Muse Mash-ups

I feel like i need to explain where this post is coming from (because I know how random it seems).

It starts with a google alert which promised a "Take on Me"/"Wonderwall" mash-up. I was like, "Holy shit! this sounds awesome! two of the best songs ever!" However, when I went to track it down, i found it had been part of a radio stream that was no longer working. Boo. (don't worry, i have since found it, and it is REALLY FREAKIN' GOOD!)

Anyway, that led me on a youtube search, where i again, didn't find what i was looking for. But it was then that I saw an A-Ha/Muse mash-up. Now I only really know one song by each of these bands ("Take on Me" obvs, and "Time is Running Out") but I thought I'd watch "The Sun Always Shines on TV"/"Starlight." Funnily, it didn't have a cute mash-up name like most two-song mash-ups do, so i will name it. "A-Ha vs Muse" video, you are now officially...

The Starlight Always Shines on TV


How fucking good is that? I'm pretty unashamed to love both these bands. But then again, I have a thing for the patently epic and ridiculous. Which explains a lot of things, actually. Also, I like how they edited together the videos too. nice touch. (side note: I can't believe how literal Muse was, filming their video on a ship? really? but then again, it is pretty epic...)


but my journey continues.

I decided I really like this "Starlight" song, and really want to hear the un-mashed version. But on the way, I found an AMAZING Killers/Muse mash-up. Because separately, they are pretty fantastically epic bands, but together??? well, the results blew my mind.

When You Were Starlight



I already loved "When You Were Young" and was quickly falling for "Starlight." But this works SO WELL. I do wish there was a little more Brendan Flowers. But I can't complain. That Killers riff sounds so natural with the Muse melody. God. I love it.


I also found a Streets/Muse mash-up. Not good. Well, the mash-up is fine, but I can't stand the Streets.


and now, I've downloaded Black Holes and Revelations (which includes "Take A Bow," the song in the Watchmen trailer... that i thought was Radiohead... silly me) and am taking a listen to the real version of the song. Not really the order I should have gone in, but whatever. Not gonna lie, I kind of like the mash-ups better. Not to say I don't like the song, it's pretty wonderful. but still, the mash-ups are more fun.

A Note on the Grammy Awards

I don't actually give a shit. And I don't think they're really taken all that seriously by anyone. They seem to be celebrating excellence, but it's really just a facade as the industry implodes. The gaudier and more "star-studded" the ceremony is, the bigger the cry for help.

Also, I really hate Coldplay.

Nevertheless, I suppose there may have been some sort of value in watching the ceremony, if only to better understand Stereogum's liveblogging of the event. Here are some choice moments:

8:41: Song Of The Year goes to "Viva La Vida," written by Joe Satriani (Feat. Creaky Boards).

ZING!

11:18: OK you guys. Alison and Robert totally did it. Right?

Of course they did. We have to believe it is so.


But honestly, the perfect example of everything that is wrong with the Grammys and the recording industry in general: Coldplay wins Best Rock Album over Radiohead*. Then Radiohead performs and fucking rocks it. with a marching band.


The obvious win of marketing over music is made all the more embarrassing by a stiff and smarmy introduction by none other than Mrs. Chris Martin herself.

Awards shows blow. But seriously, what did I expect?



* I swear I don't say this with bias. Even though I hate Coldplay, I'm not a huge Radiohead fan. But I think we can all can agree that Radiohead is more musically complex and progressive than Coldplay, who have openly admitted to stealing from their influences. Assholes. Ok, maybe I'm a little biased.