We asked our Artist Of The Month The Flashbulb to pick his favorite moments from the sprawling BAMM.tv music archive …
“I think I’ve actually gone through every BAMM video for this process. It made for a splendid Sunday morning. I kind of feel like an A&R guy, but my coffee isn’t expensive enough.
“After watching Who Cares – Show Me Some Change (below), I was reminded of how deceiving looks can be. I expected the sound of “Mouse Rat”, for those of you familiar with Parks And Recreation. The actual sound was an unexpected blend of 70′s Harlem, some open mic’d drums, and a filthy loop that sounds like the groan a baby didgeridoo would make while bashing out police car windows. The point is, this is unique, and it is great. The other point is, I need to grow my hair out and stop wearing tracksuits before I make another video.
“A few points about Sol Pereyra’s Te Fuiste (below). Firstly, I love Spanish folk music, and this encapsulates it. My Spanish is terrible, so this song could very well be about a conspiracy that Lionel Messi is a pedophile, and I would still be listening with a shit eating grin on my face. But her voice is nothing short of incredible. It’s a perfect blend of quiet enough to be dreamy and relaxing, but sharp enough to be on point and powerful. To be more technical, her counterpoint melody in the chorus is brilliant. It gives me chills. Secondly, if she is interested in marriage, my dog and I can catch a flight to Buenos Aires tomorrow. As long as we don’t have to live in the building this was shot in. Actually scratch that. It’s nicer than 90% of the places here in south Chicago.
“I guess it’s obvious I would pick Bartel, not because he’s my closest Xbox Live buddy, but because he’s an immensely talented artist that I’ve released on Alphabasic and brought on tour for half of a decade. My favorite video here is Snow On Black (below) because it is one of the rare moments when his lovely voice peaks out of the cinematic landscapes he’s famous for creating. Seeing Kevin Chamberlain bobbing around on guitar is always a treat too.
“I’m really loving the virtuosity, atmosphere, and complexity of Diana Gameros’s Deja Que Salga La Luna. If there’s one thing you don’t see enough of these days, it’s musicians with balls. Ok, poor choice of words in this case, but letting your nylon strings softly supplement your powerful, raw voice in front of an audience is a lot more difficult and scary than it looks. Writing this type of music while Pitchfork glorifies Dan Deacon also takes a lot of courage. But that’s exactly why this band will be successful in the long run, while many of you reading this are saying “Dan who?”.
“Everything I know about Brazil is botched. I know that the world’s most incredible beaches are on the way to the Jiu Jitsu training camps. I know that the world’s most incredible grilled meats are within smelling distance, albeit not allowable while cutting weight. I know that the power outlet voltage changes depending on which direction you’re facing. But one really unique thing about Brazil, is that the music is often a community effort.
“When I prepare to make music, my preparations are similar to preparations for a zombie apocalypse. Stock up some food, push the furniture in front of the door, stay far away from windows. Brazilians on the other hand, often treat music making like a block party. Musicians, your grandma, the kids playing futbol down the street. Every is invited! All you have to do is participate and be hespectful. And that is exactly what you see in Tambores Julio Remelexo’s Go Down (below). It isn’t complicated music. In fact, it’s quite chaotic, and that’s why I like it so much. Nobody here is going to have a successful career as a solo artist, and that’s the point. A band like this only works as a family. The next time I have the chance to go to Brazil, I’m spending more time doing this and less time getting my shoulders dislocated.
