Guster's New Lightning Rod Music Video

Guster has just come out with another music video, folks! I watched it this morning and was a little mystified, to be honest. Chris VanGaalen, a singer/animator from Canada took on the project, and he did an admirable job. The animated sequences are really kinda trippy. It was like Guster on acid (I've heard it's better that way, but still). I'm not a big fan.

So, a couple of my observations on the music video (tell me if you agree):

1. This is the third Guster music video in 4 from the new album that doesn't feature the band. What is this trend all about? I'd like to see the band in my music videos, even if it is just for a second or two. This is a cool idea, but Guster needs a bit more creativity here. They're letting VanGaalen do all the work for them.

2. This video seemed a little less fitting for the song than the other GUOTS music videos. The digital-looking plush world really fit One Man Wrecking Machine, and Segway Scooter violence was rather funny for C'mon. This animation has a bit of the feel of the song, but it seems just a little too surreal.

3. What on earth is with some of the animation here? Who exactly was high? Guster or Chris VanGaalen? The scene with the naked guy swimming and turning into a frog and back at the end? The rapid transition of odd/distorted faces near the beginning? I liked the very beginning, with the mountain turning into a person of sorts. That had a bit of a Men in Black feel. I'm not so sure about the rest, though. I'm just confused.

Anyway, I've attached a YouTube embed of the video to this post. Enjoy. Let me know what you think, too. I'm interested to see if other Guster fans agree with me or not on this latest effort.

Free Guster Boston 2005 Show Recordings

Hey all, thought you might be interested in getting a copy of some live Guster tunes. Guster's 2005 show in Boston was one of those classics--a sort of homecoming. I thank Ryan's Smashing Life for posting this set list of recordings.

Who doesn't enjoy free Guster concerts, even if they aren't in person? Free music is always welcome to me. The best part of it is the fact that Guster still lets people make recordings of their concerts, as long as the venue allows it. These are some good ones, too.

Satellite: The Astronaut's Remix

So, I thought I'd tell you about a great remix I discovered. Guster's newest hit Satellite (well, as Guster "hits" go) has been remixed to a really creative new beat. You can listen to it I'm a fan, and I thought you would probably be, too. Ya gotta love the here, if you haven't yet. It's also available through the traditional purchase locations, should you desire a download or single album. Give it a listen. I gotta be honest, I usually don't enjoy mixes because overactive DJ's take perfectly good songs and mix them beyond recognition, to where they barely resemble their original recording. This one is pretty good, though. Enjoy!