The more I listen to Cursive and Gnarls Barkley, the more I have to agree with you.
Happy Hollow still has a few songs that make me listen through the whole album, though. St. Elsewhere I just find myself listening to a few hand-picked tracks then moving on. At first I thought it was amazing, then it just became sort of bland, similar to how I began feeling about Fear Before... - The Always Open Mouth, there's not a whole lot different, not a lot to remember, and after a while it's like there's not much worth remembering.
Yeah, I don't mean to sound like I've been drinking haterade or anything, Mike, but I'm kind of surprised about how much people were obsessed with those records when, like you said, aside from a few songs on Happy Hollow and St. Elsewhere, I wasn't especially excited, and I still haven't really listened to the Fear Before the March of Flames all that much, but I remember having that impression. I'm sorry if I made you cynical about things you liked already.
At first I jumped on the hype bandwagon for Happy Hollow, but for St. Elsewhere I had kept my opinions tight to my chest. I had some reservations but I assumed everyone else had listened to it more and I just wasn't hearing the same thing.
As with a lot of music, I grow increasingly critical of it after a while and few whole albums I do enjoy for longer than 4 months. These albums just followed a similar path.
Yeah, I'm really glad I'm still not tired at all of the mewithoutYou and Blood Brothers mostly. I hope you agree.
I think I like that on Happy Hollow they were trying to do something different, but I really don't think they were completely successful, and you were right, there were some songs that did work, but I don't think most of it did as well as I was hoping.
i like this. it's informative and there are pictures.
islands: i'm glad to hear that this is gut. i liked the unicorns and wasn't really sure about trying this.
b&s: i liked this album (maybe my favourite b&s album??)? but i can kind of be a sucker for pop-ish stuff.
i just got the new of montreal album, and from what i've heard i think i like it. it's different, in that it seems a bit more electronic-dance-y than the others. there's one song i remember that sounds like godspeed you! black emperor because of the way it starts out, i mean, except with words, and it's long. i'm still not sure about some songs, but i haven't listened to it that much either.
I mostly just did it for the pictures, and to show people that I listened to lots of things, but that most of it were things I probably shouldn't have heard
( ... )
1. An Albatross- Blessphemy: This one wins for its surprisingly listenable brand of artsy psychedelic spazz-core (trademark). The organ really provides an almost tangible link through the songs, which makes the music readily accessible to those of us who love loud music, but tire of it quickly.
2. Joanna Newsom- Ys: If I had to choose one album as my favorite, it would probably be this one. There's always one album, it seems, per year that really seeps into my writing and for me it's this one. While the lyrics are written in an almost archaic dialect, it's juxtaposed with common day expression and universal pathos. The music is absolutely gorgeous; almost the antithesis of the minimalist Milk-eyed Mender, Ys possesses a delightful interplay between harp and strings.
3. Liars- Drum's Not Dead: My friend Bill had this cd with him in England this summer, and I borrowed it on many occasions to just sit and meditate to. The music itself is very eerie, with ghostly vocals propelled by tribal-like rhythm.
I just wanted to say that I like that you put the Exploding Hearts compilation on there. I was even thinking of purchasing that for you in the spirit of Snowflake Day.
I'm not sure if the Blood Brothers are more or less accessible (you'll have to remember they still had the power to offend Becca and Dixie's ears, which means they haven't sold out completely), but I don't care what it is if it's still sassy, David. I mean, right now I'm listening to March on Electric Children, and I don't really get people saying that they've drastically changed their sound or anything. Obviously there's more emphasis on keyboard, and lots of the songs are longer, but not in a way, like you said, that made some of the more epic songs on the Islands record hit or miss. At least they didn't rap this time
( ... )
7. M. Ward- Post-War: M. Ward writes some of the most beautiful, timeless, folk songs today. Everything the man has done has been poignant. It's music that seeps inside your brain and relaxes you. Listening to it makes you think of late nights playing records, or sitting on the deck sipping scotch, or a quiet walk through the woods. It's music that could've been popular 100 years ago, and will still be popular 100 years from now.
8. Beirut- Gulag Orkestar: I actually got sort of sick of this album after listening to it exclusively for a few days. The reason it's on this list is because of the song "Postcards From Italy" which is without a doubt, my favorite song of the year. Zach Condon has a beautiful voice that reminds me of Rufus Wainwright. The arrangements are nice, and they do produce the desired effect of transporting the listener to stereotypical European countries. Something about the music comes off feeling a tad empty though, like he's saying something profound, but doesn't really believe it. Except for "
( ... )
Thanks, Davey. I agree about most of that stuff. I've only heard Transistor Radio, I think. It was nice. Yeah, I've never allowed myself to hear enough of the Beirut to be bored with it, I guess, because I guess I anticipated that? I don't know. If it's like Les Savy Fav I think I want to hear Die Princess Die. I agree about rather hearing bands sound like the Stooges than U2.
Comments 14
Happy Hollow still has a few songs that make me listen through the whole album, though. St. Elsewhere I just find myself listening to a few hand-picked tracks then moving on. At first I thought it was amazing, then it just became sort of bland, similar to how I began feeling about Fear Before... - The Always Open Mouth, there's not a whole lot different, not a lot to remember, and after a while it's like there's not much worth remembering.
Reply
Reply
At first I jumped on the hype bandwagon for Happy Hollow, but for St. Elsewhere I had kept my opinions tight to my chest. I had some reservations but I assumed everyone else had listened to it more and I just wasn't hearing the same thing.
As with a lot of music, I grow increasingly critical of it after a while and few whole albums I do enjoy for longer than 4 months. These albums just followed a similar path.
Reply
I think I like that on Happy Hollow they were trying to do something different, but I really don't think they were completely successful, and you were right, there were some songs that did work, but I don't think most of it did as well as I was hoping.
Reply
islands: i'm glad to hear that this is gut. i liked the unicorns and wasn't really sure about trying this.
b&s: i liked this album (maybe my favourite b&s album??)? but i can kind of be a sucker for pop-ish stuff.
i just got the new of montreal album, and from what i've heard i think i like it. it's different, in that it seems a bit more electronic-dance-y than the others. there's one song i remember that sounds like godspeed you! black emperor because of the way it starts out, i mean, except with words, and it's long. i'm still not sure about some songs, but i haven't listened to it that much either.
Reply
Reply
2. Joanna Newsom- Ys: If I had to choose one album as my favorite, it would probably be this one. There's always one album, it seems, per year that really seeps into my writing and for me it's this one. While the lyrics are written in an almost archaic dialect, it's juxtaposed with common day expression and universal pathos. The music is absolutely gorgeous; almost the antithesis of the minimalist Milk-eyed Mender, Ys possesses a delightful interplay between harp and strings.
3. Liars- Drum's Not Dead: My friend Bill had this cd with him in England this summer, and I borrowed it on many occasions to just sit and meditate to. The music itself is very eerie, with ghostly vocals propelled by tribal-like rhythm.
4. The Exploding hearts- ( ... )
Reply
I'm not sure if the Blood Brothers are more or less accessible (you'll have to remember they still had the power to offend Becca and Dixie's ears, which means they haven't sold out completely), but I don't care what it is if it's still sassy, David. I mean, right now I'm listening to March on Electric Children, and I don't really get people saying that they've drastically changed their sound or anything. Obviously there's more emphasis on keyboard, and lots of the songs are longer, but not in a way, like you said, that made some of the more epic songs on the Islands record hit or miss. At least they didn't rap this time ( ... )
Reply
7. M. Ward- Post-War: M. Ward writes some of the most beautiful, timeless, folk songs today. Everything the man has done has been poignant. It's music that seeps inside your brain and relaxes you. Listening to it makes you think of late nights playing records, or sitting on the deck sipping scotch, or a quiet walk through the woods. It's music that could've been popular 100 years ago, and will still be popular 100 years from now.
8. Beirut- Gulag Orkestar: I actually got sort of sick of this album after listening to it exclusively for a few days. The reason it's on this list is because of the song "Postcards From Italy" which is without a doubt, my favorite song of the year. Zach Condon has a beautiful voice that reminds me of Rufus Wainwright. The arrangements are nice, and they do produce the desired effect of transporting the listener to stereotypical European countries. Something about the music comes off feeling a tad empty though, like he's saying something profound, but doesn't really believe it. Except for " ( ... )
Reply
I've only heard Transistor Radio, I think. It was nice.
Yeah, I've never allowed myself to hear enough of the Beirut to be bored with it, I guess, because I guess I anticipated that? I don't know.
If it's like Les Savy Fav I think I want to hear Die Princess Die.
I agree about rather hearing bands sound like the Stooges than U2.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment