I always have to stop myself when I say I like “all kinds of music”. Because, honestly, that just isn’t true, there is really only one kind of music I like. No, not [just] Black Metal, I’m talking about music in a minor key. I mean, I’m a pretty happy guy, but there is something about sad, sad songs that just does it for me. I don’t dislike Vivaldi’s “Spring” and “Fall”, but I far prefer “Summer” and “Winter” (guess which seasons he writes in a minor key). “Satisfaction” is a fine song, but I’d rather listen to “Paint it Black” any day…you get the idea. Basically, it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that sting [of soul crushing sorrow and sadness]
This month on Minor Key Monday I grudgingly appreciate a hip, hipster song:
So I know I’ve had my run ins with being accused of hipster prejudice in the past, and I’m sorry to say that I don’t see any way around further hipster bigotry in today’s post. That said, I think today’s song is really good!
It all started while I was watching Mad Men and today’s song came on. And even though the song was backing a montage of all the hot chicks on Mad Men in their bras and underwear, I had to hit pause and find out who sang the song. It seemed later than the mid sixties setting of Mad Men, my guess was it was some early 70s Jethro Tull inspired band or something. Imagine my horror when I found out (after googling “palanquin” to track the song down) that the song was by none other than hipster darlings The Decemberists. Still, I was prepared to have an open mind, it’s not every song that makes me pause a bra and panty show to download its album.
As I waited for the download to finish, I listened to the rest of the song on youtube. The galloping beat, the eastern melodies, the clever wordplay, the minor key, hell, it was really rather epic. Perhaps these Decemberists were not so bad after all?
Sadly, “Infanta” was pretty much the only song on the album I much cared for. The “Eli” folk song was alright, but sadly there was nothing quite as chargingly epic as the opener. The ten dollar words, major key songs and kitchen sink approach to the album began to wear on me pretty quickly. As I started skipping around the album I realized that I really didn’t want to hear the singer’s annoying voice any more. Thus ended my brief flirtation with The Decemberists. “Infanta” still kicks ass though.
14 Comments
I’m a little surprised you didn’t like The Mariner’s Revenge Song.
Given your tastes, there’s no chance of you becoming a Decemberists fan, but you should listen to The Queen’s Rebuke/The Crossing and The Rake Song (from The Hazards of Love) before you give up on them completely. I think you could find occasional pleasant surprises on most of their albums.
If you liked Infanta, you should listen to Beirut. JOIN US. Also, Mad Men is great!
I think I immediately skipped the Mariner song because of that opening accordion. Accordion is fine (I’m a huge tango fan after all), but that polkaesque line they were playing was less fine. Just listened to the rest of it…the rest of the song is better.
And I’d had a recommendation for The Rake Song from Jessica the other day too. It’s a good song…though a little to straight ahead and rocky…it’s like what I imagine the White Stripes probably sound like. And The Queen’s Rebuke is too metally for me (heh, oddly enough, my taste in metal is even narrower than my taste in other music).
I still haven’t really found anything I like as much as Infanta from them though.
Hmm…there is more promise in what I’ve heard from Beirut so far…but damn, I don’t know…I really hate trumpets (and all brass with the possible except of the sacbut–for obvious reasons)
“The Rake’s Song” sounds nothing at all like The White Stripes, so just back that imagination of yours right on up, thank you very much.
Though I’ll concede that “The Infanta” is an all right song, I’m gonna go ahead and go on the record as saying that The Decemberists are kind of awful. Mostly because of their insufferable vocalist.
Haha…he definitely wore his welcome about about 20 seconds in to the second song on the one I listened to.
And I’ve heard that Jack White is considered a musical genius, sorry his sound turned out to be such a blatant Decemberists rip-off.
Beirut are indeed pretty good. If I had to guess, I’d say you’d like their first album best. It’s got an Eastern European vibe that’s kind of sad. Their second is a lot more French sounding, which is really nice too, but maybe less your thing. But yeah, if you don’t like brass (lolwut???), then I can’t imagine you being a huge fan.
I’ve done the work for you and have gone ahead and found your favorite Beirut song (I have no idea if that’s true or not): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnyYdiGmIsM
Well you correctly guessed my favorite song off Madonna’s Hard Candy, so you may be right…I’ll check it out tonight when I get off work.
Why I oughta…
I’m still stuck on “I really hate trumpets.” Are you human?
Trumpets have very few actual uses in music. If they are not heralding the arrival of royalty, being used in elegiac ways in Western movies or being used for hilarious scatological jokes in the American Pie movies, I don’t want to hear them.
As an example, this is an acceptable use of the trumpet: http://youtu.be/JfCgQe4Wqu0
Here’s another one, you fucking hater: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEC8nqT6Rrk
I don’t know man, I got a minute in and was like: http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/066/169/Jazz.jpg
Also, when did people start liking trumpets all of a sudden?
trolololo….