schrockmedia

Much as I initially didn't want to like Kutiman's YouTube mash-up compositions, I've come to the conclusion that they are undeniably great. First they are compositionally solid tunes that hold up as more than just tinkering or experimentation. There's also a utopian vibe to kutiman's mash-ups. Musicians of all types - old and young, male and female, of all races and ethnicities - come together under the umbrella of music. Guided tutorials are layered with private bedroom vocalists, product demos, and student performances. In Kutiman's eyes, everyone's videos are equally fair sample fodder.

Ultimately, what I think makes Thru-you succeed is that the personalities of the musicians comes through in their performances and little visual cues. I find myself wondering what the story is behind the mother singing soulfully in "Someday," smiling while holding her toddler, or if the cornball guitarist on "The Mother of all Funk Chords" sincerely believes in his rocking solo. Kutiman takes care to show the musicians' little performance quirks, pacing or talking as they warm up or (god forbid) give the camera a "solo face."

There's a touch of magic here; it seems so improbable that the vocalist, keyboard, flute, and wind chime in "Just a Lady" could mesh together and come out sounding like a dead ringer for Portishead. If ever there was a case to be made for fewer restrictions on copyright (a la Lessig or Negativland alike), here it is.

Labels: copyright, mash-up, music, video, web 2.0, youtube