mattblair.ca » It’s Friday

It’s Friday, so here’s the video for “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” by the Darkness

Matt — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:45:22 +0000

Say what you will about this one, but it holds up. Not only that, but it’s probably been long enough since you’ve heard it that won’t sound quite as played out as it did at its peak. That’s like two generations worth of retro, guys!

Watching it now, I can’t help but wonder how singer Justin Hawkins managed to avoid constant comparisons to Martin Short. Now that the album’s had a few years to percolate, let me be the first to point it out. You could do a lot worse, after all, than being compared to Martin Short.

It’s Friday, so here’s the video for “I Rhyme the World in 80 Days” by Kish

Matt — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:45:43 +0000

These days, Andrew Kishino makes a decent living as a voice actor. But back in the day, when he was known as Kish, he made a notable dent in the world of Canadian hip hop. Specifically, he scored a hit in 1991 with “I Rhyme the World in 80 Days.”

Sadly, not much followed in the way of a solo career. Kish released one more single, “She’s a Flirt,” before heading down to Los Angeles and getting into music production. But this track remains a classic, at least among Canadians who spent a lot of time watching MuchMusic twenty years ago.

If nothing else, when you think of Japanese Canadian MCs, you think of Kish. Have their been any others, really? Am I forgetting anybody?

It’s Friday, so here’s the video for “All Night Long” by Lionel Richie

Matt — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:45:41 +0000

Damn right, everybody. Street party on a sound stage in the eighties, featuring the dudes from Breakin’. Not only that, but just when it looks like the local beat cop’s about to bust the whole thing up, it turns out that he’s not only totally into it, but he can also dance with the best of them.

Let’s do this, you guys. Especially you, Vancouver. You dudes have had a tough week, and not for the first time.

It’s Friday, so here’s the video for “All We Are” by Kim Mitchell

Matt — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:45:25 +0000

Kate and I heard this one on the radio on the way out to cottage country last weekend, courtesy of the Mighty Q. It was the perfect song for the moment, and now that another weekend is upon us, I’d have to be a pretty selfish jerk not to share it.

If you’re only able to appreciate this one ironically, that’s okay. Do what you’ve got to do. I know the video in particular is basically a time capsule, and that’s fine. But damned if it’s not a really great song, you know?

It’s Friday, so here’s the video for “Shout to the Top!” by the Style Council

Matt — Fri, 27 May 2011 13:45:26 +0000

It’s a gray, rainy morning here in Toronto, and if that doesn’t call for an uplifting track on the one hand while evoking England during the Thatcher era on the other, then frankly, I don’t know what does. In light of both of these instincts, I think the choice for this week’s video is obvious.

But why, I wonder, is pianist Mick Talbot so angry? Is it because he’s viscerally offended at the very sight of the weird shirt singer Paul Weller chose to wear to the, um… Where are they, anyway? Is that a banquet hall?

It’s Friday, so here’s the video for “The Way It Is” by Bruce Hornsby and the Range

Matt — Fri, 06 May 2011 13:45:10 +0000

Let’s do this, you guys. Let’s get mellow and meaningful for a moment. Let’s acknowledge some hard truths with a weary smile and a hopeful sense of perseverance.

Oh, what? It’s not like I posted “Walking in Memphis” or something.

It’s Friday, so here’s the video for “3:7:8″ by Emergency Broadcast Network

Matt — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:45:29 +0000

From the landmark 1995 album Telecommunication Breakdown, and featuring the production talents of Jack Dangers of Meat Beat Manifesto, here’s a weird and wacky example of the brand of multimedia performance that Emergency Broadcast Network can take credit for pioneering.

It’s Friday, so here’s the video for “Open Your Eyes” by Alex Metric, Steve Angello and Ian Brown

Matt — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:45:07 +0000

This is definitely one of those cases of a great video propping up an otherwise negligible track. Not that “Open Your Eyes” is a stinker by any means, but nor is it anyone’s best work. The true star of this thing is Peter Serafinowicz in a pitch perfect performance. Do check it out.

It’s Friday, so here’s the video for “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley

Matt — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:45:00 +0000

I mean, you’re probably going to see this video about a hundred times today as it is. Shouldn’t one of those viewings be honest and without false pretense?

Plus, I mean, it’s a pretty good song. The choreography’s not great, but you do get to see a guy do a flip off a wall. Not exactly your typical day at the office!

It’s Friday, so here’s the video for “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty

Matt — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 07:45:00 +0000

Why? Because it’s a great song, that’s why. Just look at how happy Tom Petty is about letting it out of that box and sharing it with us. Wouldn’t you be?

This isn’t actually a Heartbreakers song, despite the video’s caption. It was the first single from Petty’s first solo album, 1989′s Full Moon Fever. But the album’s full of contributions by various Heartbreakers, and the song would later appear on the band’s Greatest Hits album.

One of the Heartbreakers does appear in the video, but so do not one but two of the Beatles, one of whom didn’t even play on the track itself. Oh, and the song was co-written by a fellow non-Beatle Wilbury. Have you got all that?