Amir's Audio, Video, Technology, etc. Blog

[amirm]

Summer is music discovery time for me. Why? My favorite dance show, So You Think You Can Dance is on and there is where I find a lot of the modern music that I like. I think (but not sure) this is where I discovered the UK band, The xx. The album name you guessed it, is XX . It is modernistic, alternative pop.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=as2&tag=whabesfor-20&linkId=CCUKWQNA2JWBIOGN

Here are some of the tracks I like:

To be honest, I am not a fan of the whole album but I would say half of them are good which for $10 is not so bad.

Fidelity is very good for a pop band on a budget. No reference quality album but very clean and rather dynamic. The Stars track is especially good with powerful bass notes.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/spread-it-heavy/id914179224

"Spread it Heavy" -- Porch 40

From quiet to...not. I don't know how to categorize Porch 40. Post modern Funk? Deep groove rock? Whatever, the energy and musicianship are high, the writing is clever, inventive and fun, and the recording is clear as a bell. I can't tell if it's loud. The relentless groove doesn't leave room for a lot of dynamics, so I'll leave that to someone who measures such things.

A private release currently available on Spotify, iTunes and at porch 40 shows, which are highly recommended if you can handle the party. If not, put it in your earbuds at the gym. You'll get your best cardio in months!

Full disclosure: The bass player is my friend and bandmate's son.

Tim

 

[amirm]

Lovely music going with the trailer of the FX channel's American Horror Stories: Freak Show. Track is "CAROUSEL" by Melanie Martinez

Alas, quick search on Amazon only shows an MP3 for sale .

 

[amirm]

Just watched this nice PBS (US public TV, kind of like UK's BBC) documentary in memory of Robin Williams. Great insight into the man and his career. Sad reminder that he is no longer with us.

I suspect this may not work for those of you outside of US but for the rest, here is the link to the video:

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365316898/

 

[amirm]

Enjoying the soundtrack of movie Noah by Clint Mansell on this great late summer day in Pacific Northwest (sunny, 58 degrees). Quite "cinematic" as you can imagine:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=as2&tag=whabesfor-20&linkId=U6SQLHFHBS2VH6GW

Have not seen the movie though. Is it any good?

Full Album:

A good sampling is this melancholy track, The Fallen Ones:

 

[steve williams]

don't waste your time on the movie Amir. Just my $0.02

 

[amirm]

don't waste your time on the movie Amir. Just my $0.02

Ah good. More money for more music.

 

[amirm]

"Rising Star" is one of the worst produced TV reality singing shows I have seen. The judges are lame. The "talent" is often without that. The whole format with scoring and playing to a video wall is purely dumb. Really amature hour stuff. But out of that pile of you know what, there is this gem: the 20 year old Jesse Kinch. Check out this cover of Michael Jackson "Billie Jean." For a new talent to match the appeal of a legendary song is tough enough. Being able to outdo it as I think he does, is remarkable. Wonderful creativity:

 

[amirm]

We lost our gorgeous sunshine . So time for something to match that melancholy mood. Another Clint Mansell movie theme, this time from another movie I have not heard of, Last Night: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=as2&tag=whabesfor-20&linkId=GQIDCFNIJF2GINSF. Lovely music nevertheless.

And this final movement with vocals by Peter Broderick:

 

[amirm]

Now this right here is really funny: http://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/testing-tasers/

Lee this one was for you.

 

[RBFC]

Now this right here is really funny: http://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/testing-tasers/

Lee this one was for you.

Zapping oneself with a stun gun (not a Taser) is a sign of brilliance. I am also brilliant, since I have to test all our training devices on myself before subjecting others to same. Zapping one's microwave is a sure ticket to sleeping in the garage....

Lee

 

[amirm]

There are three types of people when it comes to math:

1. Those who understand it and get it.

2. And those who don't!

 

[amirm]

I don't like half the people they have on America Got Talent but occasionally they do pick the right talent. Emily West was my favorite and finished as #2 (lost to a magician). She does a cover of Sia's Chandelier which I dare say was better than the original. NBC production crew which usually does a lousy job on this show, pulled a superb one in this case, with beautiful clothing, story (singer from 50s and 60s) and wonderful strings. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did:

May want to hit the Youtube button, select HD and watch it full size.

 

[amirm]

Speaking of AGT, Youtube recommended this clip from UK's BGT. Heartwarming and unusual:

 

[amirm]

This one is for Carol!

No the cats are not that cute. It is all special effects, make up, clothing, etc....

 

[amirm]

Completing the AGT series, this was my other favorite act that made it to finals (?). Great Radiohead track and beautiful lady and lovely transitions make this piece:

 

[amirm]

This is a remarkable video/story on how close dogs are to humans when it comes to cognition. Worth a watch even if you are not a dog person:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-smartest-dog-in-the-world/

There may be territorial restrictions on where you can watch it but the manuscript is below the video.

After watching the video, I have been looking into my dog's eyes more .

 

[amirm]

So we had both of our puppies (a male and a female) fixed recently. But I can't help not remembering this cartoon from the New Yorker Magazine, everytime I look at the poor "guy:"

 

[amirm]

OK, this is a cute experiment on how Cortana (Microsoft's vocal assistant) answers some fun questions:

 

[amirm]

Discovered Ingrid Michaelson when she was getting her start a few years ago. She has matured quite a bit since her early starts. I can listen to every song, on every album and enjoy them all. This is a lovely tune with collaboration with A Great Big World. Just lovely: