This new commercial for the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee takes American patriotism to another level.

“The things that make us Americans are the things we make. This has always been a nation of builders. Of craftsman. Men and women for whom straight stitches and clean welds were matters of personal pride. They made the skyscrapers and the cotton gins. The colt revolvers and the jeep 4X4′s. These things make us who we are.”

Yes, much can be said about the coupling of patriotism with consumerism, with words like propaganda and brain washing, but that cannot change the fact that this is a very effective commercial.

What makes it effective, at least to my ears, is the striking beat created by an alternating stomp and clap, at the pace of a heart beat, that haunts the watcher through the commercial’s full 60 seconds.

That powerful rhythm is from Johhny Cash’s version of God’s Gonna Cut You Down, released on the 2006 album American V: A Hundred Highways. The song is actually a traditional folk song that dates back to at least the mid 1930’s.

Many versions of this song have come and gone through the decades. You might remember Moby’s version of the traditional song, which he called Run On from the 1999 album Play, which has long been one of my favourites.

If you can’t get enough, check out the star studded video for Johnny Cash’s version:

I didn’t make it out to Austin last week, and I won’t be making it to Maimi this weekend, unless there is some sort of lotto win in my very near future. Nonetheless I’m eager to hear about what comes out of WMC 2009. The line up for Ultra this year is sick! So many big names, as there always is, packed into two days! So that I may vicariously live through my blog, I’m posting some of my favourtie offerings from my favourite artists/djs that are on their way to Maimi now. I do hope that you enjoy!

Back in Your Head (Tiësto Remix) – Tegan & Sara

I had the pleasure of seeing Tiësto spin at GM Place, while he was the #1 DJ in the world . A giant in the industry, who has skills in spinning, producing and remixing. He has he has been capturing electronic dance fans with his In Search of Sunrise mixes for years. Back in Your Head is an excellent example of Tiësto’s mastery, as he took an indie-rock tune by the twins from Calgary (my home town!), Tegan & Sara,and made it suitable for the most elite dance floors. Tiësto is headlining the mainstage at Ultra this year.

Smack My Bitch Up – The Prodigy

The Prodigy have been around for a long time. It’s been 18 years since their debut album Experience was first released. In 1997, Liam Howlett and his vocalists released The Fat of the Land, which came with quite a stir. Smack My Bitch Up, was labeled as misogynistic with its somewhat shocking video, at least at the time, following a hardcore party through an evening of debauchery. The Prodigy released their 5th studio album, Invaders Must Die this month, and are headlining the main stage at Ultra this year.

Forbidden Fruit – Paul Van Dyke

This beautiful trance classic by German DJ/Producer Paul Van Dyk has been a long time friend of mine. The tune is uplifting and bubbly, giving the listener permission to smile and bop her head in time to the dreamy rhythms and beats. Growing up in Eastern Berlin, Paul Van Dyk had to be sneaky when it came to getting his eager ears on the modern, western music of the day. A year after the wall fell, Van Dyk was DJing about Germany, and nothing could stop him. He is now known as one of the trance trail blazers, and finds himself playing the main stage at Ultra almost 20 years later.

Zocalo (Feat. Gabriel & Dresden) – Armin Van Buuren

Currently the number one DJ, Armin Van Buuren holds a special place in my heart, as Perfect and I met at an Armin show at a club that was once called Plush a couple years back.  The dutch DJ has skills both with spinning and with producing. <em>Zocalo</em> from his 2005 album <em>Shivers</em> illustrates his ability to create beautiful moments with sound. Armin has been producing his popular podcast <a href=”http://www.arminvanbuuren.com/asot/”>A State of Trance</a> since 2001, and remains one of the hardest working DJs in the industry.

Joan of Arc (Feat. Thailand) – David Guetta

David Guetta has been one of my faves since I saw him spin at my neighborhood club, Celebrities. He really knows how to get a crowd moving, and having an awesome time. Joan of Arc is a bit of an odd choice for me to post. While I love the track, friends of mine don’t, so it’s a bit of a gamble. I hope you like it!

Feeling So Real (Live in London) – Moby

Moby played a killer set at Ultra 2008 on the Carl Cox and friends stage, which was later broadcast on the Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1. The set came as a bit of a shock coming from the artist that gave us the beautifully crafted album Play, with its darker, more hardcore vibe. It is an awesome set that has gotten me through many challenging runs and sessions at the gym.I’ve posted one of Moby’s early tracks that wakes up my heart, and makes my dance around my living room all silly-nilly. This live version from his Best of CD, Go, carry a particular energy that is hard to resist!

Ladyflash (Simian Mobile Disco Mix) – The Go Team!

Simian Mobile Disco have been making wakes with their slick remixed for the past few years, but I have yet to experience a SMD DJ set, though I would like to! I have long loved their remix of The Go Team!’s Ladyflash, as I have always thought it to be uniquely interesting, and addictive.  Simian Mobile Disco’s treatment gives the cheer-based music a thick beat, and a funky vibe. The track is well worth the listen!

The Swedish House Mafia are going to be there too, but I won’t post about them, considering all the other posts I have done about the Swedish House Mafia. Also, Timbaland announced yesterday that he will also be playing at Ultra this year as well. Man, I wish I was going!

Are you going to be in Maimi this weekend? I’d love to hear about your plans and experiences!

I was  a little too young to appreciate David Lynch’s enigmatic series Twin Peaks when it originally aired. Once I had been shown the light back in the late 90’s I could not get enough. I believe I watched the full series 3 times over that year (I was a student with lots of free time… I miss those days!).

The series had a very devout following and for good reason: the show was a complete original! I’m sure the multitudes of ridiculously good looking people helped quite a bit as well, but the real draw of the show was the intriguingly strange story of what happened to Laura Palmer. The influence of Twin Peaks can still be found in every facet of the entertainment industry, including music.

Go – Moby One of Moby’s tracks from his self-titled release, from way back in 1992, directly sampled Laura Palmer’s Theme from the Twin Peaks soundtrack. Go was Moby’s first tune to hit the charts. The haunting ambient tones from the series mixed with Moby’s unique production and rhthyms create an interesting, and very dancable tune. You can definitely hear the early 90’s in this track, which I suspect Moby was well aware of when he re-did the popular tune for his compilation CD in 2006: Go – The Very Best of Moby.

Country – Empire of the Sun Empire of the Sun broke out on to the scene hard with their super catchy tune Walking on a Dream. Since their album’s release in early Auguest the blogosphere has been ripe with rave reviews for the Australian pop duo. Their track Country, has the same haunting feel as the theme to Twin Peaks, with a similar slow and low base line. I figure that they must be fans of the show (who wouldn’t be really?). The track is both an eerie and beautiful instrumental that illustrates the diversity of the band. I expect to be hearing lots from this group in the future.

In writing this post I discovered that the complete Twin Peaks collection was released on DVD a year ago! I don’t know how I missed this one, but the Twin Peaks – The Definitive Gold Box Edition (The Complete Series) on it’s way to my mailbox now! Now, I must go, my backwards-speak talkin’ doppelganger is beckoning from behind the red curtain! I leave you with the intro to the much loved show Twin Peaks: