Fixed gear bikes are often associated with hipster / alt subculture. I think this is because they are mildly unfunctional or maybe even hyperfunctional or something. Apparently Wal Mart is now selling fixed gear bikes. Wal Mart is known as the master of moving low cost goods at low prices, so it makes sense that they would opt to carry a single gear bike instead of a multi-gear off roading bike. Poor people and minorities simply don’t have the budget or the rugged terrain that requires multiple gears + sick shock protection. Wal Mart seems like it is really morphing into a ‘green company’ that really helps the environment by selling organic products + non-fossil-fuel-emitting vehicles. Wonder why there is such a backlash against Wal Mart. Feel like people who are capable of ‘backlashing’ are rich and white, so they are probably just taking out their hatred on poors and minorities when they rally against Wal Mart. Just wish Wal Mart and Whole Foods and an Outdoor Store would be purchased by the government and we could get everything we need for free.
Will WalMart start to carry Am Appy after having to ‘bail them out’ in 2k15, or will they stick with ‘the cheap shit’ from Asia? Are fixed gear bikes good for the environment? Is WalMart a chil place 2 shop? Should I write an article about ‘hipsters are everywhere’ or ‘hipsters are dead’ based on this hipster meme? Is Walmart the future of America?
The Hype Machine is marketed/branded as ‘a kewl community where people can come together to find the best music in the world from the most authentic, pure sources in the world: blogs.’ It seems like these college students are in some sort of class where they had to make a video about website, and they chose the hype machine. The video is terrible. It features the traditional ‘bros trying to be funny’ mixed with terrible production value.’ Sorta makes me wish I could relive my film school days so I could ‘have a field day’ ripping them to shreds during the critique of their video.
Wonder what is worse: the acting or the production value?
I think they are trying to tell you that Hype Machine can help u find music to ‘get a girl friend’ or something. Ultimately a very pointless video, but just wanted yall to reconnect with ‘the process of making videos’ for your class in high school/college. It seems like every1 is ‘trying to be funny’, like they think they are emulating whatever type of humor is ‘funny’ right now. Feel sad. Feel sad that humor ‘evolves’ so quickly.
Do u miss college? Do u miss watching videos that other ‘losers’ made? Do u miss entry level micro humor? do u use music as a way to ‘impress girls/bros’? Do u feel like technology has enabled 2 many people to ‘make asses of themselves’? Is they Hype Machine still relevant, or do u just illegally download entire albums instead of just cherry picking individual mp3s?
Joanna Newsom’s latest album really ‘came and went’ very quickly. I am not sure if it really had any widespread cultural traction, or if it was just a typical album released by an overhyped female marketed to lonely indie bros, particularly the age 27-40 single bros. Even though it ’seemed like a big deal on the internet’, the album sorta just disappeared and didn’t really make her any new fans.
Maybe I am being unfair to Joanna Newsom by holding her to the same standards as most recording artists. Maybe not every album has to be poppy and amazing. Maybe not every album has to sell tons of digital + physical units. Maybe the lasting impact of an artist isn’t determined by how many people buy ur album, but instead the number of people u inspire to live a better life. The number of people you inspire to make something beautiful.
Maybe Joanna should be proud that she started the harp wave movement. A collection of authentic harp players strumming harps because they love the sound, not because they are trying to become ‘famous’ and/or ‘internet famous.’ Sort of feel like harp wave is a really ‘pure’ movement. Like people will do it for free, because the power of harp music is more than just a sound that is meant to be recorded into an mp3 file.
It seems like the harp is the ‘kewl, new instrument’ that every tween, twenty-something, and old person wants to learn. No longer do they want guitar or piano lessons. In order for a child to feel loved, you must sign them up for lessons on a weird instrument. I feel like harps might be the ‘new kewl instrument.’ Instead of kids wanting to play the SP404 (Panda Bear’s sampler) or Ableton, kids are going to want to be able to play the harp.
Feel pure, clean, and reborn. Feel like I am evolving as a human and a consumer, learning to appreciate music for ‘the right reasons.’ It doesn’t matter how attractive a musician is. It doesn’t matter how much money a musician makes, or if they are placed in iPhone commercials. What matters is ‘the love of the game’, sort of like college basketball or something.
Wonder if the harp wave movement will inspire indie music fans 2 love music for ‘the right reasons.’ Is Joanna Newsom the Mother Theresa of indie music? Is the harp wave movement going 2 become an international phenomenon, or will it only exist on the streets and in the hearts of crazy old ladies in Europe? Does n e 1 know what happened 2 Joanna Newsom?
I think ABC News is trying to ‘cover’ alt bands or something, but accidentally booked She & Him to be on their web programming series AMPLIFIED. They basically sent a mainstream journalist to make a puff piece at SXSW, and he sort of ‘took it too seriously’, then the band ‘took it too seriously’ and it sort of showcased the worst of ‘music journalism’ and what happens when artists talk too seriously about their ‘art.’
Do they seem like a chill band, or are they kinda douchey?
Highlights of the video include:
they talk about how ‘personal’ their songwriting is
the bro asks them if their music is a ‘real homage to the 60s or 70s’ or if it is just an ironic take, then they talk about how sincere / authentic they are.
they claim they only listen to modern music ‘here and there’ but mainly only listen to their friends’ music
the bro asks Zooey Deschanel if she plays her music for Ben Gibbard, and she says ‘only after it is mastered.’
Showing clips of ELF, Almost Famous and 500 Days of Summer to showcase Zooey Deschanel’s acting background
crappy video editing by the ABC News intern
Seems like the journalist bro got to travel to SXSW, read a few articles on wikipedia, then was ready to be a music journalist. Wonder if Dan Harris’ dream job is to work for Pitchfork or to cover Sarah Palin.
Did Zooey look kute and sound smart + talented? Did her bangs look good in this video? Should She & Him remain a ’studio band’? Should Zooey Deschanel ‘go solo’? Should Zooey Deschanny ’stick 2 acting’? Should Ben Gibbard produce her music? Does Ben Gibbard genuinely ‘enjoy’ her music, or does he just have 2 say he likes it to avoid arguments? Will She & Him become one of the top selling bands of 2010 after their iPhone commercial showcase?
Recently saw some meme about how Lollapalooza opted not to simply release the names of the artists on their festival lineup. Instead, they just released the lineup letter by letter, turning the lineup release process into a ‘cute lil game.’ I think this was to create some sort of internet meme, or try to make it an ‘internet sensation.’ Sorta seems annoying, like the whole ‘festival announcement gimmick’ has gone too far. Maybe people enjoy this. Not really in touch with Midwestern mainstreamers who ‘road trip’ 2 chicago 4 a mainstream music festival.
Seems like their ‘design firm’ could have done a better job with this gimmick, too. PDF files available for print. A kewl social networking site + flash interface. The ‘winner’ gets free all-access pass to chill with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, or whoever is playing this year.
Wonder if the goal is to ‘get internet buzz’ to help the global brand of your festival, or if it is to sell tickets. It seems like it might deter ticket sales if customers don’t know who is playing.
Are festivals allowed to be gimmicky-er than bands when it comes to ‘releasing info’? Did u think ‘guessing the lineup’ was fun? Did Lollapalooza execute a good gimmick, or did they ruin their brand? R u willing 2 boycott a music festival that has a ‘gimmicky’ release of the lineup? R u willing 2 boycott a music festival that has a crappy lineup? R u going to go to Lollapalooza? Are music festivals struggling to ‘turn a profit’ so they have to just make it seem like they are financially stable/’relevant’ on the internet? Are music festivals ‘cash cows’ so they can do whatever they want? R u scared music festivals will turn to extreme gimmicks to try to have the most ‘creative’ festival lineup release? What is the most alt / authentic music festival in North America? What is the most alt / authentic music festival in the world?
Can’t believe it finally happened. A chillwave buzzband finally got ‘acknowledged’ by the mainstream iPhone commercial filmmakers. Feel like this is one of the greatest ‘ I guess alt music has finally arrived’ moments in my entire life. Even more meaningful to me than the time iPod Nano embedded Feist’s 1-2-3-4 in their commercial.
I wonder if Apple regrets putting Chairlift in that one commercial. Guess they are still trying to recapture the Feist Magic.
Feel bad that they focused the commercial on She & Him. Feel like a lot of consumers will be let down if they actually research the band. They really should have focused on Neon Indian to make sure that their brand stayed aligned with a band that was strong + innovative.
Feels chill that Grizzly Bear is still chilling around. I guess their cover art is ‘vibrant enough’ for the Apple company to build their campaign around.
Do u hope these artists were paid for this commercial, or is there some sort of ‘bullshit clause’ when you contribute music to iTunes where you give the rights to your cover art to the Apple Company for branding purposes? Is iTunes / Apple ripping off artists? Has Neon Indian ‘finally made it’? Do u wish they featured a band’s actual music instead of just using cover art? whose cover art is more authentic: Grizzly Bear’s Vecky or Neon Indian’s Psychic Chazzers? Is Apple ‘ripping off’ buzzbands? Will the iPad purchase the rights to “Should have taken acid with you” and change the words to “Shoulda bought an iPad 4 u”?
