sparkmania

Nina Simone

2010-05-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

turning a cheesy song into something beautiful and heart-breaking

Pixels

2010-04-09T20:58:00.000-07:00

Fredrik

2010-03-29T19:58:00.001-07:00

i like this song a lot

Jonsi

2010-03-29T19:08:00.000-07:00

bird boy

These New Puritans

2010-03-29T18:40:00.001-07:00

slow motion muscles

Not Squares

2010-03-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

nice moves

Betsy Olson

2009-11-19T17:36:00.000-08:00

pacific northwest blues

The Carpenters

2009-11-13T13:17:00.001-08:00

getting spacey and testing my love

thanks woot!

Ramona Falls

2009-11-11T13:56:00.000-08:00

so much depth and beauty for a music video

General Elektriks

2009-11-11T12:46:00.000-08:00

raid the radio, cuz we're tired of hearing the same old song

Reverie Sound Revue

2009-11-10T13:06:00.000-08:00

making garments out of garbage

Pomplamoose

2009-11-09T16:01:00.000-08:00

a song-video or a video-song

Land of Talk

2009-11-05T14:53:00.000-08:00

gorgeous and weird

Land of Talk - It's Okay from Saddle Creek on Vimeo.

Music Go Music

2009-11-02T15:04:00.001-08:00

is Face Time real? i want to watch it on a semi-regular basis if it is.

Lightning Dust

2009-11-02T14:50:00.001-08:00

you know you want a pair of those skates

The xx

2009-11-02T14:23:00.000-08:00

Thao with The Get Down Stay Down

2009-11-02T14:02:00.001-08:00

the band battles giant space kittens, twizzlers and hall and oates!

El Perro Del Mar

2009-11-02T13:36:00.000-08:00

gold gymnasts go slow

Deerhoof

2009-07-08T12:23:00.000-07:00

the different ways and places in which we listen to music

Katzenjammer

2009-06-21T15:27:00.000-07:00

super cute, fun and talented group from Norway

Dinosaur Jr.

2009-06-11T12:37:00.000-07:00

those old guys still got the moves

Fanfarlo

2009-06-09T15:09:00.000-07:00

helpful home electronics help a train escape from an evil robot

The Mint Chicks

2009-06-07T13:57:00.001-07:00

baby dreams

Chairlift

2009-06-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

sexy...even with the hippie foot

MGMT

2009-06-07T13:01:00.001-07:00

i see monsters

Crystal Stilts

2009-06-07T12:46:00.000-07:00

love is a wave

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

2009-06-03T11:53:00.001-07:00

beauty and the beast gone wrong

Metric

2009-06-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

best video of a band playing in an empty room ever! wait for the butterflies at the end...

that video was filmed in one shot...here's what it looked like behind the scenes

Brasstronaut

2009-06-03T09:30:00.001-07:00

hipster basement party!

LoveLikeFire

2009-05-13T22:48:00.000-07:00

silhouette heartbreak in the city by the bay

Starfucker

2009-05-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

portland band shows us how to dance and to watch out for those back alley games of go

Jason Lytle

2009-05-07T22:17:00.001-07:00

what happened? what happens next?

I Am Lost (And the Moment Cannot Last)

Thunderheist

2009-05-07T14:53:00.000-07:00

strangely compelling and sexy video in which it appears not much is going on. stick with it, though, and you will see

Vetiver

2009-05-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

karaoke dreams and love on roller blades

Nyle

2009-05-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

one long shot with live audio

Tender Validations

2009-05-04T13:02:00.001-07:00

So, I am vice-president of a new CD of the Month Club, called Tender Validations. We just got our first batch of CDs in and are taking submissions for May. All you have to do is make a mix CD, send it in by the due date with $2 (or stamps) and you'll receive a fresh mix CD in the mail. In addition, you will receive exclusive online access to all of the submissions for that month in which you participated.

Check out our blog to see last month's submissions and this month's theme and requirements.

Denmark Police

2009-05-01T21:34:00.000-07:00

don't you wish american cops would hand out hugs and helmets?

Lily Tomlin

2009-05-01T21:29:00.000-07:00

video games have always been dangerous

O+S

2009-05-01T21:26:00.000-07:00

i love the bass in this track

Bell Orchestre

2009-05-01T02:15:00.000-07:00

lightning never strikes twice

Matt and Kim

2009-04-22T02:06:00.001-07:00

get naked in the city

Stars In My Pocket Like Grains of Sand

2009-04-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

I just finished this extraordinary novel by Samuel R. Delany. It takes place some unknown amount of time in the future when humans have left earth and are spread among 6000 different worlds and integrated into many different alien cultures. Every citizen, whether human or otherwise, is referred to as a woman; the word 'man', and it's variations, is an outdated term only used in poetry. The pronouns 'she' and 'her' are used exclusively, unless the person is speaking about someone to whom she is sexually attracted; in that case the pronouns 'he' and 'him' are used. People's gender is ignored, unless they are seen as a sexual object. The protagonist is a homosexual male, and any other characters with which he comes into contact in a sexual way (either propositioned by or had an encounter with or was attracted to) are identified by their biological gender at some point. Every one else is always referred to as a woman, so you, the reader, never know what sex they are. It was interesting for me because I found myself wondering about the sex of the characters and getting frustrated by not getting the answer and then having to ask myself why it mattered what gender that person was.

Besides very convincing details about sexual relationships, the novel is incredibly detailed about the differences between customs on the different worlds and even in different areas of the same world. For instance, as the main character talks to both humans and aliens, he is constantly aware of how something as simple as a nod could be interpreted differently by each person, depending on what world they come from. This makes the universe Delany has created as real and the characters as true as anything set in our present day world.

Ebony Bones

2009-04-17T13:26:00.001-07:00

stop doing that job related task!

Cryptacize

2009-04-10T11:23:00.001-07:00

run run run

Other Lives

2009-04-04T22:47:00.001-07:00

i normally don't post live performance videos, but this one has two things going for it: non-annoying camera work and this song is totally gorgeous

Other Lives - How Could This Be - Luxury Wafers Sessions from Luxury Wafers on Vimeo.

The Mint Chicks

2009-04-04T22:12:00.001-07:00

robot problems?

PJ Harvey & John Parrish

2009-04-04T21:59:00.000-07:00

polly plays in a jumpy castle in the middle of the forest in the rain

Emilíana Torrini

2009-04-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

just in time for spring...

Never Ending Story

2009-04-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

80's flashback...thanks to emodreng & indiepige for the reminder.

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-03-26T14:40:00.000-07:00

almost made me cry, good god

Neko Case

2009-03-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

the animals win this time

Golden Silvers

2009-03-26T14:08:00.001-07:00

i can only wish that Solid Gold had been like this

Now, Now Every Children

2009-03-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

get yourself some index cards and make a video!

Crystal Stilts

2009-03-19T13:56:00.001-07:00

everybody loves to watch a good riot

anybody know where/when/what is being protested?

Venice is Sinking

2009-03-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

moving the band

Beast

2009-03-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

don't watch if you're allergic to bees

The Sound of Arrows

2009-03-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

...speechless...

The Sound of Arrows - M.A.G.I.C. (Mini-video) from The Sound of Arrows on Vimeo.

Bats for Lashes

2009-03-14T13:02:00.001-07:00

it's like an episode of Fame on bad drugs

Bat For Lashes - Daniel
by robertandco

Joker's Daughter

2009-03-12T17:39:00.000-07:00

i wanna play this video game

Handsome Furs

2009-03-12T08:34:00.000-07:00

zombies!

Handsome Furs "I'm Confused" from Sarah Marcus on Vimeo.

Bishop Allen

2009-03-10T23:38:00.001-07:00

"i would choose the darkest horse, that's the horse i'd ride..."

Clues

2009-03-09T20:28:00.000-07:00

boys in tights

Project Jenny, Project Jan

2009-03-09T18:47:00.000-07:00

the secret lives of socks and gloves

Winter Gloves

2009-03-09T18:43:00.001-07:00

flipbook animation

Those Dancing Days

2009-03-01T00:25:00.000-08:00

adorable, awkward, awesome

Pree

2009-02-28T23:39:00.000-08:00

they are so cute and sound so good

AON Sessions: Pree, "In the Parlor" from All Our Noise on Vimeo.

The Rural Alberta Advantage

2009-02-25T21:22:00.000-08:00

been enjoying this band a lot lately

visit their website

Röyksopp

2009-02-25T19:57:00.000-08:00

space invaders

Happy Up Here from Röyksopp on Vimeo.

Kid Cudi

2009-02-24T21:56:00.000-08:00

animate your world

Apollo Ghosts

2009-02-23T11:25:00.000-08:00

extreme canadian championship wrestling

stream the new album at MBV

Broken Spindles

2009-02-23T10:32:00.000-08:00

playdough-boy angst

Introvert from Broken Spindles on Vimeo.

Codebreaker feat. Kathy Diamond

2009-02-19T13:51:00.000-08:00

photo effects that makes real-life look like model-life. you can watch it bigger and in HD at the Vimeo site.

Fire (Jimmy Edgar Remix) from Erik West on Vimeo.

Obi Best

2009-02-19T12:50:00.000-08:00

i have a crush on this band

Emmy the Great

2009-02-19T12:29:00.001-08:00

stop motion felt animation + pics of MIA

I Can't Stand the Rain

2009-02-17T21:58:00.000-08:00

the evolution of a song...

Fanfarlo

2009-02-17T21:19:00.000-08:00

retro geek chic + pop goodness

Fever Ray

2009-02-16T20:13:00.001-08:00

solo project of the female half of The Knife

When I Grow Up from Fever Ray on Vimeo.

Scout Niblett and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

2009-02-15T22:16:00.000-08:00

wig, skeleton costume, skee ball, beautiful shots in portland locations and an amazing amazing song

Youth Group

2009-02-15T21:24:00.000-08:00

amazing vintage video of a mid-80s pre-teen basement party. let the memories come flooding back...

Can't sleep

2009-02-14T04:12:00.001-08:00

Woke up from a dream in which I had discovered the best internet application ever. Was thinking about how I wanted to post a link to it on my blog or facebook when the clarity of the dream started to fade. I realized that I had made it all up in my dream, and that I could no longer remember what this most perfect web application had done. The details went fast and I was just left with the feeling that it was clever and funny and useful and that if I could just remember I could then make the best website ever. You know how it goes when you try desperately to remember dreams...nothing.

This post was brought to you, courtesy of my G1 phone and Blogger's email function, from my comfy bed in the middle of the night.

Here We Go Magic

2009-02-13T20:41:00.000-08:00

this is one of my favoritist new songs

super close-up, out-of-focus, fucked-up found footage kaleidoscope

Sparks

2009-02-13T20:33:00.000-08:00

oh no where did the groove go?

Fol Chen

2009-02-12T10:18:00.000-08:00

cheerleader lions, a murderous centaur, singing fish and an owl nurse

Chairlift

2009-02-11T09:40:00.000-08:00

amazing shoulder pads and creepy digital effects

Macbeth: The Graphic Novel

2009-02-10T12:50:00.000-08:00

I don't think I have attempted to read a Shakespeare play since high school, but I could not pass up this graphic novel version when I passed it by at the library. Macbeth is the source of some of the most heard Shakespeare quotes which you may not realize are Shakespeare.

"Double double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble."

and

"Out damned spot! Out I say!"

Classical Comics, publishes three versions: one with the complete original text, one with the complete play translated into plain english, one with the complete play translated into modern english. I read the original text version and was impressed at how much the comic book conventions added to my comprehension of the story and still allowed me to enjoy the poetry of Shakespeare.

Click on this scans of the pages that contain the above famous quotes to see larger versions.

Minilogue

2009-02-09T15:16:00.001-08:00

Minilogue - Animals from ljudbilden on Vimeo.

Royksopp

2009-02-09T14:49:00.001-08:00

Remind Me from Röyksopp on Vimeo.

Fredrik

2009-02-09T13:49:00.000-08:00

Fredrik - 1986 from The Kora Records on Vimeo.

Lilofee

2009-02-08T12:21:00.001-08:00

Put "Lock and Key" on repeat, dance, sing along, delete "I Kissed a Girl."

Lilofee on MySpace

Fires of Rome

2009-02-08T11:57:00.000-08:00

super slow-mo creepy gorgeous

Bodies of Water

2009-02-05T18:08:00.000-08:00

i love that old-black-dog-with-cape = The Spirit of the Forest

Neko Case

2009-02-03T17:05:00.000-08:00

who wouldn't want to fill up their barn with unwanted pianos?

Oren Lavie

2009-02-02T14:35:00.001-08:00

Looking for Jake

2009-01-30T11:50:00.002-08:00

a book of short stories by China Mieville, one of the most inventive fantasy writers I have read. Labeling what he writes as "fantasy" brings up visions of wizards and sword-fighting, which is not what Mieville writes about at all. He creates new worlds or takes small aspects of our real world and unravels a totally unique, but somehow universal, tale around new species, undiscovered laws of physics and undiscovered human talents. One story in this collection is set in New Crobuzon, the world he writes about in his three fantastic novels (Perdido Street Station, The Scar, and Iron Council), expanding on a minor character from them. I love the stories where he takes an ordinary and mundane from our world an tells of the whole other world hidden within. In one story one old window pane, bought an installed on whim, shows the narrator an entirely different scene than the original window panes, populated with scary, ghostly children. The last story tells of the creatures that live in reflections, their hatred of humans as mirrors became ubiquitous and they were forced to take our shapes and mimic our actions, and war against humans as they discovered how to subvert the laws of physics and stop being reflections. This collection is a good introduction to Mieville's talented world building.

The Dutchess and the Duke

2009-01-28T11:36:00.001-08:00

Janelle Monae

2009-01-26T10:55:00.002-08:00

hoyt st apartment

2008-05-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

finally, here are some pictures of our new apartment. when the sun is out, like today, it just streams in our second floor windows, making lindsey very happy. we are adjusting to apartment living (bass from our downstairs neighbors incessant reggae music, slamming doors, and only shared outdoor spaces), but so far we love the apartment.

Driving to Portland

2008-05-05T19:10:00.003-07:00

we made it to Portland in 3 long days of driving. along the way we stopped in Cedar City to say hello to some of my aunts uncles and cousins, took a quick dip in a hot spring, and stopped in Boise to hang out with the Neves family. we didn't take many pictures, but here are a few for your enjoyment.

2008-04-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

almost everything we own is now packed up into 5 feet of trailer space. we leave for Portland on Saturday. it still hasn't quite sunk in and I am wavering between excitement, sadness and sheer terror. we have a place to live, but are still working on finding jobs. my house in Flagstaff is in the process of being sold, but is still not quite in the bag. I am excited about the drive, which will take us through Cedar City, UT, where my aunts Jackie and Janet live, and Boise, ID, where my good friends Joe and Carolyn live. It should be a beautiful drive. I also just want to get there, finally see what our new apartment looks like, and get settled in so we can start exploring. Stay tuned for more pictures and updates as we go off on a new adventure.

leighatard

2008-02-29T15:28:00.006-08:00

lindsey's sister leigh paid us a visit this past week. she arrived just in time for the pisces party in honor of lindsey and douglas having been born.

after a sufficient period of recuperation, the riibe's were accompanied to the Essence of Tranquility hot springs (near Safford) by douglas and cynthia. the healing waters, sparks and thrift stores worked wonders for the group's psyche.

the climax of leigh's visit took place in the Red Room at The Grill, or more specifically in the photobooth in the Red Room at The Grill. we started with happy hour drinks at the Congress where leigh made a friend...

we made it to the Red Room before the sun set and didn't leave again until nearly 1 am. twenty-two (22, people) photobooth strips are the product of the long hours of drinkin' smokin' dancin' and posin'. here is just a sampling of the goods.

some other phun photos from leigh's visit can be viewed by clicking here