MGMT - Kids

The band MGMT has released their latest video last night for the song Kids. I don’t know much about MGMT, but I checked out a few songs of theirs to get acclimated. Honestly, I can’t say that I’m into it, but I don’t not like it. Get it?

Anyway…my good friend, Henry Thurlow did the animation for this video (around the 4:50 mark). If the work reminds you of the Adult Swim show Superjail, well it’s because Henry and the other animator involved also worked on that show. See how that works?

Think Little Monsters with Fred and Ben Savage, meets The Beatles' Yellow Submarine. Terrifying, then tripped-out...but still terrifying.

Eat it up, digest it, and spread the word. You’ll like it.

You Like?

Do you like free stuff? Yeah, me too. So does a good number of people in the Indie Hip-Hop scene.

Previously mentioned, FranzDiego.com of Illuminous 3 and Listen to MPLS has blessed the world with another FREE release before his full-length album drops this summer. The Quick and Dirty Mixtape. You like? You will.

On another front, those kids you wish you could be, wish you could have been, or even wish were your friends have dropped another freebie. That seems to be their M.O. The Cool Kids have a new FREE summer release with Gone Fishing. If you're familiar with Totally Flossed Out EP, That's Stupid Mixtape, and The Bake Sale, then this is for you. However, this offering serves up less party joints and is a little more on chill mode.

Finally, New York's favorite dysfunctional Jukie, Cage has a new EP out for -- you guessed it -- FREE! It's titled, I Never Knew You, and it's preceding the upcoming full-length album, Depart From Me, due out July 7, 2009. The only downside is that it's on MTV's Subterranean site (I hate MTV with a burning passion).

Enjoy.

You Don't Belong Here

Familiar with the story of Luis Ramirez? He was an undocumented Mexican immigrant living and working in Shanedoa, PA. Last July, he was walking down the street with a friend when a group of teens verbally assaulted him...then physically assaulted him, ending his life two days later.

The trial for the offenses recently took place, with two of the young men being tried for third degree murder. The verdict? NOT GUILTY.

There you have it folks. You're justice system hard at work. Protect one of your own, and damn anyone else. The man was an undocumented immigrant right? Why should we care what happens to him? Maybe because he had a wife and children, or for the simple fact that he two was a human being.

Naturally, the defense says that there wasn't enough evidence to support that the boys had actually killed the man. They were charged with simple assault, but the full story on CNN tells you why that's both heinous and absurd.

This story couldn't come at a better time. It helps support a cause that has been brought to light recently at Obey Giant. Head over to read a couple statements by Shepard Fairey and Zack de la Rocha. Then stop shrugging your shoulders and do something. Act like you give a damn. That's a healthy start.

What's even funnier (that's read: sick), is on May 5, also known as Cinco de Mayo, a bunch of people who don't care or want the immigrants to "go home", will be celebrating festivities they don't even understand.

Got Brains?

Last week a student came into my office to ask a few staff members for support. She's participating in the Race for Hope in Washington, D.C., which is a walk/run that raises money for the continued research of a cure for brain tumors.

The student, Jamie Bartholomay, is taking part in this event in honor of her father who passed away due to a brain tumor.

I opted to help Jamie simply because it's a worthy cause to promote and support, not so much because my family has a history of dying from cancer (not brain cancer though).

She has met her initial goal of $500, and has since then moved up to a goal of $800. I'm posting this not just to shed light on it, but also to drum up support for Jamie. She's a good person, doing a great thing for someone she loves. My aim is to have anyone who reads this find it within themselves to give anything they can, even if it's $5.

Times are tough, but nothing is tougher than death.

One love

Welcome Back

The good folks over at Listen to MPLS are back in full swing with Season 2 Ep. 31! It's been a long time coming. Head over and peep it, because they love the love. I think I plugged it before, but I'm plugging it again.

Enjoy

It Can Only Get Better

Thanks to Glen E. Friedman over at WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE? for posting this video.

This clip demonstrates the "power" of religion. When a baby talks and people listen...something's up.



Truthfully though, all I heard was, "SATAN, SATAN, SATAN, SATAN, SATAN!" Lovable little tyke.

Berserker Barrage

I've been meaning to post about this for about a week now, but I kept forgetting.

Exactly a week ago I was house sitting for someone, and in their collection of entertainment was X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Now, let me just preface this with my relationship with Marvel Comics. I grew up on Marvel Comics, always preferring them to DC, until Image came along with titles like Youngblood, Savage Dragon, and Spawn, among some other things. Then at some point, Marvel started making movie adaptations of their franchise staples, such as X-Men, Spiderman, and the Fantastic Four.

The problem is/was that all of those movies are bad. There is no arguing to convince me. I don't like any of them. Spiderman flicks are weak, Fantastic Four is über campy, and X-Men is just pure drivel. Set aside the inconsistancies and the omissions, the movies are just done poorly. Out of those three series, the only sole film worth recognition is X2.

Blade was never a staple in the house that Stan built, but the first movie in the series was incredible, the second was exciting and entertaining, and the third tried too hard to follow-up on what the first two films had already done. Regardless, sometimes you have to break a few eggs to make an omlette (allow the movies to be R). Along came Iron Man and The Icredible Hulk (not Hulk), both of which were amazing to see! Did Marvel get their mojo back?

Hardly. The whole purpose of Wolverine is that the character is a fan favorite. People love Hugh Jackman as the Canadian beast. The problem is, Marvel took a film I initially didn't want anything to do with, to almost making it look convincing to me, to me losing interest again, to me seeing it and coming to a final verdict.

Wolverine is a big, hot, steaming pile of elephant dung! I know, I know! You really want to see it! I'm not telling anyone not to see it (although I really am), but what I am saying is that nobody, and I mean nobody, should spend....no...waste $10 to see this film! Like any movie, some things in it work, but the majority fails to live up to anything worth a fan's excitment. Nevermind that the leaked version was incomplete. The unfininshed scenes and cables showing on the actors does nothing to take away from the experience. If anything, it adds flavor a pot of vegan gumbo. The acting in this film is fine, but the storyline is extremely flawed, among other things comic book fans may find troubling (I'm looking in your direction, Deadpool).

If you decide to waste your time, stay for the credits to get a hint for a sequel.



Ugh...