"It's a blessed condition, believe me": Images of African Americans in horror cinema #19.

Throughout February, ANTSS will be running images that reflect - for better or worse - the image of African Americans in horror cinema.

Ving Rhames, Mekhi Phifer, and assorted cast members from Dawn of the Dead, 2004.

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Music: 'Cause, be honest, you kind of think the end of the world is going to be sort of fun.

The Sprites formed around the core husband-wife team of Jason and Amy Korzen. After the 2001 collapse of the nerd-tastic D.C. indie outfit Barcelona, Jason retreated into his basement with a four-track and, with the exception of Amy's consistent presence, a revolving cast of ex-bandmates and friends. The result was the 2003 Starling, Spider, Tiger, and Sprites (which opens with "Do It Yourself," power pop's greatest anti-band spirit anthem). The band went through a cycle of releases and touring, all the while losing members and focusing in on the Korzens. By the release of 2006's Modern Gameplay, Jason and Amy were pretty much a self-sufficient unit, playing nearly every instrument on every track and producing the album on their own.

The following track – a tribute to '70s horror film legends titled "George Romero" – is off the 2006 platter. Modern Gameplay features a full sweep of the Korzen's geeky obsessions, from the wonderful "I Started a Blog Nobody Read" to the slightly more esoteric "Huygens versus the Werewolf," which namechecks the 17th Century Dutch polymath who argued that light consists of waves, discovered centripetal force, and is considered the first dude to use a formula in his physics work. Pretty geeky, sis.

Despite the shut-in Muzikbunker otaku vibe this thumbnail bio might give off, the Sprite's sound is classic indie pop. Though the instrumentation tends towards the minimal, it stays bright and organic feeling. The lyrics are clever and the irony comes off as goofy instead of world weary. It's fun times.

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