Trap
The Temper Trap is a rock band from Melbourne, described in their twitter bio as “4 aussie kids just rockin’ it.” They are currently on tour in support of their first full-length album, Conditions. “Sweet Disposition” was chosen for the soundtrack to the upcoming film, 500 Days of Summer. I will be seeing a free screening on Tuesday and, in light of the opportunity, I thought I would post this song’s awesome music video.
“Fresh Blood” by EELS
Picture courtesy of www.todayfm.com/
Back with Hombre Lobo is Mark Oliver Everett, the one consistent member of The EELS. The album contains 12 new songs and was released on June 2, 2009.
mp3 courtesy of The KEXP Blog
“Rise” by Azure Ray
Winter Passing is an indie drama film directed by Adam Rapp. Rent star, Anthony Rapp, provides a cameo in his brother’s directorial debut. I struggled internally with the option to include or not include the former piece of information because I am aware of my small obsession with the rock opera, Rent. I don’t know how many times this blog has mentioned said production. I just know there have been several occasions. Therefore, I apologize for my lack of resistance in mentioning the association this movie has to Rent.
Winter Passing stars Zooey Deschanel, better known to me as the other half of the folk duo She and Him, in the principal role of Reese Holden. Reese has been approached by a publisher and offered money contingent on her decision to hand over her deceased mother’s love letters to her father. The daughter of two work alcoholic scholars, Reese has become an actress, reflecting her want for attention. However, she is still displeased with life. She pays a visit to her father in Michigan on the assignment to collect the letters in order to receive her payment. Predictably, the awkward and angry confrontations between her and her father transition to rekindling apologies and all is well in the end.
As a proud original Michigander I have to include the following Wikipedia trivia fact. Winter Passing is the only film to date known to speak of Traverse City, Michigan and was included in the 2006 Traverse City Film Festival for this reason.
A band called Azure Ray contributed a song to the soundtrack titled “Rise.” I made a mental note to Google the song while watching the movie. I loved its’ dreamy and reposed sound, similar to that of another band I enjoy named Beach House. This song comes from the self-titled debut from 2001. Two other albums followed but they have not released anything since 2003.
[audio:Rise.mp3]
“Rise” by Azure Ray
