The Storm – Boy & Bear

It’s been 5 months since I’ve recorded a cover. I’m really proud of this one (despite the timing issues I’m having). Another place to improve! Please share this one around if you like it.

Say these words:

Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

Now answer these questions:

• What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?
• What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?
• What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?
• What do you call gym shoes?
• What do you say to address a group of people?
• What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?
• What do you call your grandparents?
• What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?
• What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?
• What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

You can find all my covers on my YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/jackbanh/

I’ve watched a few times and there’s this undeniable appeal to her. She’s very very easy to watch and the movies are so funny and relatable. But I cringe. Not because I dislike her but because there’s this awkwardness I get from these videos. She prides herself on being a “loser on the internet” and she unashamedly plays multiple roles in skits while narrating them. There’s such an intense focus on her and I can’t explain it but it just feels wrong somehow. It’s as if the Star Wars Kid uploaded his video and then narrated and celebrated it as his most proudest moment.

I think it’s my own personal issues. I can’t help but watch these and think selfishly about my own image. How I am far too shy and modest and how I try so hard to keep myself closed off. Some small part of me wants to be that brave and put my face everywhere. Some small part of me wants to just let loose with the Australian accent instead of subconsciously suppressing it and always worrying about how the Americans will mishear me.

So I’m going to keep watching. And soak in this uncanny self-confidence that she has. I don’t understand how a person can be so comfortable in their skin.

Less than 2 years after the original Korean release, Girls’ Generation (a.k.a. SNSD) released a Japanese version and re-did the music video. This makes me so happy. It’s just as bright and cheerful and filled with dancing Korean girls.

Jack covers Delicate, by Damien Rice.

Another day, another cover. A friend let me borrow his microphone recently and I’m still learning how to get the best sound out of it.

Gee by Girls’ Generation

It’s filled with cute Korean girls, it’s saturated with colors, the pace is frenetic, and the chorus is frustratingly catchy. I watched it and every time it just assaults my senses and I keep coming back for more. The song just echoes and grows to occupy every empty space between my brain and my skull and before you know it, I’m sticking my butt out, wagging my finger and singing along.

And there are so many girls. Basic math tells me there are 9 of them but it feels like so much more. Every shot is just so crowded visually and there are cute smiles and pouty frowns and hips thrusting and coy little dance steps. I get the feeling Korea has really perfected the craft of manufactured boy bands and girl groups.

Yes, I might be going crazy.

I continue to have a crush on Nataly Dawn of YouTube music duo, Pomplamoose. I don’t think her voice is necessarily suited to some of the covers she does but when it works, it really scratches a certain music itch for me. A little bit Feisty, Cat Powery, jazzy? I’m not sure how to describe it. Somebody on Reddit says she looks like a female Michael Cera. I say that actually sounds kind of cute.

So soft and wilting and musical on its own. All this great nostalgia framed in a new way. So delicious.

As a bonus, here is Jimmy Fallon pretending to be Neil Young. May not be available to people outside the US.