Thursday, April 9, 2009

Video: Datarock - "Give It Up"

"We'll hook you up with an enema, give it up ohhhhhh! Don't stop till you get enough..." = last lines of the song. I have NO idea what any of the rest of it's about. All I know is I want to go to there. MJQ anyone?

All Kinds of Awesome

This is exactly why the internet was created... so people with too much time on their hands can chop up songs and videos and put them together in an almost-seamless fashion. I think both are pretty self explanatory, and needless to say, they offer countless... ummm, minutes, of entertainment. Enjoy!

The Beatles, LCD Soundsystem, and the Kinks


Was Disney Lazy?

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Boston Tea Party, Sponsored by Fox News

Quite simply the funniest/saddest thing I've ever seen. The Daily Show is on waaaaay too late for me to ever see it, so thanks to Kosha for tipping me off to this clip. Enjoy.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c
Baracknophobia - Obey
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show
Full Episodes
Economic CrisisPolitical Humor

Why Not... Covers of Brittany Spears' "Womanizer"

Because some people are needy, so this post will take EXACTLY 11 minutes to make. Franz Ferdinand just recorded a cover of Britney Spears' "Womanizer," which, coincidentally, has been covered by other people. Because "Womanizer" is unfairly catchy (seriously, see how good you feel about yourself when you suddenly realize you're singing it out loud in a line of people), it makes sense that people are covering it. See below for some good, some bad, and some ugly "womanizers."

Franz Ferdinand Version


Lily Allen Version
(I have a massive crush on Lily Allen...)


Acoustic French version


Acoustic Jason Mraz-wannabe version


All-American Rejects gawdawful version


Monday, April 6, 2009

GSATW - Going on Hiatus

In an effort to prove that grad students really are the worst, Audra and I are going on hiatus. And while we may not be as annoying as a Creative Lit or 18th Century British Literature PhD candidate, we are nonetheless taking a 5 day sabbatical from writing informative and witty commentaries about television and music.

"What am I going to do with my life?!?"

That's a fantastic question, but we're confident that you'll survive. And here's why. Although we're not exactly sure how it happened, you were able to go the majority of your life without our greatness. For the next 5 days, channel those dark times in your life... the times without the sunlight that is GSATW. Read a book. Spend some time in quiet reflection or meditation. Engage in your community through service.

Or buy a season of TV on DVD and run through it while we're out.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Phoenix on SNL

While you were either sleeping or out having a good time last night, Phoenix was killing their performances on SNL! The sound was great on both "Lisztomania" and "1901," the two opening tracks off their new album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Oh yeah, and Seth Rogen is skinny now. It's weird. So there you go... you're caught up on SNL.

Phoenix: Lisztomania


Phoenix: 1901

Saturday, April 4, 2009

March Music Madness - The Final Four

And so here we are... the Final Four. Possibly one of the most exciting weekends in all of sports, and I'll be missing most (if not all) of the action due to studying. Grad students really are the worst. But fear not. Before we essentially shut the blog down for a week (save for a couple of random posts), we have to finish up the March Music Madness competition, and I think the national semifinalists speak for themselves. Some of the best talent out there rose to the top, and although there's no Animal Collective or Grizzly Bear (which could possibly be a mistake), the bands left standing all have a strong case for being there. Let's do some quick analysis of the Final Four match-ups before the epic Championship throw-down on Sunday!

(2) Lil' Wayne vs. (4) Beirut
Winner: (2) Lil' Wayne
I probably love Beirut and Zach Condon more than a heterosexual male should, but I submit the following:
Tha Carter III vs. Any of Beirut's albums
Billboard's 2008 Top-Selling Albums
I understand the case for "rap isn't music, and what Beirut is doing is music!" I really do. I'm the same guy who never listened to rap until 2006 (unless it was played while I was awkwardly dancing* with a girl at a school dance). But you have to listen to this album. Is it misogynistic? Yes, at times. Is it filled with vulgarities? It has a Parental Warning Label, doesn't it? But this is poetry. This is comedy. This is extravagant, boisterous entertainment delivered by a man who may very well be losing his mind. And if a basic aversion to rap and hip-hop keeps you from hearing Tha Carter III (I mean... really hearing it), then you've let a seminal album slip through your fingers. Rarely does an album's popularity match its quality (and if you don't believe me, read the rest of the Billboard article). This one does.


(1) TV on the Radio vs. (4) The Decemberists
Winner: (1) TV on the Radio
By calling TV on the Radio this tournament's Louisville, I had a feeling I'd either be jinxing Louisville or TVOTR. But since I already knew who'd be advancing to the final in this tournmanet, Louisville had to fall (and they did). Admittedly, this is a tough match-up for the Brooklynites. The Decemberists have great length (discography-wise) and a rabid fan base. Colin Meloy's hyperliterate lyrics weave intricate stories that lend themselves to multiple listens... always a bonus. In fact, I entertained the thought of moving The Decemberists into the final, but to be honest... I was a little underwhelmed by Hazards of Love. Of course it's good (it's a Decemberists album, after all), but if it had blown me away, I think they had the potential to jump TVOTR (by the thinnest of margins). However, by putting out a merely good album, they lack the momentum to pass the behemoth that is... TV on the Radio. Dear Science is a treasure, and I feel a little sissy for saying that. This is a "tell your kids about it" type of album. I envision myself pulling out Dear Science 20 years from now, in middle-age, and still being blown away. In those 20 years, maybe 25 albums will be in the same league, and maybe 5 bands will have been as consistently as impressive as TVOTR. Maybe. Criticism is prone to hype and "Greatest of All Time" debates (see our last post if you don't believe me), but when something or someone elicits such an indelible visceral response, signs and blinking lights should go off. And so TVOTR is Las Vegas, and The Decemberists are Reno. And that's all right.


* Standing in a corner, avoiding eye-contact