I Want My Music Television - 5/31/12

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.

Lost In the World - Kanye West



Sure it has been over a year since Kanye West released his last album and has even dropped one with Jay-Z since then, but you can rush the man when it comes to his art. I’m a bit surprised he does not take Chinese Democracy style time to record new albums.


Payphone - Maroon 5



When I first heard the new Maroon 5 song I thought to myself, who uses a payphone anymore? It is nice that they explain this at the beginning of the video that his cell phone is broken. What is not explained is why when they got out of the bank, why does Adam Levine say to the cops, we are bankers. That could have alleviated the whole car chase sequence.


Ships in the Night - Mat Kearney



With the intro talking about how many miles, I was like, “what?” But as soon as Mat Kearney appeared on screen in the different locations, I realized that this was a very clever, if not extremely time consuming, concept.


Stuck on You - Meiko



If only I could cook, I would sure like to try Meiko’s recipe here but I am against any recipe that calls for a prep time over whatever time it takes to make a grilled-cheese sandwich.

You Give a Little Heart, Give a Little Soul

On her first album, Meiko created some of the quirkiest indie, acoustic guitar based, snarky songs that it is surprising she was not featured in an iPod commercial. She was basically Sara Bareilles with a guitar that would take an extra step across the preverbal line. With her snark in full view four years later it is surprising how mature she sounds on her sophomore album The Bright Side and stays serious for the most part (a song titled Good Looking Loser notwithstanding).

Not just mature but she at times even sounds sexy and she clearly has the voice for it. This is no more evident than on the first single Leave the Lights On where she coos over a subtle electro beat about secrets and something between the sheets. It may take a few listens for fans of her first album to get used to the dancey beat, but the song pushes her places that no one could have thought of after her debut. When the Doors Close takes those sensibilities from the first single and slows them down to great effect.

For those that loved that first album, there is still plenty to draw you in. Stuck on You and Let it Go are as catchy as anything on her freshman outing and you probably won’t be able to wait until she comes to your hometown so you can sing them back to her. But the highlights of The Bright Side are where Meiko expands her sound. I’m in Love is Meiko’s Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Sgt. Pepper moment with an ultra-catchy sing-a-long with some new instrumentations. The growth culminates on the last track, the sultry New Orleans jazz of I Wonder. If Meiko can make a leap like this musically from her first album to her second, I personally cannot wait for what she has in store for the listeners on her third.

Song to Download – I'm In Love

The Bright Side gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

I Want My Music Television - 4/18/12

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.

Payphone – Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa



Lyric Videos are all the rage these days (and we have Adam’s buddy Cee-Lo for that) but Maroon 5 put a new twist on the concept but creating a comic strip with the lyrics as the thought bubbles which is pretty cool. Though I’m am not sure if that is supposed to be Adam Levine or some random dude at the local Abercrombie and Fitch.


My Valentine - Paul McCartney



For his last album, Paul McCartney got Natalie Portman to appear in his video and she is back for another go around for his new album. It is good to be a Beatle. Strangely there are three different versions of the video, one with only Natalie, one with only Johnny Depp but I went with this one that had both because I am an equal opportunity ogler. You’re welcome.


Leave the Lights On – Meiko



I am always a fan of one shot music video and it is interesting how that put a spotlight on Meiko whenever her boyfriend is not touching her (though when I first watched it I was a bit confused because I did not realize the name of the song) but I am not sure I like the disco direction take of the song. Hopefully there are some folksier songs on her upcoming new album.


Disconnected (Acoustic) - Keane



Not really the song I would expect from Keane, they really came close to perfecting the easy listening in the new millennium sound and this is more ethereal than their past work, and I certainly did not expect them to make a horror music video either.

I Want My Music Television vol. LIII

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.


Funny the Way It Is - Dave Matthews Band

Somewhat reminiscent of their last video Eh Hee with Dave Matthews getting abused with the camera doing weird speed effects. Well, at least the song is great. A Dustland Fairytale - The Killers Nothing more unintentionally funny then when The Killers try to go for an epic video. But all I could think when watching it is the Enrique Iglesias video Hero (with Mickey Rourke and Jennifer Love Hewitt). Crack a Bottle – Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent Crack a Bottle was really the only party song on Relapse, but leave it to Eminem to make a video that is as creepy as the rest of the album. Under My Bed – Meiko Meikohad me at ninjas hiding under her bed. And holy Abe Lincoln sighting!