The Decemberists sing about Valerie Plame

[bobbob1313]

How can you tell when that's being done?

 

It's a 7th sense.

[bjorn_skurj]

Ween is boring.

 

Hooray for stating opinions as fact!

You yourself would state that there is no such thing as "fact" when it comes to music, so I apologize if you did not take the "IMO" thing as read. Too bad there isn't sabermetrics for music, so you could bombard us with a bunch of Star Trek-sounding acronyms.

IMO, Colin Meloy can't sing, writes dumb songs that sound like they were taken from Cliff's Notes of Dickens novels and dresses badly. He has about as much talent as that dude in Nickelback. That better?

[bobbob1313]

You're just mad because you know Fransisco Rodriguez isn't going to be able to stop another September collapse.

[embiggen]

WFUV plays this song every freaking hour. sick of it@!

[bobbob1313]

Really, though. Whatever. I think Colin Meloy is insanely talented as a singer and song writer.

[KevinG]

Right-wing, no longer funny comedians, who still think they are important??

 

I have seen them do the audience participation stuff also. At a show at the Riv they did something that sort of fell flat and ruined the end of the show. The obscure historical stuff is what makes them unique though....

 

LouieB

 

Not quite what I was looking for, artists who use obscure references to not only make a point (and possibly do it in a tongue and cheek way), but also to show how smart they are. I have said it before and I will say it again. At times Colin Meloy writes songs just to show how smart he is. Not to say the end product is bad, but annoying. I have never said they where overtly serious, I think pretension and seriousness do not go hand in hand. Quite often the who are the most pretentious think they are doing it with a wink and nod. ie Dennis Miller. Another way to say this is Artists who are smart, but their art is written to show how smart they are.

 

To a varying degree I feel these musicians that fall into this category.

 

They Might Be Giants

Ryan Adams

Sufjan Stevens (though I think he takes himself way to seriously, but that is another thread for another time)

Ben Folds

 

And to tell you the truth, they are some of my favorite artists.

[keeprighton2]

Not quite what I was looking for, artists who use obscure references to not only make a point (and possibly do it in a tongue and cheek way), but also to show how smart they are. I have said it before and I will say it again. At times Colin Meloy writes songs just to show how smart he is. Not to say the end product is bad, but annoying. I have never said they where overtly serious, I think pretension and seriousness do not go hand in hand. Quite often the who are the most pretentious think they are doing it with a wink and nod. ie Dennis Miller. Another way to say this is Artists who are smart, but their art is written to show how smart they are.

 

To a varying degree I feel these musicians that fall into this category.

 

They Might Be Giants

Ryan Adams

Sufjan Stevens (though I think he takes himself way to seriously, but that is another thread for another time)

Ben Folds

 

And to tell you the truth, they are some of my favorite artists.

 

Anyone consider Radiohead pretentious then? (and by association Wilco, the erm, 'American' Radiohead)

 

Plenty I know think Radiohead are up thir own asses.

[Sir Stewart]

If I had to choose between Sufjan Stevens and The Decemberists I would try to convince my tormentors to let me drink the arsenic.

[HungryHippo]

I've never heard a Decemberists song in my life.

[wheelco]

btw, all of these singles are songs they don't want to put on the new album, so they're getting all of you to buy them separately . . .

 

I'll buy the album and maybe a few of these songs if I'm convinced they're listenable - I do generally like the band but there's been a few completely unlistenable tunes along the way, including ones where I've thought, "I just have to have that new Decemberists' b-side" and it ends up sucking.

[jakobnicholas]

For those who don't like Meloy's voice.....I totally understand and you have every right to not like listening to them.

 

His voice doesn't bother me.

 

 

 

I like the campiness of the Decemberists. Much like I like the red/white/black and some of the dramatics of Jack White in the White Stripes. And I like how Michael Stipe wears goofy makeup and/or dresses on stage. To me, it adds a little mystery and excitement.

 

 

Some of Meloy's lyrics you could say are showing how smart he is, but I love the characters he creates in other lyrics. The Bus Mall is one of the most beautiful songs they've written....about a gay couple turning tricks to get by. That's not, "we're smart and pretentious", but rather, "we're great story-tellers."