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January 28, 2004

Talkie Walkie

Still really digging the new Air record. My coworker interviewed Nicolas yesterday about his favorite movies. Apparently he looooves Escape From New York.

Here's an excerpt from Rob Sheffield's excellent review for Rolling Stone.

Sheffield: The piece de resistance, though, is "Alpha Beta Gaga," which takes the happiest melody Air have ever composed and warps it with a cheerfully whistled chorus that sounds right at home in an alien musical environment full of bright pizzicato strings, theremin and even a banjo. It's an artificial paradise that allows the strangest emotions to flourish together.

Insound agrees...

Insound: The album's crowning achievement, "Alpha Beta Gaga," takes the happiest melody Air have ever composed and warps it with a cheerfully whistled chorus that sounds right at home in an alien musical environment full of bright pizzicato strings, theremin and even a banjo. It's an artificial paradise that allows the strangest emotions to flourish together.

I like how they went through the trouble of changing just a few words as opposed to plagiarizing outright.

Either way, great song.

air - alpha beta gaga.mp3

[WARNING: You'll be whistling this all week.]

Posted at 11:22 AM
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5 Comments

you should blow this story wide open! what, with all the hubbub the Stephen Glass, Jayson Blair and that one douchebag from USA Today ... BUZZ!

Posted by: Uncle Grambo at 01/28/04 11:46 AM | Reply
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I think they just did.

Posted by: Sarah at 01/28/04 2:28 PM | Reply
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Excellent track. I'll probably be buying the album soon. Thanks!

Posted by: incomple at 01/28/04 2:31 PM | Reply
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Not so fast, Stereogum. Maybe Insound acquires the rights to blurbs by various journos. Or maybe Rob Sheffield syndicates his reviews to various publications.

Posted by: Legal James at 01/28/04 5:25 PM | Reply
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Hmmm... new web meme: "Alpha Beta Gagiarism"... I think I'll post that song on my site, cop those two paragraphs describing it whilst changing the words around a bit, see if it catches on.

Posted by: hork at 02/10/04 2:20 PM | Reply
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