10 September 2012 - Bran Van 3000 - Drinking In L.A.

Bran Van 3000 are, according to Wikipedia, "an electronica collective from Montreal, Quebec."  I'm not 100% sure what that means.  

I am 100% sure that this is the greatest slacker anthem about screenwriting I've ever heard.  The combination of live and sampled instruments bring a dreamy feel to the song. See if you can catch all the mid-90's pop culture references, including multiples to Snoop Dogg.

(Update: 15 February 2021)  The band revisited this song in 2014, nearly 20 years after its initial release, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Audiogram Records.  It's a very different feel.  

7 September 2012 - Skrillex - Bangarang

I asked an electronic music guru friend of mine if it was OK that I liked Skrillex, and to ensure that it wouldn't ruin my street cred.  She cleared it, so I am now posting this.

I didn't like Skrillex at first.  He's got the most pretentious haircut in music since A Flock of Seagulls.  However, the more I learn about the guy, the more I like him.  He is one of the nicest guys in entertainment, choosing to be active and engage with his fans, in person as well as on Twitter.  Plus, he's Ellie Goulding's boyfriend, which makes him even cooler.

His music brings to mind his roots as the lead singer of a punky rock band, From First To Last (billed by his real name, Sonny John Moore).  It's got a punky feeling - not only this song, but a lot of his others - while maintaining a clearly electronic sound.  So, rather than dwell on deadmau5's antics at the Grammys involving Skrillex (and follow that link to see just how nice he is!), enjoy this dark video, with one scene not for the squeamish (at 1:55 - it's not all that showy, but look away if you have an issue with hands being removed by car doors....)

6 September 2012 - Berlin - Metro

It's 80s Thursday!!! Is there anything more "80s" than this Berlin video? I saw them a few years ago in Virginia Beach and they rocked. And before you ask, yes, Terri Nunn is still gorgeous.

5 September 2012 - Ashlee Simpson - Pieces of Me

OK, I forgot to post yesterday.  I'm sorry!  Here's some music from my favorite Simpson sister as the reward for your patience.

Ashlee's beautifully Wicked Guilty Pleasure music is the reason we started this blog.  Despite her Saturday Night Live debacle, this song does show her vocal range nicely.



(Update: 6 August 2013)  I felt like updating this post for no reason other than I wanted to find a version of this song performed live that I could pretty reliably determine to be live and not Memorex.  So, here it is, slightly more bombastic than the studio version.



And here is ANOTHER one, which is less bombastic, but more mature, from 2008 (the song was recorded in 2004, so she really is more mature and more controlled).

4 September 2012 - Psy - Gangnam Style

Korean? Club music?

This song, released in June, is already the biggest K-pop hit in the US.... ever.  Psy is already a big star in Korea, but this tribute to the finer things in life - Gangnam is a district in Seoul known for being lavish and trendy - has made him a worldwide star. The video, a campy affair all around, was filmed on location in Gangnam.

And, for those not familiar with the cultural reference, Psy is NOT exhibiting Gangnam Style here.

This is how huge this song is.

1. It's charting in the United States, despite not being an English language song.
2. There are parodies.  Here's one done by the Oregon duck.....

Update: Hyuna, another Korean star, has done a slight reinterpretation of the song from a woman's perspective. Under a new title - Oppa Is Just My Style - it has been a hit, although somewhat criticized for its vocals.  You might have noticed that she appeared as a dancer (and Psy's love interest) in the original video.



(Update: 14 September 2012): Psy appeared on The Today Show today.  We got ahead of a pop culture phenomenon once again!  Also, look at how many of the English speakers suddenly are fluent in colloquial Korean!

31 August 2012 - The Ting Tings - Shut Up And Let Me Go

I know, I know, the video rips off "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes a little bit.  Still, this song, used by Apple in an iPod commercial, was a minor hit for this UK duo. Katie White and Jules de Martino are both multiinstrumental, so their sound, while minimalist, is far richer than would be expected from just two people.

By the way, if you have 3D glasses, put them on.  This video is in 3D.



Although there were session musicians as part of the studio version of this song, Jules and Katie are perfectly capable of playing this very minimalist song themselves.  Here they are, live, and just the two of them, at the AOL Sessions studio.  I believe the mat Katie is dancing on is actually an instrument in and of itself.  The video is a little smaller and grainy, so dial-up users could see it, too.


(I was just kidding about the dial-up)

For those so inclined, here is the iPod commercial. I miss these silhouettes.  I wish Apple would bring them back.

30 Augusrt 2012 - Cheap Trick - If You Want My Love

It's 80s Thursday and I'm seeing these guys in three days. How rad would it be if Robin Zander still had that haircut? Come to think of it, how rad would it be if Rick Nielsen was wearing that sweater?



Click here for more Cheap Trick goodness at Totally Covered