Gotta run.

Hey everybody! We're moving the blog over to Tumblr. It just feels like the right thing to do.
Google, you know I love you, but I think it's clear that other blog services have a lot to offer.

yourrailroadgate.tumblr.com

See you there.

Video on Flickr; Long Live Vimeo

Today Flickr premiered its new video sharing feature. Our boys over at Vimeo better watch out; I always thought of that venture a 'Flickr for videos,' with its emphasis on content that is truly user generated. Or maybe not: only Flickr Pro members can upload at this point, and there is a 90 second time limit for all clips. Big mistake, maybe, but as T.S. Eliot professed, "When forced to work within a strict framework, the imagination is taxed to its utmost ­ and will produce its richest ideas. Given total freedom, the work is likely to sprawl." Who knows--maybe this will lead to more interesting content being posted. Either way, I can't see many Vimeo users flocking over to Flickr and upgrading to Pro just so they can upload minute-long clips when Vimeo offers 250MB/week uploads and vehemently supports HD, a shrewd move.

Flickr Adds Video [lifehacker.com]
The Vimeo HD Channel [vimeo.com]

Pitchfork: Not Pissing Me Off For Once

Yesterday marked the launch of Pitchfork.tv, the much talked about new site from Pitchfork Media. Up til now, Pitchfork has kept their feet planted firmly in the music criticism and news
world. This is a pretty big departure.

After clicking around for a while today, I have to say I'm really impressed with the content that they've got up already. There's a lot of videos by the usual Pitchfork artists (Thermals, Xiu Xiu, others whose names I can't remember) as well as the entirety of loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies(!) and other goodies like artist interviews and Radiohead "exclusives." Now, Pitchfork pisses me off as much as the next music nerd, but they've always had their ear to the ground on new bands, even if the reviews were often way off base or just plain unreadable. But this site is already my preferred of the two web homes Pitchfork now hosts; their strength as an aggregator comes to the forefront while their editorializing is more subtle and easier to stomach, if it's there at all.

They're off to a running start. Now all that remains to be seen is whether they can keep the content coming. Your move, Stereogum.

Pitchfork.TV beta [Pitchfork.tv]
Obligatory Pitchfork.TV Discussion Thread [Idolator.com]
Pitchfork.tv Takes a Stab at Music Videos [Wired.com]
Pitchfork.tv Launches, Stereogum Responds, sort of. [prettymuchamazing.com]

Desert Island Jukebox Entry #1

Borrowing from one of our favorite podcasts, Sound Opinions, me and the Foz are implementing the Desert Island Jukebox.  As I pop my first quarter in I am hereby putting my money on the fact that if I were stranded, I would happily listen to this song to no end.  I was turned onto this song in a whole new way when my sister's A Capella group performed it.  But just listen and hear for yourself.  First, they sweep you into this ethereal swaying groove, with a grand harp and it almost feels like you're about to hear some sort of lounge act and then, the lead singer spins around and the band delivers the first punch "Boogie Nights".  The way the bass cuts, the way the drums rip, the funky guitar on the right, the white guy at the keys... it's all gold.  I can't help but start dancing to this, no matter what my mood may be.  Your turn Foz.

Wild Things

Watch this before it gets taken down. It may be the most of it you ever see.

EMI Hires Google Exec To Head Digital

Look, EMI, it's been a rough few years for you, but you're in the mix, you're having fun, you're trying new things, and I like it. Keep doing what you're doing.

Warner Brothers Fucks with a Good Thing

So, I've been drooling for a very long time now about the forthcoming Where The Wild Things Are movie, adapted by Dave Eggers and directed by Spike Jones. It's a dream team working on a favorite childhood novel by Maurice Sendak, and I was only more interested after seeing stills that made the Wild Things look a lot like Gorgs. Remember Gorgs?

Well, now it looks like Warner Brothers isn't happy with test screenings and wants to fire Jonze and reshoot the film entirely. The Vulture post on the subject, which I stumbled upon pretty late, says it all pretty well. Why do movie studios think that they can create better movies with a focus group than they can with a brilliant director? Furthermore, why are we so touchy about movies that might scare children a little? Don't all the best children's movies have that dark edge to them? Dave Eggers knows how to tell a compelling story and Spike Jonze knows how to work that visual magic and apparently that makes WB execs freak the fuck out. Leave this movie alone! Forest Whitaker knows.

Hey Warners! Leave Spike Jonze and ‘Wild Things’ Alone! [Vulture Blog - nymag.com]
Photo from www.wtwta.net