Archive for the ‘Video’ Category

Video: They Might Be Giants at TED2007

They Might Be Giants performing at TED2007.Okay, this video might be a little old — don’t ignore it for that reason, please. Besides, if old counts as around a year and half ago, I suppose there’s plenty I ought to ignore instead of give some attention. At any rate, it’s apparently the earliest the band’s performed (or so they claim) and is full of witty banter. The video’s embedded below, but for your convenience, here’s a link: They Might Be Giants at TED2007. TED (Technology Entertainment Design), a conference taking place in Monterey, California, features all sorts of interesting speakers and performances, many of which are available at their official site, TED.com.

The site includes a great MP4 download for those looking to watch this extravaganza on their favorite media device.

Plus, there’s a great performance of Apollo 18 favorite, “Fingertips,” that’s not to be missed. The video’s embedded after the jump. (more…)

Spotlight: A Faulty Chromosome

A Faulty Chromosome / Courtesy of Fanatic PromotionA Faulty Chromosome produces fairly engaging music that, while pulling from a variety of influences, maintains a fairly distinct shoegaze tone. At times a little offsetting, the band doesn’t “pull any punches,” per se, with their usage of several slightly grating guitar tones. Still, the two tracks I’ve posted below, “Jackie O” and” Them Pleasures of the Flesh” are interesting and worthy of a listen, but if you’re looking for the melodic tendencies of Lush, it’s probably best to work elsewhere. This band isn’t going to be known for ethereal, beautiful vocalizations, but more a more-or-less gentle sort of repetitivity that, while not the high point of musical achievement, does provide something interesting and surprisingly listenable, considering. Two tracks are posted below for listening and downloading, and a video is posted after the jump.

A Faulty Chromosome — “Jackie O” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/afaultychromosome-jackieo.mp3]

A Faulty Chromosome — “Them Pleasures of the Flesh” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/afaultychromosome-thempleasuresoftheflesh.mp3]

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Spotlight: Cryv | Japanese shoegaze, huh.

Cryv / via MySpaceIt’s not often I come across something so compelling as this: Cryv is a Japanese shoegaze and electroclash group — they’re twin brothers — that, well, are far from bad. Yes, that’s really just a roundabout way of calling this band good, and they are deserving of more than such clumsy trepidation. Cryv isn’t well known outside Japan, it seems, as a cursory web search will reveal. It’s a pity, really, because this band is really very good. A video for “Lonliness” [sic] from their 2007 self-titled debut is posted below. Check out their MySpace for some tracks.

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Music Geek #8: Love is… Spiritualized?

Matthew Montgomery wears funny glasses in a Cedar City, Utah park.Let’s get one thing straight: I don’t know what “love” actually means. It’s a terribly abstract thing, and we’ve been taught that it’s some mystical, valuable emotion we should all strive for. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t — but I think I have a vague (and when I say vague, I mean vague) idea of what it is. I’ve certainly felt strong connections before, and if that’s what this is, then perhaps I can affirm some things.

Whatever the case, I love music. Sure, I will confess to ignorance of what love really is (chemical reactions! but isn’t everything? We can break down everything to chemical reactions in mental workings, but it doesn’t bring us any closer to understanding or predicting human action,) but I will likewise profess to be a lover of music.

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Spotlight: City and Colour

City and Colour -- Courtesy of Dine Alone RecordsCity and Colour, also known as Dallas Green from Alexisonfire, will be releasing a new full-length album coming February 12. The indie and folk-rock driven acoustics and enchanting vocal melodies that Dallas creates strongly accentuate the emotion behind his lyrics. A great success of a solo career! Dallas, a native of Ontario, will be kicking his tour off with a show at MuchMusic in Toronto on the 12th. They have also recently released a video for “Waiting.” Full tour dates can be found at cityandcolour.ca. Read after the jump to view the video.

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Spotlight: The Terrordactyls | Indie pop group releases stop-motion video for “Devices,” features Kimya Dawson on vocals

The Terrordactyls / Courtesy of Fanatic PromotionThe latest video from The Terrordactyls, a strangely enticing lo-fi indie pop group, is a strangely enticing lo-fi stop motion endeavor. “Devices,” which features Moldy Peaches-veteran and Kimya Dawson on vocals, features, of all things, scissors speaking to each other. Read after the jump for the video. Michael Cadiz and Tyrel Stendahl, who make up The Terrordactyls, are quite capable of holding their musical own, as it were: See “Fall,” posted below, for an example.

Contributing vocalist Kimya Dawson may overshadow the two musicians, given the love a variety of teenagers have expressed for recent Ivan Reitman flick Juno — don’t get me wrong, I am quite a fan of the film, as well; I merely find the newfound love for The Moldy Peaches and Kimya Dawson a bit puzzling or, at the very least, surprising.

The Terrordactyls — “Devices” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/theterrordactyls-devices.mp3]

The Terrordactyls —”Fall” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/theterrordactyls-fall.mp3]

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Spotlight: The Buddyrevelles | Indie group releases new music video

The Buddyrevelles / Courtesy of Fanatic PromotionThe Buddyrevelles have a sound that is situated somewhere between indie pop and post-rock — a wonderful combination, if you ask me. They’ve just released a video for “The Foreigner,” a song that’s destined to at least cause a few toes to tap incessantly, and that’s really the goal, isn’t it? The tracks posted below were released on Don’t Quit by Solitaire Records. Read after the jump for the video.

The Buddyrevelles — “I Dream of Rodney” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/thebuddyrevelles-idreamofrodney.mp3]

The Buddyrevelles — “Moods” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/thebuddyrevelles-moods.mp3]

The Buddyrevelles — “The Foreigner” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/thebuddyrevelles-theforeigner.mp3]

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Spotlight: The Billie Burke Estate

The Bille Burke EstateThe Billie Burke Estate, who just released Let Your Heart Break, offer a strangely enticing combination of 1970s progressive rock, two-tone ska, and pop sensibilities that make themselves evidenced in “I Can Float” and “Everybody’s Gonna Die,” posted below for download and listening. The former exhibits a wealth of influence from across a wide musical spectrum, while the latter is a more straightforward piano-based pop song with a sardonic lyrical approach. Andy Liotta, mastermind of the Seattle-based The Billie Burke Estate, works vocals in forgotten ways, while instrumentation is effective but not over the top.

The Bille Burke Estate — “I Can Float” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/thebillieburkeestate-icanfloat.mp3]

The Bille Burke Estate — “Everybody’s Gonna Die” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/thebillieburkeestate-everybodysgonnadie.mp3]

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