I ran into a bit of a conundrum today when the song that came up was from House of Mayors rather than a TMBG track. I kind of forgot that was a possibility with my chosen method of song selection. So then I had to think about whether to include solo material in Song of the Day. I couldn't really get a consensus from the public. So I've decided to just go with it. It'll give me an excuse to include solo stuff I really love down the road when it comes up.
But for today your song is....
John Purroy Mitchel
Ok, not my favorite track from House of Mayors and there are some that I genuinely enjoy. This one is just a little too dissonant for my taste. Though I suppose it does have an impressive consistency in it's dissonance. Some of this record, I feel like, was just Linnell having fun making interesting sounding noise and recording it. I do remember, on first learning of it's existence, being very confused about why the songs weren't actually about the mayors if they were named after mayors. I got over it.
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Again, never heard it. Worst fan alert.
ReplyDeleteI'm lame because I sought out House of Mayors. I like hearing the Johns without their other half. I can't recall the first House of Mayors song I heard, but it came up on shuffle on a friend's iPod in his car, and got really excited. I'm fascinated by "John without John" projects, even down to how the liner notes of the albums differ.
ReplyDeleteThis song is just sort of creepy. I feel like Linnell is stretching his music limits on the record. Although what I find interesting about House of Mayors as a whole is that he uses the same musical motif for a lot of the songs-- at least the Processionals and titular track.
I remember listening to State Songs and then House of Mayors on the train to visit home recently. I usually pick albums to listen beforehand when I take trips. Listening to State Songs/House of Mayors was something that stuck out in my mind.
Meg, don't worry. I'm sure I will be a contender for worst fan soon enough as the first time an old Dial-A-Song track comes up, I am screwed. I haven't heard any of those that weren't on a release somewhere.
ReplyDeleteErin, I also find it interesting that Linnell chose to use the band organ (is that what it's called?) on both HoM and State Songs. He really is fascinated with that thing.
I actually like the dissonance! The toy piano makes the whole thing weirdly, hauntingly atmospheric - it sort of puts me in mind of an early sunrise - but the random squeaking in the middle (too tired to identify it just now) lightens the mood a lot. It's a cute contrast. Then again, I like to read far too much into instrumentals :D
ReplyDeleteBut I agree, the variations on the main theme and the songs with vocals on this record are in a whole other league.
(Nitpick: isn't it "Purroy"? I could be wrong.)
Ha! Good random find. I'm not familiar with this song either; I don't have the EP, though I'm pretty sure I've heard some House of Mayors tracks on Clock Radio. So I guess I can't really add to this discussion.
ReplyDeleteblitzente - (I keep looking at your screen name and wanting to shorten it to blitz for some reason), you are totally right, it is Purroy and I fixed it. In my defense though, I had copied the title out of iTunes and it is listed, in my iTunes anyway, as Purrory. I uploaded it in there from the EP so I'm not sure exactly where in that coding mumbo-jumbo the spelling error lies.
ReplyDeleteHmm..I've never heard any of the House Of Mayors songs. I only recently learned of their existence. Wait..I may have heard some if any of them are on the Podcasts. But I don't remember this one.
ReplyDeleteYour commentary here makes me want to listen to the album, though!:
"Some of this record, I feel like, was just Linnell having fun making interesting sounding noise and recording it."
:)