Captain America trailer features Tool song

From Tool's Ænima, here's "Forty-Six & 2" (now 15 years old!!!) employed like some sort of blunt instrument to bludgeon the movie-going public into watching Captain America.

I'm all for hearing more Tool in popular culture, but it seems sorely misused here.  Maybe it's just the thought that the film is set in the 1940s, and it's weird for me to hear my favourite music from high school chopped up and edited in such a perverse fashion.

Tool, A Perfect Circle and Nine Inch Nails seem to be the current shorthand for conveying aggression and masculine energy in trailers. 

Here's the mind-numbing non-stop action-packed sequence:



There's an alternate trailer with a different song... I have no idea what the name of that track is.

I wonder what it's like for a 15 year old kid watching this trailer and finding out about these artists for the first time.  From that perspective, then by all means, I'm all for it.  My guess is that "these kids today" will just download the music for free or just listen to individual tracks, thereby missing the enriching experience of the by-gone album era.

As for the movie itself... meh.  My wild guess is that this trailer distills all the best parts into 2:30.  Works for me.

Modem slowed down 700%

Pretty cool.

via Wire to the Ear

Summer jam of the year

Check out this pretty funny song and video from Da Gryptions, who I'm guessing are from Montreal, considering the major amounts of Expos paraphernalia exhibited in the video.

These guys are in the same franco vein as electro-pop-hip hop groups Misteur Valaire and Radio Radio, an interesting quasi scene that's developing over there in French Canada.



It could just be my speakers, but it feels like the mix is a bit off, and even with the creative use of auto tune, there seems to be some tuning issues.  Ahh, the charms of amateur musicians!  Heck, I don't know, maybe it's supposed to be like that. 

Anyway, tell your friends.  The Expos connection is enough to get me to tell people about them.

Also, check out their song about Bixi, which is also pretty clever.

Soundgarden - July 2nd

Long weekend... Amphitheatre... this Saturday.  What could go wrong?  Well... perhaps the weather, apparently.



I'm stoked!

"Hey, you like orchestral?"

Garage Orchestra Hands Out Demo At Boston Philharmonic Show

Top 10 Harshest Pfork Disses of 2011

Top 10 Harshest Pitchfork Disses of 2011 so far

Always more fun reading negative reviews than middling reviews!

Duke Nukem Forever & Chinese Democracy

I had a whole post prepared about how the recently released 'Duke Nukem Forever' was the video game equivalent of Guns N Roses' similarly oft-delayed Chinese Democracy album, but I was a little late on the posting punch. 

So here's the AV Club's review of DNF, which says pretty much everything I wanted to say, except more clear and concise.  Better luck next time, me!

Two Worlds Collide

The Roots and Weird Al take on Madvillain's "Accordion"

I'm pretty sure it's real... It takes a very special kind of music nerd to appreciate this, I suppose.

via @DonaldGlover

Happy Father's Day

Here's a fun if wholly inaccurate/incomplete infographic on How Your Father's Music Influences What You Listen To

Devo - Live tonight!

Devo's live at Yonge-Dundas square for a free show tonight as part of NXNE... I may pass on this but then again it may be too tempting to pass up.  It's going to be pretty insane there, and there isn't exactly any bar service in a public square.  Improvisation may be in order.

Here's one of their most recent videos, featuring their typical camp:


Their Complete Truth About De-Evolution DVD is a pretty awesome watch if you're into video art and early music videos... they practically created the genre.

Polaris 2011 long list announced!

Check out the list here

I'm pleasantly surprised to see The Weeknd on there.  Arcade Fire is a no-brainer, but after their Grammy win I think perhaps the judges will defer the prize to someone who could use the promo.  The Polaris board likes to pick out of the blue choices.

Less than three weeks til the short list is announced... feels like I just finished my 2010 shortlist collection!

Nightclubbing

Iggy Pop/David Bowie cover by Trent Reznor and friends from 2006. 

Peter Murphy sounds spookily like Iggy.

Friday track - new Junior Boys

Because I'm a sucker, I still buy CDs... this week I picked up the latest from one of my favourite electro pop groups, the Junior Boys.

Check out this standout track from It's All True:

Misteur Valaire - Ave Mucho

So I'm away for a few days and Blogger totally changes its interface... what the hell? :)

Anyway, here's an artist I've been listening to lately:


Pretty fun electronic/hip hop/pop.  Reminds me a bit of Radio Radio, another Canadian band with some Franco flavour.