Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Waxahatchee-Cerulean Salt vs. Passion Pitt - Gossamer

vs.

At least you can't go wrong here.  Vote before I wake up on Saturday or else...

16 comments:

  1. No, you can't go wrong here. So I'll try not to overthink this one. I hadn't listened to Waxahatchee before, and I'm loving this album. Really like that "Brother Bryan" song. Sometimes she reminds me of Mirah or Jenny Lewis, but there's a lot of sincere & surprising stuff going on too.

    And Passion Pit is fun, but sometimes I get bored of them. Especially, and maybe this is sacrilegious to big fans, that high-pitch voice effect thingy on tracks like "Constant Conversations." Whenever they haul that out I just think of other songs they've used that effect on and those tracks blend together/bug me.

    But then I was listening to Gossamer, and I was like, yeah, this is superfun and superinteresting other than that effect and I haven't listened to it enough. Yup, overthinking.

    But then I learned that the woman who is Waxahatchee lives in West Philly, our newish neighborhood, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite neighborhoods on earth. And that's probably biasing me just a tiny bit. But also, I'm likely to listen to this album lots, so thanks to the MDMer who chose it.

    I choose Waxahatchee.

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  2. I liked Waxahatchee, but I liked it in a pretty passive way--the way that would cause me to say "What is this? I like it" but not that would cause me to request the album deliberately even on learning the fun-to-say band name.

    Passion Pit's Gossamer, on the other hand, has been one of my go-to albums this past year, un-doldrumming me oodles of times.

    So my vote goes to Passion Pit.

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  3. I listened to Waxahatchee first, and quite enjoyed it. Enough in fact that I listened to American Weekend as well. I was sure this would be a contender.

    Then I listened to Passion Pit, and of course immediately recognized Take A Walk as that song that keeps playing over and over again on the radio. The one that always makes me think someone is taking a picture of me with their phone (I really hope I'm not the only one that hears that sound). That annoys me. But I have to admit that it is a good song. I was pretty sure that Waxahatchee would win at this point. But of course, Passion Pit also reminded me of the Peach Pit (after dark), and that required me to give the whole album a chance. And I quite enjoyed it as well. I also listened to all of their albums, and came away thinking they might pull it out.

    So I listened to all the albums from Waxahatchee and Passion Pit once more, and came away with a close, but clear winner.

    Waxahatchee

    It is just more my thing. No negative points to Passion Pit, in fact there was quite a bit of stuff that I thought was *really* good. I especially enjoyed unexpectedly hearing the cover of Dreams.

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  4. "un-doldrumming me oodles of time" = new phrase in my pocket

    Check it, Waxahatchee fucking rules.
    Saying "Waxahatchee" with throat hocking, real good time.
    I first saw her in a Bushwick (Brooklyn's artsy cocaine scene) basement with guitar standing in the middle of a circle of close friends. She sang her guts out to us and I was immediately un-doldrummed to oodles of time. I like her style of rock and roll, like simplistic and dependable and bears her heart on her sleeve. Swan Dive is the type of song that you can listen on both your saddest and best of days - brilliant.

    She and her sister Alison used to be a Grrrl band called P.S. Eliot then ventured separately into Wax and Swearin'. Joe and I are definitely partial to these gals well, bc THEY RULE.

    In other news, Passion Pit Gossamer was great. I really enjoyed the album. Bring on some synth and a little drum machine and I'm a happy lady. Dudes, how about "Cry Like a Ghost" freaking SYLVIA NO ONE'S GOING TO TELL YOU WHEN ENOUGH'S ENOUGH kidd! I am pumped to add them to my music bank.

    But get real, Wax is the jam for this Match Up. Don't mess this up!

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  6. I have checked out Passion Pit in the past and felt rather unmoved by them and that remains up to now. Their sound is ok and I don’t mind the falsetto vocals. But they do have one big problem and that is the tendency to throw around lyrics like “it’s gonna be alright,” and “everything’s going to be OK.” These are lies. This is escapism. I always tried to tell the Longitudes that but they would never listen. Check here (http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_ipcc_fourth_assessment_report_synthesis_report.htm) or here (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-05/ice-melting-faster-in-greenland-and-antarctica-in-un-leak.html) for examples. The general “un-doldrumming” aspects of the record, however, I have no objection to.

    Waxahatchee have been one of my favorite new bands of late. It has helped that I have seen many a show of hers starting with one of her first shows in her basement when she was still living in Brooklyn (OH I AM SUCH AN COOL FREAKING BROOKLYN HIPSTER!). But I do think that she writes some pretty great songs with some rather direct lyrics that isn’t the hippest thing these days.
    While there may not be a great diversity of songwriting, there is an interesting diversity of arrangements, all while remaining tastefully understated. Some songs are strummed on an acoustic guitar, some feature up front but muted electric, one song leaves the guitar out for a steady bass and drum backing and some are full on rockers. While the previous record “American Weekend” has a lot of killer songs on it, its lo-fi consistency gets a little tired by the end of the record and I think “Cerulean Salt” is a big improvement in that area.

    I also think that the album is sequenced nicely with an interesting while not totally predictable flow to the record. It starts off slowly, switches between quiet songs and songs that are a bit louder, saves the biggest sounding track, “Peace & Quiet” biggest track featuring GRaps own Sam Cook-Parrott on backing voclas, for second to last.

    I vote Waxamahatchachee.

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  7. I mostly liked Passion Pit more. Particularly, Constant Conversations, which is a totally kickass alcoholism confessional slow jam with non optional kitty sounds. (Note to self: Change will so Bruce and Sarah don't get my Chipmunks vinyl). The rest of it is super sporty and happy jumpy exercisey and my god the synths.

    Sometimes, for the last decade or so, I get super tired of indie rock. I don't know what else to say. I wish I could vote for Harry Nilsson again.

    While I have nooo problem with Waxahatchee winning this round, I vote Passion Pit.

    Also, Sarah, do you have any favorite neighborhoods that aren't on earth? I'd love to check 'em out, maybe try some local brews.

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  8. Jane and I are back sitting in the hospital right now, and she's saying that you all need to vote for Passion Pit because that would make her feel better (her blood pressure's way up due to baby related things - but we're more frustrated than worried). Anyways, I vote Passion Pit, and not just cause Jane says so. This is the third time I've listened to that Waxhatachee (terrible name by the way; Foxygen is way better)album over the last few months, and I just don't get it. I mean, it's fine, but I just don't see it as anything special (maybe I'll get it next time). It feels to me like the statistical median of indie rock. Also, to address one of Joe's points, I don't think the guy from Passion Pit's lyrics are escapism. I think the dude has dealt with some pretty real shit, and he means what he sings.

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  9. I'm going with Passion Pit. Better beats. Overall, I think they are too peppy and grand, and I think that Waxahatchee is too mopey and college-coffee-house-y, but I like Passion Pit better, so that's who I'm going with. I hope this helps make Jane happy, too. Hang in there! P.S. I agree with zwartitude: I like the name Foxygen better than Waxahatchee, unless Waxahatchee were an Indian drum circle band or something.

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  10. Jane! So sorry about high blood pressure. Make sure to listen to lots of Passion Pit to get you through this one!

    "Waxhatachee (terrible name by the way; Foxygen is way better)" Zwartitude, I thought you were into linguistics and appreciate word aesthetics!

    Sidenote: Music Death Match makes me want to throw down - to be like in a Fight Club. I come on here wanting to toss around punches and say Fuck all the time. Sorry I'm not sorry. Actually, there is a place in Brooklyn where you can pay to break things, maybe I will go there.

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    Replies
    1. Who do you feel most like punching in MDM?

      I for one would be up for making MDM more like Fight Club.

      Delete
    2. Who do you feel most like punching in MDM?
      Zwartitude

      I for one would be up for making MDM more like Fight Club.
      “Maybe self-improvement isn't the answer, maybe self-destruction is the answer.” - F.C.
      LET'S DO IT.

      Delete
    3. Yeah, punch the guy with the 3 day old baby. Classy,
      I got your back Zwartitude.
      And CONGRATULATIONS!

      Delete
  11. While Waxahatchee doesn't sound especially groundbreaking, it remains one of my favorite albums of the past year. It reminds me a lot of Exile in Guyville, which in my book, is a good thing. Passion Pit leaves me a little cold, and I'm not even paying attention to the lyrics.

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  12. Lots of complaining here about the name Waxhatachee, but no one else is at all bothered with the name Passion Pit?

    I'm usually not a fan of pop, but I managed to get past the name to enjoy Passion Pit. As noted before, definitely (working out my biases, so not definately here) good beats.

    Waxahatchee also did alright by me, so my choice wasn't clear.

    It came in a tie, but though I have no problem being tardy, I won't abstain. Tie goes to the band with less acclaim, so my vote, if not my heart, belongs to Waxahatchee.

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  13. I'm voting Passion Pit.

    I'm catching up here, so no time to write a treatise. Waxahatchee I think is more immediately interesting, but it leaves me cold after a few listens. Sounds . . . too self-conscious, maybe?

    Passion Pit is easy-listening, which I appreciate these days.

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