Missy Elliott’s video
for “Pass That Dutch”
Since the demise of the music video on MTV (and now even MTV2 is drastically cutting video from its schedule), artists have become lazy and unimaginative, recycling the same hokey TRL formula over and over again. But the always innovative Missy Elliott gives a reason to keep an eye on MTV with her new video “Pass That Dutch,” the single off of her much-anticipated album “This Is Not a Test.” Elliott provides subversive lyrics along with her signature eye-popping dance sequences – this time in a corn field as a space ship hovers overhead. And if you’re not convinced that Elliott rules, the last scene finds hip hop’s new queen swinging on the Empire State Building like King Kong.
Joe Strummer
& the Mescaleros “Streetcore”
Joe Strummer could not have ended on a better note. “Streetcore” proved the former front man of the Clash still had some rebellion and anger in him after all these years. Yet, there is more tenderness in the later Strummer, especially heard in his cover of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song.” Much like Joey Ramone’s cover of “What a Wonderful World” – which was also released posthumously – the song is a beautiful last goodbye.
The Hidden Cameras
at the Fitzgerald Theater, Oct. 31
Belle and Sebastian could not have had a more perfect opener than The Hidden Cameras. The band plays a blend of lush pop-folk that is similar to the Belle and Sebastian sound. The lyrics celebrate sex of
all kinds (one song is titled “Golden Streams”). They took over the stage with an army of band members dressed up for Halloween, and the audience could not help but fall in love with these wacky Canadians who ran around the stage dancing like animals and shouting, “Ban marriage!” One of the night’s greatest moments came when the band led the crowd in a syncopated dance, which energized everyone for the rest of the evening.
Mel Gibson
and the Pants
Mel Gibson and the Pants is a great band name that has been showing up on concert calendars for awhile. Now the strange and arty hip-hop act has a new album that should make this band a household name. They have a song titled “Crosby Steals Nash and Runs” – that’s about all that needs to be said.
Flaming Lips,
“Ego Tripping At
the Gates of Hell”
This compact disc has three gorgeous new pop songs from the Flaming Lips along with remixes of “Do You Realize” and “Ego Tripping.” Continuing the series of EPs and singles post-“Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robot,” the band refuses to let the legend of Yoshimi die. “Assassination of the Sun” is another Flaming Lips classic, which consumes the world in a hazy orange glow. While the remixes are solid – especially Jimmy Tamborello’s (of Dntel and Postal Service) “Do You Realize” – they are mainly for Flaming Lips obsessives. However, if you’re a sucker for indie Christmas tunes, “Ego Tripping” ends with “A Change at Christmas” that creates a land of acid dropping elves.
Napster and MP3.com
The new Napster is nothing like the old days – you have to pay and the selection is worse than shopping for CDs at Wal-Mart. With MP3.com rumored to shut down sometime next month and reopen as part of a new conglomerate, it looks as though labels are winning the battle over free music. But this is only one battle in the larger war. With many smaller labels offering their catalogs online, the industry is simply going to have to change or bust.
