Mix Tape – Videos

-Alex

Way back in the day (much to my surprise, when I looked, \’the day\’ was actually earlier this year) Mix Tape used to run with little pop-up windows in which I\’d throw asides, extraneous content, and the like. I\’m not going to futz with re-implementing that code for the new system, this time at least, so I\’ll just run the little box that explained what MT is all about parenthetically right now:

(Mix Tape is a column that I\’m going to run as a top ten list about anything I can think of in the world of music. It\’s going to be like The Sports List, only without the large-breasted host (and the fact that it\’s about music and not sports).)

I left out the bit that detailed the MT schedule, because I have no intention of publishing on any kind of a schedule whatsoever. I\’ve made that spectacular failure a few times already – enough is enough.

For this Mix Tape we\’re going to look at videos that you can freely find via the magic of YouTube, a fantastic site that I\’m sure I\’ve gushed about before. (That Anderson Hernandez catch never gets old. Seriously.)

I\’m even going to make things easier for you. I\’ll embed today\’s video clips at no additional cost to you, the consumer! This is the part where you all cheer and love me. Thanks. The only other thing I\’ll note at this point is that I searched these videos out pretty much at whim, which is to say I didn\’t really have a plan when I started this article. That\’s always fun. But let\’s dispense with further ado, and dive right in.

Note: This will get very long in a hurry if you intend to watch every video. And while I hope that is in fact your intention, you might want to pour yourself a drink first. Grazzi.

Yellowcard – Down on My Head (Acoustic)

I know that Jake says it\’s a mockery that I like Yellowcard, but hey, I do. I like their newest album so much that I have pondered doing a full review. Hell, I still might. I think they\’re starting to follow the same kind of career path that the Goo Goo Dolls did, and I don\’t even mean that in a bad way. This newest album (Lights and Sounds) is more polished, and better sounding, and yes, more pop-song-ish. I went with the acoustic version of one of those songs here because I like acoustic versions, and this one\’s pretty good. I think ideally I would have liked to have found the version of Ocean Avenue that I first saw on Fuse that turned me onto the band (and it makes me nostalgic for Nic for some reason), but I couldn\’t find it. All the same, this is a good track.

Aesop Rock and El-P – Daylight (Live In-Store)

I think if I were a hip-hop artist, I\’d probably hate doing in-store performances. Then again, I know so little about hip-hop that maybe that\’s how everyone starts out. Turntable in the basement, a mic and a PA, and off you go. Still… I was lucky enough to have Ash make me go see Aesop and El-P at First Avenue here a few years ago, and it was easily one of the ten best concerts I\’ve ever been to (whenever I get around to writing that column, you\’ll see). So I thought the live version here was fitting, even if it doesn hold a candle to the studio version (here, have an iTunes link to go buy it for yourself and see). However, if this had been the full song instead of just one verse, it would have won out, since the song (No Regrets) frickin\’ rocks.

OSI – Free

Title track and presumably the first single from 2006\’s Album of the Year. Seriously. I\’m sticking to my guns on that one. This video is totally messed. It reminds me of something straight out of the mid-80s music video archive. But I thought it was a song that all y\’all need to hear, so I\’m putting it in. Go buy the full album while you\’re online. Go right now. I\’ll wait for you to come back before moving on.

Our Lady Peace – Life

Ok, first things first. I know the video doesn\’t synch up with the sound. It hurts my brain to watch it too. I lay the blame squarely at the feet of Video Pimp. It has to be their fault, that tag was too annoying to be anything but the fault of everything. But, we\’ve gotta live with it, because I couldn\’t find another version, and this is another song that needs to be heard. The album it\’s from isn\’t OLP\’s best effort, in my opinion, but this song is one of their best. It\’s a singalong song. I have to sing along with it. Enjoy.

Alter Bridge – Find The Real (Acoustic)

Yes, 3/4 of these guys used to be known as Creed. Get over it. Myles Kennedy makes up for every square inch of former Creed-ness. More than makes up for it, dude\’s got a killer voice. Had I been able to find any clips of The Mayfield Four (his old band) instead, you\’d probably be looking at that right now. But then again, this song makes a hell of a strong argument for itself. Have I mentioned that I like acoustics? Well especially something like this, a heavy song stripped down, but the vocalist doesn\’t hold anything back. Good stuff. I think these guys have been touring for like two years now. I hope there\’s a new album in the works.

Matthew Good Band – Anti-Pop

A) I like this song. A lot.
B) I like artists who aren\’t afraid to hack up their songs in the middle of the video.
C) I have no idea if this video came before or after the Travelocity commercials.
D) Give them blood and they will love you for it.

Here\’s a bonus clip: Matt rants about Tits and Ass.

Dream Theater – The Dance of Eternity (Live)

Unfettered wankery. I know. Still, something like this had to be included. Tell you what, skip ahead to the 2:20 mark. If that piano bit doesn\’t impress you, well I\’m afraid nothing ever will.

The Black Crowes – Hard to Handle

Consider this the throwback uniform of this column. This is an illustrative example of how music videos looked when I was in high school. I actually get nostalgic watching a video like this. Yes, I know, I\’m old. Shut up. Here\’s a tidbit though, one that I didn\’t know until watching this video made me go look it up. I had to wonder: what\’s with the random black people dancing in the background during the choruses. Turns out that this is a cover of an Otis Redding song. I had no idea. So there ya go.

Other choices up for consideration for the throwback slot: this excellent song. And I was also pondering this little gem. I\’m not sure why I still find that song compelling. I probably could\’ve stretched and made a Sue Bird reference out of it. You know, because Seattle is the Jet Cit- you know what, nevermind. I think we\’re all happiest with the Black Crowes song.

DJ Shadow – Six Days

I don\’t think that this is an official video, just based on some of the comments on the YouTube page. I\’m not familliar enough with the source video to know for sure, though. Anyone out there have any idea? And if you don\’t know who DJ Shadow is, you owe it to yourself to go learn more.

Ok, ok, I\’m feeling generous. here\’s another song. I defy you not to like this song, actually. Many thanks to Sarah H. for turning me on to that song way way back in the day.

And finally.

Yellowcard – Sure Thing Falling

Yes, I know I\’m double-dipping on Yellowcard. Again, shut up. I\’m doing this for two reasons. One, I\’m leaning heavily towards annointing this the Song of the Year 2006. I\’m not even kidding. Two, in looking up these videos I came across a lot of songs that have fan videos set to the movie Final Fantasy: Advent Children. Now don\’t think that I\’m bashing too much, because one of the things I\’ve done today is to go and add the movie to my Netflix queue. Still, I\’m not sure what the appeal is. But this one is pretty well done and enjoyable to watch, and let\’s not forget: the song rules.

If you\’ve stayed with me this whole way, we should hang out sometime, seeing as how you\’ve shown a remarkable ability to put up with my carrying on. I thank you.

-07/11/2006