03.24.2010
More trouble for EMI, this time with Gorillaz big hit Stylo from their new album "Plastic Beach". Eddy Grant and his lawyers claim there are "substantive similarities" between Stylo and his 1983 song Time Warp. See more HERE. Whosampled.com seems to think it's a rip. Check it out HERE.
Eddy Grant says "Damon Albarn knows in his heart of hearts – it's unfortunate that we cant get into people's hearts – he knows that this is a song that he's loved, in his club days… I don't know the guy… but he knows this is a song he loves." It's up to the respective lawyers now. The 62-year-old Grant is so pissed that he decided to re-release Time Warp digitally online for your downloading pleasure. Regardless, Gorillaz "Plastic Beach" album has been lauded by critics.
Ok Go – This Too Shall Pass (RGM Version)
03.22.2010
OK Go just recently parted ways with EMI to start its very own independent record label, Paracadute (Italian for "parachute"), 'cause they weren't happy with EMI's decision to not allow embedding of the band's videos online. This as their latest video "This Too Shall Pass" was, like, totally going viral...
The band's no stranger to viral videos. Their 2006 music video for "Here it Goes Again," featuring choreographed dancing on treadmills, has been seen almost 50 million times and is in the top-50 most-watched videos on YouTube ever. See HERE.
"The numbers are shocking: When EMI disabled the embedding feature, views of our treadmill video dropped 90 percent, from about 10,000 per day to just over 1,000," frontman Damian Kulash wrote in an op-ed in The New York Times earlier this year. "Our last royalty statement from the label, which covered six months of streams, shows a whopping $27.77 credit to our account."
So on January 12th, 2010, the first video for the song "This Too Shall Pass" (the Marching Band version) was released [about 1.5 million views as I write – not too shabby!]. On March 1st, 2010, the second video for the song was released (the Rube Goldberg Machine version)... [and this version got – Martha get off the phone, you're gonna wanna hear this – almost 9.5 million views, as I write.].
OK Go singer-songwriter-guitarist Damian Kulash says that they view videos not as a potential source of income, but rather as another creative outlet.
"This is all sort of part of the creative project for us," he says. "I mean, the animating passion for us is to get up and chase down our craziest ideas, and sometimes those are filmic, and sometimes they're purely sounds."
For the L.A.-based, Chitown-rooted band's latest viral video "This Too Shall Pass", they assembled a team of dozens of engineers to construct a set; more than 60 takes were needed to get everything working just right during filming. Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, the California Insitute Of Technology and gadget firm Syyn Labs helped build 'the ultimate Rube Goldberg machine'.
London's Daily Mail sadly noted that "OK Go's latest album Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky, from which This Too Shall Pass is taken, has sold just 25,000 copies since its release two months ago."
Feel bad? Don't, they're consummate artists, currently toiling away on creating a new video for the song "End Love" from the same above-mentioned album. Also, perhaps you can can give them your disposable cash when they perform at The Mod Club in T.O. Friday, April 23, 2010.
OK Go just recently parted ways with EMI to start its very own independent record label, Paracadute (Italian for "parachute"), 'cause they weren't happy with EMI's decision to not allow embedding of the band's videos online. This as their latest video "This Too Shall Pass" was, like, totally going viral...
The band's no stranger to viral videos. Their 2006 music video for "Here it Goes Again," featuring choreographed dancing on treadmills, has been seen almost 50 million times and is in the top-50 most-watched videos on YouTube ever. See HERE.
"The numbers are shocking: When EMI disabled the embedding feature, views of our treadmill video dropped 90 percent, from about 10,000 per day to just over 1,000," frontman Damian Kulash wrote in an op-ed in The New York Times earlier this year. "Our last royalty statement from the label, which covered six months of streams, shows a whopping $27.77 credit to our account."
So on January 12th, 2010, the first video for the song "This Too Shall Pass" (the Marching Band version) was released [about 1.5 million views as I write – not too shabby!]. On March 1st, 2010, the second video for the song was released (the Rube Goldberg Machine version)... [and this version got – Martha get off the phone, you're gonna wanna hear this – almost 9.5 million views, as I write.].
OK Go singer-songwriter-guitarist Damian Kulash says that they view videos not as a potential source of income, but rather as another creative outlet.
"This is all sort of part of the creative project for us," he says. "I mean, the animating passion for us is to get up and chase down our craziest ideas, and sometimes those are filmic, and sometimes they're purely sounds."
For the L.A.-based, Chitown-rooted band's latest viral video "This Too Shall Pass", they assembled a team of dozens of engineers to construct a set; more than 60 takes were needed to get everything working just right during filming. Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, the California Insitute Of Technology and gadget firm Syyn Labs helped build 'the ultimate Rube Goldberg machine'.
London's Daily Mail sadly noted that "OK Go's latest album Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky, from which This Too Shall Pass is taken, has sold just 25,000 copies since its release two months ago."
Feel bad? Don't, they're consummate artists, currently toiling away on creating a new video for the song "End Love" from the same above-mentioned album. Also, perhaps you can can give them your disposable cash when they perform at The Mod Club in T.O. Friday, April 23, 2010.
Vampire Weekend – Diplomat's Song
03.19.2010
Sources say Ezra Koenig (pictured above) was raised in New Jersey, son of a therapist mother and movie set supervisor father. Apparently the band has suffered a bit of a backlash in the past for their apparent upper-crust upbringing (loafers-wearing, Columbia University-attending "white boys"). Koenig took the band's "whiteness" to task, reminding everyone that "the two main writers in the band are Jewish and Persian, which is a pretty broad definition of 'whiteness.'"
Rostam Batmanglij, keyboardist/guitarist/backing vocalist, and who recently "came out" to much publicity, just addressed the issue of the band's last album sounding like Paul Simon's Graceland album:
Vampire Weekend – Diplomat's Son
Sources say Ezra Koenig (pictured above) was raised in New Jersey, son of a therapist mother and movie set supervisor father. Apparently the band has suffered a bit of a backlash in the past for their apparent upper-crust upbringing (loafers-wearing, Columbia University-attending "white boys"). Koenig took the band's "whiteness" to task, reminding everyone that "the two main writers in the band are Jewish and Persian, which is a pretty broad definition of 'whiteness.'"
Rostam Batmanglij, keyboardist/guitarist/backing vocalist, and who recently "came out" to much publicity, just addressed the issue of the band's last album sounding like Paul Simon's Graceland album:
"We actually met Paul Simon and I asked him if he thought our record sounded like Graceland," says Batmanglij. "He said no. He said there was like a West African feeling to a lot of the guitars. But he said there was a punk element that he had never chosen to pursue. It was very cool that he could have that perspective to describe things so objectively."Also, of note: Vampire Weekend has performed on Saturday Night Live TWICE in as many years, which is quite a feat for such a young band! See Jorma Taccone from The Lonely Island (TLI) dancing it up as the band performs on SNL (HERE).
Vampire Weekend – Diplomat's Son
Future Islands – Beach Foam
03.17.2010
Future Islands? Future Shock! As far as I can tell, it appears to be a trio based out of Baltimore, Maryland. Basic instruments used: Synth keyboards, Drum machine and bass guitar. One source described their style as "minimalist dancepunk, pop, lo-fi, post wave". The lead singer is Sam Herring and his voice is striking: sometimes it's gruff as he belts out some poignant refrain, at other times it's euphonious, even plaintive. Future Islands will move you. Beach Foam is from their 2008 album "Wave Like Home". I'm looking forward to their upcoming album "In Evening Air" (comes out on May 4). And they're in my hometown June 7th. Tickets go on sale in three weeks!
Future Islands - Beach Foam
Future Islands? Future Shock! As far as I can tell, it appears to be a trio based out of Baltimore, Maryland. Basic instruments used: Synth keyboards, Drum machine and bass guitar. One source described their style as "minimalist dancepunk, pop, lo-fi, post wave". The lead singer is Sam Herring and his voice is striking: sometimes it's gruff as he belts out some poignant refrain, at other times it's euphonious, even plaintive. Future Islands will move you. Beach Foam is from their 2008 album "Wave Like Home". I'm looking forward to their upcoming album "In Evening Air" (comes out on May 4). And they're in my hometown June 7th. Tickets go on sale in three weeks!
Future Islands - Beach Foam
the ettes
03.15.2010
Summer is here. I'm convinced of it.
Ettes = one bad ass two-thirds Texas girl band!
The Ettes - You Can't Do That To Me
Summer is here. I'm convinced of it.
Ettes = one bad ass two-thirds Texas girl band!
The Ettes - You Can't Do That To Me
mmu fav films 2009
03.04.2010
1. Un prophète
A Scarface for the 21st century! Tahar Rahim (Malik) is superb! Niels Arestrup (César) is as well! Spielberg or Scorcese are undoubtedly already at work on the American remake.
BONUS: A cool cover of the classic song Mack The Knife by Jimmie Dale Gilmore.
2. Technology, er, Avatar! (in 3D IMAX, of course)
This flick features both a Canadian director and the best Canadian film tech has to offer. That's right, a Canadian company gave the world IMAX. You're welcome world, and don't forget about it...
Incidentally "F*ck y'all!" is something you will never hear a Canadian say: We are so polite and nice, the Prime Minister may prorogue the government and we don't even require an explanation. What's that now? Harper did what!? Well... I'm sure he has a good reason. If Wayne Gretzky can rub elbows with him at the Vancouver Games, he can't be all that evil, can he now? [crickets]
Thanks to the magnificence of Avatar, the experts have declared 2010 to be the year of 3D! Avatar is the only movie you have to leave the house for. (The rest can be downloaded by various means). The movie itself may not be the most artistic or the deepest or even that well written, but the G-rating allows every child to see it and be brainwashed into thinking man is inherently bad and the natives are always good. And damn, I loved it! Cameron sure got one thing right – that seemingly indomitable villain, Colonel Quaritch (played by Stephen Lang).
3. The Hurt Locker
This movie was directed by Katherine Hardwick (as in James Cameron's ex-wife). She has a chance to be the first woman to take home the Best Director Oscar. Jeremy Renner is great, and a cameo by Ralph Fiennes is brilliant! Oscar Best Pic no doubt in my mind. Or on my bookies tic sheet. Should also win the award for best title.
4. The Blind Side
I know. I know. WTF RC? Well, strong female characters are hard to find. Make her southern and we're in business! Like it or not, this is the biggest sports film of all time. My mom watches this daily. Haha! Sigh... So do I.
5. Food Inc.
Succinct and revealing documentary about what we (unfortunately) eat. Suddenly toxic dolphin meat sounds delicious! If you didn't get that joke; watch "The Cove." While we're taking docs, “Capitalism: A Love Story” was wonderfully depressing as well.
6. District 9
Absolute game changer for the sci-fi genre. The robo suit fight scene is live action-anime gorgeous!
7. Fantastic Mr. Fox
I love director Wes Anderson. Mr. Fox is pretty fantastic but not his best. The Royal Tenenbaums is his best hands down. Nevertheless, Anderson manages to retain his trademark style film after film. Impressive and inspired. Anderson brought back all his favourites in Mr. Fox including Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson. First-time actors in an Anderson film include Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe, Jarvis Cocker, George Clooney and Meryl Streep.
Wes Anderson from best to rest: The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Rushmore, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Bottle Rocket. As always with Anderson the soundtrack is well executed from start to finish. I think he makes movies like I make mix tapes for girls, cause we know our music be the best and pretty ladies ought to know about it. Touché, Mr. Anderson!
8. Watchmen
Had they kept the octopus ending I might have placed this one higher. But it is impressive nonetheless. Oh and it turns out there is a REAL doomsday clock! AND it just recently moved even closer to midnight! Who knew!?
9. The Hangover
Seven reasons why The Hangover is the unofficial/spiritual sequel to Old School, which we were all waiting for...
1. Todd Phillips makes a “sleazy” cameo (in the elevator sexing a lady / Luke Wilson at door looking to sex some ladies)
2. Both feature a super hottie jail-bait character (underage high school student / a hooker)
3. Unhappily married douche (Vaughn / Cooper)
4. Famous black icon cameo (Snoop / Tyson)
5. Both feature The Dan Band
6. Both feature a comic genius naked (Will Ferrell / Zach Galifianakis)
7. Both films feature a musical interlude by a main character (Dust in the wind / Stu's Song)
10. (500) Days of Summer
The Regina Spektor "Hero" scene is simply AMAZING!
11. Up
Pixar. 'Nuff said... Watched this in digital 3D. The story was amazing, but the 3D was blah.
12. Youth in Revolt
Witty, funny. That Cera kid is gonna be okay. Runners up would include Brüno and I Love You Man.
13. Observe and Report
Wes Anderson has some competition in Jody Hill. Both directors always feature brilliant actors (Faris, Rogen, Liotta) and manage to create an offbeat style all each others own. I love the trailer for this movie which features "The Man" by Patto... "Why are you stopin' motherfucker?"
14. The Boat that Rocked [aka Pirate Radio]
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Nick Frost, Chris O'Dowd, Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson. So basically British royalty plus Philip Seymour Hoffman (who steals the show!). The Soundtrack is huge, two CDs. Well worth the purchase...
15. The Informant!
Soderberg directs the hell out of this picture. Matt Damon is hilarious! I hope Scott Bakula becomes a Soderberg mainstay! The Marvin Hamlisch soundtrack complements this movie like a fine red wine complements cold, day-old Chinese food for breakfast!
16. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Really a great cartoon! Very impressive in HD. Hader, Faris and crew are hilarious! But seriously, how could a movie with James Caan, Andy Samberg, Bruce Campbell, Mr. T, Neil Patrick Harris, Will Forte, and Al Roker possibly fail!?
17. An Education
Peter Sarsgaard carries this film along briskly with lots of help from Carey Mulligan and Alfred Molina. An alternate title could have been "Music Lover Statutorily Rapes a Teenage Girl and her Father Couldn't be Happier." You know... light family fare!
18. Crazy Heart
T-Bone is a better Burnett than I. He scored the whole damn picture. This is a much better musical than Nine. For one thing, the music is actually good! And Jeff Bridges' portrayal of a broken-down, hard-living country has-been was excellent.
19. The Lovely Bones
Peter Jackson takes on the serial killer genre and he masterfully applies his trademark fantasy treatment to create a fairytale out of some gruesome material. It's a weird one, and I liked it. The story never does what you'd expect of it. Does it fully succeed? Not really, but hey, that's why it sits in the lowly 19th spot.
20. Zombieland
Surprising fun. The Bill Murray cameo steals the show.
1. Un prophète
A Scarface for the 21st century! Tahar Rahim (Malik) is superb! Niels Arestrup (César) is as well! Spielberg or Scorcese are undoubtedly already at work on the American remake.
BONUS: A cool cover of the classic song Mack The Knife by Jimmie Dale Gilmore.
2. Technology, er, Avatar! (in 3D IMAX, of course)
This flick features both a Canadian director and the best Canadian film tech has to offer. That's right, a Canadian company gave the world IMAX. You're welcome world, and don't forget about it...
Incidentally "F*ck y'all!" is something you will never hear a Canadian say: We are so polite and nice, the Prime Minister may prorogue the government and we don't even require an explanation. What's that now? Harper did what!? Well... I'm sure he has a good reason. If Wayne Gretzky can rub elbows with him at the Vancouver Games, he can't be all that evil, can he now? [crickets]
Thanks to the magnificence of Avatar, the experts have declared 2010 to be the year of 3D! Avatar is the only movie you have to leave the house for. (The rest can be downloaded by various means). The movie itself may not be the most artistic or the deepest or even that well written, but the G-rating allows every child to see it and be brainwashed into thinking man is inherently bad and the natives are always good. And damn, I loved it! Cameron sure got one thing right – that seemingly indomitable villain, Colonel Quaritch (played by Stephen Lang).
3. The Hurt Locker
This movie was directed by Katherine Hardwick (as in James Cameron's ex-wife). She has a chance to be the first woman to take home the Best Director Oscar. Jeremy Renner is great, and a cameo by Ralph Fiennes is brilliant! Oscar Best Pic no doubt in my mind. Or on my bookies tic sheet. Should also win the award for best title.
4. The Blind Side
I know. I know. WTF RC? Well, strong female characters are hard to find. Make her southern and we're in business! Like it or not, this is the biggest sports film of all time. My mom watches this daily. Haha! Sigh... So do I.
5. Food Inc.
Succinct and revealing documentary about what we (unfortunately) eat. Suddenly toxic dolphin meat sounds delicious! If you didn't get that joke; watch "The Cove." While we're taking docs, “Capitalism: A Love Story” was wonderfully depressing as well.
6. District 9
Absolute game changer for the sci-fi genre. The robo suit fight scene is live action-anime gorgeous!
7. Fantastic Mr. Fox
I love director Wes Anderson. Mr. Fox is pretty fantastic but not his best. The Royal Tenenbaums is his best hands down. Nevertheless, Anderson manages to retain his trademark style film after film. Impressive and inspired. Anderson brought back all his favourites in Mr. Fox including Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson. First-time actors in an Anderson film include Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe, Jarvis Cocker, George Clooney and Meryl Streep.
Wes Anderson from best to rest: The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Rushmore, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Bottle Rocket. As always with Anderson the soundtrack is well executed from start to finish. I think he makes movies like I make mix tapes for girls, cause we know our music be the best and pretty ladies ought to know about it. Touché, Mr. Anderson!
8. Watchmen
Had they kept the octopus ending I might have placed this one higher. But it is impressive nonetheless. Oh and it turns out there is a REAL doomsday clock! AND it just recently moved even closer to midnight! Who knew!?
9. The Hangover
Seven reasons why The Hangover is the unofficial/spiritual sequel to Old School, which we were all waiting for...
1. Todd Phillips makes a “sleazy” cameo (in the elevator sexing a lady / Luke Wilson at door looking to sex some ladies)
2. Both feature a super hottie jail-bait character (underage high school student / a hooker)
3. Unhappily married douche (Vaughn / Cooper)
4. Famous black icon cameo (Snoop / Tyson)
5. Both feature The Dan Band
6. Both feature a comic genius naked (Will Ferrell / Zach Galifianakis)
7. Both films feature a musical interlude by a main character (Dust in the wind / Stu's Song)
10. (500) Days of Summer
The Regina Spektor "Hero" scene is simply AMAZING!
11. Up
Pixar. 'Nuff said... Watched this in digital 3D. The story was amazing, but the 3D was blah.
12. Youth in Revolt
Witty, funny. That Cera kid is gonna be okay. Runners up would include Brüno and I Love You Man.
13. Observe and Report
Wes Anderson has some competition in Jody Hill. Both directors always feature brilliant actors (Faris, Rogen, Liotta) and manage to create an offbeat style all each others own. I love the trailer for this movie which features "The Man" by Patto... "Why are you stopin' motherfucker?"
14. The Boat that Rocked [aka Pirate Radio]
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Nick Frost, Chris O'Dowd, Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson. So basically British royalty plus Philip Seymour Hoffman (who steals the show!). The Soundtrack is huge, two CDs. Well worth the purchase...
15. The Informant!
Soderberg directs the hell out of this picture. Matt Damon is hilarious! I hope Scott Bakula becomes a Soderberg mainstay! The Marvin Hamlisch soundtrack complements this movie like a fine red wine complements cold, day-old Chinese food for breakfast!
16. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Really a great cartoon! Very impressive in HD. Hader, Faris and crew are hilarious! But seriously, how could a movie with James Caan, Andy Samberg, Bruce Campbell, Mr. T, Neil Patrick Harris, Will Forte, and Al Roker possibly fail!?
17. An Education
Peter Sarsgaard carries this film along briskly with lots of help from Carey Mulligan and Alfred Molina. An alternate title could have been "Music Lover Statutorily Rapes a Teenage Girl and her Father Couldn't be Happier." You know... light family fare!
18. Crazy Heart
T-Bone is a better Burnett than I. He scored the whole damn picture. This is a much better musical than Nine. For one thing, the music is actually good! And Jeff Bridges' portrayal of a broken-down, hard-living country has-been was excellent.
19. The Lovely Bones
Peter Jackson takes on the serial killer genre and he masterfully applies his trademark fantasy treatment to create a fairytale out of some gruesome material. It's a weird one, and I liked it. The story never does what you'd expect of it. Does it fully succeed? Not really, but hey, that's why it sits in the lowly 19th spot.
20. Zombieland
Surprising fun. The Bill Murray cameo steals the show.
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