TOAST TO THE NEW YEAR, by Jerry Lindman: OK GO – Last Leaf

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I didn’t think it possible, but recently discovered a friend on Facebook who’d actually never seen the unforgettable “OK Go on Treadmills” video. As an actual treadmill owner, I can’t even walk by (notice I didn’t say walk ON) my treadmill without OK Go’s one-take masterpiece immediately coming to mind. And it’s not just me – personal training classes at the “Y” now officially begin with a brisk 20-minute jog on the “OK Go Thingy.” True story.

Their follow-up, a ridiculously extravagant Rube Goldberg installation (with assistance from NASA engineers, no less!) has inspired my own mad experiments in turning even the most mundane household tasks into veritable marvels of scientific discovery. “Time to let the dog out again? Hurrah! Let us commence by dropping this feather onto that spoon and waiting for the shoe to fall…quite satisfying.”

And now, here’s the latest OK Go video for “Last Leaf,” a stop motion experiment utilizing the new Samsung NX-100 camera, and featuring 2,430 laser-etched pieces of bread standing-in for animation cells. It is, quite literally, delicious to look at, and a wonderful complement to the songs understated take on love, longing and the passing of seasons.

Maybe you hadn’t seen one or more of these vids like my friend. If not, sit back and enjoy the heck out of the next ten minutes. To each of you – here’s a “toast” to pushing out the limits of creativity in 2011.

Hunger not yet satisfied? Here’s some bonus toast just for you.

– Jerry Lindman

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