MACK TO THE FUTURE

new years resolutions

2011-01-12T10:13:00.000-08:00

HAPPY 2011!!

Instead of resolutions (like "blog more") that tend not to pan out like you'd hope, Virginia and I would like to ask everyone to instead use this time to revisit and reflect about what you want to focus on in the new year. BE ABSTRACT!

How about make a list of what is important in your life and what makes you happy! Put this list somewhere you will see it and try to focus on these things as the year progresses.

Virginia's list:

gold
tunes
boys

sunshine

animals

friends

snacks

stories

Aubrey's list:

animals

music

splashes of color

friends

art

movies

apples

Don't you feel your swagger amping up already? Figuring out what you want out of life is the first and most important step towards getting what you want out of your life. To conclude, welcome to 2011: GET. INTO. IT. Get into it.

MUSIC MONDAY

2010-11-29T08:55:00.000-08:00

I've been having PALPITATIONS all weekend over this song, I can't even begin to tell you. My lovely roommate recently went on a Babyface kick, and when I overheard him listening to this track which I HAD NEVER HEARD BEFORE I basically lost my shit, forced him to send it to me, and have been playing it ever since. I mean LOOK AT THIS VIDEO:

I didn't even know there was a music video until I was hunting for the song for this post, but now I can't stop watching it. It's really a miracle.

Also for your ears: my music playlist for the ENTIRE WEEKEND (I'm not kidding) consisted of Usher's U Got it Bad, The Deele's Two Occasions, and also this song, which I had forgotten I loved until I heard it on the soft rock station at a restaurant on Friday.

I am having such a moment with these three tracks right now, and SO SHOULD YOU.

MUSIC MONDAY

2010-11-15T14:16:00.000-08:00

To make up for my recent absence from the blogosphere (and for using the word "blogosphere") let's talk about some sweet lady singers that are making my day today.

First, I guess she is kind of old news in the hipster music scene, but I sure do love Class Actress. Neglected for the last few months in the dark caverns of my ipod, shuffle recently reminded me of the sultry Elizabeth Harper and her make-out sesh soundtrack of a musical career. Need some mood music for you and your honey? HERE YOU GO:

And don't fret if your life feels a little less like a make out party and a little more like a party of one; how about you let the Ronettes sing you through your pain? This de-luscious track has also been in heavy rotation on my ipod of late.

In constructing this post I discovered that Ronnie of the Ronettes was at one point married to Phil Spector and was privy to the kind of madness and horror that has now become his legacy. Good for her for getting the hell out! In tribute to Ronnie Spector, another hot lady singing a hot song about GURL POWER. FASH. ION. IS. TA.

Who's ready for the weekend??

2010-10-29T04:20:00.000-07:00

THESE people are! Consider both these videos tutorials on utter commitment to a style (and a lifestyle):

And, of course, "one of the really great musical artists of our time:"

Summertime!

2010-10-21T11:43:00.000-07:00

LEST WE FORGET that Willard Christopher Smith, Jr., long before his Oscar nominations and alien-blasting, was the oracle who showed us the true way to funk, there's THIS. We may have been slightly too young to have heard him perform on Soul Train when it happened, but every person reading this that can recite the Fresh Prince theme song by heart owes it to themselves to click that link. They won't let us embed but I promise you it is well worth the jump.

Music Monday

2010-10-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

We tweeted about this song a little while ago, but now there's an actual video! Loving the schoolyard, '90s vibe that's happening here, though now I wish that the schoolyards of my '90s youth had been more like this and less like the one where a jerk playground instructor literally banned us from playing TAG. Plus side: this has now inspired me to bring back Four Square (the game not the creepy social networking app, doi) and thus bring back my *stellar* cherry bomb skills.

Who knew they had it in them: PART 2!!

2010-10-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

Sure sure, Justin Bieber can melt our hearts with his dimples and croon pretty well with the help of studio magic, but how would he do in an 8-Mile-style RAP BATTLE??? Answer: surprisingly well, if this freestyle is to be believed!

RIGHT?! That's our boy, always keeping us on our toes, even if it's NOT because we're dancing. Dare we say that he's outgrown the need for a swagger coach? And let this be a lesson to all of our readers: if a doll-faced, lily white, 16-year-old Canadian can pull out such an unexpectedly on-point freestyle, there is NO REASON that you can't chase each and every one of your dreams!

Footnote: Biebs couldn't have picked better source material for his first foray into rapping, this song has been a major staple of my commute music recently, get into it!

Who Knew They Had it in Them?

2010-10-14T11:02:00.001-07:00

Some surrious social realness, courtesy of the Monkees of all people! Lots of people have covered this, but I like this version better than any other ones.

MUSIC MONDAY

2010-10-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

Moment of truth:

Sometimes in life, even the best of us lose faith in our swagger. This is only natural, as the tides of emotion are forever in ebb and flow. But when I catch myself questioning my swagger, I turn to Farley Keith, aka Farley"Jackmaster" Funk, who in the year of my birth (coincidentally... OR IS IT ) laid the seeds for my self-swagger-coaching by recording "Love Can't Turn Around" with the sublime Darryl Pandy on vocals.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Darryl Pandy's myspace describes him as "the round mound of chocolate sound." The greatest overlap of rhyme and descriptive accuracy ever to grace the internet.

I love this song because it is impossible to stay sad when it's playing. And this video is the perfect pick-me-up! Look at Darryl! Look at him BRING IT in that green sparkly sweatshirt and gold necklaces. Ain't NO ONE gonna break his stride! His aura is just exuding confidence, how can you watch this and not feel more confident yourself? Darryl knows he's fly, isn't it time you knew you were fly too?

Also I would be remiss if I didn't bring your attention to the Lifelike remix of this song, which is even MORE amazing because it ups the bass and the buildup, two things I think you can never have too much of if you want to lose yourself in the music. Special attention should be paid when he stops the drums to slowly bring up the vocals at 1:30 and then SLAMS us back into it at 2:03. Pure. Gold.

This is happening!

2010-10-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

Virginia and I are SERIOUS about making Body Language a real band. Just because we are on different coasts doesn't mean we can't have internet-supported JAM SESSIONS where we craft the perfect song for summer. Geography can't keep us apart!!!

I'm saying this because today feels like it's going to be fabulous. It feels like a day where wild proclamations sound like attainable dreams. How do you feel about today? Do you feel like listening to the Drums cover the Supremes? I KNOW I DO.

Or maybe you want to hear Disco Tex and the Sex-o-lettes GET DANCIN'? Today is a day to let music inspire you to be the best YOU that you can be. What songs make you just want to break out the ipod and strut everywhere you go? Whatever that song is, put it on and get out there and DO YOU! As Disco Tex says " no one cares how you wear your hair, baby, just keep doing it!"

Music Friday

2010-09-24T10:18:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling in the mood for a 70s NYC weekend today, despite the fact that it's 2010 and I live in Los Angeles. Luckily for me (and for you!) if anyone can make a car ride in 87 degree weather feel like a fur-coat-wrapped walk down a chilly New York street on the way to Studio 54, it's Inner Life. Let Jocelyn Brown's dulcet tones hypnotize you back to 1979 on this smooooooooth jam:

DREAM TEAM

2010-09-16T08:55:00.001-07:00

I can't help but think that this photo was created specifically for Mack to the Future. Please prepare yourselves to have this be our "Hurley" on the Body Language album we'll release one day...

Nothing warms my heart more than a beautiful young butterfly and a real life Barbie dressed in "cool middle-aged lesbian" garb. Loving. It.

Timeless

2010-09-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

In the hazy morning after Fashion's Night Out, some serious outfit (and swagger) inspiration:

Music Monday

2010-09-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

Link Wray, why you gotta be so fly?

Swagger tip: listen to these whenever you have to do something important. Doesn't matter what it is.

helloooooo nurse!

2010-09-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

So Jon Kortajarena has started doing ads for H&M's Fall and Winter line. In other words, we all win.

Jon Kortajarena is my favorite male model working today, because, well, look at him:

The man was clearly carved out of a solid diamond shaped like pure sexual energy by a gay angel.

Jon also does a lot of work with Tom Ford, which I approve of because his suits are incredible, and because it scored him a role in A Single Man which was one of my favorite movies of 2009. Here is a clip from the movie where Colin Firth ogles him much in the way that I would if given the opportunity:

In other words:

So I applaud you, H&M, for convincing me that low-priced fashion doesn't mean I have to suffer through throwaway B-list jock models. KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

Fashion Wednesday!

2010-09-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hey GIRLS, do you like fashion?

Do you want to dress like you are a mid-80s London prostitute? I KNOW I DO!! That's why I am OBSESSED with this British company Quontum UK thats combination of neon accents and early Mariah fashion is MY EXACT AESTHETIC.

Examples of the beauty below:

All prostitute humor aside, how beautiful are these outfits? Not only that but they are surprisingly inexpensive, unless I am completely misunderstanding the pounds/dollars exchange rate. So go get yours!

Just, you know, beware Jack the Ripper.

Music Monday: Oldies, Goodies

2010-09-01T08:42:00.000-07:00

For a typically late Music Monday, a couple songs that have crossed my path in the last week or two. They're by no means new but they're new to me, which I chalk up to them both coming from that amazing era of early 80's dance/soul/r&b/sparklemagic that I've tended to ignore, looking to the '60s and '70s for soul and the '80s for synth creations. Not a mistake I will make again! Finding these was like chilling with someone you always vaguely knew and realizing that you are destined to be besties and should have known this years before (i.e. the backstory of Mack to the Future, duh!).

First, Goldie Alexander's 1983 banger "Show You My Love":

And second, Jocelyn Brown's "Somebody Else's Guy" from 1984:

Big ups to the lovely and talented Tasha who alerted me to the brilliance of this second one - checking her out over at Tasha Say Yeah will be the best decision you make this fall. Go forth!

Easy Rider

2010-08-28T13:01:00.000-07:00

OMG OMG OMG, is there anything better in the animal kingdom than cross-species unlikely friendships?

P.S. how great is this zoinks-y music???

Stunna Shades

2010-08-28T08:08:00.001-07:00

Um, speaking of a new focus on fashion, can we please take a hot minute for these sunnies Henry Holland just tweeted a picture of?
These are just all things, and if I had a butler he would already be roaming the streets of New York City in response to my demand to find a pair before sundown. Needless to say if you're not already following our boy Henners on Twitter, you should rectify the situation right this minute.

Our New Favorite Band(z)

2010-08-27T18:56:00.000-07:00

A brief public service announcement: besides returning to a more regular posting schedule (life got real, you know how it is), Mack to the Future is going to start spreading its wings, and we are flying toward the world of *~*Fa$hIoN*~*!!!!! Ok, so that was a questionable metaphor and typeface choice, but it's only because I can't contain my excitement! As we've discussed often, the concepts of the Summer Jam along with well, Macking to the Future, are entire states of mind that take inspiration from all media, and certainly not just music! In other words, just because we love posting about music doesn't mean we don't want to bring our fair (or hopefully sunburned!) readers all kinds of other goodness.

SO to kick off our ongoing style series (Fashion Fridays, perhaps? Possibly!), let's spend a little time with the ultimate Summer Jam Accessory, THE SILLY BAND. In case you somehow missed out on the most fun, most cheapo, most neon trend of the summer, silly bandz are those little rubber bracelets that look like this:
And go on like this:

Right?! These are nothing but delightful, and also do a good job of easing the pain we still feel at the loss of the slap bracelet. Party tip: they're a totally fun way to leave a mark with your friends, i.e. when someone gave me a hot pink band in the shape of the word HOT on my birthday. Can't think of a more festive accessory, obviously aside from the piles and piles of gold jewelery I already happened to be wearing at the time. Further proof, as if it was needed, that children are an utterly valid source of fashion inspiration.

A la-la-la-la-la-la ladies man

2010-08-12T16:02:00.000-07:00

We don't talk about it that often, but you KNOW we can't live without YouTube heroes, and this ish is mesmerizing:

MUSIC MONDAY

2010-08-09T09:51:00.000-07:00

It's obvious that we at Mack are all for creating the perfect beach moment for your winter dreams and your summer realities.

When that moment is driving up the coast with an arm out the window and the stereo at top volume, we recommend a rollicking, fast paced dance/hip hop collaboration from two of our favorite performers out there right now:

Robyn - "U Should Know Better" (Featuring Snoop Dogg)

When that moment involves catching a beach sunset as you finish the last of your beers with your closest friends, as the fire is turning to embers, as you realize it's getting cold enough to unpack your sweatshirt, we recommend the newest from LA's own Local Natives:

Which category do YOU fall into?

2010-08-06T08:35:00.000-07:00

Something to ponder this weekend, fellow macks.

Charlatan, Martyr, Hustler, by Joey Roth

mad props

2010-08-05T05:33:00.000-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS, GAYS OF CALIFORNIA! IT'S TIME! TO! DANCE!

Let's Go Surfing!

2010-08-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the Drums.

Chances are you've already heard of this Brooklyn foursome, and over here at Mack to the Future they've been burning up our speakers since the first sparrow of summer began to sing. The Drums play music that is specifically designed for those iconic One Crazy Summer days and nights, or, in their own words: "We only write about two feelings: one is the first day of summer when you and all of your friends are standing on the edge of a cliff watching the sun set and being overcome with all of your hopes and dreams at once. The other is when you're walking alone in the rain and realize you will be alone forever." I don't think we need to tell you that these are two of the most intense and emotionally gratifying sensations, so it's no wonder the Drums easily wormed their way into our hearts. The combination of surfer sensibility and 80s throwback sounds (influences include New Order and the Cure, so... that's happening) coming out of four hipster dreamboats is enough to make the Drums frequent players on our summer jam lists and constant players in our HEARTS AND DREAMS.

They're also the most consistently on-point of the many beach-inspired bands out there right now (no hate, the more the merrier when it comes to the beach!), and the whole album is good enough to make you do that thing where you have a new favorite track each time you listen to it.

For a look at the QTs behind the Drums, and their delightfully weird angster dance moves, please see below:

Those of you that have been converted by this post (for the record, that should be ALL OF YOU), you're in luck! The Drums are heading out on tour and will probably be near you at some point, so check out their webpage for tour dates. We demand it.

Music Monday: The Art of Cover Art

2010-08-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

Few things excite the ladies of Mack to the Future as much as a good cover (or mash-up, or re-mix) - if someone reinvents and makes us re-think a song, we're on board in a big way. Hence, Body Language's future releasing album upon album of covers alongside our own self-styled summer jams. So imagine our excitement that besides, you know, making jeans, Levi's is now sponsoring an entire series of artists covering their favorite artists for Pioneer Sessions.

Predictably the results are a bit hit or miss, but for the most part it's incredibly on point: there are some faithful, un-fussy covers like She & Him's take on Fools Rush In (maybe the best Ricky Nelson song out there) or Raphael Saadiq's rendition of It's a Shame, which are both worth a listen. Our favorite so far, though, is Bomba Estero's beyond spicy re-work of Pump Up the Jam, please believe:

You have to go through to the site to download the whole thing (worth the effort, trust us), but in the meantime we'll grace you with the original, because when is it not the right time for Technotronic?

Music Sunday: A Swagger Success Story

2010-07-25T13:43:00.000-07:00

As any Mack to the Future reader knows, Aubrey and I have much reverence for spirit quests and swagger coaches. They have key places in all of our lives at one time or another. Something that we have not really addressed, though, is the sensation of reaching the end of a swagger journey and walking around knowing that you have made it through the rain and are RUNNING SHIT. We're in luck, because Jason Derulo has unexpectedly taken care of that for us, and I'm so stoked that I couldn't even wait one day to present you with our choice for this week's Music Monday:

Incredible things about Ridin' Solo:
-perfect production, including my personal favorites, snaps and whatever that boopity sound is (if anyone knows the name of the boopity sound please tell me.)
-insanely real lyrics like, "Told me get my shit together... now I got my shit together"... RIGHT?!
-final proof that the world of top 40 radio does not need Chris Brown.

SWAGGER ON!!

Oh Nicki

2010-07-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

Listen, I don't want to brag or anything, but here at Mack to the Future we discovered Nicki Minaj's "Your Love" all the way back in February. It seems the rest of the world has finally caught up, because a) I heard it on the radio last week, and b)Nicki has released a video for the track.

Watch the video HERE and be really happy that it showcases all of the things we love about her: costumes, attitude, plot lines, girlfights, and an unwarranted but not unappreciated sense of connection to Asian themes.

Since the powers that be are restricting our embedding abilities, allow us to post Nicki strutting in Mariah's "Up Out My Face" video instead. if you watch it and still aren't convinced you should be clicking the "Your Love" link, you can show yourself out.

For Real, This Blonde Chick is FLOATING

2010-07-21T01:09:00.000-07:00

I've said it before and I will say it again (and again): there are just not enough everyday opportunities to use the word spooktacular. Good thing my lovely roommate alerted me to this:

I already know this will be beyond perfect for walking to the subway in below-freezing weather and being all "ugh no one gets me what is LIFE," which is a crucial playlist to have at-the-ready.

Aaaaanyway, this single came out way back in 2005 and actually reached #1 on the British Dance Chart (if Wikipedia is to be believed, which it is. this is a blog, not a term paper, right?), and now Röyksopp have provided me with yet another reason to be jealous of Norwegians, who I imagine to be all tall, blonde, well-adjusted individuals that have perfect skin and listen to this music all day. Green card marriage, anyone?

cutest thing ever

2010-07-15T16:12:00.000-07:00

AAAAAAAAAAAH CUTEST VIDEO IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.

One dog.

One deer.

One ball.

GO WATCH NOW.

http://www.wimp.com/oneball/

The best part is at the very end when the camera pans and you see that the CATS have been watching the whole thing unfold. IS THIS THE FUTURE?

THIS. IS. IT. Mack to the Future's patented Summer Jam countdown

2010-07-12T09:58:00.000-07:00

Take a deep breath, things are about to get real. This is the post for which this blog (and our band Body Language, and possibly our entire friendship) was created. (Editor's note: for proof please see: the title of this blog) In honor of the sweltering heat in our respective coastal towns, we present the to you THE SUMMER JAM POST. After much g-chatting, soul-searching, and dehydrated drunk summer dancing, we've compiled what we believe to be a foolproof list of the greatest Summer Jams of all time. No. Big. Deal. As we've discussed previously, we firmly believe Summer Jam to be both the greatest genre of music and the greatest state of mind. Perhaps more than any other jam, Summer Jams will instantly take you back to the place, person, and buzz level you were at when you first jammed to it, a feeling that is part Proust, part Party in the U.S.A.

Now, before we launch into the list, some clarifications: to be a summer jam a song doesn't have to be about summer. It doesn't have to have been released in the summer. All it has to do is evoke the summer. This, of course, means different things to different people, so for some this list may not be comprehensive. We fully admit to a huge gap in the 1980s, made up for in our opinion by a tight focus on the '90s and early 2000s, clearly the golden era of the Summer Jam (as ushered in by Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff). In the name of full disclosure, we refer to other good treatments of the Summer Jam subject: MTV recently put up a great rundown, and Vulture tackles it with a brilliant category system every summer.

So, with much love, here, in chronological order (because order of importance would be far too painful), are THE MACK TO THE FUTURE JAMS OF SUMMER. Do us (and your friends) a favor and bring some of these sweet tracks to your next roof party. Do us ANOTHER favor and tell us your favorite jams that we may have missed!

ARTIST	SONG	YEAR
BEACH BOYS	All Summer Long	1964
THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS	California Dreamin'	1965
DONOVAN	Sunshine Superman	1966
THE 5TH DIMENSION	California Soul	1968
MUNGO JERRY	In the Summertime	1970
CHEAP TRICK	Southern Girls	1977
GREASE	Summer Nights	1978
EARTH, WIND & FIRE	September	1978
BLONDIE	Heart of Glass	1979
MICHAEL JACKSON	Rock With You	1979
ADAM & THE ANTS	Los Rancheros	1980
DON HENLEY	Boys of Summer	1984
FRESH PRINCE	Summertime	1991
INNER CIRCLE	Sweat (A La La La La Long)	1992
MONTELL JORDAN	This is How We Do It	1995
MARK MORRISON	Return of the Mack	1996
TUPAC & DR. DRE	California Love	1996
WEEZER	El Scorcho	1996
OMC	How Bizarre	1996
NOTORIOUS B.I.G.	Mo Money Mo Problems	1997
MA$E	Feel So Good	1997
SUBLIME	Doin' Time	1997
SNOOP DOGG	We Just Wanna Party	1997
WILL SMITH	Gettin' Jiggy With It	1998
ACE OF BASE	Cruel Summer	1998
JANET JACKSON	Together Again	1998
MARIAH CAREY	Heartbreaker	1999
LFO	Summergirls	1999
LEN	Steal My Sunshine	1999
SISQO	The Thong Song	1999
TLC	No Scrubs	1999
CHRISTINA AGUILERA	Genie in a Bottle	1999
JESSICA SIMPSON	I Think I'm in Love With You	1999
JENNIFER LOPEZ	Waiting for Tonight	1999
SHAGGY	It Wasn't Me	2001
BLU CANTRELL	Hit 'Em Up Style	2001
NSYNC	Pop	2001
EVE FT. GWEN STEFANI	Blow Ya Mind	2001
KYLIE MINOGUE	Love at First Sight/Can't Get You Out of My Head	2001
CAM'RON	Hey Ma	2002
R KELLY	Ignition (remix)	2003
CIARA	Goodies	2004
PARIS HILTON	Stars are Blind	2006
AKON/ GWEN STEFANI	Sweet Escape	2006
RIHANNA	S.O.S.	2006
SEAN KINGSTON	Beautiful Girls	2007
CUPID	Cupid Shuffle	2007
LIL MAMA	Lip Gloss	2007
NELLY FT. ASHANTI	Body on Me	2008
KID SISTER	Family Reunion	2008
KANYE WEST FT. ESTELLE	American Boy	2008
MISSY ELLIOTT	Ching-A-Ling	2008
R KELLY FT. SNOOP	Happy Summertime	2008
GET 'EM MAMIS	Cold Summer	2008
MILEY CYRUS	Party in the USA	2009
JESSE McCARTNEY	Body Language	2009
JEREMIH	Birthday Sex	2009
YOUNG MONEY	Bedrock	2010

(Ed Note: because there are so many dearly beloved songs here, we'll spotlight individual jams separately in the future, to give each one the love and attention it deserves.)

Let's Hold Hands on a Beach

2010-07-11T21:10:00.001-07:00

As per usual the Beach Boys know what. is. up.

MUSIC MONDAY

2010-06-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

This morning I can't stop listening to...

Oh, Smokey. Why do you hurt so good?

SHOT TO THE HEART

2010-06-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Heart and Lil Wayne (right?!!), the most intense heartbreak jam I've heard in more than a minute:

Happy Music Monday... I'm gonna have to sit for a bit after that.

Trina is living the dream

2010-06-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

NOBODY PANIC, our brief posting lull is over. Since Mack to the Future's bi-coastal collaborators are soon to be reunited for a weekend of big city frolicking, we want to make sure that everyone else's weekend will be just as mystical. And so, courtesy of two of our lady crushes (Nicki Minaj and Lady GaGa, both throwing down with Trina), two songs to keep your weekend grimy.

One for when it's time for the clothes to come off:

And another for when it's time for the earrings to come off:

(Download Let them Hoes Fight here)

A quick note about about Dang a Lang: it's just one of like a billion great tracks on Young Money's new mixtape Castle, all of which can be found here.

Music Monday: Better Late Than Never

2010-05-25T02:30:00.000-07:00

So as per usual Music Monday is a little late... if this keeps up we'll have to start calling it "Tunesy Tuesday" or something, and no one wants that. It's all ok though, because this week has yielded an embarrassment of riches.

Allow me to introduce you to my latest lady crush, Janelle Monae, who can only be described as Fresh. To. Death. Please believe:

This is a woman who:
1) can pull off a tux
2) likes outerspace
3) likes magic
4) is friends with Outkast
5) has some seriously fancy footwork and....
6) AN ALTER EGO.
7) Need I say more?

tell me what you want from meeeeee

2010-05-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

You know, a lot of people forget about Ma$e, known to most as "wasn't he friends with Puff? Didn't he date Brandy? Wasn't he like a minister or something?" But in my (albeit layman's) opinion, he's one of the best rappers out there. Not only does he have great rhymes and a velvety rapping voice, he has some of the sickest beats. For a pleasant change from all the amped-up dance fusion stuff that's going around these days, please listen to Harlem World, Ma$e's first and best album. It's a throwback to the golden days of 90s hip-hop and my god is it delightful.

And to make this interminable Friday afternoon go a little faster please enjoy one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE Ma$e songs (and songs in general).

The Godfather

2010-05-20T03:56:00.000-07:00

It had to start somewhere.

Music Tuesday

2010-05-18T09:17:00.001-07:00

For (belated as usual) Music Monday let me introduce you to something that may in fact make our music recommendations obsolete: STEREOMOOD.COM

Check this out: you go to the Stereomood website and pick your mood - as varied as "mellow," "driving route 66" and "feel like crying" (who HASN'T just wanted a playlist to sob to?) et VOILA, the website instantly creates a hipster-influenced playlist for your enjoyment. I mean, what more could you want?

Since Stereomood thinks I'd like to listen to RJD2's Ghostwriter, so can you!

Go go go and listen for yourself!

pussy footin'

2010-05-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

Leg warmers for cats? Leg warmers for cats! Get a case of Mack-to-the-Future-endorsed Hello Kitty Wine and you've got a theme party on your hands, complete with playlist. This is not a drill.

Back in Bieber's Arms

2010-05-11T10:28:00.001-07:00

I have been sitting on this track for TWO WEEKS for really no reason but life distractions - but how dare real life get in the way of the internet?

Driving to work two weeks ago my iPod was left on shuffle and treated me the the privilege of playing three amazing and totally distinct songs in a row:

1. Gene and Wendell: The Roach

2. Doug E'Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew: Lov'n Evry Minute of It

3. Patsy Cline: Back in Baby's Arms

I'm paying special attention to the last track because it got me through some really hard times, namely when the guy in the car next to me at a stop light stared at me while mimicking giving himself a handjob (at 7:53 in the morning.) But really, Patsy deserves a post regardless of my stranger-danger trauma. She is vastly underplayed and she is fucking AMAZING. Name me one person who doesn't get chills listening to Crazy.

Ultimate Party: Guest List

2010-05-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

Another tip for throwing the Ultimate Party - invite this guy:

When police approached Derek J. Goodwin, 29, as he sat in the Kentucky Fried Chicken on Broadway, Goodwin allegedly told them, "You are dismissed I don't recognize your authority."

Police said Goodwin was irritated, slurred his speech and had pin pointed pupils. When Officer Richard Lavey asked Goodwin his name, Goodwin allegedly said, "My name is Cheesy Beef Burrito." As Goodwin spoke, food was shooting out of his mouth, police said.

Police said Goodwin then stood up and started yelling at workers and customers, "Cheesy beef burrito, cheesy beef burrito."

Goodwin tipped over chairs and a table in KFC as police tried to cuff him.

Police were originally called to Broadway and Cross street by a Department of Public Works employee who allegedly saw Goodwin scare a woman and child as they boarded a bus. Goodwin then rap up to the employee, who was operating a mini street sweeper, and banged on the windshield.

Goodwin was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

Don't Call it a Throwback: Do "The Bieber"

2010-05-05T22:32:00.000-07:00

Latest stop on the Justin Bieber express train to superstardom: he's an inspired an entire haircut trend, "The Bieber." My mom was totally onto something when, in our once-ever conversation about Biebs, she said, "Oh, the girls scream for him just like he's Bobby Vee!" (Really.) This pearl of wisdom combined with the haircut business made me realize that besides being an utter delight, Justin Bieber is a completely old-fashioned pop star.

-Screaming, sobbing fans? Check.
-Trend named after him? Check.
-Music video in a bowling alley? Check.
-Persona that allows him to flirt with 12-year-old fans and never be anything but "looking for the right girl"? Check.

What a peach!

P.S. Bobby Vee really is the dreamiest of the dreamy. Take Good Care of My Baby is so catchy-sad that it will always be my favorite, but this video is really too good not to post:

EMERGENCY

2010-05-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

OK for real HOW IS IT AT ALL POSSIBLE that I am only just now seeing this video? HOW???

Maybe the amount of amazing things to be found on the internet is the REAL miracle here?

Music Monday: Breakups 101

2010-04-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

Another incredible discovery from the beautiful top 100 list of 1986 is actually something of an instructional video. For anyone who's ever wondered about the best possible way to confront someone who's been cheating, this is it:

As dictated by the legendary Oran "Juice" Jones, a blow-by-blow guide to handling a break-up:
1) Write a song (or poem or semi-autobiographical short story) that deals with the situation in as literal a fashion as possible.
2) DANCE. IT. OUT. (0:35). Enlist friends! (1:50)
3) Enjoy as many cigarettes and as much cognac as you want (1:03). [Preferably not alone though, only the Juice can pull off that look.]
4) Resist the kneejerk reaction to "pull a Rambo" and instead just CHILL. No sudden moves, please. (2:50)
5) Make sure you get your fair share (and then some) of the stuff (1:15).
6) Retire to your silk robe and DISMISS that fool for good (4:00). Make sure to reclaim your agency through self-esteem-boosting affirmations (see: "It's MY world, you're just a squirrel trying to get a nut")
7) *Bonus Round* ON TO THE NEXT ONE.

HEARTBREAKER

2010-04-26T09:29:00.000-07:00

cocoWHAT???

2010-04-20T16:20:00.000-07:00

So, coconut Hershey's kisses are a thing? Apparently! I found these guys on the clearance shelf at Pathmark, and they're just as perfect as I expected them to be when I first stuffed them into my basket. They're on clearance because they're supposedly an "Easter candy," but come on. Anything coconut flavored is automatically a Summer Jam Snack.

Also, these earn bonus points because there's something about the phrase "coconut kisses" that just makes me smile. So much so that when Body Language gets off the ground Coconut Kisses will probably be the title of a tropical mid-tempo Summer Jam about Summer Love. Mark your calendars! And in the meantime buy as many of these coconut kisses as you can possibly find, they're out of control.

MUSIC MONDAY

2010-04-19T09:12:00.000-07:00

For today's Music Monday post I'd like to bring your attention to my new favorite iPhone app, from (and I am as shocked as you are) the jerks behind Bing, the unnecessary google knock-off with the worst commercials ever. It's "TOP 100 BY YEAR," a playlist on the go from every year reaching back to 1947. You can listen to every song! It's an instant dated playlist! Color me Thrilled. Beyond. Belief.

In honor of this, my MM track is randomly selected from 1986, the year of my birth. Ladies and Gentleman, #56, BIG TIME! I love this song because it's Peter Gabriel, not to mention it's basically the story of Body Language. ENJOY!!

And, BONUS, randomly selected from 1987, the year Virginia was born, lucky number 23: ARETHA AND GEORGE MICHAEL!

This is What True Love Looks Like

2010-04-17T14:59:00.000-07:00

Movin' on up

2010-04-14T22:15:00.000-07:00

Best Coast finally dropped a video for When I'm With You, and it turns out they're seriously down with the clown. Two thumbs up!

She. Can't. Be. Stopped.

2010-04-13T09:30:00.001-07:00

More Nicki Minaj, because we love her and you should too.

Download the track HERE.

I-I-I-I can make your bed rock

2010-04-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

I don't even know where to begin on this song. It has haunted my dreams since Virginia first showed it to me a couple weeks ago. I've only avoided posting it for so long because words cannot describe how deliriously good it is. The hook? INCREDIBLE. The verses? Clever beyond reason. The chorus? Good luck ever getting it out of your head. And this video? You will never be at a party as fun as this party, so stop trying. Just spend your Friday nights at home, watching this on repeat and dreaming of what life would be like if it involved you and Nicki Minaj squirt gun fighting by the pool.

(Ed note from Virginia: just because I'm still in awe of Tardy for the Party, I'm throwing in a remix courtesy of Kandi Burruss and co. Variety is the spice of life!

Rasheeda f. Kandi, Toya, Diamond, Lola Monroe “Bedrock” (Remix) MP3)

Oh goodness

2010-04-12T10:55:00.001-07:00

Excuse me while I listen to this song and this song only for the next 2 weeks at least. Where has this been all my life??

Reeeeeeeeemix:

Gil Scott-Heron f. Nas, “New York is Killing Me (1200Squad Remix)” MP3

Posted using ShareThis

Hello, Kitty!

2010-04-11T19:04:00.000-07:00

Hunter Thompson had his Wild Turkey. Winston Churchill had his gin. As for us, we now have Hello Kitty Wine.

A clip from the interview with the CEO behind this:
To your knowledge, is this the world's first cat-themed wine?

I'm not aware of any other feline themed wines out there, but the cat is definitely out of the bag with this one.

---

PURRRRRRFECT.

Ink Yourself Before You.... Sink Yourself?

2010-04-09T14:46:00.000-07:00

We don't know if you've heard, but the young kids these days are pretty keen on the tattoos. They are also keen on Nicki Minaj. So what happens when these two concepts COLLIDE???

Yes. Aaaaand:

This clearly goes beyond fan art, and is in fact an extension of the always-classic tattoo choice, the Spirit Animal. LOVE IT.

TWITTER!

2010-04-08T15:23:00.000-07:00

BODY LANGUAGE IS GOING TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD VIA THE INTERNET.

First we started blogging! Now we're on TWITTER. Next stop: contract with Usher? I wanna do it like the Biebs does it!

You can click HERE to follow us, or HERE or HERE. (Ed. note: these links are all the same)

And by can I mean... had better.

Billie Piper: Because We Want To

2010-04-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

I've missed you, 1998.

Music Monday: Summertime (re: springtime) is here!

2010-04-05T14:05:00.001-07:00

This week's Music Monday happens to fall on a momentous day: today I wore shorts outside! For the first time since before winter! Aubrey may live in a land with 365 days of summerjam weather, but here on the east coast I have to deal with seasons, which I have never liked and have no plans to get used to. So, to celebrate the return of summertime clothes, a summertime-sounding song:

Real Talk

2010-04-03T08:23:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of YouTube videos out there of people ranting into the camera. This guy is better than all of those:

Seriously, so on-point. Things that we at Mack to the Future also hate:
-Fools who don't use turn signals. This even sucks as a pedestrian.
-Awkward same-side-of-the-bench couples in restaurants
-Gratuitous DVD encasement
-Text messages that make it impossible to respond. "What the fuck am I supposed to reply to LOL" indeed.
-BIRDS. They're awful.
It's comforting to know we're not alone. However, a couple of footnotes:

1) Cards that sing to you are awesome, guy needs to learn to appreciate.
2) Attention must be paid to Krispy Kreme Divas, easily the high-water mark of this YouTube genre:

!!!!!

2010-04-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

WHAT.

Just Bieber Screensaver from Justin Bieber

Eulogy.

2010-03-31T09:51:00.000-07:00

2006-2010

Last night my iPod took a permanent vacation to heaven. I am currently in the midst of my grieving process, made all the more horrible because I don't even have a "Grieving Process" playlist to mope to. I am trying (only partially successfully) to look at this as a chance to grow as a music lover. On that note, if you, loyal reader, are interested in sending me a cd (data or otherwise) of your favorite tunes, or listing your fave tracks in the comments section, please LET ME KNOW. DESPARATEEEEEEEEEE.

And since not everyone should suffer just because my music (/life) is gone, please enjoy this song care of Henry Holland:

Just imagine me singing this song to my dead iPod and you will have a pretty good picture of what my life has been since last night.

Seasonal Beverages

2010-03-27T13:11:00.000-07:00

Do we have good mojo in the air or something? Reverend Run tweeted a picture that we can also safely assume is a personal tribute to Mack to the Future:

ULTIMATE SUMMER JAM PHOTO.

It's fashion! It's strobe lights!

2010-03-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

Robin Thicke (ideal man) and Estelle (ideal woman) have released a video that can only be explained as a personal tribute to Mack to the Future:

Things to consider:
*Robin's fly-as-hell dancing
*Estelle's continued inability to dance. At all. Seriously, watch for this in her other videos. So endearing!
*Around 3:45 they do that amazing thing where you stop the song for a second then bring it BACK, thereby bringing back the excitement. Expect this to one day be a staple of Body Language hitz
*Champagne
*Lucite jewelry
*Roller coaster is like, one degree removed from roller disco, no? We'll take it!

Maluca Monday

2010-03-22T12:49:00.000-07:00

Like Aubrey, I've been having a pretty hard time listening to anything released past 2001 lately. But on the rare occasion that I remove all butterfly clips and glitter makeup and step into the present day, I've been watching this Maluca video on repeat:

A lady who rolls through town buying loosies in a red bodysuit and curlers is a lady I want to know, and a lady I want to hire as my personal swagger coach. She also puts on a sick (if brief) live show and works with the good people behind this NSFW classic. I'm in love.

MUSIC MONDAY

2010-03-22T08:37:00.000-07:00

So I've been listening to a lot of early 2000s music lately (DON'T JUDGE), mostly things I've completely forgotten about, but that my iPod has not. I keep listening to songs from high school, then realizing that they are a DECADE OLD. Is this what it feels like to see your life pass before you?

Anyway, here's a relic pulled straight out of 2000. The Comas! Remember them? They definitely appealed to the part of me that thought I was soooo cool for listening to music that was clearly intended for people who smoked pot (something I was definitely not doing at 13) although I don't think I got that at the time. I don't think the Comas ever amounted to much (NO OFFENSE) but I always liked this track and now you can too!

Yee-Haw

2010-03-18T13:57:00.000-07:00

Just in case Neighbors Know My Name wasn't explicit enough, we now have Reverse Cowgirl:

As far as we're concerned both the song and video can only be taken as a direct glove-slap to R. Kelly. Time to bring your A Game, Kels.

MUSIC!

2010-03-17T11:19:00.000-07:00

I have a little catching up to do on Music Mondays. Here are some of my favorite songs of the last week:

1. RETURN OF THE BOY BAND!!! This is real. And it's happening right now. And... you're welcome.

2. RETURN OF R. KELLY? I like this song because it's got all the thrill of inappropriate sex that an R. Kelly song has, without the mental image of him urinating on an underage girl. Also really enjoying the production value of this video.

3. This isn't really the return of anything, it's just amazing, and fresh and new. And incredibly addictive.

Never Let Go

2010-03-15T09:32:00.001-07:00

Get ready for the most exciting thing that's happened since whenever we last posted about Justin Bieber: James Cameron announced that he will be releasing a 3D VERSION OF TITANIC in 2012 to coincide with the hundred year anniversary of the Shipwreck That Started It All. This is not a drill.

Is it possible to sob in 3D? Is it possible that "sobbing in 3D" will end up as a Body Language b-side? Time will tell.

Sassy but Classy!

2010-03-10T10:55:00.000-08:00

This youtube clip only has 73 views. WE CAN CHANGE THIS.

Please watch until at least around the 4:30 mark, when our intrepid interviewer pulls out a Monique impression.

Weekly Bieber Post

2010-03-09T14:17:00.000-08:00

I know I have been remiss in posting on here lately (real life? WHAT REAL LIFE?) but I think I can call us even after you experience the new Bieber song "Eenie Meenie", featuring only my favorite kid-tested mother-approved rapper Sean Kingston!

There's no official video (YET) but you can listen here:

And then when you've decided that you love it, which you will, you can download it HERE.

Oh, and you're WELCOME.

The Ultimate Party: snack attack

2010-03-05T05:51:00.001-08:00

As summertime draws closer it gets more important by the day to know how to instigate The Ultimate Party. Here at Mack to the Future we already provided Step 1 with our foolproof dance party guidelines. Now it's time to decide how to fuel and nourish your guests.

As everyone under the age of 40 knows, BYOB is a totally acceptable policy. Hello! We're in a recession here. But BYO snacks? That's just a sign that your mother didn't raise you right. A party without delicious snacks is a party that people are going to LEAVE.

[Authors note: candy and anything sweet is purely optional. There's a lot to be said for some well-timed Haribo. Do you.]

The real game is CHIPS.

1. Let's just get this out of the way and establish that when it comes to snacks there is non-negotiably One Chip To Rule Them All, and that is the Nacho Cheesier Dorito. This is not debatable. But variety is the spice of life, and besides, there are times when you don't want orange cheese dust on your fingers, i.e. when you're playing grab-ass with some hottie at P. Diddy's White Party (but enough about me).

2. And that's where Hint of Lime comes in. It's exotic, spicy, and not as universally adored as the Dorito, meaning that more chips per capita will be left for the true connoisseurs. (Eaters be warned: your fingers may not be bright orange but they will STILL be coated in delicious flavor crystals. Grope other partygoers with caution.)

3. Another party classic is The BBQ Chip. While appropriate for any party, barbecue chips are a MUST for any, and I mean ANY summer jam. The combination of bold flavor, delicious crunch, and nostalgia for outdoor picnics past make the bbq chip the must-have party snack for summer.

4. If you are feeling especially zesty (re: salty) and want to indulge in the tortilla chip, go balls to the wall. Go Scoops. Which brings us to:

5. An important note on dip: If you feel like you need the protein of hummus, then we can respect that, and neither of us would ever doubt the importance of salsa, queso, ranch, etc. However, at a real party there's no time for dipping, only furtive munching to be immediately followed up by more DANCING. In other words, putting out dip is an automatic signal to your guests that they won't be partying their hardest, and nobody wants that.

6. Okay use the pita chip if you MUST. This is accompanied by an eye roll, because pita chips, while delicious, are for daytime parties. And times when you want to feel healthy, i.e. NOT party time.

7. Bargain Barrel Chips: listen, we get it. Sometimes you're in a hurry and you just need to throw some chips in a bowl to keep people entertained. We're not going to tell you we're proud of you or anything, but sacrifices must be made and if the decision has to be between the perfect chip and the perfect playlist, well, you know where our priorities are. In these cases, we will accept the admission of both the Basic Lay and the Ruffle.

Oh, and when it comes to the following, just leave it in the cabinet: Fritos, Pringles, Bugles?... all delicious chips. NOT PARTY CHIPS.

Music Monday: Birfday Edition

2010-03-02T11:16:00.000-08:00

March 1, 1994, a day that will live in infamy. Why? Because on this day the world first said hello to Justin "Swagger Coach" Bieber. Wind it back a few years to 1987, when Ke$ha was born on the very. same. day. As if that weren't enough, it just so happens this is also the date on which the Lindbergh baby was kidnapped in 1932, according to Wikipedia.

Needless to say Aubrey and I were too busy celebrating to actually post about this on Monday -- sneaking into Bieber's birthday party to sexily pop out of a giant cake isn't as easy at it sounds, okay??

In lieu of Music Monday, and as a belated tribute to the birth of these pop culture prodigies, some YouTube juvenilia:

Music Monday: Top of the Pops

2010-02-22T15:00:00.000-08:00

Through our mutual obsession with Justin Bieber/Baby, Aubrey and I got to talking and realized that besides out-classing us with their sassy accents, British people are also way, way better at appreciating a well-crafted pop song. Yeah yeah, Justin Bieber's Canadian. Whatever, that's close enough that our point still stands.

For instance, this Girls Aloud doozy that I listened to every single day a couple summers ago:

Come on, could that BE any catchier? Well, yes, but only if it were this:

Or, better yet, THIS, literally the most exuberant song I have ever heard:

(Sorry about the sad faux video here, her label has done a good job of preventing embedding. Actual video is here.) Both of those are off of Kylie's genius "X" album, which got no love in the US but was the Biggest Thing Ever pretty much everywhere else.Honestly, why does this stuff not make it across the pond? Do Americans not need aural glitter bombs just as much as the rest of the world? Are we really so jaded that we can't love Kylie? I need answers.

Music Monday: a treasure hunt

2010-02-22T14:20:00.000-08:00

Last night I was minding my own business, watching Boyz n the Hood on Netflix: Watch Instantly when, just in time for Music Monday, I heard this and got all worked up:

OK all snobbery and posturing aside HOW EXCITING IS IT when you hear an old song and realize you know it as a sample from another song? Or on the flip side, when you hear a song and actually recognize whatever it's sampling? I'm notoriously bad at this, and actually didn't realize until my senior year in college (seriously!) that Biz Markie's Just a Friend (my favorite song ever) actually takes its hook from a different song. Yes, I'm really THAT bad at this.

Luckily for ignorant individuals like myself, YouTube recommended this gem:

The first 2 minutes are really the highlight of this, particularly his Kraftwerk moves at 1:30. Those eyes! That darkened room! The note in the "video info" explaining that he made 20 different version of this! Ok readers, we D.A.R.E. you to connect the dots on this one.

Music Monday: A Post About Coasts

2010-02-22T13:00:00.000-08:00

In the realm of *~~*mUSic * blOggING*~~* it's maybe a little late to be writing about Best Coast. First of all, Mack to the Future is not a music blog but a life blog. More importantly, we take our motto from the Outback Steakhouse, where there are NO RULES, JUST RIGHT. Any place that created the Bloomin' Onion is a safe source of life philosophy.

With that explained, it's time to talk about my current obsession with Best Coast, aka Bethany Cosentino and co. Some preliminary viewing/listening:

There are so many things to love here:

1) This band has a cool back-story that I also happen to identify with completely: a year or two ago BC moved to New York, had the biggest bummer of a time ever, and self-medicated with a steady diet of sunshine & summertime west coast music. She then moved back to LA and started making these fuzzy summer jams which she describes as "stoned love letters to imaginary boyfriends." TOTAL FRIEND CRUSH.

2) She has an amazing blog that reveals her to be delightful and a total cat lady...

3) as does her even better Twitter account.

4) They covered one of my all-time favorite Lesley Gore songs, That's The Way Boys Are.

5) Listening to this music brought me back to the Best of the Girl Groups album that was a staple of my childhood, which in turn brought me back to this early feminist anthem:

It's like she took the words right out of my mouth. And the kazoo.

The first cut is the deepest...

2010-02-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

Speaking of Justin Bieber, please watch this INCREDIBLE video below of a small child FREAKING OUT about her one true love Justin (Justine?). Love stinks, right?

Baby baby baby.

2010-02-21T01:30:00.001-08:00

Justin Bieber, guy-I-would-have-crushed-on-in-high-school/ brown-haired Ellen impersonator, has a new song... with Ludacris! You know, Ludacris, the politically active rapper with a promising film/SVU guest spot career. I know it seems crazy but we're in a RECESSION guys, everybody's working for the money I guess.

All sarcasm aside, I really enjoy Justin Bieber (he has a SWAGGER COACH) and I'm liking this video too. I mean it takes place in a bowling alley and involves a girls vs. boys dance-off! This is the stuff of my teenage dreams.

Music Monday DO-OVER

2010-02-17T16:35:00.000-08:00

Well we both missed Music Monday but IN OUR DEFENSE how can you pay attention to a thing like deadlines on a Monday holiday where you're either snowed-in (Virginia) or out at the beach (Aubrey)?

The warm weather in Los Angeles this weekend (the picture above is from my roommate's camera taken in Malibu on Monday, NOT a stock shot) made it really feel like summer has finally returned to unseasonably cold LA. And that, as always, has got me thinking about the Summer Jam, the most exquisite of all music sub-genres, which in turn got me thinking about the 80s Summer Jam, specifically suited to the beach party mentality. This is not your mid-90s hipster New York rooftop on a sweltering night summer jam, this is the volleyball on the beach turns to nighttime bonfire summer jam. And what better way to celebrate than with a band who manages in 2010 to produce music that I can imagine I'm hearing for the first time in 1985?

(Kiss in Cities also gets extra credit for whatever the hell is happening in this video, especially the dance at 2:05)

A Valentimes Jam That Never Gets Old

2010-02-14T11:47:00.000-08:00

Please believe:

Music Thursday?

2010-02-11T12:12:00.000-08:00

OK I super dropped the ball on this one by not posting it as part of our brand-new tradition of Music Mondays. I'm ashamed of this not only because I have no real excuse for not making the effort, but also (more so) because for the last three days all of you readers have been denied the magic of Ms. Nicki Minaj's take on Queen Lennox (of my angsty girl-powered 90s) in this fly rap tune.

I love this song because it's a throwback to the glory years of my rap obsession, when I used to blast Puff Daddy and the Family's "No Way Out" every night on my discman (TRUE STORY). It involves some of my VERY FAVORITE ELEMENTS of rap music:

*hook ripped from a decade-plus-old song
*snaps
*autotuning. Also, how often do you hear female singers autotuned? After this song the answer will hopefully be "ALL THE TIME"
*abundance of pop culture references (please see: "I'ma die hard like Bruce Willis")
*specific references to summer jams which are nicely complemented by...
*sparkle noises
*any involvement by anyone who has at any time worked with my girl Mariah

Hello PERFECTION!

(this post thanks to kickinthepeanuts, where you can download the song for yourself!)

Music Monday: this is only the beginning

2010-02-08T10:41:00.000-08:00

Like a pair of hobos with nothing to our names but knapsacks, harmonicas, and a single can of beans, Mack to the Future is hopping on the Music Monday bandwagon. As further proof that the 90s shouldn't have ended, here's Wiley's (ft. Emeli Sande) take on White Town's always-classic I Could Never Be Your Woman.

(via The Fader)

meet your new best friend

2010-02-02T14:20:00.000-08:00

You know, not to get too philosophical, but I like to think that part of being a true mack is having the courage to admit your weak points and welcome the opportunity for growth and enlightenment. Being a mack is a kind of ongoing spirit quest. With this in mind, I was out and about yesterday when I heard a life-changing song that inspired me to go home and, like the smooth operator that I am, put "Stayin' Alive sample hip hop song" into Google.

In retrospect the song was probably this, which I'm pretty disturbed I had never heard before. But, as luck would have it, the first thing that came up in my search was this:

Once again, HOW is it possible that I made it this far in life without getting to know N-Trance? They have so, so many things going for them: a name that's a pun, a string of questionable 70s and 80s covers (see also Paradise City and Do Ya Think I'm Sexy) and a flow that harkens back to the countless hours I once logged in front of Parappa the Rapper.

In spite of their impeccable choice of cover material, though, N-Trance are at their best with their originals. Prepare to be N-Tranced:

And so it continues...

2010-02-01T13:53:00.000-08:00

This hypnotizing photo brought to you by:

*google image search for "Miley Fan Art,"

*google chrome's incognito window, which allows one to google image search for "Miley Fan Art" at work...

ANYWAY something you should probably learn to expect on this blog is a neverending stream of posts somehow related to "Party in the USA." No scorn please! Not only is the song itself so damn catchy, people keep doing amazing things with it! Soon I may be able to completely forget that it's brought to us by the creative genius behind the quote "pink isn't just a color, it's an attitude!" and "am I right-handed? Am I left-handed? ... Am I neither?"

Latest in the long list of delights is a remix of "Party in the USA" by Boston electo-synth band Yes Giantess, which manages to combine the sound of BODY LANGUAGE (aka OUR electro-synth band) with the directionally incorrect lyrics (Miley, please, if you're coming from LAX the Hollywood sign is on your left...) of Miley's greatest hit.

Feel the magic:

Are you special too?

2010-01-27T11:08:00.000-08:00

Missed Connections

2010-01-26T13:26:00.000-08:00

The internet can be used for a lot of great things: finding a job, watching other people have sex, starting an imaginary band (#BodyLanguage), or repeatedly watching YouTube videos of top 40 songs you can't bring yourself to download. Perhaps most importantly, it can also be used to find LOVE. There's no better evidence than this inspirational Missed Connections post in which a 25 year old male on the Lower East Side reaches out to his potential soulmate:

Work: soda, piss, soda, piss, soda, piss, soda, piss…make BLT on rye, shit, sorry TOASTED rye, calm down u fuck, I’ll toast it, JESUS. y don’t u stress out about ur fat cunt girlfriend instead. Yeah u look like a BIG MAN stressing about a sandwich. Out: to the downtown B, that pigeon’s moving mad slow, catch it, stomp its neck with my LL Bean chukkas. You: saw u right when I got on the train. U were sitting with ur girl, yall are like maybe 16, 17, 18 tops, dressed similarly, but u were so much finer, long black mad straight, tight grey jeans accentuating ur young Latina ass, with that small gap between ur upper thighs, like FINE young ethnic ladies have sumtimes. BUT THE DEALSEALER: brand new North Face SteepTech, tight, fitting u close, makin u look tall and real fuckin fit. OK, SteepTechs are a little LAST year, but I ain’t never seen one with purple on the neck and shoulders like u had. I had on a navy Helly Hanson parka , with big headphones, u see me? jesus, pleeeeeeez...

Good Morning, Vietnam

2010-01-22T09:47:00.000-08:00

You heard it here first, Today is going to be the best day of all of our lives!!

So says Spencer Pratt on his always-illuminating Twitter. Also illuminating was advice from his devoted wife Heidi Montag, who tweeted, "note to anyone who gets a nose job, take off you tape in the shower after it is wet!" So true.

Let's go, Mack to the Future readers! MAKE YOUR DREAMS HAPPEN TODAY!
---
Edit: The "best day of all of our lives" doesn't seem to have gone all that well for Spencer, who just tweeted,

"I can't wait until I reach enlightenment! I'm so sick of being angry and mad all the time! Please God help me LOVE MORE!!"

... TGIF?

How to Win Friends and Influence People

2010-01-21T15:02:00.000-08:00

Alright, let's imagine a scenario: it's a Friday night, and you're chilling with your good friends Agnes, Agatha, Germaine and Jack Daniels. Like the reckless young people that you are, you're drinking and probably listening to some music. Something great comes on and everyone manages to get off the couch and dance. What happens next can go one of two ways: someone puts on a total jam and you've got a serious dance party on your hands OR there's a lull /bad song choice, and your friends all sit back down and develop headaches.

The moral of this story is that successfully DJ-ing a drunk dance party is harder than it seems. Many are called, few are chosen. Not to get too big for our britches, but Aubrey and I have been known to make some very drunk dancers very happy, and have taken upon ourselves the noble duty of compiling a few basic principles to keep in mind:

1) Don't just fall back on whatever's big in the top 40 right now. It may be a total club banger, but your DJ-ees could hear that at any damn bar they went to. Instead they're letting YOU (yes, you!) dictate the music, so use this vote of confidence to showcase your connoisseurship and take them on a magic carpet ride through the decades! Switch out Bad Romance with Another Night or any song ever with Return of the Mack.

2) It's a dance party, not a middle school dance, so no slow jams are allowed. It has to be 100% danceable otherwise your guests will have time to realize their lack of sobriety and totally lose momentum. U Remind Me of a Girl? Perfect. Let it Burn? Not nearly as good.

3) If you don't play the Remix to Ignition (hot and fresh out the kitchen) your party is a failure and no one will ever talk to you again.

4) Don't change mid-song. Under any circumstances. This should be obvious, but our trust has been betrayed too many times, and you know what they say: fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on ME. Preventing other people from committing this unforgivable mistake requires a potent combination of vigilance and belligerence.

5) Deal with requests on a case-by-case basis, not everyone is as tasteful as you. And never relinquish control of the iPod/DJ table/CD rack to the drunk jerk who only wants to hear Single Ladies on repeat. Your friends are drunk and you control the music. You are their god.

In other words, it should end like this:

Party in the USA

2010-01-20T14:51:00.000-08:00

You know that song where you say tomato and I say tomato (THIS JOKE DOES NOT TRANSLATE TO BLOGGING)? For a while I thought that Virginia and I would have to call our whole friendship off because Virginia loved Miley Cyrus and I did not get it, mostly due to a rather tragic incident where I was forced, thanks to a lost remote and a divine sense of laziness, to watch almost the entire video for her song "The Climb". [Ed note from Virginia: I don't love Miley Cyrus so much as I love Party in the USA, and that is mainly because it's a direct allegory of my current life situation. You know, just to clarify.]
Luckily for ME, my mind was changed when my roommate graced the wall of my facebook page with an artistic interpretation of her song "Party in the USA" performed by some delightful young homos from West Hollywood (I think I actually saw one of them at a house party on Halloween!). As anyone who knows ANYTHING about me can attest, there is no more sure-fire a way to warm the icy sphere around my heart than with a bunch of proud gays singing pop music. Please observe the brilliance below:

So,I watched Party in the US-Gay... and then I watched it again, and again, and again. Could I be falling under the spell of the CYRUS??!?
And THENNNNNN Virginia showed me something that rivaled the magnificence of my previous viewing experience, aka THIS GEM:

While some light internet stalking revealed that this guy has a goatee and therefore is no longer husband material, Virginia and I are stillbasically in love with him at least in this video. Mad props to thehip-shaking at 0:55, which I can only hope is the literal translationin American Sign Language for "movin' my hips like yeah."

At a mash-up party a few weeks ago I discovered further proof that MileyCyrus is, in every possible way, a blank slate, and that Biggie worksin every possible mashup combination. Evidence can be found here:

HOW GLORIOUS IS THIS?! You can't fake this kind of brilliance, andit's damn near impossible to hate the person who brought it to my ears,even if she doesn't know who Jay-Z is...

A Treatise on Art

2010-01-14T12:09:00.001-08:00

True, this is a blog about pop culture. But it is also a blog about ART. Yeah, ART, the lifeblood coursing through humanity's veins, tying us to our past and to our future, bridging the language divide, inspiring the masses! British philosopher (and sexpot) Richard Wollheim describes art as "one of the most elusive of the traditional problems of human culture," and source-of-all-knowledge Wikipedia calls it "a vehicle for the expression or communication of emotions and ideas, a means for exploring and appreciating formal elements for their own sake, and as mimesis or representation." Yes friends, art has alternately confused, aggravated, inspired, surprised, comforted and (insert appropriate adjective here) mankind since the first piece of charcoal was used on a cave wall.

With this in mind I bring to you the next stage in Art-volution! The TWEET MUSEUM, where, with the help of artist Odessa Begay, your favorite celebrity tweet can also become your computer desktop. Yes, friends! Let's paint a glorious visual representation of that celebrity tweet! Let's glorify that typo with a depiction of what it could have meant were it not a typo! Let's make ART HAPPEN HERE TONIGHT.

(Editor's note: Though we can appreciate the value of modern art it is important always to remember it's roots in the classical art forms. Namely, the animated GIF.)

First Things First

2010-01-12T20:32:00.000-08:00

If Aubrey and I are going to feel good about ourselves as bloggers, we owe it to our readers to look out for your spiritual well being. So it's time someone said this: if you are not following Reverend Run on Twitter, you are not running your life right. Real talk.

When he's not wishing Mary J. Blige a happy birthday or giving pretty accurate relationship advice directed at the "ladies" of Twitter, Rev. Run serves up gooey, inspirational, and totally entertaining twitter wisdom, like so:

There's something out there big, fly and dope enough to keep fighting for

When u want something 2 get done,, Wishing wont do!. Replace that wishbone with a lil backbone!

There's no one that doesn't need this kind of daily, 140-character morale boost.

To conclude:

Dream it up,, THEN DO IT UP!

I Was Talking to this Girl from the US Nation

2010-01-10T06:29:00.000-08:00

MACK TO THE FUTURE!

This blog has a backstory and this is IT: Virginia and Aubrey went to high school together (ALL THE DOGS IN THE HOUSE TRUE DOGS?!), then college (ALL THE YEOMEN IN THE HOUSE TRUE YEOMEN?!?!), but only realized our potential for joint greatness after we moved to opposite ends of the country and became G-chat soulmates (THANKS INTERNET). So we've started this blog, and a hypothetical-but-eventually-real band called Body Language (named after the hit single by Jesse McCartney featuring T-Pain IN CASE YOU HAD TO ASK).

List of things we will do on our blog:

1) Compile lists. Lots of them. (See, we're doing it already)

2) Chronicle the inspiring story of Body Language's rise to the top.

3) Other stuff.