Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!
Your average music video promoting a movie is some terrible, over-produced song from the soundtrack performed a by boring, pop mart, ready made band in which said band uninterestingly lip-synchs to their song, after which an editor splices in random movie scenes. It’s basically one small step up from those terrible YouTube videos people make where they combine their favorite song with scenes from their favorite tv show.
This, however, is not your average music video promoting a movie.
I love it!
I know, I know, the blog has been really short on writing of late. Well, that’s a trend that is going to continue today. I’ve missed the old ‘five things’ posts, but haven’t had time or energy to write them. So, I’m going to compromise, I’m return to five things, but without the normal amount of writing. I’ll share with you what I’ve been enjoying lately, but with very little explanation. However, I’ll make up for it with pictures and videos. Plus, since I’ve gone so long without it I’ll try to do it more than once a week.
1. Regina Spektor – Far
Regina is back up to her beautiful old tricks again. Lovely.
———————–
2. Gears of War 2
Visually stunning, addictively enjoyable, and twistedly satisfying in all the ways a video game should be.
By the way, I love this trailer!
————————-
3. True Blood
The first season of True Blood was more of a guilty pleasure for me. I wasn’t always wowed by it, especially with the distractingly bad acting by Anna Paquin (sorry Anna), but for whatever reason I always wanted to keep watching.
Season Two is not a guilty pleasure, it’s just a pleasure. It’s painful when an episode ends and I know I need to wait an entire week for another installment. Soooooo good.
In addition, when did Eric become my favorite character? That really snuck up on me.
————————-
4. M. Ward
My love affair with the music of M. Ward is nothing new, it’s just been particularly intense of late. He climbs a little higher into the ranks of my favorite artists all the time.
————————-
5. Prototype
Yes, another video game. In this one, you’re basically a super anti-hero with unimaginable power that continues to grow throughout the game. I haven’t had time to get very far into the game yet, but so far it is a brutally good time. It even comes complete with zombies. What more could you ask for?
A brief caution, the following cinematic is for mature audiences only. Just thought I’d give the heads up.
The first three additions to this week’s five things are related to new music. I had gone quite a while without any new music in my life; neither the “artists I’d never listened to” type of new music, nor the “new album from an artist who is already a favorite” type has recently graced my life. Gladly, that changed over the last two weeks with the introduction of three new albums to my playlist.
1. Merriweather Post Pavilion – The Animal Collective
From the first category, that of artists I haven’t really listened to before, I’ve really been enjoying the new CD by The Animal Collective. They’re one of those bands I kept meaning to check out, but the list is so long it is hard to really get to most of the bands on the list. Thus far, I really do enjoy the newest CD, which apparently (according to Brian) is already getting buzz as the best album of the year. That’s right, in January.
Thus far, it is one of those CDs that I enjoy a bit more on each hearing. I find myself at a loss to really describe the music. Perhaps this is because they are hard to describe, it could be the fact that I am starving right now and it is starting to cloud my brain. Alas, either way I’ll just have to leave you with the fact that I do enjoy the CD quite a bit.
——————————–
2. Get Guilty – AC Newman
The second new CD I’ve been listening to quite a bit lately is by New Pornographers frontman AC Newman. His second solo effort, it is the first that I’ve been exposed to. Since the New Pornographers are on the same list I mentioned earlier, that of bands I need to check out some time, I can’t offer you a comparison between Newman’s solo stuff, and that of the band’s work.
What I can say is that the CD is a great listen, the kind I can put on repeat and listen to over and over again, which is rare for me. The CD is made up of strong, smart, tight songwriting, both from a musical and lyrical standpoint.
My enjoyment of it will certainly get me to emusic to download his earlier solo stuff, and it will move The New Pornographers to the top of said ‘bands I need to listen to’ list.
———————————-
3. Noble Beast – Andrew Bird
Finally, as far as new music is concerned, I’ve been listening to Andrew Bird’s newest release. What can I say aside from the fact that I love Andrew Bird. To me, his music is at once silly and serious, joyful and melancholy, not to mention fun and beautiful… not that those are contradictory like the others seem to be. Also, let’s not forget that Andrew Bird is, like, the greatest whistler ever.
Noble Beast finds Andrew at the top of his game, and I highly, highly, highly recommend it.
———————————-
4. Movies With Friends
I add this because it occurred to me yesterday how much more enjoyable it is to watch movies when you have friends over.
Our friends Austin and Danielle came over yesterday to watch Wanted with us. The movie ranged from completely lame to “this scene should be really cool but it is only kinda cool.” Yet, even though none of us enjoyed the movie, outside of the general sexiness of Angelina Jolie and Common (who was badass, but had far too little time on screen), the two hour experience was redeemed a bit due to the fact that we watched it together.
I guess you could transform that old phrase about shared joy and sorrow to fit movies as well: “Sharing a great movie doubles enjoyment, while sharing a crappy movie halves the misery.” Then again, a few of the comments made during particularly lame scenes actually redeemed them to the point of enjoyment, so it doesn’t even just cut the misery in half, but instead can potentially eradicate it altogether.
So, **raises what may well be the last frosty he will ever eat** here’s to friendship!
———————————-
5. Spring Training is coming…
This is the last ‘five things’ in January. Just one more day to go and we will all be residing in the shortest month of the year. And you know what happens in February right? It is of course when we get to utter the four most beautiful words our language has yet formed into a single phrase: pitchers and catchers report.
Pretty soon the time will come when there will be baseball to watch, follow, and speculate on again. Glorious, wonderful, amazing baseball.
It won’t get here a moment too soon.