Awesome Music

Bearing the Native American name for what is now Greenwich Village, this epic single from Joanna Newsom’s upcoming album Divers references Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poetry and contemplates intention, ambition and legacy.

Guitarist Connor Gallagher, whose name sounds like a mashup of characters on two Showtime series, cranks out a dynamic metal version of the musical rollercoaster ride that is Symphony No. 5. IV. Allegro non troppo by Dmitri Shostakovich.

A young couple goes through the dreaded talk in the music video for How Can It Be by electronica artist Harrison. DTO Films made the video look like a messaging app, so it’s best watched on a phone, vertically.

We’ve heard of 6-string and 12-string guitars, but this is the first time we’ve seen or heard a 9-string guitar. Musician Rob Scallon shows off his nimble fingers on this unusual instrument with a track called Torque Soul, with Kevin Wade on drums.

YouTuber Muted Vocal retuned the theme songs of X-Files, Halloween, Saw, The Exorcist and A Nightmare on Elm Street to major keys. The spooky tracks became hilariously harmless tunes fit for dramas, game menus and commercials.

Inspired by the NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton the 50-year old rapper and producer proves that he still has it, while also giving way to new stars like Kendrick Lamar and Justus.

(PG-13 Language) In Foo Fighters’ recent concert in Edmonton, the band looked for someone in the audience who could sing Rush’s ball-twisting Tom Sawyer. Enter Brian, who not only knew all the lyrics, but performed it almost casually.

Longtime friend of The Awesomer Nathan Barnatt is a dancing fool both inside and outside his cop car, backed by this upbeat summer earworm by Robin Schulz, featuring soulful vocals by Canadian wunderkind Francesco Yates.

(PG-13 Lyrics) Editor Robert Jones combined Die Antwoord’s 2012 hit track, I Fink U Freeky, with footage from TV’s equally strange Teletubbies, resulting in one of the most mismatched, but somehow just right mashups we’ve seen.

The title track from Los Angeles-based electronic artist and producer Adam Finkel aka Alek Fin. With Án Mynda (“an example” in Icelandic), Alek continues to hone the slow burn approach that made his previous EP Mull successful.

Amazingly talented vocalist Haley Reinhart once again joins Postmodern Jukebox to turn in an awesome cover version of a classic track – this time with White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army, in the style of a Big Easy jazz funeral dirge.

(PG-13 Language) “You berries and you honey for the bear that’s here to tear and eat” Earl is locked in a violent city in the creepy animated music video for Off the Top, from the album I Don’t Like S**t, I Don’t Go Outside.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen this stringed instrument that doubles as both bass and lead, but it takes on a whole new quality in the able hands of “The Stickman,” who took home top prize in indi.com’s solo instrumental challenge.

A fallen angel journeys through the depths of the underworld to transform and redeem himself. Trunk made this animated music video for Rattle That Lock, a single from Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour’s upcoming album.

Located at Macy’s Center City in Philadelphia, the Wanamaker Organ is the world’s largest musical instrument. It took two years to install all of its parts throughout the building. Since then nearly 20,000 parts have been added to it.

(PG-13 Lyrics) The video within a video for False Reality explores how “thug life” imagery in rap music videos influences the mindset and behavior of young black men, glorifying guns, money, drugs and misogyny. That ending. Damn.

Director Greg Jardin’s sci-fi music video for Nero’s soulfully-voiced electropop track is best described as Videodrome meets Ghostbusters, as a trio of weapon-wielding agents attempt to take down a living embodiment of a television signal.

(PG-13 Language) Rising hip hop star Chance the Rapper collaborated with social media mogul, professional air chef and living meme The BasedGod to create the six-track mixtape Free (Based Freestyles).

How well do you know your album covers? The music video for pop musician Kalle Mattson’s single Avalanche features 35 of his favorite cover artworks. It’s not a new concept, but it’s still fun to watch. Directed by Philip Sportel.

Tacoma resident Don Briton has been playing Taps every sunset for the last two years. He plays the dirge partly to honor his countrymen in the military, but it’s also for his neighbors, who are moved by his daily performance.

Comically elongated limbs help visualize the dynamics of cheating and heartbreak in the music video for Cellophane, from electropop group Miami Horror’s new album All Possible Futures.

The founder of Marvel goes up against the creator of The Muppets, slinging powerful superhero insults against the soothing, but still vicious words of the puppet-master. The winner? The Walt Disney Company, of course.

Musician Sam Robson turns in an impressive performance of Circle of Life from Disney’s The Lion King, recording and layering dozens of individual voice and effect tracks to produce a richly-textured version of the classic track.