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5.18.2011

Vid Break! tUnE-YaRdS - "Bizness"


Yeah, that is how you spell the artist's name. Experimental band tUnE-YaRdS is the conception of New England's Merrill Gabus, a woman whose vocals teeter along the lines of masculinity, but all that really matters is that her artistry rocks. To be honest, all that it does is add to the mystery that exudes from a band this eclectic and imaginative. In this regard, her latest LP w h o k i l l is a fun, sassy, and involving record that plays off eccentric beats and loops, steering you through a maze or jungle that doesn't necessarily have an opening. It's not a trap to keep you there for eternity, though after listening to this sort of album, that may not be such a bad thing.

"Bizness" is perhaps the most accessible track from the record, but the video is something of a disillusioned wonder. It matches the musical style that one could only imagine listening to the record in full, but the energetic choreography, cute children, face paint, syncopated edits and burst of human bodies in the song's second half lift this video from standard fare to an extraordinary sense of stylistic purpose. This sensation is a bit of an overload of nice, but if it weren't for its wild-child of an artist or the eccentricities built into the nature of tUnE-YaRdS, we'd probably have ourselves another by-the-numbers video.

Check out the video below and let us know what you think of the video. You can test the waters of "Bizness" and the rest of w h o k i l l on 4AD Records or on Amazon and iTunes.

5.17.2011

Take 2 Tuesday: "Patron Saint" by Philip Selway


Another one of many overlooked solo efforts from last year, Phil Selway of Radiohead fame released Familial under false assumptions. What we got was not a technical drum fest or a project in the vein of Thom Yorke's solo material. Instead, Phil works soothing lyrics and drifting melodies into acoustic atmospheres, providing guitar and vocals and contributing artists Lisa Germano and Sebastian Steinberg. The album has a few shining spots such as "Patron Saint," a quiet and hushed affair that doesn't stray too far away from the album's viewpoints. Phil easily yearns for ideas of growth in our closer relations, all the while setting himself at a distance with a relaxed, melancholic vibe that's soft to the skin. It bears resemblance to the work of Nick Drake, whose influence is very much heard throughout the album, but "Patron Saint" tackles on more intricacies that separate Phil as an artist in his own element.

Take another look at "Patron Saint" here and listen to the rest of Familial, available on Nonesuch Records and on both Amazon and iTunes.

Philip Selway - "Patron Saint"


-DJ