Interview with Garrett Gibbons, visual storyteller and master of the music video

Garrett Gibbons describes himself as a visual storyteller. He’s actually an autodidact jack of all trades in the direction and production of film of all kinds. According to his bio, he has worked with clients from Sony Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Island Def Jam Motown Music Group, and musicians from around the world. He has also worked with LDS musicians Colby Miller and Alma Sanjo. Garrett lent us some time to answer a few questions about Seattle-based Indie hip hop, the blending of dance, video, and music, and of course, Justin Bieber.

The Neighbors Release Hurricane Sandy Relief Charity Single

The Neighbors, our friendly sibling friends consisting of Adam Kaiser (who wins awards based on how attractive he is) and Rachel Kaiser (who toured singing backup for the Brandon Flowers), have recorded and released a breathtaking new single to benefit the victims of Hurricane Sandy. All proceeds from the song go to charity relief.  Here is a link to the song on iTunes, and here is the video for it:

I was completely entranced by it.

Low/Sparhawk news clearinghouse: free music, new band, new albums, Wilco, Ben Gibbard, BYUtv, etc

Linescratchers has been sleeping, but low is the band that never sleep and Alan Sparhawk is the shark of the music world. If he stops writing and performing, he dies.

Alan Sparhawk collaborated with violinist Gaelynn Lea in a new band called Murder of Crows. They’re selling a download of their first EP, Imperfecta, for however much you’d like to pay (including $0) here. (Handmade CD version is available here.) Watch their segment on PBS show The Playlist here.

Low has announced that their new album, The Invisible Way, will be released in March (I’m not linking the album trailer because it’s ridiculous, perhaps as a comment on how ridiculous a trailer for an album is as a concept.) Jeff Tweedy from Wilco invited the band to his Chicago studio to record the record and he also took the producer’s helm.

In the meantime, the band has released their second pay-what-you-want digital EP, Plays Nice Places. It’s a collection of live tracks from their recent tour with Death Cab for Cutie. I can never forgive Ben Gibbard for slaughtering This Charming Man*, but it’s interesting to hear him take the vocals for “Words.” Download it using the widget on the right side of the page here.

Low was also featured in an episode of BYUtv’s surprisingly good new series, Audio-Files. Watch the whole 30 minute episode free here.

The Retribution Gospel Choir also remains active and will release their new album, 3, on Chaperone Records this January. “Q: How do you follow-up a four-song 7”? A: With a two-song full-length.” Sounds like they’re going to attempt replicating the live RGC experience this time. I’ve been lucky enough to see them once in DC and once in Santa Cruz, CA. If you haven’t seen them live yet, brace yourself. Prolific jazzy, Wilco-y guitarist Nels Cline joins on one song (half the album?)

 

*If you want to cover the Smiths, you bring your A game. You do not change the lyrics. Gibbard’s egregious offense:

This man said

“It’s gruesome

that someone so handsome should care.”

to

This man said

“It’s crucial

that someone so handsome should care.”

No, a hundred times no. If there is one word that could ruin that song, he found it.

Imagine Dragons demolishes MTV’s castle keep . . . unless you have a better play on words

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The winner of the 2008 Battle of the Bands at BYU, Imagine Dragons, has been all over lately including KCRW which in my mind means they’ve made it.

This week they’re MTV’s Push Artist, whatever that means. At least part of it is that this video’s on cable.

So it’s a Vegas/Cougar band in a postapocalyptic San Francisco Bay with one of Mahonri’s rock which has properties Moroni never told you about. Best thing ever?

Check it out.

“The Proposal”

Most of you know that Simeon Lawrence (AKA Young Sim) is a good friend of mine from our missions, and we’ve stayed good friends ever since. So it is with an acknowledgement of complete and utter bias that I present to you the following video. I’m not sure if anyone who doesn’t know us will appreciate the full meaning here, so I realize perhaps I’m breaking some sort of journalistic code by posting this, but Young Sim, founder of Feel Good Music, is engaged to be married. Life is good.

Brandon Flowers is a Mormon

I guess it’s official now, Brandon Flowers is a Mormon.  If you haven’t seen it yet, HERE is Brandon Flowers’ profile on Mormon.org.  That’s right, it’s mormon.org/brandon.

I can’t believe the LDS church could get an interview that we couldn’t!!!  Okay, I guess I can kinda see it.  There’s an awesome video interview on the website, but here’s a YouTube link to give you an idea.  I love it.

Fictionist and Atlantic Records?

In a recent YouTube video released by the Provo-based band Fictionst, members of the band browse a record store. After picking up albums by various artists and mentioning each by name, the camera zooms and focuses on the Atlantic logo.  At the end of the video, Fictionist frontman Stuart Maxfield finds a Fictionist album in the Local Music section. He picks it up and looks at the camera…

… proving you can say much more without saying anything at all.

Fictionist plans to make their big announcement at the Velour Live Music Gallery in Provo, Utah on September 21st.  Until then, we would like to congratulate them on signing with Atlantic Records. Congratulations, Fictionist.

Video – “Especially Me” by Low

Here’s a new official video for “Especially Me” off Low’s latest album, C’mon.  It’s my favorite song off the album, and it was by far the highlight of their live show when I saw then a couple months ago.  The video is really well-directed, and I love the city-scapes, but unfortunately, the best part of the song was the very cool string climax before the final chorus, and they surgically removed it in the radio edit.  Too bad.  Still a cool video though.  Enjoy!

Video – Colby Miller, “The Bull Kissed The Seagoat”

Colby Miller is turning out to be an almost frighteningly prolific composer, as he releases yet another album available online (free to stream, not free to download) HERE.  Edit – free to download too.

He’s also released a nice little music video.  Enjoy.

The Neighbors – Family Band and Singing with Brandon Flowers

The Neighbors, one of the more well known bands in Utah, have been making big strides in the music scene.  On May 14th they came to Rexburg, ID to play at Sammy’s Cafe for a secret show.  There they announced that they will be moving to California to try and land a record deal.

However, for now only Adam will be moving there.  His sister (and other band member) Rachel will continue on touring with Brandon Flowers of The Killers singing back-up vocals.  Rachel was approached after performing at The Velour in Provo by Brandon Flowers’ brother (who is also his manager) to sing back-up vocals for his tour.  She has preformed at Coachella, and in concerts throughout Mexico and Europe.