Spongebob is a force to be reckoned with. I'm willing to admit it now. After years of hating on the little dude for encroaching on the turf of my dear friend Rocko; after years of ripping him for looking like a drunk-eyed block of cheese; after years of disbelief at the mocking audacity of this decade's crop of children; only now will I give in. Spongebob . . . has . . . my . . . respect. Well, at least the producers of his show do. This fine compilation has made me a believer.
The official soundtrack to "The Spongebob Squarepants Movie" features a clever mix of Chuck-E-Cheese-caliber kiddie tracks — Spongebob and Patrick have a few songs of their own! — and newly composed pieces from some of the "grownup" music scene's finest. No, I'm not talking about Avril Lavigne, who belts out a punky rendition of the Spongebob theme song to kick off the soundtrack; she's bad, and cute, and Canadian, and I like that, but she's not the focus of this mix. That honor goes to theatrical soundscape masterminds The Flaming Lips, who crank out a vintage track with some watered down lyrics. The tune is fun and cartoony — all the while played over the background POP! of bubbles — but also musically edgy and lyrically smart; consider the title: "Spongebob and Patrick Confront the Psychic Wall of Energy." The Lips manipulate the metaphor of "life in a fishbowl" to produce a coming-of-age track appropriate for kids and college students alike.
Wilco and The Shins, quickly becoming America's favorite soundtrack contributors ("Girl Interrupted", "Garden State") each leave their mark on the Spongebob collection. Wilco's Jeff Tweedy seems to be in his final stage of rehab as he delivers up "Just a Kid," an innocent and peppy three minutes of logical whining about not wanting to go to school. He sounds happy, to say the least, and the chorus of kids who back him up give a certain authenticity to the message. The hideous poltergeist of Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) lives on in a 10-year-old's rendition of "I Wanna Rock" appropriately entitled "Goofy Goober Rock." What exactly that means — best of luck with that one.
The album's biggest surprise comes from Motörhead. That's right: Motörhead, as in Lemmy Kilmister, 80s metal god and grizzled veteran of the road, a dude more old school than Frank the Tank, scribing a heavy blues-metal tune for our grammar school audience. Seem out of place? Maybe. After all, wasn't Lemmy just hammering out retro tracks with Dave Grohl, performing alongside a couple of caged, scantily-clad dancers in the most recent Probot video? Oh yeah, that was him. But it's cool. The song is great, and hey, a man's gotta keep it interesting. Image means nothing in the modern entertainment market, and Lemmy's gravelly voice fits comfortably between Spongebob's prepubescent squeal and Patrick's awesome baritone.
Anyone who can dig a good mix from time to time would do well to pick this one up. Take your pick among witty releases and sing-alongs, from major label artists and cartoon characters alike. Whatever you get from it, take comfort in knowing that we're all Goofy Goobers at heart.
Read More
Princeton Zoning Board of Adjustment approves renovations to Tower and Charter Clubs
Sena Chang and Isaac BernsteinOn March 27, the Municipality of Princeton’s Zoning Board of Adjustment approved construction developments for Tower Club and Charter Club. Renovations for both clubs are aimed towards improving accessibility.
On March 27, the Municipality of Princeton’s Zoning Board of Adjustment approved construction developments for Tower Club and Charter Club. Renovations for both clubs are aimed towards improving accessibility.
Students support local businesses with new platform Zage
Jack AllenAfter hearing about the struggles faced by a number of these restaurants after students left campus in mid-March, Dilbagi created Zage, an online platform that allows community members to send money to local businesses now to redeem as credits on their purchases in the future.
This fall, go beyond the 'Bubble'
Dora ZhaoEven though classes are picking up, weekends are the perfect time for students to escape the Orange Bubble. While going out to eat on Nassau is enjoyable, there is so much to see beyond Princeton. For those looking for a day trip or a chance to explore the area outside of Princeton, here is a list of ideas to do this fall.