OK Whoa!

Indie band OK GO, the group that made treadmilling cool again, are back with another amazing music video. It is a stop motion delight.

Also, here's their previous video from earlier in the year. Both songs can be found on their album OF THE BLUE COLOUR OF THE SKY released this past January.

One viewing of this will make you want to play the game MOUSETRAP again. Actually, it will make you want to set up machine and run the contraption. I, like most kids, rarely played the game.

Here the comedy troupe THE STATION laments over frustrations with the game in an OK GO parody.

Finally, here's folks from the Lamb Pub in London who built a giant size mousetrap as a fundraiser for a children's hospital.

If I were a boy...

"LA-based indie label The Secret Life Of Records has teamed up with a handful of young producers and musicians to form The Sunset Takeover, a mash up of studio players proving that many of today’s biggest pop hits are actually hard-bitten rock songs at heart."

So far released as 3 EP's entitled GENDER STUDIES Vol 1-3, The Sunset Takeover have recorded some amazing covers of female pop hits as sung by male rock and punk vocalists.

They state, "At the core of most every mega radio hit is a well crafted song. Sometimes, this songwriting is lost in the slick production or glossy music video. Pop music fans have come to expect a certain format. Secret Life Of Records and The Sunset Takeover project is an attempt to break the mold. This project aims to combine the catchy melodies and fun lyrics with something more visceral and genuine that we all can connect to. Join us in our quest to take back the air waves!"

Here are some of their awesome covers...

Beyonce's IF I WERE A BOY from Volume 3...

Katy Perry's HOT N COLD from Volume 1...

Kelly Clarkson's MY LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT YOU from Volume 2.

I'm B-AAA-CK!

OK.... So it's been about 9 months since my last post. 

So let's get back on the Highway To Swell! "I WANT YOU BACK!"

segue....

Here is a delightful cover of The Jackson 5's "I WANT YOU BACK" by the A Cappella group SONOS from their debut cd SonoSings.

On SonoSings, the group covers a wonderful array of songs from artists such as Radiohead, Fleet Foxes, Bjork, Bon Iver, and Imogen Heap.

Besides "I Want You Back," by other 2 favorite songs on the CD are "Oh What A World" by Rufus Wainwright and "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles. Sara even joins the group to sing lead on the song.

Here is the beautiful RUFUS WAINWRIGHT cover....

and the exquisite "GRAVITY" WITH Sara Bareilles.

Check out their cd and also their blog SonoSpeaks.

Taylor made

I love the lyrics to SECRET O' LIFE by the great James Taylor.

There are many great covers of this song. Perhaps my favorite is by jazz pianist/vocalist Shirley Horn.

To me, her rendition is of one who's been through a lot in life and wants to pass on a little advice. I'm drawn to her version in the same way I'm drawn to advice on life that my dear grandparents have to share. I've really learned to appreciate their outlook on things the past few years. They've been through a lot and are an amazing testament to the power of faith and family.

itunes link here

youtube link here

Shirley, who is a huge inspiration to Diana Krall (you can definitely hear the influence) passed on in 2005. Check out her great catalogue.

What's Opera Doc?

Hey stranger! It's been a long long time.

I have a lot to share...

Let's start with a swingin' take on "Habanera" from the opera CARMEN.

It's by the vocal group THE CREW CUTS (best known for their version of SH-BOOM.)

Check out their fun rendition on itunes called CARMEN'S BOOGIE.

Here's Liberace's take on the boogie version. Careful! He's flirtin' with the camera.

Hot Dish!

Tonight is the television debut of a show by two of my favorite bloggers/vloggers/cloggers (just kidding they don't really clog... at least not that I know of!)

The show is called JEFFERY AND COLE CASSEROLE... featuring Jeffery Self and Cole Escola.

You can read past posts on them here. Also check out their youtube channel.

Here's a preview of the show.

More Gay & Lesbian Videos At LogoOnline.com

The show premieres on LOGO tonight at 11pm. You can also download the first episode from free from itunes here.

A Kiss From Jarosz

Sarah Jarosz (prounounced juh-ROSE) graduated high school a couple of weeks ago. She's attending New England Conservatory of Music in the fall. What to do over summer vacation? How about release critically acclaimed debut cd?

Recently turning 18, Miss Jarosz has put out a wonderful bluegrass album SONG UP IN HER HEAD (a must for fans of Alison Krauss/Nickel Creek.) It is comprised of 11 tunes written by Sarah and 2 covers... SHANKILL BUTCHERS (The Decemberists) and my favorite track on the cd COME ON UP TO THE HOUSE (Tom Waits.)

Listen to an NPR interview with her (as well as a live cover of Gnarls Barkley's CRAZY) here.

Here's a video of COME ON UP TO THE HOUSE.

Here she is covering CRAZY.