It's My Choc-o-late Attack

Then there are marketing wonks who know exactly what they're doing. Witness, for example, those evil, evil folks at Apple. One of their new iPod ads feature a plethora of rollerskaters and a teaser of what sounds like a really kewl tune.

The song, for those of you who have some inhuman ability to resist a good hook, is "Feel Good Inc." by the Gorillaz. Which, of course, is available to download from iTunes. And thanks to a promotion from one of our fine megacorps, I did just that...for free. And have now listened to said tune approximately 5,000 times.

Like a lot of good pop, the tune is simplicity itself--strictly an A-B-A-B-A pattern. The tune opens with manaical laughter that could have been lifted from "Crazy Train" or perhaps the end of Crimson's "Easy Money." Then we get hit with the bass-heavy hook and the lyrical "theme" (the precise nature of which is impossible to discern, given the casual (read: incomprehensible) vocals), which seques into a rather lovely acoustic guitar section (backed with some well-timed keyboard washes). Then we're back to the hook, only this time the rather lackadaisical vocal is replaced with a rap from an unrecognizable De La Soul that is sure to please the hardcore hip-hoppers.

Then it's lather, rinse, repeat.

Unfortunately, there are a couple downsides. Not for the song itself, mind you, but rather its marketing.

First, and it may not be common knowledge at this juncture, but Gorillaz have actually made a video for the song. I've seen it, and was particularly taken by the Miyazakian aspects of the animation. However, the first image that's going to pop into my head whenever I hear the hook for the song is a trio of headbanded rollerskaters on a blue background. So Gorillaz (or, more likely, their label) may reap some financial benefit from the cross-promotion, Apple ultimately gets to play the trump of forever having the music associated with their brand.

Even worse (from Gorillaz POV, at least) is the fact that there is currently an overview of their just-released album available for free download via iTunes. After perusing said overview, I realized that the new album would have about as many songs that I would enjoy as their first did. Which is to say, one.

To sum up, Apple manages to raise my interest in a song, which I then download for the cost of a soda I would have purchased anyway from a site owned by Apple. In the process I determine that I need spend no further money on the band's full-length work.

So...who do you think is getting the better deal?