Category Archives: Music

Song of the Day: Lead Me Home (by Jamie N. Commons)

Posted on by Arleigh

jamie_n_commons683

Whoever has been in charge of choosing the songs that make up the soundtrack for AMC’s The Walking Dead I must salute you. With Bear McCreary’s Southern gothic-influenced score this show has been flush with some excellent songs to end particularly strong episodes. Last week’s strong episode of The Walking Dead saw a favorite character from season 1 make an emotional and heartbreaking return. It also helped refocus the show’s main lead to forging past his own psychological and emotional problems to take on the looming war about to begin.

The song which ended this episode is my choice for “Song of the Day” and it’s from British songwriter-musician Jamie N. Commons.

“Lead Me Home” doesn’t just end the episode but also helps put a spotlight on this show’s third season and it’s many themes concerning not just the zombie apocalypse the survivors must exist and survive in, but how they go about this task. The song’s lyrics takes on the show’s very Southern gothic roots as Rick, Michonne and Carl drive away from Rick’s hometown passing by wrecked vehicles, bodies both freshly killed and decaying.

The song really hit home when they pass by the mauled remains of the backpacker they ignored and passed by earlier in the episode whow as begging to be picked up and saved. It’s this scene which brings to light how much cynicism and distrust as entered these survivors. Faith in the goodness of people has been abandoned for the sake of survival and the roadside remains of their inaction to save this backpacker when he most needed it was shown in gory detail. It’s not the Lord that’s inside them now, but darkness and it will be a long way back before Rick and his people can lead themselves back “home”.

Lead Me Home

Oh lord live inside me, lead me on my way
Oh lord live inside me, lead me on my way
Lead me home
Lead me home

Oh lord in the darkness, lead me on my way
Oh lord in the darkness, lead me on my way
Lead me home
Lead me home

Hmmmmm
Hmmmmm

Oh lord heaven’s waiting, open up your door
Oh lord heaven’s waiting, open up your door
Lead me home
Lead me home

Lead me home
Lead me home

Lead me home
Lead me home

AMV of the Day: Maid to Kill (Black Lagoon)

Posted on by Arleigh

RobertaBlackLagoon

I’m less than 2 days away from freeing my purchase of a Kimber Raptor II .45 ACP from my local gun store. I think the fact that I’m very into firearms is another reason why I have come to see Rei Horie’s Black Lagoon manga and anime very much. Sure the anime and manga have great and well-written characters. It also has some of the craziest action sequences that doesn’t involve giant robot mechas, supernatual monsters and/or magical girls. It also shows’ Horie’s appreciation of the many different firearms available.

The last “AMV of the Day” detailed the origin of the super-assassin Roberta. This latest AMV now shows just how insane she’s become the more and more she appeared in Black Lagoon. The use of Infected Mushroom’s song “Becoming Insane” was such an appropriate choice for this video.

This video also ends in a hilarious note as the series’ two psycho ladies in Roberta and Revy end up fighting each other to the point that they end up doing a Rocky moment with simultaneous knockouts.

Anime: Black Lagoon

Song: “Becoming Insane” by Infected Mushroom

Creator: FoxJones, Partsa

Past AMVs of the Day

 

AMV of the Day: A Thousand Years (Clannad/Toradora!)

Posted on by Arleigh

Clannad

I came across this AMV while browsing youtube and quite bored. I know the song comes from that Twilight thingamabob so I think this latest “AMV of the Day” will pull a tear or two from my co-founder Lisa Marie.

The latest chosen AMV is called “A Thousand Years” and it’s from YouTube user 93RokuStepperZ. It’s a simple romance-themed video that pretty much takes two of the most romantic and sappiest romance anime of the last couple years and melds it with the ballad by Christina Perri for that long-running sparkly vampire and his girlfriend series.

There’s no super bells and whistles in how the video was made. It’s just a well-edited AMV that focuses on the two couple from the two series. There’s Toyomi and Nagisa from Clannad and Clannad: After Story (BAWWWWWWWW) and then there’s Ryuuji and Taiga from Toradora.

Toradora

One thing we won’t find in this AMV would be vampires, werewolves or any of that sort. Just moe anime and a tsundere shorty.

Anime: Clannad, Clannad: After Story, Toradora!

Song: “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri

Creator: 93RokuStepperZ

Past AMVs of the Day

AMV of the Day: Careful What You Wish (Black Lagoon)

Posted on by Arleigh

BlackLagoonRoberta

I’ve gotten to watch Black Lagoon once again and I must say that the more I watch it over and over the more I have put this anime series on my favorite list. It’s just an anime that hits all the right buttons for me. Hyper-kinetic action, loads and loads of gun play and the most diverse cast of psychotic, badass female characters ever. One of these said badass females is one Rosalita “Roberta” Cisneros who headlines the third season of the series.

“Careful What You Wish” is the latest AMV of the Day that shows this lonewolf former FARC assassin turned maid for one of Colombia’s ruling families as she goes on a warpath to avenge the killing of her master and protect his only son in the aftermath. The video was created by LasSamurai2011 and he does a great job of putting together the video to work hand in hand with Metallica’s “King of Nothing” track.

While some of the sequences look just a tad dark it still shows enough of how much a badass Roberta really is and in a series full of such character that’s an achievement in of itself. Fans of the anime know what mean and those who are interested in checking out the series should do so. It’s every action film from the 80’s multiplied to a factor of 1000.

Anime: Black Lagoon: Roberta’s Blood Trail

Song: “King of Nothing” by Metallica

Creator: LastSamurai2011

Past AMVs of the Day

Song of the Day: Hold On (by Tom Waits)

Posted on by Arleigh

mulevariations

Whether one loves, likes, hates or is indifferent when it comes to AMC’s The Walking Dead tv series I haven’t heard much complaint from most about the producers on the show’s taste in music. This show has done a great job in picking an eclectic selection of tunes that fit the mood of the show as a whole or a particular episode. This past weekend’s new episode hasn’t broken that streak of quality choices and it’s the producers’ choice for this past episode that makes our latest “Song of the Day”.

“Hold On” by Tom Waits would’ve made this list even if The Walking Dead didn’t use it to end their latest episode. I mean it’s Tom Waits. He’s the only reason why. Again, he’s Tom Waits, enough said. So, “Hold On” is the latest song in this long-running feature and it didn’t just fit in with The Walking Dead episode, but it’s also by Tom Waits.

Once again, it’s Tom Waits.

“Hold On”

They hung a sign up in out town
“if you live it up, you won’t
live it down”
So, she left Monte Rio, son
Just like a bullet leaves a gun
With charcoal eyes and Monroe hips
She went and took that California trip
Well, the moon was gold, her
Hair like wind
She said don’t look back just
Come on Jim

Oh you got to
Hold on, Hold on
You got to hold on
Take my hand, I’m standing right here
You gotta hold on

Well, he gave her a dimestore watch
And a ring made from a spoon
Everyone is looking for someone to blame
But you share my bed, you share my name
Well, go ahead and call the cops
You don’t meet nice girls in coffee shops
She said baby, I still love you
Sometimes there’s nothin left to do

Oh you got to
Hold on, hold on
You got to hold on
Take my hand, I’m standing right here, you got to
Just hold on.

Well, God bless your crooked little heart St. Louis got the best of me
I miss your broken-china voice
How I wish you were still here with me

Well, you build it up, you wreck it down
You burn your mansion to the ground
When there’s nothing left to keep you here, when
You’re falling behind in this
Big blue world

Oh you go to
Hold on, hold on
You got to hold on
Take my hand, I’m standing right here
You got to hold on

Down by the Riverside motel,
It’s 10 below and falling
By a 99 cent store she closed her eyes
And started swaying
But it’s so hard to dance that way
When it’s cold and there’s no music
Well your old hometown is so far away
But, inside your head there’s a record
That’s playing, a song called

Hold on, hold on
You really got to hold on
Take my hand, I’m standing right here
And just hold on.

Song of the Day: Nothing Else Matters (by Metallica)

Posted on by Arleigh

NothingElseMatters

For only the rare times when we get more than one “Song of the Day” posted in the same day. This time it’s for that special day we call Valentine’s Day. Resident editor of all things art and photography Dazzlin’ Erin posted earlier tonight a song that tells one and all to love the one we’re with. It’s a celebratory song.

To help close out 2013’s Valentine’s Day I’ve chosen a much more intimate ballad that speaks of the love that survives the trials and tribulations of distance and being far apart. The song is Metallica’s power ballad from their Black Album and has become one of their signature songs. “Nothing Else Matters” remains one of the more popular power ballads and, coming from the band’s pre-rock era which most younger listeners know them more nowadays, quite a lovely song from the kings of thrash.

I’ve chosen the live and symphony-backed version of the song conducted by the late Michael Kamen. Part of the set-list for their metal and symphony show, S&M, the song takes well to the addition of a 100-piece symphony orchestra that doesn’t just repeat the same notes, but adds so much more nuances to the song. This could be heard quite clearly when the song reaches the guitar-solo part. This time around we get the string section, especially the violins, giving voice to the emotional aspect of the song. It’s my favorite part of the song and can listen to it over and over.

Happy Valentine’s Day…til next year.

Nothing Else Matters

So close, no matter how far
Couldn’t be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
and nothing else matters

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don’t just say
and nothing else matters

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
and nothing else matters

never cared for what they do
never cared for what they know
but I know

So close, no matter how far
Couldn’t be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
and nothing else matters

never cared for what they do
never cared for what they know
but I know

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don’t just say

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us, something new
Open mind for a different view
and nothing else matters

never cared for what they say
never cared for games they play
never cared for what they do
never cared for what they know
and I know

So close, no matter how far
Couldn’t be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
No, nothing else matters

Song of the Day: Skyfall (by Adele)

Posted on by Arleigh

AdeleSkyfall

Today we see the release of Skyfall on Blu-Ray and DVD. This latest James Bond film surprised quite a bit of people who weren’t sure the franchise would be able to recover from the missed opportunity that was Quantum of Solace. So, it came out of left field that this follow-up ended up being one of the best films of 2012. From the acting, direction and writing the film was top-notch. One other thing which truly stood out about this film was it’s theme song.

“Skyfall” by Adele wasn’t just one of the best film songs of 2012, but most like going to turn out to be in the top 5 of best James Bond theme songs when all has been said and done. This is why to commemorate the release of the film on video I’ve chosen the Adele sung theme song of the same name to be the latest “Song of the Day”.

The song harkens back to the true James Bond classic theme songs by Shirley Bassey like “Goldfinger” and “Diamonds are Forever” right up to my personal favorite, Paul McCartney’s “Live and Let Die”. Maybe it was destiny that Adele would end up doing a James Bond theme song. Her soulful vocal range just shouts early James Bond and her “Skyfall” easily holds it’s own against the classic Bond themes of the 60’s and early 70’s.

The song itself has a very simple melody that incorporates the iconic 007 theme. Almost sung like a mournful ballad that hints at the danger and death awaiting the intrepid 007 and those around him, the song spends much of it’s running time with Adele singing in a very subdued fashion until we hit the final third of the track when she finally lets her inner diva shine….and shine she does.

Skyfall

This is the end
Hold your breath and count to ten
Feel the Earth move and then
Hear my heart burst again

For this is the end
I’ve drowned and dreamt this moment
So overdue I owe them
Swept away I’m stolen

Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together

Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together
At skyfall
At skyfall

Skyfall is where we start
A thousand miles and poles apart
Where worlds collide and days are dark
You may have my number
You can take my name
But you’ll never have my heart

Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together

Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together
At skyfall

Where you go I go
What you see I see
I know I’d never be me
Without the security

Of your loving arms
Keeping me from harm
Put your hand in my hand
And we’ll stand

Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together

Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together
At skyfall

Let the sky fall
We will stand tall
At skyfall

Dance Scenes That I Love: Hanging Out With My Family From Birdemic

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Birdemic

Hi there!

As I sit here writing this, I am the most tired girl in the world but I could not let this day pass without sharing one of my favorite dance scenes.  In this romantic scene from the infamous environmental “horror” film Birdemic, our main characters end a perfect day by dancing to a song called Hanging Out With My Family.

My favorite part of this scene?

The invisible backup singers.

Enjoy and salud!

Guilty Pleasure No. 3: Every Rose Has Its Thorns

Posted on by Arleigh

Time for a new guilty pleasure and this time around we hit the music scene with a song that everyone seems to make fun of but whcih they also secretly love to sing-a-long to.

“Every Rose Has Its Thorns” by the hair metal group Poison has to be the cheesiest of all power ballad that came out during the 80’s hair metal era. The group were so intent on making it stand out from the rest of their hair metal brethren’s own power ballads that they decided to go all acoustic guitar to start things to give it that extra deep thoughts-theme. I will admit that I listened to this song like it was going out of style when it first came out.

What can I say? I was a sophomore in high school and the hormones were kicking in hard.

For someone whose own love of metal ranges from thrash, speed, power, Viking to black it’s such a rose amongst the bramble that this hair metal power ballad will still get me to sing along to this day. Though I usually try to make sure I’m alone….XD

Every Rose Has Its Thorns

We both lie silently still
in the dead of the night
Although we both lie close together
We feel miles apart inside

Was it something I said or something I did
Did my words not come out right
Though I tried not to hurt you
Though I tried
But I guess that’s why they say

Chorus:
Every rose has its thorn
Just like every night has its dawn
Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song
Every rose has its thorn

Yeah it does

I listen to her favorite song
playing on the radio
Hear the DJ say loves a game of easy come and
easy go
But I wonder does he know
Has he ever felt like this
And I know that you’d be here right now
If I could have let you know somehow
I guess

Chorus

Though it’s been a while now
I can still feel so much pain
Like the knife that cuts you the wound heals
but the scar, that scar remains

Solo

I know I could have saved our love that night
If I’d known what to say
Instead of makin’ love
We both made our separate ways

But now I hear you found somebody new
and that I never meant that much to you
To hear that tears me up inside
And to see you cuts me like a knife
I guess

Chorus

Previous Guilty Pleasures:

  1. Half-Baked
  2. Save The Last Dance