YouTube video(s) of the day...A Trip Around Asia

YouTube, don't you go anywhere.
Just when I think that it can't get any cooler...

My sister probably wouldn't know China Crisis from Japan if it weren't for this video. Whenever I namedrop this seemingly forgotten 80s band, she says, "Oh, yeah, I remember that silly video...something about a state?" Here it is, the song with a state in its name and a silly video, "Arizona Sky."


Since it's been awhile since I last posted, here's a bonus YouTube video, one that I had never seen before today. From their 1983 release, Working with Fire and Steel, here is "Wishful Thinking," featuring a rare lead vocal from Eddie Lundon.


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#27--Japan--I Second That Emotion

Yes, this is the Smokey Robinson and the Miracles’ song.
First heard this one on CFNY. First saw the video a few hours ago thanks to YouTube. :)
Haven’t cared much for the music released by the various ex-members of Japan. The lone album released by Dali’s Car, the short-lived duo of Mick Karn and post-Bauhaus Peter Murphy, was weird. Sylvian’s stuff is too dreamy. One of worst CDs in my collection is The Dolphin Brothers’ (aka Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri) Catch the Fall. I bought it because I sort of liked a song I heard on CFNY, but the rest of it is pure poo.

Here's a picture of my new favorite animated character:



I've made a personal vow. I'm no longer going to post on any movie boards. I'll visit and make comments in my favorite journals over at RT and I'll lurk elsewhere, which is pretty much all I do these days anyway. That doesn't mean I'll stop writing about movies. Next entry...

YouTube video of the day...Haysi Fantayzee's "Shiny Shiny"

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the most annoying song to come out of the Me Decade. Seriously. Can't believe this got VH1 Classic airplay. Anecdote time: I never heard this song in the eighties. The first time was when I bought all the volumes of the "Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of 80s" in the mid-1990s. The volume on which this oddity is found also includes the fantastic "Just Got Lucky" by The JoBoxers. Can't believe that gem was featured in The 40 Year Old Virgin!

YouTube video of the day...Blancmange's "Lose Your Love"

I have to wonder how long YouTube will exist in its current incarnation. Seems like quite a few videos have been pulled in the past couple weeks. I guess it's as good of a time as any to start the "YouTube video of the day" feature here at Karim Amir.

Here's the video for song #59 on my best of the 80's list, Blancmange's "Lose Your Love." Enjoy.

iTunes quizzy...

I'm a sucker for this sort of thing.
Someone posted this on last.fm...

My iTunes...

Sort by song title:
-First Song: 'It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken' / The Tragically Hip
-Last Song: Your Sweet Voice / Matthew Sweet

Sort by time:
-Shortest Song: One Last "Whoo-Hoo!" For the Pullman / Sufjan Stevens
-Longest Song: Sister Ray / The Velvet Underground

Sort by album:
-First Song: Welcome to the New Regime / Steve Wynn (from ...tick...tick...tick)
-Last Song: Gideon / My Morning Jacket (from Z)

Top 15 Most Played Songs:
1. Don't Ask Why / Ron Sexsmith
2. Heavy Metal Drummer / Wilco
3. So Come Back, I Am Waiting / Okkervil River
4. Kansas City / Okkervil River
5. Heart with No Companion / Ron Sexsmith
6. Landed / Ben Folds
7. There She Goes, My Beautiful World / Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
8. Luckiest Man Alive / Finn Brothers
9. Via Chicago / Wilco
10. I Just Want to Live / Josh Rouse
11. The Bleeding Heart Show / The New Pornographers
12. Twee / Tullycraft
13. Feeling of Gaze / Twilight Singers
14. Ashes / Embrace
15. The Rescue Blues / Ryan Adams

First ten songs that come up on Shuffle:
One X One / Paul Weller
She's So High / Blur
Louise Louise / Orange Juice
Truth / Neil Finn
Kaleidoscope / Ride
Shiver / Kitchens of Distinction
I Want You / Spiritualized
Fisherman's Blues / Waterboys
Johnny and Mary / Robert Palmer
A Person Isn't Safe Anywhere These Days / The Chameleons

Search ....
"sex", how many songs come up?: 19, but 17 of those are from Ron Sexsmith
"love", how many songs come up?: 125
"you", how many songs come up?: 247
"death", how many songs come up? 6
"hate", how many songs come up? 3 (Three different versions of The Dream Syndicate's "Whatever You Please")
"wish" how many songs come up? 5

Five "wish" songs:
Things I Wish I Had Said / The Chameleons
Wishing I Was There / Natalie Imbrulglia
Wish You Were Her / Billy Bragg
Wishing Well / Hunters and Collectors
Hurt (I Wish) / Sjako!

Wilco, etc.

Recently viewed films:
Jarhead / **
Sam Mendes was obviously going for the "Waiting for Godot" vibe in this Gulf War drama, but doesn't pull off the theater of the absurd complexities. Jarhead is simply pointless.

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit / ****
Pure joy. The only way to describe this film is pure cinematic joy. I want a pet like Gromit and my love of cheese rivals Wallace's.

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada / **1/2
Strange little film whose biggest flaw is the underdevelopment of the lead character (played by Tommy Lee Jones) and the titular Estrada.

Nine Lives / **1/2
One of those "everyone is connected" compendium flicks. Some of the vignettes work, while others fall flat. Good to see Stephen Dillane.

Songs I've recently listened to (and dug):
"No Tomorrow" / Steve Wynn
Mr. Wynn's best song in years. David Fricke of Rolling Stone likened it to "Layla."
"Summer Turns to Fall" / Mark Gardener
Ex-Ride guy channels 60's folk-rock to great effect. Wow.
"Funny Little Frog" / Belle and Sebastian
Listen once and try to get it out of your head. I dare you.

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Last night, the boyfriend and I travelled to Charleston to see Wilco at the North Charleston Performing Arts center. A little over a month ago, we saw Jeff Tweedy's old partner in crime, Jay Farrar (with the "reformed" Son Volt) play a marathon show at the Music Farm in Chucktown. Now we've completed the Uncle Tupelo daily double. Now, maybe someday they'll reunite...

Tweedy and Co. were great, but for me the show was nearly ruined by these obnoxious, drunk preppy/frat boy(and sorority girl) types in front of us. We had assigned seats and the show--I think--was close to sold out, so it's like we could have moved. And I really wish that the band would have played "Via Chicago." Besides that slight, I was satisfied with the setlist and the overall show.

I would have taken pictures, but upon entering the venue, the security guard lady looked in my purse, saw the camera and made me take it back to the car. Grrrrrrr....

My ticket stub is featured at the beginning of the entry.