Personal thoughts on music, as on any form of art, are to be taken with salt grains. So goes the crude adage on opinions. I read rock and roll reviews all too often, and more often than not they're onanistic drivel. (Adding a huge caveasterisk to this entire post.)
And then there's Gheorghe. (And then there's Maude.) By now I have come to know those among you scribes with musical tastes that approximate my own. And even the Gheorghies with different leanings make me at least want to sample your recs.
TR's selections are usually within my area code of favorites, if not my ZIP code. Although we don't always jibe about our jive (he was luke on KoL's Because of the Times excepting "Fans," whereas I liked it quite a bit and would rank "On Call," "Knocked Up," and especially "Ragoo" above "Fans"), most of what he tells me to hear, I enjoy.
Which is why I raised an eyebrow when he gave a vigorous shout-out to Spoon's 2014 effort, They Want My Soul. I had somewhat passed it by after a handful of listens last year. "Inside Out" I dismissed, "Do You" I liked fairly well until SiriusXM drove it into the ground last summer, and "Rainy Taxi" was a finalist for 20 for 2014 (x 2) inclusion but fell short. Eh.
It may have stemmed from a disappointing show I took in at the amazingly great Outside Lands Festival in August. They had the short straw of an early-in-the-day, drizzly weather, not crowded, largest stage time slot. And let's face it, I had a wicked hangover, so I wasn't in fine fan form. The set was absent a few of my favorites, and it just wasn't what I had hoped it would be. Subsequently, and maybe because of that, I didn't wriggle out of an obligation in September, thereby missing their show in my town. Big mistake, I now think. Overall, my penchant for all things Spoon (except for Spoonerisms and spooning) was on the wane. But now, thanks to TR's praise, I'm revisiting TWMS. (Acronym!) I haven't vaulted it to the top of the list, but I'm workin' on it.
Here's why I have such lofty expectations for new Spoon releases. I've assembled a list of my Top 20 Spoon tunes (Spunes?), counting down to my most liked even though the numbering goes up. (I don't know.)
I first heard the band in 2000 when a fellow W&M alum and DC neighbor (former cheerleader) told me to give it a spin. And the first Spoon song I ever heard is still my favorite one.
A few quick facts about the band as you listen:
- They were formed in Austin in the early 1990's -- before the town became a hip, hip place like Seatthens.
- They named themselves after the song "Spoon" by the German band Can. Which I don't love.
- Their tunes comprise much of the soundtrack to the 2006 Will Ferrell/Maggie Gyllenhaal film Stranger Than Fiction. Which I do love. Especially her.
- Lead singer Britt Daniel also fronts the band Divine Fits.
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38 comments:
Awesome job. Wish I could have a mulligan on KoL. My Party is my favorite tune by them. 4-5 bangers on that album
Rent I Pay from the new Spoon album would've made my list, but I salute your list. Pandora first got me intrigued enough to dig in to Gagaga (or whatever it's really called).
And I feel obligated to pay it forward. Without Mark and Zman touting hip hop, I would not know about Run the Jewels 2 and Action Bronson. I wanted to do a post about my top 10 phrases from RTJ2, but they would all be way too inappropriate. But here are two. "I'm a vagina whisperer" and "my business card says you're in luck, I do two things, I rap and fuck."
"stranger than fiction" got me into spoon-- and I also like soundgarden's song "spoonman."
we need to be careful. people are going to start thinking they're going to get lots of hand-crafted content after a week like this one. let's work on managing expectations.
i dig spoon, but i haven't spent enough time listening to them. britt daniel covered sugar's 'the act we act' at a bob mould tribute concert a few years ago. the more you know...
senior day in williamsburg, and i'll be in philly consorting with the enemy. tribe favored by 16(!) against a decimated drexel squad that may only suit up three guards. marcus thornton's final home game in a tribe uniform. (tom schalk's, too.) that's a massive number, but i think the tribe manages to eke it out. wouldn't bet on it, though.
Finer Feelings, Who Makes Your Money and Trouble Comes Running would've made my cut. But I think I only have two Spoon albums so maybe some of these selections will bump them from my list. Spoon is weird in that everyone likes them but no one loves them. Like I've never met someone who said "I'm a HUGE Spoon fan." But everyone says "Oh yeah, Spoon is good stuff."
RIP Anthony Mason. One of my all time favorite Knicks.
The Mason news makes me sad. He defined the Kicks for me more than Ewing in the 90s.
On a happier note, with baseball season starting, we're getting regular funny SC segments with Kurkjian
Dave- I loathe 'Spoonman'. Easily my least favorite Soundgarden song.
To TR's RTJ2 point I really enjoy "fuck the law, they can eat my dick. That's word to pimp".
So asked fam if they want to go to Tribe game...no takers. Husband would go but someone has to stay with kids. He says I should go solo...pathetic or glorious?! Think I just might go. Here's to hoping we win!
Go solo Donna---you're going to witness an historic event in Tribe sports and the fans are nice there, so you'll be able to chat with seat mates
You all know the Tribe will break your hearts, right?
New kitchen floor installed on Thursday. zson appears to have already drawn on it. In marker.
Of course we know Zman. "Futile Superfans"
I guess Sar has joined the faithful too....or I'm too dumb to figure out who is loved into the computer.
Zman...
Only Love Can Break Your Heart
And that's the only way to play it.
Marls, you guys joining us down the pub for the rugby?
The wife and kid are meeting friends in Orlando today and staying over. I'm on my own for the day/night. I'm boring do I probably won't do shit but still not bad to be free for a bit.
Also, I really like Wichita State's gear. I bought a pair of their shorts last year. High probability that I might buy some more today.
got no positive thoughts for this one. complete choke against a terrible opponent.
Zman, why do you need to be right about the Tribe
i'm over it. always needed a three-game winning streak in march. that hasn't changed.
Yeah, pretty much sucked. Met friend haven't seen in 15 yrs. Empty seat by her on first row behind Tribe/center court. Where I sat for second half trouncing. Ouch! Let's hope they bring it for tourney. Couple nice shots by Dixon, tho.
So a few blokes from here are probably still in the midst of the Mt. Mitchell 40 miler. A 4300 foot climb in the first 20 miles. And then from there it's only another slightly uphill 20 miles. Snow, ice, and temps in the teens if not near zero or below at that altitude. Legitimately concerned for a couple of them.
Games like today's make me think I will die still waiting for the Tribe to make the tourney.
Going to meet a friend at the bar for the Florida game because alcohol is pretty much the only thing that makes watching this Gator team bearable.
I take no joy in being right about this stuff. Like the Knicks, the Tribe will always break your heart. Bills too.
Is the tribe about the Back into the conference title?
Terminal 5. NYC. Gaslight Anthem. Booyah.
Nice night for TR. I'm more of a Gaslight Killer guy but that's just me. I understand I'm in the minority.
Is that a Ghostface Killah/Gaslight Anthem mashup?
CAA CHAMPIONS, BITCHES! as in, we are the regular season champs, and today, we were bitches.
I'm dumb. And a little bit drunk. Gaslamp Killer is what I was thinking of.
For you music snobs, there is a Shania Twain special on your ABC channel.
Congrats to the wrens. I look forward to the tournament. The CAA tournament that is. > tip of pinky finger in corner of mouth <
Just the tip.
terry tarpey is 6'5". he led the caa in rebounding and blocks. and steals, for good measure.
kids' gymnastics meets are a special kind of awesome.
zdaughter digs animal collective! There's hope for us yet.
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