We first began receiving emails about Dead Man’s Bones less than a week into the beginning of last year.  The first contact included a video and an mp3 link for a song called, “In the Room Where You Sleep“.  There was also some information surrounding the project, but it was very minimal and extremely general.  We were simply informed that the included content revolved around a “collaboration between a new band called Dead Man’s Bones and the Silverlake Conservatory of Music Children’s choir” and that they would be releasing an upcoming record which was “conceptual in nature“.  What wasn’t mentioned and wouldn’t be addressed directly until an email several months later , was that one of the key players in the group is actually quite recognizable in another area of the entertainment industry.  Moments into the video, however, it was clear that the man sitting behind the piano and singing was none other then ex-Mousekateer, Ryan Gosling.  What’s even worse was that, no matter how much I didn’t want it to be true, I knew that I actually liked it.

Gosling‘s identity wasn’t necessarily kept a “secret” but it wasn’t shoved out into the forefront for the marketing campaign either (a-la Juliette and the Licks or when the sub-mediocre actor Keanu Reeves became the unimpressive bass player for the incredibly shitty Dogstar.)  It didn’t matter either way; this time the music was good.  The real test is that whenever I’ve played Dead Man’s Bones around people, without first informing them of who’s behind it , they seem to take an immediate interest.  The reverse is definitely not the case.  I’ve, somewhat recently, gone back to taking on work as a barista and have thrown it on a few times in the cafe.  I’d almost completely forgotten about the album, until a customer mentioned seeing their show in Seattle last year.  I understand the stigma surrounding a Ryan Gosling-fueled musical effort and I have to admit that, although I had a positive view of the album, I believe that some level of superficiality may have played a part with me not throwing it into more of a rotation since it’s release last October.  Just as I was starting to rediscover the work for myself again and wondering about the current state of the project, two new updates/announcements were released.  The first was a slot performing as part of a solid lineup at this weekend’s FYF FEST in Los Angeles.  The second was a nearly 13 minute video for one of the album’s standout tracks, “Pa Pa Power“. Read the rest of this entry →