Video: Fleet Foxes - "Mykonos"

Well, for a music video director, you really can't go wrong with flying shapes. In fact, I see far too many paper cut out shapes in music videos these days! So, it's a bit regretful that the video for Fleet Foxes' song "Mykonos" off their Sun Giant EP includes such stand-by creative tropes. Luckily, the song is anything but typical; quite beautiful really! And in a way, the animation melds nicely with the song. In the meantime, let's hope that bands take a stand against flying shapes in the future.

Video: Animal Collective - "My Girls"

The video for Animal Collective's "My Girls" from their recently released album Merriweather Post Pavilion definitely aims to discredit my belief that the band is more pop than psychedelia. It's a typical band-rocking-out-on-camera video, only the band is blackened out, and their stage appears to be in a hallucinogenic aquarium of some kind. It's certainly fitting. Though the song holds up completely on its own, with or without flying shape bubbles.

The band recently posted a tour schedule on their myspace page. Giggity giggity!

BvtO Album Pick: Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

Animal Collective

Merriweather Post Pavilion

@myspace

myanimalhome.net

Psychedelic music has often been given a bad rap.  Calling a band "psychedelic" usually conjures up images of stoned hippies lying motionless on a floor amidst lava lamps and strobe lights while Pink Floyd plays in the background.  This image is unfair, both to hippies and to Pink Floyd, but it nonetheless happens. Animal Collective have, too, often been labeled a psychedelic band.  While they are surely odd, they are closer to a pop band than a true freak out affair.  They experiment with sound, new technology, voice effects, the works.  Yet, at their core is an appreciation of delicious melodies, which are often to be discovered amongst the layers of bells and whistles. Merriweather Post Pavilion is their follow-up to 2006's Strawberry Jam, the first Animal Collective album I truly adored.  In comparison, Merriweather is noticeable less immediate than Strawberry Jam; it takes more than a few listens to hear the "hooks", to catch the aforementioned delicious melodies.  Its a more subtle and more patient album.  Though its equally rewarding and forward-thinking as anything they've done.  The band members may playfully identify themselves through pseudonyms--Geologist, Avey Tare, Panda Bear--but by merit alone, they are probably better songwriters than performance artists.  Either way you look at it, they are creating some of the most interesting music these days.

Merriweather Post Pavilion - A...

The Wordy Album Review #3

Well, I just can't seem to make up my mind. First it's a few words; now it's sentences; who the hell do I think I am?! While I still like the "wordy review" idea, I can't help but write a few extra lines to flesh out my thoughts. Ahhhhhh, humor me. Also, every time I go online I find out how to do a little bit more. And although I am certainly HTML illiterate, the creators of sites like blogspot and IMEEM are really dumbing it down for people like me. So, now you can listen to tunes right here, which is great because myspace pages are more cluttered than ever. I also figured out how to add a playlist to the sidebar--the death of Five Star Songs before it even got started. That's the speed of life these days, get used to it!

Oh, and if you feel so inclined, I really do love comments--the more the better!

Johann Johannsson - Fordlandia
@myspace
johannjohannsson.com

Dramatic Electro-Classical. Cinematic. Skyscraping. Tidal. Solemn.

If you have patience and are prone to crying yourself to sleep, Forlandia will undoubtedly be rewarding. However, I find my ears begging for some levity; it’s quite heavy going through much of the album. Johannsson is clearly not aiming for cheerfulness here (he is Scandinavian after all), but a little less gravity would have given it some balance.

Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life
@myspace
lookingforgold.com

Pabst-Fueled Basement Rock. Obnoxious. Unrefined. Balls-Out. Merciless.

While this band’s balls are proudly displayed at center stage, visible to all, sweaty, ready to rock, they are conflicted balls. On the one sac (“lefty”), you get a tenacious, excitable, kick ass punk band that serves as the perfect soundtrack to your drunken night out. On the other sac (“righty”), you get a plain ‘ol noisy, dumb rock band. Let’s just say “righty” is bigger and hangs lower than “lefty”.

Dido - Safe Trip Home

@myspace

didomusic.com

Sultry. Smooth. Subtle. Tasteful. Tepid. Tame.

Even with her silly name, I admit that I liked and purchased Dido’s debut album No Angel. It held my interested with memorable melodies and sincere performances from Dido. After her success, I expected her to only write catchy hits. On her third album, she’s basically the same performer, but isn’t reaching for the charts, which is refreshing. So, on the plus side, Safe Trip Home is not an obvious collection of attempted hits and creates a nice mood throughout, but it is unfortunately not exactly captivating either.

B.B. King - One Kind Favor

@myspace

bbking.com

Rhythm & Blues. Authentic. Woeful. Heavy Hearted. Muzzled. Routine.

Make no mistake, B.B. King knows what he doing and he’s doing it well. The band sounds keen, King’s voice is gravely and great, and the songs are romantically cathartic like the blues should be. The problem is that it sounds too professional, too calculated, too easy. It’s a safe set of blues tunes. I like my blues to be chunky, feisty, rough around the edges, and usually loud as hell. This is blues for the adult contemporary crowd, thrown into the basket along with the new James Taylor and Chris Botti, played in the background at dinner parties.

Wordy Album Review #3

Nickelback is the Greatest Rock Band of All Time.

It's been recently brought to my attention that a little Canadian band named Nickelback happens to be making the most passionate, most relevant rock music today. In fact, I would say they have pushed more musical and cultural boundaries than Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and The Rolling Stones combined. If you don't believe me, listen for yourself:

http://www.megaswf.com/view/ae5be0fc5f3cc7b1ca122edffe6489b1.html

See! I was totally right. Fuck yeah, Nickelback, fuck yeah.

Select Videos of 2008

The music video has not died, it's just gone online. Although this means that the quality of a video is often suspect, it's the best solution in a world without a television channel dedicated to showing new and interesting music videos. This used to be MTV's role, and we had some good years together. I don't really want to talk about it. Here are some 2008 videos that had interest to me for one reason or another.


Efterklang - "Cutting Ice To Snow" from Herzliya Films on Vimeo.

Menomena - "Rotten Hell"


The Mountain Goats - "Sax Rohmer #1"


Radiohead - "House of Cards"

Five Star Songs #1

Introducing a new feature here at Becca vs. The Octopus: 5 Star Songs!  I'll pick five songs that I dig, and you listen to them. It's so simple, even a monkey could figure it out. Which is good, because you are a monkey!  Consider it Becca vs. The Octopus Radio. Songs so listenable that your ears will hear them. Give 'em a go and let me know how freakin' mind blowing they are.  Yeah, I know, the bridge after the second chorus, boy does that hit the spot. And I'm spent.

Yeasayer - "2080"

Here is a fan video for the Yeasayer tune "2080" off their album All Hour Cymbals which came out last year. It appears to be a meshing of the album cut with a BBC science documentary about a potential Mars landing. The result is surprisingly effective and actually makes for a better video than many of the "professional" ones I've seen recently. Kudos to the man/woman/Martian that created it.

The Wordy Album Review #2

In this week’s installment of The Wordy Album Review: wolves, foxes, hawks and eagles! When in doubt, name your band or album after an animal. It worked out for The Monkees (they were a big influence on The Beatles). If you only have time for one listen, Fleet Foxes should be at the top of your list. This Seattle quintet have only been together for a year or so, yet they write like old souls, reflected in the richness of their songs. At the bottom of the barrel is the new Cold War Kids. You’ve been warned.  Also, I think a "mogwai" is technically an animal, but since they come from outer space, I leave it for you to decide.

Impromptu question: if you had to choose, would you name your cover band Steppenfish or Steppenwolfeel?

Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
“In A Dark Woods Wandering.” Melancholy. Ghostly. Shattered. Moving.
www.myspace.com/boniver – Listen to “Skinny Love”
www.boniver.org

TV On The Radio – Dear Science
Eclectic Electro Pop. Vibrant. Fiery. Soulful. Earnest. Genuine.
www.myspace.com/tvotr – Listen to “Crying”
www.tvontheradio.com

of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping
Eccentric. Colorful. Spastic. Hyperactive. Flamboyant. Uninhibited. Frustrating.
www.myspace.com/ofmontreal – Listen to “Nonpareil of Favor”
www.ofmontreal.net

Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
Harmonious. Choral. Sunny. Organic. Pastoral. Adventurous. Spirited. Hearty.
www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes – Listen to “White Winter Hymnal”

Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer
Sharp. Fierce. Stomping. Unsure. Irresolute. Dubious. Fractured. Halfhearted.
www.myspace.com/wolfparade – Listen to “Call It A Ritual”

M83 – Saturdays = Youth
Grandiose. Nostalgic. Romantic. Astroplanal. Soothing. Cinematic. Cathartic.
www.myspace.com/m83 – Listen to “Kim and Jesse”
www.ilovem83.com

Mogwai – The Hawk Is Howling
Dense. Cerebral. Sinister. Ominous. Troubled. Inconsolable. Flightless. Talonless.
www.myspace.com/mogwai – Listen to “Batcat”
www.mogwai.co.uk

The Walkmen – You & Me
Spacious. Unadorned. Brooding. Uneasy. Melodramatic. Hung-over. Haphazard.
www.myspace.com/thewalkmen – Listen to “In The New Year”
www.thewalkmen.com

Cold War Kids – Loyalty to Loyalty
Grimy Anxious Saloon Rock. Half-baked. Amateur. Vapid. Stillborn Wet Fart.
www.myspace.com/coldwarkids – Listen to “Something Is Not Right With Me”
www.coldwarkids.com

Department of Eagles – In Ear Park
Haunting. Moonlit. Eerie. Dusky. Restrained. Tasteful. Timid. Understated.
www.myspace.com/deptofeagles – Listen to “No One Does It Like You”
www.departmentofeagles.com

The Wordy Album Review #1

Do you ever wonder how a critic decides an album deserves an 8.8 out of 10 instead of an 8.6? Do you find yourself befuddled by overwrought, self-indulgent album reviews that make your head ache? Music criticism can be exhausting to read and write: unknown bands are referenced; otherwise useless comparisons become essential (“Does this singer sound like Iggy Pop/Michael Stipe/Lou Reed, or is he more David Bowie/Adam Durst/Neil Young?”); somehow a screeching banshee of a lead singer becomes “innovative.” Well, I’ve attempted to come up with an alternative. I will listen to an album a few times, come up with several words or phrases that describe the music itself and my reaction to it, then leave it to you. If the description entices you, try a song! If my reaction deters you, well, try a song anyway! It’s up to you. One person’s Celene Dion: Live In Concert is another person’s Abbey Road. Note: I am concerned with the album, not specific songs. Some songs may be standouts, but if they are marooned in a sea of shitty ones, the review will be about the sea. This also works in reverse when a bad song is on a good album. Obviously, if you never discover music you love, I have failed.

This idea also came about as I brainstormed ways to keep finding and sharing new music without it absorbing too much time.  This way, I get to spend all my time actually listening to music, instead of thinking of ways to write about it. Whoo hoo!

All of these albums came out this year:


Beach House – Devotion
Sleepy. Dreamy. Sedative. Cozy. Intimate. Homogenous. Underwhelming.
www.myspace.com/beachhousemusic – Listen to “Heart of Chambers”


The Black Crowes – Warpaint
Freewheeling. Bluesy. Greasy. Celebratory. Rollicking. Uplifting. Rousing.
www.myspace.com/theblackcrowes – Listen to “Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution”


Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid
Inventive. Symphonic. Atmospheric. Poignant. Tender. Sincere. Gratifying.
www.myspace.com/elbowmusic – Listen to “Grounds for Divorce”

The Hold Steady – Stay Positive
Driving. Boisterous. Fist-pumping. Raucous. Derivative. Unimaginative. Stale.
www.myspace.com/theholdsteady – Listen to “Constructive Summer”

My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges
Eclectic. Routine. Unfocused. Disappointing.
www.myspace.com/mymorningjacket – Listen to “Evil Urges”

One Day As A Lion – One Day As A Lion (EP)
New project from Rage Against the Machine singer Zach de la Rocha.
Aggressive. Political. Violent. Unmistakable. Myopic.
www.myspace.com/onedayasalion – Listen to “Wild International”

The Rosebuds – Life Like
Poppy. Simple. Unremarkable. Forgettable.
www.myspace.com/therosebuds – Listen to “Life Like”

Sun Kil Moon – April
Patient. Gentle. Pensive. Overlong. Monotonous. Tiresome.
www.myspace.com/sunkilmoon – Listen to “Lost Verses”

The Verve – Forth
Sprawling. British. Indulgent. Uninspired.
www.myspace.com/theverve – Listen to “Love Is Noise”

Why? – Alopecia
Urban daily grit. Rhymetastic. Crass. Clever. Original. Wicked.
www.myspace.com/whyanticon – Listen to “The Hollows”