Friday 15 January 2016

What we're listening to. Chris Isaak 'At the Filmore'.


Hard to define Chris Isaak really. 1950's crooner? Rockabilly? Slightly country? Roy Orbison?

But it's different, that's for sure.

Possibly best known for 'Wicked Game' (from 'Heart Shaped World') or 'Somebody's Crying', or indeed his own TV show from 2001-04 'The Chris Isaak Show' ironically.

His 'Forever Blue' Album is well regarded too and there's been 12 Studio Albums outside of this Live Album from 2008.

'Somebody's Crying' is here, as is 'Wicked Game' but two others you may not know that are well worth checking out. 

'Baby did a bad, bad thing' was heard in the film 'Eyes Wide Shut' and just is so much a reminder of George Thorogood's 'One Bourbon, one Scotch'. Eerie.

If you saw the last episode of the excellent, 'The Affair', you'll have heard 'San Francisco Days' in the final car scene and it's fabulously excellent. Almost Beach Boyish. Have a listen.



So if you don't really know him, this is the Album to start. You'll hear his falsetto voice in action here on 'Baby did a bad bad thing' which contrasts to almost everything else he does. 




However, this is the track that's the winner. Somebody's crying....Wicked Game will play straight after it if you leave it run. 




Previous "listen to's" you'll also find on this blog.......Bob Dylan Street Legal,;Bad Company Straight Shooter; Jackson Browne Love is Strange; Lou Reed Transformer; Steely Dan Aja; Stones Black+Blue; Stephen Bishop Careless; Nils Lofgren Night after Night; Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells; Neil Young Harvest; Led Zep 4; David Bowie David Live; Van It's too late to stop now; Wings Band on the run; Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing; Ryan Adams Heartbreaker; Santana Essential; Bob Dylan Desire; Roxy Music For your pleasure; Bob Marley Legend; Stephen Fretwell Magpie; James Taylor Sweet Baby James; Deep Purple Machine Head; Springsteen Darkness on the edge of town; Leon Bridges Coming Home; Eagles Hotel California; Jungle; Aretha Soul Queen; Neil Young After the Goldrush + Harvest; Zappa Overnite Sensation; Fleetwood Mac Rumours; Keith Jarrett Koln Concert; Doobies Southbound; Stevie Earle I feel alright; Tom Waits Closing Time; Pink Floyd Dark Side; Van Moondance; Eric Church Caught in the Act; Randy Newman Little Criminals; Elton John Madman across the water; Patti Smith Horses; Doobies Captain and Me; Steely Dan Can't Buy a Thrill.

Monday 11 January 2016

Twitter launch new Ad format.






Twitter have launched to get ways to get the Twitterati talking about brands.

Looking at increasing the character length (from 150) - but importantly, a new Ad format that encourages people to tweet the advertisers message to their followers.




And that's far better, far more native, than it coming from the brand itself because a "friends" recommendation or tweet, is way more powerful. When the message is tweeted, the brand thanks you.



Called 'conversationals' it will have an easy button that when you click it, will be a pre-populated tweet with the advertiser message (as distinct from a simple 'retweet') which will include any photo or video. It can be amended or just tweeted as is.




But it comes from you. If you're influential, that's a big bonus and it might get a conversation started. And....it can be targeted at those big influencers only or those in the demographic with large followings.

If it's engaging or interesting it will work but the content will be king. 

Say it's something like, "Who'll win the Aldi Baking Competition?" or "Who's the Gillette man of the match?" rather than, "Aldi make great bread", it will work.

It's all about native.