Video: 'Every Mumford and Sons Song Basically'

I doubt I was the only one who played Mumford and Sons' second album and got the sneaking suspicion I'd heard it before... like on the first album.

In case you missed this earlier in the week, check out this video of a guy showing the internet how jittery strumming, soft vocals-- with the occasional outburst, and folk-drenched heartbreak are the ingredients to just about any Mumford song.

Enjoy.

Review: 'Mistaken for Strangers'

About midway through Mistaken for Strangers, a tour documentary (barely) about The National by frontman Matt Berninger's little bother Tom, the younger Berninger expresses worry that people think the only reason he's on the tour is because he's Matt's brother.

Matt regards him with a look that becomes all too familiar in the doc. It's a look of slow-burning incredulity and unwarranted patience– The only reason you are on tour is because you're my brother, he tells Tom gently.

This exchange mostly sums up Mistaken for Strangers. If you wanted a super behind the scenes look at the critically acclaimed indie rock band through the lens of a close relative, what you're really getting is a 92 minute therapy session where Tom tries to work out his issues with his older and more successful brother.

The basic framework given is that Matt was the golden boy and Tom was not. It's not a very sympathetic story, though. A few shots of their upper middle class childhood home, and their upper middle class parents who still have their art hanging on the walls doesn't exactly scream unfairness. Their mom is still convinced that Tom will find great success himself. Some people just don't pan out– Tom might be one of those people.

Still, he struggles to understand, as the tour manager puts it, that he's not in the band. He's on the crew. This struggle paints less of a portrait of a sibling relationship– after all, the tension between them is fairly tame– and more of a half-bitter, half self-indulgent pity party. Tom has access to one of the best bands out there, and he spends his time asking dumb questions like "Do you carry wallets on stage?" or seeking family counseling from the other band members who are perplexingly patient.

Moments where Tom rambles over their answers or instructs them to look one way or another, or to make a certain face feel like they would be better suited on a blooper reel, or better yet, left in the recycling bin. And yet– that's a large chunk of the film. In a smaller dosage, it could be funny. Instead, it's frustrating. In the opening scene, Matt reprimands his brother, asking if he's written any questions down, or if he has a plan. No, Matt. He did  and does not.

There are two scenes where Tom's questions lead to the kind of insight diehard National fans were probably hoping for, like perspective on putting together new albums (45 minutes of sounds that take two years to make, says drummer Scott Devendorf). The rest of the interviews? Awkwardness, bemusement, crummy sound quality.

To his credit, Tom is not shy about showing himself failing and flailing. The audience sees the tour manager chew him out multiple times, and then fire him. Matt scolds him for leaving his wet bathing suit on the table in the bus ("Where were you even swimming?!") Tom just comes off so pointless, sometimes– he gets distracted by the reflection of his own arm in the mirror of a Paris hotel room while his brother does a phone interview. He really is an annoying little brother– the kind who shines a flashlight into people's bunks and films them as they sleep.

The thing is, annoying little brothers are common place. And with these two, there's not enough conflict to support a story (which is probably a credit to their parents). Neither hates the other, nor do they have a particularly strong bond. Though, it's obvious they both want good things for the other.

Maybe, however, Matt and Tom do have something in common in their storytelling. The National's always had a knack for singing about the problems of 30-something-year-old men. If you strip out the poetry and the strings, though, it's a bunch of stories about middle class people who are recognizably normal.

Mistaken for Strangers is in select theaters, and also available to rent on Amazon.

Get to Know the 'Charm' of Brazos

Brazos' Martin Crane. Photo: Ben Sklar; Dead Oceans

It's not too late to discover one last album to love as 2013 winds down. I recently came across one such record called Saltwater by Brooklyn band Brazos, released this summer. If you're local and have been keeping up with things here at the blog, you'll know what I mean when I say Brazos could be cousins with Nashville's Casa Castile– if you're into warm tones and dreamy pop with plenty of soundscapes to wander, you'll dig this.

To get an idea of Brazos' range, which can tip the scale from Mikal Cronin to Andrew Bird, check out the two videos below. "Longshot" is a tune both serene and honeyed with finer guitar and piano work.



For something a bit bolder, there's "Charm."



What really sold me, though, was the ebbing, shimmering melancholy of "Deeper Feelings." By the end of the track, it's ceased being a song and grown into a mood you won't want to shake.



Brazos will be performing at The End here in Nashville on Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. Check 'em out if you can.

"Just Another Girl" : The Killers

Now that the Killers are hyping their greatest hits collection Direct Hits, there's a certain obligation to look back at the past decade and consider the ways the band has changed. The Internet demands it.

In the video for their new song "Just Another Girl," we get something of a retrospective on the band told vis a vis Glee's Diana Agron dressed as Brandon Flowers, strolling though some of the Killers' more identifiable moments. She sports feathery epaulets, eyeliner, a mustache, and leaves you feeling like the past ten years stretch so much farther back than they actually do. Take a look.

Dent May Releases 'Born Too Late' Video

Since 2008, Dent May has been a regular source of amusement and confusion for me. His debut release Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele mixed catchy pop with tongue-in-cheek lyrics. When someone sings a love song about an academic conference, how do you know what to think? Anyway, our good buddy Dent is back with a video for the first single to his new alum Warm Blanket called "Born Too Late." Follow the self-proclaimed "softest boy in Mississippi" around a carnival, on a boat, and under a waterfall because with Dent May sometimes you've just got to roll with it.

The National Release Video for 'Graceless'

I don't know what you did with your summer, but I can guarantee The National had a better time. Check out their new video for "Graceless" off May's Trouble Will Find Me. Matt Berninger & Co. shot it at Berninger's parents' house (pretty sure the old guy on the lawn mower is Papa Berninger?). The premise is this: They drink beer, ride bikes into the pool, destroy a bounce house, shoot off a potato gun in the woods, and play baseball with beer cans, all while wearing suits and sunglasses. It's basically the classiest regression to childhood (minus the beer) you've ever seen. Wondering what the 'rents thought about all that.

'Nashville' Season 2 Trailer

If you were watching the CMA Festival: Country's Night to Rock, Monday, then you might have caught the teaser for the upcoming season of ABC's Nashville. When we left off, Rayna and Deacon had just rolled their SUV and Gunnar had proposed to dandelion-in-the-wind Scarlett. Obviously, we were a little more concerned with the former. From the looks of the trailer, the most pressing question has been answered: Deacon and Rayna are alive. But as this is a soap opera, at the end of the day, Rayna is in a coma. Gasp. Wondering if she'll also suffer from amnesia, or maybe they're saving that for sweeps. Take a look and check back September 25 for The Musically Inclined's weekly recap.

'Most People' : New Music Video From Dawes

Dawes premiered their brand new video for "Most People" yesterday on CMT. The video is comprised of tour footage, including a brief appearance by Grimey's New and Preloved Music here in Nashville, as well as Lightning 100. (Check 3:08.) See if you can spot your city.

'Right Action' : Franz Ferdinand

The Internet seems to have come to the conclusion that Franz Ferdinand's new song (and music video) "Right Action" is a return to form. I don't know I'll dig too many other modern guitar riffs as much as I did the one from "Take Me Out" back in '04, but "Right Action" is definitely doing some stuff right. Check out the video, directed by Jonas Odell, who once again brings his familiar aesthetic (he directed the video for "Take Me Out") to the track, placing the band in a sort of mod infographic universe. There are many typefaces to admire, and then of course, Helvetica. Expect a new album from the group called Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, out August 27.

'Rouse Yourself' : JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound

When I read that JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound's new video for "Rouse Yourself" paired Aubrey Plaza (Parks & Rec) and Jake Johnson (New Girl) together as a couple with minor communications issues, I watched primarily because it sounded like some genius match-making.

I got so much more from this 4-min investment, though. "Rouse Yourself" is a silky little groove with a strong hook. The best part is the chorus which goes, "If we are forever, I hope we just get better, better, better. That's why it's such a shame, the ways we stay the same, same, same." This is one of my favorite types of lyrics– simple but well put.

The video itself is a little wacky. I didn't initially get the premise, but Plaza and Johnson being their signature deadpan and cheese ball selves made up for it.

But back to the track, JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound is an indie soul (Lord, whatever that means) group from Chicago. They've been around since 2007. "Rouse Yourself" comes from their third and latest album Howl, which was released last month. By the way, I took the album for a spin yesterday and it's pretty good.

Check it out.

Video: 'Sea of Love' by the National

On its surface, The National's new music video for "Sea of Love" is basically just the group playing the song in a relatively small, unattractive room– pretty standard. That is, until some awesome little kid, in a suit, no less, jumps front and center, and totally upstages the band with his air guitar skills. Earning honorable mentions in the humor department are Matt Berninger bobbing for the hanging microphone and one of the Dessner brothers perched on a ledge in the corner. Take a look.

So Many New Songs by the National

Fans of the National can barely keep up these days. In the run up to the band's May 21 release, Trouble Will Find Me, tracks upon tracks are spilling out everywhere. We couldn't be happier. Here's a round up of what's out so far (8 of 13, if you're keeping score at home), conveniently arranged in the order they'll be on the album.


"I Should Live in Salt"


"Demons"


"Don't Swallow the Cap" (first single)


"Fireproof"


"Heavenfaced"


"Graceless"


"I Need My Girl"


"Humiliation"

5 Reasons to See Dawes Live + 'From a Window Seat' Music Video

Get More: 

From A Window Seat, Dawes, Dawes Videos

Just a couple items this morning, and they're both Dawes-related as the band's third album Stories Don't End drops today.

First up, after catching the band at Grimey's in March, I put together a piece for Consequence of Sound where I humbly submit my argument for why you should go to a Dawes show if you've got the chance. Grimey's co-owner Doyle Davis was kind enough to talk to me about the in-store, as well. Check out the link below and maybe stop by your local record store for a copy of Stories Don't End if you haven't already made that decision.

Read more...

Secondly, CMT premiered the music video for the new album's first single, "From a Window Seat." The director successfully transformed the flight attendant's safety demonstration into what looks like the remnants of a pagan ritual, so I'm happy. Also, frontman Taylor Goldsmith meets a future version of himself on the plane and I couldn't help but think of that hilarious New Girl episode where Nick Miller runs into a guy at his bar who might just be him in decades to come. Watch the video above.

Video: 'Lonesome Dreams' by Lord Huron

If you've had even the slightest romantic notion about the West, you'll want to jump inside Lord Huron's new video for "Lonesome Dreams" and walk around its colorized dream haze. Take it for a spin this fine Sunday afternoon and stop by Bob Boilen's write up on NPR Music about the world Lord Huron frontman Ben Schneider's created in tandem with his music.

The History of Music in 7 Minutes

The Internet has given us many things– Google Reader, Texts From Hillary, eye strain. Today I pass along the latest of its sweet fruits in the form of dry erase board stop motion animation chronicling the history of music, packed into just under 7 minutes.

The cartoonist starts all the way back at the pyramids and doodles his way through the modern era using some pretty stellar renderings of famous figures in music. While the few words used are written in Spanish, it's nothing you shouldn't be able to figure out (3 guesses which movement "romaniticismo" is), plus the steady stream of audio clips makes it easy to follow. Side note: Something that's worth noticing is how once the video hits Jazz, 20th century music progresses at a break-neck speed. Check it out above.

Avett Bros Release 'February Seven' Trailer

I guess we make trailers for music videos now. Ok! I'll roll with that. Check out the Avett Brothers' video on the making of their upcoming music video for "February Seven" from last fall's The Carpenter. They shot the video at an antique store Scott and Seth went to as kids. Will the video be a masterpiece, as Seth Avett posits? Maybe. Just Maybe.

Dawes Release Album Trailer

Today on the Dawes beat, we bring you more tidings of the new album, Stories Don't End, due out April 9th. Check out the trailer featuring footage from the studio in Asheville, North Carolina where the band recorded last fall. You can hear two songs on the trailer, the second being "From a Window Seat." As far as the first, no idea what it is but it sounds sweet.

Three Music-Related Videos That Change It Up

Here's your mid-afternoon breather. Below are three videos from this week that take something and change it up.

It's a well worn joke that minor is sad and major is happy. To further bolster the claim, check out this video of R.E.M.'s hit song "Losing My Religion," tweaked into a major key. Bizarre. 

Post inauguration madness, you can enjoy the very latest from The Gregory Brothers. Here's Barack Obama singing "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green because I kinda guess we did.

And finally, what happens when you run the lyrics of Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" through Google Translate a bunch of times and put it back into English? Linguistic bananas, that's what. 

The National Perform New Song

So, this is an item making the rounds today. We finally have some fresh material from The National. Apparently they curated and headlined the ATP festival last week, and busted out a few new tracks, one of which being "Lola." Video above. Please also enjoy the minute and a half before the song of Matt Berninger being a generally cool guy.

Video : I Feel it in My Bones : The Killers

Presented without comment because the last shot of the video speaks for the whole thing. Enjoy.