Pitchfork

It seems Les Savy Fav have been surrendering the reigns to the ol' workhorse of late. First, they asked their fans to sing on their record, and now, they're actually paying people to stand in for them in a video. I guess you can't spell Les Savy Fav without "lazy," eh? Er, wait.

In truth, these recent overtures smack more of a purposeful breakdown of the barrier between artist and fan than a clever disguise for lethargy. (Besides, anybody who's witnessed this band in action knows that they have more energy than a kitten hyped up on Sparks.)

Les Savy Fav are giving weekend Gondrys essentially carte blanche in a contest to create the clip for "The Equestrian" from their forthcoming album Let's Stay Friends. Entries must be a performance of the song, with lip-synching and at least some attempt to mimic playing instruments. Save that arty, impressionistic mess for your Decemberists thesis, Sally Gradschool; Les Savy Fav want you to rock! Or, at least, pretend.

The winner-- based on the most views on YouTube, where videos are to be uploaded-- will receive full bragging rights, plus $1000 and a bitchin' trophy. Videos are due by September 18, so you oughta get crackin'. Full details are available here.

Even if you don't win, the consolation prizes are choice: Let's Stay Friends is out that very day in the U.S. on French Kiss Records, and October 1 in the UK on Wichita. And the band's touring, too, with European dates trickling out since last we spoke on the subject.

LSF:

09-21 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg $
09-22 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom ^
10-06 New York, NY - Randall's Island *
10-21 Manchester, England - Club Academy
10-22 London, England - Scala
10-23 Berlin, Germany - Festsaal Kreuzberg
10-24 Hamburg, Germany - Ubel & Gafehrlich
10-25 Rotterdam, Holland - Rotown

$ with Cheeseburger, Fatal Flying Guilloteens
^ with Parts & Labor, S Prcss
* with Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem