I have not ever been an avid follower of music videos, but there have been a few that caught my eye over the last month or so. Maybe it's because they all relate to new releases I am excited about, maybe they are great videos. Regardless, here they are:
Apex Manor - My My Mind
Ross Flournoy's post-Broken West project released their debut at the top of February, and it is full of gems. The first video comes from an unlikely track on the album - and the only song that was co-written - but the video is simple, stark and compelling.
The Dears - Omega Dog
Re-creating a video shot nearly 10 years prior [check], this single shot follows frontman Murray A Lightburn through the streets of Montreal following a live performance.
Radiohead - Lotus Flower
Released on the same day as their surprise new album, we see Thom Yorke dancing his unmistakeable white-boy chicken/freak-out dance, moving in a way that no other person can make look so cool.
What other music videos have you been watching?
Monday, February 28, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Dears - Degeneration Street
The Dears have done it again. Degeneration Street, the latest effort from the Montreal quintet - their 5th studio album - is both a return to the days of No Cities Left and an amazing leap forward. Perfectly orchestrated with a healthy mix of epic, atmosphere and pop, Murray A. Lightburn leads his group musically through the solemn ("Omega Dog," "Galactic Tides") and the sunny ("Yesteryear," "5 Chords") while lyrically remaining constantly somber and honest.
There are hints of influences throughout the album: "Thrones" has a lovely Pulp-esque chorus, "Unsung" has tighter production a lá In Rainbows, and the bass line in "1854" even reminds me a bit of - yes, you're reading this right - MuteMath. But through all of this comes a sound uniquely attributable to The Dears. Comparisons are an easy way out; the simple fact is that this is the best Dears album yet.
Aside from the solid album, which, by the way, translates beautifully into 4 independently-brilliant-on-their-own sides of vinyl, The Dears have been promoting the album through weekly webcasts, sporadic music videos and regular blog postings of hand-written lyric sheets. If you follow the group on Twitter (@thedears), you have seen a lot of activity, which, to me, translates into a lot of excitement. Keep up the good work, Dears. It's working.
Prior to all of this, the band played a handful of shows in which they performed Degeneration Street from front to back. Those shows, along with a Late Show performance, has led to a West Coast tour that is about to start, and if they are coming to your town, go get tickets. They have promised a healthy mix of new and old favorites, and, judging from their excitement in cyberspace, the shows will be eventful and awesome.
Everything about Degeneration Street - from the production to the packaging - exudes the group's attention to detail, and that detail translates into an album worth keeping on repeat for a long time to come.
www.thedears.org
Catch The Dears - for FREE - at Music Millennium in Portland on March 8th at 6pm.
There are hints of influences throughout the album: "Thrones" has a lovely Pulp-esque chorus, "Unsung" has tighter production a lá In Rainbows, and the bass line in "1854" even reminds me a bit of - yes, you're reading this right - MuteMath. But through all of this comes a sound uniquely attributable to The Dears. Comparisons are an easy way out; the simple fact is that this is the best Dears album yet.
Aside from the solid album, which, by the way, translates beautifully into 4 independently-brilliant-on-their-own sides of vinyl, The Dears have been promoting the album through weekly webcasts, sporadic music videos and regular blog postings of hand-written lyric sheets. If you follow the group on Twitter (@thedears), you have seen a lot of activity, which, to me, translates into a lot of excitement. Keep up the good work, Dears. It's working.
Prior to all of this, the band played a handful of shows in which they performed Degeneration Street from front to back. Those shows, along with a Late Show performance, has led to a West Coast tour that is about to start, and if they are coming to your town, go get tickets. They have promised a healthy mix of new and old favorites, and, judging from their excitement in cyberspace, the shows will be eventful and awesome.
Everything about Degeneration Street - from the production to the packaging - exudes the group's attention to detail, and that detail translates into an album worth keeping on repeat for a long time to come.
www.thedears.org
Catch The Dears - for FREE - at Music Millennium in Portland on March 8th at 6pm.
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