#6: Datarock, Cosmopolitan Politeness, & Early returns.

This project is giving me an excuse to go through all of our old photos, like this one, which was taken on a road trip to Nova Scotia not long after Nina and I first met. In the image, the really big Mac appears to have a powerful magnetism over Nina while I have been rendered incapacitated at the mere site of such a daunting order of fries. Needless to say, it's the second-biggest hamburger I've ever seen.

Speaking of things I don't ordinarily do, I noticed in--of all places--Reader's Digest that they proclaimed New York City the world's most courteous metropolis. Of course, it was based on a rigorously unscientific test that involved things like seeing if someone would pick up "accidentally" dropped papers, but it does seem to corroborate something I've long felt, namely that New Yorkers are actually quite courteous and genial people. Of course, there are a lot more, um, personalities in NY as well, but I suppose you've got to take the good with the bad (or at least the friendly with the crazy).

I was surprised to discover that Norway's Datarock, who released one of my favorite records of 2005, have a whole bunch of music videos out in the ether. While the band has much better songs (I'll give you "Fa Fa Fa" as proof thereof), the video for "Computer Camp Love" is pretty tough to beat, especially if you were ever forced to learn BASIC or lost a file thanks to a bent floppy disk:


My only beef is that Datarock's signature in all of their videos is their matching red track suits and awkward dancing--something that we've seen before with another great band out of Norway, namely Kings of Convenience in their clip for "I'd Rather Dance With You":


Of course, there's no way to beat Erlend Oye at his own game, particularly when said game is dancing in a manner at once awful and awe-inspiring. Still, the Grease aping is the right blend of ironic and reverent to work, methinks.

Meanwhile, off in the voting, Salt Lake City came out of nowhere to take the lead yesterday with a strong 202 ballot push. However, whomever is behind the Fayetteville fever responded; not to be outdone, Fayetteville reasserted their lead by a slim margin. Our eyes are on New York City and the two Portlands (Oregon and Maine) which round out the top five. Have you voted yet? Come on, y'all!

xoxox
Danny