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“Will Do:” TV on the Radio

What first grabs me about this song is the way it builds. The track starts with a single xylophone (or a keyboard imitating those pling-plang sounds) that seems in the midst of being played, making the beginning a smooth transition from the silence that had occupied my room before I turned on TV on the Radio’s latest release, “Will Do.” As the song continues, more instruments and Tunde Adebimpe’s voice join the xylophone-like sounds, creating the complete sound that typifies every track by TV on the Radio. The lyrics are comforting and personal, which is no way uncommon for Adebimpe (check “Young Liars” and “Wear You Out”). If this song is any indication of what the rest of the album is going to be like, I am more excited than I thought I could be for its release on April 12 via Interscope. The album is called Nine Types of Light, and you can listen to this particular track at stereogum.com.

Music Videos

Music Videos can be weird, but they can also be hilarious and awesome. What makes them super exciting? Muppets. Yeah, that’s right. Muppets were an integral part of an unofficial video done for “Dance Yrself Clean,” with Kermit singing lead vocals, not that that is super surprising. I mean, that’s just how he rolls. The best part? A large section of the video is of Kermit and friends performing from a balcony for the sidewalk and window folk in a British seaside town called Brighton. Why this did not go down somewhere on Prin campus, I’ll never know. The townsfolk do seem to love it, though. Wouldn’t you? Walking down the street, being British (drinking tea and eating crumpets), and then, BAM—Kermit appears and starts singing a brilliant song by that James Murphy chap of that good ol’ LCD Soundsystem. Love it. Watch it at pitchfork, and you’ll love it too. You can also check the Muppets out in ESCORT’s video “All Through the Night,” or slow it down with LCD Soundsystem’s other video with the Muppets, “New York I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down.”

If Muppet’s aren’t your thing and epileptic seizures are, check out Kanye West’s new video for “All of the Lights.” It’s a trip.

If that doesn’t cut it, what about hitting up the Radiohead vibes? See Thom Yorke dance to “Lotus Flower” in black and white and a bowler hat. I mean, I want to join his dance party. Especially if we’re listening to his tunes, old or new. The new album is called King of Limbs, and you’ve probably already heard it or at least about it. In all honesty, I have not yet had the time to listen to the album in its entirety. I will therefore not form an opinion since it would be solely based on their past releases and the excited responses that people I know have had to it. I’m ready to become a part of the party people are having over it. Want to join me?

Getting out from under the rock

In case you haven’t noticed, I respect a good cover. One that gives a nod to the original artist while allowing their own sound to infiltrate it and make something new. You’ve gotta love that kind of appropriation. Well, apparently an all-girl group called Girl Crisis has been making covers that have been strictly in video form for some time now. The women come from various bands, and yet their voices seem to flow together, leaving no one sound louder or more forceful than the rest. The videos make the viewer feel voyeuristic. The cheap-looking recordings seem similar to home movies from the 70’s, and the living room setting makes them feel even more like a moment captured at an eclectic dinner party. This and their voices give the covers a subtle eerie feel, but it’s more beautiful than scary.  The latest song they covered was Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid.” However, they have done various other covers including Chris Isaac’s “Wicked Game,” Nirvana’s “Come as You Are,” and Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit.” Watch their videos at stereogum.com or on YouTube. Don’t worry about finding a favorite, they’re all good.