HIPSTER RUNOFF

This post is intended to be a 'recap' of meaningful music videos of the past blog month, and perform analysis on the portrayal of the artists.

Video: Julian Casablancas - PHRAZES FOR THE YOUNG (PREVIEW)

Analysis: This is a new project by the lead singer of the Strokes bro. Wonder what it is going to sound like. Seems sort of 'deep' but will possibly become 'over commercialized.' I think he has collabed on some other crap, and it 'sounded good' possibly. I feel like I will decide not to listen to it, because it will become a topic that people who aren't connected to the music memesphere will talk about, like 'dude man, did you hear Julian has a new album coming out?' and they will probably actually go out and 'physically purchase it.' Will probably not listen to it, and might 'resent' the first video.

The music sort of sounds like a mix of 'the Strokes' with a little bit of 'guy who makes music that was obviously produced in GarageBand.' Feel bad for the Strokes. Not sure if they will ever be able to break free of 'what they represented' when they first came out, in terms of The Strokes being 'so cool' or something.

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Music Video: Miike Snow - Burial

Analysis: I think that after the success of 'Slumdog Millionaire', this video aesthetic is trying to take us to some 'brown part of the world' where life is more simple. In the video, the whole town rallies around this little trophy of the Miike Snow logo, and I think it represents some sort of deity. Like they are 'worshiping God' as a bro parades the trophy through the streets. Life seems hard in this video, like there are no cafes with wifi in a nearby area. Think that the song is 'good' and could possibly be utilized in meaningful indie soundtracks. Like when a bro is finding himself, or possibly 'losing' a keut girl and staring into the camera.

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Music Video: The Dead Weather - Treat Me Like Your Mother

Analysis: I first heard about the Dead Weather when they advertised on my favourite website. I 'googled' them and found out that Jack White was in their band. I think that this video is supposed to be 'hardXcore.' I feel weird about Jack White. Not sure if I know any one who 'likes the white stripes', but I think that he seems like a good musician--like a guy who knows how to guitar solo. I think every one heard that one song that was like 'dun, dun dun dun, dun dun, dun', but I'm not sure if I could name another Jack White song.

This video seems like it is supposed to be Xtreme, and possibly 'reference' a now socially unacceptable era of film. The video seems 'angry' or something. The music seems 'good,' but like not sure if I would listen to it while doing a 'normal activity in my daily life.' Feel like there might be a huge market of 'regular people' who would listen to it while they were socially drinking and barbeque-ing, possibly. They might also listen to Queens of the Stone Age, or Foo Fighters or something. Those bans sell 'tons of records.'

This video is important to me because it was filmed in the vacant lot behind my suburban childhood neighborhood. Kinda sad that they are about to start constructing apartments there now. Might bring down the property value if too many 'poors' move in.

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Music Video: Calvin Harris - Ready for the Weekend

Analysis: I remember when Calvin Harris first came out, he seemed 'very blog house' to me. But then I think his new album is the sort of album that 'people in Europe get really into.' Like if you went there, this would be the song that gets people pumped up for a soccer game, and every one knows the lyrics, but you're like 'I don't 'get' why this is good.' Think that things are 'very different' in Europe, and they value different aesthetics, but artists can make 'a shit ton' of money if they 'get big' in the UK, and then find success in other pop-oriented Euro countries.

This music video is supposed to be 'artistic.' Seems like tons of stuff must have been done 'in post production.' The song seems 'catchy' but not entirely 'listenable', more like a song in a Target commercial or something.

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Music Video: VITALIC - Your Disco Song

Analysis: I think Vitalic made electro techno music before there were computers. I think that their music is supposed to be 'absurd' or something. Have only heard them on the Party Monster soundtrack, back when I was trying to 'learn what it would be like to move to NYC and become part of a relevant party scene.' This song seems like it is intended to sound 'self-aware.' There is a broad who has a disco ball surgically attached to her skull. Think she 'lives to party' and she just wants to 'disco so fucking hard.' Then she eventually goes to a surgeon and gets 'disco tits.'

Seems like a solid commitment to 'a scene.'

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Music Video: Rye Rye (ft M.I.A.) - Bang

Analysis: I think that this video is supposed to look like it is part of 'black culture' but intended for 'white people simulating their interest in black culture to seem cultured.' M.I.A. is in this video. I don't think that the song is 'good.' It sounds too much like 'black culture' for me to get into, so I feel like they possibly achieved their aesthetic. I'm not sure if I really enjoy pure African American culture, or if I prefer to be friends/partake in African Americans who 'don't seem as black.' What types of black people do you prefer?

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Have yall seen n e good music videos lately?

This is a recap of popular recent bloggy/bloghouse/conceptual/indie rock music videos.

Music Video: Futurecop! - Karate Kids

Analysis: The song is repetitive and more tolerable than you would expect for a song 'that is rlly repetitive.' The video is an aggregation of meaningful 80s movies that make me wish I was born before 1990 so that I could remember these iconic movies. Kinda sad that movies these days are sooo ghey/predictable/not THAT great. Miss times when movies were 'larger than life' and not just a gimmick that ended up costing u $40 per person after snacks + drinks. The video ends with Jon Candy in 'Uncle Buck.' laters.

Music Video: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero

Analysis: I never really listened to this song, just kind of skipped around the video for a few seconds. I remember the YYYs came out with that song about some1 'not loving u like I love u' and it was kinda catchy and good enough to be mainstream. But this video kind of seems like they are 'pretending to be a really popular band' and also 'making music that is aggressive enough to feel like you have to take it seriously, yet unidentifiable for both alternative and mainstream consumers.' Never really got my attention and just felt like generalizing it and 'hoping that I am right.' Will they sell albums? Is Karen O authentic, or just a 'cookie cutter alternative diva'?

Music Video: Calvin Harris - I'm Not Alone

Analysis: I remember when Calvin Harris was just a guy with a bloghouse single about 'having all of the girls' or something. I think this song seems like some sort of Euro-techno-bro-house music. While I could be 'impressed' with his 'epic sounds' and 'musical progression as an artist', I will probably not listen to this song again and probably enjoy a remix of the song by an authentic blogcentric remixer more than the original. The video is pretty 'whatever.'

Music Video: Winter Gloves - Let Me Drive

Analysis: I don't really 'like' this song or video or have ever heard of this band/will ever hear of them again. But it sort of just reminds me of alternative life before the internet really 'took over' the indie music landscape. I think a younger, more alternatively naive version of me would have thought that this video was 'cool' and that the song had all of the elements of an 'authentic indie band' (keyboards, bearded bro with glasses, aggressively earnest lyrics). Miss those days. Maybe we were more drawn to bands like this because there was 'less crap' to sift through, so it was less pressure on us and more time to find bands to be 'tolerable.' These days, I only want greatness.

Music Video: Bloody Beetroots (Ft Steve Aoki with original vocals) - WARP

Analysis: I think this song is a 'banger.' I think the brand of the song is supposed to be HARD. There is an angry AZN man yelling at the camera sometimes. I wonder if this new brand of bangerelectro is like the modern, niche version of 'slipknot' for kids who aren't as poor as the kids who got really into hardXcore rock. I sort of wish I lived in the greater Los Angeles area, and had the opportunity to be a slow-motion alt 'partying to this song' in the video. Feel like I probably would have twittered about how much fun I was having while I was at the video shoot. Not sure if I would put this song 'on my iPod' but might play it if I were a bangerrific DJ. For a more critical, well-informed opinion on this music video, visit Big Stereo, where the blogger uses phrases/sentences including "Slo-mo cookie cutter hipsters" and "Bloody Beetroots come off as a pale reflection of better times spent with Vitalic." One time I wrote a blog post about Steve Aoki that was 'epic.' Maybe I should read it again and react to it with my current state of mind. h8 being 's0 fickle/flighty.' just trying 2 stay relevant. but n e ways... I think this video is a 'mockumentary' or something.

Music Video: Smashing Pumpkins - Today (Morgan Freeman + VISA remix)

Analysis: Can't believe the Smashing Pumpkins 'sold out' and let VISA use their song in their commercial. jk. happy 4 them. Billy Corgan seems like a chill bro who has been through a lot [via 1979 tonight, tonight]. Kinda sad how we're all getting older and music 'that was cool during our youth' is being used to encourage us to buy stuff with money that we don't have. h8 marketing. sad on the inside. Need to buy a flat screen tv to cheer myself up. Might also buy 'a wii' and 'some marijuana/lean.'

Have yall seen n e good music videos lately?
Just trying 2 stay relevant and identify

This has been a music video recap by Carles. Carles is a full time student at a high level digital arts graduate program. He is also a Teaching Assistant for Digital Media 101:Lessons in Photoshop, InDesign, and iMovie.

Steve Aoki

Alternative Celebrity, DJ

Steve Aoki is an AZN DJ.

Lists: indie minorities, bros who love 2 party, beards, indie hunks, Record Label Owners, AZNs

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CSS presents the question, "If I were to make love, would I want to listen to Death From Above?"
I think I'd rather listen to M83. Right?

MP3: CSS - Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above (CALVIN HARRIS REMIX)
MP3: CSS - Let's Make Love & Listen to Death From Above
MP3: M83 - Run Into Flowers

Buy CSS at Amazon.
Buy M83 at Amazon

After blogging about Girl bands earlier today, I felt like posting about a song that is about GIRLS.

Calvin Harris makes great music. He's the standard white dude from the UK, who can ball pretty hard at writing music+utilizing technology to make grooves that are worth blogging about. Sounds kind of like Chromeo meets the good stuff from the 80s that you've never heard, but know it exists.

Also, his video for "The Girls" is a great representation of the post-American Apparel aesthetic that we are all very comfortable emulating/"appreciating."
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh2oseTibx4]

MP3: Calvin Harris - Acceptable In the 80s
MP3: Calvin Harris - The Girls

Buy Calvin Harris's I CREATED DISCO at Amazon

Calvin Harris is a breath of fresh air. He just makes me want to dance HARD.
It's like 80s meets bloghouse meets the future.

MP3: Calvin Harris - Acceptable in the 80s HIGHLY REC'D
Buy Acceptable in the 80s at Amazon.