Tag Archive for Video

Tom Vek – A Chore

I was talking to a friend and fellow blogger on Saturday about some potential improvements to 365 days in 2013 (look out for the fruits of our labour in the coming weeks).

While we were talking he played Tom Vek’s 2011 album Leisure Seizure. I really liked the album at the time but never got around to posting anything from it. It’s release was rather exciting given that it came after and six year hiatus and that 2005’s We Have Sound featured C-C (You set the fire in me) which was abd remains a massive favourite of mine and which I posted much earlier on in my blogging journey.

The thing that strikes me about both tracks is the sense of urgency. I really like that quality in a song.

You’re not really listening to me…

/RjK

Aloe Blacc* – I Need A Dollar

This track was released a couple of years ago by Californian singer Aloe Blacc. I liked it at the time but had forgotten about it until I heard it played in a bar while socialising over Christmas.

/RjK

*Artist #592

Franz Ferdinand* – Take Me Out

My choices have taken a rather esoteric turn of late so I wanted to return to something slightly more recognisable, for a day anyway!

I was reminded of this track after stumbling across a YouTube playlist compiled by 6music (the best radio station ever). It celebrates their 10th birthday by compiling “100 of the greatest tracks to have been released in their lifetime”. It still has an all time great intro and such a catchy guitar riff, it’s a dancefloor classic and the stuff that indie dreams are made of…

/RjK

*Artist #591

Melbourne Metro Trains* – Dumb ways to die | (GPF)

Wikipedia is a dangerous place! I have lost hours of my life meandering about it’s vast expanses. Those are hours I’m never going to get back. I got stuck in a bit of a wiki rabbit hole last night, first stumbling across Internet memes which in turn led me to this track. Don’t even ask!

Randomly it’s a public service announcement from Melbourne Metro Trains. While it’s very simple, I can see why it went viral. The hook has completely infected my brain and I have been unable to shake it all day. It should come with a health warning of it’s own!

/RjK

*Artist #590

Fela Kuti* – Water No Get Enemy

As I mentioned at the weekend I have noticed a World Music deficit of late. I have been researching and listening to as much as I can in order to try and close this gap.

You won’t be looking into the genre too long before coming across Fela Kuti. The Nigerian troubadour is veritable world music royalty and a pioneer of Afrobeat music. He also found time to be a prominent political activist and all around interesting chap!

I really like how this track contrasts most of the other African music I have posted so far. I tend to be drawn to relentlessly upbeat, energetic sounds. This is much more languid and funky, and those horns are irresistible!

 Fela Kuti:

/RjK

*Artist #588

Oasis – Champagne Supernova


There are two reasons why Oasis have been on my mind recently. Firstly, I was at a pub quiz and one of the questions was “what were the band Oasis originally known as?” The answer is at the bottom, kudos if you know it, it was news to me.

Secondly, someone referred to the Wonderwall Generation in my company (I am kicking myself that I can’t remember the exact context, I think it was sporting). It made me smile initially and then I realised it was a pretty apt way to think of the mid-90’s and probably that I am not far off being a part of said generation.

I have somehow only featured Oasis once so far, posting the peerless Slide Away what is now nearly two year ago! Champagne Supernova is also a classic and perhaps a slightly unappreciated one compared to Don’t look back in anger and Wonderwall, the two biggest hits off the seminal 1995 album (What’s the story) Morning Glory. True story – it was the first ever CD that I owned.

Someday you will find me, caught beneath the landslide in a champagne supernova in the sky…

There is the added bonus of a pretty epically 90’s video here too…

/RjK 

**Oasis were originally know as The Rain

Sigur Rós – Njosnavelin



I thought something mellow was in order to help cope with the jarring prospect of the first Monday morning of 2013. The ever-soothing sounds of Sigur Rós will do just the trick.

This is taken from their 2002 album ( ). There is a pretty apt video here too, which I take to be their native Iceland. Hopefully the combination will help ease the pain a little.

/RjK

Musaimo and Mbiri Stars* – Sussy

While reflecting on my Top Tracks I realised that some of the very best music I heard in 2012 was African, particularly Sorie Kondi and Dark City Sisters. Following this, I intended to squeeze in some more world music posts towards the end of 2012 but lack of research time meant that I didn’t get around to it.

I dedicated myself to listening to as much music from South America and Africa as I could find this week and came across a couple of gems, not least this. Look out for the rest in the coming days and weeks.

This Kenyan number has all the classic ingredients that appeal to me: an irrepressibly upbeat tone, a relentless tempo and that distinctive tinny guitar sound. Not to mention the video! There is something pure and just utterly charming about it. The simple pleasure watching of ebullient people dancing while keeping perfect rhythm fills my heart with joy.

The video and song both remind me a little of another Kenyan band and blog favourite Nguuni Lovers Lovers, who I posted a couple of years ago.

 
Musaimo:
/RjK

*Artist #587

Outkast – Hey Ya (GPF)


I am a little in two minds about whether posting guilty pleasures on a Friday was a successful ploy or not last year. This has lead me to wonder whether it is worth continuing or not. Let me know if you have any feedback on this. My current thinking is that it’s good to mix things up so I will continue it for now but perhaps review it again in a couple of months.

This track is a favourite. I am actually very surprised I haven’t posted it already. While I might connect with some other Outkast songs in a more substantial fashion, this is simply one of, if not the best pop song I have ever heard. On the basic level of “Does it make you want to move?“, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Shake it, shake it like a Polaroid Picture, shake it, shake it…

/RjK

Kanye West and Jay-Z – Otis


2012 was the year of hip hop. Or certainly that’s how it seemed to me. I have been thinking about my top tracks of 2012 over the past few days. Look out for a few tasty hip hop numbers to slip in there (I’ll post the list tomorrow). My admiration for the genre has certainly been reignited over the past 12 months after a long spell of disillusionment.

As such, it seems appropriate to end my second year of blogging with two titans of the scene. Also, I ended year one with Otis and there is a nice symmetry to ending year two with him also.

The track is filled with clever rhymes, it’s like Jay-Z and Kanye are trying to get one over on each other with each passing verse.

Luxury rap, the Hermes of verses. Sophisticated ignorance, write my curses in cursive…

An added bonus is a cameo in the video of Aziz Ansari (AKA the hillatious Tom Haverford from Parks and Recreation).

Happy new year…

/RjK