A Comedy Musician Reacts | Three from Tom Cardy (Draclias/Magician/Lo Fi) [REACTION/ANALYSIS]

[@Anonymousrando-uz9sn]

I feel like "it started off as a joke but then they got good" pretty much sums up comedy musicians

[@twennysebben]

Lo-Fi follows a very similar story arc to "I don't work here" where his day starts out relatively normal and ends with him semi-reluctantly saving the world.

[@outsidelookinginprod]

Isn't that kind of a comedy formula too? Start off mundane and progressively go more and more insane?

[@Skemolia]

my favorite bit in Lo Fi is when the announcer voice just becomes Tom talking about how hes just doing a John Mulaney impression, and how hes becoming more and more Mulaney as the voice continues, its so subtle because you can barely hear it but its hilarious

[@Insaneian]

@@Skemolia i remember hearing that on my listen to the album, but I didn't quite catch it in the video this time!

[@outsidelookinginprod]

I love that part too and listened to the song to transcribe it for another comment. It's even funnier when read word for word: "My voice is kind of John Mulaney . . . it's getting more John Mulaney . . . I am doing a John Mulaney impersonation now . . . you can't hear it very well because the music is almost quiet . . . I'm very John Mulaney"

[@lucaswatts2141]

My favorite part about the fade out is when he goes "OUR HERO IS PULLING OUT... THE CLAVICHORD???!!! THIS LATE IN THE FADE OUT???? I DON'T BELIEVE IT FOLKS!!!!"

[@Horltum]

As much as I love that, I do think the announcer randomly pulling out "I haven't seen my kids in three weeks" during the fadeout is funnier.

[@outsidelookinginprod]

@@Horltum Personally I'm a fan of "My voice is kind of John Mulaney . . . it's getting more John Mulaney . . . I am doing a John Mulaney impersonation now . . . you can't hear it very well because the music is almost quiet . . . I'm very John Mulaney"

[@dusty_telescope]

”How can a person have latency” When I’m tired there is a definite disconnect between me thinking something and doing it, or vise versa between me sensing something and acting on it

[@GlacialSkyfarer]

I'm pressing the button to get out of bed but my stupid wifi is delaying it by an hour

[@thememeslinger7506]

The first part of Draclias has been branded onto my brain for weeks Every 6 minutes it's like "...red eyes pointy EARS SHARP TEETH WHITE SKIN CAN YA HEAR THA NOSFERATU FUCKIN UP THAT WOODWIND"

[@clericoflight476]

It's unironically one of the best bars I've heard this year

[@BaeSpaceB]

I heard Tom Cardy on a podcast a few years ago saying he learnt close up magic when he was a kid to try to impress girls. So when I saw this song on the track list I assumed this would be a true story. I can't say for sure if he's been living rent free with a couple for super secret magic reasons for the past seven years, but I think he is actually doing the tricks.

[@ElliotMatteyOfDoom]

I wouldnt put it past Tom Cardy to notice the acronym for close up magician, and then make a song specifically to curse us all with this knowledge. Its a great song, and I'm not sure if that softens the blow or not. Great vid.

[@haz6908]

I personally headcanon the three characters in close up magician as a polycule! I mean come on, the guy was so excited to keep him around despite how bad he is, he sleeps between them and lives with them..

[@AngelicDirt]

Agreed. :3

[@johnfrancisgillman6806]

The way I saw it, when the lyric “Three hours with a closeup magician.” repeated again at 32:34, part of the reveal was that it really had only been three hours, not years, and he’d had them think it was years as part of the magic trick.

[@orangemonks894]

I like to think of this as the part three of mixed messages trilogy

[@AngelicDirt]

That flute twirl in 'Draclias' is more terrifying than you think; woodwinds are notoriously easy to snap and break. You do break them, it's a very expensive process of getting the busted fittings out and then re-attaching them to the piece they need to be on. Held my breath, first time watching... XD The changing hat trick in 'Close-up' is editing... I think. The light trick, however, is nothing but two small LEDs with some buttons; I had similar as a kid. Both are impressive for different reasons, mind you. :v

[@1domoarigatomrroboto]

It's hard to describe just how excited I was for you to react to three hours with a close up magician. When I listened to it the first time, I was in tears and couldn't help thinking about your reaction. Thank you so much for helping me appreciate all the wonderful things about comedy music.

[@1domoarigatomrroboto]

Also, the anticipation of when Tom was going to flip the card, finally exposing the abbreviation was palpable.

[@thaumaturgeslit7759]

All three of these are bangers, but Lo Fi the extended cut is probably my new favorite song by him!

[@KazeTheCursedOne]

Draclias taught me the word embouchure and now I keep seeing it everywhere

[@margekinson3]

That drumstick, he'll never live it down. I know it was a just a drumstick but Tom played the heck out of it. ❤I love that you mention how much work goes into a Tom Cardy video, I don't think people realize the sheer amount of effort involved because the videos have a homemade vibe.

[@outsidelookinginprod]

As someone who does edit on occasion, I am always taken aback by how much time and effort must go into his edit. I wonder if he storyboards or makes a shot list in advance to know exactly where to be in each shot and also what clothes to wear and what instrument to play and what part to lip sync, because if not, that takes some serious talent to do that all on the spot! I commented on this for the Naughty or Nice video when he shaved because he would have had to make sure he had every shot of him with the mustache recorded first before he shaved and got all the shots without the mustache. If he wasn't organized and missed a shot that he needed with the mustache, well, he would have been in a tough spot. Knowing how he is with music though, how structured his songwriting and production is, how seriously he takes it, I would not be surprised if he pre-planned every shot.

[@margekinson3]

@@outsidelookinginprod Maybe one day we'll get a Tom Cardy behind-the-scenes video.

[@etaoin_shrdlu-4034]

34:18 More specifically, he won her over after specifically 7 years of living with a close-up magician. Only this kind of absurdity can exist and be glossed over (because it's basically a throwaway line) in a comedy song.

[@SpectrumAnalysis]

Only watching this video did I remember that the Tom Cardigan is now a thing.

[@SpectrumAnalysis]

I'm glad to see the lady who was painted for 8 hours came back for a second date...

[@outsidelookinginprod]

Honestly, If the same guy who hired the close-up magician also painted that lady, well, I don't think "prestidigitate" is a euphemism after all, because the whole joke of Paint The Lady was how he was doing anything he could do avoid having sex with her. So if this is the same girl or at least the same guy from that song, I could see the Close-Up Magician moving into their home as another means to avoid having sex. After all, the magician slept between them.

[@johnfrancisgillman6806]

The way I saw it, when the lyric “Three hours with a closeup magician.” repeated again (at 32:34 in your reaction), part of the reveal was that it really had only been three hours, not years, and he’d had them think it was years as part of the magic trick.

[@Rumham7291]

WHY WOULD A BAD MAGICIAN WANT TO BE A CLOSE UP ONE

[@Shavaaa]

the vampire bit is great, he literally sets up the joke at the start xD

[@missm.e9914]

I cannot stop listening to LO Fi, its got such a good hook, let me hear people say that comedy songs are silly nonsense and I'll show them that absolute tune to prove them wrong

[@outsidelookinginprod]

I just love the "can you dig it?" "I dig it!" that is repeated throughout. Such a great throwback line to the era represented in this groove.

[@PerovNigma]

4:42 I didn't notice before, but he tuggs on his clothes to mimic the stuck-up collars often associated with classic vampires (and sometimes Sherlock Holmes).

[@sarahmoore5322]

He's worn wigs before! In "Naughty or Nice" and a short tune hw called "Big Night". He just didnt have a mustache at those times. This one he kept the stache

[@Insaneian]

@@sarahmoore5322 ah, good point!

[@Pablo-mn8fj]

The other person in Bunch of Draclias is Mike Betz according to the credits in spotify.

[@Insaneian]

@@Pablo-mn8fj yeah, when I got a copyright claim on this video after posting it, I saw that credit 😅

[@WizzyMcWizzyton]

@@InsaneianOh no!

[@VoidZeroNothing]

Hell yeah, Tom Cardy

[@Pernmaniac]

Random thoughts in my ADHD brain: Tom Cardy and Tom Lehrer share close quarters in my head because they both do funny songs and their name is Tom. I also did not go to the Close-Up Magician until the video. Tangentially related, Tom Lehrer’s “I Got It From Agnes” is remarkably dirty from the 1950’s

[@huber7777]

I've been looking forward to these reactions since Tom's videos kept coming out :)

[@Zed33388]

So, in the draclia lore, did all of them get freaky with a regular bat? Is that how people become vampires in this world? It raises a lot of questions

[@Insaneian]

@@Zed33388 some questions should remain unanswered, I feel 😬😅

[@outsidelookinginprod]

Or is that just a story that vampire tells all his friends to make him sound cooler? You know, like a guy who tells his friends about the amazing sex he had with some girl who broke up with him? "Oh yeah, I got to use her so hard and then I disposed of her cause I got what I wanted" but secretly she broke up with him or rejected him? "Oh yeah, that bat totally sucked my dick and that's how I became a vampire" instead of just "I was in a cave and a bat bit me . . . the end"

[@usuben2224]

Love your reaction to the Closed Up Magician abbreviation, really cool video, and what a banger of album

[@Spicygoats]

As a draclia who just so happens to have a flute lying around, I can say with certainly that his embouchure would not be perfect. The basic notes are just as easy to play, but high notes don't seem possible as the fangs are blocking part of the air stream and deforming the upper lip. Granted I never had good embouchure myself, but I couldn't even hit a high D or E♭ with the fangs in. This was tested with Scarecrow caps similar to Tom's, but idk how veneers would affect the sound.

[@Inky_Thingy]

Thanks u so much for doing a reaction again haha , i had lot of fun to watch u react to it , i was waiting for you to do a reaction on LOFI and close up magician haha

[@kentonroush]

Are we just not gonna acknowledge that the close up magician is a terrible magician but an actual wizard, who can turn off gravity.

[@outsidelookinginprod]

Are we going to acknowledge that he wasn't able to do a levitate effect in the Close-Up musician song but pulled it off effectively in Low-Fi? I don't think that was a mistake or an oversight. I think Tom was showing that this so called "levitation" was just as fake as everything else he tried to do.

[@MadisonRamanamabangbang]

It is SUPER interesting musically that he manges to make "Can you dig it?" "I dig it" which is 7 syllables, last only 6 syllables/beats because it seems like he overlapped the "it" and "I"

[@CreeperIzzy2210]

every lyric and every shot that tom makes is a BANGER and sometimes i miss them, i love these videos for that exact reason!

[@HipRockInc]

As someone who used to know you personally, I'm happy to see your rise through music and KZbin. I couldn't imagine having 30K subs and being introduced by Weird Al , arguably the most famous comedy musician.

[@maxishere4824]

Ian you need to hear "don't touch my ladder" the lirics are so stupid but good at the same time, honestly a banger. The only problem is that it doesn't have a video yet.

[@Insaneian]

@@maxishere4824 I've heard it! I can't believe he did a song about The Sims!

[@maxishere4824]

@@Insaneian it's now my obsesive song for the week lol

[@clericoflight476]

Time to work Dark Lord Kenny G into my D&D game

[@BSengen]

Love this as always, probably the best way to avoid crunchy audio is to wear headphones so you don’t have to deal with it bleeding (heh Dracula) into your mic audio

[@Insaneian]

@@BSengen the crunchy audio isn't from the bleed, it's on the screen capture of the video

[@WizzyMcWizzyton]

Tom’s certainly kept you busy, Ian! Almost an hours worth of reaction! But we wouldn’t have you any other way. Happy Halloween!

[@CreeperIzzy2210]

i was WAITNGGG FOR THISSSS

[@bloopshloop7553]

been waiting for this video!!!

[@crpineo]

Aw, was hoping for a reaction to the H.S music video I know he's reacted to the original song, but the music video just seems to add something to it

[@Insaneian]

@@crpineo I plan to, but since I already did the live action one, the animated will be a Patreon Exclusive (just as soon as my power comes back on so I can film it 😅)

[@crpineo]

@Insaneian double aw...I'm broke...

[@junegeeitisahardgfulmer7911]

Happy Halloween, and I'm so glad you're feeling better!

[@canemccrumble6036]

First Time I am this Early. I was waiting for the Reactions of these. Wish i could afford the Patreon for Early Access and other Video exclusive's

[@FleyBlademode]

You gonna have a field day with Lo-Fi and close up magician

[@wesleyrussell8386]

24:05 "I get right up in your FACE" "personal SPACE" "workPLACE" "three of HEARTS" doesn't rhyme, when there was a good suit that would basically rhyme, and it's the wrong card. So brilliant. And the line STILL works on its own because it's "is your CARD the three of HEARTS" and has its own scheme there! It's not even sandbagging it, it's still straight up a good valid verse structure! Tom Cardy is the best

[@yuyesyu8339]

You don't know how I've waited for your reaction Ian. Hope you're doing well now

[@yuyesyu8339]

the moment i saw 3 hours with close up magician i already knew your reaction would be elite. thanks for living up to my expectation

[@xAjido]

The animation for H.S in my opinion doesn't really add anything like how Red Flags/Mixed Messages do, I prefer the original video with him in the studio.

[@Insaneian]

@@xAjido it's got some cool moments, and i really love the character designs, but yeah I think I prefer the original too.

[@margekinson3]

That's Mike Betz from the band Behind You. 😉

[@CerealKillerBoy100]

Ian: Did you know the abbreviation for "Close Up Magician" is CUM? *Pauses* KZbin: *Plays an ad before Ian can continue* That feel when the algorithm has better comedic timing than you XD

[@kingpinogaming3366]

Vampires probably have wicked embouchure on acount of all the sucking

[@Insaneian]

@@kingpinogaming3366 there's a sentence I've never read before in my life... 😅

[@andreyrumming6842]

As someone who plays flute, if you are starting out, with fangs is a pain to play with. If you have already mastered it, it's pretty easy If Tom Cardy is new to the flute, it's impressive for someone of his skill level to use fangs

[@Insaneian]

@@andreyrumming6842 that's not Tom Cardy, that's a Draclia, who started playing flute as a joke, but then got really good at it. I thought the song was pretty clear. (Kidding, obvs)

[@outsidelookinginprod]

I mean, my honest first reaction was "pretty sure he didn't have those fangs in when he recorded the flute for the song!"

[@joe_rival]

Did the Perception Check video inspire him to learn the flute, and this is a video flexing that he got good at it?

[@DexSinistral-i4z]

So glad to see you back! I hope your recovery continues apace. I also ended up feeling kinda prescient about my comment on your Transcendental Cha-Cha-Cha reaction when the videos for this album just /kept showing up/... Curious if a full video will drop for Red Flags In Reverse (presumably animated, since the meme-length one was...) - if so, will you be reacting to /that/ one here, or will it be Patreon-exclusive also? (And, uh, are you familiar with Nick Lutsko's work? I'd thought about suggesting his Spirit Halloween Trilogy combined-into-one video as a possible reaction... right about when you posted your away notice, and now of course Halloween-as-such is over for another year, but not *everything* he does is spooky-season themed, I swear...! 😆)

[@Insaneian]

Thanks. Yeah, I've had a few folks recommend Nuck's stuff, I just have yet to be able to get to them...

[@novasolarius8763]

Congratulations on the new tongue, Ian.

[@Shavaaa]

Also, the audio is great now, havent heard any crunchy bits yet :)

[@Insaneian]

@@Shavaaa oh good! I finally found an audio setting i could adjust, so hopefully it stays cool. 😅

[@Shavaaa]

@@Insaneian it appears just a bit when you unpause the video after talking. could it be a compressor or some FX carrying over?

[@Insaneian]

@@Shavaaa yeah, that's when it happened the most before I adjusted the audio settings too. Not sure what it truly is, all i could adjust is the audio bitrate 😅

[@LessaCaira]

Woot more Ian+

[@JhonEricZD]

Hell yeah, Com Tardy

[@notcats2139]

I feel some of Piemations songs would be rather interesting to watch you react to, they have quite a few- Happy Jam, or I'm a bug are always good ones. Seems right up your alley

[@yuyesyu8339]

3hr magician is definitely my 2nd fav in the album, wouldve been the first but tom had to put hs in it as well

[@karatexperience]

If I have to recommend something for the crunchy sound it will be that you download the song you reacting to and replace the audio while editing. The video doesn't seem that lagged

[@Insaneian]

@@karatexperience with all the stopping and rewinding that I do, that will make the editing process much more complicated.

[@Through_TheWind]

Tom cardy is one of my hiighest ranking musician

[@deathlord269]

as someone who has worked on music videos in the past, (not Tom Cardy's) you can technically cheat the scene of showing multiple practice attempts by filming longer takes and cut them together out of order. (apologies if my explanation didn't make sense, I've been up for close to 24 hours and had this on in the background while making a quick dinner before going to bed. also, I'm not saying this is what Tom did, but it is a technique that can be used)

[@hypermoon5539]

Dont know if you know this but HS by Tom us now an animated songs and its beautiful to see Maybe look into it?

[@Insaneian]

@@hypermoon5539 i mentioned it no less than three times during this video 😅

[@moonluminary]

The draclias song makes me so mad because draclias has the same amount of syllables as draculas so it has to be on purpose

[@VeniaMinute]

Have you seen "tree kobolds in a trench coat"? If not please react to the video by Chase Noseworthy

[@Insaneian]

You're the third person to mention it to me, so I'll try to check it out as soon as I'm able, thanks!

[@mandyogilvie686]

560 like

[@Jalbesbe]

Are you telling me you have never experienced lag as a person, like you have never spoken so fast you have to wait for your brain to catch up with what you were going to say or do next. I wish, I've had mental lag many times

[@Insaneian]

@@Jalbesbe maybe I have, but I've never thought to call it that at least 😅

[@psysloth1728]

Are you going to react to starbombs elden ring song? Even if you are unfamiliar with the game I think the video is really funny nonetheless

[@Insaneian]

@@psysloth1728 I am! Very soon, in fact!

[@psysloth1728]

@ Awesome! You’re in for a treat, looking forward to it

[@Siegmernes]

Ian, I am afraid I need to demand you watch the newest Stupendium song. You don't need to react to it, but you do need to listen to/watch it yourself. It's, at least in my opinion, as much of a jump in quality as The Toybox was.

[@Insaneian]

@@Siegmernes you apparently didn't see my video yesterday...i posted it 10 minutes after Stupes' went live!

[@Siegmernes]

@@Insaneian I meant The Ark and the Tinderbox xD But I did actually miss the Halloween special too, thank you for telling me :D

[@Insaneian]

@@Siegmernes I already reacted to Ark & The Tinderbox, too! However, since that's not a comedy song, that reaction is a Patreon Exclusive.

[@Siegmernes]

​@@InsaneianOh, I actually had no idea that you did more reaction content on your patreon. That information somehow slipped by me. Thanks!

[@lop90ful1]

"I heard it" and like that i lost intrest

[@Insaneian]

@@lop90ful1 I heard it once, a week ago, and did not retain much from the listen, so it was still like a first impression.

[@vspence2]

To go along with the idea that Tom has different narrators for different songs, my husband and I headcanon that Tom has a set of reoccurring characters for his narrators. Like, the guy from HYCYBh is the same guy in Carol Brown and High Five; Big Breakfast, Hey I Don’t Work Here, and Party Dog are the same dude; Paint That Lady and Close Up Magician narrator are the same dude, etc. His songs often surround either antisocial awkwardness, finding love in unusual ways, or just random relatable introverted experiences taken to 11. And then there are the actual character songs like Business Man, Naughty or Nice, Ballad of Smokin Joe, Artificial Intelligence, Bunch of Draclias, etc. that make up the other portion of his storytelling. Also of note, his newest album does have more optimism that the earlier albums lacked, and I appreciate it because it feels like emotional growth for him (H.S. and Transcendental Cha Cha Cha) though it’s always colored with existential nihilism (Level Clear!) but this is more of a freeing sense of positive nihilism rather than pessimistic dread (nothing matters 😰 vs. Nothing Matters! 🤩) Ok I should stop writing my dissertation on the socio-psychological elements of Tom Cardy’s music this is silly it’s not that serious lmao