Tag: animation

WATCH: Caroline Cotter, “Do You Love Me?”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Caroline Cotter
Hometown: from Providence, Rhode Island; currently living in Ellsworth, Maine
Song: “Do You Love Me?”
Album: Gently As I Go
Release Date: August 18, 2023

In Their Words: “‘Do You Love Me?’ is a love song, short and sweet and perhaps a bit tongue–in–cheek, echoing desperate and anxious attempts from a hopeless romantic to their new love (and the universe) to get some certainty in very uncertain territory. This anxiety and excitement come together in a fun little package, trading places depending on the day or the moment, and sometimes it’s best to laugh at the silliness of it all, and realize that attempts to know or pretend to know by reading the signs are likely futile, but if nothing else, they’re fun to sing about. I love how Fernando’s illustrations in the video bring out the whimsy, playfulness, and sweetness of the lyrics.” – Caroline Cotter

Photo Credit: Katherine Emery
Video Credit: Fernando Osuna

WATCH: John Mailander’s Forecast, “Returning”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: John Mailander’s Forecast
Hometown: San Diego, California
Song: “Returning”
Album: Look Closer
Release Date: May 7, 2021
Label: 9 Athens Music

In Their Words: “‘Returning’, the first track on our new album, came together on the first day of our session. To me, the track reflects some of what we were collectively feeling, playing in the same room together after so many months of isolation. We were all masked and spaced out the whole time, but the rediscovery of that connection and joy shined through. This track is kind of loosely a continuation of where our last album, Forecast, left off, but it also feels like a new beginning as each musician’s voice enters one at a time and joins together again. The animation was made by Anna Jane Lester. I think it’s a perfect visual accompaniment to the song, the way it moves forward with persistence through the changing seasons.” — John Mailander

Photo credit: Jake Faivre

WATCH: Nefesh Mountain, “Wanderlust”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Nefesh Mountain
Hometown: Montclair, New Jersey
Song: “Wanderlust”
Album: Songs for the Sparrows
Release Date: June 11, 2021
Label: Eden Sky Records

In Their Words: “The idea for this song came from the Traveler’s Prayer — these age-old words that our ancestors have spoken for centuries. ‘Wanderlust’ and this new album are very much a celebration; about adventure and endurance and pushing through the difficult times. We’re looking at some painful things in these songs, but it always comes back to the idea of persevering and letting love be your fuel.” — Doni Zasloff, Nefesh Mountain

Photo credit: Lawrence Rickford

Somewhere Out There, These 9 Songs from Cartoons Stand on Their Own

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Adults who have happened to spend any amount of time watching children’s TV and cartoons – say Winnie the Pooh, or Looney Tunes, or The Amazing World of Gumball – know that plenty of jokes and gags aren’t written for the kids tuning in at all. Certainly the same fact is true of many soundtracks and scores. Originally intended for younger audiences, these nine songs from popular cartoons supersede their animated film origins. Some have gone on to become modern classics, others popular karaoke anthems, Americana covers, and even a drag queen number or two. No matter the context, each of these songs stands on their own.

Bonnie Raitt: “Will the Sun Ever Shine Again,” Home On the Range

A ragtag group of livestock must save their family farm, “Patch of Heaven,” from a thieving-cowboy-would-be-rancher-and-real-estate-magnate. Along their journey, quite a few problems arise for the cows and crew, and right when you realize all hope is lost, Bonnie Raitt’s voice comes wafting on the Western wind. A nearly perfect, succinct package at 2:30 long, “Will the Sun Ever Shine Again” deserves a spot in the modern country canon. Instead, it’s nearly hidden away on this 2004 Disney release.

Linda Ronstadt: “Somewhere Out There,” An American Tail

Immigrant mice find themselves journeying to America in this 1986 Steven Spielberg-produced classic cartoon, which was so popular a sequel was released in 1991. (Hear a track from its soundtrack later in this list.) The main character Fievel’s sister, Tonya, has designs on starhood, singing “Somewhere Out There” exquisitely and mournfully — and apparently poorly by mouse standards. But her family uses the tomatoes flung at her for dinner. Linda Ronstadt reprises the track on the soundtrack, belting the epic arrangement as only she can.

Randy Newman: “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” Toy Story

Randy Newman’s soundtrack offerings for all of the Toy Story movies epitomize the central concept of this list: Songs that are just good, whether they’re from an animated film or not. Other soundtracks from the franchise feature Riders in the Sky, Sarah McLachlan, Judas Priest, and Chris Stapleton. All are fantastic, but “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” is certainly the piece de resistance.

Shelby Flint: “Someone’s Waiting for You,” The Rescuers

A haunting, morose, nightmarish — and hilariously entertaining — tale of an orphan kidnapped by treasure hunters, The Rescuers follows two mice from the Rescue Aid Society as they join an albatross to attempt… well, a rescue. “Someone’s Waiting for You” captures the melancholy of loneliness and isolation so well, with a tinge of solemn hope. The classic Disney animation style and southern bayou setting are simply gorgeous and the Golden Age of Hollywood orchestration is decadently nostalgic.

Helen Reddy & Sean Marshall: “It’s Not Easy,” Pete’s Dragon

A groundbreaking film for its time, 1977’s Pete’s Dragon combined live action and animation — so we’re sneaking it onto this list on that technicality. Another song from the film, “Candle on the Water,” was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, but “It’s Not Easy” might be the movie’s best. Helen Reddy, who passed away in September of 2020, had multiple Top 10 hits in adult contemporary and pop. Her performance — on this song and throughout the film — certainly sell it.

Bryan Adams: “Get Off of My Back,” Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron was one of the first feature-length animated films to effectively and seamlessly combine traditional animation with more modern, computer-generated 3D animation. It’s a hugely popular film, but somehow still grossly underrated, and Bryan Adams’ deliciously early 2000s soundtrack is still impeccable. Several songs could’ve made the cut for this list, but we’ve gone with the high-energy, joyfully defiant “Get Off of My Back.”

Lea Salonga: “Reflection,” Mulan

A ballad and anthem that’s something of a queer rite of passage for Disney millennials: “If I were truly to be myself / I would break my family’s heart….” This rendition of “Reflection” is a rare instance of the score version being better than the credits version. (No shade to Christina Aguilera.) Lea Salonga so relatably embodies Mulan’s longing to live her truth. Just try not to sob-shout along.

Whitney Houston & Mariah Carey: “When You Believe,” The Prince of Egypt

All epic cartoon powerhouse ballad duets must be second to this one, a smash hit from Dreamworks Picture’s The Prince of Egypt. How blessed are we to have Whitney and Mariah trading runs on this loosely Bible-themed melodrama-via-song? If you didn’t start out at the beginning of the song as a believer in miracles, by the end you will. “When You Believe” reached number 13 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and was released by Carey on her Number 1’s compilation album.

Linda Ronstadt: “Dreams to Dream,” An American Tail: Fievel Goes West

We simply had to include Linda Ronstadt — and the An American Tail franchise — twice. “Dreams to Dream,” another credits reprise by Ronstadt, nearly blows the doors off “Somewhere Out There” with its soaring modulations and Ronstadt pulling out all of the stops. How one voice, one woman, could out-power an entire orchestra and rock band combined defies reason. Except, with Linda, that level of energy, charisma, and raw presence is the norm rather than the exception. Try to listen through to this song just once. It almost begs being played on repeat.

WATCH: Moira Smiley, “Days of War” (Feat. Sam Amidon and Seamus Egan)

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Moira Smiley
Hometown: New Haven, Vermont
Song: “Days of War” (feat. Sam Amidon and Seamus Egan)
Album: In Our Voices
Release Date: February 19, 2021
Label: Moira Smiley Music

In Their Words: “As I write these words for the Bluegrass Situation, I’m traveling for the first time in nine months. I’m seeing the birds-eye view that ‘Days of War’ imagines… and it’s extraordinary to see this beautiful earth today. I’m flying to my beloved California to work with Tune-Yards and write some new music. ‘I fly because I must carry on.’ ‘Days of War’ is one of three banjo-driven tracks on my new album, In Our Voices. This album returns me to my a cappella, collaborative roots and kicks up a lot of percussive dust while bowing deeply to American folk music.

“Seamus Egan (Solas, Seamus Egan Project) and I wrote the core of this song after yet another shockwave of white supremacist hate hurt more people in 2017. It evolved into this form when my old friend and fellow Vermonter, Sam Amidon, said ‘yes!’ to singing the ‘human’ voice so I could converse with him as ‘the bird’ who flies and sings in spite of all. The bird is also the voice of our inner resilience — our artistic and humanistic gifts that carry us through times of upheaval and violence.” — Moira Smiley

Photo credit: Alexandra Defurio Photography

Behind the Scenes of Two Tyler Childers Videos That Surprised Us in 2020

Posted on by Editor

Tyler Childers is, as we all know, an outstanding singer and songwriter. His particular brand of country has been demanding attention for years, as people can’t get enough of the down-to-earth Kentuckian’s sound. After the release of two very different videos in 2020, however, it may be argued that music isn’t Childers’ only strong suit. In July 2020, he put out a sweet music video for the title track of his Grammy-nominated record, Country Squire, proving yet again he has a way when it comes to the art of storytelling, both on stage and on screen.

In “House Fire,” we saw that Childers can pull off the more traditional videos that are, let’s say, more serious in nature. In “All Your’n,” his creative streak rose to the top as he plays nearly every role in a video about an interesting hallucination. But in “Country Squire,” he joins his wife and his band, the Food Stamps, in glorious Wallace and Gromit-style animation. The unexpectedly charming animated video was directed by renowned comic book artist Tony Moore and depicts the feel-good story told in the song. See the behind-the-scenes clip below.

Then in September, Childers dropped a stunning surprise album called Long Violent History, using his platform to play Appalachian music while taking on tough topics brought to the fore in 2020. Of the title track, NPR’s Ann Powers wrote, “It’s a lament grounded in bluegrass fiddle and that fundamental African import, the banjo. Presenting himself as a confused ‘white boy from Hickman’ who once understood how the protests might feel like unnecessary trouble, Childers artfully bends perspective at the ballad’s center, realizing that for all the times he’d belligerently questioned authority, he’d never felt like he might lose his life.”

A description on a behind-the-scenes clip on his YouTube channel reads, “Long Violent History is a collection of instrumental pieces intended to create a sonic soundscape for the listener to set the tone to reflect on the last track. 100% of net proceeds from Long Violent History go to support the Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund.” The accomplished singer-songwriter provided an equally potent testimonial video, explaining his reasoning for the record. Because Childers rarely grants interviews, the video provided his fans a firsthand account of his artistic integrity. It also positions him as a compelling public speaker, should he decide to pursue that path in 2021. Take a look below.

Photo credit: David McClister

WATCH: Sierra Hull Draws on Animation in “Beautifully Out of Place”

Posted on by Editor

Sierra Hull, an accomplished instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter who also co-hosted the IBMA Awards this year, notched another career highlight this fall. In her first fully animated music video for “Beautifully Out of Place” she offers a refreshed meaning to the song, now set to the story of a girl walking through her day and noticing beauty in many modest places. Be it a flower growing through the sidewalk or silhouettes forming in the clouds, the main character finds herself more open to the lyrical message of “Beautifully Out of Place.”

Hull’s latest album, 25 Trips, features several heavy-hitting songs such as this, featuring positive themes, skillful singing, and weightless picking. In an interview with American Songwriter, Hull echoes this song’s sentiment, saying that the message holds true in the world even now; during an unprecedented time of uncertainty and unrest, there is still abundant beauty to behold. By the way, her song “Ceiling to the Floor” (also from 25 Trips) is up for a Grammy Award in the category of Best American Roots Song. Watch “Beautifully Out of Place” below.

Photo credit: Gina Binkley

WATCH: Karen Jonas, “Pink Leather Boots”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Karen Jonas
Hometown: Fredericksburg, Virginia
Song: “Pink Leather Boots”
Album: The Southwest Sky and Other Dreams
Release Date: Aug 28, 2020
Label: Yellow Brick Records

In Their Words: “Guitarist Tim Bray and I were driving from Austin to Santa Fe when I first scribbled some notes for ‘Pink Leather Boots.’ I had my boots up on the dash and was marveling at the space — the sheer acreage of Texas leaves room for all kinds of ghosts to hang around. There are old cars in the side yard, old houses crumbling beside new ones. We don’t have that kind of space on the East Coast, we have to build up instead of out. I thought out loud, ‘Who lives here with all these ghosts? What do they do? Are they happy?’ (I’m a hoot on long drives).

“We passed a neon sign that proudly announced ‘Dancing Girls!’ I pictured the scene there — an ambitious trucker falls in love and daydreams a future with this Dancing Girl, only to drive off into the sunset empty-handed. He drops that dream like the rusted car in the side yard, driving on to newer, shinier, perhaps more accessible dreams. On to whatever comes next. Sometimes, just dreaming is enough to fill the time.

“All of this contemplation simmered into a colorful story on top of a dusty shuffle, with Tim’s rockabilly-inspired Gretsch licks and Seth Morrissey’s thumping upright bass. Somehow strawberry milk got involved, and this feverishly fast-paced love-story-that-never-was unfolds like a big rig rolling down the unforgiving highway. Animator Matt Rasch captured the scene vividly in this fun, quirky video, complete with our starry-eyed hero and a herd of pink cows.” — Karen Jonas

Photo by Amber Renée Photography with art by Print Jazz

WATCH: Elephant Revival, ‘Petals’

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Elephant Revival
Hometown: Nederland, CO
Song: “Petals”
Album: Petals
Label: Thirty Tigers

In Their Words: “For me, the song ‘Petals’ is an exploration through many ideas of one’s self to reveal a more constant essence of what we are that continues to develop through ceaseless changes. When someone I love has died, I find an insatiable wonder of what they have become without their body and a deep desire to recognize whatever new form of presence might be there, be it a warmth reminiscent of the nearness of them or a kind of wind I can almost touch. So, in short, this song is a search for that presence in others and in my own self through a kind of letting go.

The making of this video, with such an abstract idea at its core, had many uniquely creative minds with varying interpretations coming together to bring it into visual form, so the first step for director Laura Goldhamer became an art of weaving together visions. In effect, the making of this video felt like some kind of deep dream work. The kind I hope that people can relate to on some level and enjoy.” — Bonnie Paine

Photo credit: Lisa Sicilliano Photos

WATCH: David Messier, ‘Franklin’s Key’

Posted on by Editor

Artist: David Messier
Hometown: Austin, TX
Song: “Franklin’s Key”
Album: Waiting For Eldridge
Label: Fable Records

In Their Words: “In ‘Franklin’s Key’ everything is speaking — not just the vocals. The saw, the bari sax, the percussion … it’s all ‘talking.’ I’m a cartoon junkie, from Merry Melodies to Chuck Jones to Loren Bouchard. When I close my eyes and listen to this track, I’m suddenly in a haunted house circa 1940 — the shutters cracking in the wind, the creaks of wooden floorboards — and when I pinch my eyes even tighter, I see cartoon skeletons playing percussion on rib bones, creepy cats with hollow eyes, and creatures of the night holding seance dance parties that make me want to join the fun and turn that party out. Caitlin and Christina made these visions a cartoon reality.” — David Messier

Photo credit: Cameron Paris Cloud