I finished "The Office" on Netflix. Both actually. More specifically the British version, including the special. If you haven't seen the special than you're missing out on perhaps the finest ending of a television series I can think of. Let's just say it's simply beautiful.
Anyhow, the song by Yazz (or Yazoo depending if you're from Britain or not) plays in the back, and emplihpies the entire scene. Ever since I've been hooked. A beautiful song, and even though it's complete synth pop cheesiness it somehow never feels that way.
And the actual video for the song is pretty cute too.
So the most recent viral video that's been making its way around the 'nets is called "David After Dentist" and depicts a boy just after having a tooth pulled who is still drugged up on anesthesia and is basically drunk. It's been generating a lot of comment for being both funny and controversial. I think a lot of us can relate to what David is going through here, but was it right for his father (I assume) to film him in a moment of weakness and put it on the internet? Would he have guessed that it would garner a staggering 4 million views in just one week ? And that it would spawn a large number of "remixes"?
For The Win, David asks: "Is this real life?" The question of our times indeed.
Here is the original:
And here is my favorite remix so far, the METAL version! Headbanging and all. It rulez.
For a Video site YouTube sure does put some awesome music together. Here is an example of a composition put together from multiple videos or guitar shredders from Japan.
But my favorite part is the 'Rock On' sign. I'm glad that it is still alive and well somewhere on this earth.
So I've just discovered Carol King. You might know her, but if not check her out. already, but if not check her out.
She reminds me a lot of Laura Nyro, but a little more polished sounding. She was a composer for big act names like the Beatles and Aretha Franklin, so when she started her own solo career she went in full steam ahead.
I just discovered her recently, and very much digging her sound. If you like folkish influenced rock with great harmonizing female vocals I recommend you check her out as well.
Here is a little selection you probably already know...
I'm sure many of you checked out the incredible inauguration of our 44th President of the United States Barack Obama (If not please go Youtube it, or read an article, or at least take your head out of the sand).
Of course it was an incredible event, with moving speeches and a groundbreaking social change. But, in my mind, one of the most stirring moments came from the musical performance written by John Williams. Alex Ross of the New Yorker had some brilliant words to say about it, "[what] I liked most of all the diverse picture of the classical world that the performers presented: an Israeli-born violinist, a Chinese-American cellist, a Venezuelan-born pianist, and an African-American clarinetist from the South Side of Chicago."
While it was a moving piece, the ensemble playing it was just as moving. They did personify the wonderful thing about this country, our diversity and acceptance. And while the election of our first black president epitomizes this fact, this piece played tribute to it through music. Check it out...
It's basically updated daily, and gives you a music sampling of songs that have slipped under the radar, but kick-ass. I've scanned some back-logs, and found a huge sampling of wonderful tunes.
A great site, and I highly suggest checking it out if you want to have a damn fine day.
Via that always-wonderful directory of stuff known as BoingBoing, I've been informed that the Next Big Thing in the UK is apparently a woman-and-a-band known collectively as Florence and the Machine.
Their sound is a bit pop-punk, a shake of folk, a splash of soul and more than a pinch of catchy songwriting, at least so far. Check out the video for their debut single, "Kiss With a Fist", and listen/learn more about the band here (BoingBoing) here (MySpace) and here (Wikipedia).
