Category: Song of the Week

“Plants and Animals rock so hard, they end up overloading all the scientists’ fancy equipment”

That’s a pretty accurate description of the video for Plants and Animals‘ satisfying, pared-down anthem Lightshow. The Montreal-based trio go about rocking under controlled conditions while they are observed by two researchers. Every sound creates a digital graphic output while the lab-coated scientists struggle to tune a classic cathode-ray tube oscilloscope in the control room. In the end the solo is too much (it is really great), and they’re left shaking their heads. Continue reading “Plants and Animals’ Lightshow and our fascination with visualizing sound”

A catchy and heartfelt folk song with a charming video and a scientific process in the title:  It’s hard not to love Frank Turner’s Photosynthesis. Continue reading “Plants as a metaphor for adulthood?: Frank Turner’s Photosynthesis”

When all is said and all is done, time will waste everyone.

Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet, known together as Whitehorse, waste nothing in their soulful acoustic blues track Killing Time. It’s a tight package of cinematic images giving the clear impression that no one is left out in the inevitable passage of time. And that passage always has the same result, no matter who you are. Continue reading “Killing time is murder: Whitehorse and the arrow of time”

“Nature deficit disorder ‘damaging Britain’s children'” warns a dire sounding headline from BBC.com. The article describes a report from the National Trust that argues that “UK children are losing contact with nature at a ‘dramatic’ rate, and their health and education are suffering.” That sounds serious indeed. I may have to run over and rescue the neighbour’s kids. I can see they are dangerously inside. Continue reading “Some do’s and don’ts for using a medical metaphor, hints from Frightened Rabbit”