Eleven Music Videos with Extreme Close-Ups

Here's all the Extreme Close-Up videos I've found so far on a YouTube playlist. #YouTubeNchill

(Not the cover of a NIN album...yet)

1. Gorillaz feat. Benjamin Clementine - "Hallelujah Money" 2017  I've been Gorillaz fan since they dropped "Clint Eastwood" back in 2001 and will remain to be as long as I shall live. Benjamin Clementine's voice has haunted me (in the best way) since "Condolence;" love that Damon Albarn caught onto his magic.

2. Fink - "Looking Too Closely" 2014  Fink is one of the many bands I was blessed to discover while working at The Crocodile; they remain to be one of the nicest bands I've ever met. I had just watched the episode of Walking Dead in which their song "Warm Shadow" appears in the weeks before the show and had yet to figure out who the artist was; the timing was wicked.

3. Lusine - "Arterial" 2014  SEATTLE MUSIC  This video couldn't be more appropriate for the Extreme Close-Ups list. My intro to Lusine was seeing him perform at The Crocodile with Trent Moorman a few years back and I've been a fan ever since.




4. The Good Sin x 10.4 Rog - "All For You" 2011  SEATTLE MUSIC  Look closely at the photos they show us in the video, so many wonderful people included. 10.4 Rog has been killin it since...




5. Her - "Quite Like" 2015  NSFW  Skinemax 2015 style...with a better soundtrack. Still not into band names that are hard to google but this song is pretty good so I'll give em a pass.




6. Pharrell Williams - "Freedom" 2015  Check out the Business Ventures section of Pharrell's Wikipedia page to see how hard this man grinds to remain at the top. Good things happen to good people with a strong work ethic, thank you for the inspiration Pharrell!




7. Shabazz Palaces - "Dawn In Luxor" 2016  Stephan Gray nailed this video; no surprise there. Naturally, members of Black Constellation would have killer outer space videos. Shabazz Palaces opening for Radiohead remains to be one of the best things to happen in 2016.




8. DoNormaal feat. Raven Matthews - "50 Jasper Horses" (prod. IGNORVNCE) 2016  SEATTLE MUSIC  I love that the horse got the shine it deserves, for real, look how shiny the horse's hair is at 0:19. Can't say enough good things about DoNormaal and Raven Matthews; they're ahead of the game in owning their uniqueness and speaking their minds. Their musical journey is the stuff of legends. #69/50




9. Phantogram - "You Don't Get Me High Anymore" 2016  Big ideas and big budgets for the win. There's only one Phantogram song that has earned Liz's Currently Overplaying status; the rest of their catalog doesn't really do it for me personally but I still fux with them.




10. Bloom - "Raindrops" 2016  This song literally slaps you in the face, can't figure out if that's a good thing yet. Pretty sure I'd never consume this song without the visuals but mad props to Bloom for making such a huge statement with her art.




11. Run The Jewels feat. Gangsta Boo - "Love Again" 2016  Run The Jewels are winning at life these days; their merch game is on point. Do as they do but continue to do you...or something. Here's hoping I give the *what's up headnod to these two in 2017. [*The what's up headnod is when you casually acknowledge the presence of someone you truly admire (and they do it back) but you don't actually meet them so no fangirling ensues. My favorite what's up headnods of 2016 were Joey Bada$$, Schoolboy Q, and Eddie Vedder.]

Ten Great Live Performance Videos Part III

1. Filthy Fingers United Cassette Release Party 2014  Incredibly proud to say that this was the first show I ever booked in The Crocodile Back Bar. Diogenes is to FFU as Peanut Butter Wolf is to Stones Throw. I would love to help the 50+ Filthy Fingers United members be able to quit their day jobs to make music. They release a monthly themed compilation that I post on the ReignCity website on the 20th of every month.




2. Madlib Makes A Beat w/ Sony's MVR - "LA To Tokyo" 2014  I haven't seen Madlib live since Neumos 2007, that's way too long. I have only great memories of the show, but according to this article from The Stranger it was shitty.




3. Ol Dirty Bastard On Yo! MTV RAPS 1995?  We miss you ODB.




4. FKA Twigs - "Hide" 2014  This is one of my favorite videos of all time. It's a bummer that the little kid had peed his pants for his YouTube debut.  They filmed the visuals in Aztec ruins, which is fucking awesome. The percussion getting a bit wonky is part of why it is so great. I also appreciate the KEXP version.




5. Homeboy Sandman + Paul White - "Wade In The Water" 2014  Homeboy Sandman is one of my favorite rappers. My ReignCity team got to host his January 23 Bellingham show with Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic, DJ Abilities, and Dark Time Sunshine for the Hail Mary Mallon Tour. It was one of the best days ever.





6. Grape God - "Time Travel Television" 2014  Very proud to say that I brought some of Portland's most interesting artists to The Crocodile Back Bar on February 8. Grape God brought Slick Devious, Renaissance Coalition, and Soopah Eype up with him. Super genius OCnotes performed as well. I love that they used live footage and made it into Time Travel Television.




7. Brandy, MC Lyte, Yo-Yo, and Queen Latifah Are Still Down - "Live at BET Hip Hop Awards 2014" These Queens are still amazing. The audience shots are pretty great too.



8. Daughter - "Youth" NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert 2013  The original is a great song, but Budo's Remix of the song is incredible.








9. Shabazz Palaces - "Live On KEXP" 2014 (SEATTLE MUSIC) The Black Constellation is light years ahead of the rest.




10. Fink - "Warm Shadow" 2013  I got to see them at their show at The Crocodile back in October. I had never heard their music before and it was probably one of the best shows I've ever seen. "Warm Shadow" was featured on Walking Dead.




Here's the link to the original Ten Incredible Live Performance Videos and here's the link to the second.