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Marcus Mumford May Have Lost At The Grammy Awards, But I Think He's Winning At Life. Damnit, Has Sheen Permanently Ruined That Word?

By Joanna Robinson | Posted Under Pajiba Love | Comments (54)

carey-mulligan-header.jpeg

Happy Monday, my titillating toboggans! I’ve heard rumblings that it’s snowing again in some of the frostier climes of our fair nation. ALAS, ALACK! Well this collection of dog sledding photos are for you, my frostbitten readers. If glacier-eyed canines mushing in the slush aren’t your cup of iced tea, at least check out image #10 which is another jaw-dropping photo of the Aurora Borealis…can you picture that? It looks unreal. (The Big Picture)

Meanwhile this weekend in foggy old Londontown there was a bit of a dust up between the police and 500,000 protestors. A contingent busted up The Ritz and 1,000 anarchists occupied Fortnum & Mason. So help me god, if they put one dent in a decorative tin… (Daily Mail)

Meanwhile, across the globe, the Japanese people continue to set an example for the rest of us as they cobble their country back together. In “You’d Never See This In America” news, the Japanese Business Lobby has given up a hefty tax cut in order to reroute the funds into reconstructing the nation. (Yahoo)

Did you just call me unpatriotic? Me? Oh, tush, I do not only report inspiring news about furreigners. Lookie here, an American man put over 2,000 toothpicks in his beard! (Laughing Squid)

Seriously, don’t feel bad, Americans, there’s a new highly scientific and not at all suspect map that breaks down the nations of the world by penis size. Good news, America, you’re beating ALL of Asia! (The Shanghaiist)

Speaking of snakes, an Egyptian cobra has gone missing at the Bronx Zoo. No I WON’T make a parseltongue/Harry Potter joke, you can’t make me. (NYT)

Oh! Harry Potter! That reminds me, have I told you lately that I loathe 3-D? I do. I HATE IT. (Mostly because it makes me ill.) Someone at NPR hates it just as much as I do and breaks down why it’s wholly unnecessary. Also, those glasses? They make you look like a dumb@ss. (NPR)

That being said, check out these delightful 3D images taken in 19th and early 20th century Japan. Don’t worry, you don’t need the doofy glasses. (One Cool Thing A Day)

Marcus Mumford, of Mumford & Sons is dating actress Carey Mulligan. Hear that Matt Bellamy and Chris Martin? That’s how you date a famous actress. (Celebitchy)

Does anyone else think Muse’s Matt Bellamy is some sort of Thom Yorkian clone? The ratty features? The haunting falsetto? No? Well think about it as you listen to Radiohead’s most recent album. You don’t have it yet? What would you do without me? You can stream it for free here. (Slate)

I don’t care if you think you don’t like The Pixies or if you think beatboxing is intensely dorky, this video of a young man laying down live beatboxing tracks while playing the guitar and singing “Where Is My Mind?” is amaaaaaaazing.

Okay, so maybe you dislike The Pixies, but if you hate The Beatles, you have no soul. Check out this adorably collaborative cover of “Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da.”

Joanna Robinson is, if you haven’t noticed, in a highly musical mood. Send your recommendations for this frosty but sunny California day to godtopuswept@gmail.com or @quityourJRob









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Comments

Muse is everything Radiohead should have been but wasnt.

Posted by: Lennon at March 28, 2011 1:13 PM

While I looooovvveeee the Pixies, I didn't enjoy that video for a few reasons:
1. Someone else is doing most of the work behind the camera - recording loops, starting and stopping them - and if not, most of the work was done after recording.
2. If you take away the beatboxing, it's pretty much a crappy cover that you can hear at least once a month at a local open mic.

Also, your head will... what was that? Did he flub the words?

Forgive me, I take my music too seriously sometimes. I am impressed if this was a live take, but only by the on-the-fly looping.

Posted by: JohnnyBee at March 28, 2011 1:15 PM

Ah, I guess I should have watched past the fart-sounds before commenting. Seems he's doing the looping/effects himself (with peddles I'm guessing), so that is a pretty good skill. Just something missing from his interpretation of the song IMO.

Posted by: JohnnyBee at March 28, 2011 1:19 PM

JohnnyBee
Taken from the youtube page: "The track is made live using a guitar, beatbox, voice and an RC-50 loop station. The reverb on the vocals at the end is off a Kaoss Pad which only features at the end for the reverb effect (u can see 2 but that's to do a different track we filmed after!) There's nothing prerecorded or added post recording, it's all live!"

All praise the looper!

Posted by: coveredinbees at March 28, 2011 1:19 PM

Oh, Lennon. Poor, poor, confused Lennon.

(...start argumentative thread that explodes into Race War in 3, 2, 1...)

Posted by: Skitz at March 28, 2011 1:20 PM

Thanks coveredinbees, didn't see that there myself. Impressive pedal skills indeed (see how I spelled "pedal" right this time?).

Lennon....Muse is everything Radiohead should have been but wasnt.

I respectfully disagree sir. Radiohead is everything Muse would like to be, but can't. Also, without Radiohead there would be no Muse.

Posted by: JohnnyBee at March 28, 2011 1:24 PM

I love The Beatles.

There's no way I'm playing that.

Posted by: Jay at March 28, 2011 1:34 PM

Those pictures of Japan harken back to the days when most Japanese people were brainwashed fanatics. You and your silly beliefs of racial superiority! Get outta here with your kimonos and beasts of burden, ya kooky bastards!

Posted by: Kballs at March 28, 2011 1:34 PM

"Titillating toboggans?"

Lemon curry?

One of the current BS lines being tossed around is that the Japanese weren't looting in the wake of the disaster, like we sometimes do (and here the Fox announcer will go "*coughKatrinablackscough*"). Unfortunately, there are reports of a few stores being looted, as well as fights breaking out at gas stations in the Tokyo area.

Posted by: The Wanderer at March 28, 2011 1:36 PM

Hey Joanna, can we agree to never post anything from the (motherfucking) Daily Mail as your sole link to a major news story? No? Ok, that's cool. I'll drown my tears in the sounds of awesomely covered songs.

Posted by: The_wakeful at March 28, 2011 1:46 PM

"I disrespectfully disagree sir. Fucking Radiohead is everyfuckiingthing Muse would like to be, but fucking can't. Also, without Radiohead there would fucking be no Muse." *

Fan those flames, JohnnyBee - FAN THE ARGUMENTATIVE FLAMES OF BETRAYAL!

[* I may have tweaked your statement a little - I'm just trying to ruin things, you see...]

Posted by: Skitz at March 28, 2011 1:48 PM

"(and here the Fox announcer will go "*coughKatrinablackscough*")

We here at FOX News find this sort of conclusion deplorable and unresponsible.

Everyone knows it was liberal tax hikes against big businesses, and empowered unions allowed to wantonly disregard their duties in the rounding up of "urban undesirables" led to the mess caused by Hurricane Katrina.

Hell, we're even a big thankful that black people allowed us the opportunity to capture their looting as stock footage, so that whenever a bunch of middle-class demonstrators get together, we can make them look like violent terrorists.

Posted by: Pared and Unbalanced at March 28, 2011 1:51 PM

Also, without Radiohead there would fucking be no Muse

What a devil's bargain huh?

Posted by: Jay at March 28, 2011 1:51 PM

@Kballs

The eff are you talking about? Do elaborate but be careful cuz my offense threshold is pretty high these days what with seeing my country go through time reversing calamity.

Posted by: yocean at March 28, 2011 1:52 PM

actually, I meant low threshold I guess. I was confused there.

Posted by: yocean at March 28, 2011 1:56 PM

yocean

It's a lighthearted joke about crazy ancient political beliefs that has absolutely nothing to do with the unbelievably tragic events currently unfolding in Japan. It would be like making a Civil War-era Confederacy joke after Katrina hit. No correlation whatsoever.

Posted by: Kballs at March 28, 2011 1:59 PM

Hm that Pixies cover was okay but really, part of what makes the Pixies so awesome is the energy of the band. I really don't think of this as an upbeat song.

Also can we get some covers of ANOTHER Pixies song PUHLEASE?? Sheesh.

Also I dislike Muse and tolerate Radiohead. So there.

Posted by: grace b at March 28, 2011 2:02 PM

Race war? No. Black people know little and care less about Radiohead and/or Muse.

Posted by: Tracer Bullet at March 28, 2011 2:05 PM

Haha, nice try Skitz, but I think you're out of luck here, especially in a Pajiba Love post - the variety of things to comment on would ruin the flow of any good flame war that might start.

P.S. I actually kind of like Muse (some of their songs, at least). The difference for me is, after hearing a Radiohead song for the first time, I usually think "that's what a great song sounds like", and when I hear a Muse song for the first time I think "hmmm, what great song does that sound like?"

Posted by: JohnnyBee at March 28, 2011 2:13 PM

I normally couldn't give a rat's ass about celebrity gossip, but such is my love for both Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford that that news made me very happy.

Also, it could be because of the cold medicine I'm on, but I watched that Beatles cover with a stupid grin plastered on my face and then hit the replay button. Twice. Thanks for that.

Posted by: beckster at March 28, 2011 2:25 PM

I didn't know Brendan Fraser could beatbox!

Posted by: Forrest at March 28, 2011 2:25 PM

Sorry, I've no time for a solid flame war today :(

But you'll never convince me that Radiohead is all that great. Sure, they've got an occasionally inventive sound but dicking around with an effects array in the studio != musical genius.

For all its gimmickry, most radionhead songs are still basic I, IV, V chord progressions over which wrist slittingly depressive lyrics about loneliness and ennui are sung.

In other words, they're your typical high school garage band with a decent grasp of Pro Tools and a front man with enough personality to convince people that he's actually this mysterious, eccentric genius and not just an ego centric jackass with a messiah complex.

Posted by: Lennon at March 28, 2011 2:34 PM

Yay Mercy Me. It took a second, but it was hard not to recognize them. They are the ones doing The Beatles cover.

Posted by: Matt at March 28, 2011 2:37 PM

Both bands owe a heck of a lot to Jeff Buckley, if you ask me.

Kind of have to disagree with the_wakeful only because The Daily Mail writers use all sorts of slang in their articles and I think it's kind of glorious. But it's not exactly a legitimate news source... I agree.

Posted by: Mel C. at March 28, 2011 2:38 PM

I keep imagining the escaped cobra slinking around the neighborhood to get a full body tattoo (disguise, of course), grabbing a slice (sustenance), and then catching the 4 down to Grand Central to get a train out of the city and back into the wild. You can do it, little buddy.

Posted by: nosio at March 28, 2011 2:38 PM

Jesopus Christopher, I don't have any opinion one way or t'other about Radiohead because they've just never really appealed to me, but Muse has got to be one of the most annoyingly derivative bunches of bullshit bands I've ever heard in my ENTIRE life.

UGH. Anyway, I will now go listen to the Pixies.

Posted by: lizzieborden at March 28, 2011 2:44 PM

Fucking Daily Mail.

If you have to read something about the London protests, read this:

http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/laurie-penny/2011/03/trafalgar-square-police-young

Posted by: idiosynchronic at March 28, 2011 2:47 PM

Who the hell is MUSE?

What the hell is a RADIOHEAD?

Why should I care?

Posted by: meh at March 28, 2011 2:50 PM

Both bands owe a heck of a lot to Jeff Buckley, if you ask me.

Radiohead were actually around before Jeff Buckley. I love Jeff Buckley more than I love Radiohead, but really don't think he had much of an influence on their sound.

Lennon, no one should have to convince you how great they are. If you don't like it, you don't like it.

Posted by: JohnnyBee at March 28, 2011 3:02 PM

Lennon, no one should have to convince you how great they are. If you don't like it, you don't like it.

JohnnyBee, you might be my favorite person ever.

Posted by: coveredinbees at March 28, 2011 3:04 PM

Radiohead hasn't been consistently good since OK Computer. Sure there's been a handful of good tracks since then, but most of it is just...boring. Go ahead, call me unsophisticated. Look into your heart, you know its true.

Muse, on the other hand, has never been good.

Posted by: elgarcon at March 28, 2011 3:04 PM

I love The Beatles.
There's no way I'm playing that.

Smart move Jay. I was a big ball of "NO!" pretty quickly after I hit play.

Posted by: figgy at March 28, 2011 3:08 PM

Radiohead? Muse? Can't we all agree they're both better than Coldplay?

Posted by: RobP at March 28, 2011 3:29 PM

Matt Bellamy wants so desperately to be Thom Yorke that he can't see past the fact that he's a raging douche who is really, REALLY bad at writing songs. Seriously. OK Computer is a subtle counter-cultural classic. The Resistance is what it would sound like if John Carpenter made They Live into a rock album.

Posted by: ChristianH at March 28, 2011 4:26 PM

I did look into my heart, and Radiohead still rules.

Posted by: DarthCorleone at March 28, 2011 4:46 PM

For the record, I wrote that without reading the comments. That's how easy it is to pull me into a Radiohead flame war: I don't even need to know it's happening.

But in all seriousness, Radiohead is the best band in the world today, and OK Computer is the best album of the past thirty years.

If you want a flame war, it's ON!

Posted by: ChristianH at March 28, 2011 4:50 PM

The first time I heard a Muse song, I thought it was Thom Yorke singing, so I hear you, Joanna.

And Muse and Radiohead happen to be my two favorite bands in the world. It's possible to love both.

Posted by: MelBivDevoe at March 28, 2011 5:17 PM

Have to echo idiosynchronic. As a Londoner - nay, half-decent human being - I have to implore you: please don't put up links to the Daily Mail.

Thank you.

Posted by: zeke the pig at March 28, 2011 5:23 PM

I see my fellow Londoners have this covered in the comments already, but I was going to say that the protest was by-and-large peaceful (I mostly sang 'Cameron stop the cuts' to the tune of Karma Chameleon all day), and - meh, so some banks got smashed up. Whatevs. Cameron and his cronies are smashing up our entire health system for generations to come.

Would you like to hear the joke about Fortnum & Mason? Here goes: "Have you heard there was £15,000 worth of damage at Fortnum & Mason in the protests this weekend? Yeah, someone broke a jar of olives."

Posted by: Caspar at March 28, 2011 6:30 PM

Also, Carey Mulligan has THE WORST taste in men. Shia LaFluff and now the terrible, terrible, appalling Marcus Scumford? Awful beings both. Seriously Carey, you blithering idiot - think big! And not crap!

Posted by: Caspar at March 28, 2011 6:32 PM

Oh, Caspar. I have so little idea what you just said, but your British ire is so damned entertaining. Also, you apparently made fun of Mumford and Sons (I think). That makes me smile.

Posted by: ChristianH at March 28, 2011 7:00 PM

ChristianH, I came ready for a flame war with my molotov rocktail*, but I pretty much agree with you. I'm not qualified to say it's the best album of the past 30 years, but I probably love OK Computer more than I love some of my extended family members.

*Worst. Pun. Ever.

Posted by: nosio at March 28, 2011 8:14 PM

Oh yes, now I remember why we couldn't make Pajiba Music sustainable.

Posted by: Riffraffish at March 28, 2011 9:02 PM

The first time I heard "Time is Running Out," the first thing I said was "wow, radiohead is making mainstream music now?" and whoever was near me at the time explained to me "THAT IS NOT FUCKING RADIOHEAD!!!"

Since then I try not to say much regarding Muse for that very reason, but it is my outlook on each Muse song I have heard. Its possible to like both bands, you just have to be a Radiohead fan who believes there are other bands out there worth listening to. That is the trickiest part.

When it comes to covers of the Pixies "Where is My Mind" I prefer the one by Storm Large ;p

Posted by: protoformX at March 28, 2011 9:17 PM

R.I.P. Pajiba Music.

Posted by: nosio at March 28, 2011 9:30 PM

Well, I grinned all the way through that cover of “Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da.”

Posted by: Shibuyama at March 28, 2011 9:44 PM

That second video restores a little of my faith in humanity.

Posted by: John W at March 28, 2011 9:52 PM

Amen, nosio. Amen.

*Shameless plug for AudioSuede*

Posted by: ChristianH at March 28, 2011 11:17 PM

Lennon, no one should have to convince you how great they are. If you don't like it, you don't like it

It's more that Im on a mission to convince people how awful they are ;-)

I love. Love love love love love Ok Computer. It's the only Radiohead album I have and according to iTunes, I play it twice as much as any other album in my collection. I'll go on record as saying that Paranoid Android is one of the best songs written my 26 year lifetime.

But thats it. I just cannot stomach any of their other work. I think it's safe to say more than half their albums are borderline bullshit and that doesn't exactly qualify them as a quality band.

Posted by: Lennon at March 28, 2011 11:54 PM

Muse=poseurs

Posted by: James S at March 29, 2011 12:42 AM

Learning that Mumford and Mulligan are dating felt like being nuzzled by a 6 week old kitten. It's just...so much happy.

Posted by: Dingles at March 29, 2011 3:14 AM

Thanks, ChristianH! You'll always find me ready to lay the smackdown on the egregious Marcus Mumford and his disastrous "sons".

Posted by: Caspar at March 29, 2011 4:53 AM

Lennon, I'm going to tell you something I don't tell many people: I dislike Radiohead's first two albums. Yes, including The Bends. And like you, I love OK Computer.

But what my friends don't know about me, as a Radiohead fan, is that I didn't like Radiohead at all (including OK Computer) until Hail to the Thief, the album most people agree is their most forgettable and uninteresting. But something about that album clicked something major in my head, not immediately, but over time, and suddenly gears began to turn that had been collecting dust in my brain and I began to develop entirely new tastes for music.

And what I've learned about Radiohead is this: They've never released the same album twice. Even Kid A and Amnesiac have very distinctive differences. But while many people accuse them (even in this very comment thread) of being an effects band that is noted for experimentation rather than musicianship, to truly appreciate the band, and what they've done for music, you have to be able to focus on the structure of the songs they're performing. And even the most amorphous, minimal moments on any given Radiohead album have a structure that could fit into traditional or contemporary pop or rock surroundings with different instrumentation.

So for all their experimentation, what the band actually does best is to take structures we can all recognize and either strip them or bury them. The hail of strings that builds into "How to Disappear Completely" belies what could otherwise be a relatively simple rock ballad in different hands. Meanwhile, they strip down the guitar solo, slow it way down, and focus instead on the spaces between the notes on "Hunting Bears." They even do this to themselves in the two versions of "Morning Bell." They're not just art fiends tricking people into buying experimental music: They're brilliant rockers tricking the art crowd into liking rock music.

That, and they're just plain amazing at their instruments, which counts for something.

Posted by: ChristianH at March 29, 2011 5:46 PM

y people accuse them (even in this very comment thread) of being an effects band that is noted for experimentation rather than musicianship, to truly appreciate the band, and what they've done for music, you have to be able to focus on the structure of the songs they're performing. And even the most amorphous, minimal moments on any given Radiohead album have a structure that could fit into traditional or contemporary pop or rock surroundings with different instrumentation.

Posted by: cosplay wigs at April 5, 2011 5:41 AM