Art of Music Videos – Big Shiny Tunes 2 Mix

Continuing on and counting down with MuchMusic’s Big Shiny Tunes albums, this week I present Big Shiny Tunes Volume 2! We go even farther back in time and highschool / middle school nostalgia and make one last stop before we get to where it all started.

Radiohead – Paranoid Android

You know, I had no idea that a music video was done for Paranoid Android. And when I was first looking for this on the youtubes I thought it was just some silly fan made music video until a bit more research proved it to be the official video. Anyways, good quality and a bit of fun involved with it. Don’t totally feel it holds up, nor could I say I would have been interested as a wee lad watching this, but that said, there’s a lot of funny shit that’s happening. Also there are some nice tidbits to be found relating to other things Radiohead and other animations for that matter. Watch and see if you can pick them out.

Age of Electric – Remote Control

Oh? A video that’s like someone flipping the channels? How differe- oh wait. No just another band playing for their music video. To be fair it kind of make sense since they’re suppose to be on TV and you’re supposed to be flipping past them and stuff looking for something entertaining. However I choose not to be fair and like 85% of all music videos from this era, it’s the uncreative band playing music video with a weak story going on. This is just slightly less weak and a tad bit entertaining.

Third Eye Blind – Semi-charmed Life

Well this is one of the throwback songs. It got used as one of those Teen movie soundtracks because this is how all teens felt ending high school and starting college / university. Or something. Not entirely sure about what’s happening or what’s supposed to happen, but looks like everyone is having some fun riding along or cruising in the car. Oh and the band is playing in the video.

The Tea Party – Temptation

The Tea Party needed to do something dark, creepy, eerie, and macabre. So what better way that dress pseudo-goth and have the band play / record while the lights strobe all around in the castle/dungeon. Yeah this may have been interesting, but really, it’s all too broken up by the band playing to have any real solid meaning. Oh and the band is playing. How dark!

Bran Van 3000 – Drinking in LA

A little bit of an oddity. I mean, the band isn’t playing their instruments. And the video kind of fits with the music. I know it’s really odd, but just roll with it. Can’t say anything stands out about this video, but it’s interesting to see what’s going on and I guess try to relate. If I were to make this, I’d make sure there was more drinking involved for a fun factor.

Read Full Post »

Art of Music Videos – A Different Motion

The King of Limbs cover

Forward motion? Who needs it? Why work at a regular boring pace when you can do things any way you want to with video? I mean you could fast forward, reverse everything, or even just slow down and take your time. All these videos thought it would be one hell of an idea.

 

 

Radiohead – Lotus Flower

Here’s a funny story to go along with this: When doing up the blarg posting for last weeks Art of Music Videos, I was dicking around in my old internet forum playgrounds just to see what was new, turns out someone was posting a bunch of still bw photos of a dude in a bowler hat. ‘Odd, but meh’ I thought. While doing research on Supergrass’s ‘Pumping on your Stereo’ video, I looked into the directors of the video (Hammer &  Tongs) and their most recent work just happened to be a video for Radiohead’s The King of Limbs song… Click.

Supergrass – Moving

This is what really inspired this weeks theme and the first video of theirs I saw (before Pumping). Again, one of those literal videos where the dudes are constantly moving during the whole thing. And it’s in a hotel adding on to that always moving around kind of idea. Directors managed to pull off something really good and classical. There’s slow motion, sped up, stop motion, forward/reverse. There’s no shortage of motion in this. Moving on….

Missy Elliott – Work it

This doesn’t exactly have as much reversing as I remember, but she does do some in the song. Other than that, take a minute to shake your head in shame at everything that’s awful in this. Half-cut pants, awful censorship, child abuse I guess. The early 00’s was one hell of an awful time to live in some months. Interestingly His awesomeness Prince seems to make a casual appearance and even more baffling, Missy Elliott is wearing a Team Canada Track and Field windbreaker (probably from the 2000 Summer Olympics) to which I have no explanation for.

Rob Dougan – Clubbed to Death

You’re probably thinking: “Why does this sound so familiar?” and if you’re a mega nerd you’re going “OMG THE MATRIX SONG!”. Yeah not what you though you were getting with a music video given the hype he got for doing most of the matrix sound tracks. But you are using an instrumental piece. The reverse is nicely done in this. Aside from the forced feeling of being artsy with the narration, the period dressing and cars are really nice to see and the reverse world gives it a good twist. The whole Dougan running to something doesn’t make sense.

Our Lady Peace – Thief

Best way to make a music video about a song which is about something that really sucks? Film some dude(s) in a situation that sucks and is miserable and do it slow-motion so you really know it’s sucking. Don’t take it as me dissing the song, brain tumors suck; kids with brain tumors sucks x 1000000. It’s a tribute song to that little girl Mina Kim and they have good reflection of that crap-tastic feeling in this video. I hope I haven’t over spoken for it.

Side note: watching this again, I’m sure I know exactly where in Toronto this was filmed, and I’m dead sure it’s still looking that way too.

Read Full Post »

The King of Limbs Album

Radioheads got some magic going on.

The King of Limbs cover

Incase you just got back from Mars or some other place no one’s really heard about, Radiohead recently ( I only heard about it about two weeks ago-ish) announced a new album that dropped Feb 19th for digital download, probably hoping they’d get as much success on album online before IRL when they released In Rainbows.

In addition to this in pure Radiohead style, they’ve also decided to do something untested and unique with a version of the album. Let the words speak for themselves:

Newspaper Album – PRESALE

Radiohead’s new record, The King Of Limbs, is presented here as the world’s first* Newspaper Album, comprising:

• Two clear 10″ vinyl records in a purpose-built record sleeve.
• A compact disc.
• Many large sheets of artwork, 625 tiny pieces of artwork and a full-colour piece of oxo-degradeable plastic to hold it all together.
• The Newspaper Album comes with a digital download that is compatible with all good digital media players.
• The Newspaper Album will be shipped from Monday 9th May 2011 you can, however, enjoy the download now.
• Orders placed on or after 21st February 2011 (UK time) will ship from 1st June 2011
• Shipping is included in the prices shown.
• One lucky owner of the digital version of The King Of Limbs, purchased from this website, will receive a signed 2 track 12″ vinyl.
  *perhaps

This wasn’t something I was going to pass on for $48. And if you enjoy their music, I don’t think you really want to pass on that offer. The cost definitely makes it worth while, however I’m not sure how the biodegradable casing is going to hold up over a decade ( don’t store it in a basement or attic), but it’s worth checking out.

Given that it’s now Monday ( aka Family Day long weekend), I was too brain dead to download the album on release day, but I have it now and it’s not a bad listen. It stands on its own like all their other albums in the past have. Listening to it, I’m sure some songs are going to take their time to grow on me, but that happens.

Music aside, I’m actually more psyched for getting the album. It’s got my artist side all intrigued to see what the hell kind of madness it’s going to be.  Like the music, it’s something with a unique design that’s going to really stand out as something special. And I get to add it to my growing Radiohead collection which I’ve just realised that I’ve somehow amassed without actually thinking too much about doing so. I guess if I keep this shit up, I’m going to have to open a small museum / shrine. Lets hope not.

Concluding, Radiohead fans should enjoy The King of Limbs album (fun fact, the name is based on an oak tree in England thought to be over 1000 years old) and you should give it a good listen otherwise. When I get the album shipped to me in May, I’ll definitely be doing a follow-up post. Happy listening.

The King of Limbs Official site

EDIT: I know a lot of you have been searching  up the artist for the album cover and it’s Stanley Donwood. He’s done EVERY cover and pretty much all artwork associated with Radiohead. If you need proof, go wiki it.

Read Full Post »