Best Indie Music Videos of 2010

2010 has been a great year for indie music, with artists like  Tokyo Police Club, Matt & Kim, Arcade Fire, The Black Keys, Vampire Weekend, and MGMT all releasing new albums.  Not only has there been some great albums created this year, but also some great videos tom complement them.  This is (if you couldn't guess by the post title) a selection of the best indie music videos of 2010.

Number Three - The Black Keys - Tighten Up

Products of Akron, Ohio, Pat Carney and Dan Auerbach create the wonderful blues/rock duo that is The Black Keys.  2010 was a great year for the men from the former rubber capital of the world.  They released their sixth album Brothers, which debuted at #3 on the US Billboard 200 with 73,000 copies sold in the first week released, making their highest charting album to date.  The top single from Brothers, "Tighten Up," takes number three on our list of top indie videos of 2010.
 

 

Number Two - MGMT - Flash Delirium

MGMT highlighted 2010 with the release of their hit album Congratulations which topped at number two on the US Billboard 200.  The psychedelic rock group sold 66,000 copies in its first week of release.  In what is one of the oddest music videos of the year, "Flash Delirium" is found at number two on our list, mainly due to uniqueness.  One thing to make sure of when watching, pay close attention.  With several hidden meaning and surprises, there is always something new to discover every time you watch it.  For example, at the beginning while Ben and Andrew are the the car, there is a banner of them saying "Sue the spider, Sink the Welsh," which is one of the lyrics at the end.  Here is number two, "Flash Delirium."

Number One - The Limousines - Internet Killed the Video Star

So, before I run out of time, I just decided to rush and post this.  This awesome video is out choice for the #1 indie video of 2010.  Let's see what 2011 has in store...

Tron: Legacy - Visual (and Musical) Masterpiece

Olivia Wilde playing the part of Quorra in Tron: Legacy

So, I realize that this is a music blog, but I think that mentioning Tron: Legacy is a worthy post.  To start off, I'll talk about the movie itself, which was interesting, to sum it in a nutshell.  Tron was a visual masterpiece to say the least, I mean, it was just purely sexy.  The CGI special effects were outstanding, on par with Avatar, in fact.  It just looked great all around, especially in the 3D version.

Daft Punk in Tron: Legacy

Many people have said that the dialogue was weak, which it was for the most part, but I think that the action scenes and the depth of the story made up for it.  Of all things however, I think that the thing that made the movie stand out for me, and most people for that fact, was the outstanding soundtrack, composed by, of all people, Daft Punk.  Face it, Daft Punk goes with futuristic sci-fi movies like peanut butter goes with jelly, it's just a perfect fit.  The soundtrack was absolutely amazing, consisting of great flows that helped create suspense and growing intensity all throughout the movie.  If you're a Daft Punk fan, however, keep in mind that this is merely a movie score, not a full album.  You won't get classic Daft songs out of it, but enough to tie fans over until a new album does drop.  Not to spoil anything, but in case you are wondering, they do make a cameo appearance, doing what they do best, playing music.  This amazing soundtrack is definitely Oscar-worthy.  I would love to see the masked duo accept an Oscar on stage.  I mean, who wouldn't?

Make sure you guys check out Tron: Legacy and follow us on twitter!

New Song Saturday (12-11-10)

Our artist for this week's New Song are a great indie group from Canada that have a great talent for making new sounds, and twisting old ones to make them appeal to a new audience.

This week's song is 'Bambi' by Tokyo Police Club, a wonderful piece that opens with a fading and distorted keyboard.  The drums that break through about 13 seconds into the song give a great kick that makes it easily memorable and complement the melody of the keyboard very well.  One thing that is also very cool about this song is the low points in singer, Dave Monks, vocals.  Overall, 'Bambi' is one of the best songs off of their newest album 'Champ.'  To check out the song and music video for yourself, here it is:

 

sorry this was posted on Sunday! pretty hectic weekend.

As Talls As Lions Farewell

After eight years together, the Long Island band, As Tall As Lions, announced they are breaking up after posting this on their MySpace blog in September: 

"After eight years of music, friendship, laughter, adventure, bliss, blood, sweat, tears, and everything else that goes along with it, As Tall As Lions are retiring for the foreseeable future. There is no sadness on our side, and we hope there is none on yours. We will be playing a handful of shows across the country to try and give everyone an opportunity to see us one last time.
12/17: Los Angeles - The Troubadour - SOLD OUT
12/28: Los Angeles - The Troubadour - SOLD OUT
12/19: Chicago - Lincoln Hall - SOLD OUT
12/20: Boston - The Paradise
12/21: New York City - Highline Ballroom - SOLD OUT
12/22: New York City - Highline Ballroom - SOLD OUT

Our sincerest apologies to those who can't join us at these celebrations, but know you will be there in spirit. Much love to you all, and thanks again for everything.
-As Tall As Lions"

Eventhough they may appear to be gone forever, they have a side project that they've been working on since the summer.  Entitled Kilimanjaro, the band consists of Julio Tavarez, Saen Fitzgerald, Cliff Sarcona, and Duncan Tootill, three fourths of ATAL, creating an intense and melodic improvisational instrumental group.  ATAL Lead Singer, Dan Nigro, will be moving on to a new project called Blocks. Kilimanjaro has already produced two EPs and has been touring abound the United States.  Personally, I will really miss ATAL's chill and soothing music, but it's for each of the good of each of the members.

Kilimanjaro's Duncan Toothill plays trumpet with the rest of the band at CMJ 2010.

Check out Kilimanjaro:

astallaslions.com/kilimanjaro

Reviewed: Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"

The title of the album alone describes Kanye West’s incredible ability to craft and create music. “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” is Kanye West’s true expression of music. The album benefits from the shared talents of an arsenal of talented artists to help form an intricate musical breakthrough. However, it highlights Kanye West’s unbeatable ability to construct undeniably great beats intertwined with amazing lyrics. He is pushing his music to the limits with this new album, which is something very few artists nowadays. This album includes superb melodic schemes, harmonious clashes, and unexpected twists. In the media, Kanye West is an egotistical, self-conscious wreck; however in his music, he is a magnificent genius. This is one of the most creative, exquisite, and original rap albums ever.

From “808’s & Heartbreak” to “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” it is a wonderful change for the better. It is great to go from the bleak dark, auto-tuned pop of “808’s & Heartbreak”, to the abstract and captivating beauty of “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”.  This CD features the classic Kanye West, with a darker aspect added to it. “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” is heavy on the drums and the strings, with some of Kanye West’s best rhymes thus far. The album is considered to be his finest up until now, and is near perfection. There is only one minor flaw in the entire album, which is the large portion of collaborations. More than half of the songs feature another artist. Although, I feel that many of those collaborators enhance the song’s quality. Those collaborators include the following: Kid Cudi, Raekwon, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, Bon Iver, Pusha T, Prynce Cy Hi, Swizz Beatz, The RZA, John Legend, Beyoncé, Charlie Wilson, and Big Sean. The album does not include a sole standout single, however many of the songs are enthralling. Some of the best songs on the album include “Dark Fantasy,” “Gorgeous,” “Power,” “All of the Lights,” “So Appalled,” “Runaway,” “Lost in the World,” and “Blame Game.” In addition to the fantastic album, Kanye West and others created a thirty minutes short film titled Runaway, which is a visual interpretation of his music. This movie is mystical, boundless, esoteric, and creative. It is definitely worth the time to watch this amazing film.

Track Listing

1. Dark Fantasy
2. Gorgeous (featuring Kid Cudi and Raekwon)
3. POWER
4. All of the Lights
5. Monster (featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj and Bon Iver)
6. So Appalled (featuring Jay-Z, Pusha T, Prynce Cy Hi, Swizz Beatz and the RZA)
7. Devil in a New Dress
8. Runaway (featuring Pusha T)
9. Hell of a Life
10. Blame Game (featuring John Legend and Pusha T)
11. Lost in the World
12. See Me Now