Friday, July 06, 2007

Don't Download These Videos vol. XXIII


There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


Tarantula - Smashing Pumpkins



I got a chance to hear the new Smashing Pumpkin album, Ziegist (look for a review sometime next week) and it sounds like they started right where they left off, musically irrelevant. And a look at the first video, Billy is still rocking the creepy pseudo-psychedelic gear that he was sporting near the end of the first Pumpkins run. Oh well, at least it still better than anything that tried to fill the void left by the Pumpkins back when they were still relevant much like My Chemical Romance.


First Time - Lifehouse



On the other end of the rock spectrum, Lifehouse has firmly engulf themselves in the mom rock that gets them plenty of airplay on adult contemporary radio stations. Although there latest album was too bland to even warrant a review as all the songs sounded pretty much the same and pretty much like every other Lifehouse song. Although the special effects in this video are pretty cool.


Clothes Off!! - Gym Class Heroes



Despite being found by the annoying dude from Fall Out Boy, Gym Class Heroes reeled me in with the catchy Cupid’s Chokehold cleverly reworking the Supertramp song with help from the less annoying dude from Fall Out Boy. Well after hearing their new song, I’m officially off the Gym Class Heroes bandwagon for desecrating one of the greatest one hit wonders of all time. Seriously, do these guys write any of their own hooks? For those of you born in the eighties or later, let me explain, I am speaking of Jermaine Stewart and his song We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off (check out the very eighties looking video here), notice the orginal has “Don’t” in the song title which the updated version wrongfully took out. And of course the irony of Stewart’ song is that he died, partially in part because of taking his clothes off. So kiddies, be sure to do as Jermaine says, don’t do as he does.


Gotta Work - Amerie



It has to be hard for Amerie to try to come up with anything as catchy as one of the best R&B songs of the new millennium, 1 Thing. Throw in some horn from Sam and Dave’s Hold On, I’m Comin’ and she come close. Although she is definitely serviceable, she should not work with whoever did the wardrobe for this video. That all black number is completely unflattering.

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