LOP lookin' all tuff

A lot of controversy has surrounded the hit pop/rock group Lights Over Paris (LOP) over the past two years. From their innovative approach to building their brand via ‘becoming a YouTube sensation’ to their gritty real-world, white-knuckled tween street team that passionately advocates for the group across several outlets. As one of the doctors here at Plaid Creature (PC), I know that our site has been involved (via our Google PageRank) in a lot of the criticism the band has received over the past two years… Are they real? Or is this just another heavily produced, industry (cash driven) manufactured pop group?

Well dear readers, let me just say, they are REAL! And they are here to stay!
So let’s wrap it all up
put this all to bed
once and for all
with a look at…

THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN

Recently, we at PC were made aware of LOP’s next hit single, ‘I’m Not Gangsta’.
A song I initially approached with, if I’m being completely honest here, a bit a skepticism.
I thought to myself… ‘Here we go again… another disappointing piece of musical buffoonery… another ‘club anthem’ like every other ‘club anthem’…

Let me just be to the first to say that
I was wrong!
Upon first listen (via YouTubez), I realized… that ‘I’m not a Gangsta’ is in fact….

THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN

It opens with a declaration of truth regarding the lifestyle of women living in the south-western state of California.

Down in Cali (I LIVE IN CALI TOO!!!)
The girls drink ‘till they go crazy (SO TRUE!)
And smoke ‘till they all get dizzy (OMG, THEY DO!!!!!!! THEY SO DO!!!!)
She told me I can call her my ‘baby’ (AWWWWWWWW)
But Just for the night (LOL! this is sooooo GANGSTA!)

Then it moves into in a visceral experience of two young lovers making a break for the shoreline. Remember that feeling when you first met your significant other? That ‘butterflies in your stomach’ feeling?
This is the part where that happens.
A critical analysis of the lyrics might show that this portion of the song, while lacking in length, is by no means lacking in depth.
Hemingway would be proud!

We were coasting
All the way down to the ocean (BEST LINE IN THE WHOLE SONG, IMHO LOLZ!)
And then she slipped something inside my hand (UH OH!!!! WHAT COULD IT BE?!?!? PERSONALLY… I THINK IT’S A…. a marijuana cigarette..  SHHHH!!! DON’T TELL MOM!)
And threw the blanket down on the sand
And this is what I said:

As THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN, LOP nails the chorus (below) in ‘I’m Not Gangsta’. Not to give away too much here, but if you read between the lines, what seems like a declaration of true love is really a statement of dedication to the ‘hood life’ (from the perspective of an affluent white suburbanite). Notice how at the end of the chorus, LOP’s ‘Robb’ is clearly stating to the female interest (of the moment) in his song that he would do anything for her (via riding n dying), but quickly, and in parenthesis, ‘Game’ is there to remind him that regardless of what is stated, he’s still on ‘that Gangsta tip’.
Just as Shakespeare broke the fourth wall to have his characters speak directly to the audience and expose their inner thoughts/intentions, ‘Game’ is there to let the listener in on ‘the secret’.

I’m not a gangsta (O RLY? TEE HEE! PSSSST…. I’M IN ON IT!!!!)
But I would ride for you
And if it came down to it I would die for you
I’m not a gangsta
But I’d get high with you (I TOLD YOU!!!! OMG!!!! I WAS SOOO RIGHT!!!!)
I would throw away my whole freakin’ life for you (AWWWWWWWWW!!!)
I’m not a Gangsta (But I be on that Gangsta tip) (UH OH!!!!)
I’m not a Gangsta (But I be on that Gangsta tip)

To lend some additional ‘street cred’ to their track, if the above hasn’t already convinced you of how ‘Gangsta’ ‘Robb’ is, ‘Game’ lends a hand to bolster their credibility. A tried and true ‘real-life gangster’ that rose to fame as part of the ‘G-Unit’ as well as modeling for Sean Diddy Puffy Comb’s ‘Sean John’ clothing line and the unforgettable collaboration with Kanye West and Ludacris (via Boost Mobile endorsement http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4ko9Ogh75o). You can’t get much more REAL than that!

(‘Game’)
Stop
Hold up
Tell her I’m back and
Tell her I’m not Who she think I am (UH OH! DID HE GET CAUGHT IN HIS LIE!?!?!)
Tell her we can take a ride down south beach MIA (OMG THIS SONG HAS THE BEST BEACHES!!!!)
Get lost in my lamb (LAMB???? OOOOOOoooo… LAMBORGHINI!!!! I GET IT!!!! THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE CARS!!! WISH I HAD ONE!!!!! SO CLEVER!!!!)
God damn she fine I ain’t used to this
I’m used to leaning back in the hood
rolling back boys back to the wall with my hoodie on
Now she got me in the 9021
Oh get you one,
Peace to my old girl, got me a new one
She’s so hood yeah she’s so me
Our love is like a drug and we O.D
Because I got me a winner
Charlie Sheen invited us over for dinner (OMFGROFLOLZ! I LOVE CHARLIE SHEEN!!!! WINNING! THIS IS SO FUNNY! AND SO RIGHT NOW!!!!)
Then we both went in her (MOM! IT’S JUST A SONG!!!!)
Then we both went our own separate ways (SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GANGSTA!!!!)
And Charlie had this to say

CHORUS

By the end of ‘Game’s’ contribution, this song has already solidified itself in the annals of music/pop/rock/rap history. Not only do we get an accurate portrayal of what ‘Game’s’ life is like, from coast to coast, we also touch upon the playful nature of LOP, referencing contemporary ‘bad boy’, Charlie Sheen. A move, on the pulse of contemporary American pop culture, because in order to break the billboard charts, you’ve got to not only have something to say, you’ve got to be current/relevant. Mark another staple of the GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN action-item list off the checklist ‘Robb’! Great job!

The last verse… might be a tad too insinuating for the middle-American ‘smart shopping’ public, BUT it shouldn’t keep it off the store shelves at your local Super Wal-Mart. The icing on top is that it both encapsulates and reinforces the prior verses and, if you haven’t ‘Gotten’ it’ by now, clues you into what being a ‘Gangsta’ in ‘modern society’ is all about!

Underneath the boardwalk baby
Or in your parents bed
And even while I’m driving baby
You always give me (UH OH!!!! MOM!!! OMG COVER YOUR EARS!!!!! OH WAIT!!! HE DIDN’T SAY ‘HEAD’!!!! THANKS FOR MAKING THIS ‘MOM SAFE’ ‘ROBB’!!! NOW I CAN TOTALLY LISTEN TO THIS IN MY ROOM!!!!)
You always get me
Underneath the boardwalk baby
Or in your parents bed (OMG *BLUSH*!!!!!)
And even while I’m driving baby (OMGOMGOMG!!!!!! MOM DOESN’T KNOW! BUT I DO!!!!!!!! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GANGSTA!!!!!)
When you’re finished this is what I said

CHORUS CHORUS CHORUS

And thus… THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN has been unleashed onto the world.
But alas, what do our dear Plaid readers think?
Do you agree with my opinion?
Does it juxtapose with your own interpretations?
Dare I even ask the question… is this truly THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN?????

Novachord – End of Summer DnB Mix (10-02-10) – plaidcreature.com by Novachord

Been a long time coming. Please let me know what you think. I used Reaper for this track, which was interesting.

Tracklisting:

01. Danny Byrd – Feet Won’t Touch the Ground
02. NuTone & Talc – Jet Stream
03. Sub Focus – Airplane (Original Mix)
04. Syncopix – Disc Go
05. J Majik & Wickaman – Crazy World (Brookes Brothers Remix)
06. Netsky – Eyes Closed
07. Furlonge – High Commission
08. Cyantific – Hong Kong Express
09. Logistics – Eastern Promises
10. Lazee feat. Neverstone – Hold On (Matrix & Futurebound Remix)
11. Deadmau5 & Rob Swire – Ghosts n Stuff (Sub Focus Remix)
12. Netsky & Jenna G – Moving With You
13. Culture Shock – Bad Red
14. Fred V – Resolved

If you like these tunes, go support the DJs. I envy those in the UK who can.

Download here.

My apologies for the lack of updates. We’ve had a lot going on outside of Plaid these days but I hope we can get back into the swing of things around here. For now: here’s another thick, juicy liquid drum and bass mix set for you to chow down on.

Plaidcreature.com-March2010-DnbMix by Novachord

I’m pretty pleased with this mix. Let me know what you think by posting a comment. Tracklisting after the jump.

01 – Mendelayev – Breath
02 – Nero – Do You Wanna?
03 – Sub Focus – Rock It
04 – Danny Byrd feat. Liquid – Sweet Harmony
05 – Netsky – Smile
06 – Temper Trap – Science of Fear (Mistabishi Remix)
07 – Syncopix – Nightlistener
08 – Filthy Dukes – Messages (Brookes Brothers Remix)
09 – Cyantific feat. Matrix – Cover Story
10 – Beni G – No More Eatin’ (Brookes Brothers Remix)
11 – Logistics – Daylight Creeps In
12 – Nu:Tone – Kitsch N’ Sync
13 – Sonic – Piano Anthem
14 – London Elektricity – Fast Soul Music (Nu:Tone Remix)

Download the mix here.

ACROSS the desert and into the jungle we go.
Sun on your back so hot your skin bubbles up.
Sand like broken glass under your feet.
Hands like claws gripping your FN FAL.
Finger on the trigger.
Get in the game.
Steal a boat.
It’s kill kill kill.
Alpha rule.

The Journey of a Drug Smuggler in 17 glorious tracks mixed for you by Salvatron.

Alt download links:
ZShare
RapidShare

Track Listing:
DJ Zinc – Take me with you (feat. Katy B)
Lynx and Maple – Shaku
2DB – Starsign
Serum – Ammo Drop
Q Project – Credit Crunch
Alix Perez – Crooklyn
Heist – Ambush
Jangala – Eastern Grove
Kjell – Climate Change
Naibu – Nami Island
Out of Order – Ghost
Taxman – Unreal
Zero Tolerance & Mosus – Run Time
Vendetta & Barber & Bad Kid – More Gun
Aphrodite – Pure Columbian
Chris SU & TC1 & Stress Le – Final Cut
Camo & Krooked – The Fear

Halloween Castle

You’ll find this new mix to be a bit more on the evil side, featuring some classic scary and creepy tunes for you to feel spooked by. If you listen to the mix, let me know what you think in the comments.

http://vodpulse.com/misc/halloween-09-mix.mp3

Enjoy. Happy Halloween! Post your costume photos in the comments as well.

A new track for Jubilee, recorded live with Christopher Grant Ward in San Francisco.  I think the final track will be arranged pretty differently, but this shows the general structure.

Mission

Plaid friends. There is a new mystery that I need your help in solving.

The story:

I got a random friend invite on the 30LBS Skunk YouTube channel the other day from a user I’ve never viewed, called Lights Over Paris.

At first glance it just looked like some bullshit spam from some ridiculously rich OC band that hasn’t released anything. The Lights Over Paris band website is just a temporary one linking to their various social media accounts.  I dismissed it immediately as spam.

But something about it struck me as being slightly off.

Upon second glance it looked like a band that could be serious contender for the biggest bunch of douchebags in the history of the music industry. I didn’t understand why these idiots wanted to be my friend. How did they even find me?

The next day I still had a remaining friend invite. Oh yeah, those bozos again.

At third glace it looked like a devilishly brilliant and unprecedentedly smooth execution of a biting satire on the creative process (rather, the lack thereof) behind manufactured pop music. I looked at all the comments on their channel and noticed a lot of people didn’t get it. Their satire is very subtle, but if you watch more than 2-3 of the videos it will start to come through. Even the Lights Over Paris Twitter feed reeks of sarcasm.

Is it really satire? Are they really this clever?

The riddle:

I want to believe. Have a look at the videos after the jump, and tell me if I’m crazy to think that a parody exists in this stuff. Or, is this some kind of viral marketing? If so, what are they pushing? Is it the studio? Are these guys actors trying to gain exposure? What’s your theory?

The first video I saw was the bio on the band’s “DJ”. Douchebag material for sure.

Click here to view the embedded video.

There was one brief moment in the clip that made me raise an eyebrow. Tell me if you recognize it.

The following video is much less subtle, and is the one that made me start to think that this is actually a satire:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Then, these next three videos will make you question how so much production value could be injected into something so asinine.

The mic stand:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The custom tour bus:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The studio tour:

Click here to view the embedded video.

I’ll leave you with that. I’ve you’ve made it this far, let’s crack the code. Leave your thoughts in the comments. Is this the evolution of viral marketing? Some actors with a knack for satire? Or is this a real band in the OC wonderland of riches?

Made this last week using FCP7 and Magic Bullet Colorista. Mainly I was just experimenting with Colorista. It’s pretty simplistic/versatile.

Anyhow, tried to give it that 70s vintage coloring.

Golden

I got a fresh mix for you guys, inspired by my recent trip to California where I got to see the good Dr.’s Echo Bloom & Conspicuous. 30 more minutes of some of the latest liquid funk for your ear holes. Please listen:

http://vodpulse.com/misc/dnb-mix-plaid-oct10th.mp3

Tracklisting after the jump. Comments would be wonderful. If you missed any of the previous sets, you can listen to them here.

California Mix Oct 10th, 2009

1. Zarif & Danny Byrd – Califonia – Buy It
2. Danny Breaks – Volume 1 (Logistics Remix) – Buy It
3. Enter Shikari – Juggernauts (Nero Remix) – Buy It
4. Craggz and Parallel Forces – All My Love – Buy It
5. Sub Focus – Follow the Light – Buy It
6. The Brookes Brothers – Rainman – Free Tune
7. Logistics – Transporter – Buy It
8. Mosus and Spy – Saudade – Buy It
9. Deadmau5 and Kaskade – I Remember (J Majik and Wickaman Remix) – Buy It
10. Lenzman – Sugar Hill – Buy It
11. Subwave – Dreamcatcher – Buy It
12. Sam KDC – Selfless – Buy It

Enjoy.

http://vodpulse.com/misc/dnb-mix-plaid-aug27th.mp3

Tracklisting after the jump. Please give it a listen and let me know what you think in the comments.

1. Norihiko Hibino – Metal Gear Solid Main Theme (Document Remix)
2. London Elektricity – Just One Second (Apex Remix)
3. Spectrasoul – Alibi (Break Remix)
4. Logistics – Girl From Mars
5. Apex – Emo Funk
6. Blu Mar Ten – Headhunter
7. Danny Byrd feat. The Brookes Brothers – Goldrush
8. Nu-Tone – Beatnik
9. Adele – Hometown Glory (High Contrast Vocal Mix)
10. Utah Jazz – Feeling Inside
11. Brookes Brothers – Promise
12. Bop and Dephecta – The Space Between Us