8.19.2008

The Clips :: "Space Kidz"

Well, folks, we have a late entry into our singles of the year contest. It's been a synth-heavy affair and frankly, we have no regrets- sort of like a Saturday at Arrow. We debated not considering this song because it was technically written and released in 2007, but it only recently got distribution in America and so we're going to throw it into the crazy bag of cats that is our song of the year run-off. The Clips, a fully-loaded synth barrage from Vancouver have given us "Space Kidz." It builds. And builds. And finally collapses into a synth breakdown that would leave MGMT thinking, "dude, it's not 'Kids' but it might be in the same zip code." Or "how is it that we got a six-figure advance from Columbia Records?" Time to pretend.

"Space Kidz," despite its bitter disregard for correct spelling, does have some of the best lyrics of the year to go with its unstoppable kick drum:

"This one goes out to the wasted space kidz/'cause everyone knows that you're coast-to-coast kid/'cause everyone hopes that she knows she knows shit."

Read that one. more. time. You could argue this is nonsense but you'd be wrong. There's a play on the old cliche of someone being a waste of space. Get it? But they added a "z" instead of an "s" to indicate irreverent plurality. Try them again because they're bouncing from coast-to-coast like an untethered tetherball. Honestly audibly, singing, "she knows she knows shit" is just meta enough to be cool and just rhythmic enough to make you elevate. And thematically, while we're talking about kids and their late-night disenfranchisement, it might not be a bad impulse to hope that she knows she knows shit. I hope everyone knows what they're doing, 'cause if you're not flying this plane, no one is. Coast-to-coast, kid.

Listen :: The Clips - Space Kidz

Bonus :: The Clips - Wire (for fans of Yorke's Eraser)

1 comment:

alexchubb8 said...

I have an even more intriguing view of these lyrics. To the trained eye, one can use these lyrics as a glimpse into the here and now of the public arena world view and also a glimpse into the future. It is a shame that most art goes unnoticed or just passed off as mediocre "stuff". With enough knowledge, anyone can understand most art. Knowledge is power.