My Body

Song: My Body
Artist: Young the Giant
Album: Young the Giant







This years MTV Video Music Awards for me did more than last year to make me feel old.  It was hard to wrap my head around someone like Justin Bieber being highlighted on that show (shouldn't he be on a TeenNick award show?) but was even more-so to see that he was kind of an elder this year with a pretty girl on his arm and a look of bored detachment that would be fitting on a much older nineteen year old.

I won't bore you with my geezer-esque "in my day" bullshit... the show had some nice highlights, Gaga dressed as a male alter ego for the opening performance of "You and I," and then the rest of the evening, Dave Grohl anytime he was on screen, Russell Brand's Winehouse tribute, Tyler the Creator's acceptance speech for Best New Artist, Adele's quiet performance that was good but seemed out of place, and the introduction to an indie-rock band I'd never heard of, Young the Giant performing their excellent single "My Body."

Rock & Roll hasn't been present much at MTV in the last few years... but that's more because that's just not what is popular right now.  Mr. Grohl noted this as they won the one rock award, and I was thankful they cut to him when Queen's Brian May came out for a guitar solo in the Gaga song, as his fists in the air and genuine joy at the spectacle was a stark contrast to most of the room who were still reeling that Gaga was dressed up as Ralph Macchio.  Their faces were mostly; "WTF... who is this old guy?"  Big sigh.

So it was nice for a rock band to come out of nowhere and play the show, and even better that their performance was a star-making turn with a peppy song that I can't stop listening to since then.  I don't think the rest of the audience was on the same wavelength, but oh well.

So who are Young the Giant?  Well they are an Irvine, California band signed to Roadrunner Records and have been promoting their self-titled debut album that came out earlier this May.  "My Body" is a corker... the rest of the album seems good, still listening but it's at times rollicking, and others just quiet pretty guitar-rock.  Though according to Pitchfork, these guys are corporate sell-outs... like "fourth-tier alt-rock bands of the early 2000's."  A indie-rock by numbers band that simply is cashing in on the popularity of indie-rock much in the way Candlebox with grunge.  Again, big sigh.

Though if there is anything that I can take away form all of this is that I care less and less what is authentic or hot, or cred-worthy... whatever.  I like music that MOVES me.  And "My Body," and Young the Giants performance really got my attention.  In a room full, and an award show filled with such... it's noteworthy to feel anything.  Other than absolute boredom and detachment.

Enjoy.

My Body

Apartment

Guns Out