I still hear thooooose voooooices

I feel slightly weird telling people that I like The Killers. Maybe because so many vocal internet people don't. And I feel slightly weird for being affected by them.

Anyhoo. I really love the track "Spaceman" from their new record, mostly because of Brandon Flowers's voice in the softer moments. There's a vulnerability in his singing on this record that I'm not used to hearing, and it's striking.

And then there's the video. I have to give these guys a lot of credit for making a video this fricking weird for a major label release. They have more personality than other bands their size. Credit where it's due.

Spaceman

You Can Vote However You Like

I've been battling a horrible cold for the past few days, which has also led to a splitting headache. I'm not at all joking when I say that after watching this clip that Ted passed along, my headache went away:



This is my new favorite video, and it's at least partially because they could have used one more rehearsal before performing. Also, someone could have moved the podium.

Relationships

Weird Al's "Whatever You Like"

We like to play a game at Elephant Larry meetings sometimes, where we take a popular song, sub out the lyrics for something about food, and sing it in a nasal Weird Al voice. Anyway:

My New Jam

This is my new jam, friends (not an actual video, btw):



I just love T.I. And J.T. They should always make songs together. ALWAYS.

Cookie Jar

This is the first pop song I've ever heard that was clearly written in anticipation of eventually being covered by Kidz Bop:

Birthday Observation

So this past Monday was my birthday, and this past Sunday I celebrated with my family, a nice quiet affair watching the Giants DEMOLISH THE ST. LOUIS RAMS WOO GO GIANTS WON THE SUPER BOWL!

Just as I left, my father cranked up the ol' Compact Disc machine and, for the 28th year in a row, played "Birthday," by the Beatles. It's always been impressive to me that on top of their many accomplishments, the Beatles managed to make an awesome birthday song, really the ONLY birthday song other than THE birthday song. Unless you count this one of course.

In our formative years, after dancing around with his children to the Beatles' merry birthday song, my father would immediately leap to his feet and stop the album or skip to the next track. Sometimes he'd make it on time, but sometimes we actually got to listen to the first strains of the next song, a little ditty called "Yer Blues":

"Yes I'm lonely! Wanna die!"

Only recently did I notice this and once I did I found it quite funny, so I had my Dad keep it on. Here's the rest:

Yes I'm lonely wanna die
Yes I'm lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why.

In the morning wanna die
In the evening wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why.

[Skip]

The eagle picks my eye
The worm he licks my bones
I feel so suicidal
Just like Dylan's Mr. Jones
Lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why.

Black cloud crossed my mind
Blue mist round my soul
Feel so suicidal
Even hate my rock and roll

I like to realize that 28 times in my life, my birthday has been immediately Pavlovianly associated with suicide and worms licking bones. Not to mention 26 for my brother, 23 for another brother, 20 for a sister and 17 times for my last brother's birthday. That's 114 suicidal birthdays if you're counting!

PS I'm gonna go ahead and embed that Jack Black sketch because it's amazing.


via videosift.com

Good Morning

Can we all agree that Kanye West really thinks he's a cute little teddy bear trapped in a human body?



If you can find it (they're being taken down quickly), find a hi-res version, because the video is rather beautiful looking.

Song of the Summer '08?

I guess it's possible that there may be an amazing fun Summer Song released tomorrow, but it's far more likely that will NOT happen. So I ask you all... What was the song of the summer? Votes will be tabulated, and the official Song of the Summer '08 will be revealed!

Just one ground rule... This is not YOUR Song of the Summer, like, "Boy, I was really grooving out to the 'Porgy & Bess' score this Summer." It's a song that was released this Summer, and would be generally accepted as the song that dominated everyone's pop culture consciousness for the longest amount of time.

Debatable Examples: Hey Ya; In Da Club; Umbrella

Go, Team Pop Culture! Go!

Dream Ticket!!!

Obama has finally chosen his running mate, and it's...



Joe Budden!

That's freaking amazing... Whether it's hit songs like "Pump it Up," or the totally awesome "Fire," Budden has created some of the most fun dance songs out there. I can't wait to see how he works into Obama's campaign, and look forward to seeing him in the White House as Vice President Joe Budden!

In case you don't know him, here's the video for "Pump it Up:"

This Joke Is Too Complicated

I hear Rhianna's next single is called 'Even Stevens.'

I've been wanting to use that joke for months at this point, but there's far too much background necessary to it to be funny. So I'll explain it:

1) Rihanna and Shia Laboeuf dated for a while (and are possibly still dating?)

2) Shia Laboeuf did a movie called Disturbia.

3) Rihanna released a single called Disturbia.

4) Shia Laboeuf became "famous" by appearing on the Disney Channel show 'Even Stevens.'

So the implication is that Rihanna is mining the back catalog of Shia Laboeuf film and TV appearances for song titles. See, isn't that super funny?

The Song Remains The Same

Yes, I know it's a little bit of a cheat, because both songs feature Akon, but I dare you to find the difference between:

Dangerous, by Kardinal Offishall:



and What You Got, by Colby O'Donis:



Couldn't find any differences, right?

You would have thought Akon would have been like, "Hey, I think I just recorded this song at another studio?"

Or maybe he just recorded one long take and they split it in half?

I mean, don't get me wrong, they're both awesome.

Two Awful Songs and One Good One

Here are two actively awful songs that I've totally been in love with lately, and one actively good one.

1. Jason Mraz, I'm Yours: Yeah, I know. Fucking awful. The lyrics are near retardation level. And it's beyond derivative. But there's something pleasingly pleasant about it.



2. NKOTB, Summertime: Clearly the most embarrassing song of the summer. Which would be obvious enough from listening to it, but once you see the video, you may literally cringe away in shame. And yet: "Summer is fun!" + "Boy Band" = Song I will like all the time. Check it out here.


3. MIA, Paper Planes: This is the good one. I think my recent likeage of this has to do with its use in the Pineapple Express trailer. I will say the video makes me like it less, because it looks like MIA needs to take a nice, long nap.

Make Love In This Club

I can't really explain this properly, but I think Usher's hit single "Make Love in This Club" is slowly driving me insane. Not out of aggravation; rather, there's something about the underlying beat that is making me:

- Physically Ill.

- Physically Incapable of Not Listening to The Song Over and Over.

People talk about a song getting stuck in their head, but I actually feel like this song is a swarm of bees that's literally stuck in my head.

Help me.

Chocolate Time!

This isn't anything new, but apparently some folks tried to make the worst music ever on purpose.

The beginning is funny, but I suggest skipping to four minutes in. Those coupla minutes there are my favorite part.

Also 8:30ish.

And 15 but less so.

Oh and 19.

Metalocalypse

Is anyone else watching this? Am I wrong in saying it's the best show on Adult Swim right now? I don't think so?

The episode on last night (Fashion Disaster) was frakking hilarious, and totally, totally awesome. I wish there was a clip online of the scene in the supermarket, where the band Dethklok discusses going on a diet*, but since that's not, here's the opening clip, which might be considered TAFW (Too Awesome For Work):

*Ending with the band-leader summing it up thusly:

"So, let me get this straight... We'll have one big meal right before bed, and also, we can have some bread, sometimes, because we're not Nazis, and during the day, all the popsicles we can eat?"

Lyrics To Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part 2"

Hey.

(Though some might disagree.)

And yes, there is a Part 1 also:

Monday Morning Poll: Lenny Kravitz

I just added a new feature to the blog! I'm so awesome! To your right (somewhere), you'll see a poll, which will change with incredibly burning questions every week. Be sure to register your vote, so we can get the answer to these probes, and respond accordingly.

This week, we're discussing how awesome (or not) Lenny Kravitz is. The other week, I posited that there's no-one who dislikes Lenny Kravitz. Ele-friend Mary argued that she didn't like Lenny Kravitz. I said she was the exception that proves the rule. Then she revealed that she liked older Lenny Kravitz songs, which shows what a GIGANTIC LIAR MARY IS.

What do you guys think: Lenny Kravitz, awesome, or totally awesome?

This is for Jeff

Click Here to Have Kittens Sing You a Customized Ukulele Song

Jeff, when are you going to start banking in Australia, then?

The Music from That Commercial

Here's the actual video for the song from the MacBook Air commercial, which is totally charming right up until the singer murders a goldfish: