naudible

Let the Drummer Kickass Video

Citizen Cope, or Clarence Greenwood, is a man of few words.  At his solo acoustic performance last Fall at the Palace of Fine Arts, his only interaction was, “Thank you, thank you so much.”  This song exemplifies his ability to create such a simple yet beautiful piece, but I’m actually sharing this video to highlight the creative work done by a German artist named Artur Dimke.

Whilst you gander this slideshowesque music video, consider the thought behind the visual representation of every word.

Once I escaped the mesmerizing grasp of this video, I started perusing through Artur Dimke’s favorites on YouTube.  If you enjoy stellar visual representations and presentations, I suggest watching Trusted Computing or Big Brother State.  Strong visuals can be really powerful drivers for controversial messages.

Sooner or Later...

It was only a matter of time until a music artist capitalized on the story of our self-destructing economy.  Pharrel sings us a sympathetic lullaby, in an ever-so touching number to help remind you of the reality of our crumbling empire.

Sooner or later… it all comes crashing down.  by N.E.R.D.

High Qual

I felt like gracing your screen with this awesome Canon Rebel XSi commercial… in high quality.  Seriously though, how beautiful is this?

If you watch the “behind the scenes” video, you will learn that each scene was shot with 8 different Canon Rebels, and the the production process began with over 60,000 photos!  I think the final product is not only aesthetically stunning, but conceptually genius for marketing a product with its very own function.  Next time you see an Iphone commercial shot from an Iphone, let me know.

In a last-ditch effort to stay consistent with the “musical” direction of this blog, it is worth noting the beautiful piano piece by Michael Montes, composed specifically for this project.

Caught Frenching with Chester

The statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial, the Minuteman statue at the Lexington battlegrounds in Massachusetts, even John Harvard’s iconic effigy at Harvard University - All sculpted by a man with the miraculous monicker of Daniel Chester French.

An inspirational tale for student artists everywhere, Maxwell Drummey and D.A. Wallach met while attending classes at Harvard.  One needn’t investigate much to unearth the origins of their band name, but the story behind their recording contract is bound to leave some music fans in a quandry.  In an undeniable middle-fingering of modern pop-hop czar Kanye West, Chester French rejected his contract offer in favor of a competing deal from N.E.R.D. frontman and uber-gifted producer Pharrel Williams.  Bold and respectable, hopefully this move will prove beneficial for the budding artists.

Credit to my boy Chester (Chuck Flex) for first introducing me.

Yes, a Good Winter Indeed

I can honestly and self-respectingly assure you that I’m currently obsessed with the best song I’ve heard in some time, Skinny Love. Beautiful, passionate, evoking.

Justin Vernor is the genius behind Bon Iver, a name espoused after the Anglicization of the French term “bon hiver,” meaning “good winter.”  The group has amassed some weighty acclaim from their most recent album, For Emma, Forever Ago, and is poised to kickoff the new year with the release of Blood Bank on Jan. 20th.

The majority of what your hearing was recorded during a three-month stint in a remote cabin in Wisconsin.  Justin was recuperating from a tough year and had no intention of creating an album, making the success of his album that much more fascinating.

Blizten Trapper! (German accent)

No, they’re not German.  It’s just fun to say Blizten Trapper! in a thick German accent.  Blizten Trapper is native to a much more respectable town in the Pacific Northwest, known to many as Portland, Oregon (even their picture is green!).  Formed in 2000, this experimental folk sextet has been making waves with their new album, Furr.

I’m not certain of their musical influences, but if I had to guess, I would definitely wager Dylan in terms of vocals.  Have a gander…

You can visit their Myspace here

Stoked on NeoFolk

Fronted by Marcus Mumford, the London based Mumford and Sons have only been playing together since last December.  Easily confused for a longtime-passed, weather-beaten American folk band, they boast an extremely developed sound for a group of youngsters.

“They sound fully-formed, as though they were destined to make this music; as though they had an idea of how they wanted to be and sound and here it is, perfectly realised. Whether you like it or not, you’ve got to admit that what they do, they do well.” (Paul Lester - Guardian)

This is just the type of rare find that keeps me thirsty for new artist discoveries.  Both of these songs embrace a strong emotional buildup, although Roll Away Your Stone is more upbeat, while White Blank Page tells a much darker story of love.

Best in the Morning, but Good All Day

The moniker, My Morning Jacket, came about when lead singer, Jim James, found out that his favorite bar had burned down.  Sifting through the charred remains, he found a coat with the embroidered letters, MMJ.  One of the better sobriquet stories I’ve ever heard…

I’ll admit, I wasn’t familiar with these guys until my friend Joe urged me to check out their newest album last Spring, Evil Urges. I immediately fell in love with the track I’m Amazed, but this was before radio took hold of it and basically ruined it for me.  The rest of Evil Urges didn’t necessarily do it for me, but I found myself digging through their older stuff and came across some real gems.  One Big Holiday is my favorite, with a buildup to get boisterous about.  And Off the Record and Lay Low are equally awesome.  These guys play with a reverb-heavy sound that, I have to admit, I appreciate most in the AM.

Check out their MySpace for more from their newest album, Evil Urges