Come out of your cave walking on your hands January 29, 2010
Posted by Patrick in Muzak.Tags: mumford & sons, sigh no more, the cave
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Mumford & Sons have released the video for their latest single, The Cave (out 28th February), from their debut album Sigh No More.
The video features the band giving their instruments and such to what look like a lost Indian marching band, and then jetting off on motorbikes around the Indian countryside. Next thing you know, everyone’s having a great big lipsync to the song. And it’s great.
Every time I pick a favourite off the band’s album, it changes the next week. For the moment though, The Cave is definitely it. Check out the video below.
There’s a wand waiting for ME? January 29, 2010
Posted by Patrick in Cinematics, Lit.Tags: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Harry Potter, Michael Gambon, Orlando, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Tom Felton, Universal Studios
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If I wasn’t already excited enough about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, set to launch this spring at Universal Studios Orlando, I certainly am now.
The theme park’s marketing team have wisely recruited the film franchise’s cast members to talk up Ollivander’s Wand Shop (see below), which will be situated in Hogsmeade Village (not Diagon Alley like in the books…)
It’s a bit gimmicky to hear Emma Watson tell us our “wand is waiting for us”, and Michael Gambon is clearly taking the piss for the entire thing, but nonetheless, colour me excited.
Thierry Coup, Universal Creative’s vice president of creative development and head of the project, explains the wand selection process:
“The questions that will be asked from the wand keeper to the wizard are very individual, very tailored to each person based on their birth date and other questions which will determine the kind of wood and kind of narrow down the choices of wands.
One of [the effects could be], as you’re asked to wave the wand, [if it’s not the right one], may be wilting flowers. As you’re asked to water the flowers actually is the reverse effect may happen. Lightening, thunder, we have a whole series of effects. We want enough variety so everyone gets a very unique, individual experience.”
Although there’s no official launch date for the park yet, I’m keeping a close eye on flights to Florida so I can be first in line for my custom wand.
[via MTV.com]
Getting the job done… January 17, 2010
Posted by Paula in Webshite.Tags: Newlywedsontjob, twitter
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It can be difficult when a friend gets into a new relationship. Maybe you don’t see them as much, maybe you’re horribly jealous of their newfound happiness, or maybe you miss being the one they tell everything to. Well, with a touch-sensitive pad linked to a Twitter feed, there would be no need to feel out of the loop. You could truly be a fly on the wall in your mate’s relationship. One man has done just that- and yes, it is as over-intrusive and freaky as it sounds.
‘Anon Bestman’ is responsible for newlywedsontjob, a Twitter feed he’s set up to record each and every time his newlywed pals hop into their marital bed to get, well, on t’job.He says his mate “stiched me up something rotten when I was his best man” and that this is his revenge. Well, Anon, I doubt your pal broadcast your sexual relations to the world though, did he?
Either it’s an elaborate hoax or it’s an elaborately put-together system, but either way, followers of newlywedsontjob can track all the details of this unsuspecting couple’s alone time. The duration of each romp is noted, and the ‘frenzy’ of each session is rated from 1 to 10. The lowest the couple have reached so far is 2, and they’re only back from their honeymoon three weeks. Oo-er…
Filling the Gilmore Girls void January 17, 2010
Posted by Patrick in Televisual.Tags: gilmore girls, kerr smith, Life Unexpected, shiri appleby
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It’s been a long hard road since Gilmore Girls bit the dust back in 2007, but The CW, the US network behind Gilmore Girls is in some way making up for that loss by giving us Life Unexpected.
From the official site:
After spending her life bouncing from one foster family to another, 15-year-old Lux has decided to become an emancipated minor. Her journey through the legal maze leads Lux to her biological father, 30-something Nate “Baze” Bazile, who lives like an aging frat-boy and is astonished to learn he has a daughter. Lux is equally astonished to learn that her mother is Cate Cassidy, a star on local radio, along with her boyfriend, Ryan Thomas. When a judge grants temporary custody of Lux to Baze and Cate, they agree to make a belated attempt to give Lux the family she deserves.
From the trailer at least, it looks like it lacks some of the snarky witticism that Gilmore Girls did so well, but if we’re looking for the pure mother-daughter banter element, that looks like it could be here in droves.
Shiri Appleby, best known for playing Roswell‘s Liz, has finally made her way back to the small screen in her role as Lux’s mother Cate. Kerr Smith, Dawson’s Creek‘s Jack is also part of the cast as Cate’s boyfriend Ryan.
Looks like this one could go either way. It looks dangerously close to going into schmaltzy 7th Heaven territory at any moment, but I’ll at least give it the first episode to make my judgement.
The first ten minutes are now available on Facebook, and the show launches in the US next Monday. Check out the extended trailer below.
[Image: The CW]
Return of the Nash January 16, 2010
Posted by Patrick in Muzak.Tags: Do-Wah-Do, Kate Nash, Made of Bricks
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After enjoying considerable success from her first album Made of Bricks, things were looking good for Kate Nash. Then, she disappeared. For what feels like an eternity but was actually only approximately 22 months since she last released a single. Actually, that is practically an eternity in music terms.
Suddenly however, it seems that her as-yet-untitled second album will finally see a release in the coming months.
In the interim apparently, according to an interview with Paste Magazine, Kate has been “Being a person. Getting a flat. Buying a bunny rabbit. Passing my driving test.”
Ah, the classic post-successful-first-album-bunny-rabbit-purchase. Happens to them all. She’s also started up a side-project called The Receeders, who apparently only have about four songs to their name at this stage.
It’s not exactly clear what the second album will sound like, or indeed how similar it will be to her colourful piano-laced debut. This time round, she says she’s drawing influences from ’60s girl groups and ‘riot grrrl punk’:
“Being a woman was important to me on this album, so I wanted to be inspired by women,” she said. “I wanted to mix The Supremes and Bikini Kill.”
I’ve only heard a ropey YouTube version of the planned lead single Do-Wah-Do, which you can also avail of at the bottom of the post, and from the sounds of it it’s certainly not going to alienate her old fans. There’s something kind of newish sounding to it though, but it’s not clear how experimental she’s going to get with her sound on the rest of the record.
Other songs slated for the album have the working titles Paris, Kiss That Girl, I Hate Seagulls and Don’t You Wanna Share The Guilt.
No release date has been announced, but it’s certainly happening.
Kings of Menswear? January 15, 2010
Posted by Patrick in Muzak, Trashion.Tags: kings of leon, kolxs2a, menswear, surface to air
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Kings of Leon, known internationally for making above average rock music, have taken their first foray into the fashion world by launching their own menswear line, KOLxS2A, facilitated by Parisian boutique Surface to Air.
There aren’t many celebrity menswear lines out there, at least not to the overblown extent that female celebrities do special lines, so the Kings of Leon project piqued my interest when I first heard about it. So they may not exactly be fashion icons, but at least it would be something interesting.
Sadly, it’s not really. At all. From the clumsy title of the collection to its pieces, including one fairly ugly t-shirt and two meh plaid shirts, it’s all downhill from there. And it’s not even reasonably priced to add insult to injury. £209 for a guitar strap? £739 for a leather jacket? Think I’ll pass.
What’s worse is the fact that a lot of their devoted fans are likely to be turned off the band for ‘selling out’ and releasing an overpriced and not all-that-great clothing line. Bad move.
The collection is “coming soon” to Surface to Air stores in Paris, Sao Paulo, online and selected stores worldwide.
Click ‘more‘ below to see pictures of the line.
Art in 140 characters or less January 15, 2010
Posted by Paula in Webshite.Tags: John Mayer, Museum of Modern Tweets, Nick Jonas, Odessa Begay, Tweet Museum
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US artist/illustrator Odessa Begay has taken the common tweet and turned it into something altogether more decorative. Begay’s blog, Museum of Modern Tweets, is a collection of illustrations, each representing a celebrity tweet.
My favourite work of TwitArt is based on John Mayer’s Dec 30th “Christmas on December 25th is merely a suggestion” tweet, but click through to see some others. The collection is relatively small, but Begay promises that she will update at least once a week “unless my hands fall off”.
This ban too shall pass January 14, 2010
Posted by Paula in Muzak.Tags: Ok Go, This Too Shall Pass
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The video for Ok Go‘s new tune, This Too Shall Pass, popped up on YouTube a few days ago. Sadly, Capitol Records played a nasty trick on everyone by disabling embedding of the video in all regions. Given that Ok Go‘s videos are generally a sight to behold, and that this video is no different, people were a little upset that they couldn’t share it.
The video is now available to watch on Vimeo. Or right here. Hurray! It features a 200-strong marching band, and reminds me of that church scene in Love Actually where band members pop out from everywhere. Except Ok Go‘s effort has more exciting music, and grass monsters too.
Television, Paper II January 14, 2010
Posted by Paula in Televisual.Tags: Junior Certificate, Leaving Certificate, RTE, St Peter's College Dunboyne, The School
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My final year in secondary school is one that I would rather forget. Macbeth, photosynthesis, the formation of limestone – the memories are there but they are buried in a very dark place. It is certainly not a year that I would have wished to be captured forever on film, and not only that, but broadcast on national television.
I’m lucky that my parents didn’t make a snap decision to send me to St Peter’s College in Co. Meath then. The staff and students of St Peter’s were followed around for a full year by RTÉ cameras, and the results are being broadcast as a three-part series called The School. The final instalment, filmed during the black hole of pain that is State exam time, airs next Monday on RTÉ1.
Having watched the first two episodes, I think that The School is one of the best homegrown documentaries that RTÉ has shown in a while. It’s well worth a look, if only for the ache of familiarity (but certainly not nostalgia) that will hit anyone who attended an Irish secondary school. Addressing every adult female as Bean Ní something, getting notes to your parents in your homework diary, or receiving one of those “If I could go in there and sit the exam for you, I WOULD, but this is your problem” lectures… it’s all there.
The School can be seen on Monday, 9.35pm on RTÉ1. The first two episodes are available on the RTÉ iPlayer for the next few weeks.
Head, shoulders, knees and…ass January 13, 2010
Posted by Patrick in Muzak, Webshite.Tags: Fernanda Viégas, fleshmap, hip hop, Martin Wattenberg
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When you really think about it, human body parts are mentioned a whole lot in songs. It’s no surprise really that the word ‘ass’ is a common term in the hip-hop genre, or that Gospel music often mentions hands. But what body parts are alternative musicians and metal bands regularly working into their lyrics?
That’s where Fleshmap comes in. Based on a study of a sample of 10,000 songs, ranging from popular artists to the more obscure, the people behind Fleshmap, Fernanda Viégas and Martin Wattenberg, have created visual representations categorised by genre of how often specific body parts are mentioned.
From even a cursory glance at the graphs, the most startling thing is how much hip hop artists like to talk about body parts, from their favourite word ‘ass’, used in 23.64% of the chosen songs, right down to ‘prick’, used in 0.09%.
And that’s just the ‘Listen’ part of the site. In the ‘Touch‘ section, by surveying thousands of men and women, the team have devised a map of both a male and female body, highlighting the areas we like to be touched in. Print one off for future reference perhaps?
[Image: Fleshmap]
Make and Deux 