Day 4

[cpratt]

Day 04. A song that makes you sad

To quote mamoosh: This one was tough. Songs don't really make me sadI do listen to a lot of music, God knows, but I was never your stereotypical emo teenager, holed up in the corner with those huge white 70s headphones bawling my eyes out to the musical stylings of Terry Sacks. Music absolutely has the power to make me

Comments

[mamoosh]

This song. O, how it divides me. I see what he's trying to do, but...

When I first read David Foster Wallace's essay against irony, I thought, "Jesus, dude. Who are you hanging out with?" But when I hear songs like this, I realize that he maybe had a point. We have a lot of work ahead of us if we're going to dig earnestness out from underneath irony. I'm not sure I even want to. And these lyrics make me want to leave it buried out of spite.

[cpratt]

I get the feeling that it's entirely earnest (good), but that the video backtracks into ironic territory (not good).

[itchwoot]

I never saw the video until now. The album is one of my faves from Beck, I think it's totally genuine.

[cpratt]

I think it's entirely genuine myself, and I do appreciate the simplicity of it. It's hard not to approach it from a cynical/ironic perspective, though; the Spike Jonze directed video seems to more or less "go there," which I think is a little bit of a shame. Then again, I do like the video quite a bit, even if it's got stuff that makes me cringe.

My liking Moulin Rouge! alone is probably a sign that I'm actually 100% OK with simple, straightforward, honestly emotional content.

[goodolmike]

I couldn't agree more about Sea Change being the big turning point for Beck. I was such a big fan leading up to that. I even convinced myself that I liked it. Then after a few listens, I woke up.

I will say, however, that his new record club stuff is wonderful. He does covers of entire albums. The Velvet Underground cover album was fun, but the INXS cover he did was beautiful.

[cpratt]

I've heard about the record club stuff, but I don't see it for sale anywhere?

[goodolmike]

It's free on beck.com. But I think he just posts one song at a time.

[cpratt]

Gawd, what a tool. Just make it available from soundcloud or sell it as CD-Rs in your online shop or something. Sheesh.

I'm still pissed that his Can cover for Nickelbag never got released.

[mister_grimbart]

I love that you linked to "Winnipeg Is A Frozen Shithole". It's one of my favourite Venetian Snares albums. Agressive, and all the same bloody funny.

[cpratt]

I hope you've had a chance to see Guy Maddin's The Saddest Music in the World?

[mister_grimbart]

To be honest, I've never heard of it. Just having a look at the Wikipedia entry. The plot seems rather intense.

[cpratt]

Guy Maddin is an acquired taste, to be sure. You'll recognize some of the dialog as it was lifted for the Venetian Snares album.

At the very least, look for his Heart of the World on YouTube. That should give you an inkling of what his movies look like.

[foodpoisoningsf]

an absolutely stupendous hissy fit known as "If You Go Away"

Ouch. But right on the mark.