Friday Night Videos

"Carol of the Bells" is one of my favorite Christmas carols, but honestly, I hate most versions of it. I'm not a fan of vocal versions and instrumentals are mostly iffy. My thinking is that if there aren't extensive bells involved, then it's not really "Carol of the Bells," is it? I make a rare exception for Lindsey Stirling's cover, though. It has that jes nes se qua, I don't know what, that just feels right. So yeah, this one's a keeper.

Previously on Friday Night Videos... Kristin Chenoweth.

Now Playing: Les Baxter Ports of Pleasure
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Friday Night Videos

This video of "Roundtable Rival" is gloriously gonzo. Crazy old west steampunk, outrageous dance moves and production values that are amazing in this era where YouTube is the only real outlet. Very impressive. And Lindsey Stirling is fantastic. I mean, she's an excellent musician, clearly. But to play the fiddle and bust those dance moves? Nobody else can do that. She has a magnificent sense of showmanship.

Beyond the video, the music is quite catchy, too. Frankly, I'm astonished at her popularity. Not because she doesn't deserve it, but because this type of neo-Celtic sound has been around for a long time but never broken out beyond a niche audience. Her style reminds me of some Cape Breton-style fiddlers, and her sound reminds me of Leahy, but nothing I've read about her online indicates any kind of Celtic/folk influence on her. Which I find hard to believe, given how her music dovetails so neatly with that genre. Perhaps she'll serve as a gateway drug to these other sounds?

Oh, and that Kodak Ektar lens? Not period.

Previously on Friday Night Videos... Kasey Lansdale.

Now Playing: Various artists Celtic Moods
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