New Page: Book covers that never were...

People are awesome, that's one of the phrases I tag posts with. I do that because it's true.

Take book covers. They're an art form unto themselves, made to sell another person's work, but often of equal or greater value than that work. And sometimes, people make covers for books they love that will never wrap around the words that inspired them. They do it because something drives them to: a new way to present the story, a homage to the author, an afternoon to kill, whatever.

One of my favorite types of reworked book covers are the ones inspired by the various Penguin Classics series. They're not all the same, but there is a look and feel to them that makes them instantly recognizable. I appreciate the artists who do them, and have decided I want to share some with you fine folks. So to that end, if you check out the menu bar up top, you'll see I added a new page, "The Classic Penguin Book Club."

Here I'll showcase some of my favorites, and point you to the artist who created them. You don't have to thank me, I'm selfless that way. But maybe you visit their sites, and even send a few bucks their way, get a nice print in return. See selfless.

Enjoy.

MUSIC! R.E.V.O. by Walk Off the Earth

My favorite band dropped their first full length, major label album this week, and it's as good as the EP they released last fall promised it would be.

Realize Every Victory Outright! That's what the title of Walk off the Earth's new album means. Anthemic, exciting, joyfull, and all around absorbing, the WOTE crew have gone beyond doing awesome arrangements of other people's songs (often owning and surpassing the original versions), and even their own previously released original material, to create some truly memorable music.

I've been a fan for a few years. They've always been fun and innovative in all their releases (everyone in the group seems to be a multi-instrumentalist), and vocalists Ryan Marshall, Gianni Luminati and Sarah Blackwood harmonize beautifully, while switching off lead vocals with a natural air as if they had been doing it all their lives. Joel Cassady and Mike "Beard Guy" Taylor round out the band's lineup, adding their  vocals to the mix and providing the foundation that lets the three lead singer do their thing.

Taylor, Marshall, Gianni, Sarah, and Joel

My favorite songs from the LP are the title track "REVO", "Speeches" and "Red Hands". The latter, their first single, I've embedded below for your enjoyment (and mine).

They did include one song they didn't write, the cover they did of Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know" which grabbed something like ten million views in a matter of days after they released their five peeps, one guitar version of it in early 2012. That song, and their unique way of playing it, brought them to the attention of the world. That attention is well deserved in my opinion, and that song definitely has a place on this album (regardless of how sick of it you may be at this point).

Right now WOTE is on tour in Europe, with stop overs in Toronto, New York (I'm going!), and Vancouver Island before wrapping it up for a while. They make fabulous music, they make cool videos, they even make babies. So, check them out and fall in love with their infectious music and personalities.

Like many of their videos, they did this in one take. Don't believe me? Check out this unedited version of the video.

j.viewz playing Teardrop with vegetables

Finally, a use for eggplants I can get behind:




(via Dudecraft)

MUSIC! Nick Pitera, Les Miserables Medley

Don't remember how I got to him the other day, but found this incredible medley from Les Miserables by Nick Pitera. For his day job he's an animator at Pixar, which is cool enough, but he's been online making awesome music before he landed that gig. His vocal range is incredible, which you'll see amply demonstrated in this video.

Still haven't seen the film (maybe next weekend), but I did see the play years ago when I was most likely too young--early teens--to really get it. I do remember liking the music, and being amazed by the performances, but that's really all. The Master of the House segment is probably my favorite.

Something wonderful

This kid is pretty awesome.