Wasted Time

Wasted Time-- I do waste a vast amount of time on the internet, but this is not what I am discussing today. 'Wasted Time' is indeed track number three of the one and only Youth and Young Manhood. I was reminded of my project upon hearing 'Notion' on the radio today. While I chortled a dry laugh of sadness for the Kings of the past, I was still able to thank whatever higher being that is out there for the existence of recorded music, and Youtube to boot, for I can revisit this far-off era whenever I please. For instance, whenever I go driving and feel like blasting my ears with what can only be unhealthy decibels of music.

Wasted Time is in the same vein as Red Morning Light and Happy Alone. The similar tempos and lyrical themes along with the beat Nathan pounds out in the background cause me to refer to these songs as "the opening trilogy." Regarding the lyrics, you may notice that the Kings have gone from being tucked in between the dirty sheets to prancing around in high, high heels and cherry red lipstick; now, they've moved on to the fruit innuendo ("shakin' your apple right in my face) and have followed in the footsteps established by Steve Miller Band ("I really like your peaches/Wanna shake your tree," yadda yadda). Classifying myself as a feminist, I wonder if I should be offended or appalled at the Kings' use of women as sex objects or the mention of women getting taken advantage of, comparing them to apples, etc. etc. But I am not outraged in any way, shape or form, for the the tunes make me dance, the energy gets me excited, and the lyrics make me laugh. Imagining Caleb in high heels let alone prancing in them is kind of hilarious. Plus the fruit thing is miles better than, say, lady-lumps, or anything of that ridiculousness... Fergie. If I ever met that woman... but that should be saved for another post althogether.

2006 Big Day Out (Australia) performance, likely sometime in between Aha Shake Heartbreak and Because of the Times, judging solely on Caleb's hair.




Yes, you are seeing real, live, unaltered video, as far as I can tell. I mean, at first, I was nearly convinced that the vid must have been sped up, but then I decided they just chose to play an already ridiculously uptempo song at double time. Really, this is breakneck speed here. I'm expecting little whirlwind tornadoes to just pop up in between all of them and float around the stage for awhile. If I were the guys, I would want to turn around and punch Nathan right in his rhythm-driving face, yet none seem to mind.


Listening to the studio version, the speed is actually a hair slower, but I suppose that seeing the live performance just makes you appreciate how hard it must be all the more. I get out of breath just singing along.


What's the most exciting about my search is how I stumbled across a music video I never knew existed: the Wasted Time video seems like its the first video KOL ever made, and it basically involves the guys outside, playing in the woods, accompanied by some women as well as some half- and three-quarters- naked women running through these woods at night. It may be just a party gone wild and awry, but it could also be a homicidal-rape chase; it's all up to the interpretation. I'll let you decide for yourself.

I have returned, in full(ish) health!

Finally over my nasty, disgusting flu-- yep, I caught flu, according to the doc, though she didn't specify whether I had caught regular or swine flu. This disappointed me for some reason. But anyways.

On to the project-- which I DO aim to continue. I need to get up all the tracks, seriously, I've just been so swamped what with coughing up phlegm and whatnot; BUT, I want to take a quick diversion from the project, because this can't wait. Really. It takes full importance at the moment, pushing all of my attention aside.

What I am talking about is Karen O and the soundtrack for Where the Wild Things Are.

Ever since I learned about the movie Where the Wild Things Are, I was aware that Karen O was involved on the music side. I believe this excited me more than the movie itself (and I was one of those kids who read this book nightly, it seemed) because I love love love love LOVE Karen O. LOVE! Got it?

I saw Yeah Yeah Yeahs perform in August of this year, which was pretty rad. That's an understatement, as it was actually the best show I've ever seen. The energy of the performances was just so heightened, all the way through; the small venue (it was a tiny club that had been made out of renovating an old Rite Aid) probably helped the audience connect with the band even more. I completely love the band so when I found out about her new project, I couldn't wait.

Today I had begun my usual activity of browsing Youtube and stumbled across this wonderful "Making of the Soundtrack" vid featuring Where the Wild Things Are director Spike Jonze, along with the lovely Karen O herself and a few crazy kids who sing on the songs.

This video had me giggling like a fan-girl (which may or may not be contributed to the fact that it was 11:30, I'd just woken up, and was extremely giddy) over the Karen O interview; plus, seeing her work with those kids was hilarious, just because she is so child-like herself (she always dances around onstage like a 7-year-old and it's not out of place for her to break out into random laughter mid-song). Yet the short glimpses of the beautiful new songs were what really made me smile; tracks such as "Hideaway" and the peek at Max howling. It's just so cool what they encouraged those kids to do, and it almost made me wish I was 10 and lucky enough to be invited to Karen O's studio...........................*envious*

I'd heard "All is Love" a few days ago on another Youtube binge, but it hadn't hit me until watching this interview that the soundtrack had already been released on Tuesday of this past week. This led me to another search. And of course, thanks to my superior scouring skills, I easily found half of the soundtrack. Amazon tells me there are fourteen songs in all, but you can listen to the first seven which have been posted by some kind soul (although part of me HATES this kind soul, just a little bit, because he neglected to post songs 8-14...). But here's the first song; click on it and it should take you to a Youtube playlist of what's available.





It all sounds quite childlike, probably helped by the kids recruited to make the soundtrack so. Standout tracks include Capsize (don't let the handclaps fool you... this song is awesome and could be mistaken for a Yeah Yeah Yeahs song, perhaps if they made a concept album about going to outerspace or something). Worried Shoes is soft and mindblowing as well, and it's apparently a cover of Dan Johnston. Karen O's voice sounds beautiful and amazing as always, yet it's obvious that she's taking a different approach than anything she's ever done before for YYYs. For one, her voice emits a crystal clear innocence that emulates the message of this story; before I've only seen her as sexy, wailing about cold lights and hot nights and heaters and lovers and doing it to each other. Secondly, she's accompanied sounds I've never heard before. There's no Brian Chase banging drums behind her or Nick Zinner swinging with his guitar beside her (although I read somewhere that they were also recruited to help on the soundtrack). Instead, she's backed by vibes, windchimes, sounds of the sea, children's voices, and even some dialogue from the movie (Rumpus, for example). It's magical, to say the least, and I can't even imagine how magical it will make the movie.

Needless to say, I'll be purchasing this soundtrack SOON. I could listen to the seven currently available tracks all day, and seven more will likely do my head in. I now love Karen O even more, and I didn't know that was possible. CHECK OUT KAREN O AND THE KIDS. Out now. You'll love it.