Cher and producer Snuff Garrett have resurrected the LP pegged to a hit single and embellished it with a few cover versions and throwaway tracks. Like most of those decade-old affairs, it's a-loser. "Half Breed" itself has only Cher's frantic vocal and Garrett's supremely commercial production to recommend it. The lyrics assume both white and red persons are prejudiced against the other race, an assumption of the same staggering magnitude as the axiomatic portrayal of gypsies as sluts and whores in "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves." As for the rest, the lavish production is wasted. Cher's amazingly powerful voice is not being used effectively, and it is frustrating to hear it squandered on rubbish.

Meanwhile, Sonny and Cher Live in Las Vegas Volume II has been rightly ignored both critically and commercially. One wonders if the indifferent response to it will spur the Bonos to devoting more attention to the production and selection of their material.

“Time to Pretend”

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”