Music Monday (Saturday Edition): YouTube Trip: Phantogram to Aesop

There are too many music posts sitting in my list of drafts, so it is time to do some house cleaning.

Here is a YouTube Trip inspired by a friend from work, whom I will call J-Dub. I need to do a Music from J-Dub post, but that will have to wait.

Phantogram: When I'm Small

J-Dub got my trip started with this gem.

Blockhead: Insomniac Olympics

I like the video for this, but had to listen to the song once without watching the video so I could focus on the sounds instead of the visuals.

Daedelus: Fair Weather Friends

Fun stuff.

Aesop Rock: None Shall Pass

Pretty freaky video, but the music is compelling.

Web Stuff Friday: Whipass and Ze

A friend from work sent me a link to a silly version of a song I know well, so this became a chance to reminisce. Let's take the story in chronological order:

First, a guy named Ray posted this audio message on MySpace for Ze Frank: Whipass (link to a page with the MP3)

Next, this inspired Ze to ask his followers to create remixes for the song. The longer version of the story and a link to the remixes are here.

Finally (today), I got a link to this video: Stress_Relief.wmv (which is FAR inferior to the original, but served the purpose of reminding me of it).

If you don't have Ze Frank's blog bookmarked and added to your Google Reader list, you really should. Lots of good, interesting, and/or thought-provoking stuff.

Various Bad Plus Concerts

Yeah, I know it's not Monday. I have too many music posts in the hopper to just dole them out weekly. Deal with it.

I dig the Bad Plus. Here are some links to concerts that show their range.

Live At the Village Vanguard is a New Year's Eve concert. This is the trio doing their thing.

The Rite of Spring is their take on Stravinski's 20th century ballet masterpiece. This is quite a limb they are going out on, but it works for me. Note that the first bit of audio at the top of the article is for the interview. Go down a bit to find the audio link for the concert.

[update: I just listened to this piece all the way through. It is ambitious and truly tremendous.]

With the Frankfurt Radio Big Band is on a site that is completely written in German, but the music knows no language. A big band's horns add to the compositions so well. The most remarkable piece is The Hope Chest, which starts at the 36:00 mark. The big band has a piece that the conductor/arranger wrote for them. The Bad Plus improvised their parts to accompany them on the fly. Note that there are two parts to the concert. In Part 2, the big band version of Giant is good stuff, as is the encore Layin' a Strip For the Higher-Self State Line.

Music Monday: YouTube Trip: Favourite Stand Action

OK, so this YouTube Trip isn't about discovering new music, but it was a fun journey anyway.

Haircut 100: Favourite Shirt (Boy Meets Girl)

If this doesn't make you smile, then I am sorry. You are just broken.

Adam Ant: Stand and Deliver

Love the energy.

Human League: Love Action

Man, I liked this band when I was in High School. I had an album full of remixes that I basically wore out.

Web Stuff Friday: Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two

OMG. Check this out. This Spring marks the 25th anniversary of the Beastie Boys recording of (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!). My God. 25 freakin' years since short, hairy Steve used to blast this out of his dorm room on Friday afternoons. But I digress...

Here is an extended video of a few songs from the Beastie Boys' new album. The video is called Fight For Your Right (Revisited), but don't expect the familiar old song. It's a short movie with a zillion stars and some new Beastie Boys music.

Speaking of the zillion stars, check out who all is in this video. When you see the list of cameos at the end, I think you'll agree that it's simply epic.

I also like the music. Good to hear something new from the Beastie Boys. Pretty sure I need to buy Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two.

My First Remix: Panic at the Human League

The first time I heard The Human League's remix of Don't You Want Me, I was hosting a last-day-of-school party at the end of my Junior year of high school. We were blasting the music, swimming, sailing, and canoeing in the lake, and just generally having a great, raucous time.

When the song got to 2:22, I had a heart attack. I thought someone had bumped my precious turntable, made the album skip brutally, and (more importantly) probably damaged my turntable's stylus (you 20- and 30-somethings can get your parents to explain all that retro vinyl lingo to you). When I ran inside to check on my stereo, Bryan Reichhardt and Tammy Keysor were laughing at my panic. Good times.

This was the first remix I recall hearing and it made an immediate impact (once I calmed down). My love for remixes that started on that sun drenched afternoon is tied up with my love for jazz and mash-ups. Though I can appreciate a simple tune as much as the next guy, I like to see what artists do with a simple idea when unfettered by the constraints of a 4 minute long song that is fit for the radio.

Here are some albums that are full of some of my favorite remixes:

• Human League: Original Remixes (ex: Don't You Want Me)
• Stone Roses: The Remixes (ex: I Wanna Be Adored)
• Just Say Yo (or Yes or Da or Mao or several others) (ex: Personal Jesus)

Music Monday: YouTube Trip: from France to Home

YouTube can help you discover new music. This isn't news, but I want to make a concerted effort to document some musical journeys I take courtesy of the popular video site. After the first song, I found each subsequent song from the list of Suggestions for the previous song.

Camera Obscura: French Navy

This is a nice, jaunty tune to start the journey.

St. Vincent: Marrow

Interesting video. I like the music. Annie Clark (her real name) rocks.

tUnE yArDs: Bizness

Wow, I like Merrill Garbus. She is one talented woman.

Mumford and Sons: Little Lion Man

Maybe you only heard of these guys when they were nominated for a couple Grammies last year. If you are into the Folk Rock thing, or want to hear what it's like, this is a good song for you.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros: Home

This song is a good place to end our journey.