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Video: Suuns’ Pie IX

Suuns was one of my favorite new discoveries of 2010. They also had one of my favorite album covers of the year: a stark black and white photograph of a sparsely lit woman. It was simultaneously alluring and dangerous. Much in that vein comes the video for “Pie IX,” which captures that same dark vibe with a throbbing beat and strobe light that illuminates a beautiful young woman. It get’s a little NSFW near the middle, but it’s a great looking and minimal video of a cool song.

Pie IX by Suuns from Secretly Jag on Vimeo.

Seriously though, what’s with all the recent nudity in these videos of late? I guess you gotta do that to draw in clicks in these days of the web where it can be hard to maintain anyone’s attention for long.

Yuck’s New NSFW Video ‘Holing Out’

…But also a pretty great music video. I like how it takes on this B-movie, grindhouse horror movie vibe. But yes, just like their last video for “Rubber,” “Holing Out” definitely has some nudity and, in this case, some blood and gore.

Yuck has pretty quickly become my favorite new band of 2011, which can be seen in action in my Song of the Day review on NPR Music.

Video: James Blake’s ‘Wilhelms Scream’

I just love the hazy, out-of-focus look to this video for James Blake’s “The Wilhems Scream” from his forthcoming self-titled full-length album. This album is pretty durn great at times — moody, dark, minimal but man, can Blake sing. His voice is a mix of Antony’s warbling croon and the affected, pained falsetto of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon.

See another James Blake video after the jump…

Photo Gallery: Yo La Tengo @ 930 Club

Gotta say, it’s pretty damn fun to shoot photos at a concert. Gives me something to do and keeps me engaged. Last night I caught Yo La Tengo at the 930 Club to try out my brand new Canon 7D camera. Here you can see Yo La Tengo try out their new special concert format in which they spin a wheel to determine what their first set will be. We got “Sounds of Science Part 1,” an ambient instrumental score to a film (sadly they didn’t screen that). The second set was full of the hits. Solid show.

After some mishaps with camera settings, eventually got some decent shots for a first go at it.

Best Song I’ve Heard All Day: A Cover And A Video

(parts 988 and 989 in a 1001 part series)

Really loving this video for “Tiny Head” by The Luyas:

I just really dig how simple and clean it is, but still manages to be artful. Based around the singer Jessie Stein, The Luyas are another Montreal-based band with ties to Arcade Fire — former multi-instrumentalist, Pietro Amato, and current violinist, Sarah Neufeld make up two of the band’s four members.

This band’s new album Too Beautiful To Work is coming out soon (Feb. 22) on Dead Oceans, a label that’s part of that Secretly Canadian\Jagjaguwar\Dead Oceans trifecta. Whenever I get something in the mail from one of these three imprint, I know there’s a very good chance I’m going to like whatever record is inside. And for this record, the band enlisted Owen Pallett to compose string arrangements.

Also be sure to listen to their fantastic cover of Radiohead’s “Motion Picture Soundtrack,” which employs low brass in a really excellent way. It’s also got some very solid electronic-inspired poly-rhythmic percussion which helps make this amazing song their own.

[audio:https://hellocomein.com/soundbox/HelloShuffle/bestsongallday/Luyas_MotionPictureSoundtrack.mp3]

Best Song I’ve Heard All Day: Lemonade

(part 978 in a 1001 part series)

Braids is one of those bands that’s getting considerable buzz right now for 2011 and after hearing the opening track from their album Native Speaker, “Lemonade,” it’s easy to hear why. The band seems to have just the right mix of ethereal, often Bjork-like vocals, minimal repeated electronics ala Animal Collective and melodies that are in the indie rock wheel house. This record is quite good and will surely catch on with some people this year.

As a bonus, here’s another stellar song, “Lammicken,” which is just a tad more challenging but just as inventive and transfixing.

Best Song I’ve Heard All Day: Tribute Edition

(part 956 in a 1001 part series)

I sure love a well executed cover song. Case in point: Holly Miranda‘s haunting rendition of Sparklehorse’s “Hundreds Of Sparrows.” Miranda, a member of the Detroit band Jealous Girlfriends, has been playing the song recently in her solo set. But on New Year’s Day, the singer-songwriter gave away a lo-fi recording of the song for free on her site.

What makes this song work so well is how she so skillfully paired away the late Mark Linkous’ trademark production, down to a lone finger-picked guitar, vocal harmonies and the building flourishes of a glockenspiel. It’s easy to load up a song with too many layers, but Miranda shows a lot of restraint. It’s a perfect and loving tribute that finds the both beauty and sadness in Linkous’ words.

Holly Miranda – Hundreds of Sparrows (Sparklehorse Cover) by morrisday

Here’s a video of her performing the song as well:

Holly Miranda- Hundreds of Sparrows (Sparklehorse Cover) from Adrian Vieni (Wood & Wires) on Vimeo.

Reblogging: NPR Links Update

Been awhile since I’ve dumped some links. This time I seem to have a whole boatload…So let’s get to it then.

All the Links after the jump…

Best Song I’ve Heard All Day — Early 2011 Favorite

(part 943 in a 1001 part series)

I’ve only just now gotten around to listening to this band Yuck this weekend after their debut album came across my desk this past week. But wow… I think I might have a new favorite for 2011 and the year hasn’t even started yet.

This song “Rubber” in particular grabs immediately with some of the beefiest shoegazer distortion I’ve heard this side of black metal and ’90s grunge. But once you get into its melodic trance, it becomes so cathartic. The band can be powerful poppy garage rock or they can be sweetly melancholy and minimal. Mark my words, this band will be one the interblogs will be talking about this year — at least until some sort of backlash happens. But enjoy it while you can.

Check out their weird and pretty gross at times, yet strangely beautiful (and NSFW) video for “Rubber.” Beware, it has both a nude woman and extreme closeups of dogs getting washed and groomed. Do what you will with that information.

Yuck – Rubber from Yuck on Vimeo.

Best Song I’ve Heard All Day — ‘This Is War’

(part 929 in a 1001 part series)

One of my favorite new music discoveries this year has been the duo Houses, who’s album All Night was one of my most heavily played albums from about October on. As I said in my recent Song of the Day write up, their minimalist electronic music is dark, hazy and yet completely blissful and emotionally cathartic.

So I was happy to find — albeit belatedly — that they recently released a new song, “This Is War,” on the site Alternative Apparel. This one eschews the electronics and samples for a dirgey piano, washed out guitar lines and haunting vocals that build to climactic peak that recalls The Antlers, The National or Deerhunter. Apparently a holiday song, here’s what Houses’ member Dexter Tortoriello writes about the music:

Holiday songs are often about snow, gifts or family – all of which are happy and nice – but when you stop and think about it, most holidays are based around very serious events. Christmas is, at its core, a recognition of the birth of one of the most famous and controversial figures in history. His birth and life are a truly incredible story in themselves, regardless of your personal beliefs. The song is about that very first Christmas day. It’s a haunting yet beautiful melody; we chose not to use the electronics that we’re known for on this song and opted instead for a more traditional composition. It seemed fitting.

Needless to say, it’s great. Check out the video below:

Houses Gift to Alternative Apparel from Houses on Vimeo.