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Friday Videos - Jan 22nd, 2021 (Something Different)

posted January 22, 2021 #

Inauguration Day for President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris felt good, real good. Like, I Can't Believe This Is Happening Good. I look forward to a more positive path ahead and, frankly, intensely hope for days on end where I don't have to think about politics.

For this weeks distraction playlist, I thought I'd do something a little different. I generally scour around for quick blasts of stupid entertainment but with the proliferation of social media, you're likely getting a firehose of that anyway. So, this week I'm going to post a bit more long form content that may lead you down some rabbit holes. I might also add in some stupidity but why not try something a little different.

Enjoy!
  • The Tiny Doors of the US Capitol - thinking about the Capitol lately comes with a bitter taste, let this be a bit of a salve. Weird little doors everywhere apparently.
  • Guests Making Conan Laugh - there are several more compilations of guests cracking up Conan and they're all quite entertaining.
  • Driving Around Lower 9th Ward (NOLA) - this channel is comprised of loads of videos just driving around neighborhoods in various cities. These destinations tend to be lower income and are often noted as "hoods." This could be seen as some sort of racial exploitation but from watching a few, I am confidently positive that is not the authors intent. All told, it's like a ridealong in the Google Street View car.
  • TMBG on Leno, 1992 - I find myself revisiting lots of old They Might Be Giant performances lately. This Apollo 18 performance on Leno is a remarkably full band playing "The Guitar" and "The Statue Got Me High."
  • Elizabeth Olsen: "No" Is a Full Sentence - the Off Camera chats are always great. I particularly loved this Elizabeth Olsen chat; especially given her family fame and the context of being part of the MCU.
  • Can You Spot What’s Wrong with These Phrases? - a Key & Peele sketch that embraces that stupidity I mentioned earlier.
  • Why This Chair is On So Many Album Covers - I may have linked this previously but it's worth a revisit. Seven and a half minutes researching why this particular rattan chair has persevered in popularity over decades.
  • Fruit Bats - Hummer - did you know Fruit Bats covered the entirety of Siamese Dream? You can find 2 or 3 tracks floating around on YouTube but the full record is a vinyl only release (at this time). Pretty swell.
  • Shortest Video on Youtube - entirely satisfying.
Stay safe out there. Keep wearing the dang mask.

Penny: Broke

posted January 22, 2021 #

I've been enjoying the variety of works offered from the Hashimoto Contemporary Gallery. They've been sharing these works from Penny, a UK artist that, according to their bio, gave up a career as a neurosurgeon to give chase to the worthy pursuit of cutting holes in paper.

Self-deprecation aside, I love this kind of manipulation. It does a great job of waffling between absurdist fun and meaningful reflections on the corrupt power of capitalism. All that and is amazingly intricate. Give the full body of work a gander.

dontstaylong - fog burns off

posted January 22, 2021 #

Davis has been putting out a number of singles over the past few months that are worth your time. Slow burns for sure but worthwhile.

A Game Designer’s Analysis Of QAnon

posted January 21, 2021 #

A fantastic, lengthy, read from a Game Designer on how QAnon embraces the principles of an ARG but flips them completely to create an unescapable spiral of misinformation. Do read.

Other Record Labels

posted January 19, 2021 #

Other Record Labels is a podcast by Scott Orr in which he gets to know record labels of all sizes - tiny indies, large indies, major labels, etc. and discusses with them their history and their marketing techniques. Additionally, he provides a number of resources for anyone looking to start a label on their own (or just improve what they're already doing). Obviously this is pertinent to me but there's a lot of great advice about creative endeavors in general that make it a worthwhile listen for any audience.
One recent episode is with Totally Real Records, aka Subinev aka Bryan Bruchman, aka very longtime friend of myself. The episode has a ton of insight into overcoming imposter syndrome and how a "fake" idea can mature into a real one without one even noticing.

It was great to hear Bryan's story of how the label started and I'm really excited for what he's bringing to the table in terms of releases. He has been - and continues to be - an unparalleled champion of a mind boggling amount of music. So I am confident that his own label will be a satisfyingly diverse undertaking.

Friday Videos - Jan 15th, 2021

posted January 15, 2021 #

We're five days out from the inauguration of Joe Biden. I can't begin to express my excited anticipation for a new era of politics. There may be absolute mayhem leading up to it. There may be intense fallout and stumbling once he's actually in office. I don't look forward to those things but I am incredibly optimistic that we're on the path to something far more stable and less chaotic than usual. Can't. Wait. Stay safe out there. Keep wearing the dang mask.

Memento Stori: Who’s Gonna Remember Me Now?

posted January 15, 2021 #

The season finale of Memento Stori just went out and it's one of my favorites from the series. I'm obviously biased towards the work because the host, Rebecca Delius, is my fiance but her writing and interview style are undeniable; even if she isn't your betrothed.
In this episode, filmmaker Dycee Wildman talks about her high school friend Jordan; a songwriter and spitfire performer that passed away tragically in a car wreck. Wildman unearthed the CD of her works and listens to it for the first time since high school on the show.

It's remarkable to note her tension and trepidation up to hearing the music - a feeling a lot of us can relate to. What if your memory of a close friend was undermined by hearing their creative work at a later point in life? I was friends with so many bands in high school and I imagine if I went back and listened to it now, even my strongest nostalgia vibes might not be able to overcome reality. Wildman is in that exact position.

It's a great listen and I think the show, as a whole, is a remarkable look at nostalgia, death and the complex feelings that we get wrapped in. It's on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google and everywhere else you prefer a podcast.

posted January 14, 2021 #

Today in pulp I look back at the world of Soviet women's fashion! It's not all berets, but it mostly is... https://t.co/qE8GFJ9RSt

Virtual Tour Of New Orleans' Garden District

posted January 14, 2021 #

If you showed me a thumbnail of the Free Tours by Foot channel, I'd likely give significant pause in terms of my interest. The idea of a tour guide walking me through a neighborhood sounds quite entertaining but the possibility of the guide being unbearable seems more likely than not.

I'm happy to report that is, decidedly, not the case. At least with the episodes I've watched. This 25 tour of the New Orleans Garden District is informative, entertainment and just flat out pleasant.

There are plenty other videos on the channel that cover other neighborhoods - DUMBO Brooklyn, the San Francisco Wharf, Prague Castles - that could certainly be worth your while. I'm partial to the New Orleans content as I am itching for a trip back down there but they certainly cover a great deal of locations.

Big Hug Mug

posted January 14, 2021 #

been rewatching True Detective S1 again. Might need to get this.

The Mute Group - Father Figure / Airbag

posted January 12, 2021 #

The Mute Group have wrapped up promoting their debut album Sinister Hand but they haven't stopped promoting in general. They've just posted a video for their cover of George Michael's "Father Figure." It's an interesting choice of cover but even more intriguing that they mashed it up with Radiohead's "Airbag" and it works incredibly well!

Mash-ups are a pretty normal thing to find on the Internet but an art-rock band doing one as a live performance is a rare treat. And it happens to look fantastic too. Double whammy.

Friday Videos - Jan 8th, 2021

posted January 8, 2021 #

It's been a helluva week but I think we can all finally celebrate that we've turned a corner and we're headed towards some positivity. That may be famous last words but I'm feeling optimistic that the darkness of Wednesday is behind us. Fingers and toes all crossed.

I'm furious and disgusted and bewildered by so much of the past four years. I won't go embrace a rant here but let's all try to collectively figure out how we can hold more people in power accountable for their actions in a timely manner and, possibly more importantly, figure out how we can agree on what are facts. It isn't hard. Thanks!

Dusting off the Friday Videos.. been way too long. Stay safe out there. Keep wearing the dang mask.

You Drive - Reminder

posted January 8, 2021 #

A quick reminder - back in August of 2018, the one and only You Drive album was released. That's the collaborative record between Makeup and Vanity Set and Jasmin Kaset that's quite sublime if I do say so myself.

We're down to 25 copies of the vinyl left. That's it. That's all that remains in the world! So, if you like it you gotta get it soon.

If you haven't heard it, watch this video and keep an eye out for my tiny little cameo at the end. ;)

Cookie Duster - Two Feet Stand Up

posted January 7, 2021 #

Brendan Canning side project from 2012 that I've never heard of. Not on any streaming platforms either it seems.

Unsung IT Heroes

posted January 6, 2021 #

I had not considered any of this. Fascinating thread.
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