Best Music Videos of All Time

Radiohead week on mC

In 1995 music videos were still relevant as ways to hear new music and get to know your favorite musicians a little better. Few made better videos than Radiohead, and few came close to the paranoid brilliance of "Just":



When OK Computer blew up everyone's mind two years later, the accompanying videos for "Paranoid Android" and "Karma Police" definitely aided and abetted.

But when Thom Yorke joined forces with the rest of U.N.K.L.E. a year later, the video for "Rabbit In Your Headlights" seemed to flow from the same determined madness of the protagonist in the "Just" video. Present in both is a realization so profound that it shatters reality. Listening to Radiohead has this same feel - that if you listen closely enough, the epiphany will become clear, and all else falls away.



-J2

RADIOHEAD WEEK ON MIDDLECOAST

This week seemed like as good as any to devote entirely to Radiohead. Few, if any, other bands can justify the grandiose hyperbole that Radiohead elicit from fans and writers and fellow musicians. Phrases like, "most influential" or "the greatest album of...", get thrown around loosely and liberally as though they're in reference to The Beatles or The Who. Or Beethoven. And yet it all seems appropriate - not enough, even. Radiohead command a reverence rarely granted to musicians (at least, to musicians of the still-making-music variety). They have achieved a status that few in the pop culture machine have - they are capital-A Artists. They make Art - Art that will be rightly studied for generations to come, not solely for their cultural significance, but for the complexity and brilliance of their compositions. And so this week we dedicate all (or maybe, probably all) posts to Radiohead.

To get you in the mood, here are Weezer and a room full of backing guitarists, violinists, percussionists, singers, and random-people-
not-contributing-at-all-for-reasons-we-don't-understand (sing along already!) performing the track that made us all pay attention to Radiohead in the first place, "Creep":



If that just makes you (like us) want to hear the original, here's the video or the mp3.

-J2

The Hood Internet vs Chicago

Last month the boys over at The Hood Internet released their greatest mash-up opus yet: The Hood Internet Vs Chicago. Hood Internet house deejays, STV SLV and ABX, put together a 24-track mix of all artists Chi-city; highlights include Kid Sister vs Walter Meego, Rhymefest vs The Changes, and Common vs Bang! Bang!. And at about the 12-minute mark, listen for "Superbowl Jesus" - Kanye West vs Wilco vs The 1985 Chicago Bears. Find the full track list and sick artwork pulling off visual mash-ups to accompany the sonic mashes here.



Ah, summa time...

-J2

Friday Flashback: Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth are arguably the original indie rock band in terms of what we talk about when we talk about indie rock, and Daydream Nation is arguably the greatest indie rock album of all time. Twenty years later and it still sounds brand new. Kids that were just toddlers when the LP was released continue to study it, digest it, absorb every sonic explosion and sudden drift of noise that two decades ago redefined the parameters of rock. After seven years and five albums of honing their avant-garde post-punk sound, Sonic Youth matched the art and talent present in the free-form noise experimentation of their predecessors and major influence, The Velvet Underground, with Daydream Nation.

Likely the most accessible track, "Teen Age Riot" opens the album in rare rock-anthemic form, a call to arms for disillusioned and disenfranchised underground youth everywhere. What follows in Daydream Nation is nothing short of the invention of a new genre, the modern-day hipster's bible, and very little since its release has come anywhere close to being as ground-breaking.

You can watch the video with its tinny sound and abbreviated format in what looks like a production budget of approximately $47 (granted, it does feature appearances from the likes of Patti Smith, Iggy Pop and The Beach Boys), or check the mp3 here:


Lyrics:

[Kim]
You're it
No, you're it
Hey, you're really it
You're it
No I mean it, you're it

Say it
Don't spray it
Spirit desire (face me)
Spirit desire (don't displace me)
Spirit desire
We will fall

Miss me
Don't dismiss me

Spirit desire

Spirit desire [x3]
We will fall
Spirit desire
We will fall
Spirit desire [x3]
We will fall
Spirit desire
We will fall

[Thurston]
Everybody's talking 'bout the stormy weather
And whats a man do to but work out whether its true?
Looking for a man with a focus and a temper
Who can open up a map and see between one and two

Time to get it
Before you let it
Get to you

Here he comes now
Stick to your guns
And let him through

Everybody's coming from the winter vacation
Taking in the sun in an exaltation to you
You come running in on platform shoes
With Marshall stacks
To at least just give us a clue
Ah, here it comes
I know it's someone I knew

Teenage riot in a public station
Gonna fight and tear it up in a hyper-nation for you

Now I see it
I think I'll leave it out of the way
Now I come near you
And it's not clear why you fade away

Looking for a ride to your secret location
Where the kids are setting up a free-speed nation, for you
Got a foghorn and a drum and a hammer that's rockin'
And a cord and a pedal and a lock, that'll do me for now

It better work out
I hope it works out my way
'cause its getting kind of quiet in my city's head
Takes a teenage riot to get me out of bed right now

You better look it
We're gonna shake it
Up to him

He acts the hero
We paint a zero
On his hand

We know its down
We know its bound too loose
Everybody's sound is 'round it
Everybody wants to be proud to choose
So who's to take the blame for the stormy weather
You're never gonna stop all the teenage leather and booze

It's time to go 'round
A one man showdown
Teach us how to fail

We're off the streets now
And back on the road
On the riot trail

Official website of Sonic Youth.

-J2

Next Big Thing Alert: Dr. Dog

Okay, so Dr. Dog has been around for a minute now, but surely it's time for them to blow up. Opening shows for the likes of My Morning Jacket and M Ward have certainly helped garner deserved attention, but their latest release, Fate, due out July 22nd on Park the Van Records, should push them over the threshold to become a household name (at least, in indie rock kid households). The Philadelphia quintet's psychedelic pop is as good as it gets on this latest effort, seamlessly blending elements from obvious influences The Band, The Beach Boys and The Beatles, as well as the more recent developments of The Flaming Lips and Pavement. The bittersweet and earnest collection has a timeless and universal feel and appeal. Let's just hope they don't need to sell a track to "Grey's Anatomy" to get noticed.

Here is the first release from Fate, "The Old Days"









Pre-order Fate here.


Be sure to check out Dr. Dog performing live in Chicago on August 2nd at Lollapalooza. See where they'll be elsewhere in the country here.

Make friends @ myspace.com/drdog.

-J2

A Year Later: "Heart It Races"

Sometimes a pop song is so good that every other artist wants to try their hand at recreating it. Don't think that this is a bad thing, either, or else we would've never gotten Hendrix's version of Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower". When Architecture In Helsinki released Places Like This last year, something clicked with "Heart It Races". The good folks over at Pitchfork deftly described the original track as such:

A van carrying a college acapella group collides with the tour bus of an African percussion troupe, the twisted metal hybrid sweeps up a guy jamming on a beatbox and a brother-sister folk duo and comes to rest at the foot of a living-room organ, and a new Architecture in Helsinki song is born.

With a most entertaining video accompaniment, here is Architecture In Helsinki, "Heart It Races":


When Polyvinyl Records released the single, it was already accompanied by two covers and two remixes. The latest IMEEM search turned up eight different covers or remixes. The song continues to inspire artists to put their own stamp on it. Here are a couple of the best:

Dr. Dog (cover, from the single)

YACHT ("I Should Coco" remix, from the single)

Trizzy ("Rusty Tin Can" remix)

There is just something universal in the track, something so familiar in the sugary pop sound that mingles with the steel drums and genre-melding rhythms that pulls people in for the trip. It's a rare experience, and another signifier of the power of music. Enjoy.

-J2

If You Ain't Got No Paper Then Steal These CDs

New releases Tuesday today, and a couple of good ones to check out...

Though technically not for release until July 15th, The Hold Steady dropped the digital version of Stay Positive (Vagrant Records) through iTunes today. The follow-up to 2006's critically-acclaimed Boys and Girls in America has Craig Finn and America's Bar Band back to their boozy ways again, picking up where The E Street Band left off. Here is the instant classic, "Sequestered in Memphis":

Party with The Hold Steady at Pitchfork Music Fest July 19th.

The members of Wolf Parade have been busy since 2005's Apologies to the Queen Mary with side projects (see: Frog Eyes, Handsome Furs, Sunset Rubdown). Fortunately they've recently gotten around to producing a follow-up, At Mount Zoomer (Sub Pop). We brought you "Call It a Ritual" a month or so ago, and now here is album opener, "Soldier's Grin":

Don't forget to check out Wolf Parade at House of Blues in Chicago July 8th.

Anyone that's ever clicked around over at Pitchfork knows how much the taste-makers are pushing for David Berman's Silver Jews. Perhaps it's because Berman was arguably a founding member of Pavement, or perhaps simply because the singer-songwriter has some of the most poetic lyrics indie rock has to offer. Either way, Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea (Drag City), is an inviting effort from a talented band poised to steal some attention away from Malkmus and his Jicks this year. Check out the gorgeous "My Pillow Is the Threshold":

As always, Myspace is good for making friends and hearing more music:
The Hold Steady
Wolf Parade
Silver Jews

-J2

A Lil Hip-Hop

Lil Wayne drops Tha Carter III by way of YouTube
- Say what you will about Weezy, but there is no denying his prolificacy. There's also no denying lines like:

Man, I got Summer hating on me cause I'm hotter than the sun
Got Spring hating on me cause I ain't never sprung
Winter hating on me cause I'm colder than ya'll
And I would never, I would never, I would never Fall
I'm being hated on by the season
So fuck ya'll who hating for no reason

That'd be from the Just Blaze-produced, "Mr. Carter", which also features the other greatest rapper alive: Jay-Z.

Oh, and that cover art is pretty f-ing great too, to be honest.

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On the unsigned-hype, local hip-hop front, friend-of-the-middleCoast, Hum-V, has put together a fantastic DIY video for his track, "Back in the Day". Sometimes, like he say, reminiscin' ain't hurtful.



-J2

Here Is Why Lollapalooza Is Worth $190

So the schedule for Lollapalooza is available now, again allowing you to create your own agenda for each day. The following is just one of the many options (albeit, this one is mC-recommended) for the three-day festival, once again justifying two bills you'll drop just to get through the gates.

Friday, August 1

• 12:15 PM Black Lips (Bud Light)
• 1:15 PM Rogue Wave (MySpace)
• 2:15 PM Yeasayer (AT&T)
• 3:15 PM The Kills (MySpace)
• 4:15 PM The Black Keys (Bud Light)
• 5:15 PM Mates of State (MySpace)
• 5:45 PM Grizzly Bear (Citi)
• 6:15 PM The Raconteurs (Bud Light)
• 7:15 PM Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks (MySpace)
• 8:00 PM Radiohead (AT&T)

Saturday, August 2

• 11:45 AM Does it Offend You Yeah? (PlayStation)
• 12:30 PM De Novo Dahl (Bud Light)
• 12:45 PM The Ting Tings (AT&T)
• 1:30 PM Dr. Dog (MySpace)
• 2:30 PM The Gutter Twins (AT&T)
• 3:30 PM MGMT (MySpace)
• 4:30 PM Explosions in the Sky (Bud Light)
• 5:30 PM Okkervil River (PlayStation)
• 6:30 PM Broken Social Scene (Bud Light)
• 7:30 PM Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings (PlayStation)
• 8:30 PM Wilco (Bud Light)

Sunday, August 3

• 11:15 AM Ha Ha Tonka (BMI)
• 11:30 AM Office (PlayStation)
• 1:15 PM The Whigs (MySpace)
• 2:15 PM Brazilian Girls (AT&T)
• 3:30 PM Black Kids (Citi)
• 4:15 PM Iron & Wine (Bud Light)
• 5:00 PM Saul Williams (Citi)
• 6:15 PM Gnarls Barkley (AT&T)
• 7:15 PM The National (PlayStation)
• 8:15 PM Kanye West (AT&T)

That's 31 bands in three days - and a helluva three days, at that. No doubt Lolla has truly become the premier music festival in the country.

Stay tuned for more Lollapaloozer posts to come.

-J2

The Inexorable Influences of Fleetwood Mac & Steely Dan

This morning alone I have encountered enough music by myriad artists to fully comprehend the undeniable and inexorable influences of Fleetwood Mac and Steely Dan upon modern-day musicians. Though it may have begun with a sense of irony, there exists now an entire sub-genre of indie rock that can trace its roots directly to these two pioneering acts. The resurgence of late in this style of jazzy rock saturated with multiple vocals harmonizing effortlessly is a bit puzzling. My question is whether this is simply a passing trend (shall we call it The Fleetwood Dan Influence? The Steely Mac Influence? No, I've got it...), or if The Steelwood Man Influence is here to stay.

I'm not sure who to hold responsible for originally utilizing the sounds of Fleetwood Mac or Steely Dan. Given their own profound influence in the past decade, however, I'm going with Pharrell Williams and his cohorts in The Neptunes and N.E.R.D. - specifically Chad Hugo. With the latest N.E.R.D. album, Seeing Sounds, dropping yesterday, this seems as good a place as any to start. Even though the vast majority of Neptunes' work in the mainstream is known for its minimalist beats (think Clipse, pre-Timbaland JT), the side project of N.E.R.D. has always incorporated a strong Steelwood Man Influence in addition to soulful Motown sounds. More Steely Dan than Fleetwood Mac, check out 2002's "Run to the Sun":

It's practically a remake of "Ricky Don't Lose My Number". Maybe not exactly, but you get the idea. Seeing Sounds gives us plenty of beat-filled dance-jams, but it also gives us the vibraphonic, "You Know What", another undeniable Steely Dan throwback:

Following along the same lineage are Next Big Thing, Chin Chin. The band's own Myspace page describes their sounds as "Brass Construction doing New Edition covers arranged by Steely Dan for Dick James Enterprises". In case the Dan influence wasn't obvious on "You Can't Hold Her":

Clearly Steely Dan have left their mark. Before moving on to Fleetwood Mac, let's first enjoy this classic from The Royal Scam:

Now, the Fleetwood Mac influence upon modern artists is confounding, as their soft rock sound is so iconic to a very specific time period. Female vocalists have been attempting to mimic Stevie Nicks for years (a couple of them recently - Neko Case & Rose - getting very close). But the artists I've heard this morning alone, as I mentioned at the start, are all young up-and-coming indie acts spanning the country, yet all integrating complex harmonizing into their songs.

From Texas, Midlake:

From Washington state, Next Big Thing Fleet Foxes:

From Brooklyn, mC fave Yeasayer:

What's most interesting is that these are modern bands making new music that sounds new, but The Steelwood Man Influence is unequivocal. As these artists continue to make music, and as they continue to garner press and media attention, their own influence will propagate. As a result, the jazz-infused neo-psychedelic blues-rock of the late 70s is poised to stick around. Let's just hope the accompanying fashion statements of the epoch aren't resurrected as well.

-J2

Chicago Concert Calendar: June 12-20

As summer has finally broken in Chicago, the city resurrects with live music. Leading up to venerable festivals Pitchfork and Lollapalooza, here are a few shows in what's left of the month of June to get you geared up.

Who: Oxford Collapse
When: June 12th
Where: Empty Bottle
Price Tag: Free! (Seriously, it's free! Part of the Bottle's free concert series, so you should totally go!)
For Fans Of: Sub Pop Records, Brooklyn Indie Rock raised on '80s movies
What To Wear: Comfy shoes - the Gang of Four influence will be noticed as you find yourself unable to keep from dancing
BONUS: Scottish pop-rockers, Frightened Rabbit, opens!
Listen:

Who: Billy Bragg
When: June 14th
Where: Park West
Price Tag: $27.50 (get tix)
For Fans Of: British troubadours, left-wing politics, Wilco
What To Wear: "Impeach Bush" tee-shirt, free trade garments
Listen:

Who: These New Puritans
When: June 14th
Where: Subterranean
Price Tag: $12.00 (get tix)
For Fans Of: High fashion, The Fall, numerology
What To Wear: Movado timepiece, chainmail hoodie
Listen:

Who: Ladytron
When: June 17th
Where: Vic Theater
Price Tag: $24.00 (get tix)
For Fans Of: Gorgeous Bulgarian vocalists, jet-setting
Best Comparison Quote: "A teasing glimpse of how Britney Spears might have sounded, had she been born in the GDR and a heroin addict."
BONUS: Norwegian electro-poppers, DataRock, open!
Listen:

Who: Crystal Castles
When: June 18th
Where: Double Door
Price Tag: Free! (Seriously!?! Two free shows in six days?!? You know where to find middleCoasters this week...)
For Fans Of: She-Ra, Atari, Digitalism
What To Wear: All American Apparel, all the time
Listen:

Who: The Black Angels
When: June 20th
Where: Logan Square Auditorium
Price Tag: $15.00 (get tix)
For Fans Of: Psychedelia, The Doors (the band), The Doors (of Perception)
What To Wear: Velvet Underground tee-shirt, beard
Listen:


Enjoy.

-J2

"My Drive Thru": Converse Finally Takes Advantage of Hipster Market

Hipsters have been wearing Converse All-Stars for, well, for forever it seems. Or at least since The Ramones started playing CBGBs. Though it seems rather unnecessary now (don't all hipsters and hipster-wannabe's already have their Chuck Taylor's?), the marketing execs at Converse have employed the register of Pharrell Williams, Julian Casablancas, and Santogold for their new promotional campaign: Three Artists, One Song. The result is "My Drive Thru", a frothy pop jingle that is pretty much exactly what you'd expect from these three artists. The gang over at Stereogum are streaming the mp3 of the track - click here to check it out.

The bigger question in my mind, though, is who exactly are Converse marketing to with this campaign? Is this just a big Thank You Nod to all the hipsters out there that have been sporting Chucks all these years, creating a mini little super-group as a show of gratitude? Or are they really trying to go (even more) mainstream with the product? If so, Converse may want to be careful - hipsters have a tendency to immediately shy away from things once the coolness factor becomes too easily accessible. Now that Target is hawking the Converse OneStar brand, it's not unlikely that it won't be long before your mom is rocking All Stars while working in the garden.

Stream: "My Drive Thru" (via Stereogum)

-J2

Update - Here is the video:

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That Time of Year Again: Support KEXP

KEXP needs our help once again. It's the time of year for the Summer Pledge Drive. Click on over to KEXP and give what you can. They are consistently one of the best sources in the US for finding new music of all genres. And they happen to be one of the few ways to hear music for free without advertising interruptions. So please help keep it that way. This is important.

KEXP Blog

KEXP Playlist (deejays John Richards, Cheryl Waters, and Kevin Cole are as good as it gets)

KEXP On Demand (Streaming, Live Archives, Podcast)
- mp3: The Helio Sequence, "Keep Your Eyes Ahead"
- mp3: MGMT, "Weekend Wars"
- mp3: Black Lips, "Veni Vidi Vici"
- mp3: Grand Archives, "Miniature Birds"
- mp3: Jose Gonzalez, "Down the Line"

Also, they have sweet gifts for people that donate...

-J2

My Morning Jacket News

For those of us that can't wait just one more week, check out MMJ's Myspace page - it does, in fact, appear that they are streaming the entire album.

For more, check out the latest Black Cab Session for a live performance of "Touch Me, I'm Going To Scream (Part 2)".

-j2

Did We Mention How Much We Love Yeasayer?

I believe we have actually mentioned Next Big Thing Yeasayer before on mC. Here they are performing instant classic "2080" for Pitchfork.tv's "Don't Look Down" series, from atop a hometown Brooklyn rooftop.



You can also see them perform "No Need to Worry", "Wait for the Wintertime", "Final Path", and "Sunrise" here.

-j2