Video of the week

I'm sure most people have seen this as it seems to have gone completely viral, but I just can't help watching it over and over again....

Happy Monday everyone!

Video of the week - Andrew Thompson

I was introduced to Andrew Thompson a few years ago by a friend of mine who starred in the "In This Town" video. I had almost forgotten about the glory of Andrew Thompson, so now I bring it back with "We're in Business".




Check our more Andrew Thompson glory at his myspace page here

Video of the week

So since I was out of town on business for over a week I missed alot, including my favorite posting - the video of the week. I'm going to break tradition and make it Wednesday this week and will go back to Monday next week.


Flight of the Conchords follows the trials and tribulations of a two man, digi-folk band from New Zealand as they try to make a name for themselves in their adopted home of New York City. The band is made up of Bret McKenzie on guitar and vocals, and Jemaine Clement on guitar and vocals.

Bret and Jemaine have moved to New York in the hope of forging a successful music career. So far they've managed to find a manager (whose "other" job is at the New Zealand Consulate), one fan (a married obsessive) and one friend (who owns the local pawn shop) -- but not much else.

I just started watching this show recently after seriously enjoying Eagle vs Shark (the movie starring Jemaine). The episode I watched recently did not feature as much of Mel - the real comedic genius of the show - but it did have the best song yet. Enjoy and welcome to your new addiction!

Video of the Week

In my time lapse that I apparently had last week I didn't post a video of the week. I'm really trying to be good about this whole thing, so I'm going to venture out of my comfort zone this week. You don't get the usual factual about the artist or the song, but about me and my experience with it. Deal with it.

I know a lot of people who know a lot about music. I am not one of those people. I can tell you who a few present day singers are based purely on whether they live their lives in the spotlight. I could spot Kanye West or Fall Out Boy or Lily Allen on the street, but I haven't the foggiest what their music sounds like. I like living in my naive little bubble because I don't particularly like new music.

So a few years ago I had an acquaintance with a song on their webpage that I loved. I used to listen to it here and there and one day when I checked in for my monthly fix - the song and the site were gone. Now me being me I never wrote down who it was, and I have a killer memory for useless information, but this was one of those things my mind just couldn't recall. I tried miserably to guess the artist and eventually just gave up. Now a week ago my mother was in town visiting which means much shopping and some crumbs cupcakes to add on to what I shopped off. The song I had forsaken years ago (though never forgot about!) was playing! Of course they didn't know who it was. Here comes another four years of never knowing the truth about this song I thought. Then a few days later, one of my colleagues on their facebook posted a comment about enjoying the new Junior Boys album. That cinched it. I knew immediately that that was the name of the group and one short youtube search later I was the proud owner of a bookmark to my song.

All this means a lot because aside from not knowing anything about current music - I really don't like techno or industrial or whatever you would call Junior Boys. I have no idea why this song resonates so much within me, but it does, and I may not always be the most open person initially, but if something can penetrate my core I am extremely accepting (even of my own hypocrisy).

Now that it has all been said, I bring to you Junior Boys: "In the Morning"

Jerry Lee Lewis

So I watched this special this weekend that I DVRed called "The Rockabilly Legends: They called it Rockabilly Long Before they Called it Rock and Roll". It was really great in that it went past Elvis and Buddy Holly and talked about other singers of the era, like Gene Vincent and Dorsey Burnette, and how they changed the entire face of music. Apparently there was a book also - which seems to have really good reviews and be chock full of images - and not just the show I watched.

You can buy them both on Amazon here

but for now I figure I'd tribute the video of the week to the song that wouldn't quit in my head after the show had ended. I give you Jerry Lee Lewis "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going on"

video of the week

Week 2 of the video of the week!

"The Rainbow Connection" is a popular song written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher and originally performed by Kermit the Frog (Jim Henson) in The Muppet Movie in 1979. By extension, as evidenced in the TV special, The Muppets at Walt Disney World, the song has come to epitomize the ideals and artistic spirit of Henson and his company as much as "When You Wish Upon a Star" represents Walt Disney and his company.

It has been covered by artists such as Leftöver Crack, Sarah McLachlan, DAT Politics, Aaron Lewis, Kenny Loggins, The Dixie Chicks, Justin Timberlake, The Carpenters, Kiki and Herb, Jason Mraz, The Pussycat Dolls, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Tay Zonday, Jim Brickman, Caroline's Spine, Estradasphere, The Dresden Dolls, Willie Nelson (who is incorrectly credited with penning the song quite often), pop-punk band Fifteen, Lea Salonga, Andy Bernard (played by Ed Helms) in The Office, The Loves, and many others. It was sung by Blondie's Debbie Harry in a duet with Kermit on the Muppet Show in 1981 (Season 5).


Kenny Ascher and Paul Williams received Oscar nominations at the 1979 Academy Awards for the movie score and for "The Rainbow Connection", which Allmusic describes as an "unlikely radio hit ... which Kermit the Frog sings with all the dreamy wistfulness of a short green Judy Garland."[1] and goes on to add that "'The Rainbow Connection' serves the same purpose in [The Muppet Movie] that 'Over the Rainbow' serves in The Wizard of Oz, with nearly equal effectiveness: an opening establishment of the characters' driving urge for something more in life."


Enjoy!

Video of the week

Today I think I'm starting an every monday video of the week courtesy of youtube. Today is Doc Watson's "Deep River Blues"

Doc Watson was born in Deep Gap, North Carolina. According to Doc on his three CD biographical recording Legacy, he got the nickname "Doc" during a live radio broadcast when the announcer remarked that his given name Arthel was odd and he needed an easy nickname to go by. A fan in the crowd shouted "Call him Doc!" presumably in reference to the Sherlock Holmes sidekick Doctor Watson. The name stuck ever since.

An eye infection caused Doc Watson to lose his vision before his first birthday. Despite this, he was taught by his parents to work hard and care for himself. He attended North Carolina's school for the visually impaired, The Governor Morehead School, in Raleigh NC.

Doc plays guitar in both flatpicking and fingerpicking style, but is best known for his flatpick work. His guitar playing skills, combined with his authenticity as a mountain musician, made him a highly influential figure during the folk music revival. He pioneered a fast and flashy bluegrass lead guitar style, including fiddle tunes and crosspicking techniques, which was adopted and extended by Clarence White, Tony Rice and many others. He is also an accomplished banjo player and in the past has accompanied himself on harmonica as well. Known also for his distinctive and rich baritone voice, he has over the years developed a vast repertoire of mountain ballads which he learned via the oral tradition of his home area in Deep Gap, North Carolina. His affable manner, humble nature and delightful wit have endeared him to his fans nearly as much as his musical talent has.

He continues to play to this day, though he has scaled back on touring.


Enjoy!