I Want My Music Television: 3/4/14

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


Midnight – Coldplay


Usually when an artist drops a new song, it is accompanied by big fan fair, maybe a press release about a new album. But now we are living in a post-Beyoncé world where artists are getting more and more cryptic. Prior to releasing a new music video, Coldplay posted on social media that they would be releasing something, at midnight in the time zone local to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. The song ended up being entitled Midnight and is this weird Bon Iver meets Radiohead track with an even weirder accompanying video. A week later they did announce a new album coming in May with pre-order where the insta-download track being a more traditional sounding Magic (though it is more bass heavy than previous Coldplay work) which they are calling the first single instead of Midnight which is stuck in the very middle of the album.


Partition - Beyoncé


Speaking of Beyoncé, she just officially released a new music video (though if you bought the visual album, you have already seen it). It weird that after giving birth, her music videos have gotten more sexual between this and Drunk in Love as if she has something to prove. And she definitely is proving something. Why do I think this is just your average Monday in the Carter household?


If I Could Change Your Mind – Haim


Even though they are a band who play their own instruments, listening to their music, you can easily tell that Haim are heavily influenced by girl groups of the nineties and their latest music video is just a great throwback to that era. Of course the song itself is a throwback lamenting “lying eyes” which were a staple in lyrics back in the eighties and nineties (I guess songwriters today date people with better poker faces). And like I do whenever they release something new, it is time to update the Haim Sisters Power Rankings and after this video I have Alana in pole position.


Arabella – Arctic Monkeys


The golden age of music video nudity continues with Arctic Monkeys who latest looks like a mix between an old noir flick and old time peep show.

I Want My Music Television: 8/19/13

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


The Wire - Haim


This song was instantly likeable to me but I never really figured out that it was a breakup song until I saw the video. In hindsight, the Heartache Tonight opening riff should have been a hint as to what the song could have been about (considering that Robin Thicke just preemptively sued the Marvin Gaye estate to keep them for suing him for ripping off Got to Give It Up, I wonder of Haim will do the same to The Eagles). And as great as the song is, the video is equally as bad. Someone needs to tell whoever came up with this idea that crying dudes really are not that funny. And if you like the song, today is the last day when you can get The Wire free on iTunes.


Why You Only Call Me When You’re High? – Arctic Monkeys


When I saw the “Parental Advisory” at the beginning of the new Arctic Monkeys video I thought great, Blurred Lines really did kick of the nudity trend of 2013. Unfortunately the video turned out to be a PG-13, third person view, male version of the Smack My (Expletive Deleted) Up video.


Knock it Off – K-Ci and JoJo


Holy K-Ci adn JoJo sighting! I cannot even remember the last time I saw these guys, maybe a decade. Although after my initial excitement wore off, my second thought was I would much rather have a Jodeci reunion.


365 Days - ZZ Ward


I probably should like ZZ Ward more than I do, she has a soulful voice and she has worked with Pete Rock and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, but her debut album just lacks that something special. Granted I had a very similar response to Adele’s first album (sure 19 did have better songs) and she knocked it out of the park for the follow up so hopefully ZZ can find her groove by the time the second album comes around. With that said, this video freaks me out, but I cannot stop watching.

I Want My Music Videos - 1/10/12

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


United States of Pop (World Go Boom) - DJ Earworm



One thing always to look forward to at the end of every year is DJ Earworm’s mash up of the 25 biggest songs of the year. Unfortunately, much like last year, DJ Earworm was stuck with a bunch of horrible songs that he was stuck with, but at least World Go Boom was better than last year’s submission.


We Are Young – Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe



Thought I am not completely sold on the song by Fun., at least until Janelle Monáe (who says she plans to release two new albums this year) shows up for an all too brief cameo, but it is hard to to be down with a music video featuring slow motion chaos.


Black Treacle – Arctic Monkeys



I did not like most of the Arctic Monkeys’s latest album because it delved mostly in phycodelia, but this song is more in vein of their older song and even has their usual nonsensical video to boot.


Ray Charles - Chiddy Bang



It’s hard not to think of The Throne sampling Otis Redding when you first see Chiddy Bang serenade Ray Charles, but it entertaining in its own right especially their homage to Parents Just Don't Understand.

I Want My Music Television - 4/27/11

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


Make Some Noise - Beastie Boys



With sequels to decades old movies like Tron and Wall Street becoming in vogue, it was only time for someone to make a sequel to a music video from the eighties. But like every sequel, I am not sure if the Beastie Boys needed to make a thirty minute short film about the events of what happened after Fight for Your Right. But it does feature every funny white dude working today (sorry Zach Galifianakis, unless that is really you selling got dogs). So it has that going for it. Here’s hoping the Beastie Boys make a feature film Sabotage reboot next because who would not want to see more of Cochese and the boys?


The Lazy Song - Bruno Mars



I should hate Bruno Mars but let’s face it, much like the boy bands of the nineties, he is really too bland to dislike. Yet there are signs of an artist in there: he produced The Song Otherwise Known as Forget You and his Grammy performance of Grenade was much better than the radio version. Plus it is hard not to get behind a video featuring dancing monkeys.


Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair - Arctic Monkeys



After coming as close to perfecting snotty punk rock as a twenty-first century band can, it looks like the Arctic Monkeys are going to start morphing into a psychedelic sound with this trippy video.


Barton Hollow - The Civil Wars



Every week I highlight something that you can legally download for my Best of the Week posts, and this past week I pointed you to The Civil Wars. Unfortunately 20 Years is no longer available to download for free, but The Civil Wars is definitely a band worth checking out. If there is any justice in the world, they will be this year’s Mumford & Sons, a folksy group that inexplicably stays near the top of the albums chart all year with little mainstream buzz. Fun fact: one of the members (the one that does not look like the Jack White / Jonny Depp lovechild) wrote a song for David Archuleta.

100 Best Songs of 2007

This being the Most Mediocre Year Ever, there is no band that sums that up better than Paramore. The bad got a big push from MTV and their record label thanks to being one of the first bands to sign a 360 degree deal. Yet with all the marketing muscle behind their three singles this year, the band wasn’t good enough to show up on this list nor were bad enough to land of the Worst Songs of 2007 list. So congratulations Paramore, with all the mediocre music put out by bland artists such as OneRepublic, Lifehouse, and Sean Kingston, you managed to be the most mediocre of them all. Although the problem with the most mediocre of them all, even though this is the Most Mediocre Year Ever, you will most likely be forgotten by 2009. Sorry.

Onto the songs that did make the list, the reason this is the Most Mediocre Year Ever is the great songs were really thin at the top this year. Most of these songs wouldn’t have cracked the top ten in other years. With that said, even though there was a lacking of great songs, there was an overabundance of good songs this year to the point that there were ten to twenty songs this year that deserved to make the top one hundred when most years ninety through one hundred are an afterthought most years. But here are the ones that made the cut for this, the last post of 2007. Hopefully I will see you all back here in 2008.


1. Drivin' Me Wild - Common featuring Lily Allen

2. Dreaming With a Broken Heart - John Mayer

3. Can't Tell Me Nothing - Kanye West

4. Rehab - Amy Winehouse

5. Two - Ryan Adams

6. Stronger - Kanye West

7. Tennessee - The Wreckers

8. Oh My God - Mark Ronson featuring Lily Allen

9. Read My Mind - The Killers

10. No One - Alicia Keys

11. Radio Nowhere - Bruce Springsteen

12. Alfie - Lily Allen

13. Our Song - Taylor Swift

14. The Underdog - Spoon

15. The Game - Common

16. Brianstorm - Arctic Monkeys

17. Look After You - The Fray

18. LDN - Lily Allen

19. Love Song - Sara Bareilles

20. Dumb It Down - Lupe Fiasco featuring GemStones & Graham Burris

21. Everybody Knows - Ryan Adams

22. Rockstar - Nickelback

23. Trouble Sleeping - Corinne Bailey Rae

24. Like You'll Never See Me Again - Alicia Keys

25. 1234 - Feist

26. Fluorescent Adolescent - Arctic Monkeys

27. Extraordinary - Mandy Moore

28. Sober - Kelly Clarkson

29. You Know I'm No Good - Amy Winehouse

30. Young Folks - Peter Bjorn and John featuring Victoria Bergsman

31. Bleed It Out - Linkin Park

32. Bubbly - Colbie Caillat

33. Say - John Mayer

34. Shut Up and Drive - Rihanna

35. Open Your Eyes - Snow Patrol

36. Believe - The Bravery

37. Ah Mary - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

38. Smiley Faces - Gnarls Barkley

39. Umbrella - Rihanna featuring Jay-Z

40. Big Casino - Jimmy Eat World

41. Tranquilize - The Killers featuring Lou Reed

42. Halloweenhead - Ryan Adams

43. Hang Me Up to Dry - Cold War Kids

44. Can You Believe - Robin Thicke

45. Hate That I Love You - Rihanna and NeYo

46. If You're Gonna Leave - Emerson Hart

47. Harder Than You Think - Public Enemy

48. Roc Boys - Jay-Z

49. Other Side of the World - KT Tunstall

50. Tears Dry On Their Own - Amy Winehouse

51. All Good Things (Come to an End) - Nelly Furtado

52. Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5

53. Throw Some D’s (Remix) - Kanye West

54. Listen!!! - Talib Kweli

55. 100 Days, 100 Nights - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

56. The Pretender - Foo Fighters

57. Conquest - The White Stripes

58. What Goes Around.../...Comes Around Interlude - Justin Timberlake

59. Won't Go Home Without You - Maroon 5

60. Window In the Skies - U2

61. What I've Done - Linkin Park

62. Ever Ever After - Carrie Underwood

63. Nolita Fairytale - Vanessa Carlton

64. The People - Common

65. Never Again - Kelly Clarkson

66. Littlest Things - Lily Allen

67. Wasted - Carrie Underwood

68. Wake Up Call - Maroon 5

69. Icky Thump - The White Stripes

70. Her Eyes - Pat Monahan

71. Dance Tonight - Paul McCartney

72. Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been) - KRS-One, Kanye West, Nas & Rakim

73. Hot In Herre - Jenny Owen Youngs

74. Ain't Nothing Wrong With That - Robert Randolph and the Family Band

75. New Shoes - Paolo Nutini

76. Stop Me - Mark Ronson featuring Daniel Merriweather

77. Tarantula - Smashing Pumpkins

78. Shut Your Eyes - Snow Patrol

79. The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson

80. Teardrops On My Guitar - Taylor Swift

81. Hey There Delilah - Plain White T’s

82. B.U.D.D.Y. - Musiq Soulchild

83. Australia - The Shins

84. You're All I Have - Snow Patrol

85. Guitar - Prince

86. Gravity - John Mayer

87. Good Life - Kanye West featuring T-Pain

88. Say Ok - Vanessa Hudgens

89. Gotta Work - Amerie

90. Follow the Lights - Ryan Adams

91. You Give Me Something - James Morrison

92. Valerie - Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse

93. Saving My Face - KT Tunstall

94. So Small - Carrie Underwood

95. Do It - Nelly Furtado

96. Candyman - Christina Aguilera

97. Thinking About You - Norah Jones

98. Undeniable - Mat Kearney

99. Tick Tick Boom - The Hives

100. This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race - Fall Out Boy

To listen to snipits of most of the songs above or to buy them DRM-free, check out the widget below:

30 Best Albums of 2007

In a story I broke last week, 2007 is the most mediocre year ever. Case in point, last year’s Best Albums of the Year list had fifty albums on it, this year it was hard to scrape thirty this year. Yeah there were a couple albums that could have gotten on this list but I never got around to listening to the whole thing and thus never reviewed (Linkin Park, Jay-Z), but for the most part I got hold of most everything I wanted to review, it was just not that much music this year and of those that I did review there really wasn’t anything great.

Two albums you definitely won’t be seeing on this list are Konvicted by Akon and T.I. vs. T.I.P. even though I got both for Christmas. Should I be offended that someone thought about me, “Now there is someone who would like listening to Akon”? But anyways. If you are interested in reading my original review of these albums, check out the link below the album and if you are interested in buying them on iTunes, click on the album link. If you want to buy the physical CD, head over to Scooter McGavin’s Amazon Store where you can order them there:


1. As I Am - Alicia Keys
It’s My Time, Said it’s My Time to Shine

2. Magic - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
I Just Want to Feel Some Rhythm

3. Alright, Still - Lily Allen
Sun Is in the Sky, oh Why, oh Why Would I Wanna Be Anywhere Else

4. Easy Tiger - Ryan Adams
I’m Open All Night and the Customers Come to Stay

5. Graduation - Kanye West
They Say I Talk with So Much Emphasis

6. Back to Black - Amy Winehouse
I Told Ya I Was Trouble

7. Favourite Worst Nightmare - Arctic Monkeys
Remember When He Used to be a Rascal

8. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Spoon
I Wanna Forget How Convention Fits

9. Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool - Lupe Fiasco
But I Sphinx Like Leon

10. Little Voice - Sara Bareilles
There’ll Be Girls Across the Country that’ll Eat this Up

11. Chase This Light - Jimmy Eat World
Because Tonight the World Turned in Me

12. Luvanmusiq - Musiq Soulchild
I Ain’t No Hood, No Crook, No Robber

13. Finding Forever - Common
Can’t Leave Rap Alone the Streets Need Me

14. Wild Hope - Mandy Moore
I Was a Starling, Nobody’s Darling

15. Echo, Silence, Patience and Grace - Foo Fighters
I’m Finished Making Sense, Done Pleading Ignorance

16. Icky Thump - The White Stripes
The Hills Are Pretty and Rollin’

17. 100 Days, 100 Nights - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
He May Be Mellow, He May Be Kind

18. Coco - Colbie Caillat
You Make Me Smile Please Stay for a While

19. This Is Ryan Shaw - Ryan Shaw
If I Got You We Have More than Money

20. Lifeline - Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals
Dance with Me to the Colors of the Dusk

21. The Reminder - Feist
Musings From the Back 9: Music Edition V

22. Freedom’s Road - John Mellencamp
I Like My Heroes to Be Honest and Strong

23. It Won’t Be Soon Before Long - Maroon 5
We Must Free Up These Tired Souls

24. Eardrum - Talib Kweli
It Ain’t Old School, New School, it’s True School Rap

25. Carnival Ride - Carrie Underwood
Here’s to You Hairbrush Singers and Dashboard Drummers

26. Not Too Late - Norah Jones
Love in the Time of War Is not Fair

27. Dramatic Fantastic - KT Tunstall
The World Will Turn if You’re Ready or Not

28. The Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant - Wyclef Jean
Break Is Over Man, I’m Back with My Ink Pen

29. Combinations - Eisley
Listen to Me, You Pull Me Apart

30. Planet Earth - Prince
I Know U Hear Me Like a Whisper in Ur Ear

25 Best Music Videos of 2007

It is really hard to complain about MTV and VH1 no longer showing videos anymore because who these days wants to wade through videos that they hand pick when you have almost every video ever made at your disposal whenever you want on sites like YouTube? And here are the best of the best of from the past twelve months. I have embedded the first couple videos, the rest you can click the link to follow to YouTube and if you are interested in buying the videos, click the iTunes links. Now I should mention some of these videos are not safe for work but really nothing on YouTube is all the safe for work because I’m sure you boss wouldn’t be thrilled even if your watching a video of a cat playing with a ball of yarn. But anyways:


1. Can't Tell Me Nothing - Kanye West



2. Trapped in the Closet Chapter 1-12 Recap - R. Kelly



3. Rockstar - Nickelback



4. Throw Some D's - Kanye West



5. Drivin’ Me Wild - Common featuring Lily Allen




6. Windows in the Skies (Modernista Version) - U2

7. Fluorescent Adolescent - Arctic Monkeys

8. Smiley Faces - Gnarls Barkley

9. 1234 - Feist

10. Halloweenhead - Ryan Adams

11. Alfie - Lily Allen

12. Conquest - The White Stripes

13. Read My Mind - The Killers

14. Hot in Herre - Jenny Owen Youngs

15. Oh My God - Mark Ronson featuring Lily Allen

16. Hang Me Up to Dry - Cold War Kids

17. Young Folks - Peter Bjorn and John featuring Victoria Bergsman

18. Stronger - Kanye West

19. Sinkin’ Soon - Norah Jones

20. What I've Done - Linkin Park

21. Ever Ever After - Carrie Underwood

22. Love Song - Sara Bareilles

23. LDN - Lily Allen

24. Sensual Seduction - Snoop Dogg

25. Long Road to Ruin - Foo Fighters

Don't Download These Videos vol. XIX

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.


Fluorescent Adolescent - Arctic Monkeys



Take out the obvious Karma Police rip off of an ending, and the latest from the Arctic Monkeys could be the most entertaining video of the year. C’mon, old dudes and clowns beating the crap out of each other, how has someone not thought of this already?


Stranger - Hilary Duff



I never thought it would happen, but someone when and made Hilary Duff remotely attractive, specifically the Indian set up and the purple dress look. Granted even though she looks almost good, it is still hard not to laugh during her dance sequence. As for the plot of the video, your guess is as good as mine.


When You’re Gone - Avril Lavigne



I’m not sure what we need less in the world, another silly little pop song that shamelessly exploits the war, this time from a Canadian no less, are a love song written about the dude from Sum41. Okay, but at least the whole walls falling down near the end were pretty cool so I will give Avril Lavigne some points there.


The Rat Cage - Beastie Boys



I own every Beastie Boys album, but I’m not sure I can get behind an album of all instrumentals. They are cool when they slip one or two on a usual album and The Rat Cage is really funky, but I’m sure I would want to hear their trademark quirky lyrics eventually. Hopefully one of those isn’t too far behind. As for the video, it is still classic Beasties.

Remember When He Used to Be a Rascal

Nobody in recent years had a bigger buzz leading up to the release of their album than Arctic Monkeys. Then the album was released and they were met with general indifference. Yeah, not even the Beatles could have lived up to that kind of hype, but Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not was a good album (that landed at number 14 on my 50 Best Albums of 2006). Who know why the band was ignored, my guess is that, even though most people lose their accents when singing, Alex Turner’s vocals still sounds very British.

And if the British thing is what kept Americans from jumping on the bandwagon for the first album, it’s doubtful the second will change their mind, right down to the extra British “U” in the album’s title, Favourite Worst Nightmare. The disk may even be less palatable to the general audience here as the disk is distinctly harder and faster as evident with the album opener first single, Brianstorm, a jarring sound of guitars that will command your attention right from the start.

But much like on the last album, the band is at its best when it goes into the mid-tempo area with quirky lyrics that cleverly rhyme and nowhere on Favourite Worst Nightmare is that displayed than of Florescent Adolescent a song about a girl gone wild who is wild no more as she, “used to get it in your fishnets now you only get it in your nightdress.” With two good albums in as many years, the Arctic Monkeys may be providing those who like real music for years to come, long after the current crop of dudes wearing eyeliner are resigned to VH1 reality shows.

Song to Download - Florescent Adolescent

Favourite Worst Nightmare gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Scooter McGavin's Spring Preview part 1

The first quarter of 2007 was easily the worst quarter ever for the music industry. To put things in perspective, when the soundtrack to Dreamgirls topped the chart in January, it wouldn’t have even cracked the top twenty five years ago. Granted when you don’t release albums people want to buy you should expect some low numbers with only Norah Jones and Fall Out Boy being the only big name acts to release an album in the first three months of the year with the latter certainly not living up to expectations. But the consumer is partially to blame too as Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse both put out great debuts that were widely ignored by the general public. Apparently you have to be featured on crappy television shows before anyone will buy your record these days.

Things may be starting to pick up as record companies are starting to release albums featuring songs that will be the soundtrack of your summer. Here is part one of my spring preview with the second coming later this week. If there is anything I missed feel free to drop me a comment and maybe I’ll add it to the second part, if it is not already there. Keep in mind, release dates are scheduled to change.


April 17
Best Damn Thing - Avril Lavigne: Avril has already perfected the pseudo-punk girl attitude, but after adding a few years, getting married, and putting out a Celine Dion type balled last year, it looks like she is swinging back the other way with the straight out pop song of the first single off the album, Girlfriend. Click her name to pre-order this album on iTunes and recieve a bonus track.


April 24
Favourite Worst Nightmare - The Arctic Monkeys: One of the biggest buzz bands of last year. Well at least until they actually released an album. They did still land at number 14 of my 50 Best Albums of 2006 list. Click there name to pre-order this album on iTunes and recieve the video for Brianstorm for free.

One Man Revolution - The Nightwatchman: Rage Against the Machine were legendary, Audioslave were great (at times), now after conquering rap-rock and classic rock, Tom Morello gives the singer-songwriter genre a try with what he calls, “the vibe of Springsteen’s Nebraska, Dylan’s The Times Are a-Changin’ and maybe a pinch of Johnny Cash and Leonard Cohen.”

Evil Dead: The Musical -2006 Orginal Off-Broadway Cast: I never knew they made a musical of this but if it is a third as good as the movie it will be great. Can we dare hope for an Army of Darkness musical in the future?


May 1
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - Miranda Lambert: Think Carrie Underwood if Before He Cheats was considered one of her nicer song. Miranda even has her own karaoke background as the loser of Country Star.


May 8
Strength & Loyalty - Bone Thugs-n-Harmony: My boys form just a miles north of my back and hopefully they didn’t bring any Phil Collins samples this time around.

The Boy with No Name - Travis: Remember them? No? Oh, never mind then.


May 15
Minutes to Midnight - Linkin Park: I featured the video to What I’ve Done last week which sounded pretty much like their old sound without the beats or pseudo rap and the guitar turned up fitting into their no rap-rock credo. But with Rick Rubin at the helm, last seen actually making Justin Timberlake not suck, it can’t be too bad. Click there name to pre-order this album on iTunes and recieve two exclusive bonus tracks (one only available for pre-ordered).