A Beautiful Juxtaposition

Musical contrast can help make the moment, tell a second story, and often times, provide moving, human emotion in places where the eye sees one thing and the ear hears another.  

As a music supervisor, I love these moments and creative direction.   It's often times easy to pick the expected - Football = action music.  However, sometimes, its more about the story of the people and not the game.    

This is a great example above.  Across the entire campaign, Toyota licenses music that highlights the emotion of the stories behind the players over the game itself.  Simply beautiful. 

Wonderful Pistachio Disguises Sound Branding With Honey Badgers and Cats That Play Keyboards

Those nuts at Wonderful Pistachio are at again . . . and this time with the infamous honey badger (above television commercial).  What we find interesting (other than the commercials being funny) . . . They continue to establish their brand by using a playful violin and brush drum end tag / stinger as their mnemonic (ya know, that little sound doodle at the end of their spot after the stock music).      

 

Gone is their ace composer - the keyboard playing cat from previous campaigns.  Here to stay is a two instrument sound brand communicating simplicity and whimsy with a down home acoustic/organic feel that is consistent with the campaign and brand.  We like this use, and it works well here, moreover, it also shows how different pieces of music can work well together within a multi-spot campaign (and given that the rest of its production music it was likely ok on their budget).  Check out their other videos online here starring Crytsal the Monkey, Kermit The Frog, Angry Birds, Snooki and Mr. Bill too!

Rollo & Grady Interview Music Supervisor Liza Richardson

Good interview.  Check it below:

http://www.rollogrady.com/music-supervisor-profile-liza-richardson/

Ode To Joy

One of the most common classical music licenses . . . as done by Beaker from The Muppets (above).

Click here to check out some other common classical music tracks licensed in many films, tv shows and advertisements (click on the album "Very Very Very Well-Known Classical Themes").

A Chihuahua Singing Take On Me

Mindless Musical Indulgence . . . sorry cat lovers . . . this one goes out to people who like dogs and music at the same time.

Top 20 Songs From My 1980s Bar Mitzvah

I have the betamax tape . . . my mother rolls it out to embarrass me all the time . . . what can I say other than enjoy this little trip down bar mitzvah memory lane:

20. Eddy Grant - Electric Avenue

19. Dead or Alive - You Spin Me (Right) Round

18. Billy Idol - Mony Mony

17. Boobby Brown - My Prerogative

16. Culture Club - Karma Chameleon

15. Bon Jovi - Livin' on A Prayer

14. Cameo - Word Up!

13. Erasure - Just A Little Respect

12. Falco - Rock Me Amadeus

11. Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax

10. Joan Jett - I Love Rock and Roll

9. Kenny Loggins - Footloose

8. Michael Jackson - Beat IT

7. Soft Cell - Tainted Love 

6. Toni Basil - Mickey

5. Wham - Wake Me up Before You Go-Go

4. Yaz - Situation 

3. Shannon - Let The Music Play

2. Madonna - Lucky Star

1. Kool & The Gang - Celebration 

0. Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come on Eileen

(Yes, my mom's name had to be Eileen! Pure Torture!)