Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Video Day #tzaholiday

Several holiday videos popped up this year that I thought I would share.   Jose Rouse, a looong time TZA fav just put out his version of a Mediterranean X-Mas.  Clean Bandit is making A Christmas Wish with their video.  I hadn’t heard much from  Macklemore lately, and frankly I’ve moved on, but I figured he’d drop a good Christmas video, and he did.

Bonus.  Someone put out a 4K version of Wham!’s Last Christmas video.  I don’t think it was really necessary, but here it is if you want to relive some cheeseball 80’s realness… in 4K!

WHY? (12/19/19)

WHY? has been around for quite awhile now.  They’re an intriguing band with a unique sound - in the direction of Cake, Beck, and Jack Antonoff.  But not unlike last time, my heart just wasn’t into the show.  Gabby’s World opening is what really got me out this night, but unfortunately WHY? didn’t keep me there.

WHY  12 19 19

Gabby’s World was a little more subdued than I was expecting, but considering they’re also part of WHY?’s touring band, I can’t imagine they could be performing with a full setup themselves - or if they even do.  But the songwriting and the harmonies were quite nice.  Check them out below. 

Gabby s World  12 19 19

Monday, December 23, 2019

Article: Why Music Brings Pleasure: Demystified

Makes sense to me

"‘In terms of imaging we have captured from the brain, studies have shown that listening to music activates multiple parts simultaneously, which corresponds to far more parts than any other stimulus produces in humans.’

The fact that music activates so many brain systems at once is why it makes it so sweeping and pleasurable. Music exerts its deepest effect on the emotional nucleus of the brain, the limbic system.

The most amazing thing is that music automatically activates areas of the brain that are essential to feelings of pleasure and reward. So much so that the same pleasure centers of the brain that become active when we listen to our favorite tunes are exactly the same as those that are linked when humans eat chocolate or have … sex!"

(Via Why Music Brings Pleasure: Demystified - MTT - Music Think Tank.)

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Video Day #tzaupbeat

Róisín Murphy is BACK again, with this delicious new track (and video) for Narcissus.  Flying Lotus released this stellar video for Black Balloons feat. Denzel Curry.  And speaking of Denzel, he also showed up on the new video (game) collaboration with Glass Animals!

Bonus:  Looking back over my blog, I have posted a LOT of San Cisco videos.  And after watching this one, I know why.  These folks are superb in their pop craft.

Article: Mutually-assured destruction: How Spotify and Apple Music will kill each other off

Spotify apple music tidal

While it makes a certain type of business sense for Spotify to hold back on promotion if an artist strikes a deal with their direct competitor, this latest round of complaints suggests that Spotify has extended this lack of promo to music that appears ‘anywhere in advance of Spotify’ – in one case, a premiere on a music blog.

Digital Music News viewed written correspondence from Spotify, explaining their ‘release parity’ policy: they won’t promote any new music that appears ‘anywhere’ in advance of it landing on their platform. This includes banning the music from their editorial playlists, inclusion on which drives huge first-week streaming numbers, which many artists rely upon for a strong chart debut.

...

Viewers are trained to expect television companies to compete with each other – from free-to-air to streaming, this has always been the way. But music seems different, somehow. It’s in the waterstream. It’s carried through the air. It belongs to everyone. It’s older than language. And nobody is going to put up with streaming services that offer up every third new release, bouncing angrily between apps as they try to work out where they can listen to the new Childish Gambino record.

They will just give up, and the foothold that Spotify, Apple Music have gained over the past five years will be lost – to piracy, to YouTube, to any easier option that presents itself. And if Spotify and Apple Music continue their game of mutually assured destruction, blacklisting artists, scrapping for exclusives, and trying to wipe out blogs and radio while they are at all, a better option will jump in and fill the gap. It always does.

(Via Mutually-assured destruction: How Spotify and Apple Music will kill each other off.)

Monday, December 16, 2019

Video Day #tzachill

Blood Orange has a new video for Dark & Handsome, featuring none other than Toro Y Moi.  Kele Okereke released his new video for Guava Rubicon with this message: "The Black woman is the most maligned figure in today’s society and I wanted to make something that celebrated her smarts, her sexiness and her magic.”  Yoke Lore continues to charm me with his steady release of videos, most recently with this video for Body Parts.

Bonus:  I’m still riding high after seeing Toro Y Moi live in Detroit, and wanted to share his newest video. 

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Video Day #tzaupbeat

I couldn’t be happier that Basia Bulat has a new single and video for Your Girl, off an upcoming album, Are You In Love out on 3/27!  Tennis releases such beautiful music, and I’m thrilled they’re back with this video for Runner.  TR/ST goes a completely different direction, having just released his newest video for Iris.

Bonus:  Milky Chance just keeps releasing great new singles and videos, most recently this other-worldly party video for Oh Mama

Dylan LeBlanc / Night Moves (11/13/19)

I was able to catch Dylan LeBlanc back in 2016 opening for Son Little, and his brand of folk rock at the time really resonated with me.  I’ve been following his releases since, and was happy to see him coming back to the Beachland Tavern.  This time it was with the band Night Moves, who were new to me.  This time Dylan performed without his band, which at times left the show feeling a little thing, but his Neil Young leanings and great songwriting really buoyed this show for me.  Was also able to bring my sister along for a night at the Beachland!

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Dylan LeBlanc  11 13 19

Night Moves were up next, and they had a pretty sizable and emphatic crowd.   These guys were SO 70’s!  Not always a bad thing, but it was a little much for my taste...

Night Moves  11 13 19

Maya de Vitry & Anna Tivel @ GAR Hall (11/8/19)

This show by Anna Tivel & Maya De Vitry at GAR Hall in Peninsula couldn’t have been any better.  You may remember me gushing about The Stray Birds over the years, and my favorite part about the band was Maya De Vitry.  I was thrilled to see her striking out on her own with a new album and this tour.  I was unfamiliar with Anna Tivel, but listening to her, she instantly won me over.  Put these two together at this location on a crisp Fall afternoon - perfection.

These ladies intertwined their sets for the night, playing on each others songs, harmonizing, but also allowing for some solo time on stage.  Both ladies were extremely entertaining, insightful and creative.  However, their voices and approaches differed, but with full complement.   The only thing that could have made this show better was to partake in a bottle of wine and fresh, hot cookie.  Next time… 

Anna Tivel  Maya De Vitry  11 8 19

Anna Tivel  11 8 19

Maya De Vitry  11 8 19

I also wanted to share this video of these ladies, for a bit more context.