Hey votes due tonight you lazy asses...I'm voting for the Monitor because I love it. As a guy about to turn 40, I probably look really stupid driving around blasting this album from the car or jumping around the house while listening to it, but so be it. This album rocks and then some. Also the guy from the Hold Steady reads some Civil War stuff, so that works for me too.
I think Let England Shake is also about a war or something but I haven't looked at the lyrics too closely, partly because the music just hasn't grabbed me. I will say that listening through this time, I liked it probably more than ever, but a few of the tracks just fall really flat for me--every third track or so sounds like the filler a band is allowed to have once on their album before a really great track. So, whoop there it is.
Hey votes due tonight you lazy asses...I'm voting for Let England Shake because I love it. As a girl who just turned 36, I probably look really awesome driving around blasting this 44 year old's album from the car or jumping around the house while listening to it, and so be it. This album rocks and then some. Also PJ Harvey did a lot of research on current war (like in Afghanistan) stuff, but then, being a good Brit, said, let's bring it back to The Great War, so that works for me too.
I think The Monitor is also about a war or something, and having listened to the lyrics and music closely, I still can't come up with much to justify a bazillion songs that are longer than they need to be and some suspect lyrics. I will say that listening over and over these times, I liked it a lot, but some of the lyrics just fall really flat for me, and I don't think TA captures the terror and idiocy of war the way PJ does. Let England Shake hangs together better as a concept album for me. So, whoop there it is.
I wish I could witness you driving around Philadelphia screaming the lines "as we, advancing in the sun-sing Death to all and everyone" from out of the car window.
Sorry, I read my post and noticed two mistakes that made things even more confusing.
I'm not really sure here. The Monitor sometimes seems a bit too complain-ey or "everything sucks, but that's awesome because now we have an excuse to party," but often it seems like overstatement with a purpose. This is one of the things I find interesting about people performing songs they've written. It's a lot easier to assume the singer feels or agrees with what he or she is singing in the first person than to imagine that they might be speaking in part or entirely in the voice of a character. Sure, you read some John Updike and assume that he's got a depressing personal life, but it's easier to transfer the words from the author to the character in fiction than in music. This is probably not the best path of inquiry to travel given the intelligence level of all y'all (high, I mean) ... Hmmm... I really like Titus Andronicus's less rockin stuff but I like shouting along (mostly in my head and whispers) to the screw it all let's rock stuff.
I think Let England Shake is an excellent album, but I've listened to it quite a bit to not really be following the concept all that much. I'm not saying it's not there, just that it didn't make it from there into my brain. Yeah, I think that's it: It's probably better, but I currently don't feel as much like listening to it. Profound, eh? The weird thing is that this is the third time I've tried to decide in favor of The Monitor, but every time start to type, "I choose The Monitor," I stop and think again. So I'm choosing "Let England Shake."
i am typing while holding a baby so no caps or consistent punctuation for you. "let england shake" gets my vote. i have to be in the mood for it, but i totally dig it. i am biased by some anglophile leanings, i will admit. i didn't dislike titus andronicus as much as i thought i would, which is a compliment. i can't see listening to it on any regular basis, however. and i think they should really reconsider their band name...and shorten most of their tracks, like sarah said.
I vote for PJ Harvey as well. You could pretty much take Sarah's comments and make them mine (except for the part about being a 36 year old woman...I wish!). TA is alright. I think they tried really hard and I can appreciate that. I just totally bought in on Let England Shake. I even bought the vinyl at Urban Outfitters (the shame is real, folks) after I had downloaded it. I love the lyrics for On Battleship Hill and Glorious Land.
I'm not feeling very committed to either of these, perhaps because I'm older than both the 36 year old girl and the almost 40 year old guy. But it's Death Match, so I'll go with the underdog this time: Titus
I like a lot of PJ Harvey but I haven’t let this one shake me too much. Maybe I don’t understand enough about the History of England to appreciate this as much as I should. It’s kind of like I don’t understand when Morrissey and the Mekons get all exercised about Alexander Cromwell. I can dig pop songs about Margaret Thatcher, but too much further back and it gets a bit murky for me. There is a creepy weirdness to a lot of both the music and the lyrics that I appreciate though. I’ve got to hand it to her for penning such catchy choruses as “What is the glorious fruit of our land- the fruit is deformed children.”
“… if destruction be our lot we ourselves must be its author and finisher-as a nation of free men, we will live forever-or die by suicide.” From the opening lines by old Abe Lincoln addressing the Young Men’s Lyccum of Springfield, IL in 1838, this album gives me the chills like nothing in a long time, though I can’t pinpoint all of the reasons why. Who knew that such rhetoric could stir my anti-war heart but something about it hits me hard. While the music is a bit more bar band than usually fits my tastes, once again, like the Hold Steady, Zwartitude convinced me to give it enough listens until it hit me. While I may not be able explain the entire narrative of this record that somehow connects the Civil War to 21st century New Jersey I think that much of the album and lyrics are quite inspired. The overflowing mouthfuls of words pushed along by the rush of steadily building instrumentation makes this an album I keep getting swept up in.
Added bonus, I saw Titus Andronicus the day after the Occupy Wall St. encampment in lower Manhattan was raided and destroyed by the police and the dude was FREAKING OUT in the most inspired way. The police had thrown the entire library into a dumpster and he kept going on and on about the book massacre.
Okay, England Shakes wins. I'll remember next MDM just to submit a thesis on WWI set to some mediocore tunes since apparently that kind of thing would go down well with this crowd.
So I'm really enjoying both of these albums. Thanks for the recommendations. I just realized that the first song of The Monitor is all about Boston. It even mentions a Somerville zipcode. That means I owe it instant allegiance.
But the PJ Harvey is getting under my skin a bit, and I like it.
vs.
Both of these artists have other albums that I like much more (I love "Local Business"...I might be the only one). I vote for Titus.
ReplyDeleteHey votes due tonight you lazy asses...I'm voting for the Monitor because I love it. As a guy about to turn 40, I probably look really stupid driving around blasting this album from the car or jumping around the house while listening to it, but so be it. This album rocks and then some. Also the guy from the Hold Steady reads some Civil War stuff, so that works for me too.
ReplyDeleteI think Let England Shake is also about a war or something but I haven't looked at the lyrics too closely, partly because the music just hasn't grabbed me. I will say that listening through this time, I liked it probably more than ever, but a few of the tracks just fall really flat for me--every third track or so sounds like the filler a band is allowed to have once on their album before a really great track. So, whoop there it is.
Hey votes due tonight you lazy asses...I'm voting for Let England Shake because I love it. As a girl who just turned 36, I probably look really awesome driving around blasting this 44 year old's album from the car or jumping around the house while listening to it, and so be it. This album rocks and then some. Also PJ Harvey did a lot of research on current war (like in Afghanistan) stuff, but then, being a good Brit, said, let's bring it back to The Great War, so that works for me too.
ReplyDeleteI think The Monitor is also about a war or something, and having listened to the lyrics and music closely, I still can't come up with much to justify a bazillion songs that are longer than they need to be and some suspect lyrics. I will say that listening over and over these times, I liked it a lot, but some of the lyrics just fall really flat for me, and I don't think TA captures the terror and idiocy of war the way PJ does. Let England Shake hangs together better as a concept album for me. So, whoop there it is.
Brilliant.
DeleteI wish I could witness you driving around Philadelphia screaming the lines "as we, advancing in the sun-sing Death to all and everyone" from out of the car window.
DeleteYeah, I have to admit this is pretty brilliant. Way to put me in my place.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I read my post and noticed two mistakes that made things even more confusing.
ReplyDeleteI'm not really sure here. The Monitor sometimes seems a bit too complain-ey or "everything sucks, but that's awesome because now we have an excuse to party," but often it seems like overstatement with a purpose. This is one of the things I find interesting about people performing songs they've written. It's a lot easier to assume the singer feels or agrees with what he or she is singing in the first person than to imagine that they might be speaking in part or entirely in the voice of a character. Sure, you read some John Updike and assume that he's got a depressing personal life, but it's easier to transfer the words from the author to the character in fiction than in music. This is probably not the best path of inquiry to travel given the intelligence level of all y'all (high, I mean) ... Hmmm... I really like Titus Andronicus's less rockin stuff but I like shouting along (mostly in my head and whispers) to the screw it all let's rock stuff.
I think Let England Shake is an excellent album, but I've listened to it quite a bit to not really be following the concept all that much. I'm not saying it's not there, just that it didn't make it from there into my brain. Yeah, I think that's it: It's probably better, but I currently don't feel as much like listening to it. Profound, eh? The weird thing is that this is the third time I've tried to decide in favor of The Monitor, but every time start to type, "I choose The Monitor," I stop and think again. So I'm choosing "Let England Shake."
Does that "stop and think again" sensation have anything to do with Sarah looking over your shoulder, perhaps making subtle threats and/or taunts?
DeleteTitus Andronicus is on the household a lot. Reminds me of how A & S described "jumping around the house to it," plus mosh-pitting.
ReplyDeleteBut I vote for PJ Harvey based on one quick listen and mega nice impressions.
I call foul....you didn't even listen to the whole thing. Boooo-urns!
DeleteBro, kind of my point. I got a taste of PJ and it was enough intrigue for me to vote her on the fact that I want mega more. Stuff it, ref.
Deletei am typing while holding a baby so no caps or consistent punctuation for you. "let england shake" gets my vote. i have to be in the mood for it, but i totally dig it. i am biased by some anglophile leanings, i will admit. i didn't dislike titus andronicus as much as i thought i would, which is a compliment. i can't see listening to it on any regular basis, however. and i think they should really reconsider their band name...and shorten most of their tracks, like sarah said.
ReplyDeleteI vote for PJ Harvey as well. You could pretty much take Sarah's comments and make them mine (except for the part about being a 36 year old woman...I wish!). TA is alright. I think they tried really hard and I can appreciate that. I just totally bought in on Let England Shake. I even bought the vinyl at Urban Outfitters (the shame is real, folks) after I had downloaded it. I love the lyrics for On Battleship Hill and Glorious Land.
ReplyDeleteI'm out.
I'm behind on my listening. I'll have my abstention ready by, oh, Monday morning at the latest.
ReplyDeleteI'm not feeling very committed to either of these, perhaps because I'm older than both the 36 year old girl and the almost 40 year old guy. But it's Death Match, so I'll go with the underdog this time: Titus
ReplyDeleteI like a lot of PJ Harvey but I haven’t let this one shake me too much. Maybe I don’t understand enough about the History of England to appreciate this as much as I should. It’s kind of like I don’t understand when Morrissey and the Mekons get all exercised about Alexander Cromwell. I can dig pop songs about Margaret Thatcher, but too much further back and it gets a bit murky for me. There is a creepy weirdness to a lot of both the music and the lyrics that I appreciate though. I’ve got to hand it to her for penning such catchy choruses as “What is the glorious fruit of our land- the fruit is deformed children.”
ReplyDelete“… if destruction be our lot we ourselves must be its author and finisher-as a nation of free men, we will live forever-or die by suicide.” From the opening lines by old Abe Lincoln addressing the Young Men’s Lyccum of Springfield, IL in 1838, this album gives me the chills like nothing in a long time, though I can’t pinpoint all of the reasons why. Who knew that such rhetoric could stir my anti-war heart but something about it hits me hard. While the music is a bit more bar band than usually fits my tastes, once again, like the Hold Steady, Zwartitude convinced me to give it enough listens until it hit me. While I may not be able explain the entire narrative of this record that somehow connects the Civil War to 21st century New Jersey I think that much of the album and lyrics are quite inspired. The overflowing mouthfuls of words pushed along by the rush of steadily building instrumentation makes this an album I keep getting swept up in.
Added bonus, I saw Titus Andronicus the day after the Occupy Wall St. encampment in lower Manhattan was raided and destroyed by the police and the dude was FREAKING OUT in the most inspired way. The police had thrown the entire library into a dumpster and he kept going on and on about the book massacre.
Oh, I'm voting for Titus Andronicus by the way...was that apparent?
DeleteI'd like more of this. Context matters...says the person with the two sentence review.
DeleteOkay, England Shakes wins. I'll remember next MDM just to submit a thesis on WWI set to some mediocore tunes since apparently that kind of thing would go down well with this crowd.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to it...
DeleteAh man, where was Steve? By my count, if he voted for Titus it would have been a tie we would go into sudden death overtime right?
DeleteSudden death music death match! Let's hope we never have to find out what that's like!
DeleteI like-button all these comments.
ReplyDeleteSo I'm really enjoying both of these albums. Thanks for the recommendations. I just realized that the first song of The Monitor is all about Boston. It even mentions a Somerville zipcode. That means I owe it instant allegiance.
ReplyDeleteBut the PJ Harvey is getting under my skin a bit, and I like it.