Quasi-Daily Overdose

It's Oh, So Quiet

2009-04-26T21:28:00.001-04:00

Shh... shh.

Been uber busy lately in the meatosphere. Will return to the blogosphere soon. Hang in there, peeps.

Adam Savage - Obsession

2009-03-29T10:41:00.003-04:00

TED.com and Fora.tv are both amazing resources for fascinating talks by interesting people. Here, Mythbusters host Adam Savage reveals his penchant for creative obsession. The talk is about 17 minutes but well worth the time investment, and there are hundreds more on TED and Fora. Click either logo at any time during the video and check out these sites.

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-03-28T15:46:00.003-04:00

Maurice Sendak's classic children's book comes to life in this Spike Jonze adaptation, due out September 19. How exciting is this?

The Lonely Island - I'm on a Boat

2009-03-15T11:18:00.003-04:00

At least as funny as Flight of the Conchords. Check out this awesomeness:

Things but very slowly 3 - face slap

2009-03-09T10:22:00.005-04:00

I just can't get enough of this slow-motion goodness. High speed cameras and science (or sci-tertainment, in the case of this show) are two of my favourite things to have in tandem. Mythbusters, Smash Lab, or Brainiac: Science Abuse, it's all good. Check out what a slap in the face looks like, very slowly:

BlackBerry Storm - Bullet

2009-03-06T09:28:00.009-05:00

At first glance I liked this advert because it's pretty and simple and its point is clear. Then I looked a little more closely and found a couple of things to complain about. Like the animation on the apple when the blackberry hits it. Did these animators never study physics? Wait, don't answer that. The other thing I don't like is the tagline. I get that it's a play on words, but is that really the message you want to be sending your customers? Nothing can touch it. Including you. So this phone will be just another weight in your pocket pulling your pants off you. It seems to me not much thought went in to this.

De Lijn - Penguins

2009-03-03T14:42:00.003-05:00

Darling animated ad from Flemish/Belgian public transit company De Lijn. Say what you will about penguins, this ad still gets points with me.

Google Chrome Ad - Japan Team

2009-02-21T14:12:00.006-05:00

I tried out Google Chrome a few months back and LOVED IT. This was, of course, before the Great Mac Conversion that took place in our house recently. I know they're working on a Mac version but it just can't come fast enough for me. I am seriously considering going back to Windows just so I can use this browser. It's that good. In the mean time, I'll try to convince others to give it a shot (and defy you to go back to your Firefox or IE) and hope and pray that the Mac version comes out soon. Also, check out this sweet ad worked up by the Japan Google team.

Click the video anywhere to go to the download page. As hinted at above, this is currently only available for Windows. You can, however, sign up for updates from Google as the Mac version develops, if you so desire. Linux users, well, you know how it goes...

Inglourious Basterds Trailer

2009-02-14T11:14:00.004-05:00

It's here! The long-awaited trailer from Quentin Tarantino's latest proffering, mysteriously titled Inglourious Basterds. When asked about the extra U, Tarantino replies "I can't tell you!" but the spelling of basterds he explains away with "That's just the way you say it." I don't really care what it is that's going on in his marvelous brain, I'll just wait patiently for August and the release of this film and its no doubt spectacular soundtrack. In the meantime, though...

Twestival and 12 for 12K

2009-02-13T12:40:00.004-05:00

Had a thrilling time at my local Twestival last night. For those who don't know, Twestival was a fundraising event for charity : water who work to provide clean drinking water to those around the world who don't have it. While there I also found out about another very worthy cause called 12 for 12K. The goal is to raise $12 000 for 12 charities throughout 2009. For more information, check the video below, and click through to the website.

Things but very slowly - karate chop

2009-02-06T10:50:00.003-05:00

This totally blew my mind, although it really probably shouldn't have. Check out what you can see when this guy's block-breaking karate chop is filmed and slowed way down.

Brainiac: Science Abuse is apparently still being made in the UK, which is good news since it is by far the most entertaining thing on my TiVo.

Brainiac: Science Abuse - Water Balloon

2009-02-05T20:05:00.005-05:00

We've recently gotten into the British scitertainment show Brainiac: Science Abuse. I think DH's favourite segment is probably "How hard is your thing?" and mine is definitely "Things but very slowly." Check out an example of the latter below. Water balloon bursting in slow motion? Yeah it is.

Blackberry Curve - What if Delivery People ran the World?

2009-02-04T10:27:00.003-05:00

This charming and quick advert from Blackberry, Sprint and Nextel aired during the Superbowl broadcast Sunday.

Careerbuilder.com - Tips

2009-02-03T12:39:00.001-05:00

This ad is incredibly annoying, but I kept watching it anyway. Worth it? Maybe.

Careerbuilder.com's 2009 Superbowl ad cost them somewhere in the neighbourhood of $6M just to air.

Pedigree - Get a dog

2009-02-02T08:33:00.001-05:00

Ah, the SuperBowl. Is there anything it can't do? Pedigree promotes its Adoption Drive with hilarious results:

Bonds - Cricket Tennis

2009-02-01T13:09:00.005-05:00

There's something about playing a game with equipment from another game. Or equipment from something else entirely. Below: tennis with a cricket bat and other unexpected applications.

Pat Rafter and Michael Clarke brought to you by Bonds Active Undies. Clickable video brought to you by this awesomeness.

Lexus ES - Cards

2009-01-31T12:38:00.004-05:00

Renowned card stacker Bryan Berg gives Lexus a hand with their latest advert.

I like the way this ad looks. Although I'm not a car expert, I get the feeling that you could probably do this with just about any new car. I also wonder why it matters. Still, quite a pretty ad. Click at the beginning or the end to see more on how they did it.

PETA - Veggie Love

2009-01-29T09:56:00.004-05:00

Here's some brilliant advertising. It's provocative, its message is simple, and thousands of people are seeing it, without PETA paying a penny to air. Did they purposely create an ad that would be rejected by NBC for airing during the Superbowl? I think so. Who can afford the rates they're charging anyway?

Love me tender ... or else

2009-01-22T18:15:00.007-05:00

I guess I can forgive my guy for last year's Valentine's day being a total bust, because he was a little busy, but I am expecting great things this time around. So for him, and you dear reader, a gentle reminder from British lingerie company Agent Provocateur ...

The music in the hot scene is by Dirty Stop Out.

Band From TV

2009-01-20T19:51:00.004-05:00

Really? Do we really need another free-love hippie communist music collective? Okay, deep breath, let Billy Preston fix it. Turns out they're a charity cover band, with each of the famous participants contributing proceeds to the charity of his or her choice. I guess I can get behind that.

Click anything that pops up for more information. Click this to find out how to do that.

Taylor Momsen escapes Paparazzi - Nike viral spot

2009-01-18T09:52:00.004-05:00

I like this ad because it's subtle. I don't like it because it's not subtle enough.

I monetized this video in under five minutes using the tools found here.

Dylan Thomas poetry animation

2009-01-16T10:36:00.007-05:00

I found this while perusing the Rifftrax blog and frankly, this is possibly the creepiest thing I have ever seen. And that includes Remco's Baby laugh a lot and the Obama/McCain dance off. Below, how to turn anyone off history, poetry, and the Welsh in under two minutes.

Virgin Atlantic - 25 Years, Still Red Hot

2009-01-11T11:26:00.003-05:00

This ad is brilliant in two ways. First, it features a load of gorgeous women. Second, it's set in 1984, so when people complain that it's sexist, VA can say "Of course it is, it's the eighties."

LG - Steam Cloud

2009-01-08T18:49:00.002-05:00

Here's a gorgeously simple ad from LG that looks spectacular on my Sony Bravia.

Steam Heat was written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross for the 1954 musical The Pajama Game. It was made famous by Patti Page and figures in the Broadway review Fosse.

Facebook Ad FAIL

2009-01-06T22:46:00.003-05:00

This is my own, but there are tons more at failblog.org

Commentary on failed ads brought to you by the amazing Overlay.tv

Man vs. Wild Drinking Game

2009-01-05T07:39:00.005-05:00

Some people say Bear Grylls is a big phony, but that doesn't change the fact that this show is INCREDIBLY ENTERTAINING. And, like most things in life, it becomes even more entertaining when you add alcohol. There are a couple of other MVW drinking games out there, but our rules are easier to understand and just plain better.

Take a drink whenever:

Bear takes an excessively difficult or dangerous route when the cameraman clearly didn't have to.
Bear talks about people lost or stranded in his current environment, whether they lived or died.
Bear makes a raft, ladder, rope, or other transportation aid out of local materials and it fails before he is finished using it.
Bear takes off his shirt.
Bear takes off his trousers.
Bear takes off all his clothes.
Bear adds a syllable (as in "aluminium"), removes one (as in "slippy"), or just plain pronounces something wrong (as in "glassier" for glacier) because he's British.
Bear eats something gross and describes it using a simile (that means he uses the word "like" or "as") (see video example).

That's it. Below, a taste of the show...

Pretty annotated warnings made possible by the handsome lads at Overlay.tv

Kosogorov Samogon Viral

2009-01-04T15:23:00.006-05:00

Here's another brilliant (if completely unoriginal) viral ad, this time for Russia's Kosogorov Samogon. What makes it worth watching? It seems there is little-to-no camera trickery.

Do click the video at some point -- the website for this product is at least as entertaining as this viral ad is. Video made clickable by talented geniuses at Overlay.tv.

Luigi Fail

2009-01-03T12:40:00.004-05:00

Seriously, who doesn't know better than to avoid this?

Click the word FAIL in the image above for hours more fail-tertainment. Clickable overlay technology brought to you via me by the gang at Overlay.tv.

VW Touareg - Garage (Octopussy?)

2009-01-02T21:10:00.001-05:00

Beautifully simplistic ad from volkswagen

Supergrass - Diamond Hoo Ha Man

2009-01-02T15:14:00.006-05:00

Here's a track by British alternarockers Supergrass. I came across this perusing (of all things) MSNBC's list of top underrated songs of 2008. It's a little Zeppelin-reminiscent overall, but a rollicking good time nonetheless. Not to be confused with Supertramp or Superchunk, enjoy Supergrass below.

Things that pop up are clickable. If this annoys you, click the HIDE button on top. If you think it's neat, pop on over to Overlay.tv and check out their stuff.

Filter yourself, for the love of God

2008-12-24T21:45:00.009-05:00

Here's a question: why are your crappy photos all over the internet? I see them on FaceBook, and Flickr and everywhere else. Do you have no filter? Do you not go through all however many photos you have before posting them and choose only the best?? Obviously you don't.

This phenomenon drives me absolutely crazy. Why do I have to sift through a zillion crappy pictures to find the twelve that were worth looking at? Above is a photo of me and my partner, sharing a moment at a friend's birthday party. As you can see, it's dark and grainy and slightly out of focus. Also, she kind of hates me, and yet for some reason she posted this photo on the internet. If you can explain this behaviour, please do.

Audi Q5 - Unboxed

2008-12-24T08:22:00.005-05:00

Darling piece of animation (set to Woody Guthrie's Riding in my Car) from Audi.

New York Pizza - Damn Fucking Tasty

2008-12-22T21:45:00.002-05:00

Dutch advertising agency Selmore brings us this gem of an ad:

The Price is Fail

2008-12-21T11:44:00.003-05:00

I scoured failblog for hours just to find this for you.

Overlay.TV's annotations are customizable and they allow you to add pictures and links to the outside web. Not like those other guys...

Remco - Baby Laugh-A-Lot

2008-12-20T12:51:00.004-05:00

Man, they sure don't make children's advertising like they used to.

Clickable creepy video supported by Overlay.TV

SoftBank - Brad Pitt in Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot

2008-12-16T20:42:00.003-05:00

This Japanese cellular advert is a fantastic play on Jacques Tati's 1953 film Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot. Check out People Magazine's two-time sexiest man alive below:

Speaking of sexy men, clickable video on this site is provided by Overlay.tv

Chris Neil vs Zenon Konopka - Longest Hockey Fight Ever

2008-12-14T22:05:00.004-05:00

This was definitely my highlight of last night's rather lacklustre competition between the Ottawa Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning. Watch for Neil clobbering Zonopka with his own helmet, and later punching the glass.

Video technology provided by the handsome lads at Overlay.tv

Strongbow Cider - Urban Orchard

2008-12-13T12:16:00.004-05:00

A simple concept beautifully executed.

Lack of banner ads brought to you by the good folks at Overlay.tv

Volkswagen - DogFish

2008-12-12T20:34:00.004-05:00

Volkswagen's delightful new advert for the Spacefox captures what every owner of a water-loving dog has wondered at one time or another ... Do I have a dog, or a fish?

Clickable video brought to you by the handsome boys at Overlay.tv

Prop 8, the musical

2008-12-08T20:56:00.005-05:00

Trust Hollywood to come out with a dazzling retort to Proposition 8. Trust incredibly talented comedic actors and singers like Neil Patrick Harris, Allison Janney, John C. Reilly, and the irreverent Jack Black to stand up for gay rights and poke holes in the logic of homophobes. Trust them to do it in time to make a difference to an important vote. Wait, what? Scratch that.

Marc Shaiman has composed a brilliant and fantastically viral piece, but I wonder why it only comes now. There are no minds to change: the votes have been cast; the proposition passed. There are a few good laughs, and a lot of good points, but I wonder what purpose it serves other than to make the rest of us feel superior.

BANNED DFS Furniture ad - Rockstar

2008-12-06T10:05:00.005-05:00

You want to talk about illegal advertising? Well, check out this ad for DFS. Wanting to mimic the video for Nickeback's song Rockstar, this ad uses a technique called green screening. The actors are filmed in front of a green screen and the editors can insert any image behind them, for instance, the Eiffel tower, or whatever sofa is on sale this week. But if it wasn't intentional, they must have had the new guy do this advert, because the scale of the actors is not the same as the scale of the furniture. This ad has been pulled from the airwaves for being misleading.

Valabik vs Bass

2008-12-04T19:02:00.003-05:00

The Sens/Thrashers game last night was nothing if not entertaining. Great play, tons of scoring, and of course, a few fights. My personal favourite is below. Watch out for Bass's sneak attack at the end...

Swedish Fish - Cat Sandwich

2008-11-28T20:01:00.009-05:00

Welcome, Stumbleupon user! Click play and if you like what you see, don't forget to thumb us up. Thanks a bunch! Cat Sandwich:

[This video is slow to load sometimes. Be patient and you won't regret it.]

Bill Shatner's Thankgiving memories

2008-11-27T20:17:00.002-05:00

For my neighbours to the south...Happy Thanksgiving.

Star Trek New Movie Trailer

2008-11-24T07:46:00.001-05:00

Some people are calling it Star Trek Zero -- an appropriate moniker, I'd say. The only other thing I have to say about it is ... AWESOME.

Clickable video tech brought to you by the good folks at Overlay.tv

MythBusters on YouTube LIVE

2008-11-23T17:10:00.006-05:00

YouTube's Live event in San Francisco garnered tons of attention on the intertubes last night. Stars galore made for huge publicity and lots of viewers. Check out Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman playing with their giant paintball gun, Leonardo 2.0, originally designed to demonstrate the difference between a CPU and a GPU at nvidia's nvision 2008. Remember to stay out of the exclusion area.

You can check out the original demonstration at nvision by clicking on the thumbnail that shows up. Video technology brought to you by Overlay.tv

Bruce Lee Nunchuk Ping Pong Match

2008-11-21T17:58:00.004-05:00

While I'm pretty sure Bruce never did this, I'm also pretty sure he could have. This Nokia ad runs in China (and now all over the internet) and is extremely well-crafted. Check out martial arts master Bruce Lee kicking ass with his nunchaku below.

Controversial, offensive Motrin ad enrages moms

2008-11-17T20:54:00.006-05:00

Apparently a lot of parents are up in arms about this Motrin ad. "Patronizing," "condescending," and "just plain offensive," are among the complaints out there on the inter-tubes. My take is, and I've said this before, the more controversial an advert is, the more people are likely to see it. I'd call all this hubbub a successful campaign. Find out what has everyone so upset below.

If clicking doesn't take you anywhere, you may need to allow popups for this site.

How to eat cheap

2008-11-16T12:21:00.006-05:00

With all the uncertainty in the financial markets these days, more and more families are looking to curtail their spending, especially when it comes to buying groceries. Author Gill Holcombe has a solution with her new cookbook, How to Feed Your Whole Family a Healthy, Balanced Diet with Very Little Money: Simple, Wholesome and Nutritious Recipes for Family Meals. Cooking doesn't have to cost a lot of money, or a lot of time, as she explains below:

At an affordable price, this book is poised to become one of Christmas 2008's surprise bestsellers. Click on the book in the video above to order it for someone you know.

Selma Blair & Rainn Wilson - Baby it's Cold Outside

2008-11-15T11:00:00.008-05:00

I went out shopping with a friend last night and this song came on between Feliz Navidad and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. It's a terrible shame, my friend commented, that you only hear this song for two months of the year. It's not really a Christmas song, it's just a Winter song. In fact, it's just a cold-weather song. She's right, of course, and it's such a classic song that it really is terrible that we don't get to hear it come January.

So while I'm pleased that GAP has included it again in their winter/Christmas ad campaign, I know we won't get to hear it anymore after the big day. So enjoy it while you can:

Ozzy Osbourne for Samsung

2008-11-11T15:40:00.002-05:00

I got a kick out of the following, especially because now Ozzy is making money without even having to try to enunciate. I'd say that's working smarter for sure.

House Poor

2008-11-10T19:19:00.006-05:00

This expression has had an upswing in recent years, with the problems in the US with sub-prime* mortgages, and the fall of real estate prices across the continent. The only problem is, the expression you're looking for is house rich, cash poor. You're in this situation if so much of your money is tied up paying your mortgage that you can't afford to do much else. In the context that it's used, "house poor" doesn't make any sense if you think about it. So stop saying it if it's not what you mean! I just had to get that off my chest.

*Don't even get me started on that one.

Heidi Klum - Guitar Hero World Tour

2008-11-07T18:15:00.004-05:00

In a nod to Tom Cruise's underwear scene in Risky Business, Heidi Klum initiates some risky business of her own in a spank bank-worthy ad for the latest installment of the Guitar Hero series:

Obama flips off McCain

2008-11-04T22:27:00.006-05:00

I'm sure you have better things to do than watch this.
Although it is only eighteen seconds long...

Click the CNN logo for up-to-the-minute election coverage. (You have to play the video, and you may need to allow popups).

Amnesty International - Crazy Leaders

2008-11-02T13:02:00.003-05:00

Amusing spot brought to you by the good folks at Amnesty International.

Get out the Vote, Monster Style!

2008-10-31T11:39:00.006-04:00

When is the one day each year people expect a knock on the door? Which holiday always occurs a few days before the Election? What is the single-best way to get people to the polls? Well, I'll answer the last one for you: it's just to ask them.

Find your inner-Frankenstein, knock on some doors in costume, and party-down with like-minded volunteers at Trick or Vote—the nation's largest non-partisan get-out-the vote-effort!

John McCain - His Choice

2008-10-29T17:18:00.006-04:00

This is a fantastic piece of advertising from the Democrats. Even better is that it was just handed to them all wrapped up in the neat little package that is Sarah Palin. Good job, Republican Party.

It's a good thing McCain trumped this ad by singlehandedly saving the economy when he put his campaign on hold a few weeks back.

Bird in the Snow - a Fable

2008-10-28T17:42:00.005-04:00

Especially for you:

Panic at the Disco - It's Almost Halloween

2008-10-27T09:33:00.002-04:00

First they were Panic! at the Disco, then they dropped the exclamation point. Okay, you can try to do that, but in my mind, it will always be there. But can someone please explain this to me? Are they deliberately bad, or are they a serious band? Because I listen to them and I think it must be a really bad joke. This is worse than Ann Coulter, and defninitely worse than the Da Vinci Code (both the film and the novel by Dan Brown). It's worse than Joe the Plumber and much, much worse than time cube. So tell me, is this for real? Because for all my digging, I can't find any evidence, other than their talent, that this band is a joke.

McCain / Obama Dance-off

2008-10-26T00:01:00.002-04:00

Barack Obama challenges John McCain to a dance off -- old school.

If clicking the link in the video isn't working for you, you may need to allow popups for this site.

Anfängerfehler (Beginner's Mistake)

2008-10-25T16:08:00.003-04:00

A sweet short film with bonus trivia at the start from Austria's Red Rabbit studio.

Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy

2008-10-22T18:28:00.006-04:00

Since its announcement in 1994, fans have been waiting patiently to hear the newest album from American rockers Guns N' Roses. Crises followed by personnel changes followed by more crises and personnel changes have delayed this album while the public's anticipation mounted. Leaks and rumours haven't staved off the hunger of the true G N'R fanatics. Then, a few weeks ago, something tangible -- a release date. But it's not only that, it's a release date accompanied with a pre-sale. Now things are looking up. Today, a single. Next month, dare I say it, an album?

If you're trying to click and nothing's happening, you may need to allow popups for this site.

Ben Stein weighs in

2008-10-20T19:44:00.005-04:00

In his typical caring-but-not-really-caring tone, Ben Stein helps the voting cause by playing on his Ferris Bueller's Day Off tagline. Although Stein's political affiliation is clearly Republican, he lends his voice to a non-partisan ad campaign, below.

You may need to allow popups for this site to experience full clickthrough goodness.

3 great bits of advertising you may have missed

2008-10-16T18:25:00.006-04:00

Nike - Logo

Actually, I'm pretty sure Nike didn't make this ad, but I think it's pretty effective anyway.

There are clickable things in the videos -- you may need to allow popups but I promise nothing bad will happen.

Folgers - Happy Morning

Came out in 2006, developed by Saatchi & Saatchi, really weird and really intriguing. Worth a second look even if you've seen it before.

Must Drink More Milk

This one is the result of an (ongoing) ad contest. Click through to check the contest out.

Is Obama prepared for the presidency?

2008-10-15T18:18:00.006-04:00

If he's elected in November, Barack Obama will be the fifth-youngest President the United States has ever seen, behind such ne'er-do-wells as Teddy Roosevelt (youngest) and JFK (second-youngest). His political career has not been very long; he's only been in the Senate since 2005, and served in the Illinois State Senate from 1997. Before that he worked odd jobs like directing Illinois' Project Vote, which registered 150,000 of 400,000 unregistered black voters, and teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School. Is he really ready to become the leader of the free world? There are those who have their doubts...

Click anywhere on the video for more information on moveon.org's ad campaign. You may need to allow popups for this site in order for this to work.

Talk to Your Parents About John McCain

2008-10-14T18:54:00.005-04:00

I've run across a whole slew of new Democrat/Obama ads today. They're pithy, ironic, and clever. Here's one that puts a new spin on the old "talk to your kids" campaign.

Stephen Harper's High School Yearbook Photo

2008-10-11T21:27:00.002-04:00

The scariest thing about this? I found it on the INTERNET. Anyone can access this. Even your children.

Stephane Dion's interview train wreck

2008-10-10T19:18:00.008-04:00

Last night a CTV affiliate aired an interview with Liberal Party leader Stephane Dion. The interview had a couple of false starts, which happens occasionally to anyone who talks with the press on a regular basis. As it typically goes in these situations, the station said they would not air the gaffes and the candidate was relieved. As may typically happen in election season when sensationalist journalism is all the rage, the newscasters went back on their word and aired it anyway. Nice.

I think Dion's problem is that he's too smart for his own good. Query: "If you were Prime Minister now, what would you have done that Mr. Harper has not done?" Results: 1) If I had been PM for Harper's whole term, our economy would be in much better shape because I would have done A and B and C. 2) If I am elected PM on Tuesday I will do the following D and E and F. 3) If I was PM for the last two days or weeks or months I would have...

I don't fully understand that question, and English is my first language. Hypothetical questions are among the most difficult to answer. Some critics are saying he should have defined his own timeline, given an answer and have been done with it, but I think he tried and the interviewer gave him no room. He tried to clarify the question to no avail. I think this journalist knows Dion's not the best talker (which doesn't mean he's not the best thinker) and was trying to trap him and make him look foolish. I think this is a low blow by a journalist who's not really worth his salt. I think Harper trying to capitalize on it is an even lower blow and a complete mistake. I think Dion's Liberals have the best economic plan out there, and I really hope they blow the Tories out of the water.

If you agree with my assessment; if you disagree; please comment.

Seth MacFarlane is hilarious

2008-10-09T21:26:00.004-04:00

Who knew Family Guy and American Dad creator Seth MacFarlane had other hilarity in his coffers?

Click what comes up ... you might be surprised at what happens. You may need to allow popups for this site for this to work well.

Deerhoof - Offend Maggie

2008-10-08T11:27:00.000-04:00

In case there was any doubt in your mind, Deerhoof do seem to have settled into their stride and found a sound they're sticking with. But when it's this dymanic, who can blame them? I can imagine this music must be thrilling to create; there is life and movement in every track, from serene juxtaposed with frenetic, to contemplative contrasting agitated. Take Fresh Born, below...

Click on things that show up in the video for more information. You may need to allow popups for this site.

Caribou - Andorra wins 2008 Polaris Prize

2008-10-07T23:04:00.003-04:00

These national music prizes are just not going my way. Don't get me wrong, Caribou's Andorra is absolutely deserving of this honour. It's innovative but remains universal, and you just can't argue with that. For example, She's the One...

Objects in the video are clickable. You may need to allow popups for this site for this to work.

When I look at it rationally, I'm glad I didn't get my wish. But part of me was really hoping for Holy Fuck to win, especially after their federal touring fund was cut off. Take that, Mr. Harper!

Don't Vote - Five Friends

2008-10-06T16:43:00.005-04:00

An incredible list of celebrities urges you not to vote:

To follow links in the video you may need to allow popups for this site.

Among those who are appearing in this series of PSAs: Amy Adams, will.i.am, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Bacon, Halle Berry, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Connolly, Courteney Cox, Ellen DeGeneres, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Jonah Hill, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Kiedis, Ashton Kutcher, Adam Levine, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Tobey Maguire, Demi Moore, Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi, Ethan Suplee, Kyra Sedgwick, the always hilarious Sarah Silverman, Michelle Trachtenberg, Usher, and Forest Whitaker.

HoneyHoney - Little Toy Gun

2008-10-05T16:59:00.003-04:00

The fantastically fresh HoneyHoney emerged this year from sunny California. Picked up by Ironworks, a label founded by 24 star Kiefer Sutherland and his longtime friend Jude Cole, HoneyHoney have burst onto the scene with their 5-song EP Loose Boots. The album is a combination of sixties-style gimmicky singles (think Nancy Sinatra) and slow ballads which show off Suzanne Santo's amazing vocal talent and partner Ben Jaffe's sensitive style. Below, one of the former variety. Check out the Spanish-influenced EP opener, Little Toy Gun.

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Mentos and Carlsberg

2008-10-04T18:30:00.003-04:00

Capitalizing on the popularity of the Mentos and Diet Coke virals out there on the interwebs, the boys at Carlsberg came up with this. The results are even more surprising...

Linked in the video: click for more information on where to get these products so you can set up your own experiment! You may need to allow popups for this site.

Trident Insurance - Bouncing Boobs

2008-10-03T18:25:00.005-04:00

Whether you find it deplorably trashy or brilliant advertising, I think it's safe to say this advert's garnered more than its share of attention. Some are disgusted, some applaud. Either way, people are talking about it, and in my books, that qualifies as a success. Whether or not the people who see it are interested in the product it promotes is an entirely different kettle of fish. But can you really say no to scantily-clad super-hot girls jumping up and down in slow motion on pogo sticks while the camera finds the trashiest of angles to capture it all? I think not. And just for the record, not all women are offended by this sort of advertising. My reaction was "Where can I get me one of those silver bikinis?" I did find some; click the photo in the bottom right if you want silver-wear too. (You may have to allow pop-ups.)

For your viewing pleasure, Trident Insurance's Bouncing Boobs:

Fierce Defender

2008-10-02T07:56:00.005-04:00

I think by now it's become apparent that I really enjoy Honda's advertising. The following ad is a short, farily dark spot that uses surprise and humour to get its message across. I wouldn't say I like it better than this one, or this one, but it's pretty enjoyable nonetheless. Check out Fierce Defender, below...

To access links in the video, you may need to allow pop-ups for this site.

Unplug your friends -- Meetup!

2008-09-30T17:25:00.005-04:00

Surfing the internet, I stumbled upon this video, which (much like the Wii does) reminds me that there is a whole world outside of computers and video games. That's not ironic, but this is: I hunted around a little bit, and ended up at Meetup.com, a social networking site where you can connect with other people in your area so you can meet people face to face.

Wait, what?

If you're looking to meet people, why not just go out and meet people? Join a choir, or a pottery class, or a community association. Volunteer for political campaigns, schools, charities. If you're looking for people who maybe feel like they should be getting away from the internet but aren't quite sure how to do it, click the Meetup logo anytime it appears in the video.

Soundgarden - Spoonman Pop-Up Video

2008-09-27T09:24:00.012-04:00

Hi Stumbler! If you like this post, or the video player, or my template, or my name, or anything really, please take a minute and give me a thumbs up. I'd do the same for you!

Somebody made this using this.

Financial crisis and the collapse of the American economy

2008-09-25T17:21:00.005-04:00

Well, it's happening for sure. I'm just glad I sold my AIG funds. Actually, my financial advisor sold them, God bless her. She's been really good for me. But enough about me, there are many people out there suffering: losing their homes, their nest eggs, their incomes. For instance, these gentlemen, featured recently in the New York Times... (if this doesn't make you sick to your stomach, I don't know what will). Also, if you want it, that's \/ a fullscreen button down there.

Pop Up Video on Overlay.tv

2008-09-24T22:20:00.003-04:00

I'll admit I've been feeling a little stale lately with the blogging (please excuse the blag) but saw something today that changed my tune. Remember VH1's Pop-Up Video? I used to love watching it because it added another layer to the music video I had maybe grown to find a little stale. Turns out now you can do it yourself using widgets on Overlay.tv and there's another layer you can add -- you can make it all clickable! Check out The Vestibules' "Grunge Song" below...

Flow: For the Love of Water

2008-09-18T17:58:00.004-04:00

Just in case you were having a good day and feeling happy with the world, documentary filmmaker Irena Salina gives you something else to think about. Because oil and terrorism and market crashes aren't enough, ponder for a moment, if you will, the privatization of water. Don't think about it too hard, just watch the trailer below and click on any of the popups for reviews. I know I'm still on the fence about seeing this one, despite its many honours, including Sundance Official Selection. I just like my entertainment a little more... entertaining.

Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid wins Mercury Prize

2008-09-16T18:00:00.009-04:00

I know the results have been out for a week, but it's taken me this long to get over it. I'm clearly not on the jury for these things. I've come to accept they deserve this prize; this album truly is phenomenal. It's rife with subtle nuances that take a while to get into your ear, but when they do they stick. It's also the first time Elbow has recorded, mixed and produced an album entirely on their own without any help. And the writing's really grown on me. Even since my last post on the issue.

"There's a hole in my neighbourhood down which / of late I cannot help but fall."

Dear NMP, please stop nominating Radiohead if you're not going to give them the prize. Four is enough.

CPU vs GPU - Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman

2008-09-15T18:31:00.000-04:00

High-impact demonstration of the difference in the way a CPU works versus the way a GPU works. From nvidia's nvision conference hosted in San Francisco this summer, MythBusters' own Leonardo 2.0:

Video technology brought to you by Overlay.tv

Darius Rucker - Don't Think I Don't Think About It

2008-09-13T18:25:00.003-04:00

While I'm not usually a country fan, I was a moderate fan of Hootie and the Blowfish, so when their frontman went out on a solo venture, I thought I'd check it out. Rucker's warm, robust voice is perfectly suited for this genre, and his songwriting and storytelling remain solid. He's timed his switch of genres well, too. Country seems to be wide open these days, with artists like Jewel and Bon Jovi being welcomed into the fold. The first single from the album (slated for release September 16) has done remarkably well, cracking Billboard's top 10 Country chart. So give it a listen, and click on any of the popups for more information elsewhere...

Financial crisis - Economic collapse?

2008-09-12T18:33:00.004-04:00

Just saw this on The Money Room and it's got me really worried about the future of the United States, and the WORLD economy after the next US election. But it's not all doom and gloom. If we all pitch in and do our part, we may be able to help soften the inevitable crisis. You can help to boost the economy in the coming months -- help these retailers get the capital together to get back on their feet after November -- just click on anything you like in the video. (You may need to allow popups for this site for this feature to work).

Julia Nunes - Flagpole Sitta

2008-09-11T17:00:00.006-04:00

One of my friends is learning to play the ukulele and turned me on to Julia Nunes (pronounced "Noons"). Let me tell you, this girl is completely A. DOR. A. BLE. No joke. She plays the uke (and somtimes the melodica, guitar, and piano), she harmonizes with herself, and she's just really cute. She's released two CDs of original material (click the covers when they pop up for more info) and has about 45,000 subscribers on YouTube. Make that 45,001.

Water Conservation 101

2008-09-10T18:30:00.006-04:00

Let's face it, no matter where you live, water conservation is an important issue. There are a lot of things we can do in our daily lives to help. Why not turn off the water when you're brushing your teeth? Water the grass in the early morning instead of at noon. Fix leaky faucets. Wash only full loads of laundry and dishes. The list goes on and on. And although the ladies out there might not appreciate it, another valid suggestion below...

Check Em

2008-09-10T07:55:00.002-04:00

I love public service announcements, especially when they are intelligent, pithy, and funny. Below, one for all the boys out there...

McCain gets Rick Rolld... or do I mean Barack Rolld?

2008-09-08T17:20:00.007-04:00

For those who aren't yet familiar with the term, from Wikipedia:

Rickrolling is an Internet meme typically involving the music video for the 1987 Rick Astley song "Never Gonna Give You Up". The meme is a bait and switch: a person provides a Web link they claim is relevant to the topic at hand, but the link actually takes the user to the Astley video. The URL can be masked or obfuscated in some manner so that the user cannot determine the true source of the link without clicking (and thus satisfying their curiosity). When a person clicks on the link given and is led to the web page he/she is said to have been "Rickrolled". By extension, it can also mean playing the song loudly in public in order to be disruptive.

For those who already are, my post: Well, the US presidential election is shaping up to be quite the barn burner. McCain, who has long been criticized as too liberal, has imported as his running mate a woman who is slightly to the right of Mussolini. Obama, on the other hand, seems to coast along on his golden cloud of oration, and now, apparently, song.

In the video: I just learned you can do picture-in-picture using Overlay.TV's player. Neato!

Michael Franti & Spearhead - All Rebel Rockers

2008-09-07T15:55:00.005-04:00

It is with bated breath that I await the release of Michael Franti and Spearhead's latest album, All Rebel Rockers. The reviews are in and this sixth release promises to stray even further from their heavy-handed hip hop roots and foray into that euphoric blend of funk, soul and especially reggae. Recorded mostly in Kingston, Jamaica, and with producers Sly and Robbie on board, this album comes just in time for the last gasp of summer around here.

Check out Say Hey (I Love You), an upbeat track featuring dancehall singer Cherine Anderson, below:

Linked in the video: Check out MF&S's official website, pre-order the album from Amazon, or check out the -ANTI label by clicking on popups.

Natural male enhancement

2008-08-30T12:37:00.005-04:00

You have to love advertising that makes no specific claim. Head On! Apply directly to the forehead! It doesn't claim to do anything at all, but we all know what it's supposed to do. Perfect advertising. You can't say it doesn't do what it promises, because it promises nothing.

Not so for Ohio "businessman" Steve Warshak's product Enzyte. A few months ago he was found guilty of 93 counts of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering. A few days ago he was sentenced to 25 years in prison, and told to pay $93,000 in fines. His company, Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals of Cincinnati, Ohio other defendants were ordered to forfeit more than $500 million. Why, you ask? Their non-specific claim was not non-specific enough:

Evidence in court showed that the product did nothing, testimonials were false, and worst of all, customers' credit cards were automatically billed for pills they never wanted or ordered. The paltry defense was to claim that the company expanded too rapidly to keep up with the demand for customer service. Kudos to Judge Arthur Spiegel, who found the evidence against Warshak and the rest of the defendants overwhelming and the defense "unconvincing." Let's hope more judges sit up and take notice of stiffer convictions and sentencing for white collar criminals.

Mark Osborne - MORE

2008-08-29T18:11:00.004-04:00

I have, once or twice, extolled the virtues of a quarterly DVD magazine I subscribe to called Wholphin. Managed by the American publishing house McSweeneys, each issue of Wholphin brings a host of short films from around the world, artistic, scientific, documentar...ic. I always look forward to an evening spent perusing the latest volume.

Below is a short film written and directed by Academy Award-nominated director Mark Osborne. It is probably his best-known film so far, having screened in more than 150 film festivals across the globe. It won Best Short Film at Sundance, South by Southwest Best Animated Short, ResFest Grand Prize, and a host of others. And it stars Space Jesus.

AC/DC - Black Ice

2008-08-28T15:05:00.007-04:00

Want to know what the best thing is about AC/DC releasing a new album? It's not new material from a classic group (although that's pretty good), it's not seeing the progression of their songwriting (don't worry, there's none), and it's not hearing Brian Johnson getting a little older and hoarser (is that even possible?) Nope, it's the fact that they're going on tour and they might end up coming here. Absolutely the best thing.

This song is a little pared-down for my taste, although there's no disputing that this band has hands-down the best rhythm section in rock music. I also don't understand how they came up with the title. The lyric is "Runaway train / running right off the track," but the title of the track is "Rock n roll train." Go figure, AC/DC's getting creative in their old age.

It's no Back in Black, but it's still worth a listen...

Linked in the video: there's no pre-sale for the new album yet, but their whole catalogue is available. Click the MySpace logo for some more classic AC DC.

Gabe Dixon Band - Gabe Dixon Band

2008-08-27T17:35:00.003-04:00

I couldn't find out very much about these guys but I really dig their piano-based rock. It's a little Ben Folds-esque, which I can get behind, and his voice is interesting to listen to. They formed about ten years ago, and this self titled album for Fantasy Records is their third, although don't be surprised when you see the word debut beside the title. They've reinvented themselves from their former career playing heavily-improvised jazz-influenced music, moving towards a more song-based format. The band cites influences such as Elton John, Jackson Browne, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Carole King and James Taylor. The concept in the brand-new video is pretty neat too -- check out the bluesy track "Till You're Gone," below...

Linked in the video: Check out the band's MySpace page for more cuts and a better idea of their overall style; album covers are click-through-to-get-your-hands-on.

The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement

2008-08-23T16:52:00.004-04:00

Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys and Miles Kane of The Rascals came together in 2005 and had what Miles called a "mind-blowing" connection of creative sensibilities. They in turn picked up Simian Mobile Disco founding member James Ford (who, incidentally produced Klaxons' Mercury Prize-winning Myths of the Near Future) and the London Metropolitan Orchestra. What came out of this embarrassment of talent is the last album on our foray through 2008's Naionwide Mercury Prize nominees.

Age of the Understated is a stunning work of 60's retro Eurovision sound with soaring strings and tight harmonies. Each song is lush and tight and full of energy: three minutes of kitchy heaven. Check out the title track below:

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand

2008-08-22T19:41:00.004-04:00

The penultimate album in our look through this year's Nationwide Mercury Prize nominees is a collaboration between a classic rocker and the unofficial queen of bluegrass. The unexpected union of former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant with country diva Alison Krauss has an amazingly timid chemistry. It seems as though both are trying not to offend; the quiet joining of two legends with sparse instrumentation exposes a deeply human record. The music's not my style at all, but I can see why this album merits an NMP nomination. I hope they leave the album count at one, because at this point I think they'd be too comfortable with each other to produce this magic again.

Radiohead - In Rainbows

2008-08-21T16:58:00.004-04:00

Because I don't think I can write objectively about the tenth album in our list, I'll just say right off the top that In Rainbows is absolutely my pick for this year's Nationwide Mercury Prize. Having said that, given Mercury's penchant for the lesser-known artists, I don't think it will win. Although this being Radiohead's fourth nomination, maybe it's about time.

In Rainbows is a compelling synthesis of all the best Radiohead has ever offered. It is free, lyrical, scratchy, noisy. It seems as though they cast off the shackles of Capitol and were instantly better for it. Straight from the horse's mouth: "I like the people at our record company, but the time is at hand when you have to ask why anyone needs one. And, yes, it probably would give us some perverse pleasure to say 'Fuck you' to this decaying business model."

Below, every song from the album. If you have an hour, I strongly suggest checking it out. If you have two minutes, start it and see if you want to come back for more.

Rachel Unthank & The Winterset - The Bairns

2008-08-20T18:13:00.005-04:00

Another very little-known, though critically-acclaimed group today, as we hit number nine on our list of nominees for this year's Nationwide Mercury Prize, which honours the best album out of the UK or Ireland. Rachel Unthank & The Winterset have earned such praise as "intimate, epic and overflowing with musical intelligence" from The Independent, while Soft Machine founding member Robert Wyatt says, "They are like the morning dew that hasn't steamed off yet, they are fresh and new and I really don't think they know how good they are." I have to say, after repeated listenings, they're not really my cup of tea, but check out this interview and short concert clip below. If you're intrigued, click the myspace logo for more tunes from their award-nominated album.

Portico Quartet - Knee Deep in the North Sea

2008-08-19T17:42:00.003-04:00

Today we venture down the list to the eighth in our foray through this year's Nationwide Mercury Music Prize nominees. Portico Quartet's Knee Deep in the North Sea is certainly the jazziest entry we've seen so far, and normally that would be right up my alley. I don't know what it is (maybe my aversion to soprano sax) but I have to say, while this album does have a few moments of inspiration, all in all, they're too far between to really satiate me. It's just not my thing. "Relaxing," my roommate said. "Boring" would be another word.

In all fairness, these guys are just starting out. They look incredibly young, and have spent the last two years or so busking in London and getting piecemeal gigs around town. Who knows? Maybe great things will come from them someday. This? Not great. No video today -- the sound quality on the outdoor performances was not good enough for me.

Neon Neon - Stainless Style

2008-08-18T18:09:00.004-04:00

Neon Neon is a collaboration between Super Furry Animals front man Gruff Rhys and Bryan Hollon, aka Boom Bip. The first album created by this illustrious duo, Stainless Style, marks the halfway point on our journey through this year's Nationwide Mercury Music Prize nominees. Loosely speaking, it is a concept album, based on the life of the infamous John DeLorean. Gruff Rhys and Boom Bip hit the new wave sound on the nose. My question is, should they have? I don't have an answer for that. My other question is, is it really prize-worthy? I don't have an answer for that either. Maybe you will after you check out "I Lust You," below...