Computer apologies + Metronomy

I apologize for the lack of posts, yet again. Let's just say that computers and the internet have not been on my side as of late. For the past couple of months I have been using satellite internet that is supposedly high speed. Some days it actually is fast, but other days it is incredibly slow. Of course, every time I feel like posting a song it's on a day where it would take about 5 days (okay, maybe 5 hours) to upload. I kid you not. Here's hoping and wishing for an increasing amount of fast satellite internet days! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed. My latest computer dilemma includes the power adapter for my MacBook melting. Yes, MELTING. I just had to order a new one (for the low price of $82.95). What a bargain! I'm hoping that my computer isn't going to explode or catch on fire while I write this. Either way, let's move on to the music!

I already wrote about Metronomy semi-recently, but their lastest video output warrants a special post of its own. Even as they rise in popularity, I really don't know many people who appreciate these guys. Metronomy are definitely an acquired taste; especially when some of their songs have a sort of ridiculous falsetto worked into them. It takes some time to get used to. Even if you decide that you don't like Metronomy you will at least have knowledge of some new music that you can weird some of your friends and family out with.

Metronomy's brand new video for 'Heartbreaker' is just absolutely adorable and sweet. The song itself is a little more accessible than some of their space creature circus electro pop songs, which verge slightly more on the strange. It's a more simple and straightforward tune that always makes me want to sing along. Unfortunately, I'm pretty certain that I take on a slightly British and definitely embarrassing accent when I do sing along.



'Holiday' demonstrates the more 'space creature disco circus' side of Metronomy that I've mentioned before at least twice. Metronomy have won me over yet again, as I love both the song and the video. I honestly don't know how they manage to be so entertaining.



There you have it. I love that Metronomy have made videos for both 'Holiday' and 'Heartbreaker', because those are two of my favorite songs off their forthcoming album Nights Out.

Sorry, no MP3s today. It's thundering out, so the internet is slow yet again. Check out Metronomy's myspace and go buy some of their songs from a record store or some internet website somewhere! Or maybe you can just keep watching those two videos over and over (and over and over and over).

Metronomy

I wasn't so sure about Metronomy upon a first listen, but now I'm completely hooked. I cannot stop listening to these guys. I honestly don't have the slightest inclination how to even describe what exactly they sound like. The tracks I've heard off of Metronomy's forthcoming album Nights Out have an obvious late 70s/early 80s heavy yet quirky synthesizer influence. That being said, a likely comparison might be Devo. I'm not sure I would go quite that far though...

Honestly, in my opinion Metronomy pretty much sound like space creature circus music circa 1979/the distant future; If you can imagine that. Judging by their video for 'Radio Ladio', it looks like I'm not too far off, at least with the whole 'space creature' vibe.

I wasn't completely sold on Metronomy the first time I saw the video for 'Radio Ladio'. I'm pretty sure it actually made my stomach churn initially. It has definitely grown on me since then. Even disregarding all those colors and cute little dance moves, their facial expressions alone are entertainment enough. In short, Metronomy = space creature circus music + moderately adorable + great.

I enjoy Metronomy's track 'My Heart Rate Rapid' even more than 'Radio Ladio', as cute as that song is. Give a listen in order to hear circus-y synth space disco at its finest.

MP3: Metronomy - My Heart Rate Rapid (zshare)

Also, don't forget to click here to purchase Metronomy's 'My Heart Rate Rapid' 12" while we await the release of Nights Out!!

Autolux - Audience No. 2

I apologize for the lack of new posts in this here blog. I'm hoping to get things into 'full swing' incredibly soon. There really is no reason I can think of to bother listing excuses for not having posted in over a month. Still, If I were to be allowed to have one or more excuses, the short list would include the stresses that come along with preparing to move (which still has yet to happen), as well as not being able to see well out of my right eye (I need to get laser surgery). I'm really not the complaining type, though... which actually ties in with the real topic of this post: Autolux.

Impossible day
I don't complain
I'm over it, I guess
Scattered and gray, so
I hold it back
and keep it sugarless

The aforementioned lyrics from their 2004 song 'Sugarless' have always hit close to home. I used to play that song (and the rest of the album) endlessly on repeat WAY BACK in 2004. I played Future Perfect so often that it never left my stereo, except for when I finally retired it for a spell. It's been fitting my mood perfectly lately, and I've brought it back into heavy rotation. Deservedly so, too. There just is no band right now that sounds anything remotely like Autolux. Somehow they manage to achieve some sort of absolutely unique wonderfulness through sound, melody and lyric that sets them apart from everyone else, in every possible genre.

It's safe to say that Autolux fans have been waiting a long time to hear any new material from the band. Finally, that day has arrived! Sort of. They've posted a new song, 'Audience No. 2' on their MySpace profile. The song can also be found on iTunes. The forthcoming album, Transit Transit is expected to be released 'soon enough', with no official date in sight as of yet. The new track is quite promising sounding, and I am highly anticipating the release of Transit Transit, whenever that may be.

MP3: Autolux - Audience No. 2 (zshare)

MP3: Autolux - Sugarless (zshare)

P.S. I'm pretty sure that my favorite part of the new song, 'Audience No. 2' is the lyric that goes, 'I have always been your vegetable'. There is something enticingly magnetic and fascinating about the way he say 'vegetable' that I can't quite put my finger on. Plus, the word 'vegetable' never fails to be amazing and great.

If you haven't heard Autolux's debut album Future Perfect, I highly recommend that you do so, pretty much right away.

Purchase music by Autolux here:

Farther leads to you

So today I was listening to Denali and starting to think about how they never got enough credit when they should have. The band called it quits in 2004 but they were brilliant and I think overlooked by most.

Denali formed in 2000 when the singer, Maura Davis asked her brother, Keeley Davis (member of Engine Down) if he wanted to start a band with her. Somewhat shocked Keeley agreed to do so and they formed the band, Denali, one of the best bands to hit the indie underground scene. This band was/is truly inspiring and I just found out that they recently decided to reunite as of March 26th, 2008. They decided to play some shows and see what happens from there. Very exciting news!

I wanted to post about Denali in hopes that their creative trip-hop influenced sound was still being enjoyed by others. So get re-familiar or familiar with Denali. Well worth the listen.

Hold Your Breath by Denali

Good Times Come To Me Now

Let us take a moment to address a nearly forgotten gem from the year of my birth, 1983. Haysi Fantayzee's 'Shiny Shiny' is a kooky and upbeat song about what else? The apocalypse, of course.

The garishly dressed and dreadlocked boy/girl duo scored an unlikely hit with 'Shiny Shiny'. Their one and only LP, Battle Hymns for Children Singing managed to reach number 11 on the UK charts. Haysi Fantayzee enjoyed considerably less exposure and success here in the United States. A review on All Music Guide by Ned Raggett describes the aforementioned album as follows:

"Arguably one of the most head-shaking albums ever made -- though to the band's credit, that was the whole point -- Battle Hymns for Children Singing might just be what the doctor ordered for insomnia. It's not so much for the fact that the music will put a listener to sleep as much as it will induce a listener to destroy the sound system it is playing on, therefore tiring out that person for bedtime."

Well, fortunately it does not make me want to destroy a sound system. It does succeed in making me want to get up and dance a weird partial jig, however. The same review goes on to say that 'Shiny Shiny' includes "everything from inappropriate electric guitar solos to Dexy's Midnight Runners-styled fiddles". While all of that is true, I think he forgot to mention another important element within the song: The sound of spoons being played as a musical instrument. It's pretty obvious that spoons are an incredibly essential ingredient in the attempt to create 1980s anti-nuclear new wave hillbilly hoedown pop.

'Shiny Shiny' may be arguably 'bad' by today's standards, but most reviewers and listeners are probably a little too harsh in their judgments. Just because it sounds a little kooky doesn't mean it should be forever restricted and designated as an 'ironic' guilty pleasure. I personally enjoy all of those quirky and strange sounding 'unlikely hits' from the early to mid 1980s. Although I wasn't born until the year this song was released, I grew up listening to a lot of music from that time period. Thus, I don't like Haysi Fantayzee in a purely 'ironic' way. Part of me truly and honestly likes 'Shiny Shiny'. I swear.

To be sold on this song, you absolutely need to watch the video. It's amazing. I mean, just check out those impressive special effects.

Even if you were to disregard the song completely, there is just so much greatness displayed in the video alone. First of all, they are both fucking weird looking and have dreadlocks and look androgynously similar to one another. Secondly, they both have killer moves (particularly, the jaunty hoedown dances the guy exhibits). Thirdly, their outfits resemble some sort of 1980s hobos performing in an old timey cabaret. Of course, the visual effects are stunning as well.

On top of all that, here is the best thing ever: My sister told me the other day that the guy in Haysi Fantayzee reminds her of Adrien Brody. Could you imagine if Adrien Brody had decided to have a go at being an 80s pop star with dreadlocks before he became a serious actor?

MP3: Haysi Fantayzee - Shiny Shiny (zshare)

Purchase Battle Hymns for Children Singing by Haysi Fantayzee here:





I'm sure you want to now. Bring that shit back, I say.

P.S. I just realized that the vocals in this Haysi Fantayzee song sounds eerily like some of the newer songs by Architecture in Helsinki.

Elvis Costello and The Attractions vs. The Armless Creature

Elvis Costello used to be great. Sure, he's still a talented guy, but his finest work definitely occurred within the era of Elvis Costello and The Attractions (1977-1984). I doubt many people would disagree with me on that.

I awoke today with a craving for some vintage Elvis Costello. I indulged in said craving and after a time I decided to explore and search for video footage. Of course, things like YouTube did not exist during the time period in which I listened to Elvis Costello with the most frequency (back in 1999-2003-ish). At that time, I hadn't been able to place many visuals with the music I knew so well. Regardless of how many or how few visuals one has seen, everyone knows Elvis Costello for two things: 1. his bespectacled skull and 2. his famous pigeon toed pose/stance. However, I was unaware of how just how much he worked the latter into his performances.

I just want to say this: Elvis Costello's kinesthetic quality of movement reminds me greatly of the armless creature from the film Silent Hill. That motion picture caused me to have a horrible nightmare recently, by the way. There is a part toward the end of the above video where Elvis Costello sort of chugs forward one leg at a time. This series of movements is particularly reminiscent of the armless creature. Also, he clutches his arms in toward his chest several times. Therefore, he could easily be mistaken for an armless creature. Not to mention that my sister observed, "there is one part where both his ankles are turned in severely and he looks disabled". All joking aside, this is such a classic video. It's rare that a video featuring musicians playing their instruments against a plain white backdrop can manage to be so incredibly entertaining. Plus, did you see the jacket the drummer is wearing? I want it.

For armless creature comparison purposes, here is a short video clip from the DVD extras of Silent Hill:


Hopefully you can get a vague idea of the similarities in kinesthetic quality from that clip, if you haven't already seen the film. I realize the armless creature guy moves in ways that look a bit more extreme than Elvis Costello's inverted and inward rolling feet/ankles. But then, perhaps you need to take a look at a second Elvis Costello video.


Elvis Costello is just flailing all over the place in that one. It's beautiful. Do you see any valid comparison to the armless creature yet? Even if you don't, that's okay. I have too keen of an eye when it comes to movement analysis. I was a dance major in college, so I tend to notice everything. Pedestrian movements are dance too. That is not to say that what Elvis Costello is doing is truly 'pedestrian' by any means. It's probably the antithesis of pedestrian movement, in fact. His quality of movement is actually quite interesting. I find it more enthralling than what many post-modern dance performances have to offer. In fact, you could pretty much stick Elvis Costello on a stage and let him flail his legs around strangely and call it a prolific work of post-modern dance.

Well anyway, this was all worth it to take a look at some classic Elvis Costello videos. I love when Elvis Costello still had an abundance of hair.

MP3: Elvis Costello & The Attractions - (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea (zshare)
MP3: Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Pump It Up (zshare)

Purchase music by Elvis Costello here:

The Rapture - The Sound

I've been listening to the song 'The Sound' by The Rapture on repeat all week long. I know it's not exactly a new song, but hey, I had yet to establish this blog when Pieces Of The People We Love was released back in 2006.

The first time I had ever heard The Rapture was in either 2002 or 2003. 'Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks' was my first introduction, and I thought it was a fantastic track and a decent EP. It was raw, angular, noisy and energetic. When The Rapture's first full length album, Echoes was released in 2003 I was surprised to hear that the raw, somewhat amateur sound featured on their EP had all but disappeared and been replaced with a layer of shiny and polished studio production. Still, It managed to become one of my favorite albums to be released in 2003. If I remember anything about that year in music, it was that bands such as The Rapture received both critical acclaim but also a lot of flack from music listeners. There were a lot of bands accused of ripping off post-punk and dance-punk bands from the late 1970s. The most blatant and obvious influence on all of these new bands was Gang of Four. I've been a big fan of Gang of Four myself for years, but it didn't make me hate The Rapture. In all likelihood it may have been the likeness in sound that initially drew me to The Rapture rather than repel me from their music. In 2003, everyone knew of The Rapture, yet I didn't know anyone besides myself and my sister who liked them or had given them a chance. I'm confident The Rapture has a boatload or two of devoted fans, but I also feel they are an underrated band that is easily overlooked.

2006 saw the release of The Rapture's second full length album, Pieces of the People We Love. This is probably the most cohesive sounding and accessible release from the band, yet it manages to not sound over-produced. If anything, the album proves that these guys are immensely talented and have a great deal of staying power. Pieces of the People We Love is an amalgam of post-punk, dance-rock, disco, electronic music, and an infinite amount of other styles. I've also heard from others that it sounds like hippie music. No matter what you think the album sounds like, I think it's safe to say that The Rapture have really come into their own and have progressed their sound quite a lot over the past few years. Basically, Pieces of the People We Love affirms that these guys aren't just another Gang of Four rip-off band.

My immediate favorite off of the album was 'Whoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh Huh' aka 'W.A.Y.U.H.', which features the best and most complex cowbell utilization I've ever heard in a song. 'Don Gon Do It' amuses me because the chorus sounds like a combination of Montell Jordan's 'This Is How We Do It' and The Backstreet Boys' 'We've Got It Goin On'. I'm still trying to figure out if either of those were intentional or not. Anyway, the whole album is impressive. One song, 'Get Myself Into It' even features an excessive amount of saxophone and I still like it. Earlier this week I was listening to music and 'The Sound' came on at random and I was blown away. It's not a track that had stood out to me before. Now I can't stop listening to it. I think it's the combination of cowbell, amazing drumming, loud guitars, synthesizer, the vocals... okay, well, pretty much every single element of the song sounds great.

Here is a live performance of The Rapture performing 'The Sound' in 2006. It's sort of remarkable how great they sound live here:

Too esoteric for a Saturday night...

MP3: The Rapture - The Sound (zshare)
MP3: The Rapture - Don Gon Do It (zshare)

Purchase music by The Rapture here:

If you failed to give The Rapture a fair chance before, I suggest that you do so now. Hop to it.

AH CMON FUCK A GUY.

Last night, a friend of mine bestowed upon me the gift of Chuggo's video for 'Come On Fuckin Guy', or as it's more widely known, 'AAAAAHHH CMON FUCK A GUY'. This friend of mine advised that I designate a special post for Chuggo here on Ginger Cookie Disco. I thought to myself, 'No way. Sure, we have a sense of humor on this blog, but we write about things that have artistic merit. Even when Josie contributes an in depth analysis of The Doobie Brothers it's not just laughs. Obviously The Doobie Brothers are not only hilarious, but also amazingly talented (particularly in the Michael McDonald years). But Chuggo? No way could I ever write a post about Chuggo'. Here's why: At first I thought the video wasn't that great or funny and that it was just a guy making a ramshackle hip hop parody. Then two things happened. 1. I realized that Chuggo wasn't joking. He's a real rapper from Toronto. 2. I woke up and watched the video six times in a row. By dinnertime the song was so embedded in my brain that I was worried I might yell out 'AAAAAHH CMON FUCK A GUY' in the presence of my family whilst chewing my food.

By this point you may be asking yourself, who exactly is this Chuggo guy anyway? Hip Hop Canada tells us the following about the rapper:

"Chuggo grew up in Toronto on Lakeshore & Islington between a KFC and a Strip club. For the first 7 years of his life his head grew bigger due to a lot of T.V. Dinners. He discovered music at age of nine in the form of X-Clan, N.W.A., Tim Dog, Kool G. Rap and Def Leppard. Even though he didn't learn to snap his fingers till he was twelve nothing could stop him from enjoying the latest from Public Enemy. Chuggo is not an emcee he is a rapper. In late 2002 Chuggo began to work in the studio and released his first solo 12-inch vinyl in 2003. Chuggo is a member of The Lakeshore Stranglas "the most dangerous rap group this side of the border" alongside 2Gats, White Fang, Black Male, Koshur and Ritz Nabisko."

Okay, there is a guy in his group called 'Ritz Nabisko'. Does life get any more amazing than that? Ritz Nabisko, people. As for the aforementioned video, there isn't much I can say about it. You sort of just need to witness it for yourself.

Almost as hilarious as the video and song itself, are the comments people have left underneath it on YouTube. If you scroll through, you will see an endless sea of every single person saying 'AH CMON FUCK A GUY'. As Natasha (one of Ginger Cookie Discos's contributors) so astutely observed; anyone who corrected the lyric and left a comment saying 'CMON FUCKIN GUY' has been given a bunch of thumbs down ratings. Actually, pretty much any comment that fails to contain lyrics from the song has been given thumbs down ratings. Not only is Chuggo hilarious, but so too are his fervent fanatics. All I really have to say in regards to this whole Chuggo phenomenon is that my favorite line in the song is "I put mayonnaise on everything, that's how I eat'. Good stuff, although I'm personally not a big fan of actual mayonnaise.

So that you do not miss out on the full Chuggo experience, do not forget to visit Chuggo's myspace as well as his wikipedia page. You may learn some interesting facts. AH CMON FUCK A GUY.

Hot Chip - Bubbles They Bounce

There is no doubt that It's been a big month for UK electro pop darlings Hot Chip. Here in North America, February 5th saw the release of their third album, Made In The Dark. Whether you're a devoted fan or a recent convert, February has proven to be an exciting time for all Hot Chip fans alike.

Just prior to the album release, Hot Chip released several versions of the 'Ready For The Floor' single. Version #1 of the 7" single features a radio edit of 'Ready For The Floor' on the A Side, and a quirky bouncy dance track on Side B, appropriately titled 'Bubbles They Bounce'. The latter track is a true gem. If you're a big time Hot Chip fan like myself, I'm sure you've heard Alexis and Joe's side project BOOJI BOY HIGH. Alexis and Joe (the two brains behind Hot Chip) disguised themselves behind the pseudonyms Georgios Panayiotou and Mother Markzbow for the project. Are these guys nerds? Quite possibly, considering the blatant homages to Devo. BOOJI BOY HIGH released a 7" last year on DFA Records which included the tracks 'DOUBLESHAW' and 'Twist Myself Again'. I've just now realized that 'Bubbles They Bounce' reminds me of a cross between Hot Chip and BOOJI BOY HIGH. Can you imagine that? It's a real stretch, I know. It's almost as if 'Bubbles They Bounce' takes the bouncy 1990s rave influenced synthesizers (as can be heard in DOUBLESHAW) and cleans them up with the polished and professional Hot Chip touch that we have come to know and love .

I might love 'Bubbles They Bounce' more than any of the songs on the new Hot Chip album. I wonder why they didn't include it on Made In The Dark. Perhaps because the vocals are a bit more strange sounding than usual. The combination of odd (at times, manipulated) high and low pitched vocals reminds me of either muppets or several different breeds of mice, or maybe... muppet mice. Alright, I've got it. If a band of muppet rodents posed as Hot Chip and recorded a song, 'Bubbles They Bounce' would be the end result. I mean that in the best way possible, of course. My ears are ringing with a joyful sound.

Make sure to stay tuned for the last minute of 'Bubbles They Bounce', which is almost a separate song unto itself. Hot Chip have given us the glorious gift of two amazing songs in one. I guarantee that both will be stuck in your head for weeks. Aaaaayoooo.

MP3: Hot Chip - Bubbles They Bounce (zshare)

MP3: BOOJI BOY HIGH - DOUBLESHAW (zshare)

Purchase music by Hot Chip here:

Sickness, Valentine's Day & Xanadu all bundled up.

I apologize for the lack of posts lately. I have been very sick this past week. I haven't been this sick in years, or possibly ever. There was even a point two days ago where I was in so much agony from coughing that I had to cry for a minute. It's kind of funny, but on the other hand, this illness has been pretty brutal. I'm slowly getting better day by day, thanks to having spent four days laying in bed watching copious amounts of HGTV. Apparently, watching people get their living rooms redecorated is quite soothing.

Today is Valentine's Day. It's the perfect day to watch the classic 1980 film Xanadu. There is no better movie to watch on Valentine's Day, and there is no better movie to watch when you are sick. Roller skating, dancing, moderately bad acting, music by ELO, Michael Beck roller skating into/through a brick wall wearing extremely short shorts... I mean, what more could you ask for? It's not only magical, it's pure perfection. Unfortunately, most people I know do not share this opinion. Their loss, I say. If you know what's good for you, you'll go watch Xanadu right now, or at least listen to these fun (and beautifully sappy) classic songs from the film. Happy Valentine's Day all!

MP3: Electric Light Orchestra - The Fall

MP3: ELO & Olivia Newton-John - Xanadu

Juno: So Quirky, You'll Puke.

I finally saw Juno last week. I actually liked it far more than I expected. To be quite honest, I thought I would hate it, because I am extremely fed up with the recent influx of pregnancy comedies in Hollywood. I never saw Knocked Up or that other movie about the two guys who are trying to "make a baby for daddy", and quite frankly I'd really rather not. I made an exception for Juno, however, since everyone in the universe was praising it to high heavens, and I'm sort of glad I did because it really was pretty cute. The story is pretty cute, the acting is superb, and Michael Cera in short-shorts is generally a good thing. (I don't care how young he is. He's hot. Shut up.)

I did have one problem with Juno, however: THE DIALOGUE.
OH MY GOD. The dialogue is "campy" at best, and nauseating at worst. It's seriously got the worst and most contrived writing I have ever seen in a movie. It runs rampant with pop culture references, namedropping, and awful, corny humor. Here is an example of what I mean:

Juno: (yelling through the house) Uh, dad?
Mac MacGuff: Yeah?
Juno: Either I just wet my pants... or...
Mac MacGuff: "Or"...?
Juno: Or... THUNDERCATS ARE GO!

THUNDERCATS ARE GO? Come on. What the fuck is that? On what planet is that even remotely funny? Perhaps one-liners like that are to be expected in a film written by an ex-stripper. There is also a scene in which Juno is asking the pharmacist if her pregnancy test could be a false positive, to which he replies, "This ain't no etch-a-sketch. This is one doodle that can't be undid, homeskillet." The worst of all, however, was the gothy receptionist chick at the abortion clinic who asked Juno if she wanted some "boysenberry" condoms, commenting that it made her "boyfriend's junk smell like pie".

Anyway, regardless of the fact that I find the dialogue annoying and tasteless, I still think that this movie is worth seeing for the excellent cast, the awesome soundtrack (Kimya Dawson, Belle & Sebastian, et cetera), and Michael Cera in short-shorts. Go see it.

Michael Showalter's Sandwiches & Cats

I've finally gotten around to giving Michael Showlter's debut comedy album Sandwiches & Cats a listen. I absolutely love Michael Showalter, but I'm typically not a fan of most stand-up comedy and I never find myself sitting around listening to comedy albums on repeat all the live long day. Surprisingly, I rather enjoyed Sandwiches & Cats upon a first listen and have already managed to make it through the entire album a few times thus far. I'm embarrassed to admit that several times I found myself sitting there with my headphones on, chuckling out loud with no one else present in the room. I suppose that's a testament to just how powerful and moving Sandwiches & Cats truly is.

One highlight of the comedy album includes Michael Showalter's dismay at being mistaken for Screech. "He thought that I was one of the most iconic losers ever of all time. Do you know how badly that hurts?" On another track, Showalter goes through a list of some pretty unbelievable alternate names for the so-called restless leg syndrome, including 'jiggly legs', 'the kicks' and 'sewing machine foot'. Michael Showalter's joke about his love for DVR is interrupted by a mewing sound coming from the front row. He then spends several minutes marveling at the audacity of the woman sitting in the front row who brought her two cats to his comedy show. An actual video of that spectacle can be seen here.

Michael Showalter's Sandwiches & Cats is mixed bag of observational humor, slight self-deprecation and a few separately recorded comedy sketch songs. Amazingly enough, the songs aren't bad. For example, It's quite enjoyable to hear Showalter's song abut the ten commandments of sandwich making, where he yells excitedly (as only Showalter can) about how mustard goes with everything.

My absolute favorite track on the album is 'The Apartment', where Showalter talks about the honor of being editor in chief of his high school literary magazine and then proceeds to read through a dramatic poem that his teenage self had written. The way Michael Showalter reads the poem is so amazing, you just have to hear it for yourself. All in all, Michael Showalter's brand of comedy is both hilarious and comforting. He makes me quite glad to be alive and a part of this world, a world where Starbucks sells thermoses and copies of Akeelah and the Bee. I highly recommend giving Michael Showalter's Sandwiches & Cats a listen.

MP3: Michael Showalter - The Apartment (zshare)

MP3: Michael Showalter - Sandwich Commandments (zshare)

Purchase Sandwiches & Cats here:

David Shrigley's Worried Noodles

They're noodles, and they're worried. How the hell can noodles be worried, you ask? I have no idea. What ARE these worried noodles, you ask? I shall tell you. There's this Scottish artist named David Shrigley. In 2005, he published an LP-sized book called Worried Noodles, a wacky collection of song lyrics and pictures. This year, he has re-released this book accompanied by a two-disc compilation of 39 artists who have set his words to music. Among these artists are Deerhoof, Franz Ferdinand, Islands, Hot Chip, Final Fantasy, and David Byrne.

The songs on the compilation range from disturbing to hilarious, and are sometimes both. Take, for example, Manager and Coordinator of Prostitutes, recorded by Les Georges Leningrad:

Give me a chance, mate.
Allow me to demonstrate
That I can do things well.
Better than the last bloke
Who stole from you
And called the police on you.
I will not let you down.
I can do things well but
I'm only ten years old
And I'm in a wheelchair.

Need I say more? I think not. However, the lyrics are way more exciting than the actual song, so I will not be posting the mp3 for it. Instead, I would like to draw everybody's attention to No, which is featured twice, with one version by Franz Ferdinand and one by Hot Chip. Franz Ferdinand's version is a guitar-driven dance-rock hoedown, and Hot Chip's version is soothing and reminiscent of their early work. I'm going to post the Hot Chip version, because I highly prefer it to the former.

MP3: Hot Chip- No

Jens Lekman - Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo

It's no secret that I've been gushing over Jens Lekman for the past couple of years. The first song of his that I ever heard was 'Tram #7 To Heaven', which I'm confident should be everyone's first venture into the world of Jens Lekman. I felt as though I had been transported in time back to 1962 and was listening to a scratchy record on one of those old turntables, except Jens was asking me If I had eaten my banana from 7-Eleven.

October 2007 finally brought us new material from Jens Lekman; his second full length release Night Falls Over Kortedala. This album is no disappointment. I fell in love with it immediately. Everything I love about Jens Lekman is still there: the beautiful melodies, the obscure samples, the witty lyrics and the nostalgic feeling that is ever present in all of Jens Lekman's songs. Night Falls Over Kortedala offers a sound that is much larger and stronger in comparison to Lekmans' previous releases. Jens Lekman knows what he is doing. There is not much to say about Night Falls Over Kortedala other than that it is an absolutely wonderful and unique recording.

What I really want to talk about is the song on Night Falls Over Kortedala that I thought for sure was my least favorite. 'Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo'. It's a favorite among many long-time fans as well as recent converts. The 1950s horn, prevalent throughout the entire song is just a little bit much for me to handle. Every time I hear it I feel like I'm on the set of Grease or Happy Days (which isn't necessarily a pleasant feeling). Despite my original distaste for it, 'Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo' has begun to grow on me. While listening to it today, I started to notice lyrics in the song that I hadn't noticed previously. It suddenly struck me that this song is actually pretty great.

There's a cow and an ostrich just waiting for you!

A glass of apple cider just waiting for you!
The smell of 1952 just waiting for you!
And all I'm doing here is just waiting for you...

Sure, any Jens Lekman fan is aware that a great deal of his lyrics are humorous and 'quirky', but those lyrics just really hit the spot. It's probably the usage of 'ostrich' that did it for me. I can't really think of the last time I heard the word ostrich utilized in a song. Also, the visuals of a cow, an ostrich and apple cider waiting for me out in the country is just pretty profound and well... amazing.

There is another charming little verse earlier in the song where Jens Lekman attempts to squeeze in a million words per line about what people in a small southern Swedish country town are like.

Why do the people in the country wanna look like the people in the city?
When the people in the city aren't the slightest pretty
I want the people in the country to wear flannel shirts and saggy jeans all covered in dirt
I want the people in the country to be open and kind
but most times I've met those with a narrow mind
with a big black dog to bite your behind
if they ever find out you're not one of their kind

Maybe I can appreciate it because I've definitely seen some tiny tiny country towns in the United States that seem to be stuck in the 1950s (Vermont, I'm looking at you). In closing, 'Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo' is a much better song than I originally thought it was. I'm even beginning to appreciate those over the top horns that make me feel like I'm wearing a poodle skirt, cardigan sweater and saddle shoes at a high school dance.

MP3: Jens Lekman - Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo (zshare)

Purchase Night Falls Over Kortedala here:
(CD, MP3 and Vinyl formats available)

Best Music Videos of 2007

2007 will be remembered as a year that offered simply way too much good music to keep track of. Alongside the good tunes came some equally brilliant music videos.

This list contains 15 of the best music videos of 2007, and was compiled by me (Melissa Robot) and no one else. Thus, it reflects my own personal favorites from the past year. I have no idea what the co-bloggers picks for favorite music videos of 2007 would be. For all I know they sit around watching videos of Billy Ocean all day. Oh wait, I guess I'm the one that's been watching 'Get Outta My Car' non-stop for two days straight. Anyway... For once I'm going to refrain from my typically epic reviews and allow these videos to speak for themselves. I recommend that you watch all of them.

15.

SHITDISCO - OK
Directed by Price James
SHITDISCO's video for 'OK' features pop-up book puppetry that somehow manages to sync up with the song to near perfection. A cute and innovative concept for a video that completely blew my mind the first ten times I watched it.


14.
To My Boy - Model
Directed by squarelips

'Model' is the first To My Boy video I ever laid eyes on, and it sold me on them completely. The colorful clockwork motif compliments To My Boy flawlessly, right down to Jack and Sam's matching belts. Click here to read my full review of To My Boy's music.

13.
GhostHustler - Parking Lot Nights
Directed by Pete Ohs

Is that a Nintendo Power Glove I spy? Those things seem to be resurfacing everywhere lately. This video clearly exhibits the most practical usage of the classic Nintendo Power Glove. Look out for my absolute favorite punch-to-the-face (occurring immediately after the sub-par breakdancer finishes executing enthusiastic uprocks and coffeegrinders on a Nintendo Power Pad).

12.
Spoon - Don't You Evah
Directed by Jeff Nichols
Keepon developed by Hideki Kozima and programmed by Marek Michalowski

Oh wow do I want one of those little Keepon robot things. It's just so cute. Not to mention that it dances to Spoon's music beautifully. As a dance journalist I must note that the cinematographer has captured little Keepon's quality of movement on film exquisitely.

11.
SoftLightes - Heart Made Of Sound
Directed by Kris Moyes

Kris Moyes has succeeded in keeping the painstaking art of stop motion animation alive and well in the video for 'Heart Made Of Sound'. This super cute video looks like it must have taken eons to make. Kris Moyes also directed the video for the SoftLightes' 'Microwave Song', which can be found here along with more information about SoftLightes.

10.
Dan Deacon - The Crystal Cat
Directed by Jimmy Joe Roche

I would probably include any Dan Deacon video in a top 15 list based solely on that weird little prancing dance he does and the face he makes whilst doing so.

9.
Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor
Directed by Nima Nourizadeh

If you knew how much I adore this Hot Chip video you'd probably ask why I've placed it at #9 and not #1. Seeing as the video has only been floating around since December and is for an album that has yet to be released, it will likely be included on next year's list too. Read my full review of 'Ready For The Floor' here.

8.
Architecture in Helsinki - Hold Music
Directed by Kim Gehrig

There is just something pretty wondrous about a bunch of Australian hippie nerds jumping on trampolines in brightly colored ponchos. The editing is stellar as well.

7.
Beirut - Elephant Gun
Directed by Alma Har'el

I'm fairly certain that most people watch this Beirut video and think to themselves 'Whoa, Zach Condon has a mustache and people happen to be dancing and there is a lot of confetti fluttering around and then suddenly he is at the ocean and his mustache has disappeared and he plays his trumpet while standing in the water'. I can't help but take a closer look at JoAnn Jansen's ballet influenced contemporary choreography. It looks very West Side Story-esque to me at times and leaves me wondering if Jerome Robbins might be choreographing Beirut videos were he still alive today.

6.

Van She - Cat and the Eye
Directed by Krozm

I adore Van She and I love love love all of the music videos the guys from Krozm have directed. What I like most about 'Cat and the Eye' other than the bizarre costumes, is mainly the way the camera never stops panning right or left, circling around, or focusing out and back in. The effect is dizzying, and somehow it almost feels as if you're the one moving. Read more about Krozm and Van She here.

5.
Jens Lekman - Sipping On The Sweet Nectar
Directed by Marcus Söderlund

This Jens Lekman song tugs at my heart strings and the video reminds me of when I would find myself in scenic locations having epiphanies about life. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous and Jens is flying a plane and singing at the same time. Does life get any better? 'Sipping On The Sweet Nectar' also happens to be the only Jens Lekman song that reminds me slightly of Barry Manilow. I probably shouldn't disclose that, since everyone seems to be disgusted by Barry Manilow.

4.
Omnikrom - Été Hit
Directed by Jérémie Saindon

I'm not sure exactly what it is that makes me love this video to the extent that I do. It could be the catchy as hell song by Montreal's Omnikrom. It could be the spinning neon Rubik's Cube heads. Or it could very possibly be Linso Gabbo's colorful plaid shorts that truly make this video great.

3.

Damn Arms - Homewrecker
Directed by Krozm

Krozm seem to have a penchant for including heads with strange features and inanimate objects as heads in the videos they direct. It never gets old for me, especially in Damn Arms' 'Homewrecker', where various shapes for heads are interchanged and when removed, show nothing to be beneath them.

2.
Bat For Lashes - What's A Girl To Do
Directed by Dougal Wilson
'What's A Girl To Do' might just be the most amazing single take video I have ever seen. It features a beautiful girl riding a bike down a dark forest-y road, accompanied by a gang of hoodie sporting, animal masked beings that appear at every chorus to clap their hands (or paws) and perform choreographed tricks before disappearing once again behind Natasha Khan. Dougal Wilson's creative vision for the 'What's A Girl To Do' video is just absolutely flawless in every possible way.

1.
Of Montreal - Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse
Directed by The Brothers Chaps

If there is one music video that I will remember 2007 by it will be Of Montreal's 'Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse'. Upon seeing this video for the first time in early 2007, I thought it was the most random and bizarre video I had seen in a good while. My reaction was a mixture of 'wtf' combined with wonder and awe. Every time I watch it, I sit around and ponder what sort of mind it took to come up with every little last character detail seen in the video. Upon closer inspection (just two days ago) I discovered that the video was directed by The Brothers Chaps. Yup, that would be the guys who have brought Homestar Runner to us for all these years.

My favorite parts of 'Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse' are 1. The sheet ghost in the audience and 2. When Kevin Barnes sings that he is 'in a crisis' and at that moment he is kneeling inside of some strange red object with a worried expression on his face. Every second of the video happens to be pretty amazing, really.

So there you have it. Those were my personal 15 favorite music videos of 2007. Hopefully 2008 brings us some more visual stunners.