Here’s a new, rather amazing video from Beach House’s 2012 album Bloom, for their song “Wishes.” It was directed by the very funny Eric Wareheim (who also makes a very brief cameo within).
No words.
Maybe the new album from Editors — A Ton of Love, due out July 1 — will be the album that gets me back into the band. Nothing’s hooked me on the past couple albums, but “The Weight” (above), and the title song from the new album (video here), at first listen appear to have repeat-worthy hooks. We’ll see.
I’ve said it before: I don’t hear lyrics. I can listen to a song over and over and over again, to the point where I can sing every word of the song, and not ever have understood the meaning of the words I’m singing. Consequently, I’m terrible at making “emotionally meaningful” mix tapes. I’ll put songs on a mixtape that sound great together and blend well from one to the next, but then be told by the receiver “those songs you put on my mixtape were all so dark!” Heartbreak, death and mayhem, and I’ll just not have heard it until it was plainly told to me.
Which puts me in a strange position when confronted with a lyric video, such as this new Okkervil River video for their song “It Was My Season” from their forthcoming album The Silver Gymnasium, due out September 3. Here, I am presented with the lyrics in an unavoidable fashion. I can’t watch the video without reading and understanding the lyrics. And I hate to say it, but I think it makes the song sound worse to me. I’m fairly confident that this new song is actually quite good. But, because I now have read all the lyrics, and their nonsensical, somewhat strangely comic nature, I don’t like the song as much.
I’m very curious if I’m the only one that reacts this way about songs. Do tell, won’t you? But don’t sing it to me, because I won’t hear you.
Billy Bragg does comedic songs (and videos) perfectly. Here’s “Handyman Blues” from his latest album, Tooth & Nail.
Here’s another one from Toronto’s July Talk. A more recent video that came out this past April called “Guns + Ammunition”. Nice little one-take video. Or is it?
As @gregorybflynn pointed out, they’re playing the Sunset on the 29th, if you happen to be free (unlike me that night).
Grumble grumble.
If you were ever wondering what a band would sound like if it were a love child of the Strokes and Hospitality sung by Tom Waits, then you’re in luck. It appears that July Talk’s self-titled debut from last year may be another gross oversight of my 2012 Bacon Calendar.
One of my major oversights for the 2012 Bacon Calendar: exitmusic’s awesome album Passage. Can’t win ’em all, I suppose. Here’s a new-ish video from the album, for their song “White Noise.”
Here’s Seattle’s J. Tillman, otherwise known as Father John Misty, with another video from last year’s Fear Fun. “Funtimes In Babylon”
I would really like to know what all the props in this video are from. They couldn’t possibly have been set up just for this video.
The National - Learning (Perfume Genius cover)
I love everything about this.
If you watched the video for The National’s latest video, “Sea of Love,” you should watch this. It gives the National’s version much more of a reason for being.
Edwin Birdsong - “Cola Bottle Baby”
Wow, so that’s where that sample comes from.
And, my goodness, what a very very long sample that turns out to have been.
Yikes.
Well I’ll be damned.
Gary Oldman, Marion Cotillard, David Bowie. Not quite SFW.
That is all.
Anything I say here about Janelle Monáe will reveal my ignorance of what makes her everything that she is. Let’s just say I like this song, this video, and the fact that Erykah Badu appears on the song and in the video as well.
Every Labor Day weekend, Bumbershoot takes over the Seattle Center. It’s a great festival of music, art, comedy, readings — all the creative juices are flowing. If you’re thinking of coming to Seattle, or if you already live here, make this event a top priority.
I also love this music lineup video — nicely done!
Yet another great song and video from The National.
This new album is already my favorite of the year, and I’ve only heard two songs. Trouble Will Find Me comes out May 20.
I‘ve not been the biggest Kate Nash, but this song and video, “OMYGOD!” are quite good (and fun).
Wow. I clearly need to learn more about Colin Stetson and his saxophone, pronto. Hadn’t heard of him before now, but it appears his third album, New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light, comes out April 30. And he’s coming to Barboza in June.
Most likely you’ve already watched this video by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis that was posted yesterday, but in the off chance you haven’t seen it: watch and be amazed as you find yourself reaching for the mouse as soon as it ends to hit “replay.”
This song, “Can’t Hold Us” featuring Ray Dalton on the chorus, is off of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s fantastic album The Heist, which was #8 on last year’s Musical Bacon Calendar.
The National. With a single song, they’ve doomed every other release from 2013 to be “good, but not as good as that new album by The National.” Their new album, Trouble Will Find Me, comes out May 20. Prepare yourself.
I know next to nothing about Polly Scattergood, but “Wanderlust” and the corresponding video above are pretty great. Her 2nd album, Arrows, is due out on Mute “this summer.”