by alyssa coluccio
If you’re initially a little confused by these videos, don’t worry- I was a little confused too. After all, the elements combined within them are kind of random when thrown together: city sidewalk, oncoming traffic, I’m From Barcelona’s Emanuel Lundgren walking around with an acoustic guitar and a weathered look, and oh yeah, a really adorable dog leashed to a sidewalk-post.
MUSIC KILLED ME BY I’M FROM BARCELONA:
The first video features the incredibly catchy “Houdini” from IFB’s latest album Who Killed Harry Houdini. Lundgren transitions perfectly from raspy folk-rock vocals to high-pitched yelps and howls-an ode to his new friend no doubt. The second video,
“Gunhild,” can be a bit overwhelming, and the over-all aesthetic of the music often gets lost amidst the cars and trucks rushing past in the background, however this was the setting Lundgren chose to perform against, and it’s a nice effect in a raw, street kind of way.
When seen with an open mind or heard from a music-obsessed ear, these videos will come across as quirky but cool-maybe even great. When seen in a greater context, however, these videos may even be considered awesome. They’re the brainchild of video/geo/music blog They Shoot Music Don’t They: a group of Austrian 20 something’s trying to bring a bit of sub-culture into urban Vienna. Focusing mainly on indie rock bands, the team hits the streets with video and sound equipment, shooting the music from one Viennese locale to the next.
While the sound is often a bit rough, and the quality isn’t exactly top-notch, these aren’t meant to be studio level recordings. They’re simple, down to earth, and fun, allowing the music to take the spotlight and fans to see a more genuine side to the bands whose faces they see plastered on magazine and album covers.
Indie rock has always been about the music, and genuinely good music at that. These guys have a good thing going for them in Vienna. They kind of make me want to invest in a plane ticket over there- If not for the chance to catch indie rockers strumming through the streets, at least to come across that cute dog Lundgren serenaded.
