Distraction... Video Alphabet "P"

Alright... back to it... posting and such as I pass a hot summer evening blogging and doing my laundry. It's an exciting night, indeed...

P is for Peter, Bjorn, and John - "Objects of my Affection"



I was going to post "Young Folks" because the video's animated and cool, but I have heard that song a million times and could kind of go without getting the whistling in it stuck in my head for the rest of the night. So since these guys are awesome and obviously have other songs, "Objects of my Affection" it is!

P is for Placebo - "You Don't Care About Us"



A trip to an aquarium these boarding school kids will never forget, and my worst fears -deep water and sharks, all in one video.

P is for Portishead - "Sour Times"



I was absolutely obsessed with Portishead when they debuted, and I'm so glad they gave us fans a new album this year. I loved this video, it fit their sort of heartbroken songs for spy movies feel to their music.

P is for Pretty Girls Make Graves - "Speakers Push Air"



Do you remember what the music meant? I hope you do! I think I'd be lost without it.

P is for The Primitives - "Crash"



I had to laugh when I went searching for this video, because I was totally unaware some bunch of emo/pop punk kids have covered it. I'll just stick with the original though, The Primitives suit me just fine. I thought having this track on the Clueless soundtrack years ago, might give the band a boost, but they never really got the attention I thought they deserved as a band.

Now for the finale... It's damn difficult to pick one Pulp video, so I'm including every video I can find for a track from their incredible album, His & Hers, here to close the post. As far as albums that hit in 1994, this disc was in good company with Portishead's self-titled debut hitting that year and Oasis' Definitely Maybe.


"Joyriders" (Track 1) - Live on The Beat from 1994.



"Lipgloss" (Track 2)



"Acrylic Afternoons" (Track 3) Live ...the intro to this is amazing!



"Have You Seen Her Lately"(Track 4) -Live from Glastonbury 1994



"Babies" (Track 5) - The original video version



"She's a Lady" (Track 6) - live on Channel 4's "Butt Naked", from 1994



"Happy Endings" (Track 7) I love this song, but could find no video representation for it.

"Do You Remember the First Time?" (Track 8)



"Pink Glove" (Track 9)



"Someone Like The Moon" (Track 10) & "David's Last Summer (Track 11) ...again great songs but no video representation.

"Razzmatazz" (Hidden Track - US Edition)



"His 'N' Hers"



This track isn't on the standard edition of the album. It originally appeared on the Sisters EP, which was a re-release for the "Babies" single. However this track was later included on the deluxe edition of His 'N' Hers, hence why I'm including it here. I especially love the bit when Jarvis polls the crowd... he's brilliant!

And that is that for this post! Just trying to redeem myself a bit for recently neglecting my blog so much... I shall endeavour to do better!

Fascnation... "The Mystery of Marie Roget" by Je Suis Animal

This is probably my favourite video right now because how often can I indulge my fascinations with Edgar Allan Poe, 1920s & 30s Avant Garde & Silent Cinema, Salvador Dali, Luis Bunuel, Man Ray, Indie Pop Music, and toutes les choses Françaises in one piece! It staggers the mind... Je Suis Animal is a band composed of two girls from Norway and two boys from England who got their start as a band with a French name while attending art school in the UK -which is apparently how most really great bands get their start!

Their album Self Taught Magic From A Book is available through the website for Perfect Pop Records, but you'll need to be a Paypal user.

Back to the Video Alphabet postings tomorrow with P for Portishead, The Primitives, Pulp, and other good, good stuff!

Jubilation... The Office Season 4 on DVD

Attention fans of NBC's The Office! Season 4 is getting its DVD release on Septmeber, 2nd, so there's plenty of time to enjoy Season 4 all over again (without the interuption of a writer's strike) before Season 5 begins. Good news indeed!

I'll be back this week with real posts... I promise.

Dedication... Cyd Charisse

I heard last night that actress and dancer Cyd Charisse had died of a heart attack. She was 86 years old. For those who don't know... Charisse was MGM's last big star of their musicals, and appeared in films such as Ziegfeld Follies, The Band Wagon, and Silk Stockings beside Fred Astaire and Singin' in the Rain, Brigadoon, and It's Always Fair Weather with Gene Kelly, and in numerous other musicals and serious films, like Tension. But it's definitely her work in those grand musicals as a dancer that she'll be remembered for as she was known for her moves and those long legs. Legs that were even reportedly once listed by The Guinness Book of World Records as the world's most valuable legs, due to a $5 million insurance policy taken out on them.

TCM is adjusting their monthly schedule now to honour her with a selection of her films on Friday, June 27th, which will include:

8:00 PM Singin’ in the Rain
10:00 PM The Band Wagon
12:00 AM Silk Stockings

To learn more about these movies or Cyd's amazing life and career, see Michael T. Toole's bio of Cyd in the Movie News Index at TCM.com.



If you miss any of these pictures on TCM, don't worry because Charisse's career is widely represented on DVD.

Frustration... No real tme to blog right now!

It's been a good day, and I was hoping to get home early enough tonight to get a post up for some more videos, but it's just not going to happen. I skipped last night because I was out with some friends to see The Incredible Hulk, and we spent so much time in conversation afterwards that I got home rather late. It was a very god time though, and the movie was decent.

I slept in way, way too late today... my body's so confused if I wake up and it's after noon, but I rushed around to get ready and then out the door to run errands. My biggest thrills today were that my local Wegman's carries cans of Tim Hortons Coffee(yeah!), the new Coldplay CD, and some used books I picked up: Dreadful Freedom: Introduction to Existentialism by Marjorie Grene and Charmed Circle: Gertrude Stein and Company by James R Mellow.

Not a bad day... and since I can't post without a video or something here's Hulk co-stars Edward Norton and Liv Tyler introducing Coldplay live on the MTV VMAs.

Hope your week has been well so far!

Distraction... Video Alphabet "O"

Wow! It's been a number of busy of days for me and the blog has suffered. I'm back to it tonight though and the video blogging. I think once I hit "Z", I'm going to broaden my horizons for a spell and diversify this page to reflect some of my other interests. This has been strangely fun though, like spending a week or two going through your entire music collection. Think about how many songs one encounters in a lifetime and then think about how many really stick with you. It's really a vast amount of personal history and experience to dwell on and go on about. But anyhoo...

"O" is for Oasis - "Slideaway"



This has got to be one of my favourite Oasis songs live from Glastonbury 2005... and I'm hoping to experience some live Oasis in September if all goes according to plan.

"O" is for The Ocean Blue - "Between Something and Nothing" and "Ballerina Out of Control"





The best band to ever emerge from Pennsylvania... I was so thrilled when this band came out because it gave me hope that the type of music I enjoy could come out of this area! Sadly, I don't think this band was ever as appreciated as they could be here at home, but they have done very well cultivating a following aboard. I think I remember hearing they have new album coming soon... I'll have to look into that more.

"O" is for Ocean Colour Scene - "Mechanical Wonder"



It's amazing where you find long sought after items sometimes. I remember trying to find The Mechanical Wonder CD in a record store, and never had any luck. But strangely one afternoon I ended up in a pawn shop with someone who wanted to check out a guitar we saw in the window, so I thought "oh, I'll just look through all the CDs and movies while we're here". Lo and behold there it was just waiting for me to take it home!

Distraction... Video Alphabet "N"

Alright... back to this vast endeavour I started! Also I'm going to take a minute here and apologise that I don't edit and proof read my posts enough. Late night postings and early morning postings seem to be my weakness. I suppose it's difficult to type through the bleary eyes, but I'll improve this. Anyways...

N is for Ned's Atomic Dustbin - "Grey Cell Green"



I liked this band a bit when I was in high school, but feared if I went down this road too far with one false move I could have ended up listening to Jesus Jones and EMF. But I confess a particular soft spot for this band, largely due to this super cool girl that used to pick me up and let me ride to high school with her, sparing me the hell of riding the bus. So Becky Balog, this song goes out to you wherever you are! You were a very good friend and I haven't forgotten you for it!

N is for New Order - A Perfect Kiss



I had the good fortune of seeing New Order in concert years ago and it's my second best concert experience just losing out to seeing the Cure the first time. I think what I recall the most is how diligently the band performed their songs. Their attention reached out to the audience, but I think we were the secondary concern to the work they were doing to perform. I don't mean this observation as any detraction against them... it rather impressed me at the time. I picked this video because you can see them at work so well here, feel how labour intense their songs are, and dig Hook's bass in this song... amazing! One of my all time favouite bands, for sure!

In fact, here's live New Order! "Crystal" from The Glastonbury Festival June 25th, 2005, in Somserset, England.



And for anyone needing a reminder of where this band came from, New Order playing Joy Division -"She's Lost Control" for the John Peel Day 2005.



Note to self... I really need to do a post about John Peel one of these days.

That's all for tonight though... off to try this thing people do called "going to bed at a reasonable hour".

Appreciation... Adrian Tomine's cover for The New Yorker

Last night, I picked up the New Yorker at Barnes & Noble because I love the cover Adrian Tomine did for the new issue. I'm all about supporting brick and mortar stores, especially since I manage one. I'm not an internet shopper... I require at least some human interaction when I wish to shop and the instant gratification of leaving a store with an item I want, even if I had to special order it from the store itself.

Everybody's different though... just my own preference here...

In addition to that swell cover, I enjoyed this Summer Fiction Issue quite a bit. My favourite features being the previously unpublished Vladimir Nabokov short story, "Natasha", and critic, Sasha Frere-Jones' write up about Auto-Tune and how it has transformed what we are hear today in pop music vocals versus the reality of a singer's natural vocal quality.

Frustration... Only time for a quick post!

My time this evening to do anything has really run out on me, so I'll get back to regular posting tomorrow. Not to get too personal here, but I've just had a really rough time today and I'm still a bit of a wreck tonight. I'll bounce back though...

For tonight, the Voxtrot song, "EveryDay" - a song I absolutely love. If I could ever have the opportunity to be in a band and make music, I'd strive for work like this. I think this song is so sincere and yet heartbreaking at the same time. I don't know how I feel about love or trust or the future at all these days, so that's probably me hearing my own "life is these sounds".

Like the previous post I did featuring these guys, this is another homemade fan video for the band, this time by Laura Thibodeaux. This band definitely has a core following of devoted and talented DIY fans!



I'm off to sleep and start over tomorrow.

Distraction... Video Alphabet "M", Part Two

A few more "M" bands since I wrapped up my previous post a little shy of what I had intended. I wanted to post again much sooner, but getting accidentally locked out of my apartment kind of threw off my day.

Now to the music...

M is for Ian McCulloch - "Proud to Fall"



Echo & The Bunnymen frontman, Ian McCulloch left the band in 1988 to pursue solo work and released the album Candleland in 1989. Released October 3, 1989, this was one of my favourite albums my freshmen year of high school, and I get just as much enjoyment hearing it now. "Proud to Fall" was the first single, I believe. I really enjoyed the single "Faith and Healing" but the video is embarrassing to look at now. I suppose it should have been then too. Considering it probably only ever saw airplay via 120 Minutes, the only viewers subjected to it were those of us desperately trying to enjoy 2 hours of indie/alternative videos on Sunday nights after midnight despite really needing to be up early Monday morning. All others were spared...

M is for Menswear - "I'll Manage Somehow"



Fans of Franz Ferdinand and The Kaiser Chiefs may benefit in checking out this band, but really Menswear were just one of the briefly burning stars of Brit-Pop that looked good, gave us some catchy singles and were then no more. They wanted to be a band in the wake of the success of bands like Pulp and especially Blur, and for the year of 1995 these charming men truly were stars. But for these darlings of Brit-Pop that year and their good favour quickly faded after a few strong singles, one full length album, and then nothing until a Japanese only release in 1998. I'd be curious to know what they're doing now.

M is for Monaco - "What Do You Want From Me?"



For a time there every member of New Order had a side project going and for bassist, Peter Hook, this was his second effort. His first side project, Revenge, recorded two albums but gained little acclaim with fans or the music press. However, when Hook got the nerve to take another go at a musical life beyond New Order, he tapped Revenge guitarist, David Potts, to join him again for Monaco. They recorded two rather decent albums, but called it quits in 2000. Hook rejoined New Order, and the band soon after released their 2001 album , Get Ready.

M is for Morrissey - "My Love Life"



How could I hit "M", and not include Morrissey! Seriously!

I saw Morrissey at the Tower Theatre in 1991, and I really wish to see him in concert again. I thought for a time I was moving on from his music, but his songs and his work with The Smiths is just something I always come back to.

As an extra... live Morrissey doing one of my favourites "Now My Heart Is Full", from the Reading Festival in 2004.



To those "who rush to danger and wind up nowhere" a song for you...

Distraction... Video Alphabet "M"

I've been preoccupied with a lot of old movie watching several nights this week and some nights out after work with friends, so the blogging has really kind of suffered.

I am getting back to it today though, so...

M is for The Manic Street Preachers - "Motorcycle Emptiness" & "Everything Must Go"





I'm giving The Manics two videos because they deserve it! For a band that declared once in an interview that "all bands should break up after releasing one album", I am glad they're still with us making music, especially after all they've endured as a band. In 1986, these guys started out as a quartet comprised of James Dean Bradfield(vocals, guitar), Nicky Wire(bass), Sean Moore(drums), and Flicker(rhythm guitar) as a band originally named Betty Blue. However, in 1988, Flicker left the band and the group changed its name to the Manic Street Preachers, and a replacement for Flicker was found when Wire's fellow classmate at Swansea University, Richey James, was upgraded from their driver and roadie to rhythm guitarist in the band.

In 1990, The Manics descended on the British music scene in stark contrast to the bands that were part of the musical landscape of the UK at that time. House and Techno music was dominating UK clubs and the trends of Madchester (fusion of acid-house dance rhythms and melodic, psychedelic pop, and Shoegaze (atmospheric and ethereal "dream pop" played by musicians that gazed at their shoes more than they did any audience) were what largely comprised the independent music scene. These self described "Generation Terrorists" took their attitude from The Clash, borrowed much of their image from the Glam rock of the 70s, and amalgamated punk, glam, and hard rock into a sound all their own. All went mostly well for a time, but Richey James' act of self-mutilation, carving the words "4 Real" on his arm with a knife during an interview with Steve Lamaq for the NME, was the beginning of the mental instability and self destruction that would follow for James. He suffered with alcohol abuse, anorexia, and continued self-mutilation before his disappearance on February 1, 1995. On the eve of an American promotional tour, James checked out of his room at the London Embassy Hotel, drove to his Cardiff apartment, and without his passport, credit cards, or other personal items, James simply vanished. He was quickly reported missing but only his car, a silver Vauxhall Cavalier, was ever found 13 days later, abandoned with a spent battery, on the Severen Bridge outside of Bristol, an apparently notorious spot for suicides. Eventually James was declared "deceased" by British Police, but his family turned declined the option to have James declared as such, and instead have opted to have his case remain open as a missing person. There have been reported sightings of Richey James in the years since his disappearance, but none of these reports have produced any evidence of James' condition or whereabouts.

Personally, I remember seeing the ads in British music magazines about his disappearance and always hoped he maybe found some way to just disappear and start a simple life somehow, somewhere, but I doubt James found that kind of peace in life.

The band was certainly broken over the loss of James, but his passing didn't end the Manics, and they returned as a trio for some shows in December 1995, and then released Everything Must Go in May of 1996. Their sound has evolved over the years, especially as they adapted with the rise of Brit Pop in the 90s. They've released four other albums since 1996, with the most recent release, Send Away the Tigers, being in the fall of this past year.

So the two videos here cover a bit of their history, with "Motorcycle Emptiness" includes James, and "Everything Must Go" for their time since his disappearance.

M is for Mansun - "I Can Only Disappoint You"



This isn't the most exciting video, but I love this song. It's my favourtie song from their last official studio album, Little Kix. The band's first release Attack of the Grey Lantern was an incredible debut for the band and also the music scene in the UK during the wane of Brit Pop, as their sound at that time clearly embraced rock more than pop. This set them apart from the crowd at the time, putting them more in line with artists like Suede and the aforementioned Manic Street Preachers.

M is for Maximo Park - "Books From Boxes"



One of my favourite songs from one of my favourite albums from 2007. I associate this album a lot with my life last summer as I played it so much it was becoming a bit of a soundtrack for me.

M is for My Bloody Valentine - "Knows When"



If my mention of Shoegazer bands was new to you, then let this video be part of your introduction. I came to discover this band in 1989 thanks to two guys who had a radio show on WDCV 88.3FM, the radio station of Dickinson College, in Carlisle, PA. I grew up in a very rural area, attended a small high school, and knew very few people into any kind of music that was "different". But fortunately there was this college radio station just 35 miles away, "over the mountain" as people around here say. So thank you Chad and I think the other guy's name was Mike! I used to have all these hours of blank tapes worth of their radio show I had recorded, but they're probably all lost now. I used to sit in my bedroom and listen to them over and over, and I made notes of what the band's names and song titles and album info if they mentioned that were, and then I'd try to get my mom or someone to take me to record stores to find the stuff. Not an easy endeavour in Central Pennsylvania. Fortunately, the discovery of the old Blue Train records store in State College, PA and the Tower Records store on South Street, in Philadelphia, PA helped me acquire a lot of rare music, as did old mail order catalog companies like Burning Airlines.

Damn, those were good times...

Okay... lots of other "M" bands, so maybe a part two later today! Off to do Sunday afternoon type things!

Frustration... Busy, busy, busy...

With work and too many other things that I'm trying to complete, I am unfortunately falling really behind on posting this week. I should be back on track with the weekend though, so stay tuned until then!

Fascination... Asian Images in Film on TCM Tonight!

I'm taking a break from the video alphabet blogging, because Turner Classic Movie is showing an assortment of silent films and a talkie or two tonight to kick off their feature this month on Asian Images in Film.

Tonight's films include the silent pictures:

The Cheat(1915)
Broken Blossoms(1919)
The Dragon Painter(1919)
Mr. Wu(1927)

The talkies include:

The Bitter Tea of General Yen(1932)
The Mask of Fu Manchu(1932)

I'd enjoy blogging more about these films another time. For now though, I'm off to watch some movies!

For more information on this month's schedule of pictures on Turner Classic Movie, visit their website.

Distraction... Video Alphabet "L"

A little pressed for time tonight, but I wanted to get a jump on tomorrow's efforts.

L is for The La's - "There She Goes"



Before Sixpence None the Richer, some country singer, and God only knows how many other artists decided to cover it, this song belonged to the La's... so I'm giving it back!

L is for Lightning Seeds - "Pure"



One of my favourite bands in my freshmen year of high school! I replaced a very worn out copy of this CD just this past summer. If only I'd taken better care of my CDs back then half of my music purchases wouldn't be to merely replace beat up discs. I could download a lot of it I suppose, but I'm still stuck on actually having physical music.

L is for The Longpigs - "On and On"



Here's a song for the broken hearted... I really forgot how much I loved this band! Thanks youtube!

L is for Love Spit Love - "Am I Wrong"

I'll explain before anyone watches this next video that I love this song and I had to include it, but I couldn't track down a video. So I chose to go with a piece made up by a fan of pieces of the movie Angus(1995) which featured the song on its soundtrack.



L is for Lush - "500(Shake Baby Shake)"



Oh, Lush... I miss this band so much. From their ethereal musical beginning as another addition to the roster of musical diversity that was 4AD Records to their inclusion in the Brit Pop explosion of the 90s, Lush always had my attention! The suicide of drummer Chris Acland destroyed the band though, and to the best of my knowledge only Emma Anderson ever ventured back into music with her new band, Sing Sing, which unfortunately called it quits in January of this year.

Distraction... Video Alphabet "K"

I think I've got a bit of time for this tonight, so here's tonight's video gems...

K is for The Kaiser Chiefs - "I Predict a Riot"



Every time a fresh wave of British bands crop up, it seems there are one or two that have the unique ability to catch a bit of attention here in the States. The Kaiser Chiefs have definitely been one of them, and having a song in the video game Guitar Hero has certainly furthered this exposure. So good placement there, lads!

K is for Kasabian - "LSF"



This video makes me wonder why Johnny Cash never played at any women's penitentiaries.

Hmmm...

K is for Keane - "Somewhere Only We Know"



The U.S. version of this video is standard band plays song music video fare, however here in the international version the band discovers a "somewhere" as magical as Lothlórien but possibly minus the elves. Instead nocturnal, music loving woods spirits emerge to see the band and delight in their charmingly sensible three-piece English pop!

Wow...

K is for Kent - "If You Were Here"


kent- If You Were Here - more free videos

Brit pop goodness ala a band from Sweden. I found my first Kent CD during my first semester of art school. I spent a lot of my spare time that semester buying music and comic books after class. So I dedicate this video to the old CD Plus on Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, where in one afternoon I scored Kent's Isola CD, the first Unbelievable Truth CD, and the first Rialto CD. Not a bit of bad music purchasing that day!

K is for The Kooks - "She Moves In Her Own Way"



From the Kooks first album -a disc I am quite guilty of overplaying last year. I took a break from hearing it for a while, but I've been giving it my attention again since the release of the newest album, Konk. Good, good stuff!

Distraction... Video Alphabet "J"

J... the letter with which my parents started all three of their kids names. What were they thinking?

Anyways...

J is for The Jam - "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight"



So quintessentially British, The Jam were not only one of the best damn bands in England in the late 70s, they also resurrected the Mod styles of sixties London that were lost to other emerging musical scenes. This performance was from Tops of the Pops in 1978.

J is for James - "Say Something"



I was going to go with a more classic song from Tim Booth and the guys, but this song is one of those songs I understand all too well. Communication is a basic for a solid relationship, and if you're missing it, there's probably a great many other things you are without.

J is for The Jesus and Mary Chain - "April Skies"



The second year of Lollapolooza included some big acts like The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sound Garden, Pearl Jam, and Ministry, but to hell with them! I went for two reasons... Lush and The Jesus and Mary Chain. Both bands were incredible to see, but I realised in the future I was going avoid outdoor summer shows because I just can't handle the sun and the heat.

J is for Joy Division - "Love Will Tear Us Apart"



I have always loved this song, but now that I have lived this song, this desperation between lovers, this song hits me in ways I never could have foreseen when I heard it as a simple teenager.

I have always been fascinated by Joy Division. I read Dante's "Inferno" when I was in eighth grade trying to understand Ian Curtis and the album Closer more. In fact, I still remember having hellish nightmares about the people who were turned into trees or the soothsayers damned to eternity with their heads turned backwards for trying to spent their lives looking too far forwards. Anyways though... Curtis' slip into his own darkness is very scary to me. I think a lot of people see me as being kind of sad, but I can't even fathom the places from which his sorrow and frustration flowed.

Here's a few more from the band. Also if you're a fan or want to learn more about Ian Curtis and Joy Division, the film Control about Curtis and the band arrives on DVD finally this week, on Tuesday, June 3rd. They were also featured in the 2002 film, 24 Hour Party People, which was the story of the music scene in Manchester, England and their record label, Factory Records, and the label's founder, Tony Wilson. Highly recommended!

"Shadowplay" -first television appearance from 1978.



"Atmosphere" -post-humus video effort for the band.

Distraction... Video Alphabet "I"

Wow... I'm not even halfway yet! I admit I thought originally to do one band/video per letter, but I couldn't make up my mind to settle on just one. So instead it was easier to create a lot more hard work for myself and post 4-6 videos a letter.

At least people are checking out this effort, so it's worthwhile for sure!

I is for Idlewild - "Love Steals Us From Loneliness"



I would also rather have hope than sadness, if only that was easier to do.

I is for Inspiral Carpets - "This Is How It Feels"



I used this version of the video, but there's apparently another one out there that I had never seen until I was looking the band up on youtube this morning. I went with the one I remembered here. BTW, it's amazing how many good bands like these guys have come out of Manchester, England. I could do a week's worth of posts just on Manchester bands sometime.

I is for Interpol - "PDA"



I remember hearing this band for the first time in early 2002 and thinking to myself, "Now here's a band that really wears a love of Joy Division on their sleeves". I think they are more than that, of course, but I think those elements were really there, especially on their album, Turn on the Bright Lights.

I is for Ivy - "I've Got A Feeling"



This was one of my favourite bands around the mid/late 90s, and fortunately they're still around unlike many other bands from that time. They're a good band to listen to especially this time of year. This is "bright" music for me.

Distraction... Video Alphabet "H"

Forging ahead... more videos, more comments, more proof reading!

H is for Haircut 100 - "Love Plus One"



One of my favourite songs from the 80s! I love how jazzy New Wave music could be at times!

H is for Nick Heyward - "Kite"



The New Wave frontman of Haircut 100 went solo and a Twee Pop star was born! I am also "young and far too serious" ...but who isn't these days.

B is for Holy Hail - "Cool Town Rock"



I love this band so much! Remember when videos were like works of art? Video director Mirrorshade does!

H is for House of Love - "Shine On"



I dedicate this video to the former Camelot Records location that once inhabited the Camp Hill Mall. Their cutout CD table turned up this little gem one afternoon. I'd never found much of their music on disc at the time and then here it was for a mere $2.99! This band always reminded me of a blend of a band somewhere between The Alarm and The Jesus and Mary Chain.

H is for The Housemartins - "Happy Hour"



I got this tape for Christmas when I was thirteen along with the cassette of Closer by Joy Division. I remember being distinctly miffed at my mom thinking I didn't get any music I wanted for Christmas, only to discover my stocking was full of tapes! Thanks mom!

H is for Hurricane #1 - "Step Into My World"



The demise of Ride couldn't keep Andy Bell down, but it's a shame he and Hurricane #1 didn't last longer. His contributions on Oasis' Heathen Chemistry and Don't Believe The Truth albums were welcome though.

Distraction... Video Alphabet "G"

This is probably as far as I'll get tonight...

G is for Charlotte Gainsbourg - "The Songs That We Sing"



The daughter of British actress and singer Jane Birkin and French actor and singer Serge Gainsbourg keeps these professional traditions alive by working as both actress and singer herself. Though she's apparently questioning the validity of her work as a singer with this song maybe? Well, I can't speak for everyone, but I need the songs that you and so many other sing because they do mean something... they mean everything. What am I blogging about here otherwise?

G is for Gene - "Sleep Well Tonight"



Ever since the demise of The Smiths, the British Music Press has lauded various bands over the years with the title of "the next Smiths", but I thought Gene could've taken that title and run with it. I'm still quite fond of their sound and their albums. I was 19 when this hit and this was a good point in music for me. There were new bands showing up so fast on the scene in England that at times I was buying up to ten music magazines a month to keep up with it all. I think the thing that would have really made this music great would have been knowing anyone else that were into these bands at all. C'est la vie...

G is for The Gentle Waves - "Falling From Grace"



I saw a Barnes & Noble for the first time in my life in 2001 when I flew back to PA for a visit home. I went in super excited that I was going to find all the cool stuff I could never find anywhere else around here. What I bought was a CD by The Gentle Waves, which was a side project by Isobel Campbell from Belle And Sebastian. I spent both Air Canada flights back to Halifax listening to nothing but the entire Swansong for You album over and over.

G is for Great Big Sea - "Lukey"



One of the greatest joys I had about living in Maritime Canada was the Celtic flavour of the place, and New Foundland's Great Big Sea are one of the biggest acts in Canada to embrace Celtic music in their sound. I saw them play in 2000 in Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, and their show was so lively and intense! It was like an old time kitchen ceilidh but in an arena with thousands of people. In fact, his video is from a collaboration album The Chieftains recorded called "Fire in the Kitchen", where Paddy Moloney and the gang from Dublin came over and accompanied on songs with numerous Maritime bands.

Distraction... Video Alphabet "F"

Up late, can't sleep, so I'm back to keep on keepin' on...

...and now with comments on each video! Woot!

F is for Forever Thursday - "How Can It Be?"



Anyone remember this song from the JC Penney's commercial about two years ago? This folk/pop act from Australia got it's only exposure stateside via that commercial. The vocalist on this track Melanie Horsnell has a loyal following in the land down under, check out her music here!

F is for the Frank & Walters - "Miles and Miles"



The lads from Ireland with a reminder that love will make you do some crazy things.

F is for Franz Ferdinand - "Walk Away"



I love this song and the video's old movie drama.

F is for Frente - "The Labour of Love"



I was way into this group in 1992. Lots of memories listening to Marvin, the Album on my headphones in the art room in high school.

F is for Frou Frou - "Breathe In"



Apparently in this video we discover Imogene Heap is not just a beautiful singer and songwriter, but she possesses telepathic abilities too.

Amazing...