Showing posts tagged music
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“Exit Music (For A Film)” - Informal quintet comprised of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra musicians, March 19th, 2013

(originally by Radiohead, of course)

You know how you were wondering how it might sound if 5 talented guys from the MSO played Radiohead songs on two violins, a viola, a cello and a double bass in a tent one night in front of 300 very appreciative fans, but as recorded through the low-fi Voice Memos app on an iPhone?  Wonder no more!  It sounds like this.

Yes, the low fidelity recording gives this an AM radio feel (I didn’t think to record this as an audio-only ‘video’ until it was too late), but it’s incredible anyway.  If you don’t listen to all of it, please at least start from the 2:00 mark.

I could listen to this all day.  

I might.

Turns out that when the MSO puts on a free “Secret Symphony” at the Spiegeltent, there’s a chance you’ll get to hear them play destroy (but in the good way!) 8 of your favourite Radiohead songs on violin, viola, cello and bass.   I may have to go to every other “Secret Symphony” just in case it’s Radiohead again.  Incredible. (and if you were asking, they played I Might Be Wrong, Creep, The National Anthem, Exit Music, (which I’ll post), , Karma Police, No Surprises, A Wolf At The Door and Paranoid Android.  Did I mention it was incredible?) View high resolution

Turns out that when the MSO puts on a free “Secret Symphony” at the Spiegeltent, there’s a chance you’ll get to hear them play destroy (but in the good way!) 8 of your favourite Radiohead songs on violin, viola, cello and bass.  

I may have to go to every other “Secret Symphony” just in case it’s Radiohead again. 

Incredible.

(and if you were asking, they played I Might Be Wrong, Creep, The National Anthem, Exit Music, (which I’ll post), , Karma Police, No Surprises, A Wolf At The Door and Paranoid Android.  Did I mention it was incredible?)

I thought this clip of an 8-bit “OK Computer” might be a clever and amusing idea for all of about a minute, at which time it’d quickly become tedious (not to mention sacrilegious!).  

Instead, I’ve found myself listening to it 5 times all the way through - in the space of as many hours - marvelling at the mashup of low-fi game console sound with one of the most iconic albums of all time (I realise it’s boring to say this is my favourite album, too, but nevertheless it is).  Two of my favourite things blended perfectly.

If you missed it last month as I did, at least listen through Airbag, Paranoid Android, then Let Down & No Surprises.  It’s genius.

This is MUTEMATH @ The [tiny] Corner Hotel in Melbourne, Australia.  

It’s shot on an iPhone, handheld from within a crowd, then compressed down to 720P, so in no way does it properly represent how great these guys sounded etc.  It’s a sampler rather than a full set, obviously - the show went for almost 2.5 hours - but there’s a setlist and timecodes on the Vimeo page.   

If you have any opportunity to see these guys live, forget this video and go see them live.  You won’t be disappointed - they’re incredible.   If you don’t have that opportunity, though, or you don’t know them at all, this video might give you a taste.  Easily the best concert of my life.


I went to my first MUTEMATH show 3 weeks ago.  

I’m still grinning about it.  


Plenty of live bands can be loud - that part’s pretty easy, I’m guessing - but so many are somehow boring, predictable, one-dimensional.  Mutemath are certainly loud, but I have never seen a band so completely mesmerise an audience with a perfect mix of unbridled energy & showmanship, honest and engaging songwriting, infectious rhythms and ridiculous, ridiculous talent.  

Four guys at the very top of their craft, musically, from Roy & Darren’s crazy basslines and frenetic, tape-the-headphones-to-your-head drums, to Todd’s dazzling guitar work, to Paul’s amazing vocals and keytar and Rhodes and lilo-surfing and whatever else.  Through so much of the show I found myself grinning and shaking my head in amazement, thinking just how amateurish so many other bands sound by comparison. 

I’ve been an avid fan for 5 years (I “discovered” them in March 2007, according to a post on my old blog), but this was their first Australian tour and my first opportunity to experience their legendary live show.  I’m sure that The Corner Hotel in Richmond, with it’s tiny, cramped stage and capacity for all of about 200 people - was a far cry from what they’re used to back home, but they played like they were performing at a venue ten times the size.  They seemed to want to make up for lost time, too - as if they owed this long-neglected part of the world a setlist chronicling their entire back catalogue - and we were given an almost 2.5 hour set comprised of - by my count - 27 (27!) tracks from the last 3 records.  They didn’t let up from start to finish.   

If you love music and you ever get a chance to see Mutemath live, please do.  They were - they are - incredible.  

If you’ve never heard them or heard of them - wha?! - here’s Allies, Blood Pressure, and Chaos to give you an alphabetical first sampling.  If I decide it’s not too douchey to do so, I may also post a video shot with my iPhone from about 4 rows back in the crowd (yes, I was that guy at this concert - but in my defence my wife and niece weren’t able to make it and Mel had been waiting 5 years for the opportunity, so this ‘sampler’ was for their benefit…).  

Paul Cocksedge, London designer, moulds discarded vinyl records into a range of amplifiers for smartphones in a project called Change the Record. OK, that’s pretty great. (via) View high resolution

Paul Cocksedge, London designer, moulds discarded vinyl records into a range of amplifiers for smartphones in a project called Change the Record.

OK, that’s pretty great.

(via)

Angry Birds Theme (Cover)

Maybe you’ve seen this already (5 days is a long time in Internet Novelty), but I hadn’t had the pleasure until today.  Here ‘tis in case I wasn’t the very last to catch this passionate rendition of a classic instrumental piece…

They’re both so great, but the standout for me is Noriko on shamisen.  1 gifted woman + 3 strings x 200% passion = awesome.  

(If you’re short on time, jump to 1:00-1:50 or 5:00 onwards)