Monae (That’s What I Want)

I played “Tightrope” on the show today. I didn’t realize there was a video. This is the best thing ever. (Please remember those four arrows at the bottom right make a video fullscreen.)

I adore how she moves. I first heard Janelle Monae on Studio 360; she performed on their live episode dedicated to time travel. She is crazy cool.

The ArchAndroid is out May 18th.

Opposite of Adults

The excellent music blog Pretty Much Amazing serves up a lot of clever, fun songs (Santogold and M.I.A. and Major Lazer!), but trendy music rarely has much staying power.

Rapping over a sample of “Kids” by MGMT—that impossibly catchy song you heard at every hipster dance party last summer— sounds like a recipie for just this kind of disposable amusement. Instead, “Opposite of Adults” by Chiddy Bang, which I found on PMA last week, is something I’ll be happily listening to ten years from now. It reminds me of Big Jaz or A Tribe Called Quest, that laid back, big hearted sound that never seems to get old.

Hip hop is brilliant at capturing and evoking nostalgia; see “It’s That Simple,” “T.R.O.Y.,” “Empire State of Mind,” “Concrete Schoolyard,” “A Wrinkle In Time,” and “The Art of Storytellin’ Pt. I.” That crashing hi-hat feels as joyous and innocent as we incorrectly remember childhood being.

So add this to your back in the day playlist. Click to stream, right-click to download.

Happy Valentine’s Day

This week every sitcom, column and podcast dutifully released a Valentine’s Day episode. Studio 360’s solicited ideas on resdesigning the holiday and produced this bacon bouquet. Which is awesome.

Romantic and delicious.

If you’re alone this weekend, in lieu of bacon you get a free pass to wallow in self-pity. 30 Rock had a lonely Liz Lemon celebrate with the Lifetime Original, “My Stepson is My Cyberhusband.” All Songs Considered took the opportunity to play breakup songs for a full hour. They missed my favorites, so I’m putting them here (with cheapo YouTube links!). The first is perfect if you’ve been broken up with, and the second is essential if you’re doing the breaking.

Sometimes I Still Feel The Bruise (Trembling Blue Stars)

It Ain’t Me, Babe (Bob Dylan)

Whether you celebrate it or not, don’t miss the only great pop song specific to this odd holiday. “Valentine’s Day” by Andre 3000, the best thing behind “Hey Ya” to come out of OutKast’s overflowing double album, is guaranteed to put a smile on your face whether you’re mooning or moping.