I know this is possibly ill-considered of me to admit, but I love video paired with live music performance primarily because I often find watching musicians themselves to be kind of distracting. "But Molly!" you may cry, if you're an exceptionally motivated person, "you're missing the artistry, the profound beauty of bows across strings and souls out there on the stage building this beautiful thing before your eyes!" And I'd say I know you have a point, and yes sometimes that's true. But just as … [Read more...]

Conan O'Brien is not the only one in a creative tussle with the man. Have you heard the one about OK Go, EMI, and YouTube? Er, well, this isn't quite as brutal an argument as Coco's, but still: the map to the future of music is at stake. By which I mean finding the money. So, here's what's up: OK Go, the band that rose to stardom arguably on the backs of its videos (remember the synchronized treadmill dance?), is in a bit of a bind: EMI, which is now their record label, says OK Go videos shall … [Read more...]

We dropped by Baltimore's Contemporary Museum on Saturday night to catch the opening of Participation Nation, an exhibition focused on projects that nudge viewers out of their passive role as mere observers and invite them to actually contribute to the art on display. I wasn't in the door three seconds when what to my wondering eyes did I spy but a project honoring the work of Maryanne Amacher, courtesy the friendly folks at Neighborhood Public Radio. Even if you are not lucky enough to live in … [Read more...]

Word processing changed the way we write, and music notation software changed the way we compose, but how is the internet changing the way we think? There are long and short answers to this query, but either way, you can easily lose many, many hours while people (of variable expertise) pour thoughts (of various interest) into your brain. I think that's how I'd answer the question, actually.UPDATE: [via BoingBoing] … [Read more...]

Wow, now this is engagement. Are you watching, cultural organizations? Feel that? And if you're sitting there wondering what all that was even about: … [Read more...]

So, after my last "technology is changing my life and I might want to get off this ride" S.O.S. post, I've been thinking a lot about what I'm truly anxious about in 2010. When everything is available, what is special (and how on earth are you supposed to find it)? We're drowning in a sea of choice, and though we learn daily how to more effectively deal with our new reality, it's still often a source of significant stress and anxiety. How can we even begin to discover things to love and admire … [Read more...]

NPR's four-minute analysis of two current chart toppers suggests that they are so much of everything that their net effect is nothing--nothing but cash, anyway. 'Avatar' And Ke$ha: A Denominator In Common? by Neda Ulaby and Zoe ChaceA sample of their findings: The lyrics mean nothing; the song is about nothing. Even the bridge of "Tik Tok" sounds like a bridge that's making fun of a bridge.And yet somehow productions like Avatar and "Tik Tok" have created a perfect storm, opening up a … [Read more...]

Speaking of good things on TV, check out this eight-minute short written and directed by Neil Gaiman and staring Bill Nighy and Amanda Palmer. There's not a word of dialog, which is just fine because it leaves lots of room for Sxip Shirey's charming score. (Yes, that Sxip.) … [Read more...]

Happy 2010, everyone! Hope you all enjoyed a fabulous holiday. Just on the cusp of the new year, a friend sent me this article about a couple who was seriously taking it back to the land. They lived without running water in a yurt in Alaska. (Wi-fi, however, was deemed an essential resource). Some people found the whole idea incredibly annoying, but it stuck with me solely for the reminder that life--to varying degrees, depending on your circumstances--can be the adventure you're brave enough … [Read more...]