Mevio Music

Martina and Jackie screen the latest from LIGHTS Poxleitner, “Toes,”on this episode of Music Video Reform School.

Born Valerie Anne Poxleitner to missionary  parents, Canadian Synthpop artist LIGHTS set one of the Psalms to music after learning three chords on the guitar when she was only eleven. Now in her twenties, she is a Juno award-winning singer-songwriter. She had her name legally changed when she turned 18 in order to signify the start of a new chapter in her life.

This video for her new song “Toes” features locations around Toronto, including a long sequence of video taken at Dufferin Station. It alternates between that and sequences with the band in what appears to be a small rehearsal or recording space. Both of our critics liked this video, awarding it a grade of “B.” They also noted that LIGHTS is a genuinely nice person, having met her at the Warped Tour a few years back.

The song is from LIGHTS’ new album “Siberia.” Here’s the track listing.

1. Siberia
2. Where the Fence Is Low
3. Toes
4. Banner
5. Everybody Breaks a Glass
6. Heavy Rope
7. Timing is Everything
8. Peace Sign
9. Cactus in the Valley
10. Suspension
11. Flux and Flow
12. Fourth Dimension
13. And Counting…
14. Day One

LIGHTS is currently touring the U.S. You can find tour dates and more on her website at IAMLIGHTS.com.

Martina and Jackie take a look at the latest video from supergroup Chickenfoot in this episode of Music Video Reform School.

Chickenfoot is made up of Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony (both of Van Halen fame), Chad Smith (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) and legendary guitarist Joe Satriani (the virtuoso who made, among other things, the classic instrumental album Surfing with the Alien). The band’s name came from the fact that they started out as a trio (sans Satriani) playing at Hagar’s club in Cabo. Three guys…three talons on a chicken’s foot.

The fact that Jackie and Martina didn’t know that in advance of screening the video makes it all the more fresh, honest and precious.

Either that or they were pretending not to know, in which case they are geniuses.

The video includes sequences of the band playing onstage, interspersed with footage (pun intended) of a guy in a giant chicken suit, wreaking havoc, stealing bicycles from kids, encountering Bigfoot in the woods, chain smoking, and ultimately finding the girl of his dreams (sort of).

Our intrepid reformers didn’t have a lot of good things to say about this one.

That guy looks like the guy from Nickelback.
Ew. That guy’s hair is really gross.
Chickens are not the most attractive animals.
Is this a KFC commercial?
This song is actually pretty bad.

In the end, Martina came around and decided that the video was enough for a B grade, while Jackie gave it a D. It would have been worse, except for the surprise ending. We won’t spoil it for you. Watch the video to find out what happens.

It’s another Music Video Reform School Rewind, with Martina, Jackie and Smash Mouth’s All Star.

It would be hard to find anybody who was around in 1999 and 2000 that couldn’t sing along to this song. Rising to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, All Star has also been featured in several film soundtracks, including Shrek, Inspector Gadget and Mystery Men. In fact, the storyline from Mystery Men inspired the video, with Steve Harwell playing superhero on a Hollywood backlot (which is now the set for Desperate Housewives, familiar to viewers as Wisteria Lane). The video also features Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria and Kel Mitchell, along with several other stars of Mystery Men.

Here are Martina and Jackie’s observations.

So this is weird. This beginning doesn’t make any sense to me.

The lead singer of Smashmouth is so gross.

He looks like Uncle Kracker, mixed with Bubba Sparxxx.

I’m kind of embarrassed to say this, but if he was skinny he’d be kind of hot, though.

Everyone knows all the words to this song!

I love this song. Radio Disney played this song all the time.

Singing along: ~~All that glitters is gold.~~

He’s Uncle Kracker with Mark Hoppus’ voice.

That’s so strange.

When I think of 90s music videos this is what I think of – lots of colors and no real point to the video.

Maybe you have to see the movie in order to get the video. Despite their confusion with the plot, both Reform Schoolers liked the video, and it should go without saying that they loved the song.

Final ratings? Watch the show to find out!

Martina and Jackie reach back to 1999 as Reform School takes on the Foo Fighters‘ video Learn to Fly.

This one is just a whole lot of fun. From their third album, There Is Nothing Left To Lose, Learn to Fly is arguably the signature song for the band that Dave Grohl formed as a follow-up to Nirvana. Grohl plays six characters in the video: himself, the pilot of the plane, the flight attendant, a teenage girl, an obese woman and an F.B.I. agent. Fellow Foos Nate Mendel and Taylor Hawkins likewise portray multiple characters in the video. The sketch also features appearances from Tenacious D members Jack Black and Kyle Gass as a drug smuggling airplane maintenance crew.

“This song is such a 90s anthem,” says Martina.

Jackie agrees. “This is one of my favorite Foo Fighters songs.”

Millions of others apparently agreed too, taking the song to #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The video features a far-fetched plotline though, with a flight crew who has been drugged and a plane tumbling out of control, and a Foo Fighters concert video as in flight entertainment all the while.

“So they landed fine. Foo Fighters saved the day.”

The girls gave this one an A because “the video is entertaining and the song is a classic.”

Entertaining though it may be, this song was once banned by Clear Channel in the wake of the September 11th attacks because of the endangered airplane theme. Now there’s a real celebration of freedom for you.

Jackie and Martina are back with another retro video. This time it’s New Kids on the Block, You Got It (The Right Stuff) on Music Video Reform School.

In 1989 it would have been hard to avoid the ubiquitous refrain of “Oh, Oh, Whoa-Oh Oh.” The New Kids on the Block had one of the biggest hits of the year with You Got It (The Right Stuff), particularly among their teenage and tweenage female fans. The video was a staple on MTV that entire year, and helped to propel the NKOTB’s sophomore release, Hangin’ Tough, to the very top of the Billboard Album Chart. The song was a #1 hit in Australia and the UK, and peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the United States.

Martina and Jackie liked a lot of things about this video. First of all, the Kids were awfully cute in their younger days. Just look at the little leather jackets and the ripped up jeans. The choreography is also a plus, and something that is missing in a lot of today’s videos, which sometimes seem to emphasize narratives over music and dancing.

Ultimately though, the girls found this video to be, in a word, boring. “Kinda blah,” says Martina. “Sorry.”

Being rendered in black and white was also a drawback, at least for Jackie, who won’t even watch classic black and white films.

Overall grade? Solid but unspectacular C.

I guess after all these years, they just don’t have the right stuff.

Martina and Jackie take a look at Sugar Sugar, the latest video from eight-year-old rapper MattyB on this episode of Music Video Reform School.

All the girlies love me and they wanna blow a kiss
But I tell ‘em no thanks ’cause I’m just a little kid
Just a little kid, just a, just a little kid
Just a little kid with a hit like this

It turns out that these lyrics from Sugar Sugar may be true, at least if Jackie and Martina are any indication. Martina wants to adopt MattyB. “He’s only eight. When he’s 14 girls are gonna go crazy. I definitely have a MattyB crush.”

As for Jackie, she’s ready to see him in concert. “If he’d come here on tour, we would go. It would be really weird if we went, but i’d still go.”

There’s been a lot of discussion lately about kids being pushed into show business by their parents, and it seems like we’ve seen a slew of teen and pre-teen music videos in recent weeks. The girls think it’s obvious that MattyB probably didn’t have to be pushed too hard though. “I really think the kid genuinely loves to do this. Watch him. He’s got so much confidence.”

The video, filmed in a retirement home with a group of elderly extras, is high on “cute” factor.

So, what’s the Reform School rating? “We give him an A for being cute, and for having a really catchy song and for making a great video on top of that.”

Australian Alternative Rockers Dead Letter Circus are back with the video for One Step from the album This Is The Warning.

With influences that include Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead and Soundgarden, Dead Letter Circus brings surprisingly uplifting lyrics to their hard-edged, frenetic sound. They’re known for precise musicianship, complex arrangements and intensity.

Dead Letter Circus is Kim Benzie on lead vocals, Rob Maric on guitar, Stewart Hill on bass, Luke Williams on drums and Tom Skerlj on guitar, keyboard and percussion.

The latest album, This Is The Warning, is about the attempt to achieve individuality, authenticity and freedom in a world that too often seeks to dominate and brainwash. The band documented the creative process for their fans during the writing and recording of the album on a special section of their website.

Visit http://deadlettercircus.com for the latest, including tour dates.

Here’s a healthy dose of Metalcore from British quintet Asking Alexandra, with their video of To The Stage.

This one is a rather stunningly grim depiction of the excesses of the Rock and Roll life, and its effects on relationships. Here’s a sample of the lyrics.

I know that I should walk away
But I can’t bring myself to quit this game
She’s just a beautiful girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders
I’m just a kick in the teeth from a world that’s painted gold

In the end, all he can do is watch her spiral downward, and write this song to ask forgiveness.

Here’s the band’s current line-up.

• Ben Bruce (guitar)
• Danny Worsnop (vocals)
• Cameron Liddell (guitar)
• Sam Bettley (bass)
• James Cassells (drums)

More information about Asking Alexandria is on their official website.

http://www.askingalexandriaofficial.com

It’s one of the smash dance hits for the Summer of 2001: “Bounce” by Calvin Harris, featuring Kelis.

With a catchy opening, deft vocals from Kelis and an infectious chorus, “Bounce” has remained in the top ten of the UK Singles chart since its debut at number two. It’s the 6th top-ten single for the Scotsman, who began producing his own recordings when he was just a teenager. He sticks to the beat this time around, leaving the microphone to BRIT Award winner Kelis Rogers.

The video was shot in Las Vegas, and aptly captures the feel good club scene spirit of the song. Incidentally, he’ll be back in Vegas on August 14th at the Encore Beach Club.

For more information and tour dates, visit http://www.calvinharris.co.uk/.