A couple of weeks ago, we confessed to having a severe weakness for girly pop. This week we would like to confess that we have a similar weakness for angsty acoustic pop rock, especially by male singer/songwriters. As we grow older, this little weakness seems to be slipping away. However, lately we have been rocking out (or, more accurately, “rocking” out) to the subtle sounds of David Gray’s White Ladder, Counting Crows’ This Desert Life, and Dave Matthews Band’s Before These Crowded Streets.
Recently, Entertainment Weekly ran an article noting 8 emerging, singing, songwriting dudes. In an attempt to see where we’re really at with our predilection, we here at The Factual Opinion have decided to investigate. Yet, in order to satiate our blood lust (did we mention that weakness as well?), we are pitting these 8 dudes against one another in our First Ever Music of the Weak Singer/Songwriter Battle Royale.
The rules are simple: This will run as a single elimination tournament. We will listen to two of the songs by these singer/songwriters that EW deems best, and decide which one is (factually) better. Winners of the first round will face one another and so forth until there is one winner. The winner will receive a spot on my iPod and a tiny shred of credibility. (We are the makers of dreams.)
For those of you playing along at home, our money is on Bon Iver, who we’re already a bit familiar with, and who has hair that seems to be disappearing quicker than ours is, which makes him okay in our book.
Here we go.
ROUND 1
Brett Dennen – “Darlin’ Do Not Fear”
VS.
Landon Pigg – “Coffee Shop”
Both of these songs would settle nicely on adult contemporary radio, which is sort of expected. Musically, “Coffee Shop” takes the edge over “Darlin’ Do Not Fear.” Landon Pigg sounds confident with a spare guitar and a lot of space, whereas Brett Dennen rides a Caribbean groove a la Jack Johnson or that fourth episode of Lost when Hurley’s discman is still working. Lyrically, though, they’re miles apart—with Dennen whoopin’ on some Pigg ass.
Frequently, songwriters use a device known as “metaphor.” Apparently, Pigg has never heard of such device. “Coffee Shop” is about falling in love with a girl in his favorite coffee shop. I, Marty Brown, will personally give you a five dollar bill (one of the freaky new ones!) if you can find some sort of over-arching allegory here about Christianity or communism. There are two basic sentiments: 1) “I think I’m falling in love with you,” and 2) “I just realized that the reason I like this coffee shop so much is because I’m falling for you.” “Darlin’ Do Not Fear” may not find Dennen at the height of his poetic majesty (that would be when he rhymes “crescendo” with “akimbo” in “She’s Mine”), but he does do some creative writing—even if he does only end up with lines like, “Find something to hold onto or to let go/ To help you through the hard nights like a flask filled with hope”—so he takes this one by a large margin.
Justin Nozuka – “After Tonight”
VS.
Paddy Casey – “City”
The Nozuka song is awful. He actually sings, “Give me your right hand/ I think I understand,” giving you your second opportunity to receive five (5!) dollars if you can make that line make any sort of sense to me. I dare you. Paddy Casey wins here simply by virtue of having both a pretty bombastic rhythm and horns.
Brendan James – “Hero’s Song”
VS.
Newton Faulkner – “Dream Catch Me”
Brendan James. Wow. Here’s a guy that’s taking himself pretty damn seriously. “Hero’s Song” is about a guy in the desert with a pendant and a dream. Smoke and explosions surround him, plus a cloud of hate (metaphor!). Confusion. Pain. Etc. Yikes. Remember when that chick on American Idol sang “God Bless America”? That was awesome.
“Dream Catch Me” isn’t quite as offensive, and it’s driven by a pretty weird electro beat, which I can respect, but it’s still not “good” in any objective sense of the word. Still, it’s enough to win this round. Could it be that 1998-99 was a golden age for radio-friendly dude rock? At least I have Bon Iver to look forward to.
Sam Amidon – “Saro”
VS.
Bon Iver – “Skinny Love”
Sam Amidon is shirtless and wearing a cowboy hat on his album cover. How am I supposed to feel? “Saro” is not a horrible song—it reminds me of Sufjan Stevens and The Hour of Bewilderbeast—but it pales next to “Skinny Love,” which may be the one genuine quality song in this battle royale.
Let’s cut right to the chase here. We don’t need a second round.
FINAL ROUND
Brett Dennen – “Darlin’ Do Not Fear”
Paddy Casey – “City”
Newton Faulkner – “Dream Catch Me”
VS.
Bon Iver – “Skinny Love”
Let’s forget for a second that the Entertainment Weekly article is basically just a press release, and that there’s not a whole lot to believe in among this group of gentlemen. What makes Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love” qualitatively better than any of these other songs? Well, he sings in plain declaratives like Landon Pigg, but without giving away that there might not be a whole lot of substance behind his lyrics. He doesn’t put a whole lot of emphasis on vocals in his mix, so maybe he’s not taking himself so seriously. The guitar is simple and buoyant. There are horns.
Each of these other guys places his vocals front and center—as if he were making an Important Statement—and then has nothing to say. The exception might be Paddy Casey, whose “City” is more about the rhythm and the wall of sound, but doesn’t go anywhere. We will admit that “Darlin’ Do Not Fear” has grown on us quite a bit over this process—Dennen has an interesting voice, and lyrically the kid may be all over the place, but at least he’s trying. We’ll give points for that here at TFO. Let’s declare Casey the 2nd runner up, behind Dennen. Bon Iver is the obvious winner here.
…that is, unless you claim one of these crisp five (5) dollar bills. We’re gonna give you one more chance to earn one. Name for me a singer/songwriter who meets the following conditions: 1) I haven’t heard him; 2) he has a MySpace page; and 3) he can kick Bon Iver’s ass. Anyone?
-Martin Brown, 2008
Recently, Entertainment Weekly ran an article noting 8 emerging, singing, songwriting dudes. In an attempt to see where we’re really at with our predilection, we here at The Factual Opinion have decided to investigate. Yet, in order to satiate our blood lust (did we mention that weakness as well?), we are pitting these 8 dudes against one another in our First Ever Music of the Weak Singer/Songwriter Battle Royale.
For those of you playing along at home, our money is on Bon Iver, who we’re already a bit familiar with, and who has hair that seems to be disappearing quicker than ours is, which makes him okay in our book.
Here we go.
ROUND 1
VS.
Landon Pigg – “Coffee Shop”
Both of these songs would settle nicely on adult contemporary radio, which is sort of expected. Musically, “Coffee Shop” takes the edge over “Darlin’ Do Not Fear.” Landon Pigg sounds confident with a spare guitar and a lot of space, whereas Brett Dennen rides a Caribbean groove a la Jack Johnson or that fourth episode of Lost when Hurley’s discman is still working. Lyrically, though, they’re miles apart—with Dennen whoopin’ on some Pigg ass.
Frequently, songwriters use a device known as “metaphor.” Apparently, Pigg has never heard of such device. “Coffee Shop” is about falling in love with a girl in his favorite coffee shop. I, Marty Brown, will personally give you a five dollar bill (one of the freaky new ones!) if you can find some sort of over-arching allegory here about Christianity or communism. There are two basic sentiments: 1) “I think I’m falling in love with you,” and 2) “I just realized that the reason I like this coffee shop so much is because I’m falling for you.” “Darlin’ Do Not Fear” may not find Dennen at the height of his poetic majesty (that would be when he rhymes “crescendo” with “akimbo” in “She’s Mine”), but he does do some creative writing—even if he does only end up with lines like, “Find something to hold onto or to let go/ To help you through the hard nights like a flask filled with hope”—so he takes this one by a large margin.
VS.
Paddy Casey – “City”
The Nozuka song is awful. He actually sings, “Give me your right hand/ I think I understand,” giving you your second opportunity to receive five (5!) dollars if you can make that line make any sort of sense to me. I dare you. Paddy Casey wins here simply by virtue of having both a pretty bombastic rhythm and horns.
VS.
Newton Faulkner – “Dream Catch Me”
Brendan James. Wow. Here’s a guy that’s taking himself pretty damn seriously. “Hero’s Song” is about a guy in the desert with a pendant and a dream. Smoke and explosions surround him, plus a cloud of hate (metaphor!). Confusion. Pain. Etc. Yikes. Remember when that chick on American Idol sang “God Bless America”? That was awesome.
“Dream Catch Me” isn’t quite as offensive, and it’s driven by a pretty weird electro beat, which I can respect, but it’s still not “good” in any objective sense of the word. Still, it’s enough to win this round. Could it be that 1998-99 was a golden age for radio-friendly dude rock? At least I have Bon Iver to look forward to.
VS.
Bon Iver – “Skinny Love”
Sam Amidon is shirtless and wearing a cowboy hat on his album cover. How am I supposed to feel? “Saro” is not a horrible song—it reminds me of Sufjan Stevens and The Hour of Bewilderbeast—but it pales next to “Skinny Love,” which may be the one genuine quality song in this battle royale.
Let’s cut right to the chase here. We don’t need a second round.
FINAL ROUND
Brett Dennen – “Darlin’ Do Not Fear”
Paddy Casey – “City”
Newton Faulkner – “Dream Catch Me”
VS.
Bon Iver – “Skinny Love”
Let’s forget for a second that the Entertainment Weekly article is basically just a press release, and that there’s not a whole lot to believe in among this group of gentlemen. What makes Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love” qualitatively better than any of these other songs? Well, he sings in plain declaratives like Landon Pigg, but without giving away that there might not be a whole lot of substance behind his lyrics. He doesn’t put a whole lot of emphasis on vocals in his mix, so maybe he’s not taking himself so seriously. The guitar is simple and buoyant. There are horns.
…that is, unless you claim one of these crisp five (5) dollar bills. We’re gonna give you one more chance to earn one. Name for me a singer/songwriter who meets the following conditions: 1) I haven’t heard him; 2) he has a MySpace page; and 3) he can kick Bon Iver’s ass. Anyone?
-Martin Brown, 2008
This was the most horrifying google image search I have ever performed since taking on this position.
Posted by: The Factual Opinion's Photo Editor | 2008.05.27 at 19:09