Making Out Like BanditsVideos

Watch: Caribou – “Sun”

Stephen DeFilippo — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:05:48 +0000

Ever wonder what the Real Housewives of Orange County would look like sans Botox? Take a hint from the ladies dancing in the first half of Caribou’s latest video, for his euphoric track “Sun.”

Really though, these actresses deserve more credit than given through the shameless comparison I’ve drawn. They are just women in their ’50s or ’60s having a good old time. The video takes place in one room, with a blend of folks grooving to a song anyone and everyone should dance to.

Simon Owens directed the video. The song, meanwhile, is off Caribou’s latest LP, Swim, out via Merge.

Watch: Mayer Hawthorne: “Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin’”

Stephen DeFilippo — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:33:36 +0000

Soul revivalist Mayer Hawthorne gets jiggy at the pool side in his latest music video, for the song “Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin’.” There’s plenty of skin and James Bond-esque gals shakin’ and groovin’, in what I’d call a semi-synchronized shindig of a dance. The song is off Hawthorne’s latest release, A Strange Arrangement, out now via Stones Throw.

Image by Schiko

Watch Broken Social Scene’s Video Response to the G20 Summit

Jennifer Marston — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:07:28 +0000

Broken Social Scene’s new video is both the visual accompaniment to Forgiveness Rock Record‘s “Meet Me in the Basement” and a hefty political statement about the recent riot-addled G20 Summit in Toronto (the band’s hometown).

The mash-up-style video was, according to an email blast from BSS, made by a fan (who’s chosen to remain anonymous) and features footage from the Toronto riots sliced together with clips of notable political figures. And Justin Bieber somehow made it in there too.

Watch: Klaxons – “Echoes”

Stephen DeFilippo — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:34:55 +0000

Watching the new Klaxons video, for the song “Echoes” is like taking a trip to the desert planet Tatooine from Star Wars, except there’s no pimpin’ Landspeeder or eerie little Jawas lurking around the corner. Instead, catch the four bandmembers looking all majestic, alone with their instruments and romping around a vast desert landscape. It may not be quite as bizarre, hairy, intriguing, or awesome as the cover art for the band’s upcoming album Surfing the Void (out August 23 via Polydor) but it has me curious about the rest of the new material.

New Islands Songs on the Way?

Stephen DeFilippo — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 01:08:03 +0000

Back in June, Islands’ multitasking magician of a musician Nick Diamonds performed at a New York’s Radio Happy Hour, where he unwrapped three new songs which he “think[s] will be Islands songs.”

For this performance, the jams were minimally arranged, with electric guitar and vocals. You can watch him sing about “Lonely Love,” “Shotgun Vision” (whatever the hell that might be), Buddy Holly’s widow, and even try his hand in some stand-up. Advice: Listen by letting the videos play behind another active window to avoid bias opinions spawning from underwhelming video quality.

“Lonely Love”

“Shotgun Vision”

Watch: Clem Snide Covers Journey

William Cody Humston — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 07:22:14 +0000

With a plethora of samples, sound bites, and painful pop-punk covers swarming the air and web waves, finding a decent cover song can require intervention by a veteran P.I. Fortunately, A.V. Club has done the sleuthing for you, collecting 25 bands to cover 25 well-known songs in one small, circular room for A.V. “Undercover.”

This week, Clem Snide frontman Eef Barzelay gives Journey’s life-on-the-road power ballad “Faithfully” an irony-free vocal-and-ukulele treatment. Whistling ensues.

Clem Snide covers Journey

Watch: “A Day at the Lake with Washed Out”

Stephen DeFilippo — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 03:09:00 +0000

This past May, Adult Swim started a series of exclusive singles it’s been posting on a weekly basis. So far, we’ve seen the likes of Bonnie “Prince” Billy, The Black Lips and Madvillain make cameos. Another track’s now available, “You and I,” from über-chill electronic musician Ernest Greene, a.k.a. Washed Out. And there’s a video to boot.

“A Day at the Lake with Washed Out” is a quick glimpse into the off-stage life of Greene at the site of his lake house/recording abode in Georgia. Watch him jump off bridges, swing from ropes and explain how Washed Out evolved from a bedroom exclusive project once for Greene’s ears only to a now blossoming career. Greene also explains that he is recording a new album.

“A Day at the Lake with Washed Out”

Watch: The Mountain Goats – The Life of the World to Come

Stephen DeFilippo — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 04:39:26 +0000

I’m tempted to preface this post with a warning: “For die-hard Mountain Goats fans only!”

For one week, you can watch John Darnielle of the prolific The Mountain Goats perform all 12 songs from the band’s 2009 Biblically inspired album, The Life of the World to Come.

Like many videos that wind up on PItchfork, The Life of the World to Come is shot in a remote and intimate location. This time it’s the Thatcher Music Building at Pomona College, and like it’s album version, the movie is a slow mover, best enjoyed with a cup of coffee and maybe other forms of stimulation. Former Mountain Goat Rachel Ware performs backup vocals on three tracks, one of which is a bonus, “Enoch 18:14” (below) and not found on the official album. Watch it all right here.

The video was directed by Rian Johnson, whose claim-to-fame is the 2005 neo-mystery film Brick. He also shot the music video for The Mountain Goats’ “Woke Up New” in 2006.

“Enoch 18:14″

The Life of the World to Come:
01The Life of the World to Come
02 Enoch 18:14
03 Genesis 30:3
04 1 John 4:16
05 1 Samuel 15:23
06 Genesis 3:23
07 Isaiah 45:23
08 Philippians 3:20-21
09 Psalm 40:2
10 Romans 10:9
11 Hebrews 11:40
12 Matthew 25:21
13 Deuteronomy 2:10
14 Ezekiel 7

Watch now!

New Kings of Leon – “Southbound”

Jennifer Marston — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 01:39:24 +0000

Kings of Leon are so easy to take cheap shots at it’s actually more difficult to write a post about them not laden in snark.

But the task is considerably easier in the case of this new song from the band, a gentle, folky number that’s tastefully restrained and free of the foolishness that was “Sex on Fire.” Possibly dubbed “Southbound,” the song was played at a recent Saratoga Springs show, where a fan reportedly captured footage. From the sounds of it, the guys are pulling from the better part of their Nashville heritage for new material.

The band is currently on a mammoth world tour, for which The Whigs are opening. The latter jumped onstage to join KOL for this song. Watch it below.

Weezer’s World Cup Jam

Jennifer Marston — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 01:12:44 +0000

Tomorrow, the US Men’s National team goes head-to-head with England in its first World Cup match, and Weezer is so excited about the event, they wrote and dedicated a song to the boys (the Americans, that is).

Appropriate dubbed “Represent,” it’s a spirited jam I imagine will eventually find its way into “inspired by a true story” sports flicks. Rivers Cuomo is an unabashed soccer fan; his love of the game clearly shows.

Watch the intentionally goofy video below, and download the song on iTunes for free.