Jeffery Straker – Botanic Gardens video

Must admit, I already had a soft spot for Jeffery Straker…in part, because I’ve had the chance to work with him on a couple of occasions, but mainly because of his awesome songwriting that bounces between piano pop and cabaret.  His latest album, ‘Vagabond,’ was produced by Kitchener-Waterloo songwriter and producer Danny Michel…another soft-spotty artist o’ mine.

The Botanic Gardens video softens me up even more…probably because of its unapologetic and tongue-in-cheek queerness!  Very fun, very cute, and a great song to boot!

There aren’t very many gay-themed videos – whether they be subtle or over the top – in general.  I mean, Carly Rae went ‘gay’ in her Song Of The Summer smash ‘Call Me Maybe‘ (at least, the object of her affections did) but that was the traditional usage of homos in music videos – comic relief.

In Botanic Gardens, as in Bronski Beat’s ‘Smalltown Boy‘ or Macklemore’s ‘Same Love,’ it’s just a natural part of the story of the video.  Though comparing the three isn’t really fair: Smalltown Boy was an early success at telling the story of rejected gay youth, and Same Love is a modern-day protest song…where Botanic Garden could never be mistaken for ‘political.’

It’s a pretty, well-written song and a pretty, well-filmed video where the main character just happens to be gay…as are several of the passers-by.

Though Jeffery…why you gotta scoot away from the poor bear!  It’s clear he’s into you!!!

…I’m gonna pay for that one…

Music Monday: Swedish House Mafia

We’ve become rather fond if these guys in our house…mainly because if their canine-centric videos.  Honestly…want to get animal lovers to love your band, put some animals into your music video.

Save The World Tonight is especially great…the song is fantastic, and don’t worry about tearing up.  Everyone I know who’s seen it admits to getting misty during the vid.

I also suggest Antidote, though be warned…this video is explicit with both nudity and graphic violence!

What do you think?  Lemme know, here or on Twitter where I spend a lot of time: @Potoroo

John Butler Trio – Better Than

Been listening to this song WAY too much recently…want to learn how to play it on my guit-jo!

Dark and Long

Head Out Of Gutter, You!!!!  This is what I mean.

This video introduced me to Underworld. It was a strange time.  In 1994 grunge was in full swing, and then Kurt Cobain died.  The Beatles (minus John) secretly got together to record tracks over an unfinished song by Lennon, and then released it.  Britpop truly crossed the ocean with Blur’s ‘Parklife’ leading the way (…you can probably argue with me here, but that’s how it was from my perspective). Weezer was born.  Woodstock came back.  New Kids on the Block broke up.

And then there was Underworld: a strange blend of chill electronic, male vocals more akin to a rock band, and surreal lyrics.  The album title said it all, ‘Dubnobasswithmyheadman.’ (Note: my favourite album of all time has the same titlestructure, ‘Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot‘)

Most people know Underworld from Hackers, but I know them from this video, airing late night on The Wedge, where I discovered all of my favourite bands.

This song changed music for me.  It was a droning dance tune that ran four minutes long and had a melody that sounded like it was sung to track…as opposed to sung once, sampled, and repeated.  I imagined these guys on stage with a band, a computer, a synth, and a microphone…rather than two decks and a pyro show.

Sure, Gary Numan had stood on stage and played synth music that could pass for a rock song (and sometimes was!)

But Underworld smashed two worlds together for me and remained unique at the same time…it didn’t sound as much like they were taking parts of rock and parts of electronic and blending…it was like they had created a whole new sound by themselves.

I guess they did smash two worlds together…and then dragged them kicking and screaming underground.  Maybe that’s how they got their name.

I’m Impressed, TV on the Radio!

Considering your name is made up of two ‘old fashioned’ media, you’re pretty forward thinking.

Some people are stuck in the old world of ‘make an album, choose a single, get it on the radio, people will buy your album, and then you tour.’

TV on the Radio have a different approach:

Why not release your ENTIRE album, before it’s on the shelves, as a video.

I don’t mean a video for each song…well, I DO mean that, but remember the cool stuff Michael Jackson and his sister Janet would do, where videos were a long format?  Rhythm Nation 1814 was a movie made up of individual songs from her album, and those sequences also acted as videos for the singles when they were released.  That’s kind of what TV on the Radio is doing here…except it’s more like…

…the entire album…is a video!

When it comes to creative ways to get your songs out there, this is by far the most creative I’ve seen in awhile.  Most people consume their music on YouTube now.  This is the first time I’ve heard of an entire album being made into a long form video and put online, for free!

Sparklehorse (my favourite band) made a video for each song from the album ‘It’s A Wonderful Life,’ including one by my favourite filmmaker Guy Maddin for the title track.  Now…if only he’d released them somewhere other than the Sundance Channel…maybe someone would have seen them.

Kudos go out to TV on the Radio for their unique way to reach the fanbase and hopefully grab some new fans along the way!