News Update: July 14, 2011

NEWS UPDATE: July 14, 2011

Earlier this week, we linked to two preview songs from the upcoming Muppets: The Green Album which features Muppet songs covered by some of music's most popular and talented artists. The songs we linked to were "The Muppet Show Theme" by OK Go and "Halfway Down the Stairs" by Amy Lee... both of which have been removed unceremoniously for copyright reasons. Well, fear not, Muppet fans, because Spin.com has an exclusive listen to "Our World" (from Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas) as performed by My  Morning Jacket. I love it--a lot. Give it a listen and judge for yourself!

Speaking of The Green Album, Disney has launched a new website called MuppetsMusic.com (http://www.muppetsmusic.com/) to promote the release of both The Green Album and the soundtrack for The Muppets (which the website reveals is to hit stores on November 22--the day before the film is released in US theaters). On this new site you can purchase one of two exclusive combo packs which include The Green Album, an exclusive poster, and a t-shirt featuring the winning design from the Threadless contest. The combo pack that includes the physical CD of The Green Album costs $40, while the one that includes a digital download of the album is $35.

It's impossible to argue that SesameStreet.org isn't the best of the best when it comes to official websites for Muppet characters. Disney's Muppets.com, for instance, pales in comparison when you see the countless video clips and interactivity options presented to you on Sesame Workshop's crowning achievement. Well, this wonderful site has gotten even better thanks to an updated page on the Sesame Street Muppets. This page features links to numerous "profile pages" for numerous Sesame favorites. This includes classic, hugely popular characters like Big Bird, Elmo, and Cookie Monster but shockingly and wonderfully includes pages for practically unknown or retired such as Little Chrissie, Ovejita, Little Murray Sparkles, Clementine, Fluffy, and Big Jeffy. It's crazy, it's awesome--therefore, crazy awesome--check it out!

The iTunes Store has been erupting with great new--and old--Sesame Street content over the past week. There's a new iPod Touch and iPhone app called, simply "iYip" starring the Yip-Yip Martians as performed by Matt Vogel and David Rudman. The app lets you hear the Martians spout words and phrases such as "You Betcha," "Booya," and, my favorite, "Awesome." You can also set yourself an alarm clock and be woken up by the Martians random words. It's awesome and well worth the $1.99 price tag just for the fun of it.


But the most exciting iTunes release for Sesame Street this week was the incredible Sesame Street Classics, Vol. 1 which, for $17.99 gives you twelve full, hour-long episodes of Sesame Street from Seasons 1 to 20 and, when purchasing the full season, a "Behind the Street" segment and, free to everyone, a Sesame Flashback retrospective. The fact that it is listed as Vol. 1 makes it seem that we'll see even more classic Sesame Street coming to iTunes very soon... so buy it if you can to encourage the release of even more--and because it's absolutely awesome. Trust me.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, ryguy102390@gmail.com