Run, Swedish House Mafia, Run!
After the apocalypse the only things remaining were the desert, some wealthy (and competitive!) Euro-disco freak-a-zoids, and a grapefruit. Oh, and also a sliver of post-nuclear genetic material, which would later be identified and decoded by the machines as the rapidly mutating, radioactive stem cells of that instrumental break from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” – y’know the one, that part where the zombies do the zombie dance. The scientists, because they had nothing better to do, took the ribonucleic remains of that long-extinct groove, and reconstructed it, magnifiying it, amplifying it, creating the Third Millennium sonic beast they called “Greyhound”. This, much to the amusement of the freak-a-zoids.
Is this a music video for the latest single from Swedish House Mafia? Or is it the latest ad from Absolut Vodka, introducing their new Greyhound brand? Unlike the latest video stunt by , “Greyhound” succeeds wildly as both. There’s an edited version of this that’s starting to show up on the TV, but you can see the whole wonderful George Lucas fever-dream of it below. Then you can (and should) go download the full seven-minute single, put it on your iPod, and go running (with the dogs, tonight). Enjoy this responsibly.
Chief Meets BossA couple weeks ago, Bruce Springsteen released Wrecking Ball, his (by my count) 17th studio album in a 40 year recording career. It’s a record that sounds a lot more like the Springsteen I grew up with than any of his other recent albums: anthemic and big and totally ‘merican (that’s a capital ‘postrophe there). It occurs to me that Born in the U.S.A. is now older than all those songs I saw on those “Freedom Rock” TV commercials were back when the “Freedom Rock” TV commercials were on TV.
So it’s sort of fitting and serendipitous that the same week Wrecking Ball showed up in stores also marked the crossover Hot 100 debut of country singer-songwriter Eric Church‘s latest single “Springsteen”, a song about how it feels to be a middle-aged schlub and to listen back to those old Springsteen records, with lyrics sprinkled all over with references to those (gulp) golden oldies (you know, like “Glory Days”).
“Spingsteen” is the third single from Church’s third album, the extraordinarily well-received Chief, which debuted at the top of the album charts last year. And despite the fact (or because of it) that the song, Church’s twangy delivery notwithstanding, is about as country as Matchbox Twenty, it looks on pace to become the singer’s biggest hit so far.
There’s certainly a lot to love about it, like how the lyrics, about a certain girl, a certain Jeep, and a long-ago Saturday night (now that’s country), occasionally give way to a sing-along “whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh”. Or just the song’s mellow, reflective vibe: its extended intro and outro, its piano key moonbeams, which sound more like something off a 10-year-old Josh Rouse CD than a 30-year-old Springsteen 45. And then, right at the fadeout, there a woman’s voice faintly, wordlessly echoing the chorus, as if to prove Church’s line about how a melody sounds like a memory.
Last night, the contestants performed songs from the Billy Joel songbook. I thought it was the best night of the finals and I recapped it for Popblerd.
Supposedly, my girl Haley Reinhart is performing live on the show. Does that mean Stefano is nearby?
The top 10 is singing For The Longest Time. There was a Casey Abrams sighting in the audience. And no, he didn’t pass out.
Ryno gets to it. He brings Hollie, Elise, and Skylar to the center. Hollie makes it to next week. Are we going to be thrown for a loop here? Skylar is safe and Elise is safe. I was about to open up a can of whoop ass on America if Elise was in the bottom three.
By the way, Casey Abrams is morphing into Kevin Smith. He just needs jean shorts.
Lana Del Ray is on stage. I didn’t see her infamous SNL performance. I’m unimpressed. She’s no Carly Rae Jepsen, that’s for sure. Because Del Ray is boring me to death, I’m posting the Carly Rae Jepsen video even if it has nothing to do with this show.
Joe Perry came out to wish Esteban Tyler a happy birthday. How nice.
Ryno brings out Deandre, Joshua, and Jessica. I have a bad feeling for Deandre. Jessica is safe. So is Joshua. My San Jose homeboy Deandre is in the bottom three.
Now it’s Haley time. She’s singing Free. It was every song she performed on American Idol last year. She’s still showing off those legs.
Ryno brings out the last four. Colton The Muskrat, Phillip, Erika, and Heejun are up and two of them are going to be in the bottom three. It has to be Erika and Heejun right? Heejun just cut his own throat. He said he’s not trying to become a star. He just wants to help the kids. If he doesn’t care that much about winning this show, I’m not sure people will care that much about voting for him. It really sounds like the pressure is getting to him.
Colton is safe. Erika is in the bottom three. Phillip is safe and Heejun is in the bottom three.
For the record, I thought Heejun’s performance was fun as hell.
Ryno sends Deandre back to the land of safety. Heejun is safe and Erika is going home sweet home.
I don’t think the judges will keep her, but she’s worthy. The problem is that she’ll just end up eliminated next week. She sang her ass off though trying to be saved by singing I Believe In You And Me.
The judges choose to not use the save. Goodbye Erika.
