Looking Back: Radiohead "Paranoid Android" Video

Radiohead is a truly amazing, innovative, incredible band to say the least. We've been fortunate to see them three times (twice this year). On July 1, 1997 they released OK Computer, arguably one of the greatest albums of all time in my opinion. OK Computer contained the singles "Karma Police", "No Surprises", and "Paranoid Android".

Our selection for this week's feature is the video for "Paranoid Android", the first single taken from OK Computer. The song's title refers to the depressed robot Marvin the Paranoid Android from Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. Thom Yorke sought out Swede Magnus Carlsson, the creator of the animated series Robin (watch videos here). Carlsson originally wanted to direct a video for "No Surprises" and was uncertain on a idea for "Paranoid Android".

Carlsson said, "when I first got the song I spent a whole day listening to it in my office. I have a window where I see a bridge with lots of streetlights. I tried not to listen to the lyrics, and after spending eight hours looking at the bridge, I started sorting out something. Later I got a fax from Thom where he explained the song, and the viewpoints matched." [Via Greenplastic]

This animated video features mild-mannered Robin and a friend venturing out into the world.

[Radiohead Official Site]
[Magnus Carlsson Official Site]
[Other "Looking Back" Videos]

Looking Back: Arcade Fire "Rebellion (Lies)" Video

Arcade Fire recorded their debut album Funeral at Hotel2Tango in late 2003. It was released on September 14, 2004. It was given its title because several band members lost people in their families: Regine Chassagne's grandmother died in June 2003, Win and William Butler's grandfather (swing musician Alvino Rey) in March 2004, and Richard Reed Parry's aunt in April 2004. It contained five singles: "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)", "Neighborhood #2 (Laika)", Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)", "Rebellion (Lies)", and "Wake Up".

Our selection for this week's feature is the video for "Rebellion (Lies)". This is probably my favorite song from Arcade Fire and every time I hear it, I'm reminded of their legendary performance at ACL 05' while being surrounded with great friends.

[Arcade Fire Myspace]
[Buy Funeral from iTunes]

Looking Back: Feist "One Evening" Video

Seriously who doesn't know who Feist is? She's huge these days! I've been a fan of her solo work since 2005 and finally got to see her in concert this past April at Stubb's. Her second album, Let It Die, was recorded in Paris in 2002 and 2003. It was released May 18, 2004 to much critical acclaim, as it was nominated for three Juno Awards (Canada's version of the Grammy's). Let It Die (buy on Amazon) helped Feist win Best Alternative Album and Best New Artist. The first half of the album contains original songs and the latter half contains covers.

This week's selection for our weekly Sunday feature is the video for my favorite Feist song, "One Evening". It was nominated for a Juno Award for Video of The Year and features Buck 65 and Feist dancing.

Feist - Mushaboom (mp3) off of Let It Die

Looking Back: The White Stripes "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" Video

The White Stripes third album, White Blood Cells, was released on July 3, 2001 (buy on iTunes). The album was dedicated to Loretta Lynn, creating a friendship between Lynn and both Jack and Meg White. In 2004, Jack White would produce Lynn's comeback hit album Van Lear Rose. White Blood Cells contains the singles, "Fell In Love With A Girl" (their first hit), "Hotel Yorba", "We're Going To Be Friends (which was used in the opening credits of Napoleon Dynamite), and "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground".

Our selection for this week's feature is the video for "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground". Jack White originally planned for this song to be much softer and done with an acoustic guitar. It was directed by Michel Gondry (Amazing!!), depicts Jack White coming back to his and Meg White's trashed house and surveying the destruction. While he goes from room to room, video of the party that led to the destruction, and of his and Meg's relationship before he left, is projected and occasionally super-imposed over the scene.

The White Stripes - Fell In Love With A Girl (mp3)

Looking Back: Kasabian "Cutt Off" Video

Kasabian took their name from Linda Kasabian, a member of the Charles Manson cult (aka the Manson "family") famous for serving as his getaway driver (pretty sickening, but true). Their self-titled debut album (buy it here on iTunes) came out in March 2005 and contained many singles, including: "Club Foot", "L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever)", "Processed Beats", and "Cutt Off".

Our selection for this week's feature is the video for "Cutt Off". Kasabian are currently working on a new album, which should be released in the Fall of 2008.

Kasabian - Club Foot (mp3) off of Kasabian

Looking Back: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club "Stop" Video

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is one of our favorite bands. Our selection for this weeks feature is the video for "Stop". The song was featured on BRMC's second album, Take Them On, On Your Own (buy on iTunes), which was released back in the Fall of 2003.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Berlin (mp3) off of Baby 81

Looking Back: Girl Talk "Bounce That" Video

Every weekend we will post a music video from back in the day. It's a new feature we'll call "Looking Back".

Our first selection is a fan made video for Girl Talk's "Bounce That" off his previous album Night Ripper. Sit back and enjoy the party. Here's a little more info on who and how they created the video down below.

Professor Matthew Soar at Concordia University in Montréal, as a contribution to the Open Source Cinema Project, teamed with his students and spent what he describes as "three very intensive weeks rotoscoping a concert video" of Girl Talk. They were, he says, inspired by Bob Sabiston's digital rotoscoping (Snack and Drink, Waking Life, A Scanner Darkly), and by Christine Harold's OurSpace: Resisting the Corporate Control of Culture, a textbook used for his communications course.