The two hottest viral videos of the moment seem to be the girl who set herself on fire while twerking (watch it here) and today’s SOTD, ‘The Fox,’ by the Norwegian band Ylvis.
Tellingly, both are publicity stunts.
The twerking girl was revealed last week to be a gag planned by Jimmy Kimmel in collaboration with a stunt woman. He quietly uploaded it to YouTube a few weeks ago and waited to see if it would, ahem, catch fire.
‘Hello City’ is the first song on Gordon, the first Barenaked Ladies album, and it kicks off their professional career in what would become their trademark smart, funny fashion.
A dig at Halifax, Nova Scotia, where the Canadian band played an early unsuccessful gig, this song is one of the most enjoyable on that excellent album.
I have two main points to make in today’s Random Weekend selection.
The first is that Ben Folds is such a great songwriter that even his B-sides can be powerful and moving.
‘Wandering,’ released on Folds’ Speed Graphic EP, and later in demo version on his Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective (and I believe on a movie soundtrack originally), is a beautiful, sad portrait of a relationship — it could easily stand alongside the best of his album work.
I’m closing out this week of new music with my second Fitz & the Tantrums purchase, the band’s new album More Than Just a Dream. I haven’t heard much of this one, either.
But I really like what little I have heard, including first single (and today’s SOTD) ‘Out of My League’ and ‘Fool’s Gold,’ the song that first caught my wife’s attention.
John Mayer’s sixth studio album, Paradise Valley picks up where last year’s Born and Raised left off, and that’s a very good thing.
Mayer has settled into a country folk groove that suits him perfectly. His delicate guitar work and pretty melodies are tailor made for this back porch acoustic vibe. And he’s writing some of the best songs of his career.
