santi, get that check! (omgee, what a sellout).

(Not photoshopped, as seen at subway stop and my flickr album, I saw that)
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Even though I'm not even close to having gone to school with her and could never quite write a series of posts entitled "BONER4SANTI", I'm sure plenty of current Wesleyan students and alums can relate to feeling like they have a very personal relationship with Santi White. Every time I pass her Converse ad at the 14th street subway stop, I say in my head, "SANTI, GET THAT CHECK!" For real! Let Bud Light Lime, Ford, VO5, EA Sports, Zune, and MTV write their checks, tour with motherfuckin' Coldplay, do your thang and...GET THAT CHECK GIRL! Anyone who would stop listening to you because you're a "sellout" deserves to be hate-fucked by a chainsaw, as well as anyone who wouldn't start listening to you because of that mentality. The concept of selling out is absurd to talk about with current climate of the music industry. Do you want your favorite artist to pay their rent? Well, perhaps you should tell people to stop copping their albums illegally.

Can we talk about something though? What the fuck do those "Three Artists, One Song" Converse ads have to with shoes? They might as well just call it "Three Artists, One Cup" because that'd be just as relevant to what they're trying to sell. Couldn't it be like "Three Artists, One Shoe, One song"? Well, technically "one shoe" is kind of useless, unless you're a total tryhard who wears a Converse on just one foot. Also, "My Drive Thru" doesn't make me want to buy shoes at all. If anything, the video makes me wonder where I could buy that cute marching band jacket so I could give it to a friend who could pull off that kind of shit. More importantly, it just makes me wish that it was "One Artist, One Song" because Santi's parts are 1000% better than those of Pharrell & Julian Casablancas. I guess N.E.R.D. pretty much provided the beat, but I'm kind of over them right now until they start doing something interesting again.

If anyone reading this is wondering what song I'm talking about, you can download it here. I feel like this remix from Bud Light Lime's website is certainly relevant enough for this post, as well as relevant to Santi's career since "Lights Out" will be the third single off her self-titled album. The TEPR remix has nothing to do with this topic, but it's one of the more interesting remixes of Santogold wandering about the internet.

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BONER TRACK: SANTOGOLD - Lights Out (remix) (YSI)

BONER TRACK II: SANTOGOLD - Say Aha (TEPR remix) (YSI)
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- BUY IT - SPACE IT - WIK IT - HYPE IT -

boner4mgmt: when i said it was the end, i meant it wasn't the end.

dl: GLITTER PENIS - C.R.U.M.Z. On My Lap (YSI)
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I had pledged that I wouldn't do anymore MGMT-related posts for a very long time, but I couldn't resist after getting the following e-mail from a fellow alum of Wesleyan University...

"do you have a copy of "Crumz" by MGMT? Do you remember it? It was the Aaliyah song Try Again but they rapped about Ernie and Bert and eating crackers and getting crumbs in their lap? I REALLY WANT THAT SONG."

Initially, I assumed this person was punking me, as this song just sounded too good to be real. With a little research (aka googling "MGMT Crumz"), I was led to the comments section of a post on ONTD, which included several older songs I posted here as well as two others that I neglected to share with you. By reading the comments of this post, we receive insider-information that Andrew VanWyngarden's iTunes library was called "kitten hatchery". My favorite comment comes from livejournal user bunnykittycoat--"He may be a total tryhard but damn that boy is fine." Don't be surprised if I make a trend out of calling people "total tryhards".

Die-hard MGMT fans seem to have acquired this already, but you die-soft MGMT fans may want to hear this too. I imagine that it's the type of song they'd do if they made an appearance on Yo Gabba Gabba. I can't wait for the Justice remix of "C.R.U.M.Z. On My Lap".

<3<3<3XOXO<3<3<3,
your favorite total tryhard blogger

PS: For those too lazy to read the comments--"Actually, Crumz is from Andrew's high school project, Glitter Penis. He and his buddy Dan (Treharne?) did an entire CD of parody tunes. Funny shit. There are lots of GP CDs in the hands of Andrew and Dan's Memphis pals. No doubt, as MGMT gets huge, more of this will come out."

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BONER TRACK: MGMT - Electric Feel (Justice remix) (YSI)
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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT -

boner4mgmt: part four, 2006-2008 + bonus.

Welcome back to BONER4MGMT. If you're just joining us, you can catch up by checking out the last three posts about 2003, 2004, and 2005. I decided to combine the following three years into one post for two simple reasons. First, between 2006 to 2008, I slowly watched the band MGMT grow into something I never expected when I first heard them five years ago as The Management. Between tracks from Oracular Spectacular, Immuzikation's mash-ups with Daft Punk & LCD Soundsystem, remixes by Justice & MMMathais & Leif & J-La & Tronik Youth & Jorge Elbrecht & Amplive, and their own remixes of The Black Kids & Chairlift, the band maintains a consistent presence in the upper ranks of Hype Machine's Most Blogged & Most Searched Artists. Which leads me to my second reason, being that I'd like to take a break from contributing to the over-saturation of MGMT on the interwebs. I'd like to focus on bands, musicians, and DJs who actually need some extra attention. Other blogs will give you your MGMT fix, and I'm pretty sure this post will be a substantial contribution to the world of your MGMT obsession...

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Various versions of "Kids" have been posted on other blogs, but I've realized that no one has ever included all versions in one post. This post is purely for educational purposes, because studying MGMT is probably more interesting than studying the metaphysics of objectivity. Probably.

[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Kids (YSI)]]
(original version, circa 2003)

As indicated in my first edition of BONER4MGMT, this was the first song I ever heard by The Management. Yes, back then they were The Management. This version is synthier, lazier, and dominated four years of my life. It's basically what you'd expect from two kids who started a band in their dorm room, only substantially more awesome. I still prefer this over any version. Well, actually I prefer this one...

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[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Kids (Afterschool Dance Megamix) (YSI)]]
(circa 2003)

Generally, I prefer songs that are shorter. But the extra minute of the "Afterschool Dance Megamix", mostly an instrumental break, provided a great point in the song to stop singing along and start moving deliciously before delicious movement was cool.

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[[dl: MGMT - Kids (YSI)]]
(Time To Pretend EP, 2005)

I remember a conversation I had with my friend Collin a little over a year and a half ago. We had a minor quarrel over which version of "Kids" was the best---the original or the version on the Time To Pretend EP. You can probably guess which side I was on, solely by looking above. Collin argued that the EP's version was superior because MGMT sounded "like they're going places." When he said this, I don't think he knew how prophetic his words would be. At the point of this conversation, I believe MGMT had just been signed to Columbia Records (after Steve Lillywhite and Three Six Mafia (!!??) flipped a shit upon hearing their demo). This version was released by Cantora Records in 2005, back when the only band they represented was MGMT.

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[[dl: MGMT - Kids (YSI)]]
(Oracular Spectacular, 2007)

The sounds on Oracular Spectacular are bigger than anything previously recorded by MGMT, which is to be expected from a major label debut, eh? This shit is drastic like when Tyra Banks decides to cut off all of some girl's hair on ANTM and that girl cries like a motherfucker, only with less crying.

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Also, compare both versions of "Time To Pretend":

[[dl: MGMT - Time To Pretend (YSI)]]
(Time To Pretend EP, 2005)

[[dl: MGMT - Time To Pretend (YSI)]]
(Oracular Spectacular, 2007)

This is the sound of a band that is going places, a band that is continuing to grow. Quite frankly, it makes me uncomfortable. I remember making a mix CD for a party with my friends back at home. I put on "Kids", hoping that they'd lap it up as much as anyone at Wesleyan, but instead their reaction was more along the lines of, "What the fuck is this?" Flash forward eight years, and MGMT are playing on the season finale of Gossip Girl. Blair Waldorf totally wouldn't even listen to The Management, though I bet she might listen to MGMT. But that's not my issue! I don't care if they "sold out". I don't care if they're "over-hyped". I don't care if they just "sound okay and look kute". It sounds childish, but I have difficulty sharing the band with the world. They were like my own little secret. Before, it was just typical to say that you liked MGMT if you went to Wesleyan University. Now, it's just generally typical to say you like MGMT. ::sigh::

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Obnoxious rants aside, many of you have requested more unreleased/rare songs from MGMT. Considering that I don't imagine dropping these songs onto the internet will necessarily harm the band, I don't feel unethical sharing them.

[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Love Always Remains (YSI)]]
(We (Don't) Care EP, circa 2003)

Other than "Kids", the only other song that survived from the era of The Management to the era of MGMT is "Love Always Remains". It appears on the Time To Pretend EP, but unlike "Kids" it did not make it onto Oracular Spectacular. The EP's version has a fuller sound than this one, so...um, buy the EP!

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[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Everything Is Happening So Fast (YSI)]]
(We (Don't) Care EP, circa 2003)

This song, along with the EP's two title tracks and "Just Becuz", was not fortunate enough to survive into the era of MGMT. It's admittedly not my favorite tune, but I do have a soft spot for that bouncy cartoonish feel.

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[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Honey Bunny (YSI)]]

(Bootlegs Muthafuckas, circa 2003)

I never got into "Honey Bunny", but after listening to it the past couple of days, I found myself tapping my foot and singing the lyrics in a public bathroom today..."Fucking weasel you've lost your touch, Skinny as hell but it's not enough, Life is a mineshaft of love, But don't dig too deep." I really hope no one heard me singing that.

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[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Portia Sloan (YSI)]]

(Bootlegs Muthafuckas, circa 2003)

I still don't get into this song, but I think it's a good indication of the weird thoughts that go through the minds of dear ol' Andrew and Ben. If four-winged dinosaurs are your thing, maybe you can get down to this?

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THE END, MUTHAFUCKAS.
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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT -

boner4mgmt: part three, 2005.

HIPSTER RUNOFF has proven to me that it's "a blog worth blogging about" with the recent post "Bands that Sound Okay and Look Cute are destined for big things". And since I must be an "uninteresting person who likes to be into alt music", I am going to continue perpetuating the MGMT hype with the third installment of my series BONER4MGMT. We began in 2003 when "Kids" first hit my ears, moving on to 2004's dance parties and interpretative movements. And so begins 2005.

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In the spring of 2005, I enrolled in a class called Hazardous Earth: Stuff That Will Kill You. It was the sort of science class with a funny name that Wesleyan created for people who don't really care about science. There were two sections of the class, and when we presented our final posters I recall attending the session for the other section due to a conflict. I lugged my whack-ass poster about Santorini to the science center, sat through a bunch of boring presentations, and then two guys got up with nothing but an iPod and speakers. One of these guys was Andrew VanWyngarden of The Management.

[[dl: ANDREW VANWYNGARDEN (OF MGMT) & ETHAN LEINWAND - Supervolcano (YSI)]]

Our professor loved the song so much that he played it for my section of the class. I loved the song so much that I was determined to make it a dance-party hit, taking action by including it in an epic end-of-the-year post on the blog I wrote for at the time. And it worked to some degree! As I was jamming at the house party of an individual who will be labeled as "Adam", the song somehow found it's way onto the playlist. As it played, Andrew VanWyngarden entered the party. In my head, he gave me a look. I don't recall if this was a look of acknowledgment or a dirty look. Maybe he didn't look at me at all.

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As a final music thesis project, The Management performed in Wesleyan University's Memorial Chapel. While I'm not sure why I missed this show, I did manage to catch them another time. My friends and I arrived together, but parted our separate ways for most of the party. As soon as "Kids" started playing, it was as if we Kitty-Pride'd ourselves through the crowd to form a circle. Then we jumped a lot and were very excited.

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Some time in 2005, The Management changed their name to MGMT. According to sources, the Time To Pretend EP was released on January 1, 2005. This is pretty much inaccurate as far as I remember. The band toured with Of Montreal summer and fall of 2005, and the debut of the music video for "Boogie Down" came in early November. A little less than a month after the debut of "Boogie Down", the video for "Destrokk" showed up.

[[dl: MGMT - Destrokk (YSI)]]

Around the time that the band started touring with Of Montreal, I desperately tried to pitch "Kids" to a number of blogs including You Ain't No Picasso. Just sayin'. Despite the fact that "Kids" is dominating on blogs these days, it apparently wasn't good enough back then!

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT -

boner4mgmt: part two, 2004.

For those just joining us, I am recounting my history with MGMT. At this point, we are at 2004. The band is still called The Management. To catch up, check part one here.

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In my first year of college, I often misheard statements in the way the "telephone" game works. This became a problem in some instances, such as the time I was convinced that my student assembly rival slept with the entirety of Yale's swim team. As a supplement to this girl's awfulness, I would often bring up this "fact" when ranting to friends. And after recounting this rumor to the person who I thought told me it, I discovered that the person who apparently slept with the entirety of Yale's swim team was allegedly Jenna Bush.*

This sort of thing also happened while I was pledging a certain co-ed literary society. One of the members of this society was named Ben, and he wrote for a notable geektastic website. I'm almost positive that someone told me that this "Ben" character was also a member of The Management. I got really excited about being in the same society as one of the guys who made "Kids", and I don't remember if I was disappointed or embarrassed to discover that this "Ben" wasn't Ben Goldwasser. I knew this guy's last name, but I didn't know that the "Ben" in The Management was named Ben Goldwasser. To make matters worse, The Management were heavily affiliated with the rival co-ed society across the street.

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In fall 2004, my newly sophomore self was introduced to the folks in a wonderful apartment known as "B2". This apartment would become a second home for me, a land of theme parties, a couch to sleep on, and most importantly...dance parties. There was a sign stating that B2's living-room was a "No 'Hey Ya!' Zone", but jams like "Toxic" and "Kids" blared through the speakers on any given Saturday night.

I have a visual in my head of two friends doing an interpretative dance to "Kids". It was to the lyric "A baby is born...crying out for attention". One friend acted as the baby. The other one was a vagina birthing him. It was a very deep and interesting interpretative dance, and I hope that anyone reading this gets it. The dance went on for six minutes and seven seconds, because anyone who was anyone knew that the Afterschool Dance Megamix of "Kids" was the only version to play at a dance party.

One of the lovely ladies of B2, Katey, once pondered with me which song had the potential to be the next "Kids" on campus. We may have even concocted devious plots to infiltrate the dance party scene and make this song the next hit by The Management. Unfortunately, we never agreed on which song would be our hit. I rooted hard for "Just Becuz", but she pushed even harder for "We Care". Or was it "We Don't Care"? My memory on this matter is foggy.

[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - We Care (YSI)]]
[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - We Don't Care (YSI)]]

So 2004 certainly isn't the most exciting year. Stay tuned for 2005, which marks my first time seeing the band live, a science project gone awesome, and the introduction of "MGMT".

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT -

* In hopes that Daddy Bush won't claim war on this blog, I want to say now that there's no way this rumor was true. I mean, the whole swim team? At YALE? Seriously? This could never have happened, as there's no way that the majority of them weren't gay.

boner4mgmt: part one, 2003.

I originally intended for this to be a huge post dedicated to my eternal, undying love of MGMT. I've now decided to break it up into a daily series (by year) starting with 2003. I realize that MGMT are a big deal right now, but this series isn't a ploy to get hits to this blog. It's precisely because of MGMT being a big deal that I've realized this long history we have together, despite the fact that I've never had a conversation with either of the original members. So bear with me through this unnecessary introduction, as I chronicle my life with The Management. Er...I mean, MGMT.

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Prior to attending college, I was on AIM talking to another prospective student. It was the standard pre-college chit-chat. What dorm do you want to live in? OMG, let's party so much together when we get to school! Were you early decision too?...What kind of music do you like?

I paused. This is the sort of question that trips you up as a teenager. You want to stay true to yourself, while also citing some artist who makes you seem really cool. And you don't want to be that tool who says something like, "Hehe, ne-thing but country!!" Or you're just me. And you simply say..."I'm really into emo." Lame. And then the person you're talking to says, "Oh, like Modest Mouse?" If she could see your face upon asking this, you'd probably be blushing because your favorite albums at this point are by Dashboard Confessional and Something Corporate. You have no idea who she's talking about, but play it cool by saying, "Oh, I've never heard of them. Can you send me one of their songs?"

Oh my god, I’ve gotta gotta gotta gotta move on
Where do you move when what you’re moving from
Is yourself?

Her away message would occasionally read this way, a lyric from "Neverending Math Equation". Knowing the reference made you feel like you were in the know. But you had so much more to learn...

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Within the first couple of weeks of college, I found myself sitting in a girl named Janine's room. We were already friends in the sense that we lived in the same dorm and once encountered a rollerblading asexual together. It was in her room that I would first hear the word "hipster", a word that five years later would ironically be used by outsiders to label my existence. It was in her room that I would first hear the sounds of Ben Gibbard's voice, and do interpretative dances to "Such Great Heights". And it was in her room that I would first hear The Management.

[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Kids (original version) (YSI)]]

The moment the song hit my ears, I was in love. It was unlike anything I heard before, which may not be saying much given how ignorant my ears were at that point. My memory of that day is a little hazey, but in my head I scurried back to my room and immediately acquired any recordings by this mysterious campus band. I then proceeded to have my first ever private one-man dance-party with "Kids", the first of many.

And then there was "We Care", "We Don't Care", "Hot Love Drama", "Money To Burn", and most importantly--"Just Becuz". While it never seemed to be the preferred song of most connoisseurs of The Management, I latched onto this song. The entire school may have been united in loving "Kids", and whether it makes sense or not..."Just Becuz" was my own personal "Kids".

[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Just Becuz (YSI)]]

The rest of my 2003 experience with The Management would include consistently misquoting the lyrics to "Kids" while drunk at parties. Kissedaguy.com style!

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BONER TRACK: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Hot Love Drama (YSI)
DOUBLE BONER TRACK: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Money To Burn (YSI)

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT -

immuzikation: mgmt remix.

dl: IMMUZIKATION - Just Another Call With You (MGMT vs. lots) (YSI)
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Immuzikation has been popular on the blogs lately. And with good reason! Mashing up Daft Punk and LCD Soundsystem with MGMT, Yelle with Weezer, Justice with Boyz II Men*, Ratatat with Enon, Jay-Z with The Postal Service...the fun just doesn't stop. This Georgia boy knows where the party's at, and I'm personally inviting all of you to crash it with this new joint he sent my way. It goes a little something like this...

• MGMT - "Just Becuz" + Soulwax - "Another Excuse (DFA Remix)" + Prince - "When Doves Cry" + Chromeo - "Call Me Up" + Afrika Bambaataa "Planet Rock" + Stardust - "Music Sounds Better with You" = "Just Another Call with You"

"Just Becuz" is nearly five years old, recorded when MGMT were still at Wesleyan University. It's a bit dancier than most of their new stuff, yet it remains one of my favorite MGMT songs of all time. Long story short, Immuzikation is my mash-up GOD for doing this mix.

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- SPACE IT - HYPE IT -
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* Um, can we talk about Soulja Boyz II Men?

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PREVIOUSLY ON ITMS!!: Download the original "Just Becuz" and an ol' skool mix of "Kids". (link)

lunchbox: mtv's next, jdate style.

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Now usually I don't do this, but uh...this spoof of MTV's Next was just too spot on, including ridiculous dialogue, a nice take on Next's camerawork, and a very embarrassingly accurate "MTV-ish" soundtrack. The twist? It's JDate style. Brought to you by Wesleyan University's sketch comedy group Lunchbox.

This video features...

• Timbaland f/ Keri Hilson - Way I Are
• Fergie f/ Ludacris - Glamorous
• Justin Timberlake f/ T.I. - My Love
• Beyonce - Naughty Girl
• JoJo - Too Little Too Late
• OneRepublic - Apologize
• Rihanna - Shut Up And Drive
  

In honor of this video, I present to you my favorite Fergie remixes (and thereby promise you another post today).

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BONER TRACK: FERGIE f/ LUDACRIS - Glamorous (Treasure Fingers remix) (YSI)
BONER TRACK: FERGIE f/ LUDACRIS - Glamorous (Space Cowboy remix) (YSI)
BONER TRACK: FERGIE f/ LUDACRIS - Glamorous (Rock Steady Drew remix) (YSI)

red wire black wire: dying or insane.

dl: RED WIRE BLACK WIRE - Dying Or Insane (YSI)

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In my youth, I was always scared of New York City. I learned to love it upon moving/working here, but there are some days where I feel like I'm fading here. This isn't a foreign feeling. I've felt it at college, certain jobs, and elsewhere. I'm aware that it's not a particularly original or revolutionary feeling. We've all been in those places in which we feel our current location or situation is eating away at our soul, right?

Well, Red Wire Black Wire's "Dying Or Insane" puts a tune beyond these emotions, with a simple refrain of "I think this place is killing me slowly, slowly". It may sound a little too emo for your tastes (perhaps it is), but who doesn't feel a little emo every now and then? With that said, Red Wire Black Wire describes their sound as "the saddest dance party". We all know that adding a bit of dance to your sadness always makes you feel less pathetic (think certain songs by The Cure, etc), and the results here are impeccable.

"Dying Or Insane" is among the less-upbeat songs on RWBW's debut Compass EP, joined by "Bloodline" (seemingly prepped for their unlikely country/folk crossover). The remaining three songs, including the booming title track "Compass", bump out the beats and pump out the tears. Word on the street (aka the internet) is that their live show is quite the sight. If you're in NYC, you can catch them at Club Midway (25 Avenue B, between 2nd and 3rd) on March 21st. That's Good Friday yall, and I can't think of a better way to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus than dancing to some electro-pop jams.

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BONER TRACK: DNTEL & RWBW - Dumb Luck (Red Wire Black Wire remix) (YSI)
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- BUY IT - SPACE IT -

j-la: mgmt remix.

J-LA apparently went to school with me.

I say "apparently" because I didn't know who he was until I met him on a roof...months after we had graduated. I'm pretty sure that I had never even seen him prior to this interaction, which mostly consisted of him shaking my hand and me awkwardly dancing to Daft Punk. I don't get out much.

I also went to the same school as MGMT. Their new album Oracular Spectacular just dropped, and admittedly I wasn't too enthusiastic about the songs that had been leaked before its release. They were good and all, but they weren't the MGMT I grew to love...they weren't The Management. For some reason, their name change from "The Management" to "MGMT" somehow correlated with a harsh realization that I was going to have to share "Kids" with the entire world. This was difficult to admit to myself, given that "Kids" is my mind's soundtrack to every pleasant moment I spent at Wesleyan University. It was my secret theme song that the non-Wesleyan world didn't know or fully understand.

Now I am encountering another realization that needs to be fucking realized--- I need to let go. I've heard 3-4 different versions of "Kids" and each one sounds further and further away from the one that first touched my ears so many years ago. MGMT are growing up. They're actually getting kind of...good?

Yes. I've said it. I may like this album. I may even like the new version of "Kids". I feel dirty saying this, yet I also feel somewhat liberated. Fuck.

Wait, wasn't this post about J-La? Honestly, I don't even remember who this post is supposed to be about, but J-La's remix of "Electric Feel" reminded me to go cop this album on iTunes. Also, it's the shit. 'Nuff said.

[REMOVED BY REQUEST OF CREATOR (NOT GOD, J-LA)]
dl: MGMT - Time to Pretend (YSI)
(remix + album track)
- space it / buy it - site it - space it - hype it -

the most embarrassing thing to ever happen.

Yeah, that's right. I'm the overexcited white boy in the blue & white shirt.

see you in april, suckaz

Now that the contest is over...I need to get back to school. I hope the internet understands.

boy crisis: let's get blogtastic.

Boy Crisis is old news in some communities at Wesleyan University, but as far as I know...they have yet to make their blogosphere debut. They claim that they sound like, "a computer having sex with a beautiful bird or something like that"...but I'd have to say that they sound more like a bunch of boys who make delightfully energetic, silly dance music that you can't take serious at all...literally. You really can't.

Maybe it's the ridiculous music video for the silly song "Let's Get Fantastic" or exciting, interactive music video for "The Feelings are Real" (which allows you to make a hot dog float in outer space) both created by Jordan Fish of Teen Homicide / Channel 1o2 fame? Maybe it's all in the music? Maybe it's the baby monkey photo or album release date of 3006 listed on their page? Either way, there's a certain humor of Boy Crisis that I can't quite put my finger on.

Boy Crisis is certainly an acquired taste for some, an immediate favorite for others. Upon first listen to Boy Crisis, I decided that the music was far too repetitive and annoying. The following day, I found myself tapping my foot and singing the song in my head. It was as if they had some 24 hour subliminal hypnotism on their myspace page. It was the sort of hunger you have for a song when you can't get it out of your head until you hear it again. And I was stuck at work...with no speakers. The need for the song began consuming me. I knew it was wrong, but it felt so right. It felt so...real. I just want to...feel...real.

DOWNLOAD: BOY CRISIS- The Feelings Are Real

TRIVIA: Boy Crisis member Alex Kestner created the song for video-director Jordan Fish's pilot Teen Homicide. Boy Crisis member Victor Vazquez appeared later in the series as a man in a penguin suit carrying a knife. Boy Crisis member Tal Rozen never appeared in Teen Homicide, but he made some paintings once or twice.

pdl: we all play happy, so let's all play "happiness", ok?

PdL does not stand for Punch-drunk Love. If you asked him what he stood for he'd tell you what he does not stand for---hate crimes...and the Pledge of Allegiance. If you were cool, you'd know that PdL stands for Perfidy de Licious, one half of the awesomely under-rated hip-hop duo The Mirror Boiyz (which I am totally unbiased about...of course). But you might not be cool...and that's why I'm here to help, because I'm SUCH a good friend.

On the proposed day of the world's end, PdL was featured on the lovely musical haven known as Fluxblog and everyone rejoiced in the sounds of "Happiness"...which goes to show you that one man can do a lot with a kazoo and a heart of gold. You can call it a summer jam or you can call it the jam of your life, but there's much more complexity existing beyond the sweet organ chords and catchy verse. Join me as I share the story...behind the music.

In spring of 2006, PdL was busy doing research for an ethnomusicology class at Wesleyan University. The final product of his readings and internet browsing was a song entitled "Shake that Bomb!" and a paper too, but that's not important. While developing "Shake that Bomb!", PdL came across samples of phone calls made on 9/11. He wanted to work the phone calls into the song by transforming samples from them into bass drums and snare drums. Once this was done, he liked the beat so much that he decided to use it for "Happiness". Are you offended? Are you appalled? Or are you still drawn in by the hypnotic glow the song offers? I vote the latter.

If "Happiness" becomes your jam of the summer, "Ambivalence" could easily become your token break-up jam...if you need one that is. The lyrics are quite simple, but the delivery captures the confusion you are left with at the end of a relationship. Pretending to be okay. Hating your ex. Reluctance to let go. These are among the themes hidden behind the electronic layers of de-Liciousness. Things we all go through and get over within a week or two once we recognize we can do much better. The song makes a blatant reference to the gay cowboy breakthrough film, Brokeback Mountain, but not in an annoying kind of way. It's nice to see that Mr. Licious hasn't forgotten his roots as an experimental gay rapper, taking the Notorious B.I.G.'s vocals and, um, making the late king of East Coast hip-hop sound like he's talking about gay sex. You read that right.

And how 'bout that bass line? It makes me feel like I'm back in church singing hymns in the choir. If you're not a disciple of PdL by the time those 3 minutes and 1 second pass, then we need to have a talk about what YOU stand for.

DOWNLOAD: PdL- Happiness
DOWNLOAD: PdL- Ambivalence

No album release date is set, but I will certainly keep you posted...by, er, posting.