A daily miasma of frivolity by two wanna-be cultural critics. Or: just, like, some good links, dude.

Tag Archives: music

I stumbled on this weird piece of music the other day. I still haven’t figured out what the heck is happening or what I think about it, but I’m posting it anyway.

“zizz” by Masao Honda, apparently released on MutantBabyLabel in 1998.

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It is time for Cello Fortress, a very silly game by Joost van Dongen:

Cello Fortress is a unique combination of a game and a live music performance. A cellist defends a fortress by improvising on his cello. Melodies control the guns, dissonant notes activate the flamethrowers. Players from the audience use game controllers to steer their tanks and attack the fortress.

You can’t download or buy this game; you literally book the author for a performance at your art gallery or concert or whatever, and he brings the gear and plays the cello while attendees get to try to blow him up.

Video games are cool.

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Photo by Ints Kalnins for Reuters, via NBC News’s Photoblog, of… what exactly is this?

Fredrik Hjelmquist shows the CataCoffin in Stockholm Jan. 18. Music and video equipment store owner Hjelmquist said his hi-fi coffin would entertain the dead and provide solace for grieving friends and relatives by making it possible for them to alter the deceased’s playlist online.

Oh, well of course.

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We have never used the “Art Tatum” tag before this post. THIS IS TERRIBLE

So that this tag now exists, here’s the master playing “Willow Weep for Me” in 1949.

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Harmonica of Wonder

Harmonica of Wonder

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Co.Design:

Platinum and gold records are a big deal in the music biz, but what about one made entirely of ice? It had been three years since Swedish indie rockers Shout Out Louds released their last album, and they wanted something special to introduce “Blue Ice,” the first single off their upcoming Optica, to the world. In collaboration with the creative folks at ad agency TBWA Stockholm, they came up with a way to transform the physicality of vinyl into something more ephemeral.

The sound quality was a lot better than I was expecting it to be, although you’ll notice it degrades quite a bit by the end. Also, is it actually safe in any way to melt something on a turntable?

Anyway, still fuckin’ neat.

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I think that we here at Nullary Sources could stand to post one more piece of music before the new year. So here’s a guy dressed up as Scorpion from Mortal Kombat playing the film’s theme on accordion.

I have yet to find a version of the theme performed with a slide whistle. I’ll keep you posted.

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Mele Kalikimaka, from us to you. Here’s Amy Hanaiali’i and Jake Shimabukuro with “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”, live at the Blaisdell.

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Coming at you today is the utterly delightful “Lalalututa” by sweez & Meine Meinung.

I love the heck out of just about every single harmony in this thing. Every last one of them.

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As you’ve hopefully heard by now, Dave Brubeck passed away last week. I checked our archives and apparently the only piece by Brubeck we’ve posted was a Tommy Emmanuel cover. So we’ve got to do something about that.

Here’s the Dave Brubeck Quartet performing “40 Days” in 1966: Brubeck on piano, Paul Desmond on sax, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums. Desmond delivers a sax solo to end all sax solos, and Brubeck’s somber key work while the rhythm section keeps going is absolutely stunning. Enjoy, and J.I.P. (jam in peace) Paul Desmond, Joe Morello, and now Dave Brubeck.

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