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Posts Tagged “videodrone”

videodrone

Lily Allen's Frosted Trailer Park Dreams


Sure, lyrically, Lily Allen's "The Fear" is a bit precious with its musings on fame and fakeness. But the song's a lovely synth-pop confection, and happily the video takes more of an aesthetic cue from the music; it's got an old-school musical vibe (complete with aerial shots of cupcakes and choreography) mixed with a bit of fever-dream craziness (dancing pressents, people made out of balloons). It's totally giddy, and its surreal vibe does tie into the song's overall theme in a way that avoids the "being famous is hard" pitfalls that it easily could have succumbed to. [YouTube; HT PopBytes]

1:45 PM on Thu Dec 4 2008
By Maura Johnston
164 views, 10 comments

Latest by menyc: It's time to face it: Lily Allen is a very good songwriter. Hoping this album is as good as the debut. Will be nice way to brighten the winter months. more »

videodrone

The Best Fusion Of A Muppet And A Critically Acclaimed Album From 2007 You Will See All Day

Just make sure you watch it all the way to the end. (Trust me on this.) [simonowens.com via betelnut]

8:53 AM on Thu Dec 4 2008
By Maura Johnston
899 views, 8 comments

Latest by Cos: I was hoping for Miss Piggy to emerge. more »

videodrone

Britney Spears Fashions Her Own Spectacle


Was it a conscious decision to make "Circus," the title track from Britney Spears' new album, eerily recall "Gimme More" from her blackout-period opus Blackout? Either way, the song's video has enough meta to choke even the most semiotics-loving grad student. There's the "Britney leading a dance troupe down a hall" bit that recalls "...Baby One More Time"; a glittery nude bodysuit not unlike the one she stripped down to during the 2000 Video Music Awards; a shot of her self-branded perfume. Not to mention that the elephant's trunk reminds me of that snake from the next year's VMAs. (I guess she has enough metaphoric snakes plaguing her past few years for that little allusion to be left as not-so-literal.) [YouTube via stopwhispering]

5:45 PM on Wed Dec 3 2008
By Maura Johnston
200 views, 5 comments

Latest by bess marvin, girl detective: please do an analysis on the new girls aloud video "the loving kind". as for britney, like the womanizer video, she is not hitting her dance marks. the spark is still gone. she needs to go back to kentwood more »

videodrone

Cobra Starship Are Everywhere That You Go


In the wake of my continual pondering over whether or not Chinese Democracy is the Snakes On A Plane of music in 2008—in that its endless discussion on the Internet far outweighed its commercial success, although then again Snakes didn't have the whole issue of a not-all-that-excited retail outlet to further block its path toward profitability—here's the new video by Cobra Starship, whose theme song for the Samuel L. Jackson-and-pythons flick can still Velcro itself to my cranium now and again. "Kiss My Sass" is a little herky-jerky slice of synth pop with lots of attitude (and a cute video to match), and I swear if someone marketed this song to bloggers under a different name it would shoot up the Hype Machine like that. [MySpace via AbsolutePunk] More »

11:30 AM on Wed Dec 3 2008
By Maura Johnston
137 views, 9 comments

Latest by Defenestrated: I think I would like this song a lot better if I never had to listen to the dude's voice again. It's like shooting white-hot cheese whiz directly into my skull. Instrumentals, please? more »

videodrone

Videodrone Gets "Mad" With Ne-Yo


The clip for Ne-Yo's new single "Mad" isn't quite up to the song's level—it's a great ballad (my second-favorite on Year of the Gentleman, an album stuffed with great songs) and merely a good video. It's also kind of arty, not so much for the twist at the end (just guess) as for the impressionistic cutting and the basically realistic emotion on display. (That's the song's gift, too: a depiction of something we hear about a lot in pop songwriting, but seldom with such detail or acuity.) Plus anyone who throws a little hat-tip at the end to the greatest final shot in movies, from The Third Man, wins my heart every time. Can't wait to see what gets cooked up when Ne-Yo finally makes the video for "So You Can Cry," cough cough hint hint. [HT: Soulbounce]

10:30 AM on Wed Nov 26 2008
By Michaelangelo Matos
200 views, 7 comments

Latest by Murk: Why would a shitty movie come up before one of the greatest films of all time? more »

videodrone

Freddie Mercury: In Memoriam


Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury passed away on this day in 1991, one day after he announced that he announced to the press that he had been diagnosed with AIDS. Mercury was 45 when he passed away from bronchial pneumonia, and his legacy remains unparalleled to this day—his three-octave range, penchant for theatricality, and sly wit made him one of rock's most unquestionbly iconic performers. Of course, he'll be forever enshrined in the world of classic rock radio (and fans of Mike Myers) for "Bohemian Rhapsody," but that's hardly the only song to which he brought his unique persona. A few more classic Queen selections after the jump. More »

3:00 PM on Mon Nov 24 2008
By Maura Johnston
582 views, 14 comments

Latest by rainmkr: I still thank my dad for exposing me to Queen as a kid born in '78. I didn't care for it much until I hit my teen years and realized how much variety the band had. more »

videodrone

"Pete & Pete" & Stephin & Sarah & David & Debbie & Gordon &...


From the "someone hasn't done this already?" file: Here's a clip consisting solely of "bizarre indie cameos" from the old Nickelodeon show The Adventures Of Pete & Pete. The creator has posted a list of the cameos on his blog, but surely all of you smartypantses out there can name every special guest in the montage on first sight? [YouTube via The Clog]

1:30 PM on Mon Nov 24 2008
By Maura Johnston
387 views, 17 comments

videodrone

The New Kids Reunion: It's Like The Wind (That Blew Through Medieval Germany)

There's always been something a bit strange about this year's New Kids On The Block reunion. Sure, it makes sense on a surface level—the group's members could use some money, and there's at least a little bit out there to be made. But recording new material was, I felt, a risky venture, especially when the making of said material involved enlisting stars of R&B to try to add some credibility to the whole event. The video for "Dirty Dancing"—which is after the jump—only intensifies the weirdness. More »

10:00 AM on Fri Nov 21 2008
By Dan Gibson
432 views, 9 comments

Latest by nynuk85: So what? I could make a video of myself dancing to that song and call it "official" in the title. Doesn't make it true. more »

videodrone

Solange Strikes Up The Band, Pees On The Stick


One of the most pleasant musical surprises for me in 2008 has been Solange Knowles' Sol-Angel And The Hadley St. Dreams, which, unfortunate cover art aside, strikes a balance between R & B confessional and pop confection quite nicely. The video for "T.O.N.Y."—one of my favorite tracks on the album, it's her ode to a night out that led to some pretty huge consequences—incorporates pregnancy tests, Cee-Lo, and a really gorgeous zebra-striped coat; it has a kinda-weird bit where she's waiting for EPT to give her an NSWR, but at least it ends happily. (For her, anyway.) [YouTube]

1:45 PM on Thu Nov 20 2008
By Maura Johnston
159 views, 3 comments

Latest by mexiback: I love "Sandcastle Disco" too. It's pop perfection, and what should be on the radio instead of that Pussycat Dolls nonsense... more »

videodrone

Brokencyde's Crimes Against Ears Are Pretty Clear


Today's Viral Video Endurance Test comes via the "Albucrazy"-based band Brokencyde, whose video for "FreaXXX" has been causing many an out-of-the-demo Internet surfer to grasp their cheeks, Home Alone-style, in horror at what the mashup era hath wrought. Brokencyde is the sort of band that thinks referring to itself as "crunk" is still funny, that supports MySpace "celebrity"/professional Internet beefer Jeffree Star on tour, that has guys showing off their abs in their top-friends slots, and that credits one of its band members with providing "cheeseburger" in its own MySpace bio. Jessica Hopper probably described the track—which, you probably noticed, has the "XXX" in its title in all-caps, because then it's like a porno DO YOU GET IT—best: More »

10:30 AM on Thu Nov 20 2008
By Maura Johnston
1,573 views, 20 comments

Latest by Silverfuture: I like dancing pork. more »

videodrone

Beach House Checks Into The Dusty Music Video Motel


I gotta be up front: I have a weird competitive streak with Beach House because I've been in a few bands that sound like them, and they always make their space rock/dream pop seem so freaking effortless. I've spent nearly four years of my life in-and-out of studios trying to weave gold while they just seem to crank it out whenever they want. So annoying. Not their music, of course. I tried to hate on it for a while, but I couldn't: It's nifty, dreamy stuff, always economical in arrangement and running time. Plus, blogs like them a bunch and yet they are fairly gimmick-free and actually, you know, good, which is a nice change of pace. More »

12:30 PM on Wed Nov 19 2008
By Lucas Jensen
159 views, 3 comments

Latest by westartedthis: "Apple Orchard" and "Master of None" were the only two songs on their first record. forget "good", they were the only ones i could even recall after it was over. "Devotion", however, is pretty much end-to-end and easily one of more »

videodrone

Rihanna And Justin Timberlake Stand Around In The Desert And Stare At Each Other


Last time out, Rihanna was taking her video inspirations from Trent Reznor, and this time, she's going down the modern-rock playlist and plumbing ideas from... The Killers? Maybe not, but I definitely feel like Brandon Flowers is going to pop up at any moment in the video for "Rehab," which mostly features Ri-Ri and Justin Timberlake giving each other smoldering looks and lingering touches while sweating out the desert's dry heat and the toxins that build up in one's body when one is forced to hold in their anger at the paparazzi for way too long. The JT/Timbaland-penned song's OK enough, I suppose—it kind of sounds like a filler track to me, but I guess Island had little choice as far as "singles to squeeze the album dry" choices went. (I mean, it's not like they could re-release that kinda-underrated Maroon 5 collab, right?) [MTV / YouTube]

3:45 PM on Tue Nov 18 2008
By Maura Johnston
402 views, 6 comments

Latest by CapnCalamity: @Chris Molanphy: Don't you mean it sounds like "Cry Me a River?" Or did you mean it sounds like PCD's "Halo?" Or did you mean ALL OF THE ABOVE BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL THE SAME SONG?!?! Seriously, JT & more »

videodrone

Purple Reign Makes David Letterman Go "Crazy"


The really dynamite Prince tribute act Purple Reign kicked off Late Show With David Letterman's Tribute Bands Week, and it almost seems unfair that they went first. Yes, they were that good: Frontman Jason Tenner has Purple Rain-era Prince's mannerisms, flouncy blouses, and guitar face (!) down pat, and the rest of the band sounded pretty solid—especially when you figure that even the most seasoned acts can sound like crap on TV. Unfortunately, the Time tribute band that performs with them wasn't in tow, but there's video of those guys on the band's official site. [YouTube / Official site]

9:15 AM on Tue Nov 18 2008
By Maura Johnston
1,162 views, 8 comments

Latest by T'Challa: @How do I say this ... THROWDINI!: The guy that books music for the Jimmy Kimmel Show has definitely done an exemplary job over the years. Sadly, there has been little/no acknowledgment of that fact, probably due to the lack more »

videodrone

Gym Class Heroes Defend Themselves Against The '70s


Gym Class Heroes' video for "Guilty As Charged" is a nice little bit of "Sabotage"-meets-Karate Kid pastiche, and it sure is fun to see Estelle kick some ass (physically this time instead of vocally) at the clip's end. Mostly, though, I'm posting the video as a reminder of the fact that this track is quite good, with its loose drums, blaring horns, and Estelle's cooler-than-chill vibe carrying the proceedings along to a totally satisfying conclusion. [YouTube via Travie McCoy.]

1:45 PM on Mon Nov 17 2008
By Maura Johnston
102 views, 2 comments

Latest by Maura Johnston: @Varina: :) more »

videodrone

Justin Timberlake Would Like To Serve Beyoncé Some "Mexican Breakfast"


Saturday's episode of Saturday Night Live was pretty weaksauce overall, so one of the relative high points came with the above skit, which placed Justin Timberlake, Andy Samberg, and SNL's new guy in a scenario where they, clad in leotards and heels, were B's newer, spazzier, more penis-enabled dancers for her "Single Ladies" video. I guess someone in the writers' room saw the Google numbers for "single man dances to single ladies" and acted accordingly. But I have a very important question: Where is Beyoncé's Sasha Kruegerhand? I understand its absence during last night's medley, but if there's one thing I learned from years of comedy, it's that lack of verisimilitude can make even the funniest joke deflate a little bit. More »

8:53 AM on Mon Nov 17 2008
By Maura Johnston
2,826 views, 5 comments

Latest by Tauwan: @Job: "FIX IT!" HA! I have a good friend who refuses to say Beyonce's name without placing an emphasis on the accute accent. She's always "No, no, no, it's BeyonCE! more »

videodrone extra

We Miss You, Big Baby Jesus

Today marks a strange milestone in music history: It's one day after the fourth anniversary of the death of Russell Jones (a.k.a. Ol' Dirty Bastard or a number of other names) and one day before what would have been his 40th birthday. At this point, ODB may be remembered more for his general nuttiness (i.e. storming the stage at the Grammys) than for his recorded legacy. (The parade of posthumous albums didn't help.) But in brief glimpses, the man was brilliant, or at least handled brilliantly. Some of his finest moments collected below the cut. More »

1:30 PM on Fri Nov 14 2008
By Dan Gibson
557 views, 4 comments

Latest by Silverfuture: Bring ODB back to life! more »

videodrone

Army Navy Think Back To The Good Times


The jangly West Coast outfit Army Navy put out an album of heartstring-plucking powerpop earlier this year, and it's definitely been one of my go-to records of 2008—anyone who considers themselves a fan of Orange Juice or other '80s indie staples will probably agree. The video for "My Thin Sides" casts Human Giant comic Paul Scheer as the band's former wayward tambourine player, who, after going on a crying jag about the old days, embarks on something of a redemptive fever dream in a karaoke bar. Who among us, etc. [YouTube]

11:30 AM on Thu Nov 13 2008
By Maura Johnston
114 views, 1 comment

Latest by the rich girls are weeping: I think this is thinly-veiled commentary about how Justin Kennedy is still angsty that Ben Gibbard got stupid-famous first after giving up Pinwheel? more »

videodrone

A Very Macho Videodrone Special


One of the many things disco did to the pop mainstream was to help sharpen its body-consciousness. Take the above video clip for Miquel Brown's "So Many Men, So Little Time," a 1983 hit that, according to the voluminous notes provided by the song's producer, Ian Levine (who has his own extensively curated YouTube hub), was "The first pioneering record of the whole High Energy scene." The song was a huge European hit, but the video is striking for its glimpse into muscle-man culture. Not that this was altogether new in pop. Below, we present a selective history of bodybuilding in pop video from the period. More »

4:15 PM on Wed Nov 12 2008
By Michaelangelo Matos
182 views, 8 comments

Latest by mackro: And and even more extreme example of Macho Uber Muskel. Laibach "Geburt Einer Nation" (the Queen cover) + Watch video more »