Junkie Thoughts & Opinions: CJ Bids Farewell to 08'

December 31, 2008 1:15 PM
by Pete Tremblay

At Midnight tonight, the collective wish of what seems to be nearly everyone on the planet will happen. We (humanity, at least in the American distinction) will say goodbye to 2008 and everything culturally, politically, and economically that has come with it. Most years, the small annoyances of the past 12 months end up manifesting as if they were an annoying house guest that just wouldn’t leave because that air mattress is just so comfortable. This year’s end however feels more like the end of a stint in solitary confinement in a maximum security prison that just so happened to be situated on a cliff over looking the most beautiful beach in the world, a sight you can only see through a hole the size of a penny in the wall; A torturous circumstance of great potential with little chance of enjoyment, enlightenment or complete fulfillment. The inevitable failures of our society have manifested in war, recession, and general depression that read incredibly close to the invaluable opening from a Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of Times, it was the worst of Times”.

Now that the Giant Pink elephant in the room has been allowed to sit down and look over the mess he made, let’s move on to why you read CoolJunkie to begin with.

The relationship between music and culture has seemingly always had an awkward and antithetical interaction. When times are great, music will generally explore its darker elements and meanings, rushing away from love songs and into depths of depression and self exploration. (Think about the early 90’s and the grunge movement). It’s almost natural to explore your psyche when you don’t have to worry about losing your job, getting a credit card or having your house repossessed by the bank. In contrast when the toughest times are upon us we lighten the experience with music, as sound is the great facilitator of any audiophiles mood. A very similar set of circumstances is exactly how the fashionably and musically indulgent Disco Era came about in the 70’s… Gas lines a mile long bringing you down? Listen to the fucking Bee Gees and go see Saturday Night Fever! Don’t forget your leisure suit, platforms and afros (and cocaine!)

Escape and avoidance has been the byproduct of shock and awe, with 2008 being a case study in history repeating itself and than getting greedy and going to the next level of “what the fuck is going to happen NOW?” The only difference is that we are listening to MGMT and going to see Tropic Thunder.

The anthem “A time to pretend” perfectly epitomizes everything 2008 had to offer us. An uncertain future that requires letting go of everything comfortable, familiar and easy in the hopes of finding something more amazing and fulfilling around the corner… and at face value partying until you shit the bed Janis Joplin style.

The indulgent nature that MGMT represents in both live and recorded exposition also happened to get a lot of people out of their houses and into the venues, discothèques and clubs all around the world because lets face it, even if you cant afford your cell phone bill there’s always room for a Pabst in the budget. This anthem was so catchy that the mass majority of listeners could (obnoxiously) recreate the über catchy synth hook with their mouths sounding something like a mix between a trumpet player and a retarded version of Beeker from the Muppets; but with such great power comes great responsibility and everyone knew that when the bridge was upon us it was time to close our eyes and scream out the words “This is our decision, to live fast and die young.
We've got the vision, now let's have some fun!!”

The most beautiful part of MGMT or any of the escapist artists like MIA and the Kings of Leon for that matter is the hope and exuberance of letting go of everyday misery and striving for something much greater, happier and more exciting than our everyday lives. Much like the expectation that 2009 represents with so many historically important motions that have been put into activity with such uncertainty, we survive on hope, happiness and that catchy synth line. It’s all we have some days to get us through the week, kind of like the dollar menu at Wendy’s three days before payday. Hopefully when the drunk lights come on and the party’s over, we will no longer be fated to pretend.

Views expressed in this article are solely that of the author and does not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CoolJunkie.