OKSee

So this way-cool, beautifully shot Jabee music video premiered at this past weekend’s 2012 Addy Awards as part of a campaign “to educate advertisers about the wealth of quality original musical available to them for their local advertising campaigns.” To date, OKSee has never agreed more vigorously with a press release.

It goes on: “When musicians are supported by the arts AND the business communities, the likelihood of them being able to attempt to make a full-time career in music here, rather than Nashville, Austin, LA, et al goes up = economic and cultural stimulus.” Boo-yah!

So yeah, 200 thumbs up to producer/director Digital DK and creative director Robot House Creative for this one, which has Jabee spitting his love for his hometown all over said hometown.

The fun doesn’t stop there. The aforementioned campaign came with a two-disc, 37-track compilation of local songs that you can download for free! Artists included are Broncho, Sherree Chamberlain, O Fidelis, The Rockettops, Horse Thief, Zach Winters, Crocodile and plenty more!

Speaking of Jabee, dude’s just announced a Kickstarter project to fund his next album, and he’s aiming high. Like, $25k high. Watch and donate:

OKSee

The boys of Long Beach, Calif.’s The Fling must be quite the fans of the Sooner State, as they are following up a late-fall show at The Conservatory with tonight’s set at The Deli, 309 White, Norman. 

 The Dangerbird Records signees play at 8 p.m. with ever-evolving local rock trio The Pretty Black Chains, showcasing material from “What I’ve Seen” and “When the Madhouses Appear,” both of which were released nationally last year.

The Fling’s brand of classic American indie rock recalls acts both new (Delta Spirit, Deer Tick) and old (Guided by Voices, The Byrds), and several of their Western soul ballads have found their way onto TV shows like “Being Human,” “I Just Want My Pants Back” and “Revenge” in recent months.

Enjoy the video for “What I’ve Seen” standout track “Dogpile,” and then catch it live tonight:

OKSee

With the bevy of on-the-go, takeaway-style performances these days, it’s sometimes really refreshing to hear great musicians play in an actual recording studio. As opposed to, you know, a dirty bathroom, a tree, or a brand-new Chevy Sonic outfitted with pneumatic arms. Not that these locations are inherently bad, it’s just that too much of trying to find a funky place to play sometimes distracts from the pure, simple goodness of a richly written song.

“Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye” is such a song, and it gets a terrific treatment with a some beautiful cinematic video to match its rich traditional arrangement. A.C. Newman’s anecdote is pretty poignant, too.



 Leonard Cohen’s latest album, “Old Ideas,” is out now.

OKSee

One of the common complaints I always hear after shows is that it just didn’t seem intimate. Well, sorry dude, maybe you shouldn’t have gone to see, like, Dave Matthews or whatever.

Twenty-something Edmond folk-pop singer Brianna Gaither, on the other hand, is opening her doors to you for a living-room session recording Sunday night, which sounds to me about as intimate as it gets for local music. You might recall her excellent 2011 album, “Love Is Patient,” which I guarantee you she’ll be playing selections from. Don’t miss this!

Buy your tickets at Ticketstorm for $10, or for $15 at the door. If there are any left, that is. More info is at her Facebook page.



 

OKSee

Having covered Pryor’s Rocklahoma for certain competing publications in the past, I am both highly aware of and terrified by the sort of person who eagerly attends the festival, which is sort of an amalgamation of sweaty, cock-rocking big-billers of the past with the most vulgar alt-rockers of the more recent past and more modern rockers who aren’t quite pretty enough to get on the Warped Tour. 

That said, here’s this year’s lineup, announced at 8 a.m. today. Note that The Darkness (yes, that The Darkness) is included in the May 25-27 bill. Road trip, to northeast Oklahoma, anybody?

• Rob Zombie
• Chickenfoot featuring Joe Satriani, Kenny Aronoff, Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar
• Creed
• Megadeth
• Slash
• Queensrÿche
• Chevelle
• Theory of a Deadman
• Jackyl
• Puddle of Mudd
• Hellyeah
• P.O.D.
• Volbeat
• 10 Years
• Cavo
• Adelitas Way
• Black Stone Cherry
• Pop Evil
• Red
• The Darkness
• Art of Dying
• Trivium
• Aranda
• Redlight King
• James Durbin
• Janus
• New Medicine
• Rival Sons
• Anti-Mortem
• Gypsy Pistoleros
• Wildstreet
• Firstryke
• Black Tora
• Sunset Riot
• The Glitter Boys
• Fist of Rage
• Switchblade Scarlett
• Krank
• and more

OKSee

That the Welsh indie-rock dudes and dudettes of Los Campesinos! put a lot of effort and thought into their music videos isn’t up for debate.

“Songs About Your Girlfriend” from last year’s excellent “Hello Sadness” is just one more convincing exhibit in this case, which had to have been just as weird an experience for the band as the viewer. I’m not even going to try to describe it, so just go somewhere your co-workers can’t catch a glimpse of this over your shoulder and watch:



Never mind the girl dancing with no underwear around the midway point. The most off-putting thing about this video is the pairing of guitarist Tom Campesinos!’ face against these very, um, talented ladies’ writhing bods. Talk about sexually confusing.

But there’s nothing confusing about pretty ginger keyboardist Kim Campesinos!. That girl can sing harmonies on my tracks any day.

Culture Chic

Local talent Johnathan Kayne graced the red carpet at Sunday’s Grammys — or, rather, one of his designs did. Let's hear it for this 405 fashion maven!

Artist Monika Jensen (pictured with adventurer Bill Borger) rocked this coming season's palette of blue and a oh-so-seductive high-low hemline, in Kayne's playful yet chic design, which represented this great state — and represented it well!

Get this look at BodyTrends, 9327 N. Pennsylvania, or SJ Bridal, 5645 N. Pennsylvania. Want a custom design for your collection? No problem! Call Kayne at 607-6006 to set up your appointment.

Now onto a few Grammy fashions we should be proud aren't local:

OK, Sasha Gradiva, we get that you're attempting a statement in the wide worlds of fashion and music. The thing is, unless you're going to be starring in an upcoming sequel to “The Terminator,” you needn't ruin a perfectly beautiful gown with heavy artillery. Let your beauty and talent do the talking — not the mechanical arm.

Robyn, as much as I love you, your quirky Euro-beats and your eccentric style, the red carpet is just not a place for platform steel-toe boots.

Just go away, Rebecca Black. Take your “music” and your “fashion sense” and don't come back.

We get it, Snook: You weight 98 pounds now. It still does not make that dress OK.

No caption necessary. 

OKSee

We’ve got an influx of fresh new tracks for your Valentine’s Day. A few of these might just make a nice soundtrack for a special evening, so listen up and download/stream away.

Josh Sallee — “R.I.P. to Regret”

The last time Josh Sallee showed up in MPFree, he brought the good stuff with an excellent, Blev-produced track that boasted a top-notch sample. “R.I.P. to Regret” follows the same format (replace “Birthday Sex” with the piano from James Blake’s really terrific cover of Feist’s “Limit to Your Love”), and Sallee really opens up with a couple of earnest, meaningful verses. Can’t wait to hear the rest of “Probable Flaws.”

Zach Winters — “They Were Longing for a Better Country”

You might recall this local folk gem from a few months back. It’s obviously not new, but Zach Winters, from the generosity of his heart and enthusiasm of his family, has put “Country” up on his Bandcamp as a name-your-price download. He calls them “heartsongs,” and I couldn’t agree more.

Garrett Dale — “House Full of Dogs”

Tom Waits much? Red City Radio’s Garrett Dale does. This new solo track sounds crusty and rusty, like it’s got as much history as a pair of worn-out boots. And it’s funny!

aDDLib — “The Rebound”

One solid Oklahoma City hip-hop track not enough for you? Well aDDLib’s got a special Valentine’s Day song for you, made complete by awesome Wilt Chamberlain artwork.

Two Suns — “Time Again”

Another week, another good Two Suns song. Halfway there, people.

Sleigh Bells — “Reign of Terror”

I got so excited listening to the very first track of this thing in my cubicle this morning that my hands were shaking as I tried to build Gazette’s online edition. Just make sure you don’t play this thing at full volume inside your office. And if that New York Times profile isn’t enough (do note Alexis Krauss’ use of the now-standardized-in-my-vocabulary term “bangover”), be sure to check out freelancer Joshua Boydston’s interview with the noise-pop power-duo from a few months back.

Tennis — “It All Feels the Same”
Whimsical, pretty indie pop/rock for fans of Cults, ’80s artwork, Florence Welch and effervescence.

The 2 Bears — “Bear Hug”
DFA act The 2 Bears want to give you a special e-card and EP for Valentine’s Day.

Cheers Elephant — “Doin’ It, Right”
Cheers Elephant is a few years behind The Strokes, but this free track for Valentine’s Day sure is a nice gesture!

OKSee

Despite my earlier predilections, Maroon 5’s performance of The Beach Boys’ classic “Surfer Girl” was actually kind of awesome. I think this was mostly due to Adam Levine’s severe discipline in keeping his shirt on. I won’t defend Foster the People’s take on “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” or terrible band name, however. Singer Mark Foster looked about as petrified as Brian Wilson’s craggy old face.

And speaking of Brian Wilson, I’m just kind of amazed that his voice can still get that high.



Glad to see Adele’s voice survived that vocal cord surgery. I think she’s still just a couple servings’ worth of charisma shy of being a top-tier pop star, though. “Rolling in the Deep” has always struck me as a little bland, even more so after Jennifer Hudson came out and yanked tears out of everybody’s faces later in the evening.



I now give you the absolute train wreck of the evening, provided by Miss Nicki Minaj and a cavalcade of creepily sexualized Catholic imagery:



What awesome justice did Okie Blake Shelton do to the great Glen Campbell? The Band Perry was all right doing “Gentle on My Mind,” but Shelton’s take on “Southern Nights” shined:



Sir Paul McCartney got some guitar-lickin’ help from Dave Grohl, Bruce Springsteen and Joe Walsh, marking the single greatest living advertisement for Viagra and devices used to feather aging gentlemen’s hair in live television history:



Unfortunately, no Oklahoman walked out of the Staples Center with a clear-cut win last night, but Sugar Free Allstars can claim one-20th of an award for their contribution to Best Children’s Album winner, “All About Bullies ... Big and Small!” Said the band in an email, “ AAAAAAHHHHHHHH THE ALBUM WON THE GRAMMY FOR BEST CHILDREN'S ALBUM!!! WE OFFICIALLY HAVE A SONG ON A GRAMMY AWARD WINNING ALBUM AAAAHHHH!!!”

OKSee-approved acts fared pretty decently though as Adele’s lauded album, “21,” cleaned house, earning her six awards. Bon Iver’s eponymous second record earned him the Best New Artist award and Best Alternative Album (you might recall him winning our coveted Album of 2011 distinction as well).

For more info, a partial list of the winners included:

• Album of the Year: “21,” Adele

• Record of the Year: “Rolling in the Deep,” Adele

• Song of the Year: “Rolling in the Deep,” Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth

• New Artist: Bon Iver

• Pop Vocal Album: “21,” Adele

• Pop Performance by a Duo or Group: “Body and Soul,” Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse

• Pop Solo Performance: “Someone Like You,” Adele

• Rock Song: “Walk,” Foo Fighters

• Rock Album: “Wasting Light,” Foo Fighters

• Rock Performance: “Walk,” Foo Fighters

• R&B Song: “Fool For You,” Cee Lo Green, Melanie Hallim and Jack Splash

• R&B Album: “F.A.M.E.,” Chris Brown

• Rap Performance: “Otis,” Jay-Z and Kanye West

• Rap Song: “All of the Lights,” Kanye West

• Rap Album: “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” Kanye West

• Country Vocal Solo Performance: “Mean,” Taylor Swift

• Country Performance by a Duo or Group: “Barton Hollow,” The Civil Wars

• Country Album: “Own the Night,” Lady Antebellum

• Latin Pop, Rock or Urban Album: “Drama y Luz,” Mana

• Jazz Vocal Album: “The Mosaic Project,” Terri Lyne Carrington and various artists

• Opera Recording: “Adams: Doctor Atomic,” Alan Gilbert, conductor

• Traditional Gospel Album: “Hello Fear,” Kirk Franklin

• Dance Recording: “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites,” Skrillex

• Dance/Electronica Album: “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites,” Skrillex

• Alternative Music Album: “Bon Iver,” Bon Iver

• Spoken Word Album: “If You Ask Me (and of Course You Won’t),” Betty White

And, regarding Lady Gaga’s rather hilarious and severe snubbing, I will say only this:

Culture Chic

Okay, I know that V-Day is generally a consumeristic ploy to sell a massive amount of heart-shaped candy and greeting cards, not to mention flowers ... but the point behind it all, I think, is to stop and remember the things you love, whether that's a person, a group of people, a dog, a family or just yourself.

The cool thing about this city is that it comes equipped with fun having for all. So whether you're celebrating this weekend, Tuesday or thereafter, here are some things to keep you busy.

First off, get your OKCityCard. It's one of the primary fundraisers for Allied Arts, and February is Allied Arts Month, so it only makes sense. They are $50, which is donated in entirety to Allied Arts.

It's a pretty sweet deal and partners with more than 200 locations around the metro. If you're running low on ideas (or cash), then just peruse the list of discounts at alliedartsokc.com/okcitycard.

Are you a little bookish? Head to Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway at 50 Penn Place, on Tuesday for live music, wine sales, 10 percent off any book with the word “love” in the title and a roaring fireplace.

Cozy in a couple and ready to grow your family? This is your chance to do so. The Central OK Humane Adoption Center at 7500 N. Western is offering a lovable deal: All dogs and cats are free to adopt Saturday and Sunday.

If you feel like getting out on the town tonight, hit up the second annual LOVE on the Plaza. You can expect a kiss cam, lots of local art and some live music. You can even participate in a Valentine's creation contest or take part in a power performance piece hosted by Cole Dewey Design called “The Gay Agenda,” which features two men performing daily routines that a heterosexual couple would perform.

No matter what you decide, show some local love in honor of St. Valentine.