I wondered, in the months leading up to the release of Port of Morrow, if the magic would be gone. After so many years, and so many members leaving the band, would James Mercer be able to release another beautiful album under the Shins moniker, or would he have been better off continuing with solo stuff and side projects?
I worried in vain. I love the new album, and it is full to the brim with all the delightful quirk and beauty I could have hoped for. The Shins are back and as good as ever.
The first video for the album is pretty great, too.
As anyone who reads this blog with any regularity knows, I’m not afraid to be late to a party, as long as I get to show up. Well, I’m on my way to the Gotye party, because I’ve been kind of obsessed with this song ever since Saturday’s SNL.
This list isn’t exhaustive, but it’s stuff off the top of my head that I remember being in love with at some point during my childhood. I’m sure that I’ve forgotten some big ones, but if the list had been exhaustive it would have gone on for weeks worth of video. When huge ones come to mind, maybe I will do a part two or something.
Some pretty awesome stuff on here, and some pretty embarrassing stuff on here. Don’t judge me… okay, judge me a little bit.
They are in no particular order. Not even chronological.
What were your favorite music videos?
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Watch closely, and you will see that this video features another Philly icon who would someday become my favorite Philadelphian… Mr. ?uestlove.
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/ a lifetime of memories / goin’ down the drain / i’d like to keep stepping, but i can’t get past the pain! /
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I was five when this came out, and it’s the first video I can remember being my favorite music video.
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In due time, “Thriller” would become my favorite video of all time. Yet, when I was a little kid it scared the living shit out of me. These were my favorite Michael Jackson videos, instead. So many of them.
Once one begins travelling down the road of memory, he quickly finds it to be a tricky one to get off of, because each exit has another delightful distraction. Yes, it might as well be a one way street. A one way street that is paved by YouTube.
I was so in love with Shai. I listened to and sang their songs, alone and with my little brother, countless times. Endlessly.
Their biggest hit, “If I Ever Fall In Love”, (for me, the a capella version is the only version) gets stuck in my head all the time, to this day.
And, “This is the Place Where You Belong”, from the soundtrack to the cinematic masterpiece, Beverly Hills Cop III.
My ten and twelve year old self listened to these songs like hymns. Over and over and over.
God, I miss the soulful harmonies of 1990’s R&B groups.
Sasquatch is getting closer. It still doesn’t seem real that I actually get to go, but I’m hoping that changes soon. I hope it does work out. I’ve had enough disappointment already this year.
One of the shows bound to make a scheduling conflict for me at the remarkably packed festival is SBTRKT. He’s never in the area, and I want to dance my ass off to a live performance in the hot sun at the Gorge. His most recent video contains a crazy time loop.
In other crazy time loop news. Coming Soon has the poster for an upcoming time travel movie starring JGL and Bruce Willis.
Their synopsis of the plot is: “Time travel will be invented – but it will be illegal and only available on the black market. When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they will send their target 30 years into the past, where a “looper” – a hired gun, like Joe (Gordon-Levitt) – is waiting to mop up. Joe is getting rich and life is good… until the day the mob decides to “close the loop,” sending back Joe’s future self (Willis) for assassination.”
I know, I know. Lots of Sasquatch stuff lately. I’m excited, sue me. I’ve been listening to a playlist of all the music I own of bands lined up for Sasquatch. I keep downloading more, and I already discovered some great stuff I would have taken a while to get around to otherwise.
Sasquatch, the gift that keeps on giving.
Here is one band I am liking so far, courtesy of the wonderful little festival at the Gorge.
M83 was one of those things I never got around to. Thus, I never listened to this album last year when it came out.
Well, I’ve listened to it now, and it is perfect for me at this moment. It’s one of those rare times when the right album comes along at exactly the right moment in life. I was craving all these weird musical qualities and characteristics, and M83 hits every single one of them.
I want to live in this album.
This music video for one song on the album, “Midnight City”, has some pretty great moments, too.
