In the continuing spirit of our big 2010 send-off, we’d like to present you with another Top 10 list that celebrates the best of what music had to offer this past year, this time in the form of music videos. Some of these are beautifully stunning creations, many of them will cause you to LOL, but whatever their intent, chances are you’ve wasted a substantial portion of your work day checking them out at some point over the last 365 days. We just thought we’d pick the best and put ‘em in one place.
As ChinaShop’s assistant editor, 2010 has been quite an exciting year for me. I’ve had the privilege of seeing nearly every post that has come through our back end and onto your screen, each day discovering something new and exciting that I’d not known existed. The following are 5 post that blew me away and knocked my socks off in 2010.
Nashville may be called “Music City,” but it’s most widely recognized for its role in the country world. The city is home to some of the hottest country artists, but what happens to the other aspiring musicians in Nashville that aren’t chasing the Southern dream? In addition to country performers, many top-notch music executives, producers, and artists from all musical genres have chosen Nashville as their home.
Not Just Country is a television show from the minds of Michael West (aka Max Fabulous), Ricky Toran (Hypman Rick), and Robert Eva created to bring light to some of Nashville’s emerging artists of genres outside of country music. The television and Internet broadcast showcases the “other music” that is being made in the city known for being home to countless country superstars, the Grand Ole Opry, and Country Music Hall of Fame.
Some of the best live shows that I saw in 2010 were not necessarily by artists that I have been faithfully listening to for years. As a hip-hop head, of course it was great seeing De La Soul again who are still in top form twenty-plus years into their careers. But this past year the sets that resonated with me most came from artists/groups that I saw on stage for the first time—those who have only recently begun to gain proper recognition for their individual innovations in music. Yes, the list could have been longer, but this handful of performances were the ones that reminded me why I still cover concerts. These were the shows that made 2010—both sonically and visually—a year to remember.
“There are no fancy stadium tours or spaceships here”, sounds off one of tonight’s guest producers/performers Trash80, as we chat after his set. “It’s just music.”
We are standing outside your typical non-descript warehouse between somewhere in North Hollywood and the Shakey’s Pizza on Santa Monica Blvd. Inside are 37-ish twenty something’s erratically gyrating to “chiptunes” and there’s one really chill older gal knitting. Shit you not, look at the pictures.
The music or “chiptunes” are a unique type of electronic music which is produced mostly in real time, utilizing simple computers or modded old video game hardware, i.e. Game Boy’s and Nintendo Entertainment Systems. The sound reverberating within gives me an auditory picture of something like what it would sound like if Danger Mouse had written the score for Super Mario Brothers… live.
This is just a little mid-day treat. Pop a Red Bull Shot and turn it up! Its obscene how cute Sam, the lead singer is, even if he is dissing America. Cheers!
Who says 13 is an unlucky number? ChinaShop contributor Carrie Tucker breaks down her essential 2010 list, from Crystal Castles and Peter “Sleazy” Christopherson (R.I.P.) to the best Scandinavian fashion, music and film.
Jah Wobble was one of those CDs I saw laying around my dad’s desk at home as a kid but never mustered enough interest to nab for a listen– whatever your dad’s interested in, it can’t be that good, can it?
Anyways, I was too busy listening to crap like Sponge or some flavor of the week alt band or something. But now that I’m lying semi-comatose on my bed and forcing myself to listen, I realize my pops might have been on to something: Mr. Wobble is perfect for ADD-ers like me, because if there’s anything that can surely be said the guy, it’s that he’s diverse.
First and foremost, he’s an accomplished bass player, having been a crucial component of Johnny Rotten’s Public Image Ltd. way back in the late 70s and early 80s. Musically, now, he’s all over the map — one song, he’s brushing eerily close to Enya-like New Agey stuff; the next, he’s gone the full-on tribal route; after that it’s a bit of jazz and and is mixing it all together for some dance club anthems. If that weren’t enough, he’s been collaborating lately with the likes of Bjork, Massive Attack, and Brian Eno, among others. He even recently set up his own label, 30 Heart Records. You can check out some of his insane and across-the-board musical accomplishments right now at Red Bull Music Academy Radio.
Just down the street from The Roxy Theatre, Talésai on The Sunset Strip has been dishing out tasty Thai cuisine to notoriously picky L.A. palates for nearly 30 years. Family owned and operated since the beginning, the restaurant is now expanding on their recipe for success and opening a neighboring “sister space”, serving up simple yet delectable street food.
The vision of chef/owner Kris Yenbamroong, Night + Market delivers a menu of Thai tapas in a unique gallery like setting. Having practically grown up in the restaurant’s kitchen, the chef has been cooking almost as long as he’s been able to hold a fork. “I’ve always been a fan of food that tastes amazing and isn’t fussy. I want everything on the plate to be essential to the dish, so that means no garnish, or fluff. That’s what street food is; it’s one thing that tastes really good and maybe one other element, like a condiment.”
Wow, the holidays have brought us, well, basically nothing this week…unless you love one of these 4 bands! Next week won’t be much better, but in a couple weeks the new release from Cake is out and we’ll have some other stuff. In the meantime, check out our best-ofs for 2010…
