A Fine Design

A Fine Design: More Infographics

Yet another one of my favorite things has been given the infographic treatment: The Beatles. Charting the Beatles is a collaborative community project that turns Beatles information into infograhpics.

Here’s an example: The Self Reference Diagram

The lyrics of the Beatles include a number of references to their own previous songs. This diagram explores these connections, noting the exact referencing lyrics and at what point in each song they can be found.

Beatles Self Referencing Lyrics

Beatles Self Referencing Lyrics Close-up

You can find more examples at Michael Deal’s site.

Needle Drop

Needle Drop: Riff that scotch, Billie

There’s nothing more beautiful on a woman than a strong voice, and boy does that Billie got a voice.

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Needle Drop

Needle Drop: Heaven Can Wait

But the weekend doesn’t have to.  That’s right, friendies!  Welcome to Friday!  We’re leaving you to your merry selves this weekend, but not without a delightfully strange treat to savor.  The new-ish video for Charlotte Gainsbourg’s dreamy “Heaven Can Wait, feat. Beck (swoon) contains a stream of nonsensical characters and scenes, including a baby in a hot-dog suit and a man taking a fruit loop bath.  I’m not sure how a video could be more heavenly.  However, there seems to be controversy bubbling for the director, who was inspired by the collection of photographs he amassed through web and blog surfing.  Is assimilating a series of unrelated and curious images into a bizarre but beautifully blended music video a stroke of creative genius?  Or was it a lazy poaching of other artists’ imaginative work?  I think I’d like to enjoy the video a few more times before I decide…

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Needle Drop

Needle Drop: Brothersport

Animal Collective’s new video starts off as a continuation of their tried and true traipsing-around-the-woods-while-costumed aesthetic, which they’ve cultivated since at least ’04. This time, however, it features children. I’m not sure if this is a sign that AC is maturing, or growing younger. Most likely the former. Whichever it is, the video does make me want to throw around some colored eggs.

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Needle Drop

Needle Drop: Country Snow

While listening to some tunes, I noticed an affinity that country music has for the snow. Perhaps it just speaks to the music’s versatility, or maybe the slow plaintive bends of the pedal steel are what bring the snow flakes down.

Here’s a classic by Webb Pierce featuring one of the first uses of a mechanically adjustable steel guitar. Pretty nifty, really:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI0Oj34OlgU

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Needle Drop

Needle Drop: Goodnight 2009

When you come home from your (long) night out, play this song and remember 2009. For better or worse, it’ll only be in your dreams.

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Needle Drop: Yule Tide

Darlene Love

Like most people, I associate certain songs and sounds with Christmastime — Phil Spector’s oeuvre for instance. Now, this isn’t just because Phil Spector put out a Christmas album in 1963 or that I love inmates singing carols; I simply equate the reverb-soaked tracks with winter, snow, and yes, Christmas.

Now, in case you don’t quite have the same association that I do, here’s two more overtly Christmas tunes. One from Phil’s Christmas masterpiece, the other from Bruce Springsteen. General similarities abound.

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A Fine Design

Forget Me Not

Don’t you hate it when you forget to pick up milk on your way home, then once morning comes around, you pour yourself some cereal only to realize that you have no milk (I know these guys do)? Well this newish web-app might help:

TeuxDeux List

TeuxDeux List

TeuxDeux is a minimal web-based application created through a collaboration of swissmiss and Fictive Kin. If you’ve ever been a bit overwhelmed by fancy-pants to-do applications, TeuxDeux should offer you a reprieve. It’s currently free and sign up is a breeze. You’ll never forget milk again. No more cryin’.

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