Well, I think the jury's still out on whether Yo Gabba Gabba! will be viewed as a kids' TV classic, but at least that jury's gonna get a second season to help make its decision. Well, we knew that before, but now it's ready to go.
Season Two of YGG! starts Monday, Sept. 22nd on Nick Jr. with 80% of a week of original programs. Musical guest stars for the season include The Ting Tings, The Roots, MGMT, Jimmy Eat World, Chromeo, Paul Williams (yeah, Mr. Muppet Movie himself, singing "Rainbow Connection"), Hot Hot Heat, Mates of State, Mix Master Mike (Beastie Boys), Ladytron, Datarock and Money Mark. And more. That's a cool lineup, and even if you don't like it, you'll admit it's pretty hip again. And, yes, Biz Markie and Mark Mothersbaugh are back.
Oh, and Amare Stoudamire's making an appearance. I have no idea why, but, hey, always good to see the Phoenix Suns get some press.
Details on the premiere week -- plus a photo of Amare -- after the jump.
Video: "Bedtime Lullaby" - Mark Kozelek
This is waaay too dreamy to start off the week with, but I can't resist. Compared to the rest of Yo Gabba Gabba!, which can seem like it's aching to be painfully hip, this video is a peaceful respite. The music is by Mark Kozelek, and it's sweet, but it's the appropriately dreamy and slightly surreal visuals from Lippy that make it worth 90 seconds of your time.
The Shins' New (Old) Yo Gabba Gabba Video
Many months ago, I mentioned the Shins had recorded a new song -- "It's OK, Try Again" -- for the Nick Jr. show Yo Gabba Gabba!.
And then I told you that a video for "It's OK, Try Again" had been posted.
Well, for those of you who prefer to watch your kids' music videos on larger than iPod-sized screens, help is at hand. The Yo Gabba Gabba episode that actually features the video debuts on Friday, May 23rd in an episode titled "Imagine." (I doubt John Lennon had a hand in the episode.) Oooh, the Shins on a TV size of your choice!
And for those of who are OK with iPod-sized videos and who don't want to watch the show (or wait for it), watch the video here.
Yo Gabba Gabba Yo Gabba Gabba
The weeks of Christmas and New Year's are typically slow, news-wise, but a couple weeks ago, Nick Jr. announced that it was picking up Yo Gabba Gabba! for a second season. Production on 20 more shows starts in spring 2008.
I've been kinda torn about the show. On one hand, the collection of musical acts and guest stars has been pretty diverse. On the other hand, I can't help but think that without those guests and Mark Mothersbaugh's doodles, some people would be slamming the show for being super-obvious stuff for toddlers. I mean, really, "Party in my Tummy?" If it was anybody besides members of the Aquabats singing that, it'd probably be run out of cool town on a rail. Even though it's probably pretty age-appropriate.
So are you happy that, say, Low recorded a song and did a music video for them?
[Note: decent song, but that "Family Tree" is awfully undiverse for the 21st century, no? Doesn't look quite like mine...]
Or do you say, man, the Pointer Sisters recorded a song for Sesame Street 30 years ago and it was way cool.
The Shins' New Yo Gabba Gabba Video, or, Why Won't Somebody Think of the Mac Users?
Remember I told you about new music from the Shins? Yeah, well Nick Jr. has now posted a sneak peek music video from the band here, no, here.
Great, right?
Yeah, unless you're using a Mac, in which you're screwed because apparently the "technology... to support Parents TV on a Macintosh" is not available.
"So, uh, what do you think?," says this MacBook user.
New Music from the Shins: "It's OK, Try Again" (from Yo Gabba Gabba!)
I think most people would probably consider me a fairly straight-laced guy. Sure, I occasionally drive faster than the speed limit and go back for a second donut in the office lunchroom, but for the most part, I think "goody two-shoes" would not be a wholly inappropriate appellate for me.
Which gives you an indication of exactly why I'm not going to be posting a copy of new music from the Shins, people! You heard me, the Shins!
I totally understand one of the impluses behind mp3 and .rar blogs -- new music falls into your lap and all you want to do is share it with others. Preferably before anyone else does. But even though the record industry's approach to file-sharing seems somewhat... misguided... to me, I've always felt that the copyright holder should get to call the shots.
So that means I'm not going to post the 2-minute track from the Shins from the new Nick Jr. show Yo Gabba Gabba!.
Well, there is one other reason. Although it's a good track that sounds like the Shins (particularly a soaring la-la-la part near the end), it's not an awesome track. It's not even the best track on the 9-minute sampler CD I received. Perhaps at even just 2 minutes in length it's too long to convey a message which is -- literally -- "Sometimes you win / sometimes you lose / sometimes you win / sometimes you lose / But it's OK / you try again."
That honor of the sampler's best track goes to the LA band I'Kona, which turns in a strutting, funky 90-second song called "Hello, Goodbye" that G. Love would be proud to call his own.
The band Paco (whose lead singer Dominique Durand also sings in Ivy with Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger) turns in a nicely muted "Listen," which is about 180 degrees from the Aquabats' hyper "Pool Party." (Aquabats lead singer Christian Jacobs is also a co-creator of Yo Gabba Gabba!.)
The list of artists appearing on camera or turning in songs for the show is enough to keep music-minded parents intrigued -- Mya, Sugarland, Smoosh, Cornelius, the Postmarks, Dean & Britta, Jason Falkner, Low, Jason Lytle, Mark Kozelek, among others.
I have no idea how the on-camera appearances or videos will turn out. Nick Jr. reps have indicated that the Shins video will be posted to the Nick Jr./YGG website shortly, so you can judge that song for yourself. (And for those of you just wanting the CD, they're hoping to put one together sometime in the future.)
I've also seen the first episode, schedule to debut Monday, August 20th. But I'm gonna need a little time to process that one...
