It took a couple-few minutes for me to place the original, stubbornly avoiding using the internet for the easy route to information. And then it hit me, this was a track from the almost austere collection of music most commonly known as the original sound track (OST) of Dumb & Dumber.  A movie that has suffered from a prequel, with all new cast, and currently a sequel slated for later this year. I’ll let your brains deal with that horrible idea for a mo’.

The song is Crash by The Primitives.  A much more upbeat version this; its hard not to at least acknowledge your toes predilection to tap as a result of the song.  I have quite the softspot for the song, more accurately the album. Don’t ask me why but the Dumb And Dumber: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was one of the first CDs I ever owned, so naturally I listened the shit out of that disc. While `Crash’ is no `Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead’ its pretty close to the best aged song from the disc. If you are curious about a sample of light alternative pop music that can be inoffensively tagged onto a very silly comedy film from the 90s, check out the soundtrack. Otherwise, just enjoy the quicker paced original now.

(via NylonMag and my past)

Teflon Heart is a track that is a good mixture of `up-beats’ and melancholic lyricism.

You can check out more of their music at their website¹, or pick up some tunes at their bandcamp.

The coupling of the man’s baritone and trite lyrics allow you to tune to the melody while safely moving past distracting words. I put to you that this works even when reading through a text which is let’s say densely written². If you have the luxury of not needing to work this evening, relax, enjoy, and maybe do some dishes.

(via NPR)

In my stumblings to find (acquire, collect, judge, etc.) more music that the world may have to offer I caught ahold of a few electro-pop tracks: all from Sweden.

Let’s start upbeat shall we? First up we have Miike Snow with the second track from their still upcoming album (late March). We have  Paddling Out, a track that starts infectiously upbeat and manages to does itself with an upper by the time the first chorus hits. It the kind of song that reminds you how much fun dancing ’til 6am can be, without making you regret being stuck in on a sunday evening.

Paddling Out by miikesnow

Hey these guys are pretty cool, I hear you saying to yourself, I’m surprised I’ve not bumped into them before. Well you probably have… sort of. Two of the three members that make up Miike Snow are also Bloodshy & Avant! You know, musical duo who pen tracks for the stars? Still nothing, eh? How about Britney’s Toxic, bells being rung? Toss in some Madonna and Kylie, amongst others, and you have a pretty talented pop duo.

Let’s flip over the first track they released for the new album, Devil’s Work.  A little less punchy but the piano hooks are still strong, laid back vocals and the odd horn come together for a fairly dynamic track. If Paddling Out is dancey, then Devil’s Work is head-groovy.

Devil’s Work by miikesnow

It’s not just a snowstorm, we also have a young 16 year old swede who is making music sans label. Its pop, its electronic, but it doesn’t quite live in the same world as our friends above. Be prepared for a slooowdown. A methodical beat paired with melancholy lyrics and vocals make for a track you can still immerse yourself in but movement will be minimal if at all. Melt into this one folks; headphones would be a welcome accessory I think.

Victor Sandström – Departures

And if that wasn’t enough Miike Snow for you, or you need to ramp that heartbeat back up, head on over to RCRDLBL to download  Devil’s Work and a handful of other tracks. (Registration required but free)

(via Stereogum & Swedesplease)

After a quick listen through most of the tracks, I’m pretty happy with it. The upbeat tracks have good hooks and steady toe-tappable rhythms. But the album tends towards the more somber of content, while still maintaining a joggable, well walkable, beat.  No Crying is a good example of a bridge between the two varieties. The clear winner on the somber side is This is Not a Song. A steady slow beat its got,  but with lyrics like:

If this is just a song,
Then why do I find it so hard to move on,
Feels a crime to be crying for this long.

and sweeping instrumentals its a hard track to argue with.

This next track isn’t wholly indicative of the overall tone of the album its hard not to avoid. With a steady toe-tapping beat, and infectious piano-vocal harmonies I challenge you not to stay still during this one. I could go on but I think I’ll let the track speak for itself.

Here is Hallways:

The album is available in all the usual places. Its even out on vinyl, for those into that sort of thing.

(via Pigeons & Planes & Pitchfork)

As always, if you are only interested in Muisc-y posts, feel free to subscribe to just this category in your favourite RSS reader, to the left.

So with that in mind I bring you just a single track. As I’m in Canada, and my readership mostly not, today  we have a lovely track by Quebec artist Coeur de Pirate“. That’s Pirate Heart for the hard of French out there.  Juno award winner and generally well-lauded  by critics. Given that most of her songs remain in French, her popularity with anglophonic-Canadians should speak for itself.

Danse et Danse is a great track to introduce you to the style and range of her vocals with a solid beat that defies you not to move to tap your feet. The pacing of the song really works well; with crescendos down to lulls that draw you right back in.

Coeur de Pirate – Danse et Danse (MP3) (Can’t recall the source but this was a freely distributed track, will update if I figure it out)

If you are into that, I do recommend checking out her song ‘Comme des Enfants‘, its got a lovely little video over on youtube, unfortunately its not embedable so I can’t share it here. However, the song is beautiful, and lyrically it best resides in the wonder that is the French language. My skills with that are a little bit rusty, but it was worth looking into to appreciate.

And of course, given that it is me posting we can’t get around the inevitable coversong, there is something about the total turnaround of a song while it still being unmistakably ‘the same song’ that really gets me, but that is a topic for another day. For now, enjoy Coeur de Pop:

Apologies for the tacky video, but it was the best version of the track I could find on your tubes.

Runnerup: Grimes – Genesis. An ethereal female poptrack which is enjoyable, but mostly forgettable, and lyrically indecipherable in the way that only breathy backed by electric pianos only seem able to pull off.

The adult contemporary, some might rather ‘elevator music’ track is: “Michael Haggin – Daybreak” here in all its glory.

For the uninitiated to the wonder that is Community, first off shame on you, second here’s the first time we encounter the song (I believe, feel free to correct me if I am mistaken).

 
The episode contains other such ‘scary stories’ that allow us to peak into the neuroses of all our favourite dysfunctional characters. Do watch.

For the uninitiated, or those who want a stark reminder go ahead and watch the first 30s of her breakout single from waay back in 2009 “Tik Tok”. Spelling obviously was not her strongest subject in school, though she is still the frontrunner for ASCII abuse for the third straight year.

Well, that was fun, wasn’t it? The key line to remember, is the bit about “brush my teeth with a bottle of jack” because WTB? Cultural scholars are still trying tro wrap their heads around her cavalier approach to referencing, and the dentists are just salivating at the idea of her fans following suit…

So now he have the standard pop starlet story, albeit with some more obscure leanings. The moment my opinion slightly turned on our dollar-sign embedded chum would probably have to be when the, usually hilarious, people over at Funny Or Die made this video explaining the source of the ASCII abuse.

Not supremely hilarious, sure, but at least there is evidence of self-awareness. And the premise is highly entertaining. So at least she knows that her persona is ridiculous. If we left it here, I would be with you in thinking that that is definnitely not enough and why have I wasted time reading this mild exposition. That’s why you need to watch the video for ‘Blow’. As a song its what one might expect genericy pop sounds and a decent beat. But the video itself is some sort of amazing mashup of self-awareness and meme-mashing up. It opens with the disclaimer that “No mythological creatures were harmed in the making of this video.” Her costar, and barely love interest (for music video standards), none other than Dawson from the creek: James van Der Beek. And trust me he knows exactly what part of the cultural arena he inhabits in this day and age. To coin a phrase that is already a victim of linguistic inflation: “This video is all kinds of epic.”

Regardless of your opinion, previous or current, of Ms. Ha, you have to admit that this video is clearly the product of the internet circa early 2011 and proof that these silly people probably know exactly what triggers the silly faces you pull when confronted with their particular breed of nonsense.

A final note, for you Van der Douche fans, you should check out his brief role in the otherwise terrible “The Big Bang”, Antonio Banderas vehicle. The man knows his limits, and is seemingly revelling in them.

(Also its really hard not to type ‘s’ after the $ because mentally one is typing ‘Kesha’ and $ don’t make sounds…)

Having only just listened to a handful of tracks, I can say that this is definitely a Feist album, however no track has really jumped out at me and proclaimed itself in the way one wants from their music.

Perhaps I will write more on the album if it grows on my in subsequent, non logic-homework filled, listenings.
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